Chapter 78

"Clap~ Clap~ Clap~"

A few clear claps suddenly came from the gate of the courtyard, breaking the silence inside. Xiao Sheng was slightly startled and immediately withdrew from the state of mind where he was seeking the Dao and understanding its principles. He turned his head to look, and saw a graceful figure slowly walking into the courtyard. With a smile on his face and a relaxed demeanor, he gave the impression of a gentle spring breeze. It was Prince Xian, Xiao Chang.

"Not bad, not bad. Old Fourteen, the punch you just threw already has a hint of 'Dao' and 'Li' in it. How old are you this year? Not yet sixteen, right? It's quite rare. You haven't even held the coming-of-age ceremony, yet you've already reached this level in martial arts cultivation. Indeed, it's quite remarkable. Well, in my opinion, in two years, when you turn eighteen, you will definitely be able to form a tangible martial intent and advance to the level of a Grand Master."

Prince Xian shook his head and sighed, "An eighteen-year-old Grand Master, throughout history, the number of people who have achieved such a feat can be counted on one hand. Among our brothers, only the Fourth Brother can surpass you slightly. The rest, even the First and Second Brothers, are far behind you. As for me, I am even more inferior, feeling ashamed of myself."

Xiao Sheng laughed, "Eighth Brother, you flatter me. I really don't deserve such praise. In terms of martial talent, I am just average. Comparing me to the Fourth Brother is simply a joke. Moreover, Eighth Brother, you are already a Grand Master, right? For a Grand Master to say he is inferior to a mere Master, wouldn't that make me feel ashamed?"

These two sentences were not just polite modesty. Xiao Sheng knew his own situation. If it weren't for the help of the Kala Temple, which gave him countless hours of practice, he would never have been able to reach the Master level at his current age. As for his Fourth Brother, the Sword Prince Xiao Yu, he was a genuine, extraordinary talent.

The Sword Prince achieved the level of a Disturbing Spirit Master at twelve, a Confusing Spirit Master at thirteen, a Restraining Spirit Master at fourteen, and by sixteen, he had already reached the first level of the Grand Master's Miraculous Realm. The Sword Prince had no Kala Temple to help him, so his cultivation speed could only be described as a "miracle."

After that, the Sword Prince tested his sword skills across the Eastern Wasteland, Southern Barbarians, Western Border, Northern Frontier, and Central Region. He almost couldn't find anyone who could withstand his three strikes. This shook the entire Great Hao Empire, and he was hailed as one of the three divine swords in the world. However,

The other two divine swords were already senior figures who had been famous for over sixty years. They had long disappeared from the world, and no one knew if they were still alive. So, from this perspective, the Sword Prince could almost be called the first sword in the world.

Compared to such a monstrous genius, Xiao Sheng knew he had no right to be proud.

However, Prince Xian, of course, did not know about the Kala Temple. He waved his hand and smiled, "Hehe, in martial arts cultivation, there is a distinction between health-preserving techniques and killing techniques. I only focus on health-preserving techniques to strengthen my body and extend my life. As for killing techniques, I have never learned them, nor have I ever fought anyone. So, my Grand Master status is actually quite watered down. In a real fight, I would definitely not be a match for you, Old Fourteen."

He paused and sighed, "To be honest, I am also too biased. Life is full of obstacles. Without the means to overcome them, no matter how high your status or how noble your identity, there will always be things you cannot solve or handle. So now, I can only come to you, Old Fourteen."

Xiao Sheng felt a bit strange. He knew that this Eighth Brother was not as clueless about killing techniques as he claimed. In fact, Xiao Sheng always felt that Prince Xian's true cultivation was unfathomable, possibly not inferior to the Fourth Brother, the Sword Prince. For some unknown reason, he chose to hide his abilities.

Of course, Xiao Sheng had no concrete evidence to prove his guess. But he didn't need any evidence. As a Confusing Spirit Master, his mental power was strong, and he could intuitively sense the truth. Although he was not yet at the level of a Restraining Spirit Master, who could predict good and bad with certainty, his instincts were usually reliable.

In any case, Prince Xian and Xiao Sheng were now on the same side. Prince Xian had helped Xiao Sheng a lot with the Netherworld Pearl. So, in return, Xiao Sheng had no reason to refuse when Prince Xian asked for his help.

"Since there's something, let's not stand here. Let's go inside and talk." Xiao Sheng extended his hand to invite Prince Xian, and they entered the living room, sitting down as host and guest. Grandpa Guan brought in hot tea.

Prince Xian took a sip of tea and smiled warmly, "Old Fourteen, as brothers, we don't need to be formal. To be honest, every time I come here to drink tea, I find it hard to swallow. This kind of tea is fine for ordinary people, but as princes, our every action represents the dignity of the Great Hao royal family. How can such tea be acceptable?"

Xiao Sheng laughed, "I am a deposed prince. Having this tea is already quite good. How can I be picky and complain?"

Prince Xian snorted, "What deposed prince? It's just some idle servants spreading rumors. These slaves do nothing but gossip behind people's backs, which is truly despicable. Old Fourteen, rest assured. I am in charge of the Internal Affairs Office. I will go there and give them a good scolding. From now on, everything sent to you will be of the highest quality."

The type of tea and daily supplies were small matters, but Prince Xian persisted in handling these small matters, gradually winning people's hearts through daily interactions, like the gentle spring rain nourishing the earth. If a Grand Master must have their own Dao, then Prince Xian's Dao was undoubtedly the "Dao of Harmony."

As the saying goes, "Harmony is precious." If one can achieve harmony, they can be noble. Prince Xian was already a prince, and in terms of nobility, few in the world could surpass him. Yet, he still pursued the Dao of Harmony to become even more noble. What he truly wanted was clear.

However, Xiao Sheng himself had no particular interest in the highest seat. Even if Prince Xian's intentions were obvious, it did not conflict with Xiao Sheng. So, Xiao Sheng was not concerned. He smiled and said, "Thank you, Eighth Brother. Speaking of which, what did you say you needed my help with?"

Prince Xian sighed, "Old Fourteen, you know I am in charge of the Ministry of Justice. Recently, a major event has occurred in Luoyang City. The Ninth Ben, one of the Four Dukes of the Eastern Wasteland, has suddenly disappeared."

Xiao Sheng's heart skipped a beat, never expecting Prince Xian to mention this. He maintained a calm expression and said, "Oh, really? I remember we met him that day. He was quite arrogant. I heard he, like the deceased Righteous Duke Niu Lao, secretly supported the Eastern Wasteland independence movement, seeking to break away from the court. Well, in my opinion, whether he disappears or dies, it's one less trouble for the court, which is best."

"Who can argue with that?" Prince Xian sighed, "But the Ministry of Justice has its own stance. We can't just receive a report and do nothing, can we? Moreover, the existence of the Four Dukes of the Eastern Wasteland is a matter of the court's dignity. This disappearance is hard to explain. So, the Ministry of Justice has no choice but to send people to investigate and search for clues."

Xiao Sheng smiled calmly, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. "So, what have you found?"

Prince Xian said solemnly, "There are capable people in the Ministry of Justice. They discovered that on the night in question, a skilled expert had infiltrated the Welcome Inn where the Eastern Wasteland group was staying, killing the Tiger Shark Duke Wen Dahai. Then, the Ninth Ben went to pursue the murderer and disappeared. The Ministry of Justice followed the clues to the Tianjin Bridge area, confirming that a skilled expert had fought there. But after that, there were no more clues. In my opinion, the Ninth Ben was most likely killed and his body disposed of."

Xiao Sheng spread his hands, "So, that's it? What are you still worried about, Eighth Brother?"

Prince Xian smiled bitterly, "How can it be over? The people from the Eastern Wasteland, knowing this, came to the Ministry of Justice, demanding that all martial arts sects in Luoyang City be banned and all cultivators in Luoyang be arrested and questioned. Old Fourteen, tell me, how can the Ministry of Justice possibly agree to such a demand?"

Indeed, it was impossible to agree. Luoyang City, as the capital of the Great Hao Empire, had a population of at least ten million. The Great Hao Empire was known for its martial culture, and various martial arts sects either had their headquarters in Luoyang or had various businesses there. These people made up about 20% of Luoyang's population. If they were all arrested and banned, it would cause chaos throughout the empire.

Although stabilizing the Eastern Wasteland was a fixed policy of the court, it was absurd to cause chaos in Luoyang to achieve this goal. It would be like cutting off one's head to treat a limb injury.

Xiao Sheng smiled, "It's unreasonable. The Ministry of Justice will definitely reject such a demand. So, what happened next?"

Prince Xian frowned, "Next, it got complicated. Seeing that the Ministry of Justice refused their demand, the people from the Eastern Wasteland took matters into their own hands. They personally went to the various martial arts sects in Luoyang, ostensibly to search for the murderer, but actually to kick their doors in."

"Kick their doors in?" Xiao Sheng laughed, "Luoyang is a large city with many martial arts experts, some of whom are hidden dragons and tigers. The Eastern Wasteland daring to kick doors in Luoyang will surely not end well for them."

Prince Xian sighed, "Old Fourteen, you're wrong. There are also skilled experts in the Eastern Wasteland. One of them is called Chen Suibian. In three days, he stepped into ninety-nine sects in Luoyang, and no one could stop him. All the sects had their plaques smashed."

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During the National Day holiday, business at my family's small shop has been good, and many goods have been sold out. So today, I have to go to the wholesaler to restock, and there will only