"Strange."

Li Mo descended from mid-air as the mist around him dispersed, only to find the Happy Lamb Hot Pot restaurant completely deserted—not a single soul in sight.

Just moments ago, from a distance, the place had seemed bustling with business.

Frowning, he landed on the ground and noticed two figures sitting at the entrance, their backs blocking the light streaming in from outside.

His Celestial Fate Eye activated instinctively.

[Name: Jiang Yu]

[Age: 22]

[Constitution: True Dragon Body, Emperor’s Sword Bone (incomplete ownership).]

[Realm: Nine-Aperture Insight.]

At this point, the information displayed by the Celestial Fate Eye flickered briefly.

This was the most complex fate color Li Mo had ever seen through his Celestial Fate Eye.

Gold, tinged with a thread of red.

Normally, this would signify a transformation in fate, possibly heralding a turn for the better.

But the red within the gold carried a faint hint of gray—even black.

After a pause, the Celestial Fate Eye finally delivered its judgment.

[Evaluation: Possessing the same constitution as the founding Emperor Wu, destined for an unrivaled path, bearing the fortune of a dynasty. Yet, as he rose by Great Yu, so too shall he fall by it...]

[Recent Events: Discovered that Jiang Chulong, from whom he had long taken the Sword Bone, now shows signs of regrowing it. Seeks to test how far she has progressed.]

How was he testing her?

Li Mo’s expression darkened. He could already hear the sounds from inside—like the bamboo rod strikes he endured as a child, but far more brutal.

He stepped into the hot pot restaurant.

Just in time to see the pink-robed maid’s withered willow switch whistling through the air before landing with a crack.

Jiang Chulong’s body was covered in fresh lash marks, her new clothes stained with blood. The pink-skirted girl struck viciously—breaking skin without damaging the fabric.

In that instant, fury blazed in Li Mo’s chest, his hair practically standing on end.

But he didn’t lose control. Instead, he plucked a strand of hair, letting it drift into the restaurant’s backyard, then flicked out a perfectly round Mirage Spirit Pearl with his fingers.

"Get out."

Jiang Yu’s double-pupiled eyes turned toward him, while the green-robed woman beside him spoke with icy disdain.

But no matter how cold her expression, it couldn’t match the frost in Li Mo’s gaze.

"I own this place."

"Big Brother Li..."

Seeing Li Mo enter, Jiang Chulong’s lips trembled, damp spots appearing on the cloth tied around her wounds.

"Chulong, hit her back. No need to hold back."

Li Mo’s voice was soft, yet every word rang clear.

"Hah..."

The pink-skirted woman sneered as if hearing a joke. Even if this were the Hidden Dragon Ranking’s fourth-ranked genius, let alone a mere hot pot restaurant owner, not even the lord of the Eastern Barren Domain or a provincial governor would dare interfere with her actions.

Besides, Jiang Chulong was already crippled—no different from a common serving boy in a tavern.

With a flick of her wrist, the withered willow switch tore through the air with a shrill whistle, aimed straight at Jiang Chulong’s face.

If it landed, that delicate oval face would be ruined.

Yet, when Jiang Chulong met Li Mo’s calm gaze, her panicked heart inexplicably settled.

Big Brother Li said she could fight back.

Bolstered by his confidence, she resolutely raised her peach blossom branch.

Snap!

The sword intent within the peach blossom branch was unyielding and razor-sharp, slicing the willow switch clean in half before surging upward.

The pink-robed woman’s sleeve was shredded, droplets of blood trickling down.

Stunned, she hadn’t expected the meek Jiang Chulong to wield such startling ferocity.

Jiang Yu’s double pupils flickered violently. With a glance, he signaled the green-robed swordswoman beside him, who promptly tossed her sheathed blade forward.

It was a spiritual weapon.

The pink-robed woman caught the sword and counterattacked.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

For a moment, the hot pot restaurant was filled with flashing sword lights and overlapping shadows. Neither side used their cultivation—this was purely a contest of swordsmanship.

And the result?

The swordmaiden from the Heavenly Mountain Sword Manor was thoroughly outmatched by the little princess.

Suddenly, the pink-robed swordmaiden’s movements became as fluid as a butterfly’s, her spiritual weapon blazing with sword radiance.

This strike carried an intent like a river descending from the heavens, bearing a faint resemblance to the Horizontal Cloud Sword Intent.

Even without tapping into her cultivation, this sword could overwhelm warriors at the Internal Breath Realm.

Faced with this domineering, terrifying strike, Jiang Chulong didn’t retreat—she advanced.

The peach blossom branch in her hand seemed to erupt with dozens, even hundreds, of sword gleams, one of them shining purer, brighter, and more unshakable than the rest.

A flash of light—

The spiritual sword in the pink-robed woman’s hand was sent flying, embedding itself into the ground hilt-first.

Had she held on a moment longer, her fingers would have been severed.

But Jiang Chulong’s peach blossom branch didn’t stop—because Big Brother Li had said not to hold back.

Now disarmed, the pink-robed swordmaiden grew increasingly frantic, reduced to dodging and weaving.

To put it plainly, she couldn’t even fight back—just flee from the onslaught.

"Enough!"

Jiang Yu rose to his feet.

"Not enough!"

Li Mo met those double pupils without flinching.

"Your status may be noble, but this establishment has its rules."

Jiang Yu stood, his twin pupils devoid of anger.

He was genuinely scrutinizing this self-proclaimed hot pot restaurant owner—ranked fourth on the Hidden Dragon Ranking.

"Her martial arts—are they your doing?"

"They are. What of it?"

"You’ve committed a capital offense!"

Jiang Yu’s aura surged, manifesting a vast divine intent.

A golden dragon, its horns proud and scales radiant, coiled through the air, an imperial sword clenched in its jaws.

Beneath its spiraling form, the silhouette of a magnificent city loomed.

Was it the imperial capital?

Perhaps.

Divine Sword, Golden Dragon, Suppressing the Mortal Realm.

If this city fully materialized, Jiang Yu would break through to the Inner Scenery Realm. But even now, the divine intent of his Nine-Aperture Insight pressed down, enveloping the surrounding fifty miles in an imperious, sacred pressure.

All within that range felt an inexplicable dread, their knees buckling as if compelled to kneel and kowtow, unable to lift their heads.

The dragon’s roar seemed to pierce the heavens.

---

Qingyuan Sect.

Main Peak, Grand Hall.

The elders were in session. Seated in the sect master’s chair, Shangguan Wencang puffed on his pipe before speaking slowly:

"His Highness the Crown Prince is coming. We must present Qingyuan Sect’s finest demeanor—each peak fulfilling its role, demonstrating stable, positive development."

Ahem. "Rare Beast Peak still lacks a new peak master. The hygiene conditions for the exotic beasts require improvement. After this meeting, organize the disciples for a thorough cleaning."

"Dan Ding Peak has achieved a breakthrough in external alchemy techniques. Though only Li Mo has succeeded thus far, it has expanded our horizons and pioneered new methods. We can highlight this research for His Highness."

"Ruyi Peak has also explored innovations in painting. Disciple Ouyang’s ‘animated art’ technique has made Insight Diagrams more dynamic, accelerating the cultivation progress of Insight Realm disciples. This could potentially spread across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths."

"Oh, and tell Ouyang to stash his… hobbies. Wouldn’t want His Highness mistaking Ruyi Peak for some illicit operation..."

"Any other matters to address?"

Shangguan Wencang finished, cleared his throat, and sipped from his teacup.

Elder Hanhe raised a hand:

"I propose we lock up Elder Shangwu first."

"She bites. If she slaps His Highness twice, we’re in trouble."

This was also a rather constructive suggestion.

However, locking her up probably wouldn’t work, so everyone decided to get her some good wine instead—enough to keep her drunk for three to five days.

Just as they were discussing it—

Roar!

From the depths of the unseen, a dragon’s roar echoed, so terrifying it made one’s legs go weak.

"This divine aura... could it be the Crown Prince?"

"Why has he unleashed his divine intent?"

"Could he have encountered some lawless fool who dared provoke him? Lately, Purple Sun Prefecture has indeed been crawling with all sorts of unruly characters..."