142: Chapter 142 Seclusion and Seclusion!

"A Prodigy! No! This can no longer be described as a Prodigy! This is… a Prodigy descending into the world, unique throughout the ages!" A Sect elder who had lived for over a thousand years, holding a message Jade Slip, his body trembling uncontrollably, finally let out a long sigh.

"The Great Xuan Dynasty is about to produce a True Dragon! No, he himself is a True Dragon that transcends the Imperial Dynasty! If this child does not fall, the sky of the desolate region will likely change in the future!" In a hidden Immortal Cave, an ancient existence was awakened and let out a faint sigh of emotion.

"Pass down the order immediately! From now on, whenever our Sect Disciples walk the world, if they encounter anyone from the Great Xuan Dynasty, especially that Fifth Prince, they must treat them with courtesy and must never offend them in the slightest!" Major Sects and great families issued similar orders at almost the same time.

The name Chen Zhiwen, overnight, leaped from being a "leader of the younger generation" to becoming a Taboo existence who stood on equal footing with, or even surpassed, the Old Ancestors of various Imperial Dynasties and the Sect Masters of the Ten Great Sects!

His prestige was no longer limited to the rivalries of the younger generation but truly intimidated the older generation of powerhouses throughout the entire desolate region!

In this monstrous storm, the most panicked and uneasy were none other than Xuan Yin Valley and Wan Fa Sect.

An Old Ancestor is the pillar that holds up the sky for a Sect. If an Old Ancestor falls, it means the sky has collapsed.

The moment the news reached their Sects, these two major Sects with thousands of years of Legacy fell into unprecedented panic and chaos.

They could almost feel that outside their Sects, countless pairs of greedy eyes, like starving wolves in the night, were staring fixedly at them, staring at the resources, Cultivation Technique, and Spiritual Vein that their Sects had accumulated over thousands of years...

Without the slightest hesitation, the two major Sects made the same decision at almost the same time.

"Xuan Yin Valley, from this day forth, shall seal the mountain for a hundred years! The Sect grand formation will be activated, isolating us from the world. No Disciple of our Sect is allowed to step outside the mountain gates by even half a step!"

"Wan Fa Sect, from this moment on, close the Sect! Hide from the mortal world and no longer concern ourselves with the affairs of the desolate region!"

Two sorrowful and helpless declarations spread throughout the desolate region.

Countless Cultivators sighed in regret. Two once glorious and prosperous Ten Great Sects were forced to choose to seal their mountains and seclude themselves from the world simply because they had provoked one person; this was no different from a slow death.

But everyone understood that this was their only choice. Otherwise, what awaited them would be to be devoured by a pack of wolves and completely erased from the desolate region.

For a time, the entire desolate region was in turmoil. Because of one person, the world was stirred up. The name of Chen Zhiwen was like the sun at high noon, suppressing an entire generation!

...

Regarding the monstrous waves in the outside world, Chen Zhiwen, who was at the center of the storm, did not pay much attention.

Several days later, Great Xuan Dynasty, Capital City.

Outside the Imperial City, the figure of Chen Heng appeared somewhat lonely. He looked back at Chen Zhiwen, his turbid eyes filled with deep expectations.

"Zhiwen, the path ahead must be walked by yourself. Remember my words: your vision determines your future. Do not let the grudges before you blind your eyes."

"Old Ancestor…"

"Go." Chen Heng waved his hand, turned around, and walked step by step toward the quiet courtyard deep within the Imperial Palace. His back, set against the backdrop of the majestic palace, appeared increasingly thin, as if it could be blown away by the wind at any moment.

Chen Zhiwen stood in place, watching the Old Ancestor's figure disappear behind the palace walls, remaining silent for a long time.

Beside him, Ye Hao looked at Chen Zhiwen with a complex expression and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Highness Fifth Prince, I should also return to my residence."

Chen Zhiwen nodded.

After Ye Hao left, only Chen Zhiwen remained, along with Leng Feng and Zhou Qi, who had been silently following behind him.

"Return to the residence."

Chen Zhiwen spat out these two words indifferently, his figure moved, and he headed toward his own Fifth Princes Residence.

The Fifth Princes Residence remained as it had always been. The vermilion gates, the majestic stone lions, everything appeared so tranquil. Compared to the clamor of the outside world, this place seemed like a paradise away from the world.

However, the moment Chen Zhiwen stepped into the residence, he keenly felt that the atmosphere inside the residence had become a bit more indescribably heavy.

He led Leng Feng through the corridor and went straight to the study.

Inside the study, there was already a figure standing by the window, waiting quietly. That person wore a green robe, had a refined face, and a temperament as gentle as jade; it was his chief strategist, Bai Xiaosheng.

Hearing the footsteps, Bai Xiaosheng turned around and bowed deeply to Chen Zhiwen. "Xiaosheng welcomes Your Highness back." His voice was as calm as always, but in those deep eyes, there flickered an excitement and shock that could not be concealed.

Obviously, the storm in the outside world had already reached his ears.

"Rise." Chen Zhiwen walked to the main seat and sat down, picked up the fragrant tea that had already been brewed on the table and was still warm, and took a gentle sip. The familiar tea aroma refreshed his spirit, which was slightly exhausted from days of rushing about and emotional turbulence.

"During the time I was away, did any major events happen in the Capital City?" Chen Zhiwen put down the teacup, his gaze falling on Bai Xiaosheng, and asked straightforwardly.

Bai Xiaosheng stood bowed, his expression recovering its usual calmness and wisdom. He gathered his thoughts and spoke slowly.

"Reporting to Your Highness, there are three major events."

"The first is that the news of your world-shocking battle in the Qinghua Mountain range has spread back. Now, in the entire Capital City, from nobles and aristocrats down to peddlers and pawns, everyone knows of Your Highness's Divine Might. In the imperial court, undercurrents are surging, and many officials who originally remained neutral have already begun to lean toward our side. The Imperial Lord… is greatly pleased, and for three consecutive days at the morning court, he has praised you without end."

Upon hearing this, Chen Zhiwen's face showed no joy at all; he just nodded calmly: "Tell me the second one."

He had long ceased to care about these empty titles and the sycophancy of court officials. He was more concerned about how his imperial brothers would react after he revealed power sufficient to change the landscape.

Bai Xiaosheng's expression indeed became a bit more serious.

"The second matter concerns the First Prince and the Third Prince."

"After you set off for the Zetian Sect's Qinghua Mountain, the First Prince Chen Zhiheng suddenly became active in the imperial court, and the Third Prince Chen Zhiyue is his ally."

"With the assistance of the Third Prince, the First Prince gradually regained his footing in the imperial court, and the forces previously under his command returned one after another."

"The first thing the First Prince did after his forces returned to their Peak was to join hands with the Third Prince to pressure the Second Prince."

"Oh?" Chen Zhiwen raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise appearing in his eyes.

"And what was the result?"

Bai Xiaosheng took a deep breath, a trace of confusion and vigilance flashing in his eyes.

"Under the joint hands of the First Prince and the Third Prince, all the illicit activities that the Second Prince had previously committed in secret surfaced, causing the Imperial Lord to be furious."

"The Imperial Lord issued three decrees in succession, stripping the Second Prince of his Prince title and ordering him to go to the northern border to atone for his crimes and guard the border for ten years!"

"Right now, the Second Prince has already been at the northern border for some time."

Bai Xiaosheng's voice echoed slowly in the study, carrying a hint of finality.

Inside the study, it fell into a kind of strange silence for a moment.

Chen Zhiwen's hand holding the teacup paused slightly in mid-air, and in those eyes that were as still as an ancient well, a ripple finally appeared.