Splendid Radiance Hall.
Yang Cheng sat cross-legged on his baby bed.
The Qilin Jade was actually a bone from a primordial qilin. It had powerful self-healing and restorative powers and even held a full inheritance.
More than that, the Qilin Jade contained a remnant will of the ancient qilin.
That remnant could guide Wu Cangming's cultivation.
Wu Cangming's brilliance all stemmed from this jade.
To Yang Cheng, Wu Cangming was just a watered-down version of Yang Xiu.
But Yang Cheng didn't care about the Qilin Jade's functions.
The Black Dragon Ring was no weaker than the Qilin Jade. The Supreme Dual Pupils completely outclassed it.
This jade held little appeal to him.
He wanted it for another reason.
"Refine it!"
Yang Cheng began refining the jade.
Just then, a faint blood-red glow spread from the Qilin Jade. A sharp spiritual force shot out like a blade, stabbing toward Yang Cheng's forehead.
Yang Cheng wasn't surprised at all. "Wu Cangming, so you really came."
With five hundred years of memories, how could he not know that Wu Cangming's consciousness was practically fused with the Qilin Jade?
He had been waiting for this moment.
If Wu Cangming stayed obedient, fine.
But if he acted out, he'd pay an even heavier price.
Yang Cheng's spiritual power had already reached the Martial Lord level. Why would he fear Wu Cangming's Martial Master level soul?
In a blink, Wu Cangming's spiritual force clashed with Yang Cheng's.
Southern Guardian Prince Residence, Imperial Capital.
Wu Cangming's face twisted into a satisfied, cruel grin.
He could already picture Yang Cheng being mentally wrecked.
Best case, Yang Cheng turned into a complete idiot.
Then, he felt it—his spiritual force was like an egg smashing into a rock.
Truly throwing an egg at a boulder.
Yang Cheng's spirit was way stronger than his.
"Ahhh!"
Wu Cangming screamed, clutching his head as blood poured from his nose and mouth.
Sensing things had gone wrong, he panicked and tried to make the Qilin Jade escape.
Yang Cheng calmly activated his Heaven-Earth Spatial Domain.
The Qilin Jade was instantly pulled into the spatial domain.
That moment, the connection between Wu Cangming and the jade was cut.
Already severely injured mentally, Wu Cangming suffered a violent backlash.
He spat blood and collapsed flat on his bed.
The servants outside noticed something was wrong and rushed into the room.
Then they all gasped. "Young Master!"
On the bed, Wu Cangming's face was covered in blood. His eyes were blank. He had passed out cold.
No matter how loudly they shouted, he didn't respond.
It wasn't until deep into the night that Wu Cangming finally woke up.
But he looked dazed and sluggish, muttering nonsense.
"I'm the Southern Guardian Prince's heir?"
"No, I'm a senior elder of the Nether Prison Demon Palace."
"Yang Xiu, you just wait. I, Wu Cangming, won't be defeated so easily!"
"Rebellion! Rebellion! The Southern Guardian Prince Residence is finally rebelling..."
These words terrified the servants so much they didn't dare let Wu Cangming leave the room again.
That very night, the news of Wu Cangming's madness spread all over the imperial capital.
At this moment, Yang Cheng had no idea what was happening at the Southern Guardian Prince Residence.
His mind was immersed in the Heaven-Earth Spatial Domain.
The space inside was vast, but monotonous—just endless void.
Now that Wu Cangming had lost his hold, the Qilin Jade could no longer resist Yang Cheng's refinement.
Roar!
Inside the jade, a massive phantom of a qilin appeared.
It was the remnant will of the primordial qilin.
"Young one, from now on I shall guide your cultivation..."
It spoke with a solemn expression.
But what met it was a black dragon.
The black dragon lunged forward and clashed with the qilin's remnant.
The ancient qilin will didn't stand a chance. In just a few rounds, the black dragon tore it to shreds.
Then the Qilin Jade transformed in the center of the Heaven-Earth Spatial Domain, becoming a floating island over 1,000 zhang (about 3,300 meters) wide.
The island couldn't be used for now, but it would definitely prove useful in the future.
The next day arrived quickly.
The Southern Guardian Prince Residence moved even faster than Yang Cheng expected.
The Chanzhou garrison commander, Wu Zhaoyue—younger brother of the Southern Guardian Prince—raced overnight to the capital on horseback.
At dawn, a eunuch came to Splendid Radiance Hall to report: "Your Majesty the Empress, Your Highness the Crown Prince, His Majesty summons you."
Imperial Study.
A strong-built middle-aged man spoke in grief and fury: "Your Majesty, our Southern Guardian Prince's troops fight and die to defend the borders. Now the heir has been crippled in the capital—and driven mad last night."
"Please, Your Majesty, stand up for us. Don't let our soldiers at the border lose heart."
"Commander Wu, speak plainly."
Emperor Qian Yuan said.
Right then, a eunuch's voice came from outside the hall. "Your Majesty the Empress, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived."
Yun Liyue entered, leading Yang Cheng by the hand.
Wu Zhaoyue immediately turned and glared at Yang Cheng. "Your Majesty, I formally impeach the Crown Prince. According to Great Zhou law, princes who commit crimes are punished the same as commoners."
"The Crown Prince crippled the Southern Guardian Prince's heir and drove him insane. He must pay the price."
"From what I understand, it was Young Master Wu who challenged the Crown Prince first."
Yun Liyue's tone was ice-cold. "In martial combat, injuries are expected. If he ended up crippled—or even killed—he has no one to blame."
"Hahaha! Your Majesty, is this really the court's stance on the matter?"
Wu Zhaoyue laughed in rage.
Emperor Qian Yuan's face darkened, brows tightly furrowed.
This matter was clearly a headache for him too.
If handled poorly, it could cause unrest in the southern borders.
"And what if it is the court's stance?"
Suddenly, a cold, arrogant voice echoed.
Yun Liyue and Yang Cheng both stiffened and quickly turned toward the study's entrance.
From the far end of the corridor, a tall figure strode steadily toward them.
He wore a deep navy robe, cinched with a wide black-gold belt inlaid with smooth jade, adding a noble air to his presence.
"Uncle!"
Yang Cheng's eyes turned red.
The man before him was none other than the Flag-Bearer General of Great Zhou—his uncle, Yun Jinghuai.
In his past life, not long from now, his uncle would fall on the battlefield.
By now, they hadn't seen each other in 500 years.
Yet in this life, in this moment, his uncle stood here—alive and real.
Ding!
[The host has encountered the living form of Yun Jinghuai again. This appears to have awakened a deep sorrow in the host's heart.]
[The death of Yun Jinghuai has always been a painful knot in the host's life. The system urges the host to reverse yin and yang, defy life and death, and bring Yun Jinghuai back.]
[This mission is extremely difficult. A special allowance of seven years is granted.]
[Mission reward: Archery Technique · Shooting the Sun.]
Yun Jinghuai had sharp, defined features, and his sword-shaped brows stretched back to his temples. He gave off the iron-blooded aura of a battle-hardened veteran, yet still retained the bold energy of a heroic youth.
He stopped just outside the imperial study, raised a hand to neaten his robe and belt, making sure every detail of his appearance was perfect. Only then did he step through the doorway.
Crossing the threshold, he walked to the center of the room and knelt on both knees, offering a full formal military bow. "Your humble general Yun Jinghuai greets His Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty the Empress, and His Highness the Crown Prince."
Emperor Qian Yuan stood up immediately. He walked over and personally helped Yun Jinghuai to his feet.
He then looked him over, eyes full of satisfaction, and gave his shoulder a firm pat. "Good, good, very good. As expected of My Flag-Bearer General."
Yun Jinghuai smiled broadly. Once standing, his posture was straight like a pine tree rooted in stone, radiating heroic might.
He turned to Yun Liyue. "Your Majesty, it's been nine months since we last met. I've missed your sweet osmanthus cakes."
Yun Liyue's eyes were noticeably misty, though she pretended to scold him. "You reckless brat, how could you come back without sending word first?"
"Hehe, I just wanted to surprise you."
Yun Jinghuai scratched his head, then his gaze landed on Yang Cheng. His eyes lit up. "Your Majesty, Your Highness, I heard a lot of rumors about the Crown Prince on my way here. When I left, he was only ten months old. Now he's like a dragon among cubs—truly worthy of both of you."
"And worthy of being your nephew, Uncle," Yang Cheng added.
"Hahaha!"
The whole family of four burst into laughter.
Ding!
[The Yun Jinghuai before you is full of vitality and mentally sound. He has clearly been resurrected through the host's heaven-defying methods.]
[The host's abilities grow ever more unpredictable—beyond understanding.]
[Congratulations to the host for completing the mission. The reward has been granted. Would the host like to claim it now or later?]
Yang Cheng was even more overjoyed.
But beside him, Wu Zhaoyue's face was extremely grim. "Your Majesty, we were in the middle of official business."
Emperor Qian Yuan sighed.
Yun Jinghuai narrowed his eyes. "Wu Zhaoyue, just as well you're here. I was looking for you."
"Your Southern Guardian Prince's heir had the gall to publicly disrespect the Crown Prince. A crime so heinous he should be executed on the spot."
Wu Zhaoyue's eyes widened in disbelief.
Even Emperor Qian Yuan looked slightly surprised.
Seeing this, Yun Jinghuai pretended to ponder. "Your Majesty, judging by your expression, could it be that Commander Wu came here to confess his guilt?"
"In that case, given the Southern Guardian Prince Residence's merits in defending the borders, perhaps Your Majesty shouldn't be too harsh. Just executing that disgrace of a son would be enough. No need to implicate the whole family."
"Yun Jinghuai!"
Wu Zhaoyue could no longer hold it in. His eyes burned with fury. "How dare you humiliate the Southern Guardian Prince's household…"
Before he could finish, Yun Jinghuai's smiling eyes suddenly turned cold and sharp, like a freezing pond.
Wu Zhaoyue's voice instantly caught in his throat. He felt an icy, soul-piercing pressure press down on him.
"Wu Zhaoyue."
Yun Jinghuai stepped right up to him and casually patted his cheek. "If this were Wu Zhaoyan, I might let it slide. But you? What the hell are you? When did you get the guts to raise your voice in front of me?"
Wu Zhaoyue's face turned pale.
Others might not be this intimidated by Yun Jinghuai.
But he was different.
He was a soldier.
And in Great Zhou's military, Yun Jinghuai was a living legend.
From the northern border to the northwest and southwest, every battlefield had seen his shadow.
In every battle, he was unstoppable and undefeated.
By the age of seventeen, he had already led 13 campaigns, winning them all.
His most glorious battle was deep in Northern Yan territory. With just 3,000 cavalry, he charged in seven times and out seven times, killing 100,000 Northern Yan troops.
After that, he led over 2,000 riders safely back into Great Zhou.
Northern Yan used to raid Great Zhou every year.
But for the past three years, they had been silent.
Because Yun Jinghuai was stationed at the northern border.
In the army, results were everything.
And Wu Zhaoyue's record didn't even qualify him to carry Yun Jinghuai's boots.
Even in the Chanzhou army, many of his own soldiers idolized Yun Jinghuai.
Yang Cheng felt this was eye-opening.
In his past life, his uncle died early. He'd never truly felt the man's presence.
Now, seeing Wu Zhaoyue cowering like a mouse before a cat, he finally understood how imposing his uncle really was.
"Wu Zhaoyue, your heir is an 11-year-old Martial Master who challenged a one-and-a-half-year-old toddler. That's disgraceful."
Yun Jinghuai said, "And losing is even more disgraceful."
"If it were me, I'd be scrambling to cover it up. But you? You flaunt it. You come crying before His Majesty and stir up a city-wide scandal."
"Now the whole world knows your family's heir is a useless joke. You've made the Southern Guardian Prince Residence a national laughingstock."
Wu Zhaoyue stood rigid, veins bulging on his forehead.
"Get lost already. Don't keep embarrassing yourself. You've completely ruined the reputation of our Great Zhou military."
Yun Jinghuai snapped.
Wu Zhaoyue's lips trembled. He looked like he wanted to say something but in the end couldn't.
He could only turn to Emperor Qian Yuan. "Your Majesty, this humble general takes his leave."
Then he slipped away, utterly humiliated.
"Good scolding!" Yun Liyue praised.
"Jinghuai, we owe you one today," said Emperor Qian Yuan with a smile.
Yun Jinghuai brushed it off. "Wu Zhaoyue? That guy wouldn't even qualify as my deputy."
"If I weren't standing in front of Your Majesty, I'd have kicked him down the stairs."
"Hahaha!"
Emperor Qian Yuan laughed heartily. "Empress, Jinghuai finally came back. You siblings go enjoy yourselves at Splendid Radiance Hall. I'll host a banquet tonight to welcome him properly."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Yun Liyue took Yun Jinghuai and Yang Cheng with her and departed.
Splendid Radiance Hall.
"Jinghuai, be honest with me. Why did you really come back so suddenly?"
Yun Liyue asked.
Clearly, she wasn't so easily fooled.
As a military commander, Yun Jinghuai wouldn't just run back to the capital to deliver a surprise.