FangFang Yun didn't miss the way Chen Li was acting at all. After facing dozens—maybe even hundreds—of martial artists in his time, he knew that when someone's eyes started darting around, their only goal was to run. A faint smile touched his lips as he tensed his muscles, ready for the man to make a sudden break for it."Don't even waste your hope on escaping," he said, his voice so soft it barely carried on the wind—but the pressure that pressed down on Chen Li was so thick it made it hard to breathe. "No matter how far you run, catching you will be as easy as reaching for a cup of tea.""You never thought I'd see through your dirty little act, did you?" the young man added, his gaze sharp as a blade. "I might not be able to read minds, but I can taste the fear and deception in every move you make.""Dammit! I can't die here, not now—not like this!" Chen Li cursed silently, his jaw clenched so tight he thought his teeth might crack. Sweat beaded on his brow, mixing with the dust on

Everyone present finally understood the true extent of the young man’s power. Wei Ho and several leaders of the white-aligned sects could only click their tongues in awe. For someone whose age was barely considered a step into adulthood in the world of martial cultivation, Fang Yun had shattered the ancient belief that only those who had trained for decades could possess formidable mastery.From that moment on, none of them dared to underestimate him. The black fire he commanded—born from the essence of Qiang Mo—was a phenomenon so rare that only a handful of cultivators in the entire region of Hu had ever awakened such a terrifying force.Without realizing it, the soldiers who had previously felt hopeless—believing they were destined to lose the war because of their overwhelming disadvantage—began to feel a new surge of confidence. Their eyes brightened with the certainty that Fang Yun himself was their greatest guarantee of victory in the war that loomed ever closer.After executing

Departing in a small formation granted them a remarkable advantage: speed. Unlike the lumbering movement of a full battalion, their compact group cut through the long stretches of road with minimal hindrance. It took them merely four days to reach the great junction—an open forked path that divided into two routes, each leading toward one of the colossal gate entrances of the imperial capital. Inside the grand hall of the palace, Emperor Yan Yuan—who had only recently begun freeing himself from the lingering dread caused by Wu Ching’s ominous prophecy—was leading an important assembly. All high-ranking figures of the Yuan Dynasty were in attendance. From the formidable Liu Zun to the commanders of the guard units, from senior ministers to lower-ranking officials—the hall was filled with the kingdom’s pillars. As Emperor Yan Yuan stepped into the chamber, his gaze swept across the rows of officials. He was searching for the one figure who, aside from Liu Zun, held the greatest influ

Mei Hwa rose to her feet after finishing the roasted chicken in her hand, but Fang Yun immediately halted her with a gentle gesture.A faint smile played upon Fang Yun’s lips as he noticed the dark smudge left on the girl’s mouth. With a surprisingly delicate motion, his fingers brushed softly against Mei Hwa’s lips, wiping the charcoal mark away. The suddenness of his action sent a jolt through Mei Hwa’s chest—her entire body stiffened in shock and embarrassment. Yet behind that flustered reaction, an unmistakable warmth blossomed. Fang Yun had been paying attention to her—far more than she dared to expect.“I’ve tried so hard to bury these feelings… but just when I’m close to letting them fade, he does something that makes them bloom all over again…” Mei Hwa lamented silently. Her thoughts returned to the night before—when Fang Yun had, perhaps unconsciously, embraced her in his sleep, enveloping her in warmth she could still feel on her skin.“There was a charcoal stain on your lip

Mei Hwa cast a long, quiet glance at Wan Fenli before her eyes shifted toward Fang Yun, who was trying—somewhat unsuccessfully—to hide his amusement by covering his lips with the palm of his right hand. The young woman let out a soft huff, clearly displeased by the expression on Fang Yun’s face.“So, you’re happy seeing me become an old maiden?” she snapped, her voice half-annoyed, half-embarrassed.“Eh—no, not like that at all… You could never become an old maiden, Mei!” Fang Yun replied in a rush, desperately trying to defend himself. “You’re the kind of woman men admire across every era.”“Oh? Is that so, Fang Yun?” Elder Wan Fenli asked, her tone teasing as she responded to his compliment.“Of course, Elder,” Fang Yun answered firmly. “Besides being beautiful, Mei has an exceptional figure. And let us not forget—she is a princess of the Yuan Dynasty. What man wouldn’t want to take her as his wife someday?”“Then why don’t you want her? Why did you refuse her before?”The Elder’s q