Targeting

The armored guards carefully verified Liu Qingni's Identity Token, then lingered for a moment over the two exotic Dragon Horses beside her. After registering the accompanying information, they raised a hand and waved them through.

Passing through the broad city gate passage, they stepped onto the central streets of Great Jin's Imperial Capital!

Before long, the roaring din of countless voices crashed over them.

Su Qingyang lifted his eyes and looked into the distance.

Within Great Harmony City, colossal pitch-black pillars rose in every direction, stabbing straight into the clouds like heaven-supporting columns holding up the world.

Black dragon patterns coiled around those pillars, each scale distinct, each claw wildly spread, their heads raised in furious roars!

A vast, weighty imperial majesty surged toward them, unfathomable and mighty.

"Worthy of being an imperial capital. Its foundation truly is extraordinary."

Su Qingyang gazed at the enormous dragon pillars, a faint ripple passing through his eyes as he quietly took in the city's entire layout.

The two walked slowly down the street side by side.

Great Harmony City was packed shoulder to shoulder with people, while carriages and horses flowed without end. Inns, pawnshops, silk stores, and apothecaries lined both sides of the street in row upon row, with no end to the alleys visible at a glance.

"Young Master, let us first find an inn to settle down and eat. I need to send word to the Secret Bureau and report your circumstances."

She led Su Qingyang into a bustling inn and instructed him to wait there.

She herself went around to the rear courtyard corridor. With a flash, she vanished amid the scattered buildings.

Su Qingyang did not mind.

As Great Jin's foremost intelligence organization, the Secret Bureau had no official office on the surface.

Its spies were spread throughout the court and common streets alike, each maintaining an ordinary identity before others. Only when carrying out missions would their hidden affiliation be revealed.

He went directly upstairs to an elegant window-side seat.

"Esteemed guest, please take a seat!"

"Our inn ranks among Great Harmony City's ten finest establishments! Our signature Thousand Gold Wine and Buddha's Smile Brew are one of a kind—nowhere else in the entire Imperial Capital can you find them. We have every kind of delicacy and game imaginable, guaranteed to suit your taste!"

The waiter hurried forward attentively, vigorously wiping the already spotless redwood table as he endlessly introduced the inn's special wines and dishes.

"A pot each of Thousand Gold Wine and Buddha's Smile Brew. As for the rest, simply pair them with a few dishes."

Su Qingyang spoke lightly and slowly took his seat.

"Right away! Esteemed guest, please wait a moment."

The waiter immediately answered enthusiastically and left.

Su Qingyang sat quietly by the window alone, his expression calm. The inn buzzed with voices, while the fragrance of wine and food filled the room and rushed toward him.

In an inn crowded with such a motley stream of people, where all manner of folk gathered and came and went, it was easiest to hear street rumors and gossip—both true and false.

"Have you heard? Just yesterday, another Sixth Prince appeared at Purple Pavilion Manor. That makes the seventh Sixth Prince in recent days, doesn't it?"

"Shh! Keep it down. Who doesn't know about this by now? The court is nearly losing all its face... They find one, and he is not the real one. Then they find another, and he is still fake..."

"If you ask me, the real Sixth Prince is probably no longer among the living."

"And I heard those lunatics from Lovesickness Tower have been carrying out indiscriminate assassinations like madmen. One of the 'Sixth Princes' they found earlier already died beneath their blades."

"It enraged the court completely, which was why they dispatched over a thousand Black Wind Cavalry!!"

"If it is ultimately confirmed that the real Sixth Prince was murdered on the road long ago, I would like to see how the court cleans up this mess..."

"Tell me, just who has such tremendous ability that they can command those desperate outlaws of Lovesickness Tower..."

"It cannot be that man imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison, can it? It would already be sheer luck if he could preserve his life. Where would he find the wealth and connections to mobilize Lovesickness Tower's assassins?"

"No one can say for sure!!"

"Do not forget, the man in prison does not merely have the identity of the Sixth Prince. His martial arts have reached the Innate Realm...

At barely over twenty, he had already ascended to the Innate Realm. Given time, he might even step into the Grandmaster realm!

What is more, he has now been stripped of his identity as the Sixth Prince, so he poses no threat to the various heir apparents. Perhaps he may yet walk safely out of the Heavenly Prison..."

"The Great Jin court would not be so shortsighted as to casually snuff out a genius who may one day become a Grandmaster."

At this moment, Su Qingyang remained seated quietly at the redwood table by the window, yet sharp light now surged within his calm eyes!

"Purple Pavilion Manor..."

"Sixth Prince..."

Su Qingyang murmured to himself. From these people's scattered remarks, along with the information he had received from Liu Qingni, many hidden truths had already become roughly clear.

The people below continued discussing the matter in low voices.

Suddenly, an exceptionally abrupt voice rang out.

"Tut, tut... What a farce of real and fake Sixth Princes. It has truly opened my eyes."

"One is said to excel in both literature and martial arts, while the other has likely drifted into the countryside, ignorant and unskilled, no different from a beggar."

"If these two were to meet, what a sight that would be. Which one would shame the imperial family more?"

"If the real prince were suddenly seized by murderous intent and wished to execute the fake prince, how would the court handle it then?"

"It truly makes one curious!!"

The moment those words were spoken, the entire inn fell silent.

Everyone turned to look, all wishing to see who was so bold and reckless!

Who dared speak so wantonly!

There!

A young man in white robes was sitting there quietly!

His white garments fluttered, his eyes seeming half-closed as he raised a cup of fine wine, as though preparing to taste it.

His handsome face was utterly calm, as though he stood apart from the mortal world. He carried an air of transcendence beyond worldly things, and the aura around him possessed the natural simplicity of returning to one's true self.

"Who is this man?"

"With that appearance and bearing, he is surely no ordinary person, but..."

Some among the onlookers revealed traces of schadenfreude!

But... this was the Imperial Capital. To make such wild statements here, with no regard for the court's dignity—what end awaited him went without saying.

Bang!!

The inn's doors were suddenly kicked open with savage force!

Three people strode in from outside. Leading them was a woman in black robes. She had delicate features, but her gaze was exceptionally sharp.

She swept her eyes over the young man and shouted in a deep voice, "You just now spoke recklessly of the imperial prince. This is an act of high treason. Come with me to the magistrate's office for trial!"

Hearing this, the young man laughed loudly and said indifferently, "What? Did I say anything wrong?"

"Impudent!"

Bai Bijun shouted coldly, her expression turning frosty. "What are you? How dare you speak recklessly of His Highness the Sixth Prince!"

"Based on those arrogant words alone, I could execute you on the spot!"

The young man's eyes slowly narrowed. He gently set down his wine cup, his gaze sweeping lightly over Bai Bijun before he suddenly said with a half-smile:

"The Sixth Prince Your Highness you speak of...

"Is he the real Sixth Prince, who vanished without a trace and has yet to be found?"

"Or is he the false prince in the Heavenly Prison, whose title does not match the reality?"

With a single sentence, Bai Bijun was instantly left speechless.

Her fine brows knitted tightly, and cold light surged in her eyes.

"Glib-tongued, twisting words and arguing sophistry!"

Bai Bijun flicked her sleeve. "How can the imperial bloodline be subjected to the baseless speculation, mockery, and criticism of a commoner like you?"

"I merely asked a casual question. Miss, there is no need to be so furious."

The young man remained seated, a smile playing across his handsome face. He clearly had come with ill intent.

"If you ask me, the court need not waste manpower searching everywhere for some real Sixth Prince.

"The man imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison excels in both literature and martial arts. As for that real prince who has been missing for twenty years, even if he truly could be found, he would likely be crude and ignorant, only disgracing the imperial family."

"Utter nonsense!" Bai Bijun's pretty face changed color as well.

This man's words were sharp. After publicly discussing the matter of the Sixth Prince and circling around in such a large loop, he had actually been aiming to drag Su Chang'an, the man in prison, into it.

Su Chang'an was already trapped behind bars.

If such rumors reached the court, his circumstances would only go from bad to worse.

Someone was taking the chance to beat a dog that had fallen into the water, determined to cut off his path to survival completely!!

Shing!!

Her longsword left its sheath!

Bai Bijun's figure suddenly flashed, pouncing upon the white-robed young man like a startled swan skimming over shadows. Icy sword light howled forth, sweeping in all directions!

"Stirring up trouble and sowing discord! Since you refuse to surrender obediently, do not blame us for using force!"