Li Fei rubbed the Purple Jade Cricket between her fingers for a while, but ultimately returned it to him.
Ji Tongzhou looked surprised. "I gave it to you. Don't you want it?"
Li Fei smiled. "As the saying goes, courtesy demands reciprocity. I don't have anything as valuable to give you in return. Thank you for your kindness."
Ji Tongzhou grew even more puzzled. "My things are mine to give as I please. When did I ever ask for anything in return?"
Truly, the young prince was spoiled rotten—utterly capricious and extravagantly generous. No wonder he had never had any genuine friends before, only sycophants. Those who didn’t know him might think he was deliberately showing off.
After some thought, Li Fei finally took the Purple Jade Cricket back and toyed with it. "Then let me borrow it for a few days. Giving it to me would be a waste—I might end up breaking it. What a shame that would be."
Seeing how enamored she was with the little cricket, Ji Tongzhou found it even more amusing. This little beggar really had seen so little of the world. Eagerly, he said, "Wait here. I’ll bring you something even more interesting."
He rushed back to his room and rummaged through the chests storing his childhood toys. Since infancy, he had been coddled and pampered. The emperor would rather deprive himself than deny him any rare treasure, and over the years, countless chests had piled up. He usually played with them for a few days before having them stored away. But now, seeing Jiang Li Fei marvel at one thing after another, even he began to find them fascinating again.
Soon, the table was covered with all sorts of strange and wondrous trinkets. The most exquisite was a tiny bronze oriole, no larger than a thumb, perched lifelike on a white jade bird stand. Before it was a small water basin. Every hour, it would lower its head as if to drink, and after drinking, it would let out a clear, melodious chirp.
Li Fei held the bronze oriole, turning it over and over in her hands, unable to believe it wasn’t enchanted with Immortal Technique. Just as Ji Tongzhou was about to explain the intricate mechanisms inside, hurried footsteps sounded outside, followed by a low voice calling, "Your Highness."
Ji Tongzhou opened the door to find the third steward of the estate bowing at the threshold. Upon seeing him, the steward immediately knelt and saluted. "Your Highness, the servants waiting at the post station for honored guests have just delivered a letter. They said it was given by disciples from several immortal cultivation sects. Not daring to delay, they sent it immediately for your review."
A letter? Could it be from Ye Ye and the others? Ji Tongzhou was puzzled as he took the pristine white envelope. Just as he was about to open it, Li Fei suddenly cried, "Wait! Don’t open it yet!"
Ji Tongzhou was startled. "What’s wrong?"
No one answered him. Lei Xiuyuan snatched the envelope and released his spiritual energy to carefully inspect it. Only after confirming there were no traces of residual spiritual energy on the letter did he hand it back. Li Fei frowned. "Aren’t you being too careless as a prince? You don’t check incoming letters? What if someone cast Nightmare Art on the paper?"
Ji Tongzhou looked at her as if she were an idiot. "It’s already been checked beforehand. Only after confirming it’s safe would it be delivered."
Li Fei coughed. Indeed, the prince’s estate was tightly guarded. But what if Zhen Yunzi, unwilling to give up, had used Word Spirit Nightmare Art? They couldn’t very well explain Zhen Yunzi’s situation to him—Ji Tongzhou was bound for Star Rectitude Hall in the future. Telling him these things would only drag him into trouble, and that would be doing him a disservice.Ji Tongzhou quickly scanned the letter, his face suddenly darkening with shock and anger. "Outrageous!" he fumed. "How dare they act so brazenly within Yue Kingdom's borders! Send word immediately to Mr. Suquan of Star Rectitude Hall! Request his presence at once!"
The third steward promptly acknowledged and hurried off.
Li Fei took the letter and examined it carefully. The content itself was unremarkable—mere pleasantries, mentioning that they had temporarily taken away several distinguished guests of the prince, causing some delay, etc. What was alarming was the signature: "Disciple under Elder Zongquan of Five Zhang Mountain, Long Mingzuo."
Long Mingzuo was precisely the Immortal Sect backing Wugou, the kingdom that had destroyed Gaolu. Currently, Elder Zongquan of Five Zhang Mountain, whose influence was at its peak within the sect, was a member of Wugou's royal family. There was no need to guess—though the letter appeared elegantly and humbly worded, it was clearly a provocation. Ye Ye and the others must be in danger!
"Let's head to the post station first!"
Li Fei immediately dashed outside. Ji Tongzhou, unwilling to fall behind, found his elaborate robes cumbersome and had to change into lighter attire. By the time he emerged, Li Fei and the others had already reached the post station.
Outside the station stood two Long Mingzuo disciples in Daoist robes. The prince's carriage, which had been stationed at the entrance, now had its doors wide open. Several helpless and frightened attendants huddled to the side, watching as other Long Mingzuo disciples thoroughly searched the carriage inside and out.
Li Fei was taken aback. These Long Mingzuo disciples were far too audacious—this was Yue Kingdom's territory! To openly blockade the post station and search the prince's carriage in broad daylight—were they not afraid of provoking Yue Kingdom's wrath? Moreover, Yue Kingdom had Xuanshan Zi of Star Rectitude Hall backing them. Though Long Mingzuo was also a major sect, how could it compare to Star Rectitude Hall?
Lei Xiuyuan pondered for a moment before stepping forward with a courteous bow. "We are disciples of Young Phoenix Academy. This carriage belongs to our friends. May we inquire as to your intentions?"
Upon hearing they were academy disciples, the group scrutinized them. Soon, a leading Long Mingzuo disciple returned the courtesy, his tone unexpectedly refined and polite: "So you are young Immortal friends. You may not be aware, but we are acting under Elder Zongquan of Five Zhang Mountain's directive to apprehend fugitives from Wugou. We pursued them all the way from Wugou to Yuandu in Yue Kingdom. Learning that Prince Ying of Yue was acquainted with these fugitives, we feared their vicious nature might endanger His Highness, hence our inspection here. We heard Prince Ying is also an Immortal practitioner—surely he is magnanimous and would not obstruct us in carrying out Elder Zongquan's orders."
Li Fei was inwardly shocked. From their words, it seemed Ye Ye and the others had been pursued by Long Mingzuo disciples ever since returning to Gaolu! Did Long Mingzuo not know they were also academy disciples? To provoke so blatantly?
Lei Xiuyuan replied, "The fugitives you pursue are likely acquaintances of ours—fellow academy disciples. With the new disciple selection imminent, your sect's pursuit of academy disciples seems rather inappropriate, does it not?"
The Long Mingzuo disciple chuckled. "Young friend, you jest. How could fugitives be academy disciples? We have never heard of such a thing—do not tarnish the academy's reputation."
They were absolutely feigning ignorance! Just as Li Fei was about to speak, a clamor of footsteps sounded from behind. Ji Tongzhou's icy voice followed: "Surround the post station! No suspicious individuals are to enter or leave! Once Mr. Suquan arrives, we shall thoroughly interrogate them about their true intentions!"The group turned to see a swarm of heavily armored guards wielding swords rushing forward, surrounding the relay station in tight layers, sealing it off completely. Ji Tongzhou stood far outside, silent and not even glancing at the disciples of Long Mingzuo.
Several Long Mingzuo disciples exchanged glances before their leader stepped forward with a smile. "This must be the esteemed Prince Ying of Yue. We are disciples under Elder Zongquan of Long Mingzuo's Five Zhang Mountain. We mean no offense—"
Before he could finish, Ji Tongzhou's steward cut him off. "Kindly wait a moment, honored Immortals. Once Mr. Suquan of Star Rectitude Hall arrives, everything will be made clear."
The young prince was seething with rage, too proud to even speak a word to them, leaving it to his steward to relay his message.
At the mention of "Mr. Suquan," the Long Mingzuo disciples' expressions shifted slightly. This Mr. Suquan was the foremost disciple under Xuanshan Zi, a Profound Gate Elder of Star Rectitude Hall. Rumor had it he was on the verge of breaking through to become a Celestial, and even among the many talents of Star Rectitude Hall, he was highly regarded—not someone to provoke lightly.
For a moment, the situation remained deadlocked. Li Fei grew increasingly uneasy, lost in thought before murmuring, "I wonder where Ge Lin and the others are... Could they have—"
Ji Tongzhou, overhearing her, darkened further. Lei Xiuyuan, seeing their grim expressions, shook his head. "They clearly haven’t fallen into the hands of Long Mingzuo’s Five Zhang Mountain disciples yet. Otherwise, why would they still be searching the relay station and carriages?"
Ji Tongzhou said coldly, "They even know Ye Ye and the others are my friends, yet dare claim ignorance of their status as Academy disciples! What utter nonsense!"
This was the strangest part. Even if Long Mingzuo disregarded the Academy, they should still fear Yue’s backing from Star Rectitude Hall. Yet their provocation was couched in polite words, almost as if they were deliberately stirring trouble—there was something deeper at play.
They had expected the formidable Mr. Suquan to arrive swiftly, but after waiting over an hour, there was still no sign of him. The Long Mingzuo disciples gradually began to smirk. Soon, another steward from the prince’s household hurried over from the street corner, whispering something into Ji Tongzhou’s ear. His expression shifted again, and he immediately ordered, "Stay here and keep watch."
With that, he turned to leave, only for one of the Long Mingzuo disciples to call out, "Prince Ying, might Mr. Suquan grace us with his presence? We’ve been waiting quite some time."
Ji Tongzhou remained silent, while his steward hastily interjected, "Please be patient a while longer! There’s no need for haste!"
The Long Mingzuo disciple chuckled. "Apologies, but we too have urgent matters. I’m afraid we can’t wait any longer. Prince Ying, are you returning to your residence? Might we accompany you? The fugitive Wugou could infiltrate your estate—we wouldn’t want such a disturbance to trouble your household."
The steward flared up in anger. "Though Immortals may not value mortal status, a prince is still a prince! Have you no sense of propriety?"
Before he could finish, the Long Mingzuo disciples soared into the clouds, swiftly flying far ahead. The dense ranks of guards were powerless to stop cultivators who could ride the clouds—they could only watch helplessly as the disciples flew off, their direction unmistakably toward the prince’s residence.Ji Tongzhou was seething with rage and immediately took off on his sword in pursuit. Flames flickered around him, barely restrained—he yearned to strike immediately. Yet, no matter what, this was the capital of Yue Kingdom. As the esteemed Prince Ying of Yue, he absolutely could not lose his composure and act recklessly here. Gradually, the flames around him dimmed once more.
Li Fei and the others caught up from behind. Ji Tongzhou murmured in a low voice, "Ye Ye and the others are here. Fortunately, they're unharmed."
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