Rhubarb, you're finally here

The arrival of reinforcements filled Yin Gongyu with immense excitement.

Ever since Chen Chang'an had appeared, his days had been far from easy. Not only did he have to endure the fear and pressure brought by Chen Chang'an, but even the imperial clan elders treated him with disdain.

Yin Gongyu was deeply frustrated. After all, it wasn’t as if he had provoked Chen Chang'an himself—what was the point of blaming him?

Now that help had arrived, he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"Anyone willing to assist despite knowing Chen Chang'an’s strength must be formidable indeed."

"Who would have thought that our Fengtian Imperial Dynasty could actually find such powerful allies?"

"I wonder who it is."

"Quickly, prepare my carriage—we return to the palace at once!"

Too excited to continue searching for the person who had leaked the Gu Family’s information, Yin Gongyu immediately led his entourage back to the imperial palace.

Upon his return, however, he was taken aback—the newcomer was someone he neither recognized nor had ever seen before.

Did this person have ties to the imperial clan? Or perhaps to Yin Tianzi himself?

"May I ask, honored senior, who you are?"

"Feng Wuliang."

Feng Wuliang?

"Could it be… the Carefree Wind Emperor, Feng Wuliang?"

"I never imagined that Senior Feng Wuliang would extend a helping hand."

"Yin Gongyu offers his deepest gratitude."

Though inwardly puzzled, Yin Gongyu hurriedly bowed in thanks.

"No need for gratitude. I did not come for your sake."

"Are you certain that the one who took action in your Fengtian Imperial Dynasty is named Chen Chang'an?" Feng Wuliang asked.

"Indeed, it is Chen Chang'an."

"Good. I came for him."

Back when Feng Wuliang had first ascended to the Emperor realm, he had suffered a humiliating defeat at Chen Chang'an’s hands—a blow that had left a lasting mark on him.

Now, after so many years, Feng Wuliang was immensely satisfied with his progress in strength.

Thus, upon hearing news of Chen Chang'an’s reappearance, he had come uninvited, eager for a rematch.

"Could it be… that Senior has a grudge against Chen Chang'an?"

Hearing Feng Wuliang’s words, Yin Gongyu’s heart sank.

Damn it. If even Feng Wuliang had a score to settle with Chen Chang'an, then this man was truly no ordinary foe.

"You could say that."

"Arrange accommodations for me. Once Chen Chang'an appears, I will act."

"Understood. Many thanks for your generosity, Senior."

"I shall have someone prepare your quarters immediately."

Feng Wuliang’s arrival finally allowed Yin Gongyu to hold his head high. Though the imperial elders had no idea how he had managed to secure such assistance, they credited him for it nonetheless.

Over the following days, more reinforcements trickled in. However, none were at the Emperor level, which left Yin Gongyu somewhat disappointed.

Still, given the circumstances, anyone willing to lend aid was already a blessing.

Yet Chen Chang'an remained silent—no movements, no actions. This very absence only deepened the unease spreading through the capital.

What did this mean?

It meant Chen Chang'an was likely preparing to enter the capital—or worse, might already be within its walls.

Though he had done nothing, the tension in the capital grew thicker by the day.

The atmosphere was heavy, as if a storm were brewing.

"What… is he waiting for?"

The Third Elder had been waiting in the capital for some time now. He couldn’t understand why Chen Chang'an, who was clearly already here, hadn’t made his move.

"Fengyao, haven’t you been visiting Gu Xian'er these past few days?"

"Did you manage to learn anything?"

Lately, Gu Fengyao had taken to seeking out Gu Xian'er frequently, though even she wasn’t entirely sure why.

Was it to persuade her to leave Chen Chang'an’s side? To stop being his maidservant?

That desire didn’t burn as fiercely as before.

Yet she still found herself drawn to Gu Xian'er—partly to observe what Chen Chang'an was up to.

What surprised Gu Fengyao, however, was that despite being the young mistress of the Gu Family and a rising genius of her generation, she might as well have been air in the presence of Chen Chang'an and Gu Xian'er.

Whether she was there or not made no difference.

"Third Elder, in all this time, they’ve only spoken two sentences to me."

"The first was, 'You’re here.'"

"The second was, 'Goodbye.'"

"What exactly am I supposed to have learned?"

Seeing Gu Fengyao’s aggrieved expression, the Third Elder couldn’t help but chuckle. The girl had been pampered all her life, treated like a treasure by the Gu Family—this was the first time she had ever been so thoroughly ignored.

But perhaps this was for the best. She needed to understand that not everyone would fawn over her just because of her status.

A person must neither undervalue nor overvalue themselves.

Learning that balance required experience and reflection.

"Still, though they ignored me, they didn’t hide their conversations either."

"It seems Chen Chang'an is waiting for someone."

Oh?

Waiting for someone?

Was he expecting reinforcements?

"So that’s it."

"Perhaps Chen Chang'an is waiting for the true mastermind behind the Fengtian Imperial Dynasty’s unrest."

Huh?

The true mastermind?

"Third Elder, are you saying Chen Chang'an has a powerful backer?"

"No wonder! I always thought it impossible for his cultivation level to grant him such monstrous combat prowess."

"Now I understand—he hasn’t acted because his ally hasn’t arrived yet. Without them, he stands no chance."

Gu Fengyao’s eyes lit up as the puzzle pieces finally fell into place.

"But Chen Chang'an remains shrouded in mystery."

"Now, I’m even more curious—who exactly is this person behind him?"

"Perhaps we’ll find out soon enough."

East Gate, Imperial Capital

"How strange. Who in this day and age still travels with a big yellow dog?"

"What’s so strange about that? People have their quirks."

"But… why is the dog walking in front while the person follows behind?"

"That… I have no damn clue."

The sight of a dog leading the way while a human trailed behind drew many curious glances.

After all, yellow dogs were rare enough—let alone one that served as a guide. And this was the imperial capital, no less.

Dogs had never been a common sight here.

As they entered the capital of the Fengtian Imperial Dynasty, Lin Xiangliu felt a twinge of nervousness. In contrast, Wu Mingdao seemed far more relaxed—mainly because he knew nothing beyond the fact that he was supposed to come along.

"Brother Lin, is this the capital of the Fengtian Imperial Dynasty?"

"Why did Brother Chen summon us here?" Wu Mingdao asked curiously.

He had been training in the Chaotic Region, where his rapid cultivation progress had stunned everyone. But he was still far from strong enough.

"You’ll understand when we arrive. This matter… requires your presence."

Lin Xiangliu looked at Wu Mingdao with deep satisfaction. He still couldn’t believe that Chen Chang'an had found Wu Mingdao’s reincarnation so quickly.

The moment they met, Lin Xiangliu had been utterly speechless.

Although Wu Mingdao couldn’t recall Lin Xiangliu, he felt an inexplicable familiarity with him—a sensation eerily similar to what he experienced when facing Chen Chang'an.

Though they weren’t close, their interactions were far from awkward.

Now, hearing Lin Xiangliu’s words, Wu Mingdao grew even more curious: why was his presence so crucial?

He considered asking Da Huang, but the latter had remained silent throughout the entire journey.

Under Da Huang’s guidance, the two soon arrived at the inn where Chen Chang'an was staying.

“You’ve finally arrived.”

“How was the journey? Smooth sailing?” Chen Chang'an asked with a smile as he looked at the two.

“Very smooth. With Senior Da Huang around, there were no issues,” Lin Xiangliu replied cheerfully.

Chen Chang'an nodded, then turned his gaze to Wu Mingdao, who was once again clad in the Divine Dragon Armor.

Noticing Chen Chang'an’s focus on the armor, Wu Mingdao quickly explained, “This was gifted to me by… Brother Lin.”

“He said it originally belonged to me.”

“He’s right. It was always yours,” Chen Chang'an affirmed.

“Keep wearing it. It’ll serve as protection for your safety.”

“Now that you’re both here, tomorrow we can finally settle accounts with the Fengtian Imperial Dynasty.”

Settle accounts?

Lin Xiangliu’s heart raced with a mix of tension and excitement. After all, he had only recently stepped into the Immortal Realm, while the Fengtian Imperial Dynasty boasted numerous experts of that caliber.

Yet, the events of the past had left a deep scar on him. Now, with the chance to avenge his sworn brother, he was willing to stake his life—even if it meant falling here, he’d have no regrets.

“Mingdao, tomorrow, you won’t need to do anything.”

“Your task is simple.”

“Just watch quietly—watch as the Fengtian Imperial Dynasty meets its downfall!”