After being exiled for eighteen years, the prince returned to the capital as a veritable immortal.

"What?! You're saying Prince Yi intends to... enter the capital without permission?!"

A gasp of surprise rang out from the main hall of the governor's mansion.

As if afraid of being overheard, he lowered his voice noticeably for the second half of the sentence.

In the main hall.

The head of the household, Si Gong, sat upright in the main seat, holding a cup of tea.

As the governor of Liangzhou, he wore a black hat and brocade robes, and his every move exuded authority.

His two sons sat on his left and right sides.

The eldest son, Si Gao, sat upright, giving a report.

The second son, Sizeng, leaned back in his chair, his legs crossed and shaking incessantly.

Si Xuan, dressed in black iron armor, sat at the end of the table.

Si Gao's face was grim, revealing a hint of unease: "Avenging the massacre of your entire family? Your Highness probably intends to assassinate the Martial Emperor..."

"Si Gao, shut up!" Si Gong's expression changed drastically, and he quickly interrupted, "You must not speak recklessly about His Majesty!"

"Father is right! Brother, loose lips sink ships!" Si Zeng said with a gloating expression.

Si Gaobai glanced at his third brother and continued:

"Father, let's report this to the court immediately! Reporting the grandson's treason might earn us a reward from the Emperor."

"Brother, His Highness Prince Yi is, after all, Aunt's own flesh and blood. How can we kill each other?"

As soon as Si Xuan finished speaking, Si Zeng immediately chimed in, "Third brother, you're right!"

Si Gong rubbed his temples with both hands, feeling a severe headache.

The eldest son was too bookish and only cared about the survival of the family.

To put it nicely, it's about protecting oneself; in reality, it's just being a coward.

He tapped his forehead and said firmly, "The Si family stands with His Highness Prince Yi."

Glancing sideways at his eldest son, who was clearly unwilling to accept the situation, Si Gong continued to ask:

"Xuan'er, how is His Highness Prince Yi's spirits? Is there any difference compared to before?"

“Yes, Father’s concerns are valid! Could it be that His Highness has gone mad?” Si Zeng was as unreliable as ever.

"There's no difference, except that... his cultivation level is higher and more unfathomable."

"Your Highness's talent for cultivation is beyond question." Si Gong had no doubt about this.

Even Si Gao and Si Zeng nodded with expressions of conviction.

The Si family has always valued literature over martial arts, but the third young master, Si Xuan, has loved playing with weapons since he was a child.

He learned the head guard's signature swordsmanship quite well.

When Zhou Yi was five years old, he came to the Si family and saw Si Xuan practicing swordsmanship. He shook his head like a rattle drum.

He immediately ordered Hu Die to write down a set of Six Directions and Eight Desolations Overlord Blade Techniques for Si Xuan.

The entire Sifu government was greatly shocked.

It's already quite an achievement for a five-year-old girl to recognize a few characters, but Hu Die was able to recite the entire set of sword techniques from memory in one go.

Hu Die's extensive knowledge and wide memory were rare in the world, and from that moment on, she was well-liked by everyone in the Si Mansion.

The head of the guards has a Qi Refining cultivation level of Rank 3, which is more than enough for him to serve as a bodyguard in the escort agency.

He was quite proud of his mastery of the Azure Wind Sword, which made him virtually invincible in Liangzhou.

Being looked down upon by a five-year-old child was a disgrace to him, even though he was the grandson of the Martial Emperor.

The head of the guards immediately instructed Si Xuan to seek advice from Zhou Yi.

Eight-year-old Si Xuan was a head taller than Zhou Yi and was somewhat ashamed to make a move.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Yi beckoned to the head of the guards and said:

"You come."

The fact that his swordsmanship was being looked down upon had already greatly frustrated the head of the guards.

A dignified third-rank martial artist was actually provoked by a five-year-old child, which almost made him spit out blood.

however.

What frustrated him even more was...

Zhou Yi picked up the sword technique that Hu Die had just memorized, and while browsing through it, he made hand gestures and gestures with his fingers.

The little guy actually—

Learning something new and applying it immediately!

Everyone in the Si family was so shocked they were speechless.

The Crown Princess's orphaned son, is he out of his mind?

After the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea...

The head of the guards lay on the ground, questioning the meaning of life.

Everyone stood frozen in shock, as if they had been immobilized.

Five-year-old Zhou Yi displayed somewhat clumsy swordsmanship.

With just three strikes, he felled a third-rank expert!

Hu Die was able to write at the age of five, which already amazed everyone and made them a peerless genius.

Therefore, this crown princess's lost treasure is a rare and extraordinary talent, unseen for millennia.

……

"Tch, what's the use of being talented?"

Si Gao curled his lip and shook his head, saying, "Martial Emperor, seventh-grade Grandmaster realm. It is said that the great hero of Yangling, Zhu Anshi, is even more powerful... Want to take revenge? Heh."

"I will work with your grandmother to persuade His Highness to abandon his trip to the capital."

Si Gong waved to his three sons, "You all, hurry up and prepare for the martial arts examination in three days."

"Father is right."

Si Zeng was the first to get up and leave happily like a bird released from its cage.

Si Xuan and his elder brother reached the door, whereupon Si Gong called them to stop:

"Xuan'er, the entire city is under martial law for this year's martial arts examination. Only candidates are allowed to enter the city."

"Yes, Father, I'll go and close the city gates right away!"

……

The next day.

As dawn broke, there were few pedestrians on the streets.

A luxurious carriage drove from Prince Yi's Mansion toward the South Gate.

"The human heart is perilous, the moral heart is perilous..."

The girl Hu Die's recitation, as melodious as a nightingale's, came from inside the carriage.

inside the carriage.

Hu Die, with her hair piled high in a cloud-like bun and her face as fair as jade, looked like a fairy descended from heaven.

Her lips parted slightly, and the fragment of the ancient classic "Tao Te Ching" transformed into beautiful musical notes, dancing within the carriage.

Opposite her,

Zhou Yijian's eyes were slightly closed, his demeanor serene and tranquil, exuding the natural majesty of the imperial family.

at this time,

The sixteen characters from the fragment of the Daoist scripture resounded in his mind like a great bell, their sound shaking the heavens...

He always used his travel time to comprehend the principles of martial arts.

The driver was an experienced man; the carriage sped along like the wind, yet remained perfectly smooth.

Prince Yi's private carriage has always enjoyed unimpeded travel.

Today, however, it was forced to stop inside the city gate.

Hu Die stopped reciting and tiptoed out of the carriage.

"What is it?" Zhou Yi asked with his eyes closed.

"Your Highness, the city gates are for exit only, no entry is allowed. Anyone who wants to enter the city should block the gates."

Zhou Yixing opened his eyes and gently lifted the carriage curtain to look outside.

Outside the city gate, a dark mass of angry people gathered.

Most of them were martial artists who carried swords and knives.

They rushed to Liangzhou City just to witness the grand martial arts examination the next day, but unexpectedly they were stopped outside the city.

Si Zeng stood behind a group of city guards and shouted to the indignant crowd:

"No spectators or onlookers are allowed to participate in this year's martial arts examination!"

"This is His Highness Prince Yi's order."

"What's wrong? You're not happy? Go and cause trouble at Prince Yi's mansion!"

Martial artists are all hot-tempered, and they couldn't stand this. In the pushing and shoving, they almost came to blows with the guards.

A fierce battle is about to erupt.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Hu Die's slender figure flashed back into the carriage:

"Your Highness, the Prefectural Governor's Office has issued a notice: the entire city will be under martial law during the martial arts examination period."

The guards of the Prince's Palace nodded to each other secretly.

The fewer martial artists the Dacheng Sect sends into the city to assassinate His Highness, the easier it will be to prevent them from doing so.

Zhou Yi glanced at the enraged crowd and instructed his guards:

"Call the second young master over."

Before the guards could respond, Si Zeng had already spotted the Prince's carriage and immediately jogged over.

"Cousin, I've delayed your departure from the city! I'll chase away the troublemakers right away..."

"How dare you! You must address Prince Yi as Your Highness!" the guard shouted sternly.

"Go away. His Highness said that there is no need for formalities between brothers like us."

"Second brother, open the city gates and let the people come and go freely."

"No, Your Highness, Cousin Prince Yi."

Si Zeng said with a bitter face, "My dad wants to break both my legs."

“Go back now and tell your uncle that I said martial law will not be enforced for military examinations.”

……

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

"His Highness Prince Yi is such a good person!"

"Your Highness Prince Yi, may you live a long and healthy life!"

The crowd, brandishing knives and swords, erupted in cheers, transforming into a long, moving dragon as they surged into the city.

The prince's carriage stopped on the road to let other vehicles pass.

The passing martial artists all bowed and thanked Prince Yi through the carriage curtain.

"Ugh…"

The guards of the Prince's Palace sighed softly and shook their heads.

The martial artists who were watching the spectacle were quite pleased.

With all the warriors in the city carrying swords and knives, the Mahayana Sect had virtually no way to prevent the prince's assassination attempt.

Zhou Yi sat calmly in the car, his eyes slightly closed.

The corners of his warm, jade-like lips involuntarily lifted slightly.

Before long, several powerful auras mingled with the crowd and entered the city.

Having presided over the martial arts examinations for over a decade, he possessed an intimate knowledge of the martial arts families and schools in Liangzhou.

The people just now must have come from outside Liangzhou.

Mahayana Buddhism has already broken into smaller parts and secretly infiltrated the city.

"Hopefully, it won't be too weak," Zhou Yi said softly.

It took twenty years to hone this skill.

A first glimpse of its brilliance.

Zhou Yi didn't want the opponent to be too weak.