Ten days later, above the Southern Capital.

An ancient flying vessel pierced the cloud layer, drifting slowly toward the city. At the bow stood a young man in dark martial robes. He possessed sharp features, eyes bright as starlight, and stood with his hands clasped behind his back—Xia Chengyan, the Crown Prince.

He spread his arms wide, embracing the magnificent sprawl of the capital below.

“Southern Region!” he bellowed, his voice clear and resonant. “I, Xia Chengyan, have returned!”

Beside him stood a young woman in simple, elegant cyan robes, her hair tied in a high, practical ponytail. This was Grandmaster Lin Xiaozhu of the Divination Sect. Watching Xia Chengyan’s exaggerated display of “returning home in glory,” she couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

Xia Chengyan grinned shamelessly and extended a hand toward her. “Come on, come on, Miss Xiaozhu. Let’s fly down hand-in-hand. We need to make a dashing entrance!”

Lin Xiaozhu swatted his hand away with a look of disdain. “Absolutely not. It’s humiliating.”

“Tsk. You have no romantic bone in your body,” Xia Chengyan clicked his tongue but didn’t press the issue.

He straightened his attire, deliberately draping a gaudy, dark red robe trimmed with gold over his shoulders—the height of flamboyance. He took a deep breath, stepped onto the railing, and leaped.

“OLD—MAN—! I’M—HERE—!”

A shout that pierced the heavens accompanied his descent. He fell like a meteor, smashing violently into the vast plaza before the Imperial Palace.

Boom!

Dust billowed into the sky as a massive crater formed in the stone. The Royal Guards, startled by the sudden bombardment, drew their blades in panic.

As the dust settled, Xia Chengyan revealed himself, standing tall and brushing non-existent dirt from his shoulders. He wore an expression that screamed, I am the most dashing man alive.

Lin Xiaozhu materialized silently beside him, looking bored.

The guards lowered their weapons, relief washing over them. “We pay our respects to the Crown Prince!”

Xia Chengyan waved them off, his burning gaze fixed on the depths of the palace. “Old man! Your son is back!”

The moment the words left his mouth, a wave of golden imperial qi swept out from the hall.

“Aaaah—!”

Xia Chengyan was caught in the blast, spinning through the air like a top, screaming miserably as he was flung into the inner sanctum.

Inside the inner hall.

Xia Xuanyin looked at his tumbling son with eyes full of gratification. At a glance, he could tell Xia Chengyan’s aura was rounded and condensed. He had reached the first level of the Nascent Soul stage.

Even more surprising was the cyan-clad girl beside him, who radiated the same cultivation level.

“Imperial Father!” Xia Chengyan steadied himself and offered a casual salute. He waved his hand proudly. “The Heavenly Abyss Alliance has sent two heavy hitters. These minor troubles in the Southern Region? Leave them to your son.”

The corner of Xia Xuanyin’s mouth twitched. He suppressed the urge to smack the boy again and turned to Lin Xiaozhu, bowing solemnly.

“Grandmaster Lin, you have traveled far. On behalf of the Southern Region, I offer my deepest gratitude.”

Lin Xiaozhu bowed slightly in return. “Your Majesty is too polite. I am Lin Xiaozhu, here on orders from the Alliance Leader to assist. I heard Your Majesty needs to pinpoint the location of the [Demon Nest]. Do we have any leads?”

“We do,” Xia Xuanyin said directly. “We have already confirmed the exact coordinates of the secret realm housing the Demon Nest. We were simply waiting for you and Chengyan to arrive. Tomorrow, we gather our forces and strike directly at the heart.”

“What?!”

The smug look on Xia Chengyan’s face instantly froze. His eyes widened as he exclaimed, “You found the Demon Nest? Then why did we come all this way? To watch a show?”

Xia Xuanyin glared at him. “The situation changed. I’ll explain the details later.”

Lin Xiaozhu remained calm. “That is for the best. Coincidentally, the Heavenly Abyss Alliance has been investigating the source of the ‘Seven Emotions’ corruption. Recently, cultivators have been losing their minds and going berserk. We lacked leads, but perhaps we can find the connection here.”

Xia Xuanyin nodded and arranged for servants to escort Lin Xiaozhu to her guest quarters.

Once she was gone, Xia Xuanyin produced a brocade box containing the [Zhang’s Grand Gift Package] and handed it to his son. “Chengyan. This is for you.”

Xia Chengyan opened the box curiously. He instantly gasped.

“Holy shit! Yellow Court Spirit Cleansing Pills? An Immortal Ascension Pill? And a complete set of Spirit Treasures? Old man, where did you loot all this good stuff?”

A complex emotion flickered in Xia Xuanyin’s eyes. “They were gifted by a Southern Region prodigy named Zhang Xian. His origins are mysterious, his wealth is bottomless, and his methods are endless. He is the one who located the Demon Nest.”

Xia Xuanyin briefly summarized Zhang Xian’s background.

Xia Chengyan’s eyes exploded with light. “Too damn awesome. I must meet this Godfather!”

He stared at the box for a moment, then shoved it back into Xia Xuanyin’s hands.

“Old man, this is your opportunity. Keep it. Greed chews more than it can swallow, and my life-bound artifact is enough for me. Besides, with my genius aptitude, I’m already awesome enough.”

He grinned. “I’m counting on you to live a few more years so I can keep playing around in the Central Continent. Later, just give me two stalks of the Immortal Ascension Herb. One for me, one for Xiaozhu.”

Xia Xuanyin looked at his son. Despite the hippie smile, the boy’s eyes were sincere. A warm current surged through the Emperor’s heart.

“What is the background of this Miss Lin?” Xia Xuanyin asked. “You and her…”

Xia Chengyan immediately puffed out his chest. “Niece of the Heavenly Abyss Alliance President, Sword God Lin! One of the Central Continent’s Ten Outstanding Youths, ranked right alongside me. Heh, she likes me. She’s my little tag-along.”

Xia Xuanyin raised an eyebrow. ” The truth.”

Xia Chengyan’s shoulders slumped. “Fine. I begged her. I know you’re too proud to ask the Central Continent for help unless you’re desperate. Since you actually asked, I had to make sure it was handled beautifully. I… I almost got on my knees to get her to agree.”

“What did you promise her?”

“Uh… does learning to bark like a puppy count?”

Xia Xuanyin was speechless. He patted his son’s shoulder heavily. “She traveled thousands of miles to help you. Her feelings are not shallow. Do not let her down.”

Xia Chengyan nodded, his expression turning serious. “I know. I’m sincere about her, too. I told her I’d make her my one and only Empress. Do you think I’m like you, with three thousand beauties in the harem?”

Xia Xuanyin felt a familiar, phantom ache in his head.

Early the next morning, above the Southern Capital.

Dozens of massive flying warships, each of a different design, hovered silently in the sky, forming a steel canopy.

Xia Chengyan and Lin Xiaozhu boarded the flagship alongside the Emperor. Xia Chengyan stood at the railing, striking a pose against the wind, scanning the deck.

His attention was instantly captured.

Near the bow, three women of peerless beauty and vastly different temperaments were clustered around a handsome young man.

There was Yun Wanqing, dressed in elegant robes, her demeanor gentle as water, whispering to the man with eyes full of concern. There was Li Fuxi, clad in stark white Daoist robes, cold and distant as the moon, standing silently at his side. And there was Lin Yinyin, lively and cute, chattering excitedly with flushed cheeks.

The man in the center was, of course, Zhang Xian.

Xia Chengyan’s eyes lit up with profound respect. He nudged his father and lowered his voice.

“Imperial Father… that must be the mysterious prodigy, Zhang Xian, right?”