A stately, tall carriage of aged bronze approached with an imposing silence. The four draft beasts pulling it were all Grade Four Profound Beasts, and atop the carriage bloomed an unnaturally brilliant, golden flower, so exquisitely vibrant it seemed impossibly delicate. Eight knights flanked the carriage, standing tall and proud, mounted and resolute.

The Murong Clan had arrived!

At first glance, the Murong Clan might not rival the Li family in sheer scale, nor match the Jun or Dugu families in current political might. Yet, the Murong Clan was the most ancient of all the great houses in Tianxiang City, possessing the deepest heritage and the most intricately woven ties to the Imperial Family!

The influence of the Murong Clan was impossible for anyone to ignore!

Furthermore, among all the current noble families, the Murong Clan was the only one with matrimonial ties to the Emperor.

This singular honor was possessed by no other house!

The Li family commanded immense influence over the court, and Li Youran himself was such an exceptional talent. For three years he relentlessly pursued Princess Lingmeng, yet the Emperor consistently refused to offer any opinion. The Jun family was famed for its loyalty; nearly all of its male members had sacrificed themselves for the nation. Old Man Jun had even swallowed his pride to request a marriage alliance from the Sovereign of Tianxiang, only to be politely refused. While it was true they considered Jun Zhantian a good-for-nothing rake, the fact that even the distinguished Jun family was rejected spoke volumes about the difficulty of securing an imperial marriage!

In the eyes of the Imperial Family, the Murong Clan’s position was utterly irreplaceable by any other house!

The last time Murong Qianjun transmitted faulty intelligence, it caused a massive blunder, directly leading to Jun Zhantian’s bloody purge of the capital, which saw nearly a third of the court ministers stripped of their posts. Had this happened to anyone else, they would have been executed ten thousand times over without a second thought. Yet, the final disposition for Murong Qianjun was merely: dismissal from all posts, forbidden from serving ever again!

That was all!

This single outcome demonstrated the profound closeness of the Murong relationship with the Throne, and the immense reach of the Murong Clan’s power—such a lineage could never be slighted by any force…

The carriage halted with a sudden stop. The eight knights dismounted in perfect unison. Then, they opened the carriage door. The leader unhooked a brocade stool from his saddle, placed it precisely at the carriage entrance, held the door steady, and stood ramrod straight.

A moment later, a young man with a handsome countenance emerged from the carriage and stood solemnly—it was Murong Qianjun. Next, a pair of delicate, small feet appeared, followed by a radiant young girl in pale yellow, who stepped down with an air of unmistakable pride. Then, after a soft cough, an elderly man, trembling slightly, was helped down between the two younger figures.

A collective gasp drew in the breath of all onlookers.

This was truly nobility incarnate! The venerable, long-established Murong Clan had deployed its second most powerful figure—Murong Fengyun’s brother, Murong Fengyu!

The Murong Clan was showing considerable deference to the 'Noble Hall,' or perhaps, more accurately, to the Jun, Tang, and Prince Pingdeng’s residences!

Just as Murong Qianjun and the yellow-clad girl were about to guide Murong Fengyu inside, a cold snort cut through the air, accompanied by a sneering, caustic remark: "The Murong Clan? So very important? What an arrogant display!" The Murong contingent instantly stiffened, several hands instinctively moving to their sword hilts.

Anger flushed every face. In Tianxiang City, who dared openly mock the Murong Clan to their face? Moreover, to do so precisely as the family’s senior figures were making their entrance was tantamount to courting death…

This was directly challenging the highest authority!

Turning, they saw two middle-aged men, clad in robes as white as snow, observing them with sharp, cold expressions. One of them already had his face contorted in fury because the hem of his pristine white robe was visibly dusted with grime. Standing beside them was a young maiden in white, whose features were exquisitely beautiful.

It was Xiao Han and his two companions.

One must not challenge the highest authority. But what if the one challenging was a True Immortal?

In the eyes of the secular noble houses, Gale Snow Silver City was an equally unattainable existence!

Lately, Xiao Han had felt inexplicably beset by misfortune, his frustration reaching a peak. Ever since arriving in Tianxiang City, he had felt stifled. Upon reaching the Jun residence, he intended to humiliate the crippled Jun, only to be taken advantage of by a junior, then injured by Murong Xuetong. What enraged him most was that the Eldest Miss had secretly sent items to Jun Wuyi—how could jealousy be contained?

Then, his own nephew arrived in Tianxiang City only to be severely wounded by a mysterious figure. Although he was ultimately saved by divine physicians and potent elixirs, it was still a failure of his duty as an uncle to protect him.

Following that, he heard the news that the crippled Jun had actually recovered…

This pushed Xiao Han’s temper past its breaking point.

Precisely at this moment, three families jointly established the Noble Hall directly opposite the Prosperous Treasure Hall! Was this not a blatant declaration of war against the Prosperous Treasure Hall? What he found most intolerable was that the Jun family was among the three conspiring houses!

This was simply intolerable! He had finally managed to secure the mission to represent the Mighty Treasure Hall, yet he was still saddled with Murong Xuetong, whose strength surpassed his own. How could his mood possibly be good? Yet, just as he reached the entrance of the Noble Hall, he was splashed with mud and dust by the approaching carriage!

Was this some kind of deliberate torment? Were they trying to provoke him to death?

He felt like he had swallowed cold water only to choke on a bone, or passed gas only to dislocate his heel… that was the level of frustration Xiao Han felt.

Rage boiled up in Xiao Han, turning into reckless aggression. He glared fiercely at the figures just dismounting from the Murong carriage, deliberately provocative, his eyes devoid of kindness.

If Xiao Han was boiling over, Murong Qianjun on the other side was even more incensed. In all of Tianxiang City, who dared to be so audacious, so tired of living? He raised a foot, ready to charge forward: "You mourning fool, are you asking to die!"

This young man had also suffered endless setbacks recently. His devoted pursuit of Princess Lingmeng was dashed by a single, erroneous report from a subordinate, extinguishing all hope. He was already choked with suppressed anger and desperately needed someone upon whom to vent.

The elder beside him, Murong Fengyu, coughed twice and grabbed his arm.

Murong Fengyu’s movement was not quick—in fact, it seemed somewhat sluggish—but it effectively halted Murong Qianjun’s rapid charge.

Murong Fengyu was seasoned by long experience. With a single glance, he discerned that Xiao Han and his group were not ordinary people; the mere fact they showed such disregard for the name 'Murong Clan' was telling. Seeing that all three were dressed in white and emerging from the Prosperous Treasure Hall, he vaguely guessed their origins!

"You little beast! What did you say?" A ferocious killing intent instantly flooded Xiao Han’s face.

Xiao Han hailed from Silver City, and the all-white robes were the standard formal attire for its disciples; no other colors were permitted. The absolute worst insult one could level was comparing their attire to mourning clothes—this fellow had just struck the deepest chord of his taboo! It was a taboo for him, and indeed, for all of Silver City. How could he not be enraged?

"Cough, cough, the junior was rude; this old man offers his apologies to the esteemed sir," Murong Fengyu said, his eyes, which seemed dim with age, staring vaguely at Xiao Han, a seemingly sincere smile on his aged face, like the petals of a proud bloom partially stripped by wind and rain. "Judging by your attire, you must be a hero or worthy talent from the world's foremost hidden power, Silver City. May I ask your relationship with Sir Xiao Buyu of Gale Snow Silver City?"

Xiao Han’s body jolted, and his frustration intensified.

This old man before him was far too cunning. He apologized first, yet immediately brought up Xiao Buyu, subtly suggesting an established connection. Moreover, given the elder’s advanced age, it made Xiao Han, a descendant of the Xiao family himself, hesitate to unleash any anger.

Xiao Buyu was famous throughout the world. While there was a possibility of mistaken identity, words spoken in public by the Murong Clan’s second-in-command were unlikely to be false.

He could only forcibly suppress his rage and return the courtesy: "That is an elder from my clan; I appreciate your concern."

"Heh heh, no need for formalities; in that case, we are not outsiders," Murong Fengyu said, squinting, adopting an extremely humble posture. "What happened just now was indeed our error. Later, my Murong family will certainly offer you an explanation. I hope the esteemed sir will be magnanimous."

Xiao Han let out a heavy snort: "No need!"

Murong Fengyu breathed a sigh of relief, knowing the matter had passed. He shot a stern look at Murong Qianjun, only to find Murong Qianjun staring blankly in a particular direction. Following his gaze, he saw a girl of delicate, blossoming age standing beside Xiao Han—like a snow lotus blooming atop an icy peak—clad in white, exquisitely graceful and beautiful.

Murong Fengyu’s heart stirred: If Qianjun could court this girl… wouldn’t that mean the Murong family could establish ties with Gale Snow Silver City? However, this matter… required careful deliberation. Regardless of this girl’s exact status within Gale Snow Silver City, she represented a prize, a succulent piece of 'swan meat' for the Murong Clan…

Just then, the sound of distant hooves approached, and several retinues arrived—it was the entourages of several Imperial Princes. Leading them all was Princess Lingmeng's carriage.

Murong Fengyu had no time for further pleasantries. He hastily signaled to Xiao Han and his companions, ushering them forward and backward into the hall, while sternly ordering his subordinates to clear the roadway immediately…

At that moment, carriage sounds also echoed from another part of the street—it was the arrival of Prince Pingdeng’s entourage. These figures of immense power and authority had converged at this single moment—a stroke of rare coincidence.

Princess Lingmeng sat within her sedan chair, her mind heavy with thought.

She hadn't wanted to come today; she wasn't the type to seek fame or enjoy the spectacle. But just as she had made her decision, her father, the Emperor, had appeared at her door, demanding she proceed immediately, and furthermore, travel in disguise with Scholar Wen.

Princess Lingmeng had no choice but to obey. But she couldn't fathom her father's intentions; the procession moved slowly, stopping intermittently, deliberately blocking the carriages of her three elder brothers right behind her. It seemed designed to foment conflict among the three princes—on a road this narrow, who would yield to whom?

Thus, Princess Lingmeng's journey was far from peaceful.