Chapter 722

“This…”

Crown Prince Xiao Jingheng suddenly stopped walking, his eyes slowly turning red.

He was no fool; he had merely been suppressed and guarded against for years, never daring to entertain such thoughts—until Chen Wenxian’s hint made everything click, filling him with joy yet also a bitter ache in his heart.

“Crown Prince, all that is past now.”

Chen Wenxian, perceptive and quick-witted, sensed the prince’s turmoil and quickly comforted him: “His Majesty has made his stance clear: from now on, as long as you make no mistakes, no further troubles will arise. Your immediate priority is to handle the imperial fleet—His Majesty is generous and frequently draws silver from the inner treasury for rewards; if you can stabilize the inner treasury, His Majesty will see your talent.”

Crown Prince Xiao Jingheng hesitated, “What about the steam engine? Several of my teachers…”

“Absolutely not!”

Chen Wenxian immediately shook his head, his expression grave: “The steam engine has become the eye of the storm—everyone sees the profit in it, everyone wants a piece. The Emperor has made it clear he’ll turn a blind eye to promote it.”

“But this matter touches on the interests of many factions. If His Highness gets involved, no matter how much profit you gain, you’ll invite endless trouble. Now is the time for stillness, not action—just fulfill His Majesty’s orders.”

Xiao Jingheng suddenly understood and bowed deeply: “Thank you, Master, for your guidance.”

“It is the duty of a minister.”

Chen Wenxian’s lips trembled slightly as he solemnly returned the bow.

Though born into the Fujian Merchants’ Guild, he had lofty ambitions since childhood and never wished to be merely a profit-seeking merchant; thus, when the Open Sea Faction decided to fully support the Crown Prince, he voluntarily went to the prince’s mansion and offered himself.

For a strategist, the prince’s respect is more precious than any reward.

Thinking of this, he gathered his thoughts and said gravely: “Your Highness, with the Open Sea Faction’s backing, rebuilding the fleet is no problem—the difficulty lies in the imperial fleet having been exposed. If we continue to hide it, we’ll be mocked; if we escort every voyage with the navy, we’ll be accused of competing with the people for profit.”

Xiao Jingheng frowned slightly, “If this won’t work and that won’t work, what should we do?”

Chen Wenxian mused, “I already have a general idea in mind—let’s discuss it when we return…”

The two whispered softly, boarded their sedan, and departed under the escort of guards.

After they left, a small paper doll in the dark shadows suddenly burst into flame…

………

In the room, Li Yan suddenly opened his eyes and looked again at the “Thunderfall Mystic Metal” in the box.

This substance is highly sensitive to the energy of harmful cosmic forces.

Zizzi~

As his fingers brushed across it, static sparks flickered continuously.

“Truly a fine treasure…”

Gazing at it, Li Yan couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

Of all the spiritual materials he had obtained, this was the finest.

The imperial capital’s suppression artifact from the previous dynasty naturally required the best spiritual materials.

Even its fragments are rare treasures.

No wonder everyone scrambles desperately toward the center of power.

If such a thing were to leak into the mortal world, it would inevitably trigger bloody struggles among the Daoist sects.

Yet in the capital, it’s merely a greeting gift.

He had heard every word of the Crown Prince’s and Chen Wenxian’s conversation.

The current Emperor is domineering in character, yet his methods are exceptionally sharp.

When the former Daoist Priest Pei Zongti tried to invite him into court, the Emperor Xiao Qixuan was displeased and openly declared in the grand hall that people from the mortal world were unfit for service; thus, despite his merits to Shenzhou, he could never meet the Emperor again.

Yet the Emperor still refused to give up, sending the more amiable Crown Prince to make contact with him.

Any ordinary mortal-world cultivator, faced with such deference from the Crown Prince, would surely dedicate his life to him.

But Li Yan, reborn twice, seeks freedom—he’d be a fool to take on a master.

As for future cooperation, let it follow the rules.

At that moment, Zhao Wanfang beside him suddenly spoke softly: “Brother Li, have you truly thought this through? The Emperor’s table is not so easily eaten from.”

“But it tastes delicious.”

Su Yu entered from the doorway, took the teapot, poured Li Yan a cup of tea, and gazed at the spiritual material in the box, implying: “Mystic Metal is the path to heaven—but beneath the Eastern Palace, every step is a ladder to the heavens. Walk carefully, and a splendid future is assured.”

Li Yan shook his head calmly: “Not yet. We’ll discuss it later.”

He had already decided: after finishing his miscellaneous affairs, he would leave the capital as soon as possible.

This place was a whirlpool of mortal desires, a web of greed.

Their hearts were not yet strong enough—if they stayed too long, they might never be able to leave.

Thinking of this, Li Yan closed the wooden box and said solemnly: “There’s something more urgent: Elder Su, have you found any leads on Zhao Qingxu?”

The Court Commandant’s Office publicly holds the most intelligence.

But privately, the underworld’s secrets are better known by the Golden Swallow Gate.

“Not yet.”

Upon hearing the inquiry, Su Yu’s expression turned grave: “Young Master Li, it’s not that we’re not trying—Zhao Qingxu is far too cunning.”

“Upon receiving your letter, I deployed all our resources to scour the land.”

“I sent out three hundred ‘gray threads’—beggars, brokers, refugees—digging for clues from black-market trades, gambling dens’ coded language, and rumors at the City God Temple—but everyone connected to this matter had already been silenced and vanished.”

“The Three Great Societies, carriage and horse guilds—all these local snakes are clueless.”

“As you know, the court side is the same: after the ‘Peach Banquet’ was destroyed, the Wang Fu’s chief steward committed suicide, and all leads were severed.”

Li Yan felt slight disappointment but said: “I understand all this. Elder Su, you’re an expert in tracking and investigation—based on your judgment, where in the capital might Zhao Qingxu be hiding?”

Su Yu thought for a moment, then said: “Wind leaves sound, geese leave traces—anyone must eat, drink, defecate, and urinate; the more people, the more mistakes they leave.”

“In truth, we had long suspected something about the ‘Peach Banquet,’ but many nobles protected it, so we dared not stir up trouble and invite disaster.”

“Zhao Qingxu severed all ties—he clearly intends to act alone. The capital has a million people, with all sects and factions converging. With his profound cultivation, if he truly wishes to hide, tracking him will be nearly impossible—we must focus on his target.”

Li Yan said gravely: “His target should be the academy’s divine artifact—but now that the steam engine has been made public and the court is promoting it vigorously, all factions will eventually obtain it. I still can’t fathom what he intends.”

Su Yu shook his head slightly: “The academy… may merely be a smokescreen…”

He looked at Li Yan: “Young Master Li, Zhao Qingxu is a Jianmu demon—certainly an infiltrator. But his origins are hidden by the Commandant’s Office. If we knew those details, we might find a lead.”

“Elder Su, you truly are a senior of the Golden Swallow Gate.”

Li Yan smiled wryly and shook his head: “I can tell you this— the Commandant’s Office withholds it because it involves Longhu Mountain; they dare not speak freely out of caution, but I, Li Mou, care nothing for such concerns.”

“Zhao Qingxu is not human—he is a demon reborn!”

He revealed Zhao Qingxu’s origins without concealment.

These Jianmu demons thrive behind the scenes not because of their cultivation—after all, this world is full of hidden dragons and tigers; their age has long passed. Even the Wudang Sect’s abbot, Yu Chanzi, could simply pick up Zhenwu Sword and cut them all down.

Their true danger lies in their accumulated knowledge of countless secrets of the world.

Revealing his origins strips away their veil of mystery.

“Money Ghost… Jiaozi Uprising…”

Su Yu was clearly shocked, forcing calm as he nodded: “Young Master Li, rest assured—Jianmu demons bring chaos to Shenzhou. Though we are of the mortal world, capturing this man is our duty. Let me carefully consider where to begin.”

“Then, I am in your debt.”