The main hall of the peak fell into an eerie silence.

The elders were first left bewildered, then some began pacing like ants on a hot pan, others sank into deep thought, and a few even wondered if it was too late to leave the sect now.

"You... slapped the Crown Prince's face?"

Qian Bufan stood dumbfounded, his beady eyes losing focus.

Li Mo cleared his throat. "Ahem, it's more of a figure of speech. Not literally."

Before the elders could sigh in relief, $2i Mo added, "Though it might be slightly worse than actually slapping him."

"??"

The elders nearly choked on their unshed breath, their vision darkening.

Shang Wu was already unrivaled in stirring up trouble, yet here was someone who outdid even her.

Who taught you to surpass the master in troublemaking?!

Sect Master Shangguan Wencang appeared relatively composed as he asked,

"What exactly happened?"

"Chu Long was being bullied by Jiang Yu's sword attendant, so I stepped in. That's how the conflict started."

Li Mo said, holding a vegetable basket.

Chu Long?

That delicate girl who worked at the Happy Lamb Hot Pot restaurant?

Hearing this, the elders could somewhat understand Li Mo's actions.

Besides, Jiang Yu didn’t have "Crown Prince of Great Yu" written on his forehead—seeing their own innocent girl bullied, anyone would react.

The elders often visited the hot pot shop and had noticed the girl’s extraordinary talent. Moreover, with Mei Yun, an Inner Realm expert, frequently by her side, they had guessed she was no ordinary person.

But they hadn’t known the specifics.

Shangguan Wencang spoke gravely, "Elaborate further."

Li Mo coughed lightly. "Chu Long... also shares the surname Jiang."

Also... Jiang?

A puzzle in the elders' minds was solved—why would the Crown Prince of Great Yu go out of his way to harass that girl?

Jiang Chulong... was she of the imperial family?

Yet new questions arose.

If she were a princess of Great Yu, why was she working as a waitress? And what complicated reason had led the Crown Prince to target her?

One thing was certain:

Li Mo had unwittingly stumbled into the whirlpool of imperial intrigue.

Even wealthy families had unfathomable depths—how much more treacherous were imperial affairs?

Elder Qian suggested, "Run. Don’t even pack. Flee to the Southern Border and never return to the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. Take Shang Wu with you."

"If I run, what about you all?" Li Mo shook his head.

Xue Jing sighed. "If the Crown Prince seeks retribution, it won’t matter whether you’re here or not."

"And what about that Profound Mystic expert?"

Elder Han He still remembered the lone lotus blooming in the vast sky.

"Perhaps it’s related to Chu Long’s master. I just happened to be there."

Li Mo tucked the Mirage Spirit Pearl back into his system space.

Shangguan Wencang, Qian Bufan, Xue Jing, Han He, and the other elders now had a rough understanding.

Jiang Chulong had a powerful master who initially refrained from bullying the younger generation, observing quietly until Li Mo intervened.

Only when Jiang Yu’s guardian acted did that hidden expert reveal themselves.

Clearly, they had no ties to the Qingyuan Sect.

Nor could they erase the fact that Li Mo had offended the Crown Prince.

"What should we do?" Elder Qian was at a loss.

No one answered—only the heavens knew.

If the Crown Prince pursued this, Li Mo’s only option was to flee, living the rest of his life under the hunt of the Sky Patrol Guards.

And what of the Qingyuan Sect?

Being held accountable for failing to discipline their disciple would be justified...

"For now... we wait and observe."

After a long silence, Shangguan Wencang finally spoke.

"Li Mo has just accomplished great deeds in the Southern Border, known throughout the land. By public justice, he cannot be casually punished."

"Proceed as usual within the sect."

"Tomorrow, we’ll first gauge Jiang Yu’s stance."

The elders continued deliberating, brainstorming solutions. Not one suggested handing their disciple over for judgment.

Warmth filled Li Mo’s heart.

"If it comes to it, we can relocate the entire Qingyuan Sect into a pocket realm."

"Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that."

......

Ziyang Prefecture City.

In the residence of the Lord of Ziyang Prefecture, Jiang Yu sat in the host’s seat, gently stroking a gleaming sword, his eyes narrowed in contemplation.

"Your Highness, the expert protecting that boy has no record in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. Their origins are completely unknown."

"They likely belong to no known faction—perhaps not even to this era."

The Thin Old Man seated beside him spoke.

In other words, the lotus-manifesting expert might be the boy’s master.

"Hm."

Jiang Yu neither confirmed nor denied, still caressing his sword. Suddenly, he frowned.

A streak of crimson slid down the blade—as if the divine sword itself was silently protesting.

"Your Highness!"

The Green-clothed Sword Attendant hurriedly fetched precious medicine to bandage his hand.

"That brat is too insolent! Just because he’s ranked fourth on the Hidden Dragon List and has a Profound Mystic master, he thinks he’s untouchable."

The Pink-clothed Woman, her arm bandaged, spoke bitterly.

Their assumption was natural.

From all appearances, that mysterious Profound Mystic expert had been shielding Li Mo.

And Li Mo was merely a disciple of a prefecture-level force in the Eastern Wasteland Domain—his rapid rise surely stemmed from extraordinary opportunities.

"You want me to kill him?"

Jiang Yu glanced sidelong at the Pink-clothed Woman, his dual-pupiled eyes scrutinizing.

As a maidservant, she was usually domineering, but today she had overstepped.

He had never ordered Jiang Chulong’s disfigurement.

The Pink-clothed Woman faltered, her tone softening. "This servant wouldn’t dare. It’s all for Your Highness to decide."

Jiang Yu said indifferently, "I won’t kill him. I’ll even grant him an official post."

"An official post?"

The two female attendants exchanged startled glances.

The Thin Old Man remarked calmly,

"His Highness is benevolent and magnanimous—how could he lack tolerance?"

"However... if that boy survives leaving Rotten Ke Mountain, he can count himself fortunate."

Jiang Yu would do nothing.

But there were those who would bend over backward to serve him, whether he needed it or not—all to curry favor with the future emperor.

Such as removing an eyesore.