The blood of the Second Gate, Feng Zikang, saw off Old Gu Ya. Immediately, he entered seclusion to practice. These few divine abilities were all methods of control and transformation, vastly different from what he had cultivated before. He sat listlessly in the Profound Realm, carefully comprehending them, daring not to slacken even slightly. If he were to deal with that naked man, these three divine abilities would be of utmost importance. If he could cultivate them to the highest level, even if that fellow could unleash a fifth punch, Feng Zikang was confident he could prevail! The "Sorrowful Elephant, Sorrowful, Joyful Elephant, Joyful" ability was the most difficult among them; borrowing strength only to return it—its profound mystery was hard to describe. The other two divine abilities saw rapid progress. Only this one advanced slowly.

This time, Long Que suffered immensely from this gaze. Every time Feng Zikang practiced this skill, he would have Long Que attack, only to be sent reeling and suffering unbearably each time. Fortunately, after some time, Ghost King Tu and Sha Jie'er returned, finally sharing the burden of its torment. Xing Fei'er's muddled puppet state, naturally, remained uncured. Even the White Eagle King, for all his skill, was powerless against this ancient sealing technique. Ghost King Tu found an excuse, saying she needed to take her daughter to seek a cure. The White Eagle King could not keep them, so he reluctantly let them depart. It was also fortunate that he was genuinely unable to leave during this period, otherwise, he would certainly have accompanied Ghost King Tu on her journey.

"Oh? He actually managed to let you come out without him?" Feng Zikang smiled faintly. "Is there something of great importance on Eagle Wing Island?" A blush spread across Ghost King Tu's face. "My Lord jokes." The White Eagle King could not leave Eagle Wing Island because he was training a demon army, rumored to be cultivated by five Demon Kings simultaneously, capable of forming an incredibly formidable Five Elements Demon Array in future great battles. "Gui…" Feng Zikang nodded. The myriad demons of the Boundless Sea were also preparing for the great calamity of heaven and earth. He presumed that among the three teachings and nine schools, undercurrents were already surging, and things would never be as calm as they appeared on the surface. He could not afford to relax now; he could only strive to cultivate. "My Lord." Seeing that he had stopped speaking, Ghost King Tu pointed towards Sha Li'er but dared not speak. "Ah!" Feng Zikang nodded. Before heading to the Boundless Sea, he had promised Ghost King Tu that he would undo the puppet spell on Zhu Li'er. Now that he had returned from the Boundless Sea, Ghost King Tu was anxious and naturally needed to urge him. "Very well, I shall help her undo the puppet technique!" The current Feng Zikang possessed strength enough to overwhelm the two of them. Even if mother and daughter joined forces, they were far from being his match, especially now that they were within his Profound Realm, where he almost entirely controlled their life and death. Moreover, Zhu Li'er, as a puppet, was of little practical use, only capable of executing tasks mechanically and rigidly, and her own strength was insufficient. It would be better to restore her and then subdue her; perhaps her innate charm techniques could prove useful.

Fairy Tianfu watched curiously from the side, yet she could not understand what they were discussing. She, however, lived quite contentedly. She had always been accustomed to a solitary life. This boundless Profound Realm allowed Feng Zikang to let her roam freely, and she enjoyed herself immensely. Long Que was her good playmate, the wooden automaton was excellent at pleasing her, and there was a little fox who constantly caused mischief. They often flew together in the Heavenly Horse Cloud Chariot, soaring through the starry expanse of the Profound Realm, taking great delight in it. Seeing two new people arrive, Fairy Tianfu was even more delighted. It was only Sha Li'er who seemed vacant. She had always looked strange to her. "Brother Zikang, are you going to cure this elder sister?" Feng Zikang chuckled, "That's right, I am going to cure her illness." He led Sha Li'er into a room, telling Ghost King Tu to follow. He instructed Long Que to take the others out to play. With Fairy Tianfu present, everything began to flourish. The once dim and decadent Profound Realm started to exhibit vibrant vitality. "After just a few days, My Lord has managed to bring back such a treasure again!" Ghost King Tu’s eyes were sharp, and she naturally discerned Fairy Tianfu’s extraordinary nature, feeling quite envious. Feng Zikang smiled slightly, helping Zhu Li'er to sit down. "However, I heard My Lord has also attracted quite a bit of trouble..." "Oh, you heard about that too?" Feng Zikang flicked his sleeve, sending several streaks of golden light into the back of Zhu Li'er's head. "Yes." Ghost King Tu bowed respectfully. Feng Zikang's slaying of the Crown Prince was broadcast across the world; how could cultivators not know of it? Ghost King Tu received the news immediately upon returning to the Central Plains, clicking her tongue in secret. What kind of might allowed him to slay the true Dragon Crown Prince and emerge completely unscathed? Although Ghost King Tu knew this was the result of multi-party maneuvering, she dared not disobey her master any less. "Mm, after I killed the Crown Prince, the Emperor of the Great Tang actually sent someone for revenge. I suffered a minor loss, but these past few days I have made great progress in cultivating my divine abilities, and I am about to deal with him!" Feng Zikang had already made up his mind: as soon as the "Sorrowful Elephant, Sorrowful, Joyful Elephant, Joyful" technique was mastered, he would go to the Imperial Palace to kill. He cared for nothing; since someone intended to kill him, he certainly would not hold back! He spoke casually while gently stroking Sha Li'er's head, his expression unchanged. Ghost King Tu listened with a pounding heart. Only a scion of such status would dare utter such audacious words! Although Feng Zikang claimed he was dealing with the person sent by the Emperor, it was still tied to the Imperial Family. Rogue cultivators overseas would avoid involvement in such matters if they could, as entanglement in great worldly karma could lead to eternal ruin and damnation for a mere rogue cultivator. But Feng Zikang, being the foremost disciple of the three generations of the Military School and the hope of the orthodox path of cultivation, feared nothing. He spoke openly of settling scores in the Imperial Palace—what sheer spirit! "Done!" Feng Zikang patted Sha Li'er's head. She remained unconscious. He grasped her shoulders, lifted her, and returned her to Ghost King Tu's hands. "I have undone her puppet spell. As for how she thinks from now on, that is up to Madame Gui to educate." He gave a cold smile, clapped his hands, and strode out of the hall. Ghost King Tu broke out in a cold sweat but felt no impulse to resist. When her daughter awoke, she would surely persuade her to follow Feng Zikang obediently. Antagonizing him would lead to no good end!

Ghost King Tu understood this truth. And what Feng Zikang intended to do now was to make the world understand this truth as well. Half a year passed, and he finally mastered his three divine abilities. His cultivation also advanced a stage, reaching the fifth level of Foundation Establishment. Although at this point he only had an eighty percent chance of defeating that naked man, Feng Zikang was unwilling to wait any longer. In this world, nothing ever offered a one-hundred-percent guarantee. "I am going to Chang'an today. Fairy, you and the little fox shall remain here. Everyone else will accompany me!" Fairy Tianfu and the little fox were not combatants; taking them would only cause trouble. As for Long Que, Ghost King Tu, and Sha Li'er, they were now completely devoted to him, so he naturally had to bring them—it was better than nothing, at least. "Yes!" they replied in deep voices. Zhu Li'er looked up at him, her eyes filled with both resentment and fear. After waking up, her mother had told her about her time as a puppet, which terrified her into a pale fright. She certainly did not wish to endure that life again, so she unhesitatingly followed Huo Zhongguang's example, offering up her Nascent Soul Core to become a loyal subordinate without question. She certainly did not think Feng Zikang was a good person. If she didn't pledge allegiance, who knew what he might do? After all, this was his Profound Realm, and mother and daughter were far from his match. Though the puppet spell was broken, if he wished, he could still subdue her at any time with ease. Since everyone was sensible, there was no need to exert extra effort; pledging loyalty early was beneficial. Feng Zikang accepted Zhu Li'er's Nascent Soul Core and nodded, seemingly satisfied with her action. Only then did Ghost King Tu and Sha Li'er finally feel relieved, knowing their lives were secured for now. Now that Feng Zikang was issuing orders before battle, Sha Li'er reflected on their past interactions; it felt like a lifetime ago. Feng Zikang left the small bamboo grove, foregoing any greetings to his Military School elders, and flew straight towards Chang'an on his sword light.

He arrived in Chang'an late at night. Feng Zikang did not linger but flew directly above the Imperial Palace and roared loudly. "Which bastard schemed against me that day? Get out here now, or don't blame me for being impolite!" The Imperial Guards were stunned, the eunuchs were dumbfounded, and even the Imperial Enshrined Masters remaining in the palace were bewildered. Which cultivator would dare come to the Imperial Palace so brazenly to settle a score? Immediately, a red light ascended, blocking Feng Zikang's path. It was a white-bearded old man, presumably one of the palace enshriners whom Feng Zikang had never met. "Bold junior! Who are you? Do you know what place this is? You dare act wildly?" The white-bearded elder roared in anger, clearly furious. Feng Zikang glanced at him dismissively. "I know this is the Imperial Palace, but I have come regarding a personal grievance. I ask that you, Senior, refrain from interfering, lest you bring shame upon yourself!" "Insolent!" The white-bearded elder was enraged and struck out a palm towards Feng Zikang's face. "Audacious junior! So unreasonable, then let this old man teach you on behalf of your teachers!" Feng Zikang shifted slightly, evading the palm strike, his expression unchanged. "Senior, I did not come for you. You should retreat quickly to avoid accidental injury!" "Aiyaa!" The white-bearded elder was so infuriated he shrieked. He clapped his hands and conjured a golden rope that coiled and danced, aiming to bind Feng Zikang. Feng Zikang's face darkened. "Senior, since you insist on pressing the issue, forgive my rudeness!" He beckoned, and a streak of sword light shot out, slicing the golden rope into two pieces. It instantly lost its luster and fell toward the ground. The white-bearded elder cried out in alarm but was sent plummeting from the clouds by a flying kick from Feng Zikang, crashing heavily onto the ground. Feng Zikang didn't spare him a glance, continuing his loud summons: "Naked Man, if you don't come out now, don't blame me for being impolite!" His voice tore through metal and stone, extraordinarily high-pitched. Everyone in the palace was awakened. Mortals trembled in fear, and even the Emperor's face turned ashen, a mixture of rage and helplessness, yet he dared not respond. Those who knew the inside story considered coming forward to intercede, but Feng Zikang’s high-profile display meant he would not give up easily. They had witnessed the fate of the white-bearded elder just moments before. These seasoned cultivators understood the situation and would not seek such trouble. Thus, in the Forbidden Palace, no one else dared to stop Feng Zikang. He stood majestically above the great hall, radiating oppressive power, like a celestial god descending! "This, this is utter disgrace?" The Emperor's eyes burned red, his beard trembling. "These cultivators have rebelled, they have truly rebelled!" "Watch your words, Your Majesty, watch your words!" A nearby eunuch quickly rushed up to placate the Emperor. "The cultivators hold great sway now; we must proceed slowly, not rashly..." "I know!" The Emperor shrieked, kicking over the nearby desk in agitation. "This world is not mine; it belongs to these cultivators! They can do whatever they please, and decide who sits on the throne? What did I achieve after twenty years leading the army? Was it to become this puppet Emperor?" The more he thought, the angrier he became, shouting loudly. "Your Majesty!" The eunuch knelt in terror, clutching the Emperor's knees. "The State Preceptor is already plotting; one day Your Majesty will be the Emperor not only of mortals but also of these cultivators. Until then, patience is paramount!" "Patience!" Fire seemed to burn in the Emperor's eyes. He sat back down heavily on the dragon throne, his face grim. "I endured the death of my own son; can I not endure this one more time?" He looked toward the window, where Feng Zikang stood holding his sword on the corner of the eaves, his fist clenched tight. "Cultivators," he thought fiercely, "just you wait!" At the same time, Feng Zikang raised the iron sword in his hand. "If you don't come out now, I will start taking action!" He said coldly, his voice reaching everyone present. "There are too many tightly packed buildings in this Imperial Palace; it makes it hard for me to find anyone. I think it's only right to tear some of them down!" "I will count to three. If you still don't appear, I will start by demolishing this broken hall at the very front!" The foremost palace was the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where the Emperor received homage from all his officials. To tear it down would strip the Imperial Family of all dignity. The Emperor's teeth ground together audibly. "Imperial Uncle, shouldn't the Imperial Uncle go out now?" The eunuch nodded. "At this point, only the Imperial Uncle can go out. Even if one person is exposed, the cultivation world won't care. Moreover, the Imperial Uncle cultivates profoundly; last time he claimed he only injured this brat. Even if he returns today, he may not be the Imperial Uncle's match." The Emperor shook his head. "You are mistaken. This kid is frighteningly formidable. Though I only met him once, I could tell he is a figure of great ambition. He would not come unless he had confidence." "Look at his actions today; they seem rash, yet no one can stop him... Truly a cunning plan!" He paced to the window, gazing at that detestable figure. "If the Imperial Uncle comes out, it is certain death. However, it is necessary to sacrifice the pawn to save the king!" "Unless..." He turned back slightly. "Unless the Imperial Uncle has achieved a breakthrough in these past six months, reaching the Sixth Realm..." Boom! At that moment, Feng Zikang had counted to three. Ten thousand streaks of sword light shot out, enveloping the entire Hall of Supreme Harmony. With a deafening roar, it was razed to the ground! Dust and smoke billowed up, leaving no trace behind! The Emperor watched, his eyes splitting with rage. He clenched his fists so tightly that blood welled up in his palms. At that moment, a furious roar erupted from the rear palace. "Brat, you are too arrogant! You didn't die last time, and you dare come again today!" A crimson figure shot out from the rear palace!