"Master, what should be done next?"
After "Zhongli Wu" decided to return Xu Tianhe, Yang Yuan immediately used the contract exclusive to undead creatures to contact Chen Junting, informing him of the whole story and letting him decide.
"You can't stop this matter, nor do you need to stop it."
Chen Junting said, "When the time comes, I will use your body to speak with Xu Tianhe. What follows will have nothing to do with you. Afterward, focus your attention on the Holy Spirit Cult's movements, and do your best to gain Zhongli Wu and Ye Xishui's trust."
From Yang Yuan's mouth, Chen Junting had long known that due to the evil soul master attack case after the Soul Master Tournament, Zhongli Wu and Ye Xishui had developed distrust toward every high-level member of the Holy Spirit Cult.
Just like the last soul hunting operation—the Holy Spirit Cult high-level members were completely kept in the dark. Only at the moment the operation began were those who participated informed, while those who didn't participate only learned about it after it ended.
Therefore, to prepare for emergencies and prevent actions like the soul hunting operation from happening again, Yang Yuan must find a way to become Zhongli Wu's trusted confidant to obtain more intelligence.
However, due to too many mysteries surrounding the "resurrection from the dead," and considering the Holy Spirit Cult's numerous methods, to avoid exposing this hard-won high-level undercover agent, Chen Junting only needed him to transmit important news at critical moments.
"Go find Xu Tianhe now, before the people arrive, and inform him that Xu Tianran will have someone take him away. Anyway, you're still responsible for Xu Tianhe's custody—no one will suspect anything. Also, before you see him, first go prepare several items..."
Chen Junting issued the orders. Yang Yuan followed Chen Junting's instructions, then walked toward the direction where Xu Tianhe was imprisoned.
Great Star Dou Forest, by the Lake of Life.
Chen Junting, having cut off contact, briefly fell into contemplation.
If he wanted Xu Tianhe's move to continue, there was one person absolutely impossible to avoid. That was Meng Hongchen.
But how could he make Meng Hongchen agree?
...
By the Evil Demon Forest, there was a village.
Although it had traces of soul guide tools, it appeared backward and impoverished, far from the cities of the Sun-Moon Empire.
But a few months ago, this backward, impoverished village had some construction work done. A building completely out of place with this village was built here, once causing much discussion among the villagers.
Just a few months passed, and the novelty faded—the villagers no longer cared. They didn't even find it strange that this building normally had few people coming and going.
Who knows what those rich masters were thinking?
What these villagers didn't know was that on the second floor of this building, at a window that should have been tightly drawn, a gap imperceptible to the eye had appeared. A pair of eyes turned behind the gap, observing everything visible in the village.
Xu Tianhe watched and watched, finally withdrawing his gaze.
A bright soul guide lamp illuminated the study. Paper and ink were arranged on the desk, books filling the shelves, allowing him to pass leisure time and not be so bored.
Knock knock knock—
At this moment, a knocking sound suddenly came from outside the door.
"Prince, it's time for breakfast." A steady voice came from outside the door. Xu Tianhe put down the paper and pen he had been fiddling with, slowly got up, and opened the study door.
The light in his eyes was completely indifferent, like a pool of stagnant water.
Seeing the meal brought by this Holy Spirit Cult disciple, he skillfully received it. Just as Xu Tianhe was about to close the door, a large hand suddenly blocked the door, preventing it from closing.
"Great Elder."
Seeing the arrival, the Holy Spirit Cult disciple hurriedly bowed respectfully.
Yang Yuan merely glanced at this disciple, his tone indifferent, "You may leave. This seat has matters to inform Prince Xu."
"Yes." The Holy Spirit Cult disciple dared not have the slightest question.
Lowering his head, he hurriedly went downstairs.
Yang Yuan smoothly entered the study. And the moment he closed the study door, he waved his sleeve, using soul power to seal the entire study, preventing internal sounds from transmitting out.
Seeing this scene, Xu Tianhe—who had put down the meal tray—seemed to realize something, causing waves in his dead-silent eyes.
Immediately after, Xu Tianhe's tone became urgent.
"May I ask Great Elder Yang Yuan, you coming to see me at this time and doing this—has the timing I've been waiting for arrived?"
Staying here any longer, he felt he was going crazy!
"Yes and no."
Yang Yuan spoke, "Just now Xu Tianran has informed our church that he will send someone to take you away shortly, to bring you into the imperial palace to be treated well."
"Treated well? Heh—"
A cold laugh escaped Xu Tianhe, the depths of his eyes also exceptionally cold. "Great Elder Yang Yuan, do you believe these words?"
"Whether I believe it or not isn't important."
Yang Yuan was as calm as an ancient well, "What's important is what Xu Tianran plans to have you do, and what you should do next."
"What else could it be, nothing more than seed borrowing."
Xu Tianhe's face was full of disgust, "Also, that eunuch Xu Tianran got married, right?" While speaking, he pointed below at the village, "Some days ago, I faintly heard words of the emperor's wedding through the window. Heh, who did that eunuch marry?"
"Meng Hongchen."
The moment these words came out, Xu Tianhe's eyes suddenly widened!
"Who?! Meng Hongchen?"
Xu Tianran actually married Meng Hongchen?
When he was the fifth prince back then, the names of those two geniuses of the Hongchen Family were also thunderous, naturally he had heard of them. And compared to Xiao Hongchen among them, as a male, Xu Tianhe was naturally more interested in the absolutely beautiful Meng Hongchen.
"That eunuch actually married Meng Hongchen, truly wasting heavenly gifts. But speaking of which, Jing Hongchen doesn't know about this, right?"
Xu Tianhe's eyes turned, asking with implied meaning.
It seemed at this moment he had some idea.
Yang Yuan shook his head, then spoke.
"He doesn't know. But if you have any ideas, you can personally discuss them with the master. After all, your time is not much."
Hearing this, Xu Tianhe's expression slightly changed.
The next moment, gray air currents surged from Yang Yuan's body, and golden patterns covered his body surface at extreme speed.
At the same time, Chen Junting—who in the Great Star Dou Forest had just blocked Di Tian's sword—suddenly showed a shocked expression. Di Tian, realizing something, immediately withdrew his hand, and the previous aura also converged accordingly.
"If you have matters, pause first."
"Alright."
Chen Junting nodded, withdrawing his martial soul. Under Ning Tian's guard, he sat cross-legged. In the invisible void, a gray hexagram array was slowly drawn, then floated behind his head.
The next second, Chen Junting's consciousness left his body.
And Yang Yuan, far away in the distance, opened his eyes at nearly the same time. Only different from before, these just-opened eyes were like a sword drawn from its sheath, sharpness fully revealed!
Just one glance was enough to make people tremble with fear.
Xu Tianhe, seeing this, knew the person had changed.
"Long time no see."
Chen Junting's consciousness entered Yang Yuan's body, briefly moving to adapt, then greeted by speaking.
"Presumably, you already know."
Xu Tianhe nodded, "I know."
"Then I won't waste words. Surely you yourself are clear—once the seed borrowing is completed, it will be your death day. And I previously promised that as long as you cooperate, I will save your life. And to complete my purpose, Meng Hongchen's cooperation is also indispensable."
Chen Junting looked at the paper on the desk, reaching out to summon it.
Picking up the writing brush and dipping it in ink, an invisible sword intent instantly erupted, completely converging on the pen and ink. The next second, as he wrote, a sword intent rose from the paper into the air.
But quickly, it was easily suppressed back onto the paper by Chen Junting.
After examining what he had written, confirming it was correct, he asked Xu Tianhe for his sash, used his finger as a sword to simply cut it open, then hid the written paper inside.
After simply sewing it back with prepared materials, he took out a piece of jade, inscribed patterns on it, to replace the original jade decoration on the sash.
After completing all this, he returned the sash to its owner.
"When you see Meng Hongchen, give this to her."
Xu Tianhe received the sash, hesitated slightly, then reattached the sash to himself. "Is your plan feasible?"
"Feasible."
Chen Junting didn't hesitate, nodding decisively.
But in reality, what plan is one hundred percent perfect?
Xu Tianhe himself was also clear about this—it was just that he currently needed a bit of psychological suggestion and comfort.
"Alright."
Xu Tianhe lightly pursed his lips.
And just at this moment, Chen Junting seemed to sense something, "It seems your imperial brother still 'cares' about you very much."
The moment these words came out, Xu Tianhe also realized something.
Suddenly, his fists clenched tight!
Chen Junting nodded, then withdrew his consciousness from Yang Yuan's body. In an instant, everything seemed to return to normal.
Yang Yuan, returning to normal, glanced at Xu Tianhe, simply said "Wish you good luck," then moved to exit the study.
Xu Tianhe finally swept his gaze over the room he had lived in for several months, unable to help letting out a long sigh. And just at this moment, the voice of Shadow Douluo Xue Chen suddenly came from outside the door.
"Prince Tianhe, this subject has come to bring you into the palace."
...
Dusk.
Jing Hongchen, who had been busy at the Mingde Hall all day, had just returned home when he discovered something wrong before even entering the gate.
"Who!?"
He suddenly became alert, looking around. But no matter how he scanned with his spiritual power, he found no trace.
"Grandfather, what are you doing?"
Just at this moment, a voice suddenly rang out.
Instantly, Jing Hongchen's alert expression eased. Turning his head, looking at his grandson, he said, "Nothing, just felt something wrong earlier—should have been my imagination."
"Xiao, have you eaten?"
Xiao Hongchen shook his head, a trace of longing showing in his eyes, "Not yet. Since Meng entered the imperial palace, if I don't wait for you to return, dinner is always just me eating alone. It's too lonely."
Instantly, Jing Hongchen also fell silent. But the brief silence was ultimately broken by a dry laugh from Jing Hongchen, "Alright. Then tonight, us grandfather and grandson will have a good drink."
But though he said this, after sitting at the dining table, the two also fell silent. During this time, Xiao Hongchen—as a sister-con—even mentioned to Jing Hongchen whether he could find time to meet with Meng.
But his wish still fell through.
"No."
Jing Hongchen's tone was resolute and unquestionable.
"Why!?"
Xiao Hongchen finally couldn't contain himself, "How dangerous is the imperial palace. Grandfather, you know this! Now I, as a brother, just want to see if my sister is doing well—is this also not allowed?"
"No!"
"Why!?"
The same answer, the same questioning.
Jing Hongchen's action of picking up food paused, "No reason! It's because Meng is now the empress, and I am a subject! And you, Xiao—Hong—Chen, aren't even a subject of the empire yet!"
Bang—
A dull sound, Xiao Hongchen put down his bowl and chopsticks, slamming the table and rising! His wine-red hair seemed to dance with his rising, "Then Grandfather, why did you agree to this matter!?"
"Xiao!"
A furious roar made Jing Hongchen's beard and hair stand on end.
"Do you think I want to sacrifice Meng's happiness? I don't want to either! But this is His Majesty's command! His Majesty's! If we truly disobey, our Hongchen Family will fall into eternal damnation!"
"If it's eternal damnation then it's eternal damnation!"
Smack—
A heavy slap, decisively struck Xiao Hongchen's face. Xiao Hongchen was instantly stunned, looking at his grandfather. From childhood to adulthood, this was the first time his grandfather had hit him this heavily.
"Xiao, do you want to bear the infamy of treason?"
Before Xiao Hongchen could recover, Jing Hongchen said this with a trembling voice. Then... Xiao Hongchen fell silent.
As an intelligent person, he understood the meaning of these words.
Thus, Xiao Hongchen completely fell into silence.
Jing Hongchen looked at his grandson, withdrawing his trembling hand, "Eat, it was Grandfather who struck too heavily. Xiao... forgive me."
A dinner, eaten unhappily.
In the evening, Jing Hongchen returned to his study.
Recalling Xiao Hongchen's questioning, and Meng Hongchen's smiles of the past, this Mingde Hall Master, Level 94 Title Douluo, actually stumbled to the desk and collapsed into the chair.
But just at this moment, "Hmm!?"
On the desk, a letter attracted his attention.
"Who would send this old man a letter, and directly deliver it to the study..." Murmuring, Jing Hongchen suddenly realized something! Sure enough, that feeling when he returned earlier wasn't imagination!
Realizing this, after a brief hesitation, Jing Hongchen still decided to open this letter placed on his desk.
But when he saw the contents of the letter, Bang—
A palm struck down, the desk completely shattered into pieces!
"This is impossible!"
At this moment, Jing Hongchen fell into raging fury.
But quickly, he made himself remain calm.
Picking up the letter, after repeatedly confirming its contents, his entire beard and hair trembled, even his face completely red.
Now, what he most wanted to know wasn't who gave him this letter. Rather, whether the contents written on this letter were true or false!
If the contents of this letter were true...
"Xu—Tian—ran!"
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