The Hall Was Completed, the Spatula Association Raised Its Banner, and the First Clash with the Crown Prince

Two days later, Spirit City.

Yi Chen stood on a broad rise southwest of Spirit City, gazing into the distance with his hands clasped behind his back.

Behind him, the towering walls of Spirit City rose against the sky. Before him stretched an endless wilderness. The autumn wind swept through the dry grass, whispering softly.

He had chosen this spot not for its scenery, but because it was close enough to Spirit City without falling within its directly administered territory.

That way, he would neither seem dependent on Spirit Hall nor be isolated from the mainstream power circles.

"This is the place."

Yi Chen raised his hand, palm up. A palm-sized golden palace appeared above it, complete with sweeping eaves and interlocking brackets, carved beams and painted rafters. Every detail was so exquisite, it seemed as though master artisans had spent decades crafting it.

The phantom palace turned slowly in his palm, its aura weighing down the air around it.

He turned his palm over and pressed the palace phantom into the ground.

Boom!!!

A muffled crash rumbled up from deep beneath the earth, as though some colossal creature had awakened beneath the soil.

Then, with his palm at the center, the ground within a hundred-meter radius began to shake violently. Dirt and rocks surged outward as a magnificent golden palace slowly rose from underground.

Its foundation was a single slab of golden stone, its surface engraved with countless formation patterns. They shimmered beneath the sunlight, seeming to breathe with a life of their own.

The palace had three stories. Golden wind chimes hung from its eaves, ringing clear and bright whenever the breeze passed. Above the main entrance, a blank plaque waited to be inscribed.

The process took about the time it took to drink a cup of tea. Once the palace had settled completely and its foundation had fused with the earth, the shaking subsided.

The once-empty wilderness now held a magnificent golden palace, gleaming beneath the autumn sun.

Standing before its entrance, Yi Chen traced four strokes in the air above the blank plaque. Golden light gathered at his fingertips, forming four bold, elegant characters:

Golden Spatula Association.

Abbreviated to "Spatula Association."

He lowered his hand and stepped back, studying the four characters. Satisfied, he nodded, then turned toward Spirit City. His voice was not loud, but it rang clearly in the ears of everyone inside and outside the city:

"The Golden Spatula Association is established here today. From now on, all matters related to Teamfight Tactics—tournament arbitration, rank certification, reward distribution, and rule revisions—will be administered by the Association. Anyone interested is welcome to come in and talk."

His voice echoed through the air for a few breaths, then faded into the wind.

Inside Spirit City, players battling at the Golden Spatula Pavilion raised their heads and looked toward the sound.

Some immediately abandoned their matches and ran out of the city to see what was happening. Others stayed where they were, mulling over the meaning of "tournament arbitration, rank certification, reward distribution, and rule revisions will be administered by the Association."

In Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong stood by her office window, gazing at the golden palace that had appeared outside the city. After a moment's silence, she said to Chrysanthemum Douluo behind her, "Send them a congratulatory gift. It doesn't have to be expensive, but it should carry weight."

Chrysanthemum Douluo bowed, accepted the order, and withdrew.

Yi Chen did not linger at the Association. He made a quick inspection of the hall's facilities. The first floor held the main hall and reception area, the second the conference room and arbitration chamber, and the third his private office and living quarters.

The formations inside the hall were functioning normally, and its energy supply was stable. Thanks to spatial folding technology, its actual interior was at least three times larger than it appeared from the outside.

Satisfied, he closed the door to the third floor, then vanished in a flash, leaving Spirit City.

His next destination: Heaven Dou City.

He did not go to the Golden Spatula branch in Heaven Dou City or to Dugu Bo's residence. Instead, he headed straight for Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.

But he did not approach the main entrance. He circled around to a side hall on the eastern side of the palace. An inconspicuous plaque hung above its door, bearing three characters: Crown Prince's Mansion.

The guards had clearly been informed of his arrival. When they saw Yi Chen approaching, they did not stop him. They bowed respectfully and opened the gate.

Yi Chen crossed the threshold and followed a bluestone path strewn with fallen leaves to the study.

The study door stood open. A young man in a moon-white robe sat behind the desk, holding a book. Hearing footsteps, he looked up, revealing a face as gentle as jade.

The Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Qinghe.

At least, that was who he was in public.

Yi Chen stopped at the doorway. He did not hurry inside, but let his gaze rest on Xue Qinghe for a moment before giving a slight nod in greeting.

Xue Qinghe set down his book and rose, returning the greeting with a smile. "Elder Yi Chen, I've heard so much about you. Teamfight Tactics has taken the continent by storm lately. Though I'm confined to the palace, I've heard plenty about it. It's an honor to finally meet you."

His voice was warm and clear, his manner poised, his smile perfectly measured—neither overly enthusiastic nor lacking in courtesy.

On the surface, he was every inch a well-bred imperial crown prince.

Yi Chen did not answer right away. He entered the study and took a seat at the guest's place. Only after a maid had served tea and left did he speak. "Your Highness knows I'm not here for idle conversation."

Xue Qinghe's smile did not change, but the faintest flicker stirred deep in his eyes, gone almost too quickly to catch. "Please, Elder. Go on."

Yi Chen picked up his teacup but did not drink. He simply held it and turned it halfway around, his gaze fixed on Xue Qinghe's face with an appraising look.

It was not quite disrespectful, but it was direct enough—as though he were looking not at the crown prince of an empire, but at an object whose value he was weighing.

"The Golden Spatula Association established its headquarters outside Spirit City today," he said, unhurriedly. "But I need a permanent liaison in the Heaven Dou Empire to coordinate tournaments and reward distribution at every branch within its borders. I'd like you to take the position, Your Highness."

Xue Qinghe did not answer at once. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and set it down. His movements were unhurried; he had clearly spent those few seconds weighing the pros and cons.

"Why choose me, Elder?" He looked up, meeting Yi Chen's gaze evenly.

"The Heaven Dou imperial family has many members. Above me is my father, and below me are my brothers. In terms of seniority and power, I'm hardly the most suitable candidate."

"Because you're clever." Yi Chen's answer was brief and direct. He set down his teacup and leaned forward slightly, his gaze growing more intent.

"And you understand better than the others that Teamfight Tactics brings more than entertainment. It will change how resources are distributed. Whoever takes the initiative in this transformation will hold greater influence in the years to come. You're a man of foresight, Your Highness. I doubt you'd let this opportunity pass you by."

He paused, the corner of his mouth lifting into a meaningful smile. "Besides, I'm interested in you personally, Your Highness. Few crown princes on the whole continent can hold their ground at court while staying open to new things."

Xue Qinghe studied Yi Chen for several breaths. He seemed to be weighing the significance of his words, and perhaps wondering whether there was something more behind "I'm interested in you personally."

Then he smiled, and this time there was a little more genuine warmth in it. "You certainly live up to your reputation, Elder. In that case, I accept. I'll personally oversee Teamfight Tactics matters throughout the Heaven Dou Empire."

Yi Chen nodded and stood. "Then I'll leave it in your hands, Your Highness. Someone will bring the detailed procedures to the Crown Prince's Mansion tomorrow."

He turned toward the door. When he reached it, he paused and glanced back at Xue Qinghe with a meaningful, appraising look.

His eyes lingered on the contours of Xue Qinghe's face for two seconds, then dropped to his throat before returning to his eyes.

"By the way, Your Highness," Yi Chen said, a faint hint of amusement in his voice. "You've done an excellent job disguising yourself. Truly excellent. Your bearing, your voice, your mannerisms—they're almost flawless."

Xue Qinghe's smile faltered slightly.

"But next time we meet, you don't have to put yourself through all that." Yi Chen's tone was flat, as if he were stating something trivial. "I mean you no ill will. Quite the opposite—I'm very interested in you. Meeting as your true self will make our future cooperation easier."

He did not wait for Xue Qinghe's reply. He crossed the threshold and walked back along the bluestone path, disappearing beyond the gates of the Crown Prince's Mansion.

Inside the study, Xue Qinghe sat behind the desk, his smile gone. His gaze rested on the direction Yi Chen had disappeared in. He tapped his fingers lightly on the desk twice, then stopped.

He did not deny it.

There was no point. If the other man could say that, he already had solid evidence. Any attempt to argue his way out of it would only make him look ridiculous.

Xue Qinghe—or rather, Qian Renxue—picked up the now-cold tea before her, glanced down at it, then drained it in one go.

"Interesting," she murmured. Her voice was no longer the warm, gentle male voice from before, but her own again, cool and sharp. "This Yi Chen is far more interesting than I imagined."

She set down the cup and slowly traced its rim with one fingertip, a meaningful smile tugging at her lips.

"Meeting as my true self? ...It's not out of the question."

She lifted her head and looked through the study window toward the gate of the Crown Prince's Mansion. A light glimmered in her eyes, the kind a hunter wore when she found her prey.

"Then let's see just how capable you really are."