Jiang Feng was overjoyed. Following the window out, he stowed away the Qinglong Cauldron, transformed into a gust of wind, and raced toward the South City Gate.

Today, with the Royal Master returning, the Wolf Slaughter Army was stationed outside the North City Gate, and the Second Prince personally left the city to welcome Xiao Zhan. It stood to reason that all the experts gathered near the North City Gate, so Jiang Feng seized the moment when everyone’s attention was focused on the North City Gate to slip away through the South City Gate—a most fitting move.

But upon reaching the South City Gate, Jiang Feng stopped in his tracks.

"No, if I run off like this, what if they send someone out of the city to chase me?"

"Once they catch up, the consequences go without saying."

"Rather than running aimlessly, it’d be wiser to find a place to hide first?"

"There are countless people in Dragon Capital. I refuse to believe they can actually find me."

Jiang Feng inspected every item sent to him by the Royal Family—even Spirit Grass and Spirit Stones weren’t overlooked—to make sure no Restriction Talisman had been left behind.

Last time, Old Qin and the others caught up mainly because the Restriction Talisman on the Red Dust Sword caused trouble. Now, having left the Red Dust Sword in the Purple Bamboo Forest, neither Old Qin nor the Imperial City Sword Immortal could hope to lock onto his whereabouts.

With this thought, Jiang Feng reverted to Old Qin’s appearance and returned to Shuitang Alley.

There were few people in the alley. Most had rushed off to the North City Gate to watch the Royal Master’s return—even the mats vendor had closed up shop to join the excitement.

Night fell.

Elder Qingzhu arrived at Jiang Feng’s courtyard gate and called out, "Fellow Daoist Wang, are you ready? The time has come—shouldn’t we set out?"

"Fellow Daoist Wang, everyone’s waiting for you?"

"Fellow Daoist Wang!"

Elder Qingzhu called out a few times. Seeing no response from Jiang Feng, he stepped forward and called again, but still received no reply.

"Fellow Daoist Wang!"

With one palm, he broke the courtyard array’s defense and entered Jiang Feng’s yard, sweeping with his Spiritual Sense to search every room within.

"What’s going on?"

"Where is he?"

"This guy bolted!"

"He noticed something was wrong with the Red Dust Sword, left it behind, and slipped away."

"How are we supposed to answer to the Royal Family?"

Fellow Daoist Zhang and Fellow Daoist Li followed in, and the three spotted the Red Dust Sword lying on the table.

"Come, let’s go see His Majesty first."

Elder Qingzhu picked up the Red Dust Sword and, leading a group of cultivators from the Purple Bamboo Forest, headed toward the Imperial City.

After a while—

He entered the Imperial City alone, where he met a dignified middle-aged man enveloped in golden dragon aura.

This middle-aged man was none other than the Emperor of the Great Tang, Li Yang.

Seated upon the dragon throne, Xiao Zhan and the Second Prince stood below. As Qingzhu Hermit arrived before him with the Red Dust Sword in hand, the Emperor of the Great Tang remained impassive.

The Second Prince, however, exclaimed, "Qingzhu Immortal Master, why do you have that sword?"

The sword was given to Jiang Feng by the Second Prince himself, so he recognized it at a glance.

"The one surnamed Wang fled. He noticed something was amiss with the Red Dust Sword and, using some unknown method, silently slipped out of the Purple Bamboo Forest. Even the mages failed to notice."

Qingzhu Hermit bowed to the Emperor of the Great Tang.

"Didn’t our Li Family hire you people to keep watch over him?"

The Second Prince reproached.

"The one surnamed Wang is simply too cunning. Your Highness may as well take this sword back!"

Elder Qingzhu tossed the Red Dust Sword to the Second Prince.

"Father Emperor, what now?"

The Second Prince caught the Red Dust Sword and looked over at the Emperor of the Great Tang.

"All the foreign cultivators came for the Underground Palace. Since he left the Purple Bamboo Forest, he couldn’t have gone far; he must still be in Dragon Capital. Make sure everyone is vigilant. Don’t let anyone get close to Zhenbei Prison."

Li Yang snorted coldly.

As the ruler of a nation, he understood human nature well. He didn’t believe anyone could truly resist the tempting treasures in the Underground Palace. Even if Jiang Feng had escaped the Purple Bamboo Forest, he was surely still somewhere in Dragon Capital, scheming how to snatch the opportunity from the Royal Family’s grasp.

"Your Majesty, Fellow Daoist Wang is no weakling. Once our people enter the Underground Palace, we must remain watchful."

Snowy Owl was among them and offered his advice.

"Hmm."

Li Yang nodded. Rising from his seat, he walked toward Qingzhu Hermit with a smile and said, "Fellow Daoist Wang has escaped. Now I can only ask Qingzhu Hermit to lead the other cultivators of Purple Bamboo Forest and assist the Court in taking the Underground Palace!"

"Rest assured, Your Majesty! Over all these years, the Purple Bamboo Forest has enjoyed many benefits from the Court. Now is the time for us to repay you."

Elder Qingzhu bowed deeply.

Both he and Li Yang harbored their own private intentions, maintaining only superficial courtesy.

The Court needed these foreign cultivators to pave the way in the Underground Palace, while these cultivators wanted the Court to break the Underground Palace Restriction Array for them. If they succeeded in entering, everyone only cared about finding and gaining their own fortune and opportunity—the Underground Palace itself didn’t matter to them.

"Rest assured, Hermit. I will not treat any who serve the Court with merit unfairly. If we take the Underground Palace, I will willingly divide some of the fortune and opportunity within for every cultivator from the Purple Bamboo Forest."

Li Yang said this with sincere conviction.

"Your Majesty, your great talents will surely bring us triumph in this operation to seize the Underground Palace!"

Elder Qingzhu looked excited, bowing again to Li Yang.

"There’s no time to lose, please dispatch your people at once. The Immortal Masters from Yun Gui Sect are already stationed at Zhenbei Prison, waiting to meet you."

Li Yang also offered a bow.

As Emperor of the Great Tang, he was far-sighted and neither humble nor overbearing when dealing with cultivators.

"All right."

Elder Qingzhu swiftly departed.

"Hand the sword to Young Master Liu. Have him track down the whereabouts of the one surnamed Wang. As soon as he’s found, kill him on the spot—anyone who cannot serve my Great Tang will eventually become a scourge to it."

Li Yang gave a command.

"Yes."

The Second Prince obeyed dutifully. Even as a disciple of Divine Sect, before his own father he was fully compliant. Inwardly, though, he pitied Jiang Feng; had he chosen to cooperate and serve the Great Tang, he would never have come to such an end.

Inside Shuitang Alley—

Jiang Feng felt his heartbeat quicken, as if he was perpetually in peril.

He admitted it: hiding out in Dragon Capital instead of escaping, it wasn’t simply because he feared getting caught by the Royal Family’s Sword Immortal after leaving the city. A large part of it was his inability to resist the lure within the Underground Palace.

The Underground Palace was far too mysterious.

He wanted to figure out exactly what was hidden inside.

Moreover, a fire burned in his heart; he was determined to take this opportunity and show the Great Tang Royal Family a thing or two.

He didn’t need to charge to the fore.

Blending into the chaos would suffice.

Thus, he checked his panel information.

He wanted to see after escaping the Purple Bamboo Forest—avoiding becoming cannon fodder—just how much his Fortune Point had changed, and whether his Yangchun Technique could improve once more.