He shuddered and swiftly burrowed into the sand beside him, leaving only his eyes exposed. Like an inconspicuous grain of sand, he remained motionless, blending into his surroundings.
After swallowing that thing, Ao Han rose and called in a low voice, "Come in."
Then he walked over to the seat of honor and sat down, his expression calm again.
At his closest, he passed within just two steps of Cui Jiuyang.
With Ao Han's eyesight, if he lowered his head now and noticed this unusual grain of sand on the ground, he would very likely recognize it for what it was.
However, Ao Han seemed to have encountered some bottleneck in his cultivation. His brows were tightly furrowed and his lips slightly pursed, as though he were deep in thought, so he failed to notice Cui Jiuyang lurking in the sand beside his feet.
Summoned, the Dragon Guard at the entrance pushed open the door, came in, and bowed to Ao Han. "Your Highness, you previously instructed us to report any urgent matters immediately. That is why I took the liberty of disturbing you."
Still looking thoughtful, Ao Han casually waved a hand, signaling for him to get straight to the point.
The Dragon Guard reported directly, "Word just came from outside. The Third and Second Princes clashed fiercely over a Sea Jade Vein and came to blows. In the end, both fell into the Bottomless Sea Trench. Whether they are alive or dead remains unknown."
At first, Ao Han paid little attention to the news, letting it go in one ear and out the other.
But when he understood what had happened, his eyes widened and he sat bolt upright. "What? Where did this news come from? Is it reliable?"
The Dragon Guard hurriedly replied, "When the two princes