The Ying Family’s ancestral home, now reduced to crumbling walls and ruins, retained only the ancestral hall that vaguely resembled its former state. A gaping hole in the roof allowed a shaft of daylight, mingled with snowflakes, to spill onto the statue of the family’s progenitor.

Before the statue stood the same incense burner, though two additional memorial tablets now rested on its shelf.

"Son, come offer incense to your Uncle and Aunt Ying."

"Coming."

Li Mo lit the incense sticks and bowed before the tablets. Suddenly, he felt an inexplicable sensation and raised his gaze to the statue of the Ying Family’s ancestor.

A fleeting ripple of collective spiritual energy had just passed, yet now everything seemed ordinary again.

The Southern Border’s Guardian Spirit Statue?

Back in his dream, Li Mo had been plagued by a burning question.

Ordinary households, even those of prominent clans, never enshrined ancestral statues with the kind of divine power capable of warding off mythical beasts like the Nian...

Li Mo studied the statue intently. Its face felt familiar, yet no matter how deeply he searched his memories, he couldn’t place it.

Just then, footsteps echoed behind him.

"Master?" Li Dalong’s voice called out.

"Hmm?"

Li Mo turned to see Xue Jing, dressed like an ordinary apothecary, standing in the snow outside the hall, smiling faintly.

Xue Jing hadn’t come alone.

Since Li Dalong’s master had arrived, so had Li Mo’s.

Shang Wu stood with arms crossed, chin slightly raised.

"Master, why have you come in person?" they both asked in unison.

"His Highness the Crown Prince arrived in Yunzhou yesterday and will soon reach Purple Sun Prefecture to personally commend Li Mo and Ying Bing," Xue Jing said with a chuckle.

"!"

Li Dalong froze, then abruptly straightened his posture.

Gu Xueqin pinched her husband’s waist, feeling as though she hadn’t fully woken up.

The Crown Prince of Great Yu—the future emperor—personally coming to bestow honors? The impact of this news hit the couple differently.

The Crown Prince of Great Yu, ranked first on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, the elder brother who had taken Chu Long’s sword bone...

Li Mo narrowed his eyes and stepped beside his master.

Shang Wu turned slightly away.

"I just tagged along with Elder Xue for a stroll. You’re a prodigy of the Hidden Dragon Ranking—how could I possibly measure up?"

"Master, every soldier in the Southern Border knows my victory was entirely due to the combat principles you taught me. Even though you weren’t there, the reputation of the ‘Brawler’s Code’ has surely spread across the entire region."

Shang Wu snorted but didn’t argue.

"By the way, Master, I have a proposal."

Li Mo retrieved a bottle of Golden Wind Baijiu and a thick red envelope from his system space, then declared solemnly:

"Let’s team up and take down that so-called Crown Prince."

"My precious disciple indeed! Kill him, and I’ll be the master of the Hidden Dragon Ranking’s top talent!"

Shang Wu took a swig of liquor, pleased that her disciple shared her thoughts. Her delicate features finally softened from their earlier irritation.

Master and disciple huddled together, whispering conspiratorially, occasionally letting out eerie chuckles.

Xue Jing: "..."

Li Dalong flicked his son’s forehead, only to wince—the boy’s head was as hard as iron.

"You rebellious brat! That’s the Crown Prince, the Emperor’s eldest son! Do you know how many crimes your words just warranted?"

"What’s so special about the Emperor’s son?"

Li Mo, raised under the Red Banner, muttered, "Who else could cut off the supply lines of the Greenwood City army and recall the Southern Suppressing King to the capital in such haste?"

Li Dalong’s expression stiffened.

After a moment of thought, the old man deflated, opening and closing his mouth without a word.

He turned to Ying Bing instead.

"Bing’er, don’t you think he’s being unreasonable?"

"The Crown Prince of Great Yu..."

The ice-cold girl pondered briefly before replying coolly:

"Him? Commend me?"

Li Dalong: "???"

Wait, I asked you to reprimand your disrespectful brother, not give him a textbook example of defiance!

Bing’er wasn’t usually like this. Though aloof by nature, she never spoke carelessly. How could she—

Li Dalong and Gu Xueqin exchanged glances.

Had their rotten son corrupted her?!

Elder Xue, long accustomed to Shang Wu and Li Mo’s antics, cleared his throat.

"Save the rebellious talk for private moments. Nominally, our Qingyuan Sect still owes its founding to the Great Ancestor’s decree. While we don’t submit to the court, we can’t outright ignore it."

"When the Crown Prince arrives, basic courtesy is necessary. At the very least, we must show up and maintain appearances. We should depart today."

With New Year’s Eve and birthdays behind them, the next few days would only involve relatives visiting and the parents’ mutual bragging sessions.

Besides, the daily spectacle of special effects bombarding Mount Rotten Chess wasn’t sustainable.

Thus, after lunch, the group prepared to return to Purple Sun Prefecture.

"To save time, I’ve borrowed Elder Qian’s warship."

Xue Jing tossed the treasured vessel into the Li family’s backyard.

"No need."

Li Mo smiled and summoned his Nimbus Cloud.

Now capable of carrying over a dozen people without teleportation, it was more than sufficient.

"What kind of martial art is this?!"

Xue Jing’s eyes widened slightly, though his expression remained composed as he nodded in approval.

The Nimbus Cloud ascended, soaring toward Purple Sun Prefecture.

The waving figures of his parents blurred, and soon even Qinghe County shrank into the distance before vanishing entirely.

As they rose above the clouds, even the snowflakes brushing their faces disappeared.

Three suns hung high in the sky, blazing down upon the sea of clouds below, leaving no place to hide.

"A pair of sunglasses would be nice," Li Mo mused.

Come to think of it, Princess Little Jiang’s eyes couldn’t bear direct sunlight, much like a certain ocular condition from his past life.

Wearing a cloth strip was inconvenient—sunglasses would be far better.

He’d have to measure Chu Long’s head size later.

"Li Mo, Ying Bing, you must have heard about the extraordinary phenomena at Mount Rotten Chess," Xue Jing transmitted via spiritual voice—ordinary speech was impossible at this altitude.

"..."

After a pause, Li Mo nodded. "I’ve heard a little. What about it, Elder Xue?"

Ying Bing pursed her lips, glanced at Li Mo, and sat quietly beside him without a word.

Xue Jing spoke gravely:

"The anomalies at Mount Rotten Chess are too conspicuous. Whatever lies within must be extraordinary, drawing the attention of major sects, hidden clans, and formidable rogue cultivators alike..."

"Are you saying our Qingyuan Sect, being small and insignificant, risks being caught in the crossfire?"

"..."

Elder Xue choked. Why did this kid have to state the obvious?

"Our ancestors were no ordinary figures..."

"To the point—the sect has decided to investigate Mount Rotten Chess. Are you and Ying Bing willing to go?"

"Of course. For the sect, I’ll do my part without hesitation."

Li Mo nodded earnestly and solemnly, leaning back slightly as his hand dropped naturally, just catching the small, icy fingers of the child.

Xue Jing seemed pleased with his response and smiled, saying:

"Lanke Mountain is a den of mixed characters. The sect leader and elders are uneasy about sending just the two of you there alone. So, after some deliberation, they came up with a convenient solution to ensure your safety."

"Take advantage of the Crown Prince’s personal visit—have him bring you along."