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Meng Hongchen let out a sigh of relief.

"It's good that you're all right."

"You can't take such risks again next time."

Xu Tianming nodded.

"I'll be careful."

Xiao Hongchen looked at Xu Tianming, then at his grandfather.

Jing Hongchen wore a kindly smile, while Xu Tianming returned it with a calm one. Between the old fox and the young fox, no one tore through that thin layer of paper.

Everything was left unspoken.

By the time they returned to Mingdu, night was about to fall.

After the silver-white Soul Tool car passed through the defensive checkpoint outside the Imperial City, it drove along the broad avenue into the imperial palace. One Soul Guidance lamp after another outside the windows lit up in turn.

The Rift Realm incident in the Jingyang Mountain Range had not caused much of a stir in Mingdu.

To the ordinary people of the Sun Moon Empire, it was simply another dangerous Rift Realm disaster resolved by powerful individuals. It was fortunate, but hardly something worth making a fuss over.

Xu Tianming sat in the car, leaning against the seatback as he watched the distant lights outside the window recede. His greatest gain from this trip to Jingyang Mountain had not been his first Soul Ring, nor had it been the soul skill Heavenfire Judgment.

It was confirming one thing: the Wish Power gained from personally destroying a Rift Realm was far greater than what he received when others cleared one.

When he had Karna do it before, the Stellaron would indeed recover more Wish Power than it did when other soul masters destroyed a Rift Realm, but it was still far less than when he acted himself.

Personally destroying a Rift Realm increased the Wish Power by dozens of times. If this pattern continued, he would be able to accumulate Wish Power much faster.

"Your Highness the Seventh Prince, we've arrived."

A servant's voice came from outside. Xu Tianming came back to himself and got out of the car, followed by Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen.

The siblings were visibly more relaxed after returning. Their experience in the Rift Realm had been dangerous, but they had gained their second Soul Rings and gone through a life-or-death crisis alongside Xu Tianming. Their relationship had become much closer than it had been before they set out.

Meng Hongchen took a tiny Communication Soul Tool from her Storage Soul Tool.

It was a small icy-blue round plaque about the size of a palm, edged with silver metal patterns and engraved in the center with a Red-Eyed Ice Toad.

"Your Highness, this is my Communication Soul Tool."

Meng Hongchen handed the round plaque to him.

"Let's exchange contact details. Then you can find me whenever you need to."

After Xu Tianming received the Communication Soul Tool, he gave her his own contact details. A faint pale-gold glow emerged from the center of the plaque, then faded back into stillness after a moment.

"All done."

Meng Hongchen immediately put the plaque away. She examined it closely, then smiled in satisfaction.

"When I send you a message in the future, you have to reply."

"What if I don't?"

Meng Hongchen put her hands on her hips.

"Then I'll come to the imperial palace to find you."

Xiao Hongchen raised a hand beside her and pressed it to his forehead.

"You think the imperial palace is your own backyard, somewhere you can visit whenever you want?"

"I can have Grandpa take me in."

"Grandpa will lock you up first."

"Hmph."

Meng Hongchen turned away, unwilling to pay Xiao Hongchen any attention.

"Your Highness, when you have time, let's go out and have fun together."

Meng Hongchen looked at Xu Tianming again, anticipation in her eyes.

"Sure."

Xu Tianming nodded with a smile.

"It's a promise, then. No backing out."

Meng Hongchen held out her little finger. Xu Tianming glanced at it, then hooked his around hers.

"It's a promise."

Xiao Hongchen's expression turned complicated when he saw their little fingers linked, but he did not object.

At that moment, Jing Hongchen lifted the car curtain and looked at the three children.

"Finished saying goodbye?"

"Yes."

Meng Hongchen answered, then called out to Xu Tianming again.

"Your Highness, remember to keep in touch with me."

"I know."

"And don't forget our promise."

"I won't."

Only after watching the Hongchen siblings leave did Xu Tianming turn and return to the imperial palace. Once inside, he went to see his father first.

Xu Mo was handling official business.

After the new emperor ascended the throne, there were still many matters in and outside the court that needed to be rearranged. A thick stack of memorials lay before Xu Mo, while several Communication Soul Tools used to transmit messages sat beside the desk.

When Xu Tianming entered, Xu Mo set down the document in his hand.

"You're back?"

"I'm back."

Xu Tianming bowed to him.

"Show me your Soul Ring."

Xu Mo smiled at Xu Tianming. He liked this youngest son very much. The boy was talented, and because of Xu Tianming, Elder Kong had turned a blind eye to his coup, sparing him a great deal of trouble.

Xu Tianming followed his instructions and released his martial soul and Soul Ring. When Xu Mo saw the golden-red Soul Ring, surprise flickered in his eyes.

"This is the special Soul Ring you obtained in the Rift Realm?"

Xu Tianming was not surprised that Xu Mo knew he had acquired a special Soul Ring in the Rift Realm. The emperor's intelligence network was extensive and could not be underestimated.

Xu Mo already knew the full story, so he did not question him further.

Rift Realms were inherently filled with unknowns. Though a change in a Soul Ring's color was rare, it was not utterly unacceptable.

What was more, Xu Tianming was safe and sound, his Soul Power had risen to level thirteen, and he showed no trace of Rift Realm corruption.

"Since there are no side effects, there's no need to dwell on it."

Xu Mo nodded in agreement.

"But you must still be more cautious in the future. Soul Rings affect a soul master for life. You cannot grow careless because of one lucky escape."

"Rest assured, Father Emperor."

Xu Tianming answered seriously.

"This son understands."

Xu Mo asked a few more questions about the Rift Realm, and only let him leave after confirming that he had not been injured.

After leaving the emperor's study, Xu Tianming headed to the Worship Hall. Kong Deming was adjusting a Soul Tool in his laboratory.

A silver-white Soul Guidance Array Disc hovered in the air. Dozens of miniature components slowly rotated within the disc, while Kong Deming held a Soul Guidance engraving knife and modified a section of the energy circuit.

"Teacher."

Xu Tianming spoke from the doorway.

Kong Deming did not look up at him and merely said flatly, "Come in."

After entering, Xu Tianming stood behind him and watched his movements.

The engraving knife in Kong Deming's hand quickly came to a stop. Then he said, "I already know what happened. You acted impulsively this time, but it's good that you're unharmed. How strong is the soul skill?"

"It isn't weak."

Xu Tianming raised his hand. The golden-red Soul Ring suddenly lit up, and a black-and-white pistol appeared in his palm. Its lines were sharp and fierce, its gilded barrel covered in crimson patterns of light, with a scarlet core embedded where the safety catch should have been.

Within the core, flames slowly swirled.

Kong Deming's gaze was immediately drawn to the twin guns.

"A weapon-form soul skill?"