Inside his chamber, Emperor Yan Yuan—who had struggled for several nights to close his eyes—was startled when the door to his chamber was knocked from the outside.Emperor Yan Yuan walked over and opened the door. His brow furrowed deeply upon seeing Liu Zun standing there in full battle armor, weapon at his side.“What is it, General? Is there important news that brings you here at such an hour?”“Very important, Your Majesty,” Liu Zun replied.“Come in, we shall speak inside.” Emperor Yan Yuan turned back into his chamber, and Liu Zun followed closely behind.“Now tell me, what important information have you received?” asked Emperor Yan Yuan after sitting on his special chair. His gaze reflected bewilderment at Liu Zun’s appearance, as though already prepared for war.“Then why are you wearing full armor like that?”“Forgive me, Your Majesty. The information I received from the scouts says that the enemy’s forces are a

The three warriors appeared swiftly within a dense forest near the capital. Yet, Ranu hesitated, aware that the scar on his face might draw unwanted attention. There was a real risk that a soldier—or worse, someone from the imperial palace—might recognize him. And it wasn’t impossible that Qiang Mo had already described his features to Zi Yan.“It’s best if the two of you head into the capital first,” said Ranu calmly. “Find the nearest inn to the palace, rent two rooms, and then Elder Bai can return here to fetch me. I’ll wait by the roadside.”“Why don’t we just go together, Prince?” Mu Bai asked curiously. “I mean, couldn’t we simply vanish and reappear inside the capital?” With his level of cultivation, it would have been effortless for the Emperor’s brother-in-law to do so.Ranu smiled faintly, pointing at the scar running across his cheek. “That’s the reason, Elder. The demon that followed Zi Yan once confronted me—it must have recognized my face and reported it to her. If we su