"So big..."
Beside the busy official road, Ju Zi stared in amazement at Mingdu in the distance. Its prosperity far exceeded anything she had imagined.
"It's the largest city on the continent, so of course it's huge," Xu Lanqing added.
From the outside, the city was filled with towering buildings. One black building in particular stood nearly a hundred meters tall, towering far above the others.
Ju Zi pointed to the black building and asked curiously, "What's that?"
Xu Lanqing looked over. Well, he didn't know either. This was his first time leaving the palace, after all. He hadn't even strolled around the streets, let alone learned the names of the buildings.
"That's the Beimao Building, one of the tallest buildings in Mingdu. It has all kinds of shops, with just about everything you could want. It mainly serves ordinary people, though it also carries some items for Soul Masters. You could say it gets the most foot traffic on a typical day.
"There are four buildings like it, located in the east, south, west, and north. They're among Mingdu's landmarks."
Seeing Xu Lanqing's slight embarrassment, Jing Hongchen took over with a smile. He looked at the Beimao Building, a trace of awe in his eyes.
What he didn't mention was that the four buildings were far more than they seemed.
Xu Lanqing was speechless. What kind of idiot built a Trade Tower so tall? Did they have money to burn?
"All right, let's go in."
Xu Lanqing strode forward.
However, instead of joining the others in the long, snaking line to wait for their turn at the inspection checkpoint, he headed for a smaller one. It was reserved for the imperial family; he had used it when leaving the city.
He was a prince. Having a few privileges was only natural, right?
He suddenly turned to Lin Rou and Ju Zi and asked, "Do you have any plans after entering the city? Is there anything you need help with?"
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness, but this commoner still has some savings. I believe I can afford to buy a home near Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy. After that, I'll send Ju Zi to the academy to enroll in its preparatory program." Lin Rou shook her head and politely declined.
"Since that's the case, I wish you both the best of luck."
Xu Lanqing took out a finely carved, palm-sized rectangular token and handed it over.
"Keep this token. If you run into any trouble, you can bring it to the imperial palace and come find me."
"This... Thank you, Your Highness."
Lin Rou hesitated for a moment before accepting the token. She had already declined once; it wouldn't be right to refuse a second time.
After passing through the checkpoint, Xu Lanqing parted ways with them. He watched Ju Zi wave at him before she disappeared into the crowd, then climbed into the carriage that would take him to the imperial palace.
Inside the Imperial Study.
Xu Lanqing stood quietly before the desk, while the emperor sat behind it. The memorial in his hands glimmered faintly beneath the light of a Soul Guidance Lamp.
Although the emperor's eyes were on the memorial, his gaze made it clear that his thoughts were elsewhere. He had been sitting like that for a long time.
As soon as Xu Lanqing had returned to the imperial palace, he had gone to pay his respects to his father and recounted what had happened.
He had hesitated for a long time while telling the story, but in the end, he hadn't mentioned the Snow Empress. Instead, he'd given the same explanation he had given Jing Hongchen earlier.
It would probably come out eventually, but for now, he would keep it hidden for as long as he could. He would deal with the future when it came.
The emperor said nothing. Xu Lanqing didn't know what to say, either, so he just stood there awkwardly.
Xu Lanqing glanced at him a few times and noticed that the wrinkles on his face seemed more pronounced than before, and his complexion was even paler.
Could he be exhausted from overwork?
After a long while, the emperor raised a hand and rubbed the corner of his eye. His voice was hoarse. "Lan Qing."
"Your son is here."
"I've thought it over. Your situation is unusual. Since Ultimate Ice can't be given a Soul Ring, we can only find a way to deal with the problem through your Golden Dragon Martial Soul.
"The Xu family's legacy spans ten thousand years, so naturally we have a deep foundation. There may be a way to resolve the problem with your Golden Dragon Martial Soul, but it would be very dangerous.
"So, what will you choose?"
He looked up at Xu Lanqing, conflict in his eyes. He didn't want Xu Lanqing to go. He just wanted him to live a good life, to be a carefree prince and enjoy a lifetime of wealth and comfort.
But he knew how devastating it would be for someone to be unable to become a Soul Master.
And this person possessed one of the highest-level Martial Souls, yet could only sit atop a mountain of treasure without using it. Even the slightest hope would be enough for him to agree without hesitation.
"I'll go!"
Xu Lanqing answered almost without hesitation. It might have been presented as a choice, but this was his only path now. He had no idea when the Snow Empress would emerge, and he couldn't afford to waste time.
As expected.
So be it. Given his current circumstances, he couldn't be a carefree prince even if he wanted to.
The emperor sighed, then said to the guard beside him, "Take him to Elder Kong. Have Elder Kong lead him to the Ancestral Land."
"Yes!"
The guard answered and turned to lead the way.
"Your son takes his leave."
"Mm."
The emperor waved a hand without looking at him.
Xu Lanqing cupped his hands in a salute, then followed the guard out. As he crossed the threshold, he glanced back inside.
Beneath the Soul Guidance Lamp, the emperor seemed even more hunched than before. Xu Lanqing pressed his lips together without saying a word, then caught up with the guard.
After a series of twists and turns, they walked for nearly half an hour before reaching an unremarkable palace. No one stood guard outside.
The guard pushed the door open and went inside, then closed it behind him. Xu Lanqing followed close behind.
The hall was empty. Apart from a few supporting pillars, there was nothing else.
The guard walked to one of the pillars and placed a hand against it. Soul Power surged, and a small square metal platform appeared on its surface. The guard placed his hand on the platform and channeled Soul Power into it.
A moment later, a faint tremor passed through the floor. It was so slight that Xu Lanqing might not have noticed it if the hall hadn't been so quiet.
Then he stared in surprise at the center of the hall. A crack appeared in the floor and widened. A five-meter-tall metal cuboid rose from the ground, with what looked like a door on its front. It resembled a small room.
The guard lowered his hand, and the metal platform immediately retracted into the pillar, fitting so tightly that there was no sign anything had happened.
Then the guard led Xu Lanqing inside. The door closed, and Xu Lanqing suddenly felt weightless.
An elevator?
And the thing before that was probably unlocked by a fingerprint, perhaps with some other method he didn't know about.
Pretty high-tech.
He had no idea how far they had descended. As for the time, about two minutes had probably passed.
Besides Mingde Hall, he hadn't expected the imperial palace to have such a deep underground base.
"Click—"
The descent stopped, and the metal doors slid open to reveal a silvery-white metal corridor. Another metal door stood at the far end, and dazzling Soul Guidance Lamps lined the ceiling.
The guard led him onward. At the door, he entered a code on the keypad to its right, and the metal door slowly opened.
Xu Lanqing took a look. It had to be three or four meters thick, and it was made of composite metal, which made it even more durable.
He turned his gaze toward the interior, curiosity stirring.
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