"Third Prince invites me to a banquet?"
Ye Fan accepted the gilded invitation with mild surprise. He'd never interacted with this prince in his past life—only knew he'd eventually ascended the Chu throne, uncovered Beigong Hanxiao's assassination, and personally orchestrated the Ye Clan's downfall.
The Third Prince was infamous—a libertine who prized fine wine and beautiful women above all, yet paradoxically brilliant. His cultivation talent ranked Heaven-Grade Three Stars, making him a luminary among the capital's elite.
In the martial world of Tianwu Continent, innate talent was categorized: Waste-Grade, Yellow-Grade, Mystic-Grade, Earth-Grade, Heaven-Grade, Divine-Martial, each subdivided into nine stars. Before his Dantian's destruction, Ye Fan had been Heaven-Grade Two Stars. Now? By conventional measures, he'd register as Waste-Grade.
"Inform His Highness I'll attend. My thanks for the invitation."
The messenger bowed deeply before departing.
"An unsolicited invitation... Trouble brews." Ye Fan's lips curved. "Beigong Xue, hmm? Amusing. Very amusing. Since I've been reborn, I might as well savor life's little dramas."
Night draped the capital in lantern-glow. With no curfew, the streets thrived with nocturnal bustle. Ye Fan—now infamous—rode through crowds that pointed and whispered.
He remained unperturbed. A true martial artist tempered not just his body, but his mind. This didn't mean swallowing insults—had these been fellow cultivators, blades would've already clashed. But to brawl with commoners? Beneath him.
Behind him, Yang Xiao and Li Zhong fumed. As Core Formation experts, they'd never endured such disrespect.
"Your Highness," Yang Xiao finally snapped, "your tolerance astounds."
Disappointment flickered through Ye Fan. These two had followed him during the Ye Clan purge when he'd been powerless. He'd considered grooming them—but their lack of discipline soured that plan.
"Oh? Do enlighten me."
"If Your Highness fears scrutiny," Li Zhong sneered, "travel by palanquin. Must we suffer humiliation for your recklessness?"
"Recklessness?" Ye Fan's voice turned glacial. "Do you wish to be relieved of duty?"
Yang Xiao's lip curled. "Frankly? This Ink Prince Manor isn't worthy of us."
Without another word, Ye Fan tossed them his command token. "From this moment, you're reinstated to your former posts. Take your men with you. Inform Uncle Han it's my decree."
As the two strode away, Ye Fan rode on alone. In my past life, he mused, I cultivated in isolation—deaf and blind to the continent's secrets. It had taken years to track down his lost sword. This time, he'd build connections—especially intelligence networks.
Third Prince's Estate
Noble scions clustered at the gates, exchanging pleasantries. Most wore brocade robes and wielded folding fans—scholarly affectations. Ye Fan's martial attire marked him as an outsider.
Though notorious, he'd never mingled with these bluebloods. His arrival went unnoticed—until a man swaggered forward.
"Well, well! If it isn't Prince Ye Fan! Lost your way to the butcher's shop?"
Laughter rippled through the crowd. Lin Mufei—Lin Muxue's elder brother, Ye Feng's bosom friend, and Ye Fan's past-life tormentor—grinned like a shark.
"That outfit suits you," Lin Mufei continued, flicking Ye Fan's sleeve. "Rugged. Unrefined. Just like your—"
"The Ye Clan is ashes." Ye Fan's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Yet the Lin Clan still barks?"
Lin Mufei clutched his chest in mock terror. "Oh no! The kin-slayer threatens me!" He turned to the crowd. "Hear that, gentlemen? This bastard who sold his family for a title dares—"
CRACK!
Ye Fan's fist exploded forward with dragon-roaring force. Lin Mufei barely raised his own punch before the sonic boom shattered his focus. Agony erupted in his Dantian as he flew backward, blood arcing from his lips.
Ye Fan lunged, snatching Lin Mufei's wrist midair. He slammed the nobleman face-first into the cobblestones, boot pressing down on his skull.
"One step closer," Ye Fan warned Lin Mufei's frozen guards, "and I paint the street with his brains."
Inside the estate gates, two figures observed the scene.
"Sister," murmured the impeccably groomed Third Prince, "the show begins."
Beside him, Beigong Xue bounced on her toes, eyes alight with mischief.