Insight I

Clear King Residence.

The rain drizzled on without end, dense threads of rain slanting in the wind and falling across the entire Clear King Residence.

The residence lay shrouded in gloom. Lanterns were lit here and there, but their shells were an eerie pitch-black; only faint glimmers of light seeped from their openings at the top and bottom.

There was no one at the main gate, not even guards watching it.

The entire surrounding district was even more deserted. Only the occasional passerby hurried past, and some even ran for their lives when passing this stretch of road.

Wearing a conical hat and a rain cape, Xiao Zhen slowly came to stand before the gates of the Clear King Residence.

His face was wrapped in thick gauze, and an extremely thick scarf was wound around his neck, perfectly concealing the strange appearance of his white crane head.

"This is the Clear King Residence?" Though Xiao Zhen had only gained intelligence recently, he was far from inexperienced. He had flown over many places before and seen countless people and things, so he was hardly narrow-minded or ignorant.

He knew very well just how great the power a prince could command was.

Yet this princely residence before him did not even have a single guard. That was exceedingly strange.

After thinking for a moment, he slowly circled to the side of the residence. With a light leap at the high wall, he nimbly passed over it and gently landed in the overgrown little garden within.

Wealthy households all liked to build such ornamental gardens, beautiful but of little practical use.

Xiao Zhen shook his head slightly and swept his gaze around, yet still saw no one.

"Strange." Steadying himself, he strode toward the residence's main building.

Rather than winding through the corridors