Two months prior, Qin Yunxiao had stormed and conquered Xining City, carving out yet another territory for the Southern Cloud Empire. In his delight, His Majesty bestowed upon him the long-vacant Zhenguo Residence and conferred upon him the title of Marquis Xiaotian. The Qin family now boasted two Marquises...

“What about Xiaoyi?” A mere manor was nothing that Ye Jingyu concerned himself with; his true anxiety lay in the safety of his own people...

“Xiaoyi was brought to the Third Prince’s residence; he is unharmed, but...” At this point, Ye Longyi glanced at Ye Jingyu again, his expression conveying a desire to speak yet holding back...

“What is it? If there is more bad news, just tell me all at once...” Seeing Ye Longyi’s look, Ye Jingyu spoke calmly. As long as those close to him were safe, nothing else amounted to a major issue in his view...

“For some unknown reason, Princess Yongle...” As the four words left his mouth, Ye Longyi noticed Ye Jingyu’s expression instantly shift...

“Princess Yongle has been betrothed by His Majesty to Xiao Geng. The wedding is set for next month...”

“Smash...” Ye Longyi’s words were abruptly silenced by the sound of shattering wood beside him. He watched as Ye Jingyu slammed a palm onto the table, causing it to explode into fine dust...

Countless splinters danced in the air, and the previously placid expression on Ye Jingyu’s face twisted into a mask of fury...

Yet, in a mere instant, the anger vanished without a trace, his features reverting to their former tranquility...

“General...” Although Ye Jingyu had regained his composure, Ye Longyi still trembled slightly upon witnessing the sheer power that reduced the table to powder with a single blow. He asked cautiously, terrified that Ye Jingyu’s rage might boil over and lead to the slaughter of the entire Imperial Palace...

Others might not know, but Ye Longyi was acutely aware that a supreme powerhouse stood behind Ye Jingyu. To annihilate the Southern Cloud Empire’s Imperial Palace would be a trivial matter; even the Imperial Palace of the Tianyuan Empire would not be an impossible feat...

“Do not worry. I will not act rashly. Send someone to the Southern Wilderness Forest immediately to recall Chi Yixiu and the others. Then, find a way to contact Gongsun Xiangyi with the utmost speed—we must not let her do anything foolish. Additionally, release the news that I have returned. If that bastard Bing Ming is not dead, he should surface now. I just wonder if he has broken through that final realm yet...” In a few sentences, Ye Jingyu laid out the necessary ensuing actions...

He also understood that in his absence, Chi Yixiu and his group would surely have retreated to the Southern Wilderness Forest. As for Gongsun Xiangyi, her words suggested she had gone to seek vengeance against the Gongsun family. Though she commanded a Sacred Beast and her mastery of poisons was unrivaled, the Gongsun family, as a venerable lineage spanning a century, was certainly not as simple as one might imagine. He sincerely hoped she would not act rashly...

As for Hei Ming Shixuan, he knew she must have been taken by her elder sister. The mere thought of that peerlessly beautiful girl with violet eyes filled Ye Jingyu with a sense of futility. She was an existence as bizarre as the monstrous Du Gu Bachan, yet she was so young to possess such terrifying strength...

Ye Jingyu could not fathom it, but moments later, he recovered his calm completely. He himself cultivated the incomparably powerful Tyrant Yuan Art—a technique that surely did not originate from this world. The thought of the devastatingly powerful Heaven-Shocking Finger filled him with immense confidence. Once he successfully mastered the Body Nurturing Chapter, once his physical form was strong enough to withstand the terror of the Tyrant Yuan Force, his combat prowess would multiply exponentially...

“Understood, General...” Ye Longyi responded instantly...

“Good. Where is the Third Prince now?” Ye Jingyu nodded, choosing not to dwell on the previous topic, and inquired instead...

“The Third Prince also rendered great service during the Northern Expedition and was enfeoffed by His Majesty as Prince Yong’an. His fiefdom has not yet been assigned, so he resides in his former manor... However, today he is at the Danyun Mountain Villa outside the city,” Ye Longyi replied respectfully...

“Very well, I will go see him. You attend to your duties...” Ye Jingyu nodded, already pondering the current state of Luo Xiaofeng’s mind...

Yong’an, Yong’an... Be more generous, more peaceful? Wasn't this an obvious way to extinguish Luo Ruofeng’s ambition to contend for the throne?

He recalled that over a year ago, Luo Xiaofeng had not yet made any decision regarding succession. Why was he now behaving so anxiously? Not only had he named Luo Haitian as the Crown Prince, but he had also extinguished the ambitions of several other princes. What was the reason? What had transpired in these few hundred days that made him trust Luo Haitian so completely?

“Yes...” Ye Longyi asked nothing further. After bowing to Ye Jingyu, he departed with the three subordinates who accompanied him. Ye Jingyu followed, stepping out of the Yunman Tower...

Danyun Mountain Villa was the first place Ye Jingyu had settled upon arriving in Yunjing. However, following Ye Jingyu’s disappearance, it had become Luo Ruofeng’s retreat. Especially after being named Prince Yong’an, he frequented the villa, basking in ease. Currently, aside from Tie Jun, he possessed no other source of power, truly resembling a carefree, leisurely prince...

At this moment, the sun blazed high in the sky, sending wave after wave of scorching heat, yet a distinct coolness permeated the grounds of Danyun Mountain Villa...

A clear spring, diverted from the mountain, meandered through the estate before finally emptying into a vast pond hundreds of meters wide in the rear courtyard. The water was dotted with blooming lotus flowers, competing vibrantly in beauty...

A corridor was built spanning the surface of the pond, leading to a pavilion at its far end. Within the pavilion sat two men...

One, in his mid-thirties, clad in a silken robe embroidered with a pale yellow five-clawed golden dragon, looked listless, his face etched with sorrow and melancholy—this was Luo Ruofeng...

The other wore a simple white long shirt. He was refined in appearance, looking no older than his early twenties, clutching a feather fan which he gently waved. His expression was detached, his eyes radiating a wisdom that seemed to pierce through all worldly affairs. This man was naturally Zhuge Yishi, Luo Ruofeng’s foremost confidant...

Not far from the two, standing on the corridor, was a handsome man dressed in tight white martial attire, gripping a transparent long spear—this was Nangong Shang...

He had rendered monumental service to the Shu Yun nation, expecting in return to receive the Phoenix Blood. To his shock, Luo Xiaofeng had flatly refused. Returning empty-handed, Nangong Shang resigned from all his posts, choosing only to remain by Luo Ruofeng’s side, awaiting an opportunity. Or perhaps, rather than waiting for opportunity, he was awaiting the return of that person...

Besides these three, there was no one else present; not even Eunuch Mu, Luo Ruofeng’s closest attendant. However, the occasional glint of cold light flashing from the surrounding shadows served as a potent reminder that this area was far from simple. At the very least, countless hidden experts were positioned around them; not even a single fly could pass through without the utmost difficulty.