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âThis Princeâs Manor seems quite famous,â Xu Zimo said casually.
âFamous? Thatâs putting it lightly,â Bian Wenzhou replied. âIn the Chaos Fire God Realm, their prestige is unmatched. Even the Chaos Fire God Realm wouldnât dare provoke them easily.â He glanced at Xu Zimo. âPerhaps we should return for now and plan our next move?â
âTell me first,â Xu Zimo said. âWhatâs the story behind this Princeâs Manor?â
âYou mustâve heard of the Chaos Fire Progenitor,â Bian Wenzhou said.
Xu Zimo nodded. Even if he hadnât before, after spending some time in this realm, that name had been repeated to him often enough to wear down his ears.
âAfter the Chaos Fire Progenitor founded the Chaos Fire God Realm, he left,â Bian Wenzhou explained. âThatâs what the rumors say, anyway. In truth, when the domain was created, it wasnât just him, he had several sworn brothers who helped establish it.â
âBrothers?â Shangguan Xian thought for a moment. âDo you mean the Sacred Flame Trinity?â
âExactly. The Sacred Flame Trinity,â Bian Wenzhou said with a nod. âIn those days, aside from the Fire Ancestor himself, they were the most powerful in the entire domain. When the Chaos Fire God Realm was first founded, it was a small and obscure force. The reason it grew into what it is now, one of the seven great God Realms, is entirely due to the Trinityâs efforts. The Sacred Flame Trinity brought the domain to its current glory. Their contributions canât be overstated. After they relinquished power, they retreated into seclusion and stopped involving themselves in worldly affairs. As for this Princeâs Manor, it belongs to their descendants.â
Hearing that, Xu Zimo asked, âAnd how does that concern our hunt for the Blade Tyrant?â
âWe canât act recklessly inside the Princeâs Manor,â Bian Wenzhou said. âAnd we have no solid proof that the Blade Tyrant is hiding there. Your compass may be powerful, but itâs still an inanimate object, its results canât be used as evidence. If we offend the Princeâs Manor, weâll be making enemies of the entire Chaos Fire God Realm.â
âYouâre afraid?â Xu Zimo asked bluntly.
âTo be honest, yes,â Bian Wenzhou admitted without shame. âIâm the Lord of Fire Bane City. Every move I make affects my city and its people. I have to think of them, so yes, Iâm afraid.â
âIf youâre afraid,â Xu Zimo said with a wave of his hand, âthen donât get involved.â
But just then, Bian Wenzhouâs expression shifted. His tone became serious as he looked at Xu Zimo. âYoung Master Xu, Fire Bane City is willing to stand with you. Iâll even put my old life on the line if thatâs what it takes.â
Xu Zimo studied him for a moment, then glanced into the calm void behind him. âYouâve been advised by someone, havenât you?â
Bian Wenzhou smiled bitterly. âYou jest, Young Master Xu.â
âItâs Bian Shishi, isnât it?â Xu Zimo asked.
Bian Wenzhou only gave a helpless smile and said nothing.
âFine. Iâm in no rush to see her,â Xu Zimo said, waving dismissively. âIf she wants to meet, sheâll make it happen.â
Then he turned his eyes toward the Princeâs Manor and said to Zhang Hengzhi, âIf your Celestial Mortal Holy Lands doesnât want to get involved, you can leave now.â
âI trust you, Young Master Xu,â Zhang Hengzhi said firmly. After everything heâd witnessed, he knew Xu Zimo wasnât the type to act without confidence.
âAnd you?â Xu Zimo looked to Shangguan Xian.
âIâll always believe in you,â she said with a playful smile.
âThen knock on the door,â Xu Zimo ordered. âTell them to hand over the Blade Tyrant. If they comply, weâll leave peacefully. If not, then we break in and take him by force.â
âLet me go,â Bian Wenzhou offered.
He walked up the steps toward the manor gate, but the guards immediately blocked his way.
âStop. This is the Princeâs Manor. No one enters without invitation. Didnât you know that?â one of the guards barked.
âCall your steward,â Bian Wenzhou said, his tone stiffening a little. âWeâre here because someone weâre hunting is hiding in your manor.â
The guard sneered. âRidiculous. And who are you to demand to see our master? Get lost before we throw you out.â
âYou!â Bian Wenzhouâs face flushed with anger and embarrassment.
âCity Lord Bian,â Shangguan Xian said lightly, stepping forward, âwhy donât you let me handle this?â
She raised her hand, and a surge of spiritual power erupted. The two guards barely had time to draw their blades before they were blasted off their feet and sent flying.
âYou, what are you doing?!â the guards shouted in panic.
âGo and fetch your steward,â Shangguan Xian said coldly. âIf you donât, Iâll leave your corpses right here.â
âYou, wait!â The two exchanged a terrified look and quickly fled into the manor.
Watching her in action, Bian Wenzhou felt a bit awkward.
He was the Lord of Fire Bane City, the master of the Black Crow Dao Court, a Grand Emperor of prestige in his own right. Yet here, in the grand Chaos City, no one even bothered to give him face.
After a short wait, a group of men stormed out from within the manor, murderous intent rolling off them. They were clearly the Princeâs Manor guards, each one clad in matching silver robes, their auras powerful and disciplined.
In an instant, several dozen of them surrounded Xu Zimoâs group.
âWho dares attack the Princeâs guards?â a loud voice demanded.
The speaker was a portly man with a drooping mustache and an officialâs hat perched on his head.
âSteward Huang, it was this woman,â one of the battered guards pointed at Shangguan Xian.
Though Huang the steward wasnât much to look at, he clearly had authority. His eyes swept over the group, quickly recognizing Xu Zimo as their leader.
The fact that these people had come to the Princeâs Manor, attacked the guards, and still stood so calmly meant they werenât afraid.
Huangâs eyes narrowed slightly, then he smiled. âMay I ask how our humble manor has offended the distinguished guests?â
âItâs not that youâve offended us,â Shangguan Xian said coolly. âWe merely wished to speak to someone in charge, but your guards refused to report our arrival.â
Huang blinked in surprise. Normally, anyone wanting to meet someone from the Princeâs Manor had to schedule it far in advance. These people had barged straight in, of course the guards wouldnât let them through.
Still, he masked his thoughts and asked politely, âMay I have your names?â
âThis is Young Master Xu,â Bian Wenzhou said quickly. âHe just took first place in the Chaos Fire God Realmâs grand competition.â
Their own names carried little weight here, but Xu Zimoâs did.
As soon as he heard that, Steward Huangâs demeanor changed instantly. A warm smile spread across his face. He turned and kicked the wounded guard to the ground.
âBlind fool! Young Master Xu is an honored guest of our Princeâs Manor, and you dared bar his way?â he barked.
Then, waving to the other guards, he ordered coldly, âTake him away and execute him.â
The guardâs pleas for mercy echoed briefly before he was dragged off to his fate.