NOVEL NEXT Chapter 113: Helping You Reshape Your Body
"Speak up!"
After finishing his inspection and confirming there were no issues, Prince Yuanqing suppressed his anger and lifted his eyes to look.
"Our Wanxiang Sect just received news about Zhang Xuan. We borrowed 80 taels of fortune and went to the Buddhist Sect, intending to steal an artifact..." Elder Gu You repeated Zhang Xuan's words without any changes.
After hearing the content, Prince Yuanqing felt extremely uncomfortable.
It was exactly the same as what Hu Sheng had said, yet he had to spend an extra 150,000 contribution points.
But if he didn't pay, the other party would definitely sell it to other forces. By then, everyone would be hunting Zhang Xuan, and he would gain nothing.
Knowing it was a trap, but having to jump into it... This was no longer a business deal; it was extortion!
But he had no choice.
"When I ascend the throne... I'll make your Wanxiang Sect pay it all back!"
His gaze flickered as Prince Yuanqing sneered inwardly, but a faint smile appeared on his face: "Elder Gu's information is very important to me. Since I have bought it exclusively, you should not... sell it again, right?"
"Naturally!"
Elder Gu You nodded: "Our Wanxiang Sect values integrity, Your Highness can rest assured."
Prince Yuanqing was satisfied and nodded, waving his hand: "See the guest out!"
"Farewell!"
Elder Gu You turned and left, disappearing from the room.
"Your Highness..."
As soon as he disappeared, a guard came forward, kneeling on the ground. It was Commander Bai from before.
"Assemble a team, and follow me to the Buddhist Sect!"
Prince Yuanqing's gaze flickered.
"The Buddhist Sect is full of experts, are you really going to forcibly break in for the sake of that brat?" Commander Bai showed hesitation in his eyes.
"What, are you questioning my decision?" A murderous intent appeared in Prince Yuanqing's eyes.
"Subordinate..."
Sweat broke out on Commander Bai's forehead, and just as he was about to explain, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. A long sword had already pierced through him.
"Your Highness..."
Feeling his life force rapidly fading, Commander Bai couldn't believe that he was killed for just one sentence, even in his final moments.
"Drag the body away!"
Having killed the man, Prince Yuanqing finally felt some relief from the suppressed anger of being extorted, saying, "Notify Ren Qiuyao and tell her the crown prince needs to see her on an urgent matter..."
A shadowy figure immediately bowed and disappeared into the palace.
...
In front of Lingjiu Mountain, Zhang Xuan waited for a short hour and saw the crown prince leading a group of people flying in their direction.
"He actually came?"
Frost Demon Lord was also somewhat surprised, his voice revealing admiration but also curiosity: "Master, what do we do now?"
Going to the Buddhist Sect meant walking into a trap, and the crown prince had already blocked their retreat. They were now in a crisis.
Honestly... this situation could have been avoided.
It was a trap he had set up. As long as he didn't come, he could ensure his safety. After all, he had sold the information and gained the contribution points; he had already profited.
"It's simple, follow them and sneak into Lingjiu Mountain!"
Zhang Xuan smiled lightly. With a thought, he instantly vanished and returned to the Suspended Realm.
With his power, it was very difficult to escape the crown prince and his entourage's detection, even with excellent concealment skills. But if he returned to the Suspended Realm, no matter how powerful they were, they would have a hard time finding him, unless... they used the causality of the fragments of the heavens!
Sure enough, the moment he disappeared, Prince Yuanqing, who had just flown over, looked curiously at the spot where Zhang Xuan had vanished, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
"Your Highness, what's the matter?"
Ren Qiuyao, at his side, looked over.
"It's nothing!"
Yuanqing glanced at the Mountain River Order in his palm and explained: "This space just showed a slight ripple, likely someone using a secret art of space."
"Ahead is the territory of the Buddhist Sect, having a formation guard is normal," Ren Qiuyao said.
"Hmm!"
Prince Yuanqing nodded, not fixating on it, and had just flown a few more steps when a monk clasping his hands fell to the ground.
"Benefactor, this is a sacred land of the Buddhist Sect, please stop!"
Prince Yuanqing did not force his way but cupped his hands in greeting: "I am Prince Yuanqing of the Tianli Empire, requesting an audience with the Buddha."
"The crown prince?"
The monk's expression changed: "Please wait here, I will inform them..."
"It is an honor for our Buddhist Sect to have the crown prince visit..."
At that moment, a laughing voice sounded. Yuanqing looked up and immediately saw a Bodhisattva breaking through the sky—it was the old acquaintance Silent Extinction Nirvana Bodhisattva who had entered the royal palace a few days ago.
He was sitting on a Qilin covered in flames, stepping out of the Phantasm Space. Every step he took caused a ring of fire to ripple outwards. It was his beast pet, the Karmic Fire Skeleton Qilin.
Though they moved slowly, their presence was as imposing as an army.
It seemed that although the Buddhist Sect didn't know why the crown prince had suddenly appeared, they understood that he was likely not here with good intentions and wanted to give him a show of force.
"Greetings, Bodhisattva..."
Prince Yuanqing lightly touched his fingers to the Mountain River Order, and a series of invisible steps formed in the air, lifting him slowly upwards.
"This way, Your Highness..."
Silent Extinction Nirvana Bodhisattva looked meaningfully at him and led the way without saying a word.
He had arrived on a Qilin without dismounting, intending to give pressure, but Yuanqing used the Mountain River Order to create steps and lift himself up, clearly asserting dominance.
The silent confrontation ended with the crown prince victorious.
Seeing this, there was no need to continue competing.
"You all stay here and ensure no one escapes... Ren Qiuyao, come with me!"
The crown prince turned and instructed his guards, then lightly tapped the void, quickly following behind the Qilin and Silent Extinction Nirvana Bodhisattva.
Ren Qiuyao followed suit.
Not long after they left, the space from earlier faintly rippled, and Zhang Xuan appeared suddenly, tapping lightly and quickly following the path towards Sumeru Peak.
His concealment skills couldn't deceive Prince Yuanqing, who possessed the Mountain River Order, but they were sufficient to evade his subordinates and the monks under the Bodhisattva.
Flying rapidly along the path, ascending higher and higher, he soon reached the summit of Sumeru Peak, where a grand scene of majestic buildings came into view.
This was the royal residence of the Buddha and numerous Bodhisattvas, constructed with unknown quantities of gold. From a distance under the sunset, it shone brilliantly, radiating magnificence.
"Why have we come to the Buddhist Sect?"
Seeing they were deep within the Heaven Mandate Domain of the Buddhist Sect, Frost Demon Lord shuddered and couldn't help but ask.
"Why... I promised to help you reconstruct your body, and I won't go back on my word!"
"Reconstruct my body?"
Frost Demon Lord's lips trembled with disbelief.
Risking being hunted down, coming here and even drawing Prince Yuanqing's attention, was all just to... help him reconstruct his body?
How could he possibly believe this?