The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Caravan

Ye Yang stood with his hands behind his back, not looking up at the starry sky, but gazing down at the Prince's residence, where the lights flickered dimly under the veil of night.

Although the sensory perception of the Emperor Armor was not active, his intuition regarding destiny and malice was exceptionally sharp.

From the direction of Xue Xing's estate, a gloomy, restless aura—tinged with the desperation of a final gamble—was faintly rising.

Has the dog been driven to jump over the wall? Ye Yang muttered to himself, a cold smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Xue Xing's reaction was within his expectations. A person pushed into a corner by fear would either collapse or take a desperate risk.

He looked forward to the latter, for the crazier the action, the more flaws it would reveal.

With a flicker of his mind, he did not summon the Emperor Armor, but instead infused a trace of subtle spiritual power into the night breeze, letting it drift silently toward the Prince's residence.

This was a preliminary application of the "Wind" and "Spirit" elements among the Five Elements; while it lacked the miraculous nature of the Zen Seal, it had the advantage of being silent and difficult to detect.

His spiritual power swept over the high walls of the residence like a thin mist, bypassing several obvious Soul Power sentry points, capturing the muffled conversations, hurried footsteps, and the faint fluctuations of Soul Power emanating from the direction of a secret chamber.

"Shadow Pavilion... Ghost Head Order..." A few fragmented words were carried by the wind. A sharp glint flashed in Ye Yang's eyes.

Shadow Pavilion? He quickly retrieved relevant records from the original owner's memories and the information he had gathered over these days.

An assassination organization that had long since vanished, holding an old grudge against the Clear Sky Sect. Was Xue Xing trying to borrow a knife to kill someone, diverting the disaster onto others?

"Interesting." Ye Yang withdrew his spiritual power.

Xue Xing truly did not disappoint him; he had actually managed to contact such a group. This pool of water was even deeper than he had anticipated.

However, the intervention of the Shadow Pavilion might help him draw out some things hidden in the dark more quickly—for instance, the true stance of the Clear Sky Sect.

He turned around, his gaze shifting toward the direction of the elegant courtyard where Tang Yuehua resided; the lights there were already extinguished, and all was silent.

"My Lady, if your brother knew that the blade of an old enemy might be turned against the Clear Sky Sect once again because of your entry into the palace... what choice would you make?" Ye Yang whispered softly, as if asking the night itself.

He was not in a hurry to stop Xue Xing.

On the contrary, he needed to let this blade be unsheathed first so he could clearly see its trajectory. As for Ning Fengyuan... Ye Yang mused.

This man was not inherently wicked, and he was a member of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. If he were allowed to be killed, it would certainly exacerbate the chaos, but it was not his intention, and it would easily leave behind uncontrollable variables.

Perhaps I can send Prince Xue Xing a bigger 'gift'. Ye Yang already had a plan in mind.

He needed an assassination attempt that failed "just right"—one that would alarm all parties, confirm that external forces were at work, and yet preserve Ning Fengyuan's life, making the fury of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect more targeted, while simultaneously... making Xue Xing expose a trump card for nothing.

On the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest, beside the main road leading to Heaven Dou City.

Qian Renxue leaned against an old tree to rest, chewing on dry rations. Despite the continuous travel and sleeping in the open, her eyes remained clear and sharp. Her internal Soul Power circulated in perfect harmony, and her control over the Emperor War Dragon martial soul was becoming increasingly adept through actual combat and stealth.

Only that hundred-thousand-year soul ring, like a ticking time bomb buried deep within her heart, caused her to feel uneasy whenever it gave off a faint throb.

"Heaven Dou City..." She gazed at the faint outline on the distant horizon. It was the center of the empire's power and prosperity, and also where the mysteries might converge.

Ye Yang's identity, the secrets of this body, and the anomaly of the soul ring—perhaps clues to all of them could be found there.

She needed a new, reasonable identity.

Appearing directly as Ye Yang would be suicide, and disguising herself as an ordinary young soul master would make it difficult to access core information.

Join a Soul Master Academy? Infiltrate a noble's estate? Or... utilize the hidden forces of the Martial Soul Hall?

No, she could not contact the Martial Soul Hall for the time being. Her disappearance had likely caused a stir, and before she figured out the truth about Ye Yang and this body, returning rashly could trigger unpredictable consequences.

While she was deep in thought, the sound of carriage wheels and commotion drifted from the main road.

A merchant caravan was stopping nearby to rest. The guards were laughing and talking loudly, and the curtain of a relatively luxurious carriage in the middle was lifted, revealing a middle-aged man who looked like a steward reprimanding the servants.

Qian Renxue's gaze swept over them and suddenly stopped on the caravan's flag—it bore an emblem of a crossed sword and shield, with the small characters "Seven Treasure" beside it.

A caravan of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?

Her heart stirred.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was the wealthiest in the world, with caravans spread across the continent and well-informed intelligence networks.

If she could infiltrate them, she might be able to use the opportunity to reach certain circles after entering Heaven Dou City.

Moreover, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had a close relationship with the Heaven Dou imperial family; perhaps she could hear more information about the Crown Prince, Ye Yang.

She quickly assessed her own state: Soul Power at level thirty, but her true combat strength far exceeded that; her martial soul was unique but could be hidden; and she looked to be thirteen or fourteen years old, the perfect age to be recruited as a temporary guard or servant.

However, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had just had a disciple die tragically outside Heaven Dou City, so the caravan's vigilance would surely be tight, and their vetting would be strict.

Just as Qian Renxue was weighing the pros and cons, a commotion and cries of alarm erupted from the back of the caravan!

"Soul beasts! Watch out!"

"It's Gale Wolves, and they're over a hundred years old! There's more than one!"

From the forest on the flank, several blue-gray figures lunged out with lightning speed, heading straight for the carriages loaded with cargo! They were indeed Gale Wolves, known for their speed, and the leader had faint silver markings on its forehead—it was approaching a thousand years!

Most of the caravan guards were soul masters between level twenty and thirty; caught off guard, their formation was instantly thrown into chaos. The steward was so frightened that his face turned pale, and he retreated repeatedly.

Qian Renxue's eyes narrowed. An opportunity!

She did not immediately use the Emperor War Dragon martial soul; that aura was too conspicuous.

Instead, she channeled her Soul Power into her legs, simulating the acceleration effect of the wind attribute, and shot out like an arrow! At the same time, she picked up several jagged stones from the ground, wrapped them in Soul Power, and flicked her wrists in rapid succession!

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Gravel tore through the air, striking the joints or eyes of the several Gale Wolves lunging toward the carriage and servants with pinpoint accuracy! Though not fatal, the strikes successfully interrupted their pounce, buying precious time for the guards.

Immediately following, she rushed to the side of the nearly thousand-year-old wolf king and let out a low shout. A layer of dense, pale-gold Soul Power coated her fist as she delivered a plain, unadorned punch directly into the wolf king's soft midsection!

"Bang!"

The wolf king let out a miserable howl, sent flying several meters by the immense force before crashing into and snapping a small tree. It struggled to its feet, looking with wary suspicion at this youth who had suddenly appeared—one whose aura seemed unremarkable, yet whose strength was terrifying.

Qian Renxue stood before the carriage, her gaze sweeping calmly across the pack.

She did not release her spirit rings, but the steady composure honed through slaughter, combined with the precision and formidable strength she had just displayed, made the wolf king instinctively sense a threat.

The wolf king let out a few low growls before finally, unwillingly, leading the pack back into the forest, where they vanished from sight.