At this moment, when Liu Yuan spoke of "taking action," it naturally did not mean personally rushing to the front lines or engaging in direct combat.
Although he already knew—through his identity as a transmigrator—about the joint plot involving Xuan Zi, the Body Sect, the Star Luo Empire, and other forces, those people had not yet officially begun their destructive acts. Before solid evidence surfaced, Liu Yuan could only plan in advance and quietly guide this hidden undercurrent toward the outcome he had already prepared.
He left the Duke's Mansion without delay.
Changing into an inconspicuous set of martial attire, Liu Yuan avoided potential surveillance and headed straight for Dean Jing Hongchen's residence.
At the entrance, he happened to run into the siblings Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen. The two had clearly just finished cultivating and were preparing to rest. When they saw Liu Yuan arrive so late, surprise flickered across their faces.
"Brother Liu Yuan, why are you here at this hour?" Xiao Hongchen stepped forward, his tone tinged with curiosity.
Meng Hongchen blinked as well, quietly sizing up Liu Yuan's calm expression.
Liu Yuan nodded at them and went straight to the point. "I need to speak with the Dean about something important. It has to be in person."
The siblings exchanged a glance. They rarely saw Liu Yuan act so serious, so they didn't press for details and immediately led him inside, heading for Jing Hongchen's study.
Upon hearing that Liu Yuan had come for a late-night visit, Jing Hongchen—who had been handling academy affairs—was also somewhat curious. In his eyes, Liu Yuan was always steady and deliberate. Unless something truly serious had happened, he would not have come at such a time.
Jing Hongchen ordered high-quality green tea to be prepared, dismissed the servants, and then sat down in the main seat.
"Liu Yuan," he asked, "what exactly has brought you here so urgently?"
Liu Yuan did not touch the tea. He lifted his gaze, looking directly at Jing Hongchen, and spoke in a low voice. "Dean, based on my recent observations, Mingdu City seems… unsettled."
He began recounting what he knew from the perspective of an observer.
"First, the Body Sect. Through discreet observation, I discovered that those lunatics have already sent a large number of experts into Bright Capital. They are currently lurking in the southern districts of the city."
At the mention of the Body Sect, Jing Hongchen's eyes narrowed slightly, and his fingers unconsciously tapped against the table.
Liu Yuan continued, "Next is the Star Luo Empire. The team led by Xu Jiujiu did not leave after their defeat and has instead remained at their hotel. That alone wouldn't be strange—but through certain channels, I learned that several Titled Douluo from Star Luo's Imperial Hall of Worship have also secretly entered Bright Capital, and not in small numbers."
Then he paused, his tone growing heavier.
"And finally, Shrek Academy. Although they claim neutrality, I've noticed that Xuan Zi has been in frequent contact with both the Body Sect and the Star Luo Empire."
"Judging from their movements, they clearly harbor ill intentions. If my guess is correct, they intend to use the moment when the Soul Master Tournament ends—when order is at its weakest—to carry out a large-scale operation."
By now, Jing Hongchen's expression had completely changed from curiosity to shock.
"This is really happening?" he exclaimed, standing up abruptly. Anger flashed across his usually mild face. "If this is true, it's a direct provocation against the Sun Moon Empire!"
He understood all too well that if these three forces were to cause chaos in Bright Capital, the damage to the Empire would be catastrophic.
But Liu Yuan did not stop there. He calmly delivered the final, most dangerous point.
"Dean, there's one more matter—an internal one." Liu Yuan met Jing Hongchen's gaze directly. "I'm aware that His Highness Xu Tianran has not been idle either. He appears to be planning action against the students of other major factions once they begin leaving after the tournament."
"What I want to ask is—does this truly come from His Majesty's will?"
His words sharpened. "If this is His Majesty's decree, then it means the Empire is already prepared for full-scale war with the other three great empires, and our Soul Engineer Legions must immediately enter a wartime state."
"But if this is not His Majesty's decree, then what exactly is His Highness Xu Tianran trying to achieve?"
Cold sweat instantly broke out on Jing Hongchen's back.
He raised a hand to stop Liu Yuan from continuing. "That's enough," he said heavily, his expression turning grim.
Privately speculating about the intentions of the Prince and the Emperor was an extremely sensitive matter. One misstep could drag someone into the heart of imperial power struggles.
Yet as the head of the Hongchen Family, Jing Hongchen knew all too well the ambitions Xu Tianran had harbored over the years. If the Crown Prince was truly acting behind the Emperor's back and mobilizing forces to assassinate the geniuses of other factions, he would essentially be forcing the Empire into war ahead of time.
Jing Hongchen paced back and forth several times before finally stopping in front of Liu Yuan.
"This matter is far too serious," he said solemnly. "If what you've reported is accurate, Bright Capital is on the brink of an unprecedented disaster."
"I will personally investigate this. You should return to the Duke's Mansion for now. Rest assured—I will handle what comes next."
Seeing that his objective had been achieved, Liu Yuan said nothing further. He stood, politely took his leave, and disappeared into the night.
After Liu Yuan left, Jing Hongchen had no intention of resting.
Using both his authority as Academy Dean and his power as head of the Hongchen Family, he immediately activated the highest-level soul tool surveillance systems within Bright Capital's defenses.
Over the course of the night, he personally led core experts to investigate hidden strongholds throughout the city, collecting large amounts of surveillance footage and records of spirit power fluctuations.
By dawn, after repeated comparisons and confirmations, Jing Hongchen felt a chill run through him.
Everything was exactly as Liu Yuan had described.
Poison Undying of the Body Sect, the Titled Douluo of the Star Luo Empire, and even Xuan Zi of Shrek had all completed their assembly.
Even more alarming, Jing Hongchen discovered traces of Imperial Guards and Evil Soul Masters—forces that should never have appeared in such places—secretly moving toward the soul tool warehouses and the mandatory evacuation routes for the tournament's geniuses.
At the head of those movements was clearly a confidant of Xu Tianran.
Standing in the monitoring hall and staring at the dense red markers covering the display, Jing Hongchen's palms were already slick with cold sweat.
The current Bright Capital was like a barrel packed with gunpowder. Once the final signal was given, the very heart of the Sun Moon Empire would be blown apart.
Jing Hongchen took a deep breath. He knew this situation was already beyond what he could handle alone.
He had to bring this directly before the Emperor—before Xu Tianran and the external forces could make their move.
"Prepare the carriage," Jing Hongchen ordered in a low voice. "I'm going to the Imperial Palace immediately."
He knew all too well that if this trip failed, the future of the Sun Moon Empire would spiral completely out of control.
Meanwhile, back at the Duke's Mansion, Liu Yuan stood quietly on the terrace, gazing in the direction of the Imperial Palace.
He knew that what came next—the Sun Moon Emperor's decision—would determine everything.