Inside the Chu Clan estate.
“Great Elder! Something terrible has happened! Great Elder!!!”
The guard on duty stumbled and rushed toward the study where Elder Chu Tian was.
At that moment, Chu Zhenshan was leisurely drinking tea in his study, mulling over the clan’s selection matters.
Hearing the commotion, he looked up and saw the guard nearly trip over the threshold as he burst in.
The teacup paused in his hand. Chu Zhenshan frowned.
“What is it? Why such panic?”
Without waiting for the guard to answer, he immediately began to scold him.
“As a disciple of my Chu Clan, to be so flustered—what kind of behavior is that? If word gets out, you’ll be a laughingstock. Haven’t I told you time and again? You juniors should learn from the elders’ composure! Learn what it means to remain unruffled in the face of crisis!”
Facing the Great Elder’s harangue, the guard quickly waved his hands to interrupt.
“Oh, Great Elder! This isn’t the time for that! The Crown Prince! The Crown Prince’s imperial carriage has arrived at our clan’s front gate!”
What?!
In an instant, Chu Zhenshan shot to his feet, so flustered that tea splashed across the table.
“Who did you say is here?”
The guard repeated, “The Crown Prince!”
Chu Zhenshan couldn’t believe it. “Are you sure?”
The guard rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on! Would I dare joke about something like this? Great Elder, what should we do now?”
Seeing that it was indeed true, Chu Zhenshan had no time to mourn the precious spirit tea he’d spilled. He hastily straightened his robes and hat and strode out.
“Quick! Inform the Fox Venerable and the Young Master! Hurry!”
Soon, the news spread through the vast Chu estate like it had grown wings.
Upon hearing it, Chu Yunlan, who was changing clothes in his room, widened his ink-black eyes. ‘The Crown Prince is here?’
What was going on?
Why would Her Highness the Crown Prince visit my Chu Clan?
Could it be to see me?
No!
She must be here for that waste, Chu Yuan again!
Realizing this, Chu Yunlan gritted his teeth in silent fury.
‘What’s so good about that waste? What does the Crown Prince see in him?’
Chu Yunlan’s heart soured. He prided himself on being the Young Master of the Holy Domain, with extraordinary talent and a handsome face.
Yet no matter how he’d performed recently, the Crown Prince had only ever had eyes for that collateral branch loser.
Why?
Chu Yunlan clenched his molars.
Then he recalled the agreement forced on him by the Second Princess during the auction. He let out a resigned sigh.
‘Fine! Let her come! Since the Crown Prince dotes so much on that waste, I’ll let you two have your fun.’
He turned calmly, walked to the bronze mirror, and carefully adjusted his robes. The young man in the mirror had a face like jade, eyes and brows carrying a smile.
He raised an eyebrow, then pushed open the door and stepped out.
At the same time.
The commotion at the main gate also reached the remote little courtyard where Chu Yuan lived.
Extending his Divine Sense, Chu Yuan discovered it was the Crown Prince’s arrival. He felt annoyed.
‘Why is this Crown Prince sticking to me like a piece of sticky plaster?’
‘I’m trying to win back my Sovereign’s favor. As the ancient saying goes: endure adversity, but don’t rejoice in comfort. Every encounter is an aid to my cultivation!’
‘If the Crown Prince has come for me, so be it. I can use this woman…’
With this thought, he took out the Warm Sun Jade and sent a sound transmission to the Fox Venerable.
【Fox Venerable, you must know the Crown Prince has moved into my Chu Clan, right?】
At that moment, Su Xuanxuan’s lips twitched.
【Of course. I didn’t expect that woman to chase you even here.】
【Why is she so fixated on you, Holy Son?】
【Could she have learned your true identity?】
Chu Yuan spread his hands.
【I don’t know either, but I might as well take advantage of this opportunity…】
Before he could finish, Su Xuanxuan nodded.
【Don’t worry, Holy Son! I’ll pretend to take a liking to you and keep you by my side forever!!!】
Keep him by her side forever?
Chu Yuan immediately interrupted and rejected the idea.
【No, no, no! Put that plan on hold. I need to use this Crown Prince first.】
Huh???
Su Xuanxuan’s heart tightened.
【Why, Holy Son?】
【Don’t tell me you’ve been seduced by that woman!】
【You are the future Sacred Lord of Taixu! How can you let the Crown Prince of the Immortal Dynasty have her way with you!】
Chu Yuan quickly explained.
【No, you misunderstand. I want to use the Crown Prince to mend my relationship with the Sovereign.】
【Also, I want to test how useful that Sleeping Art I just bought really is.】
【If it doesn’t work, you can come save me then, Fox Venerable.】
Hearing this, Su Xuanxuan’s gaze fell on the “black ball” lying on a nearby cushion. At that moment, Gu Su Die also clearly sensed the disturbance outside. She sniffed frantically, catching a faint stench of a rival, and bared her teeth.
Though Su Xuanxuan looked down on this mongrel dragon, she knew the Great Elder Ziya’s plan: next, they would push this mongrel Black Dragon forward as the public face of the Demon Path Alliance leader. If they could win it over in advance, Taixu Sacred Domain could further manipulate the Demon Path Alliance for its own purposes.
In a way, this was a brilliant move by the Holy Son.
Realizing this, Su Xuanxuan relented.
【Don’t worry. The Sovereign is sleeping soundly! Holy Son, what’s your plan?】
Chu Yuan replied.
【Bring her along later. If the Sovereign sees me being taken away by the Crown Prince and chases after us, that means the plan is working. If he doesn’t react, bring her to where the Crown Prince is staying.】
Su Xuanxuan immediately understood his intent.
【You want me to let him watch how the Crown Prince uses me as a disposable tool?】
【You’re planning a self-injury plot? But… will it work?】
Chu Yuan insisted.
【I have to try. If it fails, find a chance to rescue me!】
Su Xuanxuan didn’t waste any more words.
【Fine! Let’s do it this way!】
After they had agreed, they both left their rooms at the same time.
The first to reach the main gate were the Chu Clan elders. Outside, the sunlight was just right.
Leading them, Chu Yunlan strode toward the main entrance with a relaxed gait. As he passed the courtyard, he even plucked a blooming white magnolia branch and tucked it into his belt.
From afar, he already saw the gleaming golden armor outside the gate and the red-haired figure inside the imperial carriage.
Quickening his pace, Chu Yunlan put on a face of just the right amount of surprise and respect.
“Forgive me for not knowing Your Highness was coming, and for failing to welcome you. Please pardon my offense!”
He bowed with an impeccably elegant gesture.
Behind him, Chu Zhenshan and a multitude of disciples knelt in unison.
Hearing the sound, Ji Xuanyuan inside the carriage opened her eyes.
Through the curtain, she could vaguely see the silhouettes bowing.
But the Crown Prince’s gaze focused past them, onto the corridor inside the gate that led to the collateral branch’s courtyard, hoping to see a familiar figure.
Many Chu disciples had already gathered in the corridor due to the Crown Prince’s arrival. News that the Crown Prince was staying at the Chu estate had swept through the vast household.
Disciples in the training hall dropped their swords;
Scholars in the library closed the ancient texts they had just opened;
Several core disciples who had been in secluded retreat broke out of their chambers.
Walking among the disciples, Chu Yuan could see—
A young disciple who had just run out of the training hall looked bewildered. He grabbed his senior brother.
“Senior Brother, who is ‘the Crown Prince’? Why is everyone going crazy?”
The senior brother stared at him like he was an idiot.
“Did you cultivate yourself stupid? Ji Xuanyuan! The Crown Prince of the Immortal Dynasty!”
The young disciple froze.
Ji Xuanyuan.
He had heard that name.
“I heard that back when the four prefectures of the Immortal Dynasty rebelled, the Crown Prince led an army at fifteen and pacified them in three months. After returning, she didn’t execute a single general or take away a single soldier. Now, those rebel generals are completely loyal to her.”
Another disciple nearby added, “That’s nothing. I heard she expanded the academies and recruited students from humble families. Now half the civil officials at court come from her patronage. That’s real skill… not killing a single person, yet winning the hearts of the world.”