Discovered in the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace

Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

The carriage slowed to a halt before the gates of Heaven Dou City.

Ji Ye lifted the carriage curtain and hopped down. He looked up at the towering city walls and the massive "Heaven Dou" characters inscribed above the gate before striding into the city.

He passed through the gate, navigated the bustling streets, took a few turns, and stopped before a majestic palace.

Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.

Ji Ye stood on the street outside the palace gates, gazing up at the tightly shut vermilion doors.

Ji Ye walked unhurriedly to the side, turning into a deserted alleyway.

The alley was narrow, its walls covered in moss. A few dilapidated wooden crates were piled on the ground, and the air was thick with a damp, musty odor.

He stopped, confirmed that no one was around, and slowly raised his right hand.

A transparent halo shimmered at his fingertips, causing the air to ripple in fine waves.

First Martial Soul, "Void."

Activate!

Spatial Channel.

The wall in front of him seemed to have a thin veil peeled away, revealing a translucent, circular passage.

On the other side of the channel, glimpses of magnificent golden palace architecture could be seen, the glazed tiles gleaming under the sunlight.

Ji Ye lifted his foot and stepped through.

The next second, he appeared at the end of a corridor inside the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.

Beneath his feet lay smooth white jade flooring, flanked by tall pillars carved with exquisite patterns.

The corridor stretched on, seemingly endless, with Soul Power lamps hung at regular intervals. The shades, polished from pale blue crystals, emitted a soft glow.

Ji Ye did not linger; his figure flickered as his second soul ring lit up.

"Second Soul Skill."

"Void: Inch-Distance."

His figure blinked continuously through the corridor, each teleportation controlled to be silent and soundless, landing with almost no weight.

The spatial fluctuations were also heavily suppressed to avoid detection.

The imperial palace was vast.

Pavilions and towers were arranged in an orderly fashion, with winding, deep corridors.

Patrolling guards and maids carrying trays hurried past everywhere.

Ji Ye had to continuously use spatial travel, each displacement landing him precisely in the blind spots of the guards' vision.

An hour later.

Ji Ye had traversed nearly the entire palace.

His face had gradually turned somewhat pale.

The continuous use of his second soul skill was indeed a significant drain.

His Soul Power was nearly exhausted.

Ji Ye's pace quickened, his figure weaving through the pillars like a ghost.

Whenever guards passed ahead, he would activate his soul skill to teleport behind a nearby moon gate, waiting for their footsteps to fade before continuing forward.

After another half a cup of tea's time, he had passed through eight palace gates, crossed seven gardens, and bypassed thirty-two patrol squads.

Just as he prepared to activate his second soul skill again, a man clad in ornate armor suddenly rounded the corner of the corridor beside him.

"Who goes there?! Halt!"

Ji Ye's figure faltered, his steps stalling for a brief moment.

The man was tall, his armor gleaming with a dark golden luster under the sun. A deep blue crystal was embedded in his shoulder pad, he wore an exquisite silver helmet, and a long sword hung at his waist.

He stood not far from Ji Ye. Without drawing his sword, he opened one hand, and a surging pressure of Soul Power radiated from his body.

The pressure of a Soul King level pushed toward Ji Ye like an invisible wall.

Ji Ye stood his ground, unmoving.

His expression remained unchanged; he did not even retreat a single step.

The pressure collided with an invisible wall in front of him and dissipated on its own.

The captain of the guards frowned slightly.

He increased his Soul Power output, releasing the pressure of a Soul Emperor level.

The Soul Power lamps on both sides of the corridor swayed under the force, their pendants clinking together with a delicate sound.

Yet, Ji Ye remained standing in place, not even the hem of his robe fluttering.

The guard captain's pupils constricted slightly. He withdrew his pressure, a hint of surprise entering his eyes as he looked at Ji Ye.

As a dignified Spirit Douluo-level captain of the palace guards, he actually could not fathom the depth of this young man!

"Who are you? Why have you trespassed into the imperial palace?"

Ji Ye bowed slightly, his posture humble and his tone sincere.

"Junior is Ji Ye. I have a matter for which I seek an audience with His Highness the Crown Prince."

The captain of the guards stared at him for several breaths.

He was accustomed to those spoiled scions, but the youth before him, while dressed plainly, possessed an extraordinary bearing. He remained unflustered in the face of a Spirit Emperor's pressure and spoke with neither servility nor arrogance; he did not look like an ordinary person in any way.

"What business do you have with His Highness the Crown Prince?"

"Junior has some items that need to be delivered to His Highness the Crown Prince in person," Ji Ye said calmly.

"It is very important."

The captain of the guards looked into Ji Ye's calm eyes and remained silent for a moment.

"If you are delivering items, why not hand them over to the guards at the palace gate or reveal your identity?"

Ji Ye smiled.

"Senior, do you think that with my attire and lowly status, the items would even reach His Highness the Crown Prince before disappearing? As for letting me in? Do you think that would have been possible, Senior?"

The captain of the guards opened his mouth, recalling how the guards usually made things difficult for visitors based on their attire, and let out a cold snort.

"Those fellows are indeed arrogant and incompetent. I have reprimanded them several times, but it is of no use."

He sized Ji Ye up once more.

"Dressed like this, you truly do not look like someone from a great family. Yet, your innate talent is certainly not that of a commoner. Whose house are you from, exactly?"

"Senior, have you ever seen a scion of a great family pretend to be a commoner?"

Ji Ye asked back with a smile, his tone carrying a hint of self-mockery.

The captain of the guards looked at him for two seconds and did not press further.

"Fine, follow me. I will take you to see His Highness the Crown Prince. However—"

His voice deepened.

"If you dare to pull any tricks, this sword of mine will show no mercy."

Ji Ye cupped his hands slightly.

"Junior understands."

The captain of the guards turned and walked toward the depths of the corridor, his steps steady, his boots striking the white jade floor with a crisp echo.

"Follow me."

Ji Ye followed behind him, maintaining a distance of three paces, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding scenery.

The two passed through several palace gates and crossed a wide plaza; the surrounding architecture gradually became more exquisite and magnificent, and the number of guards increased.

The captain of the guards led him to an independent palace and stopped.

The palace doors were tightly shut, with two guards in silver armor standing at the entrance. Upon seeing the captain, they bowed slightly in salute.

"Is His Highness the Crown Prince inside?"

"He is. His Highness just finished reviewing the memorials and is resting inside the palace."

The captain of the guards nodded and turned to look at Ji Ye.

"Wait outside. I will go in and announce you first."

Ji Ye nodded and stood still at the bottom of the steps outside the palace.

The captain of the guards pushed the door open and walked in, the door closing softly behind him.

Ji Ye stood at the bottom of the steps.