Chapter 8: The Seventh Imperial Prince

However, Cang Yinyue merely glanced coldly in Li Muxian’s direction without saying a word.

Silence hung in the air for a moment, before she finally spoke, reluctant:

“Don’t worry—whether you’re truly the Seventh Imperial Prince or not, I’ll do everything in my power to ensure your safety.”

Li Muxian shrugged and smiled:

“I’m not saying that—I just think it’d be a bit embarrassing if I went all the way to Shangyang City on my own, only to find out I’m not the prince.”

At this, Cang Yinyue snorted coldly:

“I understand. If I’m wrong, I’ll compensate you a hundred taels of silver as travel expenses.”

Li Muxian immediately beamed and raised his thumb in praise:

“Miss Cang, you’re truly generous—no wonder you’re a top agent of the Hidden Spy Bureau.”

Cang Yinyue kept her face stiff, arms crossed, and said:

“Don’t think that reaching the Primordial Realm of Wu Gong means you can let your guard down. A Primordial expert may rule unchecked in Shun’an City, but across the entire Da Li Empire, you’re nothing.”

She sighed lightly:

“I know you’ve had some kind of opportunity—otherwise, a tiny martial arts school in Shun’an City couldn’t possibly produce a Primordial expert, no matter how much wealth it poured in.”

“But beyond mountains lie higher mountains, beyond people stand greater ones. When you reach Shangyang City, you’ll realize the world always holds prodigies so brilliant you can never catch up.”

Li Muxian poked the fire with a stick, making the bonfire blaze brighter, and asked:

“For example?”

“I’ve never left Shun’an City—I know little of the outside world. Miss Cang, you might as well tell me more. I love hearing these stories.”

But Cang Yinyue shook her head and sneered:

“Talking won’t help you. You’ll understand when you see it with your own eyes.”

“But I can tell you this: the man now imprisoned in the Celestial Dungeon—the so-called ‘Seventh Imperial Prince’—is a genius of heavenly talent. He possesses both the wisdom to govern and martial talent so extraordinary it leaves countless others in awe. Before this incident, he was among the top candidates to become Crown Prince.”

Hearing this, Li Muxian paused, then said with regret:

“That’s too bad. Such a talented man locked away in the Celestial Dungeon is a loss to the Da Li Dynasty.”

Cang Yinyue shot Li Muxian a glance, a flicker of anger flashing in her eyes. Suddenly, she snapped:

“In my eyes, you are the true Seventh Imperial Prince. If you release him, what will you do then?”

“Everything that rightfully belongs to you—he stole it from you for twenty years. How many more twenties do you have to lose?”

At this, Cang Yinyue seemed to realize her emotions had flared too high. She paused, then said:

“Bringing you back to Shangyang City is merely my duty. What happens after that is up to you. Otherwise, in the Imperial Capital, you’ll be devoured down to the last bone.”

Li Muxian frowned, watching Cang Yinyue, who had suddenly grown angry.

Why is she getting so worked up?

He hadn’t said he’d let himself be slaughtered, had he?

But upon reflection, Li Muxian realized she meant no harm.

After speaking, Cang Yinyue simply closed her eyes and ignored Li Muxian entirely.

Seeing this, Li Muxian muttered inwardly:

“You swore you believed I was the Seventh Prince—but this is how you treat a Da Li Imperial Prince?”

Thinking this, he reached into his robe and suddenly asked:

“Miss Cang, during that half-burnt incense stick you left Shun’an City today—did you go to Yu Family Martial Arts Hall?”

At this, Cang Yinyue snapped open her eyes, glaring sharply at Li Muxian:

“Are you following me?”

But quickly, she shook her head, muttering to herself:

“Impossible—if you’d followed, I’d have sensed it.”

Li Muxian spread his hands:

“I didn’t follow you. But I guessed you went to Yu Family Martial Arts Hall—and took from Old Yu whatever the Zhe River Seven Bandits wanted.”

“How can you be sure?” Cang Yinyue asked.

“Because before today, you were tailing me—and you were tailing the Zhe River Seven Bandits too. So you knew their goal.”

Li Muxian reached into his robe, pulled out a six-sided, carved brown wooden box, and idly played with it.

“If you didn’t care about what Old Yu held, you wouldn’t have taken that half-burnt incense stick. Since you did, the object must be important to you.”

At this moment, Cang Yinyue’s face had turned pale. She reached for her satchel—its contents were gone.

She pushed herself upright from the tree she’d leaned against, her phoenix eyes reflecting the glow of Li Muxian’s bonfire.

“When did you steal it?” Cang Yinyue asked, voice calm.

As she spoke, her slender figure vanished into the dusk.

In the dim light, only a swift gust of wind cut through, making the bonfire flicker violently.

When Cang Yinyue reappeared, she stood behind Li Muxian.

One hand reached for the six-sided wooden box in his grip; the other rose high, her pale, jade-like palm forming a knife-hand aimed at the back of his neck.

“You’re not trying to knock me out and drag me to Shangyang City, are you?”

Li Muxian’s voice sounded beside Cang Yinyue’s ear.

Her pupils widened in shock—she realized, too late, that every movement had frozen mid-action. She couldn’t move at all.

“How… how did you do this?”

Cang Yinyue opened her mouth, realizing she could still speak.

“Just a pressure-point technique. You scared me by suddenly appearing.”

Li Muxian chuckled, staring at Cang Yinyue so close, his heart stirred—he reached out to pull off her veil.

“Don’t!”

Cang Yinyue cried out urgently.

But Li Muxian didn’t stop. “Don’t be so feudal and old-fashioned. Beauty is a gift from heaven—you should learn to share. Hiding it away and only looking at it yourself? What’s the point?”

Yet as he pulled the veil halfway off, he quickly pulled it back into place.

At that moment, Cang Yinyue’s eyes were red, blazing with fury as she glared at Li Muxian.

“Hey, you’re getting upset—I won’t look anymore, alright?”

Li Muxian carefully re-fastened her veil and withdrew his hand.

Still, a faint hint of shame flickered in his eyes.

He stared at the bonfire for a moment, then resumed fiddling with the wooden box.

At this, Cang Yinyue closed her eyes, then slowly opened them, took a deep breath, and asked:

“What pressure-point technique was that? Why so fast?”

Li Muxian didn’t turn around.

“It’s called the Sunflower Pressure-Point Technique. You’ve probably never heard of it—it’s my own creation.”

"This is the Sunflower Acupoint Technique, though you've probably never heard of it—it's a martial art I created myself."

(End of chapter)