Rouxue was left standing alone at the mouth of the valley, watching Mo Han’s retreating figure. She couldn't help but laugh, muttering, "What a bastard, daring to anger me like that. Wait until I find evidence next time, then I’ll deal with you."

After speaking, she shook her head with a smile and departed.

After Rouxue left, a pale figure slowly materialized on the mountain cliff beside the valley entrance. If Mo Han were present, he would surely recognize this person as Elder Blyde, the 'bitter melon face' he had just mentioned.

Blyde was currently staring coldly in the direction Mo Han had gone, his expression shifting constantly; no one could guess what thoughts churned in his mind. Perhaps only he himself truly knew.

Then, Blyde let out a long sigh, turned, and departed as well, leaving only the setting sun blazing with golden light upon the distant horizon.

By the time Mo Han returned to Tianlong City, night had completely fallen. Fortunately, he made it inside just before the city gates closed. In truth, even if the gates had been sealed, with Mo Han's skills, finding an easy way in would not have been difficult. Moreover, given his current status, and everything that had transpired the day before, many soldiers and officers now recognized him, meaning entry posed little challenge for him.

Arriving at the entrance of the Duke's manor, he saw Mark standing with Daili and Murong Feixue, waiting anxiously by the gate. Seeing Mo Han safe and sound, the worry lifted from Daili and the others’ hearts. They quickly smiled, taking his hands and leading him into the manor.

Once seated in the main hall, Mo Han immediately instructed Mark to secretly purchase a small dog from the streets without letting anyone know.

Also, if anyone inquired, he was to say that Mo Han had brought the dog back on his journey; under no circumstances was he to admit it was bought. Just kidding, he thought. If that 'Mother Tyrant' of the Sacred Dragon Clan decided to act on a sudden whim and investigate him one day, and discovered he had lied to her earlier, he would be done for. As the saying goes, it is better to be prepared than caught unprepared.

Hearing this unusual request from Mo Han.

Mark found it strange, but nodded and went to carry out the task. Even Daili and Murong Feixue looked puzzled. Daili finally asked with a smile, "What's wrong? Why the sudden thought to buy a puppy? Don't you have little Mo and little Han already?"

Latin chimed in from the side, "I know! The Boss must feel it’s not lively enough with just two, so he decided to bring back another one to keep you company, Daili!"

Hearing Latin’s comment, Mo Han replied with exasperation, "With you and Jack around, I have plenty of excitement. When would I ever feel bored? You boy, always talking nonsense."

At Mo Han’s reply.

Latin and Jack chuckled awkwardly. Seeing this, Daili couldn't help but ask, "Then what exactly are you planning?" Hearing Daili’s question, Mo Han quickly replied with a smile, "Heh heh, it’s hard to explain right now. You’ll all understand in a while. This is just me being cautious. By the way, where are little Mo and little Han? I haven't seen them since I got back."

Daili was about to speak when Murong Feixue quickly interjected, "The situation was rather urgent this time. I feared Father might be in danger, so I asked Elder Sister Daili to send little Mo to protect Father. You won't blame me, Brother Mo Han, will you?" Hearing this, Mo Han let out an amused laugh. "Silly girl, how could I blame you? That was exactly my intention too. With the Demonic Dragon Clan getting involved this time, I was worried about General Murong’s safety too, and planned to take little Mo and little Han to join him after returning. You just did what I intended to do ahead of time. Why would I blame you?"

Relieved that Mo Han didn't blame her, Murong Feixue sent him a grateful look. Daili teased from the side, "Hehe, Xue’er, I told you not to worry. I said Mo Han wouldn't blame you. Are you relieved now? Besides, General Murong will soon be Mo Han's father-in-law, so these are things Mo Han ought to do. Wouldn’t you agree, Mo Han?"

Murong Feixue’s face flushed all the way down to her neck. She shyly said, "Elder Sister Daili, you’re teasing me again! I’m ignoring you."

Meanwhile, Mo Han just offered a dry chuckle, offering no rebuttal, clearly acknowledging the truth of Daili's statement.

To spare Murong Feixue further embarrassment, Mo Han quickly steered the conversation elsewhere. "Right, what about little Han? I don't see her either?" Hearing Mo Han’s question, both Daili and Murong Feixue giggled, which left Mo Han utterly confused. "What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?" Daili waved her hand. "No, it’s not you. Little Han, that glutton, ever since we took her to the south of Tianlong City and discovered that bamboo grove, she refused to come back! So we had to let her stay there. I had Uncle Mark call people to build a small wooden cabin for her, and instructed Commander Gao to check on her regularly. I bet she’s gotten chubby again by now."

Hearing Daili’s words, Mo Han also chuckled wryly. "I never thought little Han would live so well; it makes even me envious."

Daili teased in return, "What do you have to envy? We have plenty of bamboo in our territory; little Han can't eat it all alone. If you truly want to enjoy life, I can have Uncle Mark build a room for you there too. You can keep little Han company."

Hearing Daili’s suggestion, everyone in the hall burst into laughter, especially Jack and Latin who were laughing the loudest. Mo Han deliberately put on an aggrieved look and said, "It’s over! Wife Daili, you’ve been corrupted! I knew it—it must be this fellow Jack! See how I’ll teach him a lesson later."

Seeing Mo Han placing the blame squarely on him, Jack’s face immediately fell. He knew Mo Han was just making an excuse to discipline him. He replied pitifully, "Boss, you can’t blame me like that! Where did I corrupt anyone? Don't accuse me wrongly; ask Daili if you don't believe me."

Daili interjected with a smile, "Don't talk nonsense, Jack. If anyone here has learned to be bad, who else could it be besides you? If anyone is learning, they’re learning from you."

Jack quickly nodded in agreement with a wronged look. "Daili, you are the fairest one, hehe. The Boss just loves bullying us."

Hearing Jack’s words, everyone laughed, including Mo Han himself.

Just then, the Guard Commander Dai Wu rushed in hurriedly. Seeing this, Mo Han felt a surge of curiosity. Has something happened? Why is Dai Wu in such a rush? Dai Wu quickly moved to the center of the living room, saluted Mo Han respectfully, and announced, "Reporting to Your Grace the Duke, His Majesty has sent an Imperial Edict. The Imperial Envoy is waiting outside for Your Grace to receive it."

Mo Han felt a strange sensation. He had only just returned today; the Emperor must have learned of his arrival from Long Guofan. That must be how he knew. But why summon him so urgently? Had something happened? Although Mo Han was perplexed, his body was already moving toward the door. After all, the Emperor had treated him reasonably well. Moreover, he was now the Duke of the Tianlong Empire, and he had to show the Emperor some respect.

Daili and Murong Feixue quickly ordered the servants to open the main gates wide to prepare for receiving the Edict. Although Mo Han found the empire's tedious formalities dizzying, he understood the basics. As the saying goes, even if you haven't eaten pork, you've at least seen a pig walk. He knew the necessary imperial etiquette: according to custom, the main gate must be opened wide to receive an Imperial Edict, and all members of the family must be present, unless under special circumstances, to show deference to the Emperor.

Upon reaching the entrance, Mo Han saw a contingent of Tianlong Imperial Guards lined up on the street outside. Guarding them was Liu Chengde, the Commander of the Imperial Guards, whom Mo Han knew well. Seeing Mo Han, Liu Chengde immediately offered him a friendly smile, which Mo Han returned with a nod.

As Mo Han started to step forward to salute, Liu Chengde quickly spoke with a smile, "Your Grace the Duke need not stand on ceremony. His Majesty instructed that he knows the Duke dislikes such fussy rituals, so he specifically told this subordinate to inform you that you may stand to receive the Edict. Furthermore, several of your friends are also exempt from kneeling. So, Your Grace and friends, please remain standing."

Mo Han felt a secret wave of gratitude toward the old Emperor; he truly understood him. Mo Han disliked prostrating and kneeling for every little thing. Without pretense, he quickly spoke, "Mo Han thanks His Majesty for his boundless grace."

The content of the Edict was brief: Long Guofan had reported Mo Han’s great service in the defense of Tianlong City, and the Emperor commanded Mo Han to present himself at court the next day to receive rewards.

After seeing Liu Chengde off, Mo Han and the others returned to the hall. Daili, Latin, and the others were curious, wondering what Mo Han had done now. They all began asking him questions. Mo Han recounted his encounter with the Demonic Dragon Clan in Tianlong City the previous night. Upon hearing Mo Han describe the formidable strength of those Demonic Dragon Clan members, Murong Feixue worriedly asked, "Are those Demonic Dragon Clan members really that powerful? If even Brother Mo Han wasn't their match, then my father and the others must be in great danger?" Mo Han quickly soothed her, "Don't worry. Although these Demonic Dragon Clan members are strong, they are still wary of the might of the Sacred Dragon Clan. Now that the Sacred Dragon Clan has stepped in, they won't let the Demonic Dragon Clan run wild. If they make any moves, I believe the Sacred Dragon Clan won't stand idly by."

Hearing Mo Han’s reassurance, Murong Feixue felt slightly comforted. If Mo Han thought her father wasn't in too much danger, that was a relief.

Afterward, Mo Han gave Daili and the others a general outline of what the Sacred Dragon Clan Leader had asked him to do in the valley pavilion. Hearing Mo Han recount Blaze’s background, both Daili and Murong Feixue felt sympathy for Blaze, instead viewing the Sacred Dragon Clan Leader and his group as unreasonable. They felt that if they hadn't been so forceful, Blaze’s parents might not have perished, and this tragedy could have been avoided.

Thinking of this, Daili asked Mo Han, "Do you really plan to follow the Sacred Dragon Clan's orders and kill that black dragon?" Murong Feixue immediately added, "Brother Mo Han, can you please not kill Blaze? I think he’s quite pitiful, and what the Sacred Dragon Clan said—that he killed the previous Clan Leader—might not even be true. That’s only their side of the story. Shouldn’t we investigate thoroughly before deciding? Or perhaps we should just refuse the mission?"

Mo Han replied hesitantly, "To be honest, I sympathize with Blaze too. But I don’t think the Sacred Dragon Clan Leader has any reason to lie to me. The previous Sacred Dragon Clan Leader was likely killed by him. Furthermore, since the Clan Leader agreed to help me enhance the power of the Light Holy Sword, I agreed to their terms. If I back out now, it wouldn’t look good, would it? How about this: I will proceed based on circumstances when I see him, and I certainly won't kill him recklessly. Besides, I’m not even sure if I am his match right now; maybe he will be the one teaching me a lesson."

Hearing this, Daili and the others realized Mo Han was stating the facts and that they had been too emotional. If Mo Han had actually followed their demands just now, he might have unnecessarily provoked the Sacred Dragon Clan again, which would cause him serious trouble. Realizing this, Daili and Murong Feixue quickly nodded to Mo Han in understanding.

Seeing this, Mo Han took the opportunity to change the subject, detailing his journey and encounters, including the stealth attack by the Demonic Dragon Clan members on Aerif, the Fire Element Archmage of the Huoyun Empire, and Adunis, the Water Element Archmage of the Kanya Empire. They listened with keen interest. When he described how he secretly helped the Water Element Archmage Adunis cast a forbidden Water Spell, everyone smiled happily.

Afterward, the hall was frequently punctuated by the booming laughter of the stone-voiced Jack and the miserable screams of Jack being disciplined. This led the manor staff and guards to wonder if Mo Han and his group had gone mad.

The next morning, before dawn broke, Mo Han was already being enthusiastically roused by Daili and Murong Feixue. While attending court for the Emperor was as routine to Mo Han as eating, for Daili and Murong Feixue, who had been trained in court etiquette since childhood, being summoned to the palace was a monumental honor, thus demanding utmost seriousness. They understood Mo Han’s nature, but now that he was the Empire’s Duke, he couldn't give the impression of arrogance. Although the Emperor's regard for Mo Han and the strength of the Murong family meant they weren't overly concerned with the opinions of minor officials, avoiding issues where possible was still best. Since they were effectively the manor’s co-mistresses—only lacking the wedding ceremony—these responsibilities naturally fell to them. Therefore, they forcibly dragged the still-lazying Mo Han from bed, helping the groggy Duke wash and change into his official robes. Mo Han was festooned with jingling decorations that felt utterly foreign, but since it was Daili and the others’ thoughtful gesture, he couldn’t refuse and allowed them free rein.

After a good while, Mo Han finally cleared his head and managed to escape the fuss created by Daili and Murong Feixue. He quickly ducked into the carriage already prepared for him by Mark. Once Mo Han was seated, the Tianlong Guards assigned to protect him promptly drove the carriage, escorting Mo Han toward the Imperial Palace.

Arriving at the palace gates, Mo Han noticed that although the gates were not yet open, many officials were already waiting outside. This was an era of turmoil, and no one wanted to give the Emperor the impression of being unconcerned with state affairs. Thus, the officials preferred to wait early at the palace gates rather than risk being late.

Seeing Mo Han’s carriage, the assembled officials turned their attention toward it. When they observed that the carriage was being guarded by the Tianlong Legion's Imperial Guards—the Emperor's personal retinue—the officials initially assumed some member of the Imperial Family was arriving. Then, when only a young man emerged from the carriage, dressed in ducal attire rather than the expected royal relative, looks of surprise crossed their faces. However, they quickly connected the dots to one person: the recently rising Duke Mo Han, who currently commanded the most prestige in the Empire. Aside from those related to the Emperor, few others enjoyed the honor of protection by the Tianlong Imperial Guards.