For a moment, they felt a wave of relief. After all, the Fang Chen before them was not the Fang Chen of five years ago; he no longer wielded that overwhelming power, and there was no longer any need to fear him.
"Regarding the affairs of the court, I have given them much thought over the past five years, and I have no intention of meddling in them ever again," Fang Chen said with a gentle, smiling shake of his head. "So from now on, it will be difficult for you and me to cross paths in the imperial court."
What?!
Shock registered on everyone's faces.
Not only were the members of the Ye family stunned, but the officials from Dahua Temple were equally astonished. Nearby commoners, scholars, and martial artists who had stopped to watch all wore expressions of sheer disbelief upon hearing Fang Chen's words.
Military God Fang no longer intended to meddle in court affairs?
Wasn't the subtext of that statement that he would no longer lead troops in the future?!
Ye Qinghe's breathing grew somewhat heavy as he stared fixedly at Fang Chen, seemingly trying to gauge how much truth there was in his words.
"Military God Fang must be joking. Your cultivation has recovered, and I daresay it won't be long before His Majesty has you commanding troops once again, ready to cross swords with Qingsong Kingdom," Ye Dongming said in a deep voice.
"Minister Ye can just consider it a joke," Fang Chen replied with a smile.
Ye Dongming's expression flickered slightly. "Military God Fang, what is the exact purpose of your visit today?"
"I simply came to demand a person from your Ye family," Fang Chen said.
Demand a person?
A look of bewilderment crossed the faces of Ye Dongming and the others.
Who could the Ye family possibly have that would require Military God Fang to personally come and demand their surrender?
Only Ye Qinghe felt a flash of panic in his eyes, finding it hard to believe. How did Fang Chen know that Xiao En was in the Ye residence?
Could someone have leaked the news aboard the Immortal Battleship that day?
At this thought, Ye Qinghe felt a surge of irritation. He refused to believe those singing girls would dare casually spread their guests' conversations around, especially since they knew his identity.
That left the people sharing the table with him last night. Exactly who was it? Faces flashed through Ye Qinghe's mind one after another as he pondered in secret.
"Military God Fang, who in our Ye residence could possibly require you to personally come and demand them? Could you have come to the wrong place?" Ye Dongming said with a faint smile, his gaze sweeping past the Dahua Temple officials and the constables nearby as he frowned slightly.
"Xiao En, son of Xiao Tianci. He is currently staying in your Ye residence. Minister Ye, just hand him over to me," Fang Chen said with a smile.
"Wait!"
Shock broke across Ye Dongming's face. "Xiao En, the son of Xiao Tianci? Military God Fang, do not speak nonsense! How could I possibly harbor such a person?!"
That was a martial artist from Qingsong Kingdom!
The son of Xiao Tianci, master of the Qingsong Superior Pavilion!
If word got out that he had given shelter to this person, he feared ordinary citizens would stand here cursing, hurling rotten eggs, and throwing stones at his door day and night!
Sure enough, a commotion broke out among the surrounding crowd as they pointed and whispered toward the Ministry of War residence. Several scholars had already begun shouting curses, and some martial artists rolled up their sleeves.
*Could these people from Dahua Temple have come... for that Xiao En? This fellow Fang Chen has always been one to act with purpose. Why would he claim Xiao En is in my old residence?*
Ye Dongming's thoughts raced.
Ye Qinghe's expression was beginning to crack. Fine beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He had thought it impossible for Fang Chen to discover Xiao En's whereabouts, yet after a mere single night, the man had tracked them down to their doorstep.
This completely shattered his composure; he was not yet prepared...
"Lord Ye might as well ask your esteemed son," Fang Chen said mildly.
Ye Dongming snapped his gaze toward Ye Qinghe, a look of shock and anger in his eyes. "Qinghe, have you met this Xiao En? Tell Military God Fang right now that he is not in the residence!"
"Father, I have never laid eyes on Xiao En," Ye Qinghe replied, shaking his head slightly before cupping his fists toward Fang Chen. "Brother Fang, I know not where you got your information, but in my view, you may have been played for a fool."
"That's right... Could Military God Fang be mistaken?"
"Why would the Minister of War ever harbor a martial artist from Qingsong Kingdom?"
"Military God Fang isn't a true deity; he can't possibly foresee everything. Besides, I heard there was some bad blood between the Minister of War and Military God Fang back then."
"Could Military God Fang deliberately be using this matter to settle old scores?"
Whispers rippled through the crowd.
Hearing this, Ye Dongming's expression shifted repeatedly as he fixed his gaze on Fang Chen. "Military God Fang, that incident in the past was indeed an oversight on my part. But the matter has already been addressed before His Majesty, and I have already accepted my punishment. How can you use this to frame me and blacken my reputation?"
"Minister Ye, would you allow me to step inside and search the place?" Fang Chen said lightly.
"Fang Chen, do not push your luck! This is the Ministry of War residence—how can you trample over it at will? Do you think you are still the Military God of the past?! You are nothing more than a commoner now, not even qualified to set foot in the imperial court!" Ye Qinghe said in a deep voice.
He had expected his father to fiercely block Fang Chen from searching, but instead, Ye Dongming motioned for him to be quiet and shut his mouth. Then, he looked calmly at Fang Chen.
"Military God Fang, the Minister of War residence isn't all that large. You are free to search it however you like. But if you fail to find any trace of Xiao En, what kind of explanation will you give me?"
"Fail to find him? If I don't find him, I'll simply head off to Dahua Temple with these gentlemen. What other explanation does Minister Ye require?" Fang Chen replied, smiling as he gestured toward the Dahua Temple officials not far away.
Only then did realization dawn on Ye Dongming. So this group had actually come to arrest Fang Chen! A sense of relief immediately washed over him.
"Very well then, Military God Fang, please proceed," Ye Dongming nodded slightly.
"Father?!" Panic flashed in Ye Qinghe's eyes.
"The heavens watch all that men do. We have done nothing wrong, so what is there to fear?" Ye Dongming snorted coldly.
Ye Qinghe said no more; to continue would only give him away.
Just as Fang Chen prepared to step into the Ministry of War residence, a group of horsemen galloped up, rapidly arriving at the front gates. The leader dismounted in a fluid motion and cast a cool glance at Fang Chen.
"Fang Chen, you are not permitted to enter the Ministry of War residence."
"The Crown Prince?!"
Ye Dongming was slightly startled and hurriedly bowed.
The onlookers inwardly reeled. The Crown Prince in person?!
***
The Crown Prince gazed at Fang Chen with a sneer of cold mockery. "You caused a massive uproar at the Qingsong Superior Pavilion last night, and you remain a man under suspicion. As a criminal, what right do you have to set foot in the imperial Ministry of War residence?"
"That gentleman from Dahua Temple, come over here for a moment," Fang Chen called out, waving a hand.
The Dahua Temple official was slightly taken aback. With a wry smile, he walked up to the two men, first offering a bow to the Crown Prince before turning his attention to Fang Chen.
"You are well-versed in the laws. Am I currently considered a man under suspicion?" Fang Chen asked mildly.
The Crown Prince shot a sharp, piercing glare at the Dahua Temple official. "What is your name?"
"This official is Yuan Zhuang, a Senior Inspector of Dahua Temple," Yuan Zhuang replied respectfully.
"Very well. Explain clearly to Military God Fang whether or not he is currently a man under suspicion," the Crown Prince said with a faint nod, his gaze carrying a subtle undertone of threat.
Since Fang Chen was blind, he didn't even bother to conceal it.
Yuan Zhuang's mind raced. The constables standing beside him were already breaking out in cold sweat. After a few silent heartbeats, he carefully spoke:
"According to the regulations, Military God Fang must first be brought into Dahua Temple, where the Temple Master will try the case and render a verdict before he is officially considered a criminal under suspicion. Since Military God Fang has yet to enter Dahua Temple, under the laws of our dynasty, he is not currently a man under suspicion."
The Crown Prince's expression turned somewhat grim as he fixed his gaze on Yuan Zhuang.
A bitter smile touched Yuan Zhuang's face. He knew in his heart that he had offended the Crown Prince, and he could only curse inwardly. Had he known it would come to this, he wouldn't have touched this hot potato for all the tea in China!
"Your Highness, did you hear that?" Fang Chen chuckled softly. "Minister Ye has already agreed to let me search his estate. Since there is no other legitimate reason, Your Highness would do best not to block my path." He paused slightly. "Could it be... Your Highness actually knew Xiao En was inside the Ministry of War residence and was a party to the concealment of Xiao En, which is why you were so anxious to stop me from investigating?"
At these words, the expressions of the surrounding citizens shifted dramatically.
Ye Dongming immediately shouted, "Search if you must, but do not fabricate charges against the Crown Prince! How could the Crown Prince possibly harbor a Qingsong Kingdom martial artist?!"
"Then that's settled," Fang Chen smiled and walked straight into the Ministry of War residence.
The Crown Prince did not try to stop him; he merely watched Fang Chen's retreating back with cold eyes.
"Dahua Temple sent you to make an arrest, yet you allowed him to roam about as he pleased and even break into the Ministry of War residence. As a Senior Inspector, I'd say you have severely neglected your duty," the Crown Prince said, turning his cold gaze onto Yuan Zhuang.
"Your Highness, I was caught in a difficult spot," Yuan Zhuang said with a helpless sigh. "If we had tried to use force, how could the likes of us ever match Military God Fang? I've heard his cultivation has recovered, making him Daxia's only practitioner of Elixir Qi..."
To capture a man like this, they shouldn't have been given a squad of constables—they should have been given an entire army, numbering at least a thousand strong and fully equipped. And even then, he wouldn't dare guarantee they could take Fang Chen alive.
"The court and the country are overflowing with good-for-nothings like you in charge; no wonder Daxia decays a little more each day," the Crown Prince sneered. He paid Yuan Zhuang no further heed and led his men into the Ministry of War residence.
Yuan Zhuang's expression turned ugly at the remark. After a long moment, he let out a self-deprecating chuckle and said, "Let's go inside as well. Since Military God Fang came here, he surely didn't do so on a whim. I want to see for myself if this Ministry of War residence is hiding remnants of the Qingsong faction."
With that, he led several constables into the estate.
***
Seeing that Fang Chen had walked into the compound and simply stood motionless in the same spot, Ye Qinghe wore a look of mocking relief and felt a weight lift from his chest.
*No matter how uncanny your methods are, you're no god. As long as Xiao En stays properly hidden, how could you possibly find him?*
Earlier, panic and a guilty conscience had rattled him, but thinking back on his arrangements now, he felt thoroughly secure. There was no way the man could find Xiao En!
At least, not anytime soon.
"Military God Fang, where do you plan to start looking? My humble estate only has four courtyards; it's not large, and there's nowhere to hide many people," Ye Dongming stroked his beard and smiled faintly, seeing that Fang Chen still hadn't moved.
Fang Chen remained silent.
Ye Dongming's smile grew strained.
Seeing this, the Crown Prince also sneered, speaking with unhurried detachment: "Military God Fang, aren't you here to find someone? How can you possibly find anyone just standing there? You need to move around."
Still, Fang Chen said nothing.
The Minister of War and the Crown Prince—both figures of immense weight within the empire—were being completely ignored by Fang Chen, leaving the onlookers inwardly shaken.
*So this is Military God Fang... Truly someone our generation can only look up to with awe,* Yuan Zhuang marveled inwardly.
What the others could not see was that Fang Chen's spirit had already left his physical body, hovering quietly in the sky above the Ministry of War residence, scanning the grounds inch by inch.
Unlike his physical eyes, his spiritual perception allowed him to perceive far more than he ever could have seen before—or rather, it wasn't merely seeing, but a deep, all-encompassing awareness.
There were over thirty rooms in the Ministry of War residence, none of which currently held Xiao En. But Fang Chen did not panic; he was entirely certain Xiao En was within this compound. If the fellow tried to flee midway, someone would naturally report it to him.
A few moments later, Fang Chen noticed something peculiar about a rockery not far away. The next instant, his spirit shifted, and he plunged directly into the artificial mountain, arriving at a secret chamber hidden at its base.
Xiao En sat cross-legged within the dark room, his ears twitching as he strained to listen to the movements outside.
"Fang Chen, the debt of a slain father is irreconcilable! I, Xiao En, swear I will kill you with my own hands one day! And as for this Ye Qinghe—a mere commoner of Daxia, daring to use my life as a bargaining chip to carve out a future for himself. What a joke, an utter joke."
Xiao En muttered to himself, a vicious glint flashing repeatedly in his eyes.
Seeing this, Fang Chen smiled, and his spirit returned to his physical body.
"Minister Ye, this rockery of yours is quite extraordinary. Which craftsman did you hire to build it? I feel the Fang residence ought to have one just like it," Fang Chen stepped forward, pointing toward the artificial mountain as he smiled at Ye Dongming.
Ye Dongming frowned slightly.
Ye Qinghe, however, broke out in a cold sweat. The Crown Prince remained expressionless, seemingly unaware that the rockery harbored secrets, though that would not stop Fang Chen from suspecting him.
Ye Qinghe harboring Xiao En was likely done under the Crown Prince's direct orders.
"Military God Fang, are you here to find someone, or to admire the scenery of my humble estate?" Ye Dongming sneered.
"I am both looking for someone and admiring the scenery. If I hadn't made this trip, how would I have known that your rockery hides such mysteries beneath it?"
With that, Fang Chen raised a hand and flicked a spark of lightning.
The Purple Lightning Talisman activated, and a bolt of thunder crashed violently into the rockery. The massive artificial mountain shattered into pieces, exposing the heavy doors of the secret chamber.
The expressions of everyone present changed drastically—half were stunned by Fang Chen's terrifying methods, and the other half were shocked by the newly revealed doors of the underground room.
Ye Dongming froze. Even he had no idea there was a secret chamber beneath this rockery!
***
A murmur of whispers rippled continuously through the crowd. The servants and maids of the Ministry of War residence were shocked by the hidden room; they had lived here for years yet had never discovered any secrets beneath the rockery.
Ye Dongming's expression turned grim as his gaze landed on Ye Qinghe. To be able to construct a secret chamber beneath the rockery right under his nose—only his own son, Ye Qinghe, could have pulled off such a feat.
Yuan Zhuang was deeply shaken. As a Senior Inspector, his first thought was: *How did Fang Chen know there was a secret chamber here?* Only then did he register the terrifying methods Fang Chen had just displayed.
Fortunately, they hadn't tried to apprehend him by force. With abilities like that, turning them all to ash would be effortless!
"Senior Inspector Yuan, if you would be so kind, please bring your men and break that door open for me," Fang Chen said.
Yuan Zhuang started slightly. He glanced first at Ye Dongming and, seeing that the Minister of War raised no objection, signaled to his subordinates.
Two constables immediately stepped forward and tried to force the doors open, but they wouldn't budge. In the end, they drew their sabers and hacked the doors to splinters.
"Xiao En, are you coming out on your own, or do I go in and drag you out?" Fang Chen asked mildly.
"No need, I'll come out myself," a resonant voice replied from within.
A tall, broad-shouldered youth slowly emerged. His eyes were like those of a wolf, fixed entirely on Fang Chen, the bone-deep hatred within them nearly solidifying into substance.
"It really is Xiao En?!"
Shock washed over the faces of the crowd.
While the servants of the Ministry of War residence might not have recognized him, Ye Dongming, Yuan Zhuang, and the others recognized him instantly.
As the son of Xiao Tianci, he had inherited his father's exceptional talent. At a tender age, he had already reached the Late Qi Burst stage—making him quite a celebrated figure among the younger generation of Qingsong Kingdom, with his eventual breakthrough to Qi Control virtually guaranteed!
Ye Dongming's expression turned thoroughly unsightly. He cast a cold, sharp glare at Ye Qinghe, who was now dripping with cold sweat, looking frantic as he instinctively glanced toward the Crown Prince.
"So this Xiao En was indeed hiding here," the Crown Prince said calmly. "However... Minister Ye, you did the right thing. Military God Fang went mad yesterday and wantonly slaughtered the martial artists of Qingsong Kingdom. Saving Xiao En allows Daxia to offer a proper explanation to the Qingsong side."
Xiao En had thought himself dead for sure, but seeing the Crown Prince's attitude, the hope of survival reignited in his chest. He cupped his fists toward the Crown Prince and said, "Your Highness, our Qingsong and your Daxia have lived in mutual non-aggression these past few years. Even when conflicts arise, they are mere petty squabbles. Yet yesterday, Fang Chen slaughtered the martial artists of my Qingsong Kingdom and murdered my father! If word of this spreads, it will surely ignite a war between our two nations!"
"Rest assured, Xiao En, I will not stand by and let such a thing happen," the Crown Prince said. "Dahua Temple has already sent men to arrest Fang Chen. Once he is locked away in the prison, I will find a way to give your Qingsong Kingdom a satisfactory explanation."
"If that is the case, then all is well," Xiao En slowly nodded, suppressing the hatred in his eyes. Since he could live, he didn't want to show too much emotion; after all, as long as he remained in the Daxia Capital, danger lurked at every turn, and he didn't want the other party to go back on their word.
The Crown Prince turned his gaze to Fang Chen. "Fang Chen, do not persist in your errors. Go back to Dahua Temple with Yuan Zhuang. You cannot touch this Xiao En, nor can you kill him."
Fang Chen smiled. He looked at the Crown Prince with a beaming expression. "Your Highness, things have reached this stage, and you still expect Qingsong Kingdom to accept your appeasement? I said yesterday that I would purge the capital of all remnants. A promise once spoken is hard to pull back, even by a team of four horses. No one can stop me."
"Even if I am the one who stops you?" The Crown Prince's eyes narrowed slightly.
*Boom—*
A flash of lightning crackled through the air.
Xiao En lowered his head in utter disbelief. He saw that his entire chest had been charred pitch-black, his flesh mangled into a bloody mess. A final, resentful roar escaped his lips before his life was thoroughly extinguished.
Everyone stood frozen. It seemed none of them had expected that, even with the Crown Prince standing in his way, Fang Chen would still act on his own terms and execute Xiao En on the spot.
The experts standing beside the Crown Prince exchanged glances, their eyes filled with wariness as they instinctively stepped half a step forward, using their own bodies to shield the Crown Prince's blind spots and vital points.
"Yuan Zhuang, lend me your saber," Fang Chen said, holding out a hand.
Yuan Zhuang snapped out of his daze, instinctively unhooking his saber and presenting it to Fang Chen with both hands.
Fang Chen took the weapon, stepped forward, and with a single stroke, severed Xiao En's head. He picked it up by the hair, turned around, and walked out of the Ministry of War residence.
Outside the gates, quite a few commoners were lingering about. When they saw Fang Chen emerge holding a blood-dripping head, shock registered on all their faces.
Wild guesses immediately surged through their minds. Whose head was this? Could it be Xiao En's? Or perhaps... someone from the Ministry of War residence?
"Military God Fang, the man is already dead. Won't you please return to Dahua Temple with me now..." Yuan Zhuang offered with a bitter smile.
Fang Chen chuckled, tossing Xiao En's head carelessly onto the ground and letting it roll a long distance away. It was this very man who had initially proposed using human lives as targets.
"Your debts have been avenged, but this is far from enough... Far from enough..." Fang Chen murmured softly.
A few moments later, he looked at Yuan Zhuang and smiled. "Let's go. I won't make things difficult for you."
"Many thanks, Military God Fang!" A massive weight lifted from Yuan Zhuang's chest; he felt like shouting "Father!" on the spot.
After Yuan Zhuang and Fang Chen departed, the Crown Prince and his entourage also left the premises, and the heavy gates of the Ministry of War residence were slammed shut.
A martial artist mustered the courage to step forward and inspect the severed head. The moment he caught sight of Xiao En's dead, wide-open eyes, he let out a sharp gasp:
"It's Xiao En! Xiao En, the son of Xiao Tianci!"
"It's that most arrogant and tyrannical Qingsong martial artist in the capital?!"
"It really is him... To think the Minister of War was actually harboring a Qingsong martial artist! Wasn't he going against Military God Fang, and against all of us citizens of Daxia?!"