The warship carrying Jun Changsheng glided forward and entered the palace grounds.
Inside, ten young men and women stood gathered, their faces bright with barely contained excitement. Their eyes followed the disciples of Taiyi Holy Land with barely concealed longing.
"Is that the Holy Son of Taiyi? I never imagined he would be so extraordinary — not just in appearance, but in talent as well. They say the moment he entered Taiyi Holy Land, he was personally noticed by the Holy Land's ancestor and taken into the forbidden area for private tutelage."
A woman with sharp, luminous eyes and refined features murmured, her gaze fixed on the figure standing at the front of the warship.
"That's exactly why I chose Taiyi Holy Land — because of him. Geniuses are rising across every domain now, and my family's ancestor has already foreseen it: a golden age is coming." A young man in white robes spoke with quiet conviction. "In such an era, standing behind the right person matters more than anything. The Holy Son will carve his name across this world — I have no doubt of it."
As the ten of them continued their hushed praise, the Great Xia Empress stood behind them in her dragon robe, watching Jun Changsheng in silence. For just a moment, a trace of killing intent passed through her eyes like a cold blade.
He's the one who drove my Little Tiantian into the Heaven Break Mountain Range and made him vanish without a trace. And yet here I stand, forced to welcome him with open arms.
The irony of it sat heavy in her chest.
Beside her, Long Yi sensed the shift in her mood immediately. She leaned in close, voice barely above a whisper, eyes wide with alarm. "Your Majesty, please — compose yourself. The man standing beside the Holy Son is no ordinary figure. He released a single wisp of his aura just moments ago and killed the Carefree King without effort."
The warning came too late. The Empress had already lost her grip on it — the pressure of an eighth-realm cultivator surged outward from her body, spreading in all directions.
The ten young men standing ahead of her crumpled to the ground under the sudden weight of it, gasping.
The Empress caught herself. She pulled it back, cleared her throat softly, and composed her expression into something resembling calm. "My apologies, Holy Son. My mind was elsewhere for a moment. I meant no offense."
Jun Changsheng glanced at her. A faint smile touched the corners of his mouth.
As his gaze settled on her, a translucent panel appeared before him.
[Name: Xia Youyue]
[Cultivation: Eighth Realm — Divine Bridge]
[Luck Level: Orange (Empress of a Holy Dynasty)]
[Recent Opportunity: Gained insight into a martial principle. Successfully comprehended a low-grade martial skill.]
He studied the panel for a moment, and his expression settled into quiet disappointment.
Orange-level luck, and that's all she's gotten lately. What a waste.
The people nearby, however, had misread the direction of his gaze. Whispers began circulating almost immediately.
"Could it be that the Holy Son has his eye on the Great Xia Empress? That would be... quite something."
"If the Empress were to serve at the Holy Son's side, it would be an honor generations of her bloodline couldn't have earned. The strength of the entire dynasty would rise with it."
"..."
Xia Youyue felt the weight of Jun Changsheng's gaze and said nothing. Beneath her composed exterior, a quiet revulsion stirred. If not for who he was, she would have already answered that look in kind.
"Holy Son." Xiao Xue's voice came low and close. "The Empress just directed killing intent at you. Shall I deal with her?"
"No." Jun Changsheng's reply was unhurried. "The time isn't right. She still has her uses — she may yet draw Ye Tian out of hiding."
Xiao Xue dipped her head slightly. "Understood, Holy Son." She stepped back and said nothing more.
After a moment, Jun Changsheng turned his gaze down to the ten young men and women who had gathered below. A composed smile crossed his face.
"Congratulations to each of you for passing through the trials of the Hundred Dynasties War and distinguishing yourselves. From this day forward, you are outer disciples of Taiyi Holy Land." His voice was calm, unhurried, and carried without effort. "Once you enter the Holy Land, cultivate diligently. Uphold the path — root out corruption, protect the innocent, and give your full measure to the Holy Land's cause. Is that understood?"
The ten of them straightened, blood running hot with purpose. Their reply came as one.
"Understood!"
Jun Changsheng nodded once. He gestured to Su Lingtian, who stepped forward and began guiding the new disciples toward the warship.
Xia Youyue watched from where she stood. The look that crossed her face was quiet — too quiet. When she finally spoke, her voice was barely a breath, meant for no one but herself.
"How righteous. How noble. And yet you hunted down Little Tiantian and wiped out his entire family without a second thought."
Long Yi went pale the instant the words left her lips.
She hadn't even finished the thought before Ah Da moved. He stepped forward from the warship, his gaze cutting across the distance like drawn steel, and the pressure that rolled off him was crushing and absolute — far beyond what the Empress's own cultivation could withstand.
"You dare slander the Holy Son to his face." His voice was low, but it landed like a blade. "It seems the Great Xia royal family hasn't yet learned what it costs to be careless with those words."
Xia Youyue's expression changed. The pressure hit her like a collapsing ceiling — her breath seized, her color drained, and her knees buckled beneath the weight of it.
"My lord, this is a misunderstanding—"
"Your Excellency — Her Majesty was not speaking of the Holy Son, she was referring to someone else entirely—"
Long Yi pressed her forehead to the ground and spoke as fast as she could manage. The princes who had been watching from a distance finally understood what was happening, and one by one they rushed forward, voices overlapping as they scrambled to explain.
Ah Da's gaze swept across all of them, flat and unimpressed.
"Do you think I'm a fool?" His tone carried no heat — only a cold, settled certainty. "We sent word of our arrival long before we reached your gates. No reception. No acknowledgment. We let that pass. And now, standing in the Holy Son's presence, you slander him openly." He let the silence sit for a moment. "If there is no price for this, then the Holy Son's dignity means nothing. And that is something I will not allow."