Chapter 217 Audience with Qian Renxue

Within the borders of the Heaven Dou Empire, Chen Xuan utilized his space-time abilities, flying through the night atop his kunai at supersonic speed, finally reaching Heaven Dou City by dawn. As he landed, the morning sun cast its warm glow over the bustling city, with shops opening and people starting their daily routines. Returning to this familiar city stirred mixed feelings in Chen Xuan. How long had it been since he participated in the Spirit Hall competition? Seven or eight years, perhaps.

Walking through streets both familiar and unfamiliar, observing the lively crowd and vibrant markets, he felt as though he had stepped into another world. After spending so much time in the Star Dou Forest, everything here seemed novel, almost as if he were a wild man experiencing civilization anew.

"I should head home first and see if Yiyi is still there," Chen Xuan muttered.

This time, he didn't rush. Instead, he strolled leisurely, savoring the bustling city as he made his way to his former residence. Years ago, he had bought a large villa on the outskirts of the city, a two-story house where Chen Yiyi had lived since he left.

He vaguely remembered entrusting Crown Prince Xue Qinghe—now known as Qian Renxue—to look after his sister.

Arriving at his old home, he found the large yard overgrown with vegetables and flowers. Pushing the door open, he was met with a cloud of dust, coughing as he stepped inside. The furniture was covered in thick layers of dust, indicating no one had lived there for quite some time.

"Where did Yiyi go?" Chen Xuan frowned, sensing something amiss. Could something have happened to his beloved sister while he was away?

Without wasting time, he threw a kunai into the distance, activating his Flying Thunder God technique to traverse vast distances instantly. His destination: Xue Qinghe, who at this time still maintained the guise of the Crown Prince, with the rebellion yet to commence.

The Heaven Dou Imperial Palace sprawled across thousands of acres, majestic and grand, equivalent to hundreds of Shrek Academies. Guarded heavily, especially after the fall of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, knights patrolled the grounds constantly, making it nearly impossible for intruders to enter undetected.

"Forget it, I'll go through the front door." Using his transformation technique, Chen Xuan disguised himself as a plump middle-aged man in luxurious attire, then approached the palace gates.

Two armored knights halted him with spears, warning, "Who goes there? The palace is off-limits. Leave immediately if you have no official business."

Smiling warmly, Chen Xuan slipped two large pouches of gold soul coins into their hands with practiced ease. "I'm here to see the Crown Prince, regarding my missing sister. Please inform him for me."

The knights exchanged knowing glances, their professionalism masking their amusement. One of them patted Chen Xuan's shoulder and said, "You must be in urgent need to come to the palace directly. Wait here; I'll notify the Crown Prince." He then disappeared into the palace.

Chen Xuan sighed, wincing slightly. "Bribes everywhere… nothing gets done without them."

Soon, the knight returned with a eunuch who escorted Chen Xuan to the Eastern Palace without further hindrance.

The Eastern Palace was a vast compound with numerous halls, its grandeur rivaling that of entire academies. This was Crown Prince Xue Qinghe's residence.

Inside one of the grand rooms, Chen Xuan was left alone with an elegant man brewing tea at a wooden table. The room was spacious, decorated in an ancient style.

"Chen Xuan, you've certainly gained weight since we last met," the man quipped, piercing through Chen Xuan's disguise with ease. It was Xue Qinghe, still as handsome as ever, exuding an unspoken aura of authority.

Chen Xuan relaxed slightly, sensing Yiyi's aura within the Eastern Palace. Relieved, he approached and cupped his fists respectfully. "Your Highness, thank you for looking after Yiyi all these years."

With a puff of white smoke, he dispelled his transformation, revealing his true appearance.

Xue Qinghe swirled his tea, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I've done quite a lot for you. Is 'thank you' all I get?"

Chen Xuan frowned slightly. "What more do you want, Your Highness? I'll do what I can." He felt uneasy, suspecting a veiled threat. After all, Yiyi was still in the Eastern Palace.

"If you truly wish to repay me, join my cause and help me seize the throne," Xue Qinghe said calmly, his gaze sharp and unreadable.

Chen Xuan's frown deepened. "Isn't that asking too much, Your Highness?" He had no interest in Spirit Hall's schemes, and while he owed Xue Qinghe for Yiyi's care, it wasn't enough to risk his life.

Xue Qinghe sipped his tea, smirking. "I doubt you understand your situation. If not for me, your sister would have died years ago."

Chen Xuan's expression turned cold. "What do you mean?" Had someone tried to harm Yiyi while he was gone?

Xue Qinghe shook his head with a smile. "You really are clueless. When you killed Yu Xiaogang, you should have expected retaliation from Shrek Academy. You're not as clever as I thought. If it were me, I'd have left no loose ends."

"Flender and Liu Erlong?" Chen Xuan's face darkened, piecing together the truth. Those two had already tried to kill him once when he was gravely injured. He owed Shrek Academy nothing anymore.

What he hadn't expected was that the supposedly righteous Shrek Academy would stoop to such low tactics, targeting not just him but his family.

"Shrek Academy has outlived its purpose," Chen Xuan muttered coldly, his killing intent rising.

Xue Qinghe's lips curled into a subtle smile. "Your talent is remarkable. You'll be a Title Douluo in no time. But you lack foresight. The threats to your sister didn't come solely from Shrek Academy—Spirit Hall was involved too."

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