Master Hong did not grant Fang Zhe even a single second to respond. His middle-aged body vaulted forward, piercing through the billowing clouds of steam with a speed that surpassed the limits of the naked eye."DON'T YOU DARE DAYDREAM! OR I'LL BLOW YOUR HEAD OFF!"WOSHH—!In an instant, Master Hong’s figure seemed to split. The air in front of Fang Zhe distorted severely, leaving behind two afterimages of Master Hong striking from the left and right simultaneously. Both afterimages clenched fists enveloped in roaring maroon flames, unleashing a barrage of bare-handed strikes aimed to crush Fang Zhe’s ribs.BOOM! BOOM!Reflexively, Fang Zhe crossed his arms, enduring the brunt of the onslaught with the remnants of a solid ice shield that immediately melted and shattered into pieces. The sheer impact of the raw energy was so massive that it forced Fang Zhe back three paces, leaving faint skid marks on the marble floor."Hahaha! Is defending all you can do?!" Master Hong shouted from bot

Hearing the frustrated curse that escaped Master Hong's mouth, Fang Zhe had absolutely no intention of offering an explanation. His pair of golden eyes merely flashed with a cold light, staring at the veteran warrior before him as if the being in front of him were nothing more than a pile of rocks blocking his path.Instead of slowing down, the black-gold vortex of energy at the tip of Fang Zhe's dagger manifested twice as dense, emitting an ancient resonance that made the hall's atmosphere grow increasingly heavy and suffocating."You ask too many questions for someone on the brink of defeat, Master Hong," Fang Zhe said softly.WUUUUUSSHHH—!Without wasting any time, the real Fang Zhe along with his five clones swung their daggers in unison from top to bottom. Six trajectories of the Universe Destroyer Sword energy merged in mid-air, forming a single, massive vertical wave of slashing energy—jet-black with violently rumbling ripples of golden lightning.This was a pure strike that lo

The Second Prince nodded slowly, letting a momentary silence hang between them. His faint smile did not fade; instead, it grew even more laden with deep cunning. He knew that attempting to lie to the youth with the pair of golden eyes before him was a futile endeavor. Fang Zhe was far too sharp to simply swallow any raw alibi."Of course, it isn't that simple, Commander Fang," the Second Prince said with a low chuckle.Instead of offering a long-winded explanation that might trigger the suspicion of spies lurking around the palace, the Second Prince reached into his inner robe pocket once more. This time, he pulled out an ancient, dark green hexagonal transmission jade and casually tossed it toward Fang Zhe.Whoosh!Fang Zhe caught the jade stone with a single, lazy yet precise movement of his hand. It was cold, heavy, and coursing with the remnants of a high-level restriction seal."Use that to receive detailed instructions from me directly," the Second Prince said, folding his hands

Fang Zhe cursed the scammer system furiously in his heart, but he received absolutely no further response. The transparent blue virtual screen simply faded and vanished into thin air, leaving behind the silence of the night that once again crept over the branch of the spiritual tree where he perched."Tch, damn system. What kind of excuse is that? A novel reader?" Fang Zhe hissed softly behind his black veil.He knew that arguing with a system that suddenly went on strike and withheld information would only be a waste of time. If this world wanted to play riddles with him, then he would solve them his own way—the way of a ruthless villain who knew no compromise. He could not allow a single loophole in this mission to turn into a boomerang that could threaten his safety, let alone touch his people at the God Alchemist Shop.Fang Zhe let out a short breath, calming the turmoil of his emotions. His pair of golden eyes once again stared sharply toward the grand residence of Finance Minist

"As of this very second, my contract with the Second Prince is officially void," Fang Zhe declared, his voice low yet laced with undeniable finality.Upon hearing his decision, a glimmer of profound relief and newfound hope sparked within the eyes of Minister Zuo and the Crown Prince. The crushing weight that had been pressing down on their shoulders for so long seemed to lift, even if only a fraction.However, Fang Zhe did not allow them to indulge in that fleeting happiness for long. He tapped his finger against the table once more, shattering the brief euphoria with his cold, tactical analysis."But we have a major problem," Fang Zhe continued, his eyes narrowing sharply as he stared into the dense darkness outside the pavilion."Your Second Prince is no fool. He sent me here not just because he trusts me, but because he wanted to ensure this job was done cleanly. Given his paranoid nature, I am absolutely certain of one thing..."Fang Zhe paused for a moment, locking his gaze onto