Outside the cave.
Seeing that Chu Yuan had already departed, Fang Henian withdrew his Divine Sense, secretly thinking things looked grim.
Just as the boy had said inside the cave, the motto of the Demonic Path Alliance was:
Disturb the Dao with emotion, defy the heavens.
Disrupting the emotional Dao of others was the Demonic Path Alliance’s favorite activity, second only to arson, murder, and looting.
For their chosen targets, they usually investigated their past thoroughly before slowly infiltrating their lives. They would subtly influence the target’s Dao Heart in their daily life to achieve the goal of throwing their emotional Dao into chaos.
Now that this fellow had actually targeted his own Crown Princess, Fang Henian, as an informed party, could not simply ignore it.
To this end, Fang Henian sent a Sound Transmission to advise her:
【Your Highness, since this boy has already been possessed by an Elder of the Demonic Path Alliance — 】
【Then his approach to you is likely for the purpose of disturbing your emotional Dao.】
【Your Highness, you heard the grand plan he spoke of inside the cave, didn’t you? You must be extremely careful!】
After speaking, his expression turned solemn, and fine beads of sweat broke out on his forehead.
As the saying goes, honest advice grates on the ears. If the Crown Princess was still stubbornly obsessed, then his words would undoubtedly touch a nerve.
Inside the Imperial Carriage, Ji Xuanyuan’s breathing was heavy, and her ample chest rose and fell violently with her anger.
Her current state of mind was very complex.
Having lived two lives, Ji Xuanyuan originally believed she was well aware of the Demonic Path Alliance’s vile tactics. She never imagined that one day, she too would fall for their schemes.
Yet, at the same time, Ji Xuanyuan felt:
‘Those faint feelings of familiarity, the moments that made me daze time and time again… it is impossible for him to have faked those through acting.’
Clinging to the last shred of hope, she knew she had to set a trap to definitively confirm her Junior Brother’s identity.
Of course, Ji Xuanyuan knew very well that if her thoughts were known to others, she would only be seen as stubbornly obsessed.
To this end, she still had to feign anger on the surface, clutching the Image Retention Stone tightly as she whispered:
“Fine! He actually wants to use me to control the entire Immortal Dynasty? This evil cultivator is truly…!!!”
Seeing that the Crown Princess was also expressing anger, Fang Henian breathed a secret sigh of relief, then asked in confusion:
“Your Highness! How should we deal with this fellow next?”
Ji Xuanyuan closed her eyes in contemplation.
Next, she had to set up a confrontation and properly interrogate the boy.
As a fellow person who had experienced rebirth, the other party definitely wouldn’t be able to deceive her.
Even taking ten thousand steps back, if this guy wasn’t her Junior Brother and was truly the so-called Shenbao, she could still bring him under her control.
In her past life, the Demonic Path Alliance had run rampant for a long time. Since she had run into them in this life, she had to make good use of them.
Ji Xuanyuan wanted to see exactly what this Demonic Path Alliance Elder intended to do.
In particular, she had already used the Image Retention Stone in her hand to record everything that had just happened as evidence.
If the other party refused to comply, Ji Xuanyuan wouldn’t mind letting him die one more time.
If he truly was her Junior Brother, then this evidence would also become a trump card for her to maintain the initiative.
In short, there was still time for everything!
She opened her eyes and tossed the Image Retention Stone out:
“Check the Image Retention Stone to see if the recording of the scene just now was successful. I have a great use for it later.”
Fang Henian caught the stone and said solemnly:
“Yes!”
Ji Xuanyuan nodded slightly.
“Return to the city!”
The Imperial Carriage slowly started up and headed toward Xuanji City.
The morning breeze blew, and the shadows of the trees swayed.
Sitting inside the carriage, Ji Xuanyuan looked at the scenery flitting past the window with a complex expression.
In order to no longer be trapped in a corner by blindly following the phantom of her Junior Brother, she knew her next moves must thoroughly confirm the identity of this boy!
—
After leaving the stronghold, Chu Yuan immediately found a cave several miles away to hide in.
Recalling the titles of the Demonic Path Alliance Elders like “Ziya” and “Daji,” he had previously thought it was some kind of coincidence in his past life.
But in this life, having met people like Zhao Gongming and seeing the name Chentang Guan appear…
‘Could there really be a connection between the Realm of True Emotions and the Honghuang Realm?’
However, during his 300 years in his previous life, he had never encountered any other related individuals. This realm might just be a projection of the Honghuang Realm.
With this thought, Chu Yuan shifted his attention back to the City Lord’s request.
Ever since he rescued Zhao Gongming earlier, his Divine Sense had noticed an Imperial Carriage team hidden near the official road.
Without needing to investigate further, Chu Yuan guessed it must be the Crown Princess’s team.
He believed that with his skill in instantly killing a group of evil cultivators, that red-haired Crown Princess would surely become wary of him.
On the way to the stronghold, he had used the Phantom Ethereal Dharma Robe to sneak in and was confident they hadn’t followed him, so he didn’t worry about it further.
Now that the plan was proceeding smoothly, Chu Yuan intended to play the part to the end and wait outside for one night.
Tomorrow, he would return to the city feigning injury and report to the City Lord to complete the task. He could then use his injury as an excuse to decline the role of a guide.
He believed the Crown Princess wouldn’t want to keep someone as suspicious and dangerous as him by her side.
When the time came, Chu Yuan would be free again and could go to his appointment with Gu Qingwan.
With a thought, he set up a concealment formation and waited for tomorrow to arrive.
At the same time.
While Chi Lian was sending his subordinates to clean up the stronghold, he did not forget to report the situation:
【…Great Elder Ziya, that is the situation!】
To this, an old man far away responded with shock and uncertainty:
【What? Elder Shenbao? He possessed the body of a youth from the Chu Clan? This…】
Chi Lian asked curiously:
【Great Elder, do you think this Elder Shenbao is real or fake? Should the task of bidding for the Dragon Egg be handed to him?】
Upon hearing this, the Great Elder was also a bit confused.
Just as Chu Yuan had expected, Ziya’s means of contacting the Alliance Leader who pulled the strings behind the scenes were quite limited.
It was always the Alliance Leader who took the initiative to contact him, rather than Ziya contacting the Alliance Leader.
If the Alliance Leader had casually placed a piece on the board for a new layout, it was absolutely possible.
However, one must always be wary of others. The old man then asked:
【Did the so-called Elder Shenbao ask you for money?】
Chi Lian replied:
【In response to the Great Elder, as I mentioned just now, Elder Shenbao has already made a private transaction with the Crown Princess of the Immortal Dynasty. There is no need to worry about Spirit Stones.】
The old man stroked his beard and smiled:
【Interesting. Very well! Although I don’t know the truth or falsehood of this Elder, we will play along with him. This old man wants to see what this one… actually wants to do.】
【Yes! Great Elder, I will attend to it immediately.】
After speaking, Chi Lian ended the conversation and went to work.
And on the Great Elder’s side —
Under the midday sun, a Spirit Ship slowly emerged from the depths of the sea of clouds, piercing through the sky toward Xuanji City.
At the bow of the ship, a young girl stood leaning against the railing, her robes fluttering in the wind.
Her face was sixty or seventy percent similar to Ji Xuanyuan’s, but her expression held a bit more charm and agility.
Noticing the flickering expression of the old man beside her, the girl spoke casually:
“Wenzhong, what news did you receive? You look a bit off.”
The old man called “Wenzhong” stroked his beard and smiled. “The Second Princess has a keen eye. This old official just received news that Young Master Chu Yunlan has arrived in Xuanji City.”
Upon hearing this, the Second Princess of the Immortal Dynasty and sister of the Crown Princess, Ji Chang, frowned slightly.
“Chu Yunlan? The one from Taixu Holy Land?”
Wenzhong nodded.
“Exactly. Moreover, Her Highness the Crown Princess also made a sudden visit to Xuanji City yesterday. It’s hard to say if the two sides will cross paths. Second Princess, if Chu Yunlan is truly chosen as the Sacred Son of Taixu in the future, if you can meet him ahead of time and build some goodwill, in the future…”
Ji Chang’s eyes flickered for a moment before she returned to her nonchalant demeanor.
“Wenzhong, you say that as if I’m trying to compete with my sister for something. However, for this Divine Grade Auction trip, if I really ‘accidentally’ run into that Young Master Yunlan, then it truly is a fate worth making an acquaintance over.”
Wenzhong smiled slightly but did not respond.
Ji Chang turned around and continued to lean against the railing, looking at the flickering outline of Xuanji City in the distance.
The morning wind blew a strand of black hair by her temple. She raised her hand to gently tuck it away and murmured softly:
“Sister… while you are in this city, have you ever thought of your younger sister?”
She let out a soft breath, suppressing those thoughts back into her heart.
Regardless, she would go and see for herself!
She would see what kind of person this “Holy Son” was, whom Wenzhong valued so highly!
The Spirit Ship pierced through the air. The morning light fell upon the girl leaning against the railing, yet it could not illuminate the depths of her eyes.