At that moment, a wave of relief washed over them. After all, the Fang Chen before them was not the Fang Chen of five years ago; he no longer wielded that towering power, and they no longer needed to fear him.
"As for court affairs, I've thought much on them over the past five years, and I don't plan to meddle in them anymore."
Fang Chen chuckled and shook his head gently. "So from now on, it will be hard for you and me to cross paths in the court."
What?!
Shock washed over 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 looks of sheer disbelief at Fang Chen's words.
Military God Fang did not plan to meddle in court affairs anymore?
Didn't the subtext of this sentence mean he would no longer lead troops in the future?!
Ye Qinghe's breathing grew somewhat heavy as he stared fixedly at Fang Chen, trying to gauge how much truth there was in his words.
"Military God Fang must be joking. Your cultivation has already recovered; I reckon it won't be long before His Majesty orders you to take command of the troops once more, to test your mettle against the Qingsong Kingdom."
Ye Dongming said in a deep voice.
"Minister Ye can just consider it a joke."
Fang Chen smiled.
Ye Dongming's expression shifted slightly. "Military God Fang, what brings you here today, really?"
"I'm simply here to ask the Ye family for someone."
Fang Chen said.
Ask for someone?
Confusion spread across the faces of Ye Dongming and the others.
Who could the Ye family possibly have that warranted Military God Fang coming to their door in person?
Only Ye Qinghe felt a flicker of panic in his eyes, finding it hard to believe: how did Fang Chen know Xiao En was in the Ye residence?
Could someone have leaked the news that day on the Immortal Boat?
At this thought, Ye Qinghe felt a flash of irritation. He refused to believe those courtesies-bound songstresses would dare casually spread a guest's words, especially since they knew his status.
That meant it must have been the people sharing his table last night. Who on earth could it be? Flashes of various faces crossed Ye Qinghe's mind as he pondered in secret.
"Military God Fang, who in our Ye residence could possibly require you to come demanding them in person? Could you have come to the wrong place?"
Ye Dongming said with a faint smile, his gaze sweeping past the nearby Dahua Temple officials and surrounding bailiffs as his brows furrowed slightly.
"Xiao En, son of Xiao Tianci. He is staying in your residence right now. Minister Ye, just hand him over to me."
Fang Chen smiled.
"Wait!"
Shock surfaced on Ye Dongming's face. "Xiao Tianci's son, Xiao En? Military God Fang, do not talk nonsense! How could I possibly harbor such a person?!"
He was a martial artist from the Qingsong Kingdom!
The son of Xiao Tianci, master of the Qingsong Elite Pavilion!
If word got out that he had sheltered him and it spread abroad, he feared commoners would be cursing at his gates day and night, pelting him with rotten eggs and throwing stones!
Sure enough, the surrounding commoners broke into an uproar, pointing and gesturing toward the Ministry of War residence. Some scholars had already begun shouting curses, and several martial artists rolled up their sleeves.
"Could these people from Dahua Temple be... coming for that Xiao En? This fellow Fang Chen has never made an empty threat; why would he say 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 breaking out on his forehead. He had thought it impossible for Fang Chen to discover Xiao En's whereabouts, yet after merely a single night, the man had tracked him to his doorstep.
This threw him off balance; he was not yet prepared...
"Lord Ye might as well ask your esteemed son."
Fang Chen said lightly.
Ye Dongming abruptly turned to look at Ye Qinghe, a mix of shock and anger in his eyes. "Qinghe, have you met this Xiao En? Quickly, tell Military God Fang that he is not in the residence!"
"Father, I have never seen Xiao En."
Ye Qinghe shook his head slightly, then cupped his fists toward Fang Chen. "Brother Fang, though I don't know where you got your information from, to my mind, you may have been played for a fool."
"That's right... Could Military God Fang have made a mistake?"
"Would the Minister of War ever shelter a Qingsong Kingdom martial artist?"
"Military God Fang isn't a true immortal, 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 be intentionally using this matter to settle old scores?"
A murmur of whispers rose from the crowd.
Hearing this, Ye Dongming's expression shifted continuously as he fixed his gaze on Fang Chen. "Military God Fang, that incident back then was indeed this official's dereliction of duty.
Yet that matter has already been addressed before His Majesty, and this official has accepted his punishment. How can you use this to frame me and blacken my reputation?"
"Minister Ye, would you allow me to search the premises?"
Fang Chen said faintly.
"Fang Chen, do not push your luck! This is the Ministry of War residence, not some place for you to trample 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, then looked calmly at Fang Chen:
"Military God Fang, the Ministry of War residence isn't all that large. You may search as you please, 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 go with them to Dahua Temple. What further explanation does Minister Ye require?"
Fang Chen smiled, pointing toward the Dahua Temple officials not far away.
Only then did Ye Dongming realize with a start that this group had actually come to arrest Fang Chen, and a wave of relief washed over him.
"Very well, Military God Fang, please."
Ye Dongming nodded slightly.
"Father!?"
A flash of panic crossed Ye Qinghe's eyes.
"Heaven watches what mortals do. If we have done nothing wrong, what is there to fear?"
Ye Dongming let out a cold snort.
Ye Qinghe said no more; to continue arguing would only give him away.
Just as Fang Chen was about to step into the Ministry of War residence, a group of riders came galloping up, swiftly arriving before the gates. The leader dismounted in a fluid motion and gazed coldly at Fang Chen:
"Fang Chen, you may not enter the Ministry of War residence."
"The Crown Prince!?"
Ye Dongming was slightly startled and hastily bowed.
The onlookers were secretly alarmed—it was actually the Crown Prince in person?!
Chapter 17: Soul Ascent to Find Someone
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, why am I not permitted to enter the Ministry of War residence?"
Fang Chen smiled, his grayish-white pupils turning toward the current Crown Prince.
A sneer flashed in the Crown Prince's eyes as he said indifferently: "You wreaked havoc at the Qingsong Elite Pavilion last night and remain a criminal awaiting trial. What right does a prisoner have to set foot in the imperial Ministry of War residence?"
"You from Dahua Temple, come here a moment."
Fang Chen beckoned.
The Dahua Temple official was slightly taken aback, then walked up to the two men with a bitter smile, first bowing to the Crown Prince before looking at Fang Chen.
"You are well-versed in the laws; am I currently a criminal awaiting trial?"
Fang Chen asked indifferently.
The Crown Prince shot a sharp glare at the Dahua Temple official. "What is your name?"
"This official is Yuan Zhuang, a Dahua Temple Inspector."
Yuan Zhuang replied respectfully.
"Good. Explain clearly to Military God Fang whether or not he is currently a criminal awaiting trial."
The Crown Prince nodded faintly, a hint of veiled threat in his gaze.
Since Fang Chen couldn't see anyway, he saw no need to conceal it.
Yuan Zhuang weighed his words carefully while the bailiffs behind him broke out in cold sweat. After a few breaths, he slowly spoke:
"According to the regulations, Military God Fang must first enter Dahua Temple and be tried and convicted by the Temple Master before he is considered a criminal awaiting trial. Since Military God Fang has yet to enter Dahua Temple, under current dynastic law, he is not a criminal awaiting trial."
The Crown Prince's face darkened slightly as he stared fixedly at Yuan Zhuang.
A wry smile appeared on Yuan Zhuang's face. He knew in his heart that he had offended the Crown Prince, and could only curse inwardly: if he had known it would come to this, nothing would have made him take on this hot potato today!
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, did you hear that?"
Fang Chen gave a faint smile. "Minister Ye has already agreed to let me search his estate. Since there is no other legitimate reason, Your Highness had best not obstruct me further."
He paused. "Could it be... Your Highness the Crown Prince knew Xiao En was in the Ministry of War residence and was party to concealing him, which is why you are in such an eager rush to block my investigation?"
At these words, the expressions of the surrounding commoners shifted dramatically.
Ye Dongming immediately barked, "Search if you must, but do not frame the Crown Prince! Would His Highness ever harbor a Qingsong Kingdom martial artist?"
"That's good."
Fang Chen smiled and walked into the Ministry of War residence.
The Crown Prince did not stop him, merely watching Fang Chen's retreating back with cold eyes.
"Dahua Temple sent you to make an arrest, yet you let him run around as he pleases, even allowing him to barge into the Ministry of War residence. As an Inspector, I'd say you've been derelict in your duty."
The Crown Prince turned his gaze to stare at Yuan Zhuang, speaking coldly.
"Your Highness, I am caught in a difficult position here. If we were to use force, how could the likes of us be a match for Military God Fang? I've heard his cultivation has recovered, making him Daxia's only practitioner of Elixir Qi..."
Yuan Zhuang said helplessly.
To capture a man like this, they shouldn't be given a squad of bailiffs—they should be given an army, numbering at least a thousand, and heavily equipped at that. Even then, he wouldn't dare guarantee they could take Fang Chen alive.
"The court today is filled with good-for-nothings like you holding sway, which is why our Daxia grows weaker day by day."
The Crown Prince let out a cold snort, then ignored Yuan Zhuang and led his men into the Ministry of War residence.
Yuan Zhuang's face turned somewhat ugly at those words. After a long moment, he gave a self-deprecating chuckle and said, "Let's go in as well. Since Military God Fang came here, he hasn't made an empty gesture. I want to see for myself if this Ministry of War residence truly holds any remnants of Qingsong."
With that, he led several bailiffs into the estate.
Seeing that Fang Chen had walked into the compound and simply stood in place without moving, a cold sneer instantly appeared on Ye Qinghe's face, and his heart settled with relief.
"No matter how uncanny your methods are, you are no immortal. As long as Xiao En hides properly, how could you possibly find him?"
Earlier, his guilty conscience had thrown him off balance, but now, thinking carefully over his arrangements, he felt thoroughly secure—it was impossible for the other party to find Xiao En!
At least, not in a short time.
"Military God Fang, where do you plan to start looking? My humble estate only has four courtyards; it's not large, and there are hardly many places to hide someone."
Seeing Fang Chen motionless, Ye Dongming stroked his beard and smiled faintly.
Still, Fang Chen did not reply.
Ye Dongming's expression became somewhat strained.
Seeing this, the Crown Prince also sneered, speaking indifferently, "Military God Fang, aren't you here to find someone? Standing here won't help you find a soul; you need to move around."
Still, Fang Chen gave no answer.
The Minister of War and the Crown Prince—both heavyweight figures of immense weight within Daxia—were being completely ignored by Fang Chen, a sight that shocked the surrounding onlookers.
"So this is Military God Fang... Truly someone our generation can only look up to with dust in our eyes."
Yuan Zhuang sighed inwardly.
Unbeknownst to the others, Fang Chen's soul had already left his body, standing quietly in the air above the Ministry of War residence, scanning the grounds inch by inch.
Unlike his physical body, his soul allowed him to perceive things far beyond his past sight—or rather, it wasn't merely seeing, but a profound sense of awareness.
There were over thirty rooms in the Ministry of War residence, none of which currently held any trace of Xiao En. Yet Fang Chen was not panicked; he was utterly certain Xiao En was within this estate. If the man fled midway, someone would naturally inform him.
A few breaths later, Fang Chen noticed a rather peculiar artificial rockery not far away. The next moment, a thought stirred in his soul, and he immediately plunged into the rockery, arriving at a secret chamber hidden beneath it.
Xiao En sat cross-legged inside the secret chamber, his ears twitching constantly as he strained to listen to the movements outside.
"Fang Chen, the debt of a murdered father is irreconcilable! I, Xiao En, swear I will kill you with my own hands one day! And this Ye Qinghe—a mere Daxia commoner, daring to use my life as a chip to buy his own future. What a joke, what an absolute joke."
Xiao En muttered to himself, flashes of viciousness occasionally crossing his eyes.
Seeing this, Fang Chen smiled, and his soul returned to his physical body.
"Minister Ye, this rockery of yours is quite unique. Which craftsman did you commission to build it? I feel the Fang residence ought to have one just like it."
Fang Chen stepped forward a few paces, pointing at the nearby rockery and smiling at Ye Dongming.
Ye Dongming's brow furrowed.
Ye Qinghe, however, broke out in a cold sweat, while the Crown Prince remained expressionless. It seemed he was unaware of the hidden depths within the rockery, though that would not stop Fang Chen from suspecting him.
For Ye Qinghe to shelter Xiao En, he was likely acting under the Crown Prince's instigation behind the scenes.
"Military God Fang, are you here to find people, or to admire the scenery of my Ministry of War residence?"
Ye Dongming sneered.
"I am here both to find someone and to admire the scenery. If I hadn't made this trip, how else would I have known there is a whole world hidden beneath this rockery?"
As he spoke, Fang Chen flicked his wrist, sending out a flash of lightning.
The Purple Lightning Talisman was activated, and a bolt of thunder crashed violently into the rockery. The massive pile of stones was blasted to pieces, exposing the entrance to the secret chamber beneath.
The expressions of everyone present changed drastically—half were stunned by Fang Chen's methods, and the other half by the reveal of the secret chamber door beneath the artificial hill.
Ye Dongming was dumbfounded; even he had no idea there was a secret chamber beneath this rockery!
Chapter 18: No One Can Stop Me
The surrounding whispers rose continuously. The servants and maids of the Ministry of War residence were all shocked by the secret chamber; they had lived here for years yet had never discovered that the rockery harbored such a hidden space.
Ye Dongming's face turned somewhat ugly as his gaze fell upon 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 it off.
Yuan Zhuang was deeply shaken. As an Inspector, his immediate thought was how Fang Chen could possibly have known about a secret chamber here, followed by a wave of shock at Fang Chen's formidable methods.
Fortunately, they hadn't tried to take him by force—such power could wipe them out of existence with effortless ease!
"Inspector Yuan, if you would be so kind, bring your men and break open that door for me."
Fang Chen said.
Yuan Zhuang was slightly startled. He first glanced at Ye Dongming, and seeing that the Minister of War raised no objection, he signaled to his subordinates.
Two bailiffs immediately stepped forward and tried to push the door open, but it wouldn't budge. In the end, they drew their sabers and hacked the door to absolute pieces.
"Xiao En, are you coming out yourself, or do I go in and drag you out?"
Fang Chen said calmly.
"There's no need, I'll come out myself."
A resounding voice echoed from within, and a tall youth slowly walked out. His gaze was like that of a wolf, locked onto Fang Chen with a bone-deep hatred that seemed almost tangible.
"It really is Xiao En!?"
Shock surfaced on everyone's faces.
The servants and maids of the Ministry of War residence might not have recognized him, but Ye Dongming, Yuan Zhuang, and the others recognized him at a single glance.
As Xiao Tianci's son, he had inherited his father's talent. At a tender age, he had already reached the Late Qi Burst stage—quite renowned among the younger generation of the Qingsong Kingdom, and his future breakthrough to Qi Control was practically guaranteed!
Ye Dongming's expression turned exceptionally grim. He shot a cold, sideways glance at Ye Qinghe, who was now covered in cold sweat, his expression panicked as he instinctively looked toward the Crown Prince.
"This Xiao En truly was hiding here. However... Minister Ye, you did the right thing. Military God Fang went mad yesterday and wantonly slaughtered the martial artists of the Qingsong Kingdom. By saving Xiao En, you can offer Daxia a semblance of an explanation to the Qingsong side."
The Crown Prince said indifferently.
Xiao En had thought he was surely dead, 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 the Crown Prince, my Qingsong has kept the peace with your Daxia for years. Even if there have been conflicts, they were mere petty spats. Yet yesterday, Fang Chen slaughtered the martial artists of my Qingsong Kingdom and killed my father! If word of this gets out, it will likely ignite a war between our two nations!"
"Rest assured, Xiao En, I will not stand by and watch this happen. Dahua Temple has already sent men to arrest Fang Chen; once he is thrown into the prison cells, I will find a way to give your Qingsong Kingdom an explanation."
The Crown Prince said.
"That would be for the best."
Xiao En slowly nodded, putting away 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 for a single day, he was in danger of the other party going back on their word.
With those words, the Crown Prince looked at Fang Chen. "Fang Chen, do not persist in your errors. Return to Dahua Temple with Yuan Zhuang. You can neither touch nor kill this Xiao En."
Fang Chen smiled. He looked at the Crown Prince with a beaming expression. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, things have reached this point, and you're still hoping the Qingsong side will accept your appeasement? I said yesterday that I would purge the remnants in the Capital—a word spoken is hard to pull back even by a team of four horses. No one can stop me."
"Even I cannot stop you?"
The Crown Prince's eyes narrowed slightly.
Boom—
A flash of lightning crackled.
Xiao En looked down in disbelief as he saw his torso charred pitch-black and mangled with flesh and blood. He let out a reluctant roar, and his life was completely snuffed out.
Everyone was stunned, finding it hard to believe that despite the Crown Prince's obstruction, Fang Chen still acted willfully and struck Xiao En dead on the spot.
The experts beside the Crown Prince looked at each other in dismay, their gazes toward Fang Chen filled with vigilance as they instinctively stepped forward half a step, shielding the Crown Prince's blind spots and vital points with their own bodies.
"Yuan Zhuang, lend me your saber."
Fang Chen held out his hand.
Only then did Yuan Zhuang snap back to his senses. Reflexively unhooking his saber, he presented it to Fang Chen with both hands.
Fang Chen took the man's weapon, stepped forward, and with a single sweep of the blade, lopped off Xiao En's head. He then picked it up by the hair and turned to walk out of the Ministry of War residence.
Outside the estate, quite a few commoners were lingering and waiting. When they saw Fang Chen walking out holding a bloody head, shock washed over their faces.
Guesses swirled in their hearts: Whose head was that? Could it be Xiao En's? Or... someone from the Ministry of War residence?
"Military God Fang, since the man is already dead, won't you accompany me back to Dahua Temple..."
Yuan Zhuang said with a bitter smile.
Fang Chen chuckled, tossing Xiao En's head onto the ground and watching it roll a long distance away. It was this very person who had originally suggested using human targets.
"Your debts have been avenged, but this is far from enough—far from enough..."
Fang Chen murmured to himself.
A few breaths 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, and he felt an urge to shout "Father!" to Fang Chen 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 with a resounding crash.
A martial artist mustered the courage to step forward and examine the severed head. When he saw Xiao En's eyes wide open in death, he immediately let out a cry of astonishment:
"It's Xiao En! Xiao Tianci's son, Xiao En!"
"It's that most tyrannical Qingsong Kingdom martial artist in the Capital!?"
"It really is him... To think the Minister of War was harboring a Qingsong Kingdom martial artist! Wasn't this going against Military God Fang, and going against the common people of Daxia?!"