"Just now you were saying how special I am, that I possess a unique and independent temperament. Why the disdain all of a sudden," Xu Zimei chuckled, "Ah, women."
"It's just that you can know someone's face, but not their heart," Ji Baiyu said indifferently.
"Then, when we have the time, let's get to know each other more deeply," Xu Zimei said as he watched Ji Baiyu's gritting expression, laughing heartily as he and Shili Changkong left.
.........
Watching Xu Zimei's retreating figure, Ji Baiyu asked discontentedly, "Grandfather Black Wood, do you really believe he can bear Destiny?"
"The Great Emperor is the strongest of an era. How could just anyone be capable of bearing Destiny?" the Black Wood Elder said, shaking his head.
"Then why did you let me give him the Emperor's Blood?" Ji Baiyu asked, confused.
"If he had opened the Jade Token just now, maybe I could have risked my life to escape, but what about you?" the Black Wood Elder said helplessly, "You mustn't judge him by his constant smiling; I can tell, this person would definitely act without hesitation.
He would certainly have killed you and then stolen the Emperor's Blood."
......
Meanwhile, Shili Changkong curiously asked, "Was that really the Emperor's Blood?"
"Do you want to try consuming it? A single drop is said to enlighten and ascend one to immortality," Xu Zimei said with a smile.
"Not interested. What's the use of Emperor's Blood? My Martial Path is ultimately my own to walk; no matter how strong external forces are, they're just support," Shili Changkong replied with pride.
As the two were walking down the stairs, they found Lin Ruhu and Guan Zhenhai sitting in the private room.
Guan Zhenhai was frolicking merrily, surrounded by several girls on each side.
On the other hand, Lin Ruhu was wolfing down the food and drink, showing no interest in the girls beside him.
"Brother Guan, you enjoy yourself; we're going to head back," Xu Zimei said with a smile.
"Ah, Junior Brother Zimo, you're leaving so soon?" Guan Zhenhai looked at Xu Zimei with a suggestive gaze and said, "Junior brother, you should take care of yourself. Kidney problems are no small issue."
"Get lost," Xu Zimei laughed and cursed, then left with everyone.
......
At the same time, in the Chang Family, Family Head Chang Tianxiong pondered over his son Chang Wei's words.
He was burly, wearing a light blue robe with white clouds embroidered at the sleeves and collar.
His complexion was rugged, yet his thoughts were delicate. Sporting a large beard, he asked, "Did that disciple say where he came from?"
"He didn't," Chang Wei shook his head and said, "What status could the brother of a useless person like Guan Zhenhai have?
Birds of a feather flock together; one is known by the company one keeps."
"Don't be complacent. If he is just an ordinary Inner Sect Disciple, we have some connections within the True Martial Holy Sect," Chang Tianxiong said thoughtfully, "But if he is an elite Inner Sect Disciple or a True Disciple, that could complicate things."
"So what do we do?" Chang Wei also asked, somewhat apprehensively, "I just wanted to cozy up to the Crown Prince by booking the entire Bright Moon Pavilion for him."
"Have the people we sent to inquire at the Holy Sect's branch returned yet?" Chang Tianxiong asked, "Guan Zhenhai has often benefited from us; it should be time for him to be of some use!"
Chang Wei shook his head and said, "The people we sent to the branch were driven away, and they didn't even see Guan Zhenhai's face."
"Then let's just wait for his arrival and see exactly what kind of dragon or snake he is," Chang Tianxiong snorted coldly and said, "Try to let the Crown Prince know about this incident. It would be best to drag the Imperial Household into this."
"I understand," Chang Wei nodded.
.........
In the afternoon, Chang Wei was beaten with one hundred heavy strikes by the family head in front of many elders and clan members.
It was said that Chang Wei had an altercation with a disciple of the True Martial Holy Sect because he intended to book Bright Moon Pavilion exclusively for a banquet in honor of the Third Prince.
This news began to spread wildly within the entire Chang Family.
As darkness fell, a crescent moon hung in the sky.
In the rear courtyard of the Chang family, a young man and an old man stood by the window of a side room.
The young man had a handsome face and wore a blue and white long robe, radiating an irresistible domineering presence, as if a natural-born monarch.
The elder was very low-key, and if one did not pay attention, they might not even notice his presence.
He wore a gray long robe, and his gaze was as deep as a black hole, his hair peppered with white, appearing like an elder in the twilight of his years.
.........
"What does the Third Prince think of the rumors spreading outside?" the elder asked, inquiring.
"The Chang family has provoked the True Martial Holy Sect and wants to drag me into the water," the young man chuckled lightly and replied, "But this True Martial Holy Sect is really overbearing, their disciples are all full of arrogance."
"Your Highness, please be cautious with your words. There are some matters we are not in a position to discuss," the elder quickly shook his head, advising.
"Is the True Martial Holy Sect really that strong?" the young man asked, somewhat skeptical.
He was the Third Prince of the Purple Sun Empire, one of the two largest empires in the Extreme West Region.
His father was even a mighty practitioner of the Emperor Pulse Realm, and the country had nearly a hundred practitioners of the Esteem Vein Realm and countless of the Empty Vein Realm.
Yet, the True Martial Holy Sect weighed on them like a high mountain, with everyone in the empire bowing in submission to the sect. The young man felt extremely dissatisfied in his heart.
"Your Highness, not just you, even if the monarch himself were here, he would need to hold a sense of reverence towards the True Martial Holy Sect," the elder said with emotion, "Do you know why your An Family was able to become the ruler of the Purple Sun Empire?"
"Isn't it because our An Family's ancestors fought for and secured this empire step by step?" the young man asked, puzzled.
"The Purple Sun Empire has been in existence for nearly ten thousand years, and during this time, there have been many rulers.
The ruler of the previous generation did not bear the An surname. That ruler was too arrogant and covertly defied the orders of the True Martial Holy Sect," the elder shook his head and said slowly, "Later, an elder walked out from within the True Martial Holy Sect.
Within a single day, that generation's ruler, including his clan members and all those related to him, were wiped from existence.
Since then, there have been no others, and only after your family passed the tests were they appointed as the new rulers.
Do you realize that power, empire, throne, in front of those absolute strengths, are nothing but a joke?"
"I understand now. I didn't intend to have a conflict with the people of the True Martial Holy Sect," the young man nodded and said, "But this time, I came all the way to the Chang family in the struggle with my brothers for the selection of the Crown Prince.
However, this Chang family has been dragging their feet on our proposal, unwilling to make a decision.
If we could help them solve their problem this time, perhaps we could win them over to become a strong support for me."
"Let's see what the status of the visitor is tomorrow," the elder pondered for a moment and then said, "If it's an ordinary disciple, then it shouldn't be a problem.
But if it is a True Disciple, even our intervention would be futile."