The Second Prince's Defeat

Luo Chuan couldn't help but feel a sense of amusement when he heard Ji Tianhao's words.

He had seen arrogance before, but never in such a form.

Luo Chuan knew that with Ji Tianhao's character, combined with the chaotic environment of Nine Stars City, it wouldn't take long for him to provoke trouble. Even if Luo Chuan didn't get involved, other cultivators would surely take issue with him.

"Kneel down and cut off one arm, and this prince may spare your life!" Ji Tianhao sneered, looking at Luo Chuan with an air of superiority as if he controlled life and death.

Yao Ziyan, however, didn't seem concerned at all. In fact, she wore an amused expression, as though watching a trivial play unfold. To her, dealing with someone like Ji Tianhao was no different than crushing an ant underfoot.

Luo Chuan's expression remained unchanged, but he let out a faint sigh. "I opened a shop in Nine Stars City because I didn't want to get involved in your royal affairs. But if you insist on provoking me, I don't mind teaching you a lesson..."

"Li Mu, show him what we're capable of!" Ji Tianhao's expression darkened as he gave the command with cold authority.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Li Mu grinned, cracking his knuckles as he advanced toward Luo Chuan.

To him, Luo Chuan was just putting on a show. In Nine Stars City, who would dare challenge them? If anyone truly did, they would be making enemies of the entire city—and the Heavenly Star Empire!

This sense of invulnerability fueled their recklessness.

Suddenly—smack! A sharp sound rang out.

Before anyone could process what had happened, a figure flew through the air like a blur.

With a resounding thud, the figure slammed into the wall, and the room fell silent.

The diners stared in shock as they realized the figure was Li Mu, the son of the Right Minister!

Li Mu appeared utterly defeated, with a large palm print on his face. The mark swelled rapidly, and his white complexion turned an ominous shade of red.

"Ahem!" Li Mu coughed violently, spitting out fragments of white—likely his broken teeth.

Seeing this, the diners couldn't help but grimace in sympathy, feeling a twinge of pain. It was a brutal strike, one that could easily ruin someone's appearance without the right healing elixirs.

Fortunately, Li Mu had fainted from the impact, so he didn't feel the physical pain. But his dignity was shattered.

"Wait... did anyone see how that happened?" one diner whispered.

"I wasn't paying attention... Why would you care?"

"I'm at the third rank of Soul Dominion, and I didn't see a single trace of movement!"

"Wait... Does that mean he's at least in the Origin Mastery realm?!"

...

The realization hit the crowd like a wave. They turned their eyes to Luo Chuan, filled with a mix of fear and awe.

The majority of cultivators in the world remained at the Mortal Awakening and Spiritual Sense levels. Reaching the Origin Mastery realm made someone a true master—a person capable of leading a sect or acting as a key figure within a major force.

Seeing Li Mu's miserable state, Ji Tianhao's confidence began to falter.

He never imagined Luo Chuan would actually make a move!

"Y-you... don't come any closer!" Ji Tianhao stammered, his voice trembling with fear as he took several steps back. His eyes were wide with panic, a stark contrast to the arrogance he'd displayed earlier.

His earlier cocky demeanor was completely gone.

At this moment, he only had one thought left: No matter how beautiful Yao Ziyan was, her life was not worth risking.