Shenying Marquis Manor

In the heart of Zhenyou City lay the most prosperous part of all You Province.

At the end of the main street stood a striking manor. A group of guards clad in black armor stood before its gates, long spears in hand and solemn expressions on their faces.

Looking up, one could see four large golden characters inscribed upon the plaque above the gates: Shenying Marquis Manor. The strokes were forceful and sharp, carrying an air of majesty and faint arrogance.

Within the courtyard of Shenying Marquis Manor, a woman stood alone in a place resembling a training ground. Dressed in fitted black martial attire, she looked utterly free and unrestrained. Several strands of silver were clearly visible amid her coiled hair.

A silver-white spear stood beside her. Its tip gleamed with a chilling light beneath the sun, radiating cold killing intent.

Yuan Tiangang appeared behind the woman. He made no move, merely watched her quietly.

Shenying Marquis Wang Hanying was one of Yuan Tiangang's primary objectives in coming to You Province. If she submitted, the situation in You Province would be ninety percent settled.

She had risen to prominence during the Battle of Yunzhou eighty years ago, riding on horseback with spear in hand through sixty-four battles of every size without a single defeat. After the Battle of Yunzhou ended, her outstanding military achievements earned her the title of Shenying Marquis.

Fifty years ago, by the late emperor's grace, she was additionally named Great General Suppressing You. She came to You Province, took command of the Youzhou Grand Camp—one of Dagan's six great camps—and led four hundred thousand soldiers of the You Province Border Army, guarding You Province against Great Feng.

More than thirty years ago, the Battle of Youzhou erupted, and Dagan won a sweeping victory.

At that time, the late emperor had passed away, and the newly enthroned Emperor Gan, Chu Tianxiong, had only just ascended the throne. Wang Hanying already possessed exceptional military merit and had just won the Battle of Youzhou, so she was specially granted hereditary succession to Shenying Marquis Manor for three generations.

The name Shenying Marquis Wang Hanying once more shook the world. As a woman, she had been granted a marquisate with hereditary succession for three generations. Two great wars had forged her legend, inspiring countless women to admire and emulate her.

They yearned to become women like Shenying Marquis herself, yet how many Wang Hanyings could there be in this world?

Wang Hanying had also suffered severe injuries in that Battle of Youzhou. From then on, she relinquished her marquis title, and her son Wang Long became the current Shenying Marquis.

Although she had rarely appeared in recent decades, her reputation in You Province was far too great and her prestige too high. Even across all of Dagan, in terms of military influence alone, Wang Hanying ranked among the foremost.

With her stepping forward, taking control of the You Province Border Army would be effortless. Without her, having Yuan Tiangang seek out the people below one by one would be far too troublesome.

Well, the Shenying Marquis title itself was unimportant. Dagan had plenty of marquises; how many could truly catch Yuan Tiangang's eye? What mattered was the position of Great General Suppressing You, and the authority to command the four hundred thousand soldiers of the Youzhou Grand Camp.

Her hand stroked the spearhead, and recollection flashed through the woman's weathered eyes, as though those days still lay before her.

After watching for a while, Yuan Tiangang had just turned to leave when the woman showed a strange expression. She retreated several steps, spun the spear in her hand, and leveled its tip directly at him.

"Who are you?"

Looking at the masked man before her, Wang Hanying was astonished. Though injured, she was still at the Mid Ascension Realm. How had this man simply appeared behind her?

She had sensed no movement whatsoever, nor had any trace of aura leaked out.

Yuan Tiangang took out a token and tossed it to Wang Hanying.

Upon catching it and looking at it, Wang Hanying's pupils contracted.

It was forged from dark gold, engraved with a golden dragon pattern. The character Chu stood at the dragon's head, suppressing all under heaven.

Examining the many secret patterns upon it, Wang Hanying immediately knew this was a token of the Dagan Imperial Clan. With Chu at the dragon's head, it was also the personal token of a prince.

For collateral branches of the Imperial Clan, the dragon's tail through body would be arranged in sequence.

For the emperor, nine dragons encircled Chu, with Heaven carved upon the reverse.

Yet on the back of this token was a single wild character: "Arrogance."

Wang Hanying sighed inwardly. She understood. Prince of Qin—this lord had sent someone here so early.

Prince of Qin's Manor was being built in Hanshan Prefecture City, and news of this had spread throughout You Province. No, this man's reputation had long since spread across You Province.

That line, "To die beneath peony flowers, and remain romantic even as a ghost," had long been spread across the land by scholars and poets.

At eleven years old, he had visited pleasure houses and written such a line. This man ought to have been famous throughout every nation. In terms of reputation, even Wang Hanying herself fell short of him.

Of course, anyone with clear eyes knew that his fame was not entirely due to Your Highness himself. There had naturally been no shortage of forces secretly pushing matters along.

But it would be impossible to say he had nothing to do with it at all, would it not?

Since the news of his fief in Hanshan Prefecture spread, the number of elegant establishments in Hanshan Prefecture had increased considerably these days. Compared with this formidable pass, Zhenyou City, they likely numbered no fewer.

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Suddenly, the Imperial Clan token in Wang Hanying's hand flew free and returned to Yuan Tiangang's hand.

Yuan Tiangang spoke in a deep voice.

"Have you seen it clearly?"

Looking at the masked man before her, Wang Hanying's expression turned grave. She had not seen through that move just now. No aura had leaked out, nor had there been any trace of circulating energy. She asked,

"May I ask why Prince of Qin sent you to my Shenying Marquis Manor?"

True energy gathered in Yuan Tiangang's palm, containing boundless power of heaven and earth. Its aura was domineering, radiating a presence that made one's heart tremble.

When Wang Hanying sensed that power, her face filled with shock, and she cried out,

"The might of heaven and earth—the Celestial Phenomenon Realm."

There could be no mistake. As true energy condensed in the masked man's hand, it carried endless pressure from heaven and earth. It was as though every move he made merged with the world itself, making others feel insignificant and utterly unable to resist.

It was exactly the same as the power she had sensed from afar during the Battle of Yunzhou, perhaps even more terrifying.

That was not the power of the Ascension Realm. Only experts of the Celestial Phenomenon Realm could wield the might of heaven and earth.

The man before her was absolutely a Celestial Phenomenon Realm expert. Judging solely by the aura he had revealed, he was likely even stronger than the one from Duke Fu's Mansion whom she had seen in the past.

Though now, she did not know for certain. The snowstorm that had once blanketed Tiandu City had melted because of one person, and news of it had naturally spread everywhere.

Ordinary people only felt that the heavens had changed and celestial phenomena had become strange.

But among the highest circles of power, everyone naturally knew that the Celestial Phenomenon Realm ancestor of Duke Fu's Mansion had advanced another step. Though Wang Hanying was in You Province, the news had still reached her.

Upon hearing Wang Hanying call him a Celestial Phenomenon Realm expert, Yuan Tiangang paid it no mind. Naturally, let her think so.

He had merely revealed a wisp of his aura and had not truly exerted himself.

Moreover, the gap in realms was too vast. Those who had not entered the ranks of the Heavenly Realm could not distinguish between the power of the Celestial Phenomenon Realm and the Heavenly Being Realm.

They could only sense that it was power belonging to heaven and earth, not something mortals possessed.

With a wave of his hand, the true energy in Yuan Tiangang's palm dispersed.

Looking at the masked man before her, Wang Hanying found his gaze deep and cold, yet dignified and domineering, making people afraid to meet his eyes.

For a moment, Wang Hanying was stunned and could not regain her senses for a long while.

The Celestial Phenomenon Realm! She had encountered one again.

But unlike before, this Celestial Phenomenon Realm expert had come looking for her.

Prince of Qin—

Was he not supposed to be a wastrel prince who only knew how to indulge himself?

Did his manor not have only a few Ascension Realm experts?

A single step between realms made an immeasurable difference.

In the Martial World, the Celestial Phenomenon Realm stood among the absolute elite. Even across the world, such experts could roam freely and dominate wherever they went. So long as the Heavenly Being Realm did not emerge, they were invincible.

And such a man was willing to follow Prince of Qin's commands, coming here for Prince of Qin's affairs.

"So, Shenying Marquis, have you made your decision?"

Hearing Yuan Tiangang's voice, Wang Hanying came back to herself. A bitter smile appeared on her face. Prince of Qin had sent a Celestial Phenomenon Realm expert here; his intention could not have been clearer.

Wang Hanying twisted both hands. A sound like machinery turning came from within her spear. With a click, the silver spear transformed into a short rod just over twenty centimeters long, which she slipped into her sleeve.

She raised her right hand and pointed toward the main hall. Lowering her head slightly and bowing at the waist, she made a welcoming gesture and said respectfully,

"Please proceed to the main hall, Senior. I will brew a pot of good tea, and we can discuss matters in detail. How does that sound?"

Yuan Tiangang glanced at Wang Hanying, then strode toward the main hall in the courtyard with the bearing of a dragon and tiger.