"But… but…"
Tang Yun'er couldn't find the words.
She thought back to the strength Yang Cheng had displayed earlier and realized what he said did make sense.
Strangely, a chill spread through her heart.
Could it be that her younger brother had deceived her?
"Young Lady."
Tang Yuan's gaze turned dark. "I warned you before. What Yang Xiu says may not be trustworthy. Now it seems he truly has been using you."
"I don't believe it."
Tang Yun'er shook her head. "My little brother is so kind. How could he ever lie to me?"
"Miss Tang, just now you said it was His Highness the Crown Prince who expelled the Sixth Prince from the capital?"
Zheng Degong spoke up.
As a minister, at such a critical moment, it was his duty to speak for his lord.
"Yes."
Tang Yun'er nodded.
"Then you have misunderstood His Highness."
Zheng Degong explained: "Back then, it was the Sixth Prince who colluded with outsiders and plotted to harm His Highness. After his plot failed, he panicked and fled."
"Even then, His Highness hinted to us soldiers not to truly hunt him down. That's the only reason the Sixth Prince managed to escape."
"Otherwise, do you really think a mere child could break free from the iron net of Great Zhou's army?"
Tang Yun'er was struck as if by lightning.
Her last shred of hope was shattered.
Now she was certain—Yang Xiu had lied to her.
"Miss Tang, it seems you only came here to stir discord between me and my sixth brother."
Yang Cheng's voice was cold. "If there's nothing else, then I ask you to leave the way you came."
"As for your apology—I won't accept it. I've no use for it."
Tang Yun'er's face turned pale.
Never before had she been dismissed with such disdain.
And worse, she truly felt she had wronged Yang Cheng.
"Crown Prince of Great Zhou, I, Tang Yun'er, am not one who shirks responsibility."
Grinding her teeth, Tang Yun'er said: "Today, I was too presumptuous. First barging in uninvited, then misunderstanding you."
"Here and now, I sincerely offer you my apology and beg your forgiveness."
As she spoke, her body trembled.
With her status, she had never once bowed her head in apology to anyone.
Ding!
[The host is truly a divine figure.]
[The Shattering God powerhouse Tang Yun'er has always been proud, a peerless daughter of heaven who has never bowed her head to anyone.]
[Yet today, faced with the host's public reprimand, not only did she not dare to offend him, but lowered her proud head and apologized instead.]
[This is a sight that leaves one in awe, truly unbelievable.]
[Congratulations, host. Once again, you have completed the mission with unfathomable methods.]
[Supreme-grade treasure "Undying Golden Light" has been issued. Please select a time to claim it.]
With the task complete, Yang Cheng lost all interest in dealing with Tang Yun'er.
After all, though she and Tang Xingyu were both daughters of the Tang clan, their fates were worlds apart.
The former had lived in luxury, everything going her way. The latter had her Chaos Bone dug out and suffered like a dog for years.
Naturally, Yang Cheng felt no fondness for Tang Yun'er.
In fact, aside from Tangtang, he had no fondness for anyone from the Tang clan.
"I already said, your apology is unnecessary."
Yang Cheng said coldly. "Before I lose my patience, you and your people should leave."
Tang Yun'er's face stiffened, a wave of humiliation pressing down on her.
It was the first time in her life she had been rejected so bluntly.
Her heart tangled with resentment, grievance, and fury.
She wanted his forgiveness, but her pride would not let her plead further.
So she simply turned, her face cold. "Aunt Yuan, we're leaving."
Tang Yuan could only sigh helplessly.
Her young lady was still far too proud.
She had created so many chances, yet all had been wasted, and no bond had been formed with a Heaven's Mandate Son.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, our young lady truly isn't a bad person. In the future, I will bring her to sincerely apologize to you."
Leaving these words, Tang Yuan quickly followed after Tang Yun'er.
Once outside, she couldn't hold back. "Young Lady, this was a Heaven's Mandate Son! How could you be so willful…"
Tang Yun'er cast a cold glance at her. "Aunt Yuan, it seems I am the master here."
Tang Yuan froze at her words, then fell silent.
She was only an orphan taken in by the Tang clan and trained, without any Tang bloodline. At best, she could be considered a servant of the family.
Tang Yun'er knew her words had stung Tang Yuan's heart.
But her mood was foul, and her pride wouldn't allow her to apologize. She kept silent and quickened her pace as she left.
The other cultivators from the Azure Jade Realm hurried after her, terrified that if they lingered in the Zheng residence, Yang Cheng might settle accounts with them.
Inside the Zheng family hall, Yang Cheng sneered inwardly.
Tang Yun'er truly had been pampered beyond measure.
She couldn't even endure the smallest grievance—proof enough of how spoiled she was in the Tang clan.
The Tang family really did play favorites.
Soon after, Yang Cheng didn't linger either. He bid farewell to the Zheng family and returned to the palace.
Once back in his own bedchamber, he silently called out: "Receive reward."
A golden radiance instantly merged into his body.
It was a supreme divine ability.
Moments later, his eyes gleamed with dazzling light.
This reward was truly heaven-defying.
The Undying Golden Light was an invincible divine art.
Once activated, it granted Yang Cheng an absolute defense for the span of one breath.
Absolute defense meant that as long as his opponent's cultivation realm was no more than three major realms higher, no attack could harm him while it was active.
Right now, Yang Cheng was at the ninth level of Martial King.
Above that were Martial Emperor, Martial Saint, and Martial Sovereign.
So, once he triggered the Undying Golden Light, even the attacks of a ninth-level Martial Sovereign wouldn't be able to injure him in the slightest.
"The system said this is a supreme-grade Undying Golden Light… does that mean there are higher grades of this ability?"
He couldn't help but wonder.
Still, he didn't think too much about it. Having supreme-grade Undying Golden Light already satisfied him greatly.
Though its duration was short, only one breath, it was still an absolute life-saving divine art.
"Even Zheng Guanbao has already reached Martial King peak. My cultivation should also break through."
Yang Cheng smiled faintly.
Without hesitation, he began refining the Marrow-Washing Divine Jade.
Its effects were extraordinary.
His body and true qi were constantly being tempered and strengthened, rising rapidly.
"After reaching Martial Grandmaster, each time one breaks through to a higher major realm, if there is a divine object to suppress and stabilize the martial foundation, the foundation will become far stronger."
Ordinary cultivators knew nothing of this secret.
But as the Crown Prince of Great Zhou, Yang Cheng had access to countless martial records, including notes left by Martial Sovereigns. Of course he knew.
When he broke through from Martial Grandmaster to Martial King, his suppressing divine object was a divine mountain.
Now, preparing to break through from Martial King to Martial Emperor, Yang Cheng had long made ready his next suppressing divine object.
That was none other than the Chaos Lotus Seed.
This treasure surpassed even the divine mountain, as it was a reward from the system itself.
"Chaos Lotus Seed, receive."
The reward had been waiting. Yang Cheng had never rushed to claim it, using the system as a storage vault.
Once he drew it out, he immediately sensed its extraordinary nature.
The Chaos Lotus Seed was a true chaotic object, born in the era of primordial chaos.
Placed within the dantian, it could strengthen it to an unimaginable degree.