"When I return to my peak, Zhen Xiong, that celestial sword of yours—has it finally reached the Immortal Realm? I'll be coming for you. In this life, I will forge a stronger empire than ever before, suppress the heavens themselves, and reach the Immortal Realm. I will tear open your chest and rip out your heart."
Grrr…
Just as Yan Chuan was making his vow for vengeance, a sudden growl from his stomach broke the silence.
He glanced down at his belly and let out a bitter chuckle. "It's been a long time since I've felt hunger. The Path of Strength, the most basic realm, requires large amounts of meat to build energy. Strength... Fortunately, in this life, I hold a high position, so food is abundant. But I wonder if the quality matches the quantity?"
Rising to smooth out the creases in his robes, Yan Chuan opened the bamboo door and stepped outside.
The corpses that had once littered the area were now cleared, and the attendants were waiting at attention on either side.
"Greetings, Your Highness!" they all bowed respectfully.
"Mm. I'm hungry. Prepare a feast, right here," Yan Chuan ordered in a calm tone.
"Yes, Your Highness!" the middle-aged eunuch immediately directed the servants to bring out fine tables and chairs, followed by dishes piled high with food.
While they prepared, Yan Chuan cast a glance at the body of the late Ma Gongfeng.
"Your Highness, we've searched the body," Huo Guang reported, stepping forward. "Other than a bottle of pills and these eight flags, there's nothing else." He handed over a small vial and the flags.
Yan Chuan took the vial, sniffing it lightly.
"Fasting pills? Nothing special. They won't give much power—a single one can only keep hunger at bay for about fifteen days." Yan Chuan's tone remained indifferent.
Huo Guang's eyes widened in surprise. A pill that could last fifteen days? For soldiers, that was a luxury. Armies often ran on their stomachs, and with such pills, they could march for days without needing supplies. But Fasting Pills were rare. Huo Guang had counted earlier—there were fewer than thirty in the vial.
Yet it wasn't the rarity of the pill that surprised Huo Guang. It was that the prince had recognized it instantly.
Yan Chuan didn't give Huo Guang another glance as he examined the eight flags.
"These are made of ice silkworm silk? Fine material, but wasted on such crude work," Yan Chuan muttered, raising a brow.
Huo Guang stood to the side, curiosity flickering in his eyes. Every word from Yan Chuan seemed to carry immense power, drawing Huo Guang in deeper, his heart racing with excitement.
Catching the look in Huo Guang's eyes, Yan Chuan's lips curled into a faint smile.
"Your Highness, the feast is ready," the middle-aged eunuch announced.
"Good," Yan Chuan nodded.
He placed the vial and the flags on the table, adjusted his robes, and sat down.
Huo Guang, the eunuch, and all the servants stood respectfully at the side as Yan Chuan surveyed the table, laden with eight dishes—all meat. He seemed pleased.
He picked up the jade chopsticks and took a bite of the meat.
As he chewed, his brow furrowed slightly. "What is this?"
"Your Highness, that is venison, freshly caught by the Imperial Guard," the eunuch replied.
Yan Chuan nodded, though the venison did not entirely satisfy him.
He continued sampling the other dishes as the eunuch introduced each one—deer, boar, wolf, beef…
"Is this all the meat you have?" Yan Chuan asked in a low voice.
"These are the finest cuts we could gather, Your Highness," the eunuch hurriedly responded.
"No meat from spirit beasts?" Yan Chuan asked.
"Spirit beasts?" The eunuch shook his head. "The last we heard of one was two years ago, when His Majesty's elite guard hunted an old, wounded spirit beast. We are mere mortals, Your Highness. Capturing such creatures is beyond us."
Yan Chuan fell into deep thought. "Without spirit beast meat, cultivating strength will take far longer, and I'll need to eat significantly more to build up my power."
"That's true," Huo Guang chimed in. "These days, I need to eat half a cow every day just to keep progressing."
Yan Chuan nodded, but his chopsticks never paused, continuing to move gracefully as he ate the prepared dishes. Though his pace was fast, there was an air of elegance about him that made his actions seem almost unfamiliar to those watching.
With each bite, the food turned into a surge of energy, flowing through Yan Chuan's body.
Only when the eight dishes were completely finished did Yan Chuan set down his chopsticks. The servants quickly cleared the table and replaced the food with fresh tea.
The servants withdrew, leaving only Huo Guang and the eunuch behind.
"What's your name?" Yan Chuan asked, turning to the middle-aged eunuch.
"Your humble servant is called Liu Jin," the eunuch replied respectfully.
"Liu Jin. Tell me about myself," Yan Chuan said casually.
"Yes, Your Highness. You are the Prince of Yan in the Great Yan Empire, and your title, granted by your father, the Old Emperor, is One Word Side-by-Side King," Liu Jin began.
"The Old Emperor, Yan Tao, was the Emperor of the Great Yan three hundred years ago. By chance, he entered the immortal sects and passed the throne to his younger brother, reducing his status to One Word Side-by-Side King. Though he no longer ruled, he retained imperial authority. Under his protection, the Great Yan Empire has stood strong for three centuries. Occasionally, the Old Emperor would return to the empire. Seven years ago, he entrusted you to me when you were only ten years old. He instructed me to watch over you and ensure you inherited his title. To avoid entanglements in court politics, we relocated here and have lived quietly ever since."
"Seven years, and you've been taking care of me all this time?" Yan Chuan asked.
"Yes, Your Highness," Liu Jin replied solemnly.
Hearing this, Yan Chuan's gaze softened as he looked at Liu Jin.
"Why did my father choose you?" Yan Chuan asked after a moment of thought.
Liu Jin's eyes misted with tears as he recalled the past. "Your humble servant came from a poor family. My parents were killed by a ruthless landowner, and our meager possessions were seized. I was left destitute and became a beggar. One winter, nearly frozen to death in the snow, the Old Emperor found me. He saved me and avenged my family by punishing the landowner. However, I was born a eunuch and could not live a normal life. The Old Emperor brought me to the palace. I have been forever grateful to him for saving me, which is likely why he entrusted me with your care."
Yan Chuan's gaze grew even softer.
"I served in the palace for fifteen years until one day, the Old Emperor appeared with you in his arms. You were ten years old, and he left you in my care, instructing me to bring you here," Liu Jin continued.
"And what happened after that?" Yan Chuan asked gravely.
"Afterward? The Old Emperor left, and a year later, we received word from his immortal sect. The Old Emperor… had passed away," Liu Jin said, his voice filled with sorrow.
"Oh? How did he die?" Yan Chuan's expression darkened.
"No one knows. But when the Old Emperor entrusted you to me, he seemed to foresee it. He even told me that when you turned eighteen, the immortal sect would send someone to take you back. He wanted me to take good care of you," Liu Jin answered respectfully.
Huo Guang's eyes lit up at those words. Enter the immortal sect?
"Eighteen? They're coming to take me to the immortal sect?" Yan Chuan frowned.
"Yes!" Liu Jin confirmed.
"Your Highness, you were destined for the immortals. If the opportunity arises, please, find the real culprit and avenge the Old Emperor!" Liu Jin's eyes reddened with emotion.
"I will!" Yan Chuan nodded firmly.
"But why, if my father entered the immortal sect, didn't he strengthen the Great Yan Empire? Couldn't he have built a mighty empire to rival the immortal sect?" Yan Chuan asked, puzzled.
"Huh?" Liu Jin looked slightly taken aback.
Huo Guang also showed surprise.
"Your Highness, no matter how great a nation, it cannot compare to an immortal sect. Destroying a kingdom is a simple task for them. No empire, no matter how powerful, has ever stood against an immortal sect," Liu Jin explained with a bewildered expression.
"Oh?" Yan Chuan raised an eyebrow.
In his past life, Yan Chuan had been the ruler of a powerful empire. Except for a few major sacred lands, he had never bothered with smaller immortal sects. But now, it seemed that nations had become the weak ones? Had the world changed so much?
Yan Chuan didn't ask more. He understood that Liu Jin, as a mortal, couldn't possibly know much about the immortal world.
"In that case, you can keep these fasting pills for now. As for these eight flags, dismantle them and use the white silk to weave new cloth," Yan Chuan ordered.
"Yes, Your Highness!" Liu Jin immediately complied.
From their conversation, Yan Chuan had determined that Liu Jin was, at the very least, a trustworthy person.
"What level is your cultivation?" Yan Chuan asked.
"Your servant has dull talent and has only reached the fourth level of the Strength Realm," Liu Jin replied with some embarrassment.
"Dull talent? That doesn't matter. As long as there are enough resources, you can still become strong. Focus on your cultivation from now on," Yan Chuan said seriously.
"Yes, Your Highness!" Liu Jin responded immediately.
Yan Chuan turned his gaze to Huo Guang.
"Huo Guang, I've seen your loyalty. Tell me about yourself," Yan Chuan said.
At that moment, Huo Guang's heart surged with excitement. The bitterness of past disappointments melted away.
"Your humble servant is Huo Guang, a descendant of one of the founding heroes of the Great Yan. Unfortunately, I'm the only one left of my family, inheriting the title of 'War God Marquis.' I served on the front lines for many years. Seven years ago, I was assigned to form the 'Prince's Guard' to protect Your Highness. I've been stationed here ever since, only taking orders from you and ignoring all other military commands," Huo Guang said solemnly.
"Seven years? Stationed here? Did you ever feel resentment?" Yan Chuan asked with a faint smile.
Huo Guang frowned slightly, biting his lip before taking a deep breath. "I did harbor some resentment at first, having been sidelined after offending my superiors. But now, I no longer feel that way."
"Oh? Why not?" Yan Chuan asked with a smile.
"Because I believe Your Highness can give me what I desire," Huo Guang said honestly, without holding back.
"Hahaha! I like your candor. You've already shown your loyalty, and as long as you have the ability, I won't hesitate to reward you," Yan Chuan said with a laugh.
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Huo Guang bowed deeply.
"As long as you remain loyal and capable, I promise you'll receive far more than you ever imagined. Not only in this mortal world, but I can also lead you into the world of cultivation, where you can carve out your own place!" Yan Chuan said seriously.
Thud!
Huo Guang immediately dropped to one knee.
"Thank you, Your Highness! I swear I won't disappoint you!" Huo Guang said excitedly.
Entering the world of cultivation? Could it really be possible? His heart raced with excitement.
"Mm, for now, focus on advancing your cultivation. Break through from the Strength Realm to the Essence Realm, refine your essence, and that will be your first step into the world of cultivation," Yan Chuan said with a nod.
"Yes, Your Highness!" Huo Guang replied respectfully.
"The path of cultivation is a long and arduous one. Refining strength into essence, essence into qi, qi into spirit—it's a constant struggle against both heaven and man. You must never slacken, or all your efforts will be in vain. Be mindful of that," Yan Chuan warned.
"Yes, I will live up to your expectations, Your Highness!" Huo Guang said earnestly.
"Stand up. Now, tell me about the assassination attempt," Yan Chuan said calmly.
"Yes!"
Huo Guang seemed filled with energy as he continued, "The Black Armor soldiers have been detained. We've also tracked down the location of the Great Zheng Kingdom's enshrined experts—they're stationed at Cuifeng Mountain, about thirty miles northeast, along with an army of ten thousand. They seem to be searching for something."
"Oh? What kind of enshrined experts are they?" Yan Chuan asked.
"Enshrined experts are usually at the tenth level of the Strength Realm. They've refined some pseudo-essence and can wield basic magical tools, but they're unlikely to break through further. That's why they serve various kingdoms. Take Ma Gongfeng, for example—he was strong, but he didn't dare face the Prince's Guard directly. Against three thousand soldiers firing arrows, he wouldn't have been able to escape. That's why he worked with Zhao Tiande to set up a formation for a stealthy assassination," Huo Guang explained.
"Mm."
"But strangely, he suddenly died without warning," Huo Guang added, puzzled.
"How many enshrined experts remain at Cuifeng Mountain?" Yan Chuan asked.
"There are four left, including the Grand Enshrined of the Great Zheng Kingdom," Huo Guang said.
"Oh? If they're all in the Strength Realm, how did one become a Grand Enshrined?" Yan Chuan asked curiously.
"The Grand Enshrined? He's accompanied by a demon beast," Huo Guang said with a frown.
"A demon beast?" Yan Chuan's eyes brightened.
"Yes, a large serpent. Typically, only beasts that have reached the Essence Realm and refined their essence can be called demon beasts. With such a creature by his side, it's only natural that the Grand Enshrined holds his position," Huo Guang explained, looking a bit concerned.
"A demon beast? Ha!" Yan Chuan's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Uh, Your Highness? What are you thinking?" Huo Guang asked, sensing something unusual in Yan Chuan's expression.
Yan Chuan smiled faintly. "I'm in the mood for some snake."