Entering Heaven Dou City

"Your Highness is too kind." Prince Xue Xing spoke with difficulty, his voice somewhat dry. "The Fourth Prince's injuries are not light; he requires quiet rest, and his emotions should not be overly agitated."

"Uncle is right." Ye Yang withdrew his hand with practiced ease, as if that touch just now had truly been an unintentional slip.

He signaled for the attendant to place the brocade box to the side, his face maintaining that same impeccable look of concern. "Fourth Brother, focus on recovering from your injuries and don't let your mind wander."

"Father Emperor has confined you to reflect and copy books, hoping you will contemplate your mistakes. Big Brother believes that after this incident, you will surely understand the deeper meaning behind it and turn over a new leaf."

He leaned in slightly, drawing close to Xue Beng's ear, and spoke slowly in a voice only the two of them could hear.

"After all... a 'useless person' should act like a 'useless person.' Only by keeping to yourself can you live a long life. Wouldn't you agree, my dear... Fourth Brother?"

[Ding! Intimidation deepened, Majesty +1]

Xue Beng's body went rigid to the point of breaking, fear flooding his heart so completely that he even forgot how to tremble.

Ye Yang straightened up, satisfied, a spring-breeze smile once again gracing his face.

He turned to Prince Xue Xing, his tone returning to its usual gentle elegance. "Uncle, I leave Fourth Brother in your capable hands. I still have government affairs to attend to, so I shall not disturb his rest any further."

"I respectfully see off Your Highness the Crown Prince." Prince Xue Xing bowed, his voice low.

Ye Yang nodded slightly, not sparing another glance at the man on the bed who looked like a dead fish, and turned to leave with a composed gait.

Not until the palace doors closed again and that suffocating pressure vanished completely did Xue Beng collapse onto the bed as if all his strength had been drained, gasping for air in large, ragged gulps.

In his eyes remained only boundless fear and... a twisted, spiteful resentment born from having his dignity utterly crushed.

Prince Xue Xing watched his nephew in this state and let out a heavy sigh, his expression complex and unreadable.

He knew that after this, the small flame of unwillingness in Xue Beng's heart had been thoroughly extinguished. At the very least, for a long time to come, he would never dare to provoke that Crown Prince again—a man who appeared benevolent but was, in truth, as ruthless as a demon.

"Ah, this is only the second day. Eight more to go, how boring."

Ye Yang walked along the palace stone tiles, feeling listless. He had no government affairs to attend to; that was Qian Renxue's business, and it had nothing to do with him.

If Xue Xing hadn't been there, he would have liked to farm a bit more stats from Xue Beng. Now that the fun was gone, Ye Yang had nothing to do.

He had already toured most of the palace yesterday. Aside from the inner harem, he had seen every corner. The first look had been impressive, but after that, it felt like nothing special.

"Should I go out for a stroll? I haven't even been to Heaven Dou City in this life." Ye Yang muttered to himself, his eyes growing brighter.

"Heaven Dou City... the grand stage from the original story." A playful smile curled the corners of Ye Yang's lips.

With his noble status, he naturally didn't need to sneak out of the palace.

Changing into plain, inconspicuous but high-quality casual clothes, Ye Yang took only one taciturn, reserved-looking personal guard and strolled leisurely out of the palace gates.

The bustle of Heaven Dou City rushed to meet him.

The wide streets were filled with a constant stream of carriages and horses, and shops lined both sides. The sounds of hawking, chatter, and rolling wheels wove together into a noisy, vibrant symphony of life.

This was a stark contrast to the solemn, oppressive palace, making Ye Yang feel as though the air itself were a bit freer.

He had no specific destination, simply wandering aimlessly with the flow of the crowd.

He looked at the strange little trinkets at roadside stalls, listened to the gossip of commoners, and occasionally stopped to appreciate the performances of street artists. He was like a true tourist, enjoying the novelty of it all.

[Ding! Observed the lives of the common people, Experience +1, State of Mind +1]

Without realizing it, he walked onto a wider street where the shops appeared more grand.

The clothes of the pedestrians here were noticeably more vibrant, and the air seemed to drift with the scent of gold coins.

Ye Yang's gaze was drawn to a magnificent building at the corner of the street, heavily guarded at the entrance—he recognized the massive shield-shaped emblem. It was an enterprise under the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect: the Heaven Dou Grand Auction House.

"An auction house? That's somewhat interesting." Ye Yang was just debating whether to go in and broaden his horizons, and perhaps see if there were any "little trinkets" that caught his eye.

Just then, a slight commotion came from not far away.

The crowd instinctively parted to create a path. A young man in moon-white sportswear, with a tall build and a handsome face tinged with arrogance, was pushing aside those blocking his way with an impatient expression, striding forward.

He was followed by several companions in similar attire, all wearing badges on their chests that symbolized their status—a tower-shaped pattern composed of seven gems.

They were direct disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!

Ye Yang raised an eyebrow, the playful smile on his lips deepening.

Bored? Wasn't this fun delivered right to his doorstep? Direct disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? Judging by this posture, they were used to walking sideways in Heaven Dou City.

Just as the young man was about to reach Ye Yang, an old farmer carrying a load happened to be moving slowly due to the crowded street.

The young man's brows furrowed, a flash of disgust in his eyes. Without slowing down, he casually waved his hand, intending to roughly shove the man and his load aside.

"Hmm?" Ye Yang's eyes turned cold.

His figure shifted with deceptive casualness, moving as if he were merely taking a stroll, and he happened to "inadvertently" block the space between the two.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect disciple was forced to stop. He looked at the stranger in plain clothes, whose temperament was gentle yet who dared to block his path, and his impatience instantly turned into rage.

Ye Yang acted as if he hadn't felt anything unusual. Instead, he smiled gently at the old farmer, who had stumbled and nearly dropped his load, and reached out to steady him. "Old man, watch your step."

The old farmer, still shaken, gave Ye Yang a grateful look and quickly carried his load to the side.

"Get lost! Are you blind? Don't you see we're walking here?!" the young man barked.

His companions immediately surrounded them, staring at Ye Yang with malicious intent, clearly ready to strike at any moment.

The surrounding crowd fell silent in an instant, retreating far away for fear of being caught in the crossfire.

The gentle smile on Ye Yang's face remained unchanged, as if the insults were not directed at him at all.

He even took his time to straighten his cuffs before lifting his eyes, his gaze meeting the youth's fiery glare with calm composure.

"A path?" Ye Yang's voice was clear and level, yet it reached everyone's ears distinctly. "Since when did the roads at the foot of the Heaven Dou imperial capital become your family's private property?"

"Or perhaps, has the prestige of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect grown so great that its disciples can now drive away pedestrians and shout insults at will within the Heaven Dou imperial capital?"

The youth was momentarily choked, then flew into an even greater rage. As a direct disciple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, when had he ever been talked back to like this? Especially by someone who appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary person without a shred of soul power fluctuation.