Wu Yuan's Arrival

Although Xiao Wu and Tang San were a little curious, they both obediently nodded in response:

"Yes, Master."

"Understood, Uncle Fu."

Fu Shiyan led Dai Tianyu, whose expression was slightly solemn and who remained silent, towards the front yard.

He didn't open the door himself. Instead, with a slight thought, an inconspicuous green plant beside the gate suddenly extended its branches, like nimble fingers, and gently unlatched the door.

"Squeak--"

The courtyard gate opened.

Outside the door stood a middle-aged man dressed in dark, close-fitting clothes, with a long sword at his waist, and an aura as deep and unfathomable as a bottomless pit.

His face was resolute, his eyes sharp, and his posture upright like a pine tree; it was Wu Yuan.

When his gaze fell on Fu Shiyan, and especially when he saw Dai Tianyu standing beside him, Wu Yuan's sharp eyes instantly erupted with uncontrollable excitement and relief, which then turned into even deeper respect.

Without hesitation, he knelt on one knee, placed his right fist over his left chest at heart level, and performed a perfectly standard Star Luo Empire military salute. His head was bowed deeply, and his voice trembled slightly with excitement as he said:

"This old servant Wu Yuan, greets the Young Master! Greetings, Mr. Fu!"

Fu Shiyan remained calm, raising her hand to support Wu Yuan, and a gentle yet irresistible Soul Power steadily lifted him up.

"Commander Wu, there's no need for such formalities."

His gaze swept across the quiet street outside the door, and he said in a low voice:

"This is not the place to talk. Follow me."

Having said that, he turned and led the way to the main hall in the courtyard, which was used for receiving guests and discussing matters.

Dai Tianyu pursed his lips, glanced at Wu Yuan, and followed Fu Shiyan.

Wu Yuan immediately followed closely behind, his steps steady, but his gaze never left Dai Tianyu's back. His eyes were incredibly complex, filled with concern, relief, and heavy worry.

The three quickly entered the main hall. Fu Shiyan casually waved her hand, and the hall door closed silently. A very faint bluish-gold halo flashed across the doors and windows, isolating the sounds from inside and outside.

Fu Shiyan walked to the ebony chair in the main seat and sat down, her posture steady, her gaze calm as she looked at Wu Yuan.

Wu Yuan stopped, his chest rising and falling slightly from the hurried journey.

He glanced quickly at Dai Tianyu, and after confirming that he was unharmed, he immediately turned to Fu Shiyan.

His usual composure had been shattered, replaced by tension, urgency, and a near-reckless determination.

He took a deep breath, faced Fu Shiyan, clasped his hands in a fist and spoke in a deep voice:

"Mr. Fu, Young Master, something's happened! Duke Zhu Moyuan of the Star Luo Empire Duke of Nether has come looking for me."

Dai Tianyu stood behind Fu Shiyan and frowned immediately upon hearing Wu Yuan's words.

But he didn't speak; he simply raised his eyes and looked in the direction of his master.

Wu Yuan then continued:

"Just three days ago, he came alone, dressed in plain clothes, directly to the backyard of the Blacksmith Shop where I was hiding."

"The moment the door closed, the first thing he asked me was if I remembered that I was the personal guard of the Tianxing King."

He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing, then continued:

I brushed it off, saying that the prince had passed away many years ago, and it was all old news. He sighed along with me, then suddenly asked me...

At this point, Wu Yuan suddenly lowered his voice, speaking almost word by word, "He asked me if I knew someone named ' Dai Tianyu '."

After saying this, Wu Yuan glanced at Dai Tianyu with a complicated expression.

As soon as the name "Dai Tianyu" was uttered, Dai Tianyu's fingers, which were gripping the hem of his clothes, tightened suddenly.

He pursed his lips, his gaze fixed intently on Fu Shiyan, unblinking.

Fu Shiyan sat as still as a pine tree, only her index finger, which was resting on the armrest, twitched almost imperceptibly.

Wu Yuan continued, his tone still carrying the shock and trepidation of being caught off guard:

"I said I'd never heard of it. He smiled, walked to the old tree in the yard, and said to me with his back to me, 'Then I might be mistaken. But there's something even stranger.'"

Wu Yuan's breathing became noticeably heavier as he spoke. He stared at Fu Shiyan, as if drawing strength from her, before squeezing out the last sentence:

He turned around, looked at me, and said clearly, "I've heard that this Dai Tianyu has a very special Martial Soul. It's... the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger."

After he finished speaking, the council chamber fell into a deathly silence.

Dai Tianyu's body stiffened.

This secret, like a heavy brand, was easily revealed by a stranger.

A wave of confusion and unease washed over him, and he subconsciously took half a step toward Fu Shiyan, his toes almost touching the chair leg.

All emotions and questions were transformed into a dependent gaze directed towards the master.

Fu Shiyan's eyebrows furrowed into a barely perceptible, tiny curve.

His gaze deepened as he looked at Wu Yuan, and slowly spoke, his voice steady yet tinged with a hint of doubt:

How did he know?

A look of mixed regret and lingering fear flashed across Wu Yuan's face, and his tone became agitated:

"I don't know! Mr. Fu, I have absolutely no idea! I was completely stunned at the time, and without thinking, I blurted out, 'You know this?!'"

As he spoke, he clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white.

"The moment the words left my mouth, I knew I was in trouble! It was like admitting guilt without being asked!"

"Zhu Moyuan came prepared; he definitely has solid, incredibly accurate information!"

"I dare say this is something that couldn't be obtained through ordinary investigation! For the Zhu Family to know this..."

Wu Yuan's voice trembled as he voiced the worst possible guess, "That Emperor Dai Yuanbin in the Star Luo Palace, has he... also heard the rumors?"

The words "Your Majesty" were like a piece of ice, thrown into the stagnant air.

Dai Tianyu felt a chill creep up his spine.

He didn't quite understand the complex power struggles, but he knew what "Your Majesty" meant, especially after learning more about his background from his master recently.

He leaned closer to the seat, as if the solid wood could provide a barrier.

Fu Shiyan's face remained largely unchanged after hearing this.

He paused for a moment, then spoke again, asking the core question:

"What does he want by pointing all this out?"

Wu Yuan forced himself to calm down and followed up on Fu Shiyan's question, recalling the events before answering:

"When he saw my loss of composure, he laughed and said he wasn't there to pursue past matters, just to confirm something. When I calmed down and asked him what he really wanted, he told me directly."

Wu Yuan recounted Zhu Moyuan's words at the time, his tone complex. "He said, 'I want to see him, Dai Tianyu.'"

Upon hearing this, Dai Tianyu's face tightened even more.

Wu Yuan continued, "I immediately refused, saying that the Young Master was not in the Star Luo Empire and did not want to return. He said, however, that he was not forcing the Young Master to return to compete for the throne, but that there were some things that needed to be confirmed in person."

"He also said..." Wu Yuan's voice deepened, with a heavy sense of inducement, and he said slowly, "'If the bloodline of King Tianxing is really still there, then the pattern of Xingluo will change."