Azure Phoenix Kingdom.
Within the bustling streets of Redhill City, the night was alive with laughter, drunken chatter, and the faint hum of lutes from a nearby tavern.
At one corner table, three n huddled close, voices low and heavy with drink.
"Did you hear?" one of them whispered, leaning forward over his chipped mug as though sharing a forbidden truth.
His eyes darted toward the counter, wary of eavesdroppers. "The Fang Family’s been crushed!"
The second man snorted, lifting his cup with a shaky grin. "Crushed? Hah! I heard the sa thing. Whole damn clan got dragged into a bloodbath! They say their old clan head fought till his last breath—stubborn fool didn’t know when to die." He laughed and threw back his drink, wine spilling down his chin.
Before the laughter could fade, a third man at their table, face red from too much liquor and eyes burning with indignation slamd his cup down so hard the table rattled.
The spill soaked through the wood, but he didn’t care.
"Old man? Old man?!" he barked, rising halfway to his feet. "You dare call him an old man? What lying bastard! The Clan Head of the Fang Family was no old man, he was the youngest talent to ever walk this land, only thirty!"
The first two blinked, startled. The second man frowned, waving him off. "What’s this, eh? You calling a liar now?"
"Damn right I am!" the drunk snapped, jabbing a finger toward him. "If the Fang Family was so easily defeated, would it take two kingdoms to do it? You think the Qin and the Azure Phoenix armies would join hands for so dying clan? Thousands of soldiers dead and you call that weakness?"
A hush fell briefly across nearby tables as heads turned toward the outburst.
Then, predictably, the murmurs flared again, emboldened by drink and ignorance.
"Hah! Two kingdoms or not, those Fang bastards were demonic cultivators!" soone shouted from another table, raising his mug high.
"No wonder the heavens struck them down! Cultivating that fast, reaching Nascent Soul at thirty? Hah! What nonsense!"
"Yeah!" another man joined in, already laughing. "Cheers to the fall of that cursed family!"
"Cheers!" echoed a dozen more voices, mugs clinking, ale spilling, drunken laughter filling the air.
The inn ca alive in a chaotic wine sloshing, boots stomping, voices rising in mock celebration of a family they’d never t.
Yet, amid the noise, the third man sat back down slowly. His fingers tightened around his empty mug, knuckles whitening as his lips moved without sound.
"Fools," he muttered, just loud enough for the table to hear. "The Fang Family doesn’t die so easily."
But his words were drowned beneath another round of laughter.
Towards the corner of the inn, a young man sat alone, a jug of wine before him.
The flickering lantern light cast shifting shadows across his face, sharp eyes, calm poise, and a bearing that seed out of place among the rowdy crowd.
On closer look, his features bore an uncanny resemblance to Fang Yuan.
The young man rely smirked, swirling the wine in his cup.
Do you also think my brother is dead? he asked silently, his voice echoing inward.
From the silver ring hanging around his neck, a faint glow pulsed, and a voice like an ancient echo resounded in his mind.
"Dead? Hah. There’s probably no one alive in this realm who can give your brother any trouble. That should answer your question."
Fang Tian’s lips curved into a faint frown.
He nodded once, set the empty cup down, and placed a few silvers on the table before standing.
"Then that’s that," he murmured, tightening his cloak as he stepped out into the moonlit street.
The night air was cool and crisp. As he walked, boots tapping lightly against the cobblestone, he muttered under his breath, "So... where are we going now? Surely not toward my brother."
The spirit’s tone shifted dignified, almost offended.
"If you wish, I can guide you there instantly. You underestimate this Emperor’s capabilities."
Fang Tian didn’t even pause before replying flatly, "I’m still quite weak to be facing him yet. Let’s focus on eting up with Gu Xin first. We’re heading into the secret realm tomorrow. My brother might be the strongest here, but he’s still just a frog in the well, I’ll catch up to him very soon."
There was a sharp tch of disapproval from the spirit when Fang Tian ntioned his brother,
"You offended your brother way too early. That girl with the Poison Physique was a true gem, and you let her slip away. Foolish boy."
Fang Tian smirked, eyes gleaming with mischief. "The princess has a Pure Yin Constitution. That’s even better. All I need to do is win her heart and I’ll have a massive boost in cultivation, when all’s completed, I’ll co back for her later. Worry not, my brother cherish that girl like his own daughter. He’s going to be protecting her well, just for ."
As he turned a corner, the noise of the tavern faded behind him and a small plaza opened ahead.
There, beside a caravan of rchants, stood Qin Yuyan, her silken robe gleaming faintly under the lantern light.
A few rchants were attempting to strike up conversation, each eager to impress the radiant beauty before them.
She smiled politely but her gaze kept flicking toward the street.
The mont she spotted Fang Tian, her entire face lit up. She waved instantly, relief washing over her features like dawn breaking through fog.
Her only true guard had arrived.
Fang Tian’s lips twitched into a half-smile as he caught her wave. He quickened his pace, the lazy swagger in his step sohow making him stand out even more among the crowd.
His long black hair fluttered slightly as he walked, his eyes sharp, confident almost mocking the world itself.
The rchants turned and watched Fang Tian approached closer, their expressions shifting from curiosity to unease.
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