Chapter 664 - 673: The Crown Prince of the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty

Just then, two women walked past Wen Qingye. They were tastefully dressed and quite lovely, chatting and laughing together in a lively manner.

They hurried past, brushing shoulders as they went.

Xiaoyu suddenly glanced back at Wen Qingye’s retreating figure. "Hey, that man just now... I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before."

"That man?" Xiaohui asked, pointing at Wen Qingye.

Xiaoyu nodded. "Yes. He seems very familiar."

Xiaohui chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh, you. He’s just a Martial Artist in the Yin-Yang Realm. You’re probably imagining things."

Staring at Wen Qingye’s back, Xiaoyu mused, "No, I’m sure I’ve seen him somewhere... I think it was at the Celestial Profound Sect. At the banquet hosted by Hua Lie, the Absolute Peak Master. My uncle and I were on the periphery, and I saw him there. It’s strange. I have this vague feeling about him... How should I put it?"

Xiaohui immediately shook her head. "How could that be? The people who attend a banquet like that are all renowned experts. That kid’s cultivation is only at the Yin-Yang Realm. You must be mistaken."

"Perhaps," Xiaoyu said with a faint smile.

Wen Qingye couldn’t help but smile as he overheard the conversations around him. It was clear from their talk that these people were far from ordinary; they were Crown Princes of various Ancient Countries, heirs to Patriarchs, or the favored disciples of a major Sect.

The Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty was situated in the very heart of the Eastern Profound Domain, making it the most concentrated hub of power in the entire Domain. Sects large and small, along with various Ancient Countries, all convened here.

Especially recently, not only had a coup rocked the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty and shocked the entire Eastern Profound Domain, but the Ninth Trading House was also hosting an auction, the fanfare of which was attracting countless masters.

As a result, countless experts had converged on the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty, and for a time, it had become the focus of the entire Eastern Profound Domain.

"Sir, if you wish to take in the magnificent, wondrous vista of the Eternal Night Riverbank, you can view it from the Heaven-Ascending Tower."

An attendant had suddenly approached Wen Qingye and was speaking to him with a smile.

Wen Qingye asked, puzzled, "The Heaven-Ascending Tower?"

"That’s right. Our Ascension Celestial Mansion is the most prestigious establishment on the entire Eternal Night Riverbank, and our Heaven-Ascending Tower is the highest point in the area. From there, you can look down on the entire riverbank," the attendant explained, pointing toward an exceptionally grand pavilion in the distance.

Wen Qingye followed the attendant’s pointing finger and saw that the crowds of people were all heading toward that very pavilion.

A magnificent, exquisitely crafted pavilion towered in the distance.

Wen Qingye nodded with a smile. "Alright, then please lead the way."

Besides experiencing the wondrous sights of the Eternal Night Riverbank’s four great Secret Lands, Wen Qingye also intended to gather some local intelligence and get a feel for the shifting tides of power within the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty.

The attendant was taken aback for a moment by the natural aura Wen Qingye exuded, but he quickly recovered. "Of course. I’ll lead the way for you now, sir."

In truth, the attendants of the Ascension Celestial Mansion didn’t typically escort guests. That service was reserved for only the most distinguished patrons as a sign of the Mansion’s respect.

But for some reason, the attendant felt an inexplicable sense of deference toward Wen Qingye and found himself instinctively leading him toward the Ascension Celestial Mansion.

Two willow trees flanked the pavilion ahead. In the center hung a massive plaque inscribed with large, pale gold characters: Ascension Celestial Mansion.

The atmosphere inside the Ascension Celestial Mansion wasn’t as boisterous as one might expect; it was relatively quiet, but every seat was taken.

Ahead, a staircase stretched upward, seemingly without end, disappearing into the heights above.

"This way, sir," the attendant said, gesturing with his hand.

Wen Qingye nodded and started to walk forward.

"Hold on. Since when do attendants at the Ascension Celestial Mansion personally escort guests? How come I wasn’t aware of this? Is this man’s status somehow more distinguished than mine?"

Suddenly, a loud voice rang out from Wen Qingye’s left.

Wen Qingye glanced over to see an exceptionally ugly man standing there. His downturned eyebrows were furrowed, giving him an even stranger appearance.

’Looking for trouble?’ Wen Qingye thought, remaining impassive as he stood to the side.

Beside him stood an exceptionally beautiful woman, surrounded by a group of attendants and several others dressed in rich brocades.

He had already been quite displeased that the attendant hadn’t escorted him, as being personally led by the staff of the Ascension Celestial Mansion was a symbol of status.

But this young man before him was a complete unknown, yet he was being escorted by an attendant. A cold glint appeared in his eyes.

The attendant quickly explained, "This gentleman was unfamiliar with the way..."

Before the hideous young man could speak, another young man beside him snapped, "Do you have any idea who this is? Or who we are? And you don’t escort us?"

The attendant looked them over carefully before shaking his head. "I don’t."

The young man’s chin tilted up slightly as he said coldly, "I’ll have you know, my name is Li Xu."

"Li Xu? Could he be the Junior Sect Leader of the Mountain River Sect?"

"So it’s him! No wonder his cultivation is so high. He’s the genius ranked seventy-seventh on the Cyan Cloud List."

"Then who’s that person with him? His status must be even more incredible."

...

Hearing Li Xu announce his name, the crowd was startled and immediately began speculating about the identity of the person with him. If Li Xu was the Junior Sect Leader of the Mountain River Sect, then what kind of status must the man he was with possess?

When the ugly young man saw all eyes turn to him, he puffed out his chest, looking immensely pleased with himself. He then wrapped an arm around the beautiful woman beside him and stared down his nose at Wen Qingye and the attendant.

The woman’s movements were stiff, but at a sharp glance from the ugly young man, she immediately became compliant and forced a smile.

Li Xu pointed at the hideous young man, his eyes narrowing slightly. "This," he announced, "is the current Crown Prince of the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty, Pan Jieming."

"What? It’s him?"

Hearing Li Xu’s words, the surrounding crowd gasped in shock, and all eyes converged on Pan Jieming.

"So he’s Pan Zhongyi’s only heir?"

"And isn’t that woman Sun Lu, the young lady from the Grand General’s Mansion?"

"It seems the rumors are true, then. The Grand General has sided with Pan Zhongyi."

...

In the next moment, the murmurs of the crowd grew even louder.

Pan Zhongyi had always kept Pan Jieming protected in secret, to prevent him from being harmed by schemers. But now that the political situation was decided, Pan Jieming was finally free to appear in public.

Wen Qingye looked at the hideous young man, somewhat surprised himself. He hadn’t expected to run into Pan Jieming so soon after arriving, and he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of emotion.

However, Wen Qingye didn’t step forward to announce himself. As the saying goes, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. He was curious to see just what kind of person Pan Jieming truly was.