A ripple of soft laughter went through the assembled nobility upon hearing the Emperor’s pronouncement. The Emperor then descended from his dais, and the crowd rose in unison to see him off. He walked directly to Mo Han, pausing before him with a smile.

“Tonight’s banquet is hosted especially for you, Duke Mo Han; you must enjoy yourself thoroughly. Do not disappoint my intentions.” Mo Han quickly responded, “Your Majesty, rest assured, I shall not fail your expectations. You know I rarely stand on ceremony.” Hearing this, the Emperor chuckled again, clapping Mo Han heartily on the shoulder before turning and departing.

The moment the Emperor’s casual gesture was witnessed, astonishment swept across the hall. Such an intimate display of favor toward Mo Han was utterly unprecedented. Generally, the Emperor never permitted physical contact with anyone outside the immediate royal family.

The assembled nobles had only ever seen such familiarity directed toward his own sons, the Princes. That he would treat Mo Han in the same manner—what that implied was clear even to a fool: Mo Han held immense sway in the Emperor’s heart. The more astute nobles immediately resolved to forge strong ties with him.

The Fourth Prince, witnessing this scene, felt a sharp flicker of light cross his eyes before his expression smoothed back to normalcy, leaving his inner thoughts a complete mystery. As soon as the Emperor was gone, Gongsun Yunyan rushed back, linking arms with Mo Han and imploring him to recount tales of the Beast Tribes for her. Hearing this request, Dai Li nodded eagerly.

“Yes, Mo Han, please tell us about your journey to the Beast Tribes; we are all terribly curious.” Murong Feixue, Latin, and Rock joined in with eager assent. Seeing their insistence, Mo Han relented and offered a summary of his experiences among the Beast Tribes, pointedly omitting the whole affair with the Dark Saintess. Even with those omissions, Dai Li and the others listened with rapt wonder, their admiration for Mo Han’s capabilities soaring.

Long Yuyan, who had initially assumed Mo Han had succeeded through sheer luck or good fortune, found her opinion completely reshaped by his narrative. Hearing how Mo Han had fiercely debated the Beast Tribe officials in their grand hall filled her with genuine respect for his sharp intellect and cunning. It was clear why her own father had chosen Mo Han for the envoy mission; anyone else, perhaps even herself, facing such a situation would have handled it far less skillfully than he had.

With this realization, the way Long Yuyan looked at Mo Han softened with undeniable admiration. Just as Mo Han was deeply engrossed in his storytelling, the Guangming Jade Pendant on his chest gave a slight, sudden tremor. Mo Han’s heart lurched; this was the unique warning sign the pendant displayed only when the Nether Race was near.

It had reacted precisely the same way when he encountered the imposter prophet of the Nether Race in the Beast Tribes. Furthermore, legend claimed the pendant only registered the distinct aura of the Nether Race when they were in close proximity. If it was vibrating now, did that mean a spy from the Nether Race had infiltrated this very banquet?

Though filled with apprehension, Mo Han kept his expression perfectly placid. He subtly drew Latin and the others close, whispering a few urgent instructions into their ears. They nodded quickly in understanding.

Latin, in turn, moved to Murong Tian’s side, murmuring a few words. Murong Tian listened, a serene smile still fixed on his face, offering only a slight nod of comprehension. Mo Han then addressed Dai Li and Murong Feixue directly, stating he needed to step away momentarily and insisted they remain exactly where they were until he returned.

While Dai Li and the others were puzzled by his sudden departure, they held complete trust in Mo Han now. Only Long Yuyan felt a distinct reservation, but seeing that Murong Feixue and Dai Li raised no objections, she held her peace, choosing instead to watch what new maneuvers Mo Han intended to execute. At this moment, Mo Han left his seat, allowing the pendant’s vibration to guide him, following its subtle pull toward the center of the great hall.

The closer he drew to the hall’s central area, the more pronounced the jade pendant’s trembling became, signaling his proximity to the hidden Nether entity. Mo Han inwardly cursed his oversight; why hadn't he brought the Exorcism Needles that Shui Ling’er possessed? With those in hand, he felt confident he could manage this hidden threat.

But regret was useless now. He steeled his focus, moving slowly according to the pendant’s guidance. Along the way, several nobles greeted him warmly, to whom Mo Han responded with practiced nods and smiles, acting as if nothing was amiss.

Then, Mo Han spotted his target. About five meters away stood a woman clad in a yellow evening gown, her face concealed by a mask. In this empire’s customs, wearing a mask at such a grand event signified unmarried status, so quite a few noblewomen wore them, meaning the yellow-clad woman’s attire was not inherently conspicuous.

Yet, relying on a deep, primal sense of unease, Mo Han was certain this woman was the source of the problem. At that moment, Mo Han noticed the Fourth Prince, Long Yun, standing right beside the masked woman. Spotting Mo Han, Long Yun immediately offered a warm greeting.

“Duke Mo Han, what brings you over here? I was just about to seek you out once things settled down; I didn't expect you to approach.” With that, Long Yun steered the masked woman directly toward Mo Han. As they approached, the vibration from Mo Han’s Guangming Jade Pendant intensified sharply.

Long Yun turned to the masked woman. “Come, let me introduce you. This is Duke Mo Han, the most celebrated figure in the Empire recently.

This entire banquet is in his honor, and we are all benefiting from his presence. Moreover, Duke Mo Han is the youngest and most handsome Duke in the entire Tianlong Empire—even I must admit defeat. Hai Si, you must make his acquaintance properly, hehe.” Mo Han quickly countered with a polite smile.

“Your Royal Highness the Fourth Prince overpraises me. How could I possibly compare to Your Highness? You are the future of the Tianlong Empire; I would never dare measure myself against you.

Please stop making sport of me.” Long Yun merely shook his head. “Duke Mo Han, do not misunderstand; I speak from the heart. You will understand my sincerity in time.” He then gestured toward the yellow-clad woman, smiling warmly at Mo Han.

“Now, allow me to introduce you. This is Miss Hai Si, the daughter of Duke Sama. She is quite the beauty, Duke Mo Han; you must get acquainted.” Jump to