In Xiaoxiang Villa.

Xu Nian leisurely sat in the pavilion, sipping tea and waiting for Li Baiyang to arrive.

Now that the matter of the Cai Family had spread, surely Li Baiyang, that old codger, must be anxious? Once the Historical Text was deciphered, his power could grow once again. If he could maintain the activation of the Eight Gates Escape Armor and even reach immunity to the side effects of the Death Gate, then he would truly be invincible in the world.

By the lakeside, Dung Beetle, Hero Xu Xian, and Archer squatted on the ground, somewhat bored as they skimmed stones across the water.

"I regret coming to the Capital City; it's really too boring here."

"Why don't we go back and join up with Junlin and his team at the Xu Family? If we leave now and pull an all-nighter, we might catch up."

"I don't want to go. I'll just make a round at the brothel tonight and then log off to sleep."

"Archer, you can't play the game so passively. We are players; we should strive to level up by fighting monsters."

"You're right," Archer replied. "So you guys go and fight the monsters."

The other two were left speechless.

After chatting for a while, Dung Beetle and Hero Xu Xian decided to return to the Profound Yellow Sect. They wanted to catch up with Flourishing Flowers and their team while there was still time. The reward of one thousand Contribution Points was too tempting to miss. Chain tasks—who would want to miss out on so many Contribution Points?

The Top Archer in the National Server seemed to think his experience report was the most important, so he chose to stay here.

Dung Beetle and Hero Xu Xian immediately went to the backyard, where they quickly killed each other to respawn at the Profound Yellow Sect's respawn point.

The Blood Demoness noticed someone coming out of Yingyang Hall and turned her head to look.

Unfamiliar faces. It appeared to be the resurrection ability typical of Profound Yellow Sect Disciples.

Although curious about it at first, she had gradually become accustomed to it over time.

Dung Beetle and Hero Xu Xian also hurriedly left, not bothering to greet the Blood Demoness, and headed straight for Liang City.

Buy horses, then chase after Flourishing Flowers and their team!

A reward of one thousand Contribution Points was something neither of them wanted to miss.

"Shall we take the side path to chase them?" Dung Beetle asked, looking at the map. "With so many of them, they should be taking the Official Road. We can save quite a bit of time by taking the side path."

"I have no problem with that!" Hero Xu Xian also nodded in agreement.

Having made their decision, the two immediately mounted their horses and rode off in pursuit, heading towards Dragon Head Mansion.

Xu Nian didn't sense their presence, realizing they must have already returned to the sect.

It was understandable; after all, there wasn't much to do staying here. The current task was just to annihilate an aristocratic family; it was up to the players how they chose to proceed. As for the Top Archer in the National Server, he was now heading directly for the brothel. What was the point of playing with water in the courtyard? Why would a sensible person play with water here? Wouldn't it be better to go to the brothel to 'play with water' instead?

At noon, a member of the Brocade Guard delivered his meal, as had been the case for the past few days. Xu Nian knew he was under house arrest, but he didn't complain much. After all, he had done what he needed to; the rest was left to fate.

However, today, it was not a Captain of the Brocade Guard who brought the food but the Commander of the Brocade Guard himself.

Sun Buwei personally bringing food? Now, that was interesting.

Xu Nian looked at the food before him and said with a smile, "It's quite peculiar today. Commander Sun, personally coming to deliver food. Has the Northern Tribunal of Inquisition run out of people?"

On hearing Xu Nian's question, Sun Buwei forced a smile and said, "Something has happened in the Palace; the Brocade Guard is all busy. I found a moment to bring food to Your Highness."

Something happened in the Palace? From Sun Buwei's expression, it seemed he wasn't lying, and it looked like it was quite serious.

"What happened in the Palace?" Xu Nian asked curiously. "For you, the Commander of the Brocade Guard, to come in person, it must be no small matter, right?"

Sun Buwei was taken aback for a moment. After a moment, he sighed, "The Eighth Prince and the Fifth Prince are dead. Many officials went to the Palace, but His Majesty refused to see anyone and even ordered Cao Zhisheng to kill an official at the entrance of the Imperial Study."

Upon hearing this, Xu Nian was momentarily dumbstruck.

Who died? The Eighth Prince and the Fifth Prince?! Didn't Shen Rongyin mention that the Eighth Prince had been chosen? How could he possibly die?

"Oh? Tell me more," Xu Nian said with a smile. "If Commander Sun doesn't dare to speak, I can ask someone else just the same."

Such a major event couldn't be kept secret. Moreover, since the officials already knew, it would be easy enough to find out by casually inquiring with any one of them.

After a moment of hesitation, Sun Buwei said, "The Eighth Prince suddenly suffered an episode of hysteria and attacked the Fifth Prince, who then killed him in self-defense. Before dying, the Eighth Prince bit through the Fifth Prince's neck..."

Hearing this one sentence, Xu Nian could already visualize the scene.

Tsk, tsk. That scene was indeed brutal enough. But why would Luo Qingbei suddenly suffer from hysteria? He had met Luo Qingbei during the Nine Dragons Secret Treasure incident, and he didn't seem like someone who would suffer from such a condition. Moreover, Shen Rongyin had seemed very confident at that time; it didn't seem like she was deceiving him. Now this was getting interesting—if Luo Qingbei was dead, then Shen Rongyin's role as a pawn would also be useless. The big fish behind the scenes seemed to have no intention of taking the bait. This was not a good sign.

"Your Highness, please eat first. This humble one shall take his leave," Sun Buwei stealthily glanced at Xu Nian's expression, trying to discern something from his face.

Unfortunately, Xu Nian hid his emotions well, and Sun Buwei couldn't figure out anything.

Now, the officials had begun to choose sides, and many had already made contact with the Crown Prince. If the Ninth Prince clashed with Xu Nian over Cai Keji's matter, it could very well lead to a mutually destructive outcome. In such a scenario, the Crown Prince might be the one to profit, like the proverbial fisherman.

After Sun Buwei left, Xu Nian's expression instantly turned cold.

Had someone discovered his plans and chosen this method to disrupt them? Who was manipulating everything from behind the scenes? Luo Qingbei's death was definitely not that simple. Was this a signal the enemy was sending him? It seemed his brothers were, each and every one, not simple at all. Of the nine princes, two were dead. The remaining seven seemingly had a great opportunity, but they had merely been forced into this position.

Xu Nian stared at the food in front of him, his eyes narrowed as he contemplated his next move.

「Imperial Palace」

Cai Keji immediately sought out the Ninth Prince.

At that moment, the Ninth Prince was in his courtyard, leisurely playing chess by himself, left hand against right. This game seemed to bring him considerable enjoyment.

"Your Highness, Thousand Households Cai of the Brocade Guard requests an audience," a young eunuch hurriedly approached and announced.

Luo Chenjun merely hummed faintly and said nothing more, continuing to stare at the chessboard alone.

After a moment, he raised his hand and placed a piece.

"Complete victory," Luo Chenjun murmured. "Even heaven doesn't want you to live. What a pity."

With that, he directed the young eunuch to bring Cai Keji in.

Soon after, Cai Keji arrived in the courtyard, and the young eunuch tactfully withdrew.

"Ninth Prince, you must save me, save the Cai Family!" Cai Keji suddenly knelt on the ground, his corpulent body trembling.

Luo Chenjun ignored him, instead muttering to himself while staring at the chessboard, "That was a good move, but unfortunately, it's a bit too late."

Kneeling on the ground, Cai Keji was drenched in cold sweat, unsure whether it was from urgency or fear.

"Ninth Prince..."

"Shut up!" Just as Cai Keji was about to speak again, Luo Chenjun turned and sharply reprimanded him.

This silenced Cai Keji, making him too frightened to speak again. He didn't understand what was happening, but he suddenly felt that the Ninth Prince before him seemed different from usual, though he couldn't quite pinpoint how. The Ninth Prince in front of him seemed no longer the person he knew. What on earth is going on?

Luo Chenjun stared at the chessboard for a long moment, the white piece in his hand remaining unplaced. After a full half an hour, he finally sighed helplessly.

"Have I lost?" Luo Chenjun murmured. "But I feel there's still a chance. It seems I indeed need to be more ruthless; otherwise, I might truly lose everything."

With that, he set down the white piece in his hand and turned to look at Cai Keji, still kneeling on the ground.

That emotionless, condescending gaze terrified Cai Keji! The Ninth Prince before him seems to be a completely different person. What is happening?

"You deal with the trouble you've caused yourself," Luo Chenjun said coldly. "I can save you once, but I can't save you countless times. Do you understand what I mean?"

Upon hearing this, Cai Keji's body shuddered.

Was he being abandoned? But wasn't everything he did for this Ninth Prince? Now, with just one sentence, the Ninth Prince was casting him aside—what did this mean? The saying 'the most heartless are those of the imperial family' was indeed true.

"Ninth Highness!" Cai Keji looked up abruptly and said solemnly, "Everything this lowly one has done was for you, Ninth Prince! Now that the Cai Family is destroyed, this lowly one only seeks a chance to save his life. I beg Your Highness to show this lowly one a clear path!"

He had no other choice. If he were truly abandoned by Luo Chenjun, then he would have to face the Seventh Prince. Even the Brocade Guard Thousand Households he had offended in the past would take the opportunity to strike him while he was down. So, he had to seize this one and only opportunity.

"A chance? It's not entirely non-existent!" Luo Chenjun said gravely. "Xu Nian has a stone stele of the Historical Text. Go and destroy it. If you succeed, you will still be Thousand Households Cai of the Brocade Guard, and no one will dare to lay a hand on you. But if you fail, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Upon hearing these words, Cai Keji repeatedly kowtowed on the ground.

"Thank you, Your Highness, thank you!" Cai Keji hurriedly scrambled up from the ground, making to leave the courtyard.

But Luo Chenjun suddenly stopped him and tossed a small box towards him.

Cai Keji caught the box and looked back, puzzled.

"This contains a pill," Luo Chenjun said softly. "Swallowing it will allow you to enter the Free Heaven Realm, and it has no side effects. I've given you what you need. Don't let me down. That stone stele of the Historical Text in Xu Nian's possession must be destroyed!"

"This humble servant obeys!" Cai Keji's eyes brightened, and he quickly knelt and paid his respects.

With such a miraculous pill, why would he fear a mere Profound Yellow Sect? Seventh Prince, it's time for us to settle our accounts!

Watching Cai Keji's departing figure, a sneer flashed across Luo Chenjun's eyes...

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