For a moment, they felt a wave of relief. After all, the Fang Chen before them was no longer the Fang Chen of five years ago. He no longer possessed that overwhelming, towering authority, and there was nothing left to fear.
"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 smiled and shook his head lightly. "So from now on, it will be hard for you and me to cross paths in 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 taken aback. The nearby commoners, scholars, and martial artists who had stopped to watch all wore looks of sheer disbelief.
Military God Fang no longer planned to interfere in court affairs?
Didn't that implicitly mean he would never lead troops again?!
Ye Qinghe's breathing grew somewhat heavy. He stared fixedly at Fang Chen, trying to gauge how much truth there was in his words.
"Military God Fang must be joking. With your cultivation already restored, I imagine it won't be long before His Majesty orders you to take command once more and settle scores with Qingsong Country."
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 is the purpose of your visit today?"
"I simply came to demand a person from your Ye family."
Fang Chen said.
Demand a person?
Doubt flickered across the faces of Ye Dongming and the others.
Who could the Ye family possibly have that required Military God Fang to come knocking in person?
Only Ye Qinghe felt a flash of panic in his eyes, finding it hard to believe. How did Fang Chen manage to find out that Xiao En was hiding in the Ye estate?
Could someone have leaked the news that day on the Jade Immortal Boat?
At this thought, Ye Qinghe grew somewhat irritated. He refused to believe that those singing girls would dare casually spread tales of their patrons, especially when they were well aware of his status.
That left the companions who had shared his table last night. Exactly who could it be? Flashes of faces continuously crossed Ye Qinghe's mind as he secretly pondered.
"Military God Fang, who in our Ye residence could possibly warrant you coming here in person to demand them? Could you be at the wrong place?"
Ye Dongming said with a faint smile, his gaze sweeping over the Dahua Temple officials not far away and the surrounding constables, a slight frown forming on his brow.
"Xiao En, son of Xiao Tianci. He is currently staying in your Ye residence. Minister Ye need only hand him over to me."
Fang Chen smiled.
"Wait!"
Shock surfaced on Ye Dongming's face. "Xiao En, son of Xiao Tianci? Military God Fang, do not talk nonsense! How could I possibly harbor such a person?!"
That was a martial artist from Qingsong Country!
The son of Xiao Tianci, master of the Qingsong Superior Pavilion!
If word got out that he had sheltered him, he feared that day and night, commoners would stand right here hurling insults, pelting his gates with stinking eggs and throwing rocks!
True to form, a commotion broke out among the surrounding commoners, who began pointing and gesturing toward the Ministry of War residence. Some scholars had already started cursing, while a few martial artists rolled up their sleeves.
*Could these people from Dahua Temple be... coming for that Xiao En? This fellow Fang Chen has never shot an arrow without a target. Why would he claim Xiao En is inside my 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 believed it impossible for Fang Chen to discover Xiao En's whereabouts, never expecting him to show up at their doorstep after barely a single night.
This left him rather flustered; he was not yet prepared...
"Minister Ye might as well ask your young master."
Fang Chen said calmly.
Ye Dongming abruptly turned to look at Ye Qinghe, a look of shocked 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 met Xiao En."
Ye Qinghe gave a slight shake of his head, then cupped his fists toward Fang Chen. "Brother Fang, though I know not where you heard this news, 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 Qingsong martial artist?"
"Military God Fang is no true deity; it's impossible for him to be omniscient and divine 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 pretext to settle old scores?"
A wave of whispered murmurs rippled through the crowd.
Hearing this, Ye Dongming's expression shifted repeatedly as he fixed a steady gaze on Fang Chen. "Military God Fang, that incident from the past was indeed this official's dereliction of duty.
Yet that matter has already been reported before His Majesty, and this official has already accepted his punishment. How can you use this to frame me and blacken my reputation?"
"Minister Ye, would you grant me permission to search the premises?"
Fang Chen smiled faintly.
"Fang Chen, do not push your luck! This is the Minister of War's residence, not some place for you to trample at will! Do you still think you are the Military God of old?!
You are nothing more than a commoner now, utterly unqualified to even 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 signaled for him to quiet down and shut his mouth, then looked calmly at Fang Chen.
"Military God Fang, the Minister of War's residence is not all that large. You are free to search it however 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 simply accompany them to Dahua Temple. What further explanation could Minister Ye possibly want?"
Fang Chen said with a smile, gesturing toward the Dahua Temple officials not far away.
Only then did realization dawn on Ye Dongming. So this group had come to arrest Fang Chen after all! A surge of relief washed through him.
"Very well, Military God Fang, please go ahead."
Ye Dongming gave a slight nod.
"Father!?"
A flash of panic crossed Ye Qinghe's eyes.
"Hills and heavens bear witness to our deeds. Since we have done nothing wrong, what is there to fear?"
Ye Dongming snorted coldly.
Ye Qinghe fell silent; to speak any further would be to give himself away.
Just as Fang Chen prepared to step into the Minister of War's estate, a group of riders came galloping up, swiftly halting before the gates. The lead figure dismounted in a fluid motion and cast a cool gaze at Fang Chen:
"Fang Chen, you may not enter the Minister of War's residence."
"The Crown Prince!?"
Ye Dongming was slightly startled and hurriedly bowed in salute.
The onlookers gasped inwardly in shock. It was actually the Crown Prince in person?!
***
"Your Highness, why am I barred from entering the Minister of War's residence?"
Fang Chen smiled, his pale, milky eyes turning toward the current Crown Prince.
A sneer flickered across the Crown Prince's eyes as he said indifferently:
"You wreaked havoc at the Qingsong Superior Pavilion last night and remain a man under investigation. What qualifications does a criminal have to set foot in our court's Ministry of War residence?"
"You from Dahua Temple, come here for a moment."
Fang Chen beckoned with his hand.
The Dahua Temple official gave a slight start, a wry smile plastered across his face as he walked up to the two men. He first bowed to the Crown Prince, then turned to Fang Chen.
"You are well-versed in the laws. Am I currently a man under investigation?"
Fang Chen asked with a faint smile.
The Crown Prince shot a sharp glare at the Dahua Temple official. "What is your name?"
"This official is Yuan Zhuang, an Investigator of Dahua Temple."
Yuan Zhuang replied respectfully.
"Good. Tell Military God Fang clearly whether or not he is currently a man under investigation."
The Crown Prince gave a calm nod, a thread of hidden threat lurking within his gaze.
Since Fang Chen couldn't see, he didn't even bother to mask it.
Yuan Zhuang thought deeply while the several constables beside him broke out in a cold sweat. After a few lingering moments of silence, he spoke slowly:
"According to the rules, Military God Fang must first enter Dahua Temple and be tried and convicted by the Temple Master before he can be considered a man under investigation. Since Military God Fang has yet to enter Dahua Temple, under the laws of the current dynasty, he is not considered a man under investigation."
The Crown Prince's expression darkened somewhat as he stared fixedly at Yuan Zhuang.
A wry smile surfaced on Yuan Zhuang's face. He knew in his heart that he had offended the Crown Prince, and could only curse his luck inwardly. Had he known it would come to this, nothing would have made him touch this hot potato today!
"Your Highness, did you hear that?"
Fang Chen chuckled lightly. "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 me any further."
He paused. "Unless... Your Highness knew all along that Xiao En was inside the Minister of War's residence, and was complicit in concealing him, which is why you are in such desperate haste to stop me from investigating?"
The surrounding commoners' expressions shifted dramatically at these words.
Ye Dongming immediately barked, "If you want to search, then search, but do not fabricate charges against the Crown Prince! How could the Crown Prince ever harbor a Qingsong martial artist?!"
"Then that's settled."
Fang Chen smiled and walked straight into the Minister of War's residence.
The Crown Prince did not stop him, merely watching Fang Chen's retreating back with a cold glare.
"Dahua Temple sent you out to make an arrest, yet you let him run amok everywhere and even barge into the Minister of War's residence. As an investigator, I'd say you have gravely neglected your duty."
The Crown Prince turned his gaze onto Yuan Zhuang and said coldly.
"Your Highness, this official was caught between a rock and a hard place. If we had tried to use force, how could the likes of us ever match Military God Fang? I've heard his cultivation has already been fully restored, making him Great Xia's sole Dan Qi expert..."
Yuan Zhuang said with a helpless sigh.
To arrest a man like that, they shouldn't be giving him a squad of constables; they should be giving him an entire army—at least a thousand strong, and fully armored at that. Even then, he wouldn't dare guarantee he could capture Fang Chen alive.
"The court and the country are overrun with useless wretches like you, which is why our Great Xia grows weaker by the day."
The Crown Prince let out a cold snort, ignoring Yuan Zhuang thereafter as he led his men into the estate.
Yuan Zhuang's expression turned somewhat ugly at those words. After a long moment, he let out a self-deprecating chuckle. "Let's go in as well. Since Military God Fang has come here, he hasn't come on a whim. I want to see for myself if this Ministry of War residence truly harbors remnants of Qingsong."
With that, he led several constables into the estate as well.
Seeing that Fang Chen had merely stood frozen in place shortly after entering the grounds, a cold sneer instantly surfaced on Ye Qinghe's face, and the tension in his chest eased.
"No matter how unfathomable your tricks may be, you are no god. As long as Xiao En stays hidden properly, how could you possibly find him?"
Earlier, a guilty conscience had thrown him into a panic, but now, reviewing his arrangements in detail, he felt utterly secure. There was no way the man could locate Xiao En!
At least, not within any short span of time.
"Military God Fang, where do you plan to begin your search? This humble official's estate only has four courtyards—not very large, and it can't hide many people."
Seeing Fang Chen standing motionless, Ye Dongming stroked his beard and smiled faintly.
Fang Chen still gave no reply.
Ye Dongming's smile grew strained.
Seeing this, the Crown Prince let out a cold chuckle as well, speaking with casual indifference: "Military God Fang, aren't you here to search for someone? How can you possibly find anyone just standing here? You have to walk around."
Still, Fang Chen remained unresponsive.
The Minister of War and the Crown Prince—both towering figures of immense weight within Great Xia—were being utterly ignored by Fang Chen as if they didn't exist. This sent a ripple of shock through the 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 spirit had already left his physical body, quietly stationing itself high above the Ministry of War residence, scanning the grounds inch by inch with his gaze.
Unlike his physical flesh and blood, his spiritual perception allowed him to see far more than before—or rather, it wasn't merely seeing, but a profound form of awareness.
There were over thirty rooms within 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 somewhere on these grounds. If the fellow had somehow fled midway, someone would have naturally alerted him.
A few moments later, Fang Chen noticed something peculiar about a rockery not far away. The next instant, a flicker of thought moved his spirit, and he plunged straight into the artificial mountain, arriving at a secret chamber hidden deep beneath its base.
Xiao En sat cross-legged within the dark room, his ears twitching incessantly as he strained to listen to the commotion outside.
"Fang Chen, the debt of a murdered father is irreconcilable! I, Xiao En, will surely cut you down with my own hands one day! And this Ye Qinghe—mere scum of Great Xia, daring to use my life as a chip to carve out a future for himself. A complete joke."
Xiao En muttered under his breath, a vicious, venomous glint flashing constantly in his eyes.
Seeing this, Fang Chen smiled faintly, and his spirit returned to his physical body.
"Minister Ye, this rockery of yours is quite unique. Which artisan was hired 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. The Crown Prince remained expressionless, apparently unaware of the hidden mysteries within the rockery, though this did nothing to stop Fang Chen from suspecting him.
For Ye Qinghe to harbor Xiao En, he was likely acting under the Crown Prince's secret instigation.
"Military God Fang, are you here to find someone, or to appreciate the scenery of my humble estate?"
Ye Dongming sneered.
"I am both searching for someone and appreciating the scenery. If I hadn't made this trip, how else would I have known that there is an entire world hidden beneath this rockery?"
As he spoke, Fang Chen raised a hand, and a flash of lightning burst forth.
The Purple Lightning Talisman activated, and a bolt of thunder crashed violently down upon the rockery. The massive artificial mountain was blasted into smithereens, completely exposing the heavy doors of the underground chamber.
The expressions of everyone present changed drastically—half of them stunned by Fang Chen's terrifying methods, and the other half shocked by the revelation of a secret door beneath the rockery.
Ye Dongming stood frozen in shock. Even he had no idea that a secret chamber existed beneath this rockery!
***
A continuous hum of whispered discussion erupted. The servants and maids of the Ministry of War residence were thoroughly shaken by the secret chamber; they had lived and worked here for years, yet had never once discovered that anything lay hidden beneath the rocks.
Ye Dongming's expression turned exceedingly ugly as his gaze locked onto Ye Qinghe. To be able to bypass him and construct a secret chamber beneath the rockery—only his own son, Ye Qinghe, could have pulled it off.
Yuan Zhuang felt a chill run down his spine. As an investigator, his first instinct was to wonder how Fang Chen could possibly have known about a secret chamber here, only to be overwhelmed by shock at Fang Chen's earlier display of power.
Thank goodness they hadn't tried to make a forcible arrest earlier; methods like that could have wiped them out of existence with effortless ease!
"Investigator Yuan, apologies for the trouble. Bring your men and break that door open for me."
Fang Chen said.
Yuan Zhuang started slightly, first glancing at Ye Dongming. Seeing that the Minister of War offered no objection, he signaled to his subordinates.
Two constables immediately stepped forward and tried to force the door, but it refused to budge. In the end, they drew their sabers and hacked the heavy doors into a splintered mess.
"Xiao En, are you coming out on your own, or do I go in and drag you out?"
Fang Chen asked with a faint smile.
"There's no need, I'll come out myself."
A booming voice rang from within, and a tall, powerfully built youth slowly emerged. His gaze was like that of a wolf, locked dead onto Fang Chen, the bone-deep hatred in his eyes practically solidifying into a substance.
"It really is Xiao En!?"
Shock surfaced on the faces of the onlookers.
While the servants and maids of the Minister of War's estate might not have recognized him, Ye Dongming, Yuan Zhuang, and the others identified him at a glance.
As the son of Xiao Tianci, he had inherited his father's innate talent, reaching the Late Qi Burst stage at a tender age. Among the younger generation of Qingsong Country, he was considered quite renowned, and his future breakthrough to Qi Control was practically guaranteed!
Ye Dongming's expression turned utterly grim. He shot a cold, piercing glare at Ye Qinghe, who was already drenched in cold sweat, his expression panicked as he instinctively glanced toward the Crown Prince.
"So this Xiao En was indeed hiding here. However... Minister Ye, you did the right thing. Military God Fang went mad yesterday and wantonly slaughtered the martial artists of Qingsong Country. By saving Xiao En, you've at least given Great Xia some leeway to appease Qingsong."
The Crown Prince said indifferently.
Xiao En had thought he was surely dead, but seeing the Crown Prince's attitude, the hope for survival reignited within his chest. He cupped his fists toward the Crown Prince and said:
"Your Highness, we in Qingsong have maintained peace with Great Xia for these past few years without mutual aggression. Even when clashes occurred, they were mere petty squabbles. Yet yesterday, Fang Chen slaughtered the martial artists of Qingsong and killed 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 that happen. Dahua Temple has already sent men to apprehend Fang Chen. Once he is locked within the prison cells, I will find a way to give Qingsong Country an acceptable explanation."
The Crown Prince declared.
"Then I am at ease."
Xiao En gave a slow nod, reigning in the fierce hatred burning in his eyes. Since he could survive, he preferred not to show too much emotion; after all, as long as he remained in the Capital of Great Xia for even a single day, he was in constant danger. He had to be careful lest the other party go back on their word.
With that, the Crown Prince turned to 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, things have reached this point, and you still expect Qingsong Country to accept your appeasement? I said yesterday that I would purge the capital of all remaining elements, and a word spoken by a true man is as good as 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 through the air.
Xiao En lowered his head in utter disbelief, only to find his entire body charred black and mangled in a bloody mess. A final, resentful roar escaped his lips before his life was thoroughly extinguished.
The crowd stood frozen in stunned silence. None of them could have imagined 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 several experts by the Crown Prince's side exchanged anxious glances, their gazes locking onto Fang Chen with heightened vigilance 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 held out his hand.
Only then did Yuan Zhuang snap back to his senses. He instinctively unbuckled his saber and offered it to Fang Chen with both hands.
Fang Chen took the weapon, stepped forward, and with a single sweep of the blade, severed Xiao En's head. He picked it up by the hair and turned to walk out of the estate.
Outside the Ministry of War residence, many commoners were still lingering in anticipation. When they saw Fang Chen emerge carrying a bloody, dripping head, shock washed over every face.
Wild guesses surged through their hearts: Whose head was this? Could it be Xiao En's? Or... someone from the Minister of War's residence?
"Military God Fang, the man is already dead. Won't you please return to Dahua Temple with me now..."
Yuan Zhuang said with a bitter smile.
Fang Chen smiled and tossed Xiao En's head onto the ground, watching it bounce and roll a great distance away. After all, it was this very man who had originally proposed using human targets.
"Your grievances have been avenged. But this is far from enough... far from enough..."
Fang Chen muttered to himself.
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 heavy weight lifted from Yuan Zhuang's chest, and he felt an almost irresistible urge to call Fang Chen his father right on the spot.
After Yuan Zhuang departed with Fang Chen, the Crown Prince and his entourage also left the premises, following which the grand gates of the Ministry of War residence were slammed shut with a deafening crash.
A martial artist plucked up his courage and stepped forward to examine the severed head. The moment he caught sight of Xiao En's unblinking, dead stare, he let out a sharp cry of alarm:
"It's Xiao En! Xiao En, the son of Xiao Tianci!"
"It's that most arrogant Qingsong martial artist in the capital?!"
"It really is him... Who would have thought the Minister of War would actually harbor a Qingsong martial artist? Isn't that setting himself against Military God Fang—and against all the people of Great Xia?!"