The activation of the spatial transfer arrays had long erased any sense of distance between the Snow Domain Continent and the Divine Dragon Continent, bringing distant horizons to mere steps! Upon arriving, Xing Chen had deployed an inescapable net, waiting only for Zhan Lang to walk right into the trap!
Yet, twenty days passed with absolutely no activity from Throne City!
"My Lord," even though he was now Emperor, You Yue retained that carefree, slacking demeanor, showing no awareness of his regal station!
"That's impossible," Xing Chen was beginning to feel bewildered. "Even across the Death Sea, at Zhan Lang's speed, it should take ten days at the very most."
"See, I told you so," Seth chimed in. "Zhan Lang definitely fooled you!"
"I'm truly sorry about that," Sui Feng added, a sly smirk playing on his lips. "Keeping your highness, the Prince of Qin of the Divine Dragon Empire, waiting as our bodyguard for over twenty days has been quite the imposition."
You Yue looked utterly triumphant! Thinking about these past twenty-plus days, Xing Chen had practically been glued to his side, guarding the Imperial Palace! A full-time, cost-free super-bodyguard and enforcer!
Just what kind of figure was this Jiu Yao Shen? A powerhouse whose mere stomp could topple mountains!
To have served as his bodyguard for more than twenty days—this fact alone was enough to make You Yue inwardly giddy. Surely no one else on this continent enjoyed such premium treatment!
Yes! This absolutely had to be recorded in the annals of history so that future generations would know of his grand achievements!
There he goes, getting petty again!
"It's not about the ten thousand chances, it's about the one chance that matters!" Xing Chen snapped back. "However, I might have a solution that settles everything permanently." As Xing Chen spoke, he stroked his chin thoughtfully, his gaze sweeping over You Yue in an appraisal.
"W-what are you thinking about?" You Yue felt a prickle of unease under that strange stare. "What kind of look is that?"
"I'm thinking about what happens if I just... snap you," Xing Chen mused aloud. "If you're gone, Zhan Lang won't have a suitable host, right? Yes, that’s a great idea, why didn't I think of it sooner." Xing Chen looked quite pleased with himself. "Don't you think I'm smart?"
"Indeed, snap him," Sui Feng agreed wholeheartedly. "It would give me a chance to be Emperor for a while, just for the experience."
"Does this count as usurpation in some dynasty?" Seth asked with mock seriousness.
"Are you serious?" You Yue choked, nearly tumbling off the Dragon Throne, shouting, "Guards! Protect the Emperor!"
A swarm of armored and armed escorts instantly spilled out from the corners, every one of them poised for mortal combat!
"Where is the assassin?" Long Xiang looked wildly around!
Just as everyone was bored, restless, and arguing up a storm!
"Urgent report from the Pigeon Corps," Wu Yin, the executive officer of the Snow Domain Empire's Pigeon Corps, rushed in, gasping for breath. "Shenlong City in the Divine Dragon Empire is under attack by Zhan Lang!"
"What?" Xing Chen leaped up in fright. "Damn it, we fell for the trap!" Xing Chen's face changed drastically. "Prepare the spatial transfer!"
Inside Shenlong City! A cloud of despair hung low! Xing Chen grimly surveyed the ruins before him.
"The casualties weren't too severe," Ji Du reported. "But Xing Ye and Xing Zhan have been taken."
"Xing Ye and Xing Zhan were taken," Xing Chen was stunned. It took him a long moment to process the reality!
Truly worthy of the name Zhan Lang! This move was vicious! To target Xing Ye and Xing Zhan!
But thinking it over, Zhan Lang had his reasons. After the baptism of last year's great battle and a year of diligent training, the strength of Xing Ye and Xing Zhan, while perhaps not quite matching You Yue's, was certainly close!
From another perspective, they should qualify as suitable hosts for Zhan Lang!
Yet, he had been so foolish as to ignore this crucial detail and instead waited like an idiot in the Snow Domain Continent for Zhan Lang to deliver himself into a trap!
If they were turned into his enemies, if it truly came to that, could he really bring himself to strike them down?
"Zhan Lang, I will never forgive you!" Xing Chen was beside himself with rage!
"Please, save them," Yin Shuang was clearly losing her composure, collapsing helplessly into Xing Chen's embrace.
"I will," Xing Chen ground out through clenched teeth.
"But how do we save them?" Among the crowd, only Long Xin managed to retain a semblance of clear thought. "We don't even know where Zhan Lang took them."
"Where would Lan Ye Zhan Lang take them?"
"Based on the current situation," Lan Ye stated, "If Zhan Lang intends to merge with one of them to establish a shared mode, that process requires reinforced modification. The only place where such modification can occur is within the Ancient Barrier, at Wolong Manor."
"The Ancient Barrier," Xing Chen blinked in shock. "Wolong Manor, where is that?"
"Insufficient clearance. Unable to answer," Lan Ye responded. "Please input the S-level password."
Damn it! That infuriating S-level password again! Xing Chen exploded in fury, wishing he could tear Lan Ye apart piece by piece.
"Ancient Barrier, Wolong Manor!"
Ji Du, Yin Hu, and the others beside him were equally taken aback, clearly startled by Xing Chen muttering to himself.
"Could it be that Zhan Lang took Xing Ye and Xing Zhan to Wolong Manor?" Yin Shuang whispered in horror.
"Yes," Xing Chen confirmed.
"Legend says all heroes originate from Wolong Manor," Ji Du murmured. "But where exactly is Wolong Manor?"
"Even Lan Ye doesn't know that," Xing Chen admitted, utterly defeated! It wasn't that Lan Ye didn't know, but rather the cursed lack of clearance! "The only thing certain is that to find Wolong Manor, we must first find the Ancient Barrier."
"Mobilize the entire strength of the Pigeon Corps!" Ji Du, remaining relatively calm, made the most logical decision. "Investigate all information concerning the Ancient Barrier."
"Yes," Yin Hu acknowledged.
Zhan Lang's attack on Shenlong City only destroyed the separate courtyard where Xing Ye and Xing Zhan resided; the rest of the Imperial Palace remained intact.
Anxiously pacing, Xing Chen stayed in the Sunset Glow Hall, awaiting news from the Pigeon Corps.
In the afternoon, upon learning of the abduction of Xing Ye and Xing Zhan, Clan Head Chen Feng and Xiao Man's mother also rushed to the Palace from Silver Apricot Village. To Xing Chen's utter astonishment, Chen Feng and the Clan Head possessed an incredible secret.
"What? You know about the secret of the Ancient Barrier?" Xing Chen practically leaped into the air.
"That's right," Clan Head Ye Xiang affirmed. "In fact, the disappearance of your father is connected to this very Ancient Barrier."
Chen Feng and his mother stood beside him, their expressions complex and hesitant.
"Only I, Chen Feng, and your mother know this secret," Ye Xiang sighed deeply. "Originally, we never intended to tell you. After all, our Ye family has sacrificed too much, far too much, for this so-called Ancient Barrier."
"Big Brother Feng," Xing Chen pleaded. "What on earth is going on? Tell me quickly, where is the Ancient Barrier?"
Chen Feng instinctively glanced towards the Clan Head and Xing Chen's mother!
"You should tell him," his mother seemed to make a difficult decision. "It's not just Xiao Man's father anymore; now Xing Ye and Xing Zhan are trapped too. Our Ye family has paid too great a price for that Barrier. It's time to see this through."
Xing Chen had no idea what they were talking about, yet he sensed instinctively that his mother, Chen Feng, and the Clan Head were concealing something monumentally important!
"Do you remember that time, over thirty years ago, when you were so badly injured you nearly died?" Chen Feng recalled sentimentally.
"Injured, nearly died that time?" Xing Chen paused momentarily, but quickly pieced it together.
That was right! That was the time he first crossed over into this world!
At that time, young Xiao Man had been critically injured and unconscious!
However, it was also then that Xing Chen had accidentally traveled to the Mafa World and possessed Xiao Man's body.
Of course, only Xing Chen knew this secret—that in the course of that incident, the child named Xiao Man might have had his soul scattered beyond recovery!
"I remember the injuries were severe, almost fatal," Xing Chen admitted guiltily. "But after I woke up, I couldn't recall much of what happened before. The only thing I recall is that we seemed to be inside some kind of ruin."
"Correct. That place was the location of the Ancient Barrier," Chen Feng stated.
"What? That place was the location of the Ancient Barrier?" Xing Chen was overjoyed.