Chu Yun had long been prepared for this. "Father, I truly do not know what happened either. At a certain moment, I entered the wondrous state of enlightenment."
"When I woke up, my cultivation had broken through to the Early Golden Core Realm."
Chu Yun's answer was not a particularly good explanation.
But since he attributed everything to enlightenment, no one could investigate further.
"Oh? Breaking through a realm through enlightenment? This is the first time I've heard of such a thing." The Great Xia Emperor revealed a meaningful smile and spoke unhurriedly.
"I find it somewhat hard to understand as well. Perhaps I was simply lucky." Chu Yun replied without so much as a blush or a racing heartbeat.
"Yun'er, then what about your talent? An Early Golden Core Realm cultivator defeating someone at the Golden Core Realm Peak—I can't tell you how shocked I was when I heard the news!"
Consort Shi spoke up then. Her face was brimming with pride and joy. Because of Chu Yun's outstanding talent, this mother had been in a wonderful mood ever since learning of it.
"Mother, my talent is the same as my cultivation. Both came from enlightenment. Your son truly does not know how to explain it in detail. That feeling... was very profound and mysterious."
Since he had pushed everything onto enlightenment, he might as well carry the act through to the end.
"So that was it." Consort Shi nodded as if she had suddenly understood.
"Yun'er, your talent and cultivation have improved so astonishingly. I am happy for you."
"But I must also advise you: before you have completely gained a firm foothold, it is best not to reveal everything. Do you understand?" the Emperor warned.
There were many people in this Imperial City watching Chu Yun.
If Chu Yun displayed his edge too openly, those people would only feel threatened, perhaps even afraid.
And once that happened, they would surely stop at nothing to kill Chu Yun.
The true culprit behind his disappearance all those years ago had still not been found.
This showed just how deep the waters of the Imperial City ran!
"Rest assured, Father. The reason I used the alias Xiao Yan was precisely because of this." Chu Yun answered with a serious expression.
"Enough, enough."
"Yun'er has grown up. He has his own ideas about everything now, so let us not interfere."
"Yun'er, quickly tell your father and mother what you went through all those years while you were alone outside."
As a mother, Consort Shi was even more curious about what her son had experienced during all those years after he went missing.
Chu Yun then gradually recounted his experiences, beginning from his earliest memories...
The group chatted for nearly two hours. In the end, Chu Yun asked the Emperor for five hundred mansion guards to protect the Prince's Mansion, and the Emperor agreed without a second word.
Afterward, Chu Yun finished lunch with them before leaving the palace with Luo Feng.
"Breaking through a realm through enlightenment—what do you think?"
In the palace gardens, the Emperor looked at Consort Shi and her elder brother, smiling meaningfully.
"Everyone has their secrets. Since he does not wish to speak of it, there is no need for us elders to dig to the roots and pry into the bottom of things."
"We only need to know that, no matter what, he is still your son—the Imperial Prince of the Great Xia Dynasty." Asura Venerable answered calmly.
Who were the three of them? Naturally, Chu Yun's outrageous excuse could not fool them.
Fortunately, they were all rather open-minded. Knowing that Chu Yun did not wish to speak, they did not press further.
"That child may look all smiles on the surface, but he carries quite a few worries in his heart."
"I heard from Atai that he has already begun planning to investigate what happened back then." Consort Shi's face was full of concern.
Asura Venerable's expression turned stern as he looked at the Emperor. "Your Majesty, if Yun'er investigates on his own, sooner or later he will trace it back to that mother and son."
"Since that is the case, rather than let Yun'er fall into danger, why don't we make the first move?"
A trace of gloom passed through the depths of the Emperor's eyes. "Dealing with her alone would be easy, but the connections behind her... tug one hair, and the whole body moves. I fear the entire Imperial City would be thrown into chaos."
"Then if I call that old man over, would that still not be enough?" Asura Venerable's tone grew heavier.
The Great Xia Emperor shook his head. "Shura, I understand how you feel, but you must know that I want to eradicate them even more than you do. Yet her connections within the court and the royal family are far from simple..."
Upon hearing this, Asura Venerable said nothing more.
Consort Shi also looked grave. For Her Majesty to find it so thorny, the web of connections involved had to be beyond imagination.
Beneath the palace walls.
Chu Yun and Luo Feng were heading toward the palace gates.
"Commander Luo!!"
At that moment, a voice called out to them.
The two stopped.
Not far away, a young man wearing a five-clawed python robe and a handsome youth dressed in splendid brocade were slowly approaching.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"Third Prince."
Upon seeing the two approaching, Luo Feng slightly lowered his head in salute.
Chu Yun immediately understood their identities as well.
The one in the python robe was Crown Prince Chu Rong.
The other, dressed in brocade, was Third Prince Chu Yuan.
Their features were five parts alike. They truly deserved to be called brothers born of the same mother.
Crown Prince Chu Rong was the eldest, with a mature and steady temperament.
Third Prince Chu Yuan, on the other hand, still possessed the vigor of youth and an air of looking down upon everything beneath heaven.
"Commander Luo, there is no need for such formality."
"This must be Ninth Brother, I presume?"
Crown Prince Chu Rong looked at Chu Yun and smiled warmly.
"Chu Yun greets Eldest Brother and Third Brother."
With a smiling face, Chu Yun cupped his hands toward the two of them.
"Ninth Brother, there is no need for such formalities between us brothers."
"I heard Ninth Brother had returned. Third Brother and I were both overjoyed."
"As your elder brother, I ought to make some preparations. Three days from now, I will hold a banquet at the Eastern Palace. It will serve as a celebration of our brothers' reunion. I will call Seventh Brother and Fifth Brother as well, and introduce them all to you while we are at it!"
The Crown Prince extended the invitation with exceptional enthusiasm.
"Eldest Brother is most thoughtful."
"Since that is the case, I will certainly be there in three days." Chu Yun nodded.
"Good, then it is settled!" The Crown Prince smiled happily.
After that, Chu Yun and Luo Feng left through the palace gates and headed toward the Prince's Mansion.
"Your Highness, are you certain you wish to attend the Eastern Palace banquet?" Luo Feng spoke softly as they walked down the street.
"Do you think it will be a Hongmen Banquet?" Chu Yun smiled as though nothing had happened.
Luo Feng spoke bluntly. "The Crown Prince invited you himself. If blood is shed, he will not be able to clean up the mess."
"Exactly."
"He does not have that kind of nerve yet."
"My guess is that he did not invite me there to deal with me. Eight or nine times out of ten, he wants to probe me."
"Perfect. He wants to test me, and I want to test him as well. I can also take the chance to meet my other brothers."
After Chu Yun returned to the residence, the five hundred mansion guards dispatched by the Emperor also arrived.
After Chu Yun reviewed them, the result was still acceptable.
Among the five hundred soldiers, one was in the Nascent Soul Realm, ten were in the Golden Core Realm, and most of the rest were in the Qi Gathering Realm and the Profound Transformation Realm.
Before you continue