CHAPTER 439 (2)

Wei Dazongguan’s heart stirred. It seemed his turn had come. He bowed slightly. “I am Wei Hai. Greetings to the Seventh Prince.”

Unexpectedly, the young man’s expression darkened. “Wei Dazongguan, it seems your Wei family is quite arrogant. I invited your family head, but instead, you—a mere servant—came.

Are you suggesting that my personal invitation isn’t worth your master’s presence?”

Before Wei Dazongguan could respond, Yan Canghai shivered slightly...

Yan Canghai hurriedly said, “I invited Chief Steward Wei here. As for the Wei Family Patriarch, he is a distinguished Precelestial Realm cultivator who has long since withdrawn from worldly affairs.”

At this moment, Chief Steward Wei also spoke up, “I must ask for the Seventh Prince's understanding. The Patriarch has recently gained insights in his cultivation and has been in seclusion for a long time, making it impossible for him to attend the banquet.”

The young man in luxurious robes said nothing, but his displeasure was evident on his face. Although he remained silent, one of his guards sneered coldly.

“Hmph, just a newly-advanced Precelestial Realm cultivator, and he dares to put on such airs. Anyone who didn’t know better would think he had broken through to a higher realm!”

At the same time, a faint Precelestial Pressure descended upon Chief Steward Wei, causing his body to sink and his face to flush red.

Yan Canghai felt uncomfortable as well, but his heart was filled with shock.

As someone only in the Internal Organs Realm, it suddenly dawned on him that the Seventh Prince’s guard was also a Precelestial Realm cultivator!

A Precelestial Realm cultivator serving as a mere guard for the Seventh Prince—what kind of situation was this? Yan Canghai’s mind became a whirlwind of confusion.

Having stayed in Cang County for several years, far from the royal capital, Yan Canghai realized he could no longer comprehend the changes that had taken place in the world.

“Enough, stand down,” the young man in luxurious robes commanded.

At his words, the guard immediately withdrew his aura.

Chief Steward Wei’s body shook, nearly losing his balance, and sweat beaded on his forehead. Witnessing this, Yan Canghai’s heart trembled yet again.

The guard’s obedience showed that he was unquestionably loyal to Yan Tianhua.

“It seems I haven’t introduced them to Fourth Brother yet,” the young man said, as though reading Yan Canghai’s thoughts.

“These are the commanders of my personal guards, the elite of the Yan family, specially assigned by Elder Tian Lao to protect me.”

Guard commanders…

Did this mean all of these guards were Precelestial Realm cultivators?

Yan Canghai looked at the seemingly ordinary guards, his eyes filled with disbelief.

A sense of absurdity welled up within him. What had happened in the family while he was away from the capital?

The Yan family could now casually assign Precelestial Realm cultivators as guards to a prince—and not just one, but several at once.

And did Elder Tian Lao hold Yan Tianhua in such high regard that he would deploy so many Precelestial Realm cultivators to protect him?

At this moment, Yan Canghai finally understood why this Seventh Brother was so confident about his claim to ascend the throne. With Elder Tian Lao’s favor, this seemed more likely than not.

For a moment, Yan Canghai’s emotions became extremely complicated.

Seeing Yan Canghai’s expression, the young man in luxurious robes knew his intended effect of intimidation had succeeded and smiled faintly.

Turning to Chief Steward Wei, he said calmly, “Chief Steward Wei, go back and tell your Patriarch that this prince is very displeased.

If he wishes to earn my forgiveness, he must bring sufficient sincerity and personally offer me an apology.

Otherwise, I assure you, the Wei Family will find no foothold within Yan Kingdom.”

“Yes, Seventh Prince. I will report this to the Patriarch at once,” Chief Steward Wei replied respectfully, understanding the wisdom of yielding to immediate circumstances.

“Oh, and one more thing,” the young man added. “I heard that your Wei Family possesses a treasure that once drew the attention of the Tian Cang Sect from the northern frontier.

Relay to your Patriarch that if he includes this treasure in his offering, I might forgive this offense and even grant him a chance to pledge allegiance to me.”

Chief Steward Wei finally understood. The Seventh Prince’s intent from the beginning was to target the Wei Family.

The so-called banquet was merely an excuse. Even if the Patriarch had attended, the prince would have found another reason to demand the treasure.

Understanding this, Chief Steward Wei calmed down internally. He knew exactly whose hands the treasure was in now.

Yet, he showed no signs of this realization, remaining respectful. “Understood. I will make sure the Patriarch knows.”

At this point, Yan Canghai’s thoughts stirred. He recalled the connection between the Wei Family and a certain individual.

As he debated whether to warn the prince, a calm voice suddenly echoed in the room.

“There’s no need to trouble the Patriarch. The treasure is in my hands. The question is, do you dare to take it?”

“Who is that?”

“What?”

The sudden voice shocked everyone present, especially the Precelestial Realm guards, whose expressions shifted in alarm.

None of them had sensed anyone approaching.

In the next moment, an even more shocking sight unfolded. A figure appeared in the room, and none of them saw how he had entered.

The guards immediately placed themselves in front of the young prince, their vigilance at its peak.

“Lu Xiaolangjun!” Chief Steward Wei exclaimed in delight, recognizing the newcomer instantly.

“Lu Xiaolangjun!” Yan Canghai was equally stunned.

He had just been thinking about this individual, and now here he was, appearing as if summoned by thought.

“And who might you be?” the young man asked, his surprise masked by his confidence. Seeing that the intruder was a youth who seemed even younger than himself, he quickly regained composure.

“It doesn’t matter who I am,” Lu Qing replied indifferently. “You wanted the Wei Family’s treasure, didn’t you? Here it is. Let’s see if you dare to take it.”

Lu Qing extended his hand, revealing a thumb-sized ancient cauldron in his palm.

“Is that the treasure?”

Although the young prince didn’t understand how the Wei Family’s treasure ended up with Lu Qing, the sight of the cauldron immediately captured his attention.

Though small, the ancient cauldron emanated a peculiar and extraordinary aura.

For the Precelestial Realm guards, the artifact’s faint Law-infused essence was unmistakable.

“This cauldron is an incredibly rare treasure!” one of the guards whispered to the prince through a secret technique. “It might even be a legendary spiritual artifact. If we can seize it and present it to Elder Tian Lao, he will be delighted!”

“A spiritual artifact?” The prince’s heart skipped a beat.

Though his cultivation had only reached the peak of the Internal Organs Realm, he had a solid understanding of cultivation matters. Especially after receiving Elder Tian Lao’s favor, he had gained significant knowledge about the path of cultivation.

Realizing the immense value of the cauldron, his thoughts raced. Yet outwardly, he remained composed, turning to Yan Canghai with a smile.

“This young hero is a friend of Fourth Brother? Such a remarkable talent. Why haven’t you introduced him to me?”

However, his smile froze when he noticed Yan Canghai’s complex expression, as though he was hesitating to warn him about something.