Bai Lian Hua's reappearance didn't surprise the crowd. After all, she had saved the youth named Wen Lang. Allowing him to fight to the death with a general of the White Sand Dynasty would be unseemly.
Yet what shocked them was Wen Lang's strength, forcing the Black Bird General to unleash his trump card, Black Sand. That alone was no small feat.
Shock aside, none believed Lan An could withstand Yu Chen in his Black Sand state. His earlier performance matched Yu Chen's normal strength, but Black Sand amplified Yu Chen's ferocity several-fold, making the outcome clear.
"Phew, the princess stepped in just in time!" Brother Li wiped cold sweat from his brow, muttering under his breath.
The White Bird Legion gazed at the gaunt youth shouldering the greatsword with newfound respect, their initial disdain gone. Forcing Yu Chen to use Black Sand with only Late Fusion Realm cultivation was a miracle.
"Hmph, lucky brat," Yu Chen sneered, seeing Bai Lian Hua's intervention. Knowing the fight couldn't continue, he dispersed the Black Sand, its dark grains vanishing into the air.
Unbeknownst to him, the terrifying cyan flames in Lan An's eyes had also faded. Without Bai Lian Hua's interference, the Black Bird might've become a roasted one.
"Little sister, was the journey taxing?" Bai Lie and Bai Yang, ignoring Lan An and Yu Chen, rushed to Bai Lian Hua's side, their voices brimming with concern.
"My thanks to my royal brothers for your care. I rode in the carriage, so it was no hardship—only the White Bird Legion and Elder Lu toiled to escort me," Bai Lian Hua replied, her gentle eyes sparkling.
"You're too kind, Princess! It was no trouble!" Her words moved the legion, their chests puffing with pride as they shouted in unison.
Even Lu Lao bowed humbly, deflecting the praise.
"Haha, of course, we know that! The entire White Bird Legion will receive a half-year bonus!" Bai Lie laughed heartily, waving generously.
"Indeed, and Elder Lu will be rewarded by Father Emperor!" Bai Yang chimed in.
"Our thanks to the princes!" The legion and Lu Lao saluted respectfully.
Not a word mentioned Yu Chen, leaving the Black Bird General bristling. Though included in the legion's reward, he felt slighted. Unbeknownst to him, the princes inwardly cursed his incompetence, unable to swiftly handle a mere Late Fusion Realm pest. Had he used Black Sand from the start, this mess could've been avoided.
"Little sister, Father Emperor eagerly awaits you. Return to the palace!" Bai Lie urged, eager to leave the crowded scene. Public displays of affection for Bai Lian Hua felt awkward.
"Are Father Emperor and Mother Empress well? I've been unfilial, unable to stay by their side," Bai Lian Hua said, her nose tingling at the mention of her parents, who doted on her most in the dynasty.
"Father Emperor is as robust as ever. As for Mother Empress, she's been in seclusion for some time, rarely seen," Bai Yang answered honestly.
The three were half-siblings, Bai Lian Hua being the youngest, born of the Empress, while Bai Lie and Bai Yang were sons of a Noble Consort.
"Alright, royal brothers, give me a moment," Bai Lian Hua nodded, reassured. She stepped forward gracefully.
As the crowd wondered her intent, her luminous eyes turned to Lan An, her voice soft. "Brother, since you've recovered, you're free to leave."
She wasn't naive. She knew Yu Chen targeted Wen Lang because of her. Staying would only endanger him, so letting him go was best. Despite his surprising strength, she doubted he could match Yu Chen, backed by the powerful Yu Clan.
Lan An caught her kind intent, inwardly praising her compassion. Feigning surprise, he said, "I heard the princess saved my life? Wen Lang is deeply grateful and wishes to repay your kindness! I offer to be your guard."
He thumped his chest, exuding confidence, as if proclaiming his strength. Leave? Impossible. He needed to enter White Emperor City to probe the Ancient Ferocious Prison Earth.
His words drew silent scorn. Countless others vied to serve the princess—did he think he qualified? The princess, a treasure of the White Sand, had Body Unity realm parents and a master of high status at an academy. Repaying her? Everyone wanted that chance.
"Hmph, fool," Yu Chen sneered, eyeing Lan An like a corpse.
Bai Lie and Bai Yang's faces darkened. Stay near their sister? This Wen Lang courted death.
Bai Lian Hua froze, her delicate face caught off guard. At sixteen, her kind heart lacked worldly experience. She'd saved him out of pure goodwill, expecting no repayment.
"Haha, this brother jests. You have some skill, but what can you offer our sister? The White Sand Dynasty lacks no experts, and she doesn't need your protection," Bai Yang laughed loudly.
The crowd nodded, finding Lan An's offer laughable. Protecting the princess required someone of Lu Lao's caliber.
"Haha, I may not be strong, but my life was hers to save. I'd gladly give it back protecting her—that's what matters!" Lan An declared boldly, standing tall like a true hero.
The White Bird Legion admired his resolve, silently praising his manliness. Jin Ni smirked inwardly, marveling at her young master's acting prowess.
Bai Lian Hua, touched by his sincerity, fumbled for a response.
"No! Your origins are unclear. I suspect you're scheming against the princess!" Yu Chen barked righteously.
Lan An cursed inwardly. This guy's relentless. About to retort, a weathered voice echoed, silencing all.
"This old man knows his identity!"
Lu Lao bowed deeply at the voice. "Great Elder?"
Bai Lie and Bai Yang's faces grew solemn.
From the void, an aged figure appeared, clad in simple sand-colored robes, his long silver hair flowing freely. His lips were strikingly red, his skin smoother than a maiden's, but his weathered aura and cloudy eyes betrayed a terrifying age.
Lan An's heart sank, his guard rising.
"Mid Body Unity…" Jin Ni remarked coolly.
"Greetings, Great Elder!" The crowd saluted, awestruck. This was the head of the White Sand Seven Eunuchs, the dynasty's most powerful figure. A loyal servant through generations of emperors, his strength commanded respect, even from the current White Sand Emperor.
No one expected his personal appearance.
"Great Grandpa!" Bai Lian Hua cheered, affectionately grabbing his arm.
"Welcome back, Little Princess," the Great Elder said, his eyes warm with doting affection.
Having served the royal family for ages, he'd witnessed countless schemes and power struggles. Yet this girl remained pure, untainted by the court's darkness. Their deeper bond made him swear to protect her until his final breath.
"Great Elder, you know this man's identity? Could he mean harm to our sister?" Bai Yang asked gravely.
The Great Elder's face hardened, his voice firm. "Impossible. A successor of that man would never stoop so low."
With a flicker, he appeared beside Lan An, his gaze kind. "May this old man borrow your sword?"
Lan An, unnerved by the scrutiny, nodded and handed over the greatsword.
The Great Elder held it reverently, his eyes distant, tears welling faintly. "Greatsword, Magma Armor, Wild Cosmos Suppression Seal…" he murmured, lost in memory.
The crowd held their breath.
Lan An groaned inwardly. The old man knew Zhong Wu Ming. Given his age, it wasn't surprising.
After a long pause, the Great Elder returned the sword, his voice hoarse. "Watch closely."
Before Lan An's stunned eyes, the Great Elder raised his pale hands, weaving seals. The crowd gasped—the Wild Cosmos Suppression Seal, executed with far greater mastery than Lan An's.
Within ten thousand miles, the sky darkened, the desert roared, and the heavens trembled. The seal's might seemed poised to crush the cosmos itself.
Lan An's breathing grew heavy, his Piercing Weakness Vision dissecting the Great Elder's technique. Sweat beaded on his brow, awed by the seal's overwhelming power.
"Too vast a gap," he thought bitterly. He'd rarely used Wild Cosmos Suppression Seal and hadn't refined it. Compared to the Great Elder's mastery, his was amateurish. Of course, the gap in cultivation—Mid Body Unity versus Late Fusion—made the difference stark.
Just as the apocalyptic seal seemed ready to strike, the Great Elder retracted it, restoring calm.
"Did you see?" he asked Lan An casually.
"My thanks, Senior, for your guidance!" Lan An saluted earnestly. Despite his arsenal of skills and Wu San Niang's teachings, he valued the lesson.
"When I was a young man, I knew Zhong Wu Ming. We sparred often. He invited me to roam the world, but duty bound me to the palace as a eunuch," the Great Elder mused, a spark in his cloudy eyes. "Time flew, and I stagnated at Body Unity, while he soared to Tribulation. Haha, quite the embarrassment!"
The crowd reeled. Zhong Wu Ming, a Tribulation cultivator? Wen Lang, his successor? A Tribulation successor outranked anyone in White Emperor City, even the Emperor.
Lu Lao paled, stunned that the youth they'd saved had such a background. No wonder he matched a Refining Void cultivator at Late Fusion Realm.
The Great Elder's revelation restored Lan An's dignity, countering the crowd's earlier disdain.
"Investigate all records on Zhong Wu Ming!" Bai Lie and Bai Yang secretly ordered their shadows.
"As you command!" Two figures vanished, racing to the archives.
"If his background is clear, may I serve as the princess's guard?" Lan An pressed, steering the conversation.
Bai Lian Hua blushed, flustered by his insistence.
To everyone's surprise, the Great Elder shook his head. "It's not about your identity. His Majesty and the Empress won't allow a young man near the princess. Abandon that notion."
Bai Lie and Bai Yang smirked, pleased.
But the Great Elder's next words soured their mood. "As Zhong Wu Ming's successor, I, as Great Elder, invite you to White Emperor City as a guest. You may join the Grand Assembly our dynasty will soon host."
Lan An's ears perked up. "Grand Assembly?"