Chen Suning stared at Lin Yun. She seriously suspected the man had lost his mind.
"Do you have any idea that Prince Zuo Cheng's men are currently searching for you all over Wangjing? For you to go looking for him now… isn't that a sheep walking into a tiger's den?" she exclaimed. "We know your strength is great, but do you not realize that this is Prince Zuo Cheng's territory?"
Seeing Chen Suning's shocked expression, Lin Yun just laughed. "Your Majesty, rest assured. This matter is not quite what you think. Prince Zuo Cheng will be obedient this time. However, to accomplish this is a bit complicated, and it will require Your Majesty's cooperation."
When Lin Yun emerged from the Imperial Palace, he had a relaxed look on his face.
"I never expected Her Majesty the Empress to be so reasonable. You just said a few words, and she so easily agreed to your request?" Fang Yu'er asked, her curiosity piqued as she looked at him. She had originally thought this would be a difficult affair, but she never imagined it would be resolved so quickly, letting her in on so many secrets in the process.
"Prince Zuo Cheng is powerful. Her Majesty the Empress naturally needs to use me for some things as well," Lin Yun explained. "If we can truly sow discord and cause problems within his faction, it will naturally be much easier for the Empress to deal with him."
Listening to his words, Fang Yu'er smiled. "No wonder you called for me this time. You wanted to show me what you're capable of, so that I would obediently listen to you."
"That would be for the best," Lin Yun replied. "You know how the Crimson Ghost Sect has treated you. Even if you were to go back, there would be no good outcome for you. You would be better off choosing to cooperate with me. You have seen my abilities, and with the support of Her Majesty the Empress, all of these matters can be easily resolved."
Lin Yun spoke with absolute conviction, but Fang Yu'er did not yet completely believe him. It was true that Lin Yun was powerful, and with the Empress's support, the outcome was easy to imagine. Even with Prince Zuo Cheng's strength, it might not be so easy for him to deal with them. But there were no certainties in this world. What if something unexpected happened? That was an outcome no one wanted to see. So, Fang Yu'er didn't fully trust that if things went south, her own methods wouldn't be needed to turn peril into safety. But for her, that would not be an easy task.
After leaving the palace, Lin Yun led Fang Yu'er directly into a bustling market. There, they applied some disguises, then swaggered openly towards the Prince's Mansion.
At that moment, the inhabitants of the Prince's Mansion had no idea what was about to befall them. Prince Zuo Cheng was still fuming, unable to find Lin Yun. And being completely in the dark about the Empress's plans filled him with even more anxiety.
Just then, the butler hurried in. "Your Highness, joyous news! Great joyous news!"
Seeing the wide smile on the butler's face, Prince Zuo Cheng just snorted coldly. "This Prince has not heard a single piece of good news all day. What is it? Just say it." He was still furious.
The mysterious figure standing beside him saw this and cautiously retreated.
"We just found Lin Yun."
Prince Zuo Cheng, who had been enraged a moment ago, felt his eyes light up. "After Lin Yun killed Prince Changqing, the Empress gave this task to me, to personally arrest him. She even said that if I could not accomplish this within a month, she would hold me accountable. I was just worrying about how to catch this brat, and I never expected him to deliver himself to my door."
The Prince believed that if Lin Yun could hide for a few days, he could certainly hide for much longer. For him to suddenly appear now, he feared it was with ulterior motives. He was still somewhat cautious of this cunning young man.
The butler beside him nodded in agreement. "This boy is indeed a bit more crafty than we thought. But in the end, he is just a young man. How could he possibly be a match for Your Highness? This time, you need not worry. With us here, we will surely be able to solve this problem for you."
Prince Zuo Cheng nodded. "For now, don't alert the prey. Send some men to keep an eye on him. If you can manage to tie the boy up and bring him to the mansion, that would be even better. Beyond that, do not take any further action."
The butler received his orders and left. They had originally planned to forcefully abduct Lin Yun and bring him to the mansion. But they slowly began to realize something: Lin Yun seemed to have no intention of leaving. On the contrary, the boy was swaggering directly towards the mansion gate.
The two guards at the entrance froze for a moment when they saw Lin Yun, then drew their swords without hesitation.
Fang Yu'er looked at Lin Yun beside her in astonishment. Although she knew from their time in the palace that Lin Yun was not one of Prince Zuo Cheng's men, seeing the guards' reaction now, she truly couldn't imagine how this boy planned to get them inside.
"Don't worry. They can't do anything to me," Lin Yun said flatly. He then waved his right hand.
A formless wave of sword Qi erupted. A towering blast of air sent the guards flying. They collapsed to the ground, coughing up blood, their eyes now fixed on Lin Yun with extreme gravity.
Lin Yun himself remained completely at ease.
"I am here today to see Prince Zuo Cheng," he announced. "Those of you who don't wish to die, get the hell away from me."
After speaking, he walked into the Prince's Mansion, his every step radiating a domineering aura.
Fang Yu'er was completely dumbfounded. She had thought that Lin Yun would be cautious and try to negotiate with the Prince. Who would have thought that the moment he arrived, he would immediately flip the table?
The guards at the gate had just been taken down. News of this spread through the mansion like wildfire, and countless experts and soldiers rushed toward the entrance.
Not long after Lin Yun stepped inside, he was completely surrounded.
He gripped his sword in one hand, his icy gaze sweeping over the crowd. "I'll say it again. I am here to see Prince Zuo Cheng. I have some things to discuss with him. If you do not wish to die, you still have time to step aside. If you continue to rush forward, I cannot guarantee that I won't kill you all."
As he spoke, the butler walked forward, clapping his hands. "As expected of the man even Her Majesty the Empress holds in high regard. You truly have some nerve. To bring a woman to the Prince's Mansion and dare to act so wantonly… you truly have no respect for anyone here."
Lin Yun smiled. "You're not wrong about that. The reason I dared to come like this is because, in my eyes, you are all just a bunch of trash."
The butler, who had been somewhat smug a moment ago, found his face turning ugly at these words, and he didn't know how to retort. He could only roar in fury.
"Cripple this boy!"