287: The prince's invitation reveals his early talent.

The news of Shen Yuanmo taking up residence in the Star Gazing Pavilion on the top floor of the Tianjiao Tower was not deliberately spread.

But it still spread rapidly among the self-important Prodigies inside the tower.

A thousand Top-Grade Spirit Stones per day!

This could no longer be described merely as being wealthy and powerful; this was treating Spirit Stones as worthless!

In the eyes of these arrogant young Prodigies, anyone who could do such a thing...

was either some Old Monster who had been in seclusion, or a nouveau riche from a remote area who didn't understand the rules and wanted to attract attention this way.

However, judging by the news circulating from the main hall that day, the person was a young man who appeared utterly unremarkable.

This only made people more suspicious.

For a time, the identity of the Star Gazing Pavilion's New Master became the most popular topic within the Tianjiao Tower.

Some speculated that he was a hidden Prodigy secretly groomed by a certain First-Rank Aristocratic Family, and that this trip to the Secret Realm was the beginning of his astonishing rise.

Others scoffed, believing he was just a Loose Cultivator who got lucky and received an Ancient Legacy, possessing only Spirit Stones but shallow foundation, and thus not worth fearing.

But regardless of the speculation, no one dared to easily visit him to find out the truth.

Anyone who could casually throw out thirty thousand Top-Grade Spirit Stones, regardless of their strength, possessed a background and financial power sufficient to deter the vast majority of those present.

However, there are always exceptions.

That evening, as night descended and the festive lights first lit up.

Outside the Tianjiao Tower, a team of guards with chilling auras escorted a luxurious carriage, pulled by four snow-white, single-horned flying horses, which slowly came to a halt.

The carriage featured golden silk curtains and pearl ornaments, and was enveloped in Imperial Dao Dragon Qi, displaying the owner's supremely noble status.

"It's the Seventh Prince's carriage!"

"Heavens, His Highness the Seventh Prince actually came in person!"

Inside the tower, many Prodigies who were drinking and celebrating immediately rose upon seeing the carriage, their Faces showing reverence.

The curtain was lifted, and a handsome, imposing young man, wearing a five-clawed python robe and a purple-gold crown, slowly walked into the Tianjiao Tower, surrounded by guards.

He was precisely one of the Immortal Emperor's most favored sons, the Seventh Prince, Ji Wushuang!

The moment he appeared, the entire main hall instantly fell silent. Everyone bowed in salute, not daring to even breathe heavily.

Ji Wushuang's gaze merely swept lightly across the crowd before he walked directly toward the Teleportation Array leading to the top floor.

Beside him, a middle-aged guard, dressed in dark martial attire, whose aura was profound as the sea and whose eyes flashed with lightning when he opened and closed them, followed closely.

"Hiss... that's the 'Thunder Shadow Guard' under Imperial Uncle Ji Wuye! It's said that every single one of them is a Soul Transformation Stage expert!"

"His Highness the Seventh Prince actually brought a Soul Transformation guard with him. It seems he is determined to win in this Heaven-Reaching Secret Realm expedition!"

Only after Ji Wushuang's figure vanished into the Teleportation Array did the people in the main hall dare to discuss softly, looking toward the top floor with eyes full of reverence and curiosity.

Outside the Star Gazing Pavilion on the ninety-ninth floor.

Ji Wushuang stood with his hands behind his back. The Thunder Shadow Guard, a Nascent Soul Initial Stage expert, stepped forward and spoke loudly toward the tightly shut Star Gold Gate.

His voice was not loud, yet it contained an unquestionable majesty, clearly spreading throughout the entire top floor.

"His Highness the Seventh Prince has arrived. Your Excellency, please come out to meet him!"

In his view, the Prince personally arriving was an immense amount of Face.

Regardless of who was inside, they should immediately open the door and respectfully welcome them.

However, several breaths passed.

Inside the door, there was dead silence, without any response.

The Thunder Shadow Guard's brow immediately furrowed, and a trace of displeasure flashed in his eyes.

What arrogance!

Just as he was about to speak again, an unremarkable voice, devoid of any discernible emotion, slowly drifted out from within the pavilion.

"If you have business, come in and speak. If not, withdraw."

What?!

As soon as these words were uttered, the Thunder Shadow Guard's Face instantly darkened!

Impudent!

He had followed the Seventh Prince for many years, traveling across the world, and had never encountered such an arrogant person!

A terrifying pressure belonging to a Soul Transformation powerhouse uncontrollably radiated from him.

The space on the entire top floor solidified, as if it could be crushed by this anger at any moment.

"Uncle Lei, there's no need to be angry."

Just as the Thunder Shadow Guard was about to erupt, Ji Wushuang raised a hand to stop him.

Not only did the Seventh Prince show no anger, but a look of extreme interest appeared on his Face instead.

Interesting.

Truly interesting.

In this Qiantian Divine Capital, right under the Immortal Emperor's nose, someone actually dared to speak to him in such a tone.

He wanted to see just who this divine being inside the pavilion truly was.

"Let's go in."

Ji Wushuang straightened his python robe, stepped forward himself, and pushed open the heavy Star Gold Gate.

Creak—

The door opened, and a dense Spiritual Mist, thick enough to almost materialize, rushed out.

Inside the pavilion, it was a world unto itself: small bridges, flowing water, and Immortal Cranes calling out in unison.

And in the center of that hazy Spiritual Mist, beneath an elegant pavilion.

A young man wearing an ordinary blue robe was sitting at a stone table, leisurely tasting tea, his back turned to them.

From start to finish, he had not even turned his head, acting as if he hadn't noticed their arrival at all.

The Thunder Shadow Guard's pupils suddenly contracted!

As a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, how powerful was his Divine Sense?

Yet, just now, he had completely failed to sense any sign of life within the pavilion!

Under the scan of his Divine Sense, the young man before him was like a pocket of air or a piece of stone—he simply did not exist!

Refusing to believe it, he once again transformed his Soul Transformation Divine Sense, powerful enough to penetrate mountains and earth veins, into an invisible spike, and cautiously probed toward the back of the blue-robed figure.

However, the next moment, a scene that terrified him occurred!

The instant his indestructible Divine Sense approached within three feet of the young man's body, it didn't stir any ripples or meet any obstruction.

It was silently and completely swallowed, assimilated, and vanished without a trace by an incomprehensible, more fundamental, and more tyrannical force of Origin!

"Pfft!"

The Thunder Shadow Guard felt as if his head had been violently struck by an invisible heavy hammer. His Sea of Consciousness was in agony, his vision went black, and a mouthful of rebellious blood uncontrollably spurted out!

He stumbled back three steps, his Face instantly turning deathly pale, and the look he cast toward that figure was filled with boundless shock and terror!

Monster!

This was absolutely a Monster he could not comprehend!

Ji Wushuang finally withdrew the playful smile from his Face.

Although he didn't understand what had just happened, for Uncle Lei, a genuine Soul Transformation powerhouse...

to suffer such a huge loss in a single encounter, without even seeing how the opponent acted...

The strength of this blue-robed young man had far exceeded his expectations!

"I am Ji Wushuang. Hearing that a Master has taken residence in the Star Gazing Pavilion, I specially came to pay my respects. May I ask Your Excellency's name?"

Ji Wushuang forcefully suppressed the turbulent waves in his heart, put on the Prince's characteristic gentle yet distant smile again, and spoke first.

This time, the blue-robed young man finally reacted.

He slowly put down the teacup in his hand and turned around.

It was a Face that was almost too young, handsome in appearance, with a tranquil demeanor, and a pair of eyes as calm as an ancient well that had existed for ten thousand years, seemingly bottomless.

He merely glanced calmly at Ji Wushuang and lightly uttered four words.

"The Shen Family's Shen Yuanmo from the Southern Frontier."

This name was utterly unremarkable.

But when it fell into Ji Wushuang's ears, it was no less than a Nine Heavens Profound Thunder!

Shen Yuanmo!

Ji Wushuang's pupils suddenly contracted into the dangerous shape of a needle point!

He had an impression of this name!

This name had been mentioned more than once in the secret reports of the Southern Frontier Inspector, Han Dang, inside his Imperial Father's Imperial Study!

He used his Golden Core cultivation to slay the Half-step Soul Transformation Old Ancestor of the Ziyang Song Family, Song Xuanyi!

Single-handedly, he annihilated thirty Ziyang Battle Guards of the Song Family!

He forced his Imperial Father into great delight, issuing two Imperial Decrees in succession, granting him the exceptional title of "God General Who Suppresses the South," and his father the Third-Rank title of "Marquis of Loyalty and Courage"!

So... it was him!

A billion-foot tidal wave instantly surged in Ji Wushuang's heart!

He had originally thought that the battle report might have contained exaggerations, or that Shen Yuanmo had relied on some forbidden trump card to succeed by chance.

But seeing him today... He looked at the young man before him, whose aura was contained to the absolute extreme—so much so that even the Soul Transformation Enshriners beside his Imperial Father couldn't gauge his depth—and a ridiculous thought uncontrollably surfaced.

Perhaps, that battle report not only wasn't exaggerated...

but was actually... too conservative!

"So it is the God General Who Suppresses the South in person. My apologies for the lack of respect."

Ji Wushuang was indeed a Prince; his Heart-Nature was far superior to that of ordinary Prodigies.

In just a few breaths, he had suppressed all his shock and returned to his gentle smile.

He took out an exquisitely made, gold-embossed invitation card from his storage ring and handed it over.

"Three days from now, I will host a small Dao Discussion Gathering at my residence. At that time, all the prominent young talents within the Divine Capital will attend."

"May I ask, General, if Your Excellency would grace us with your presence?"

This was ostensibly a Dao discussion, but in reality, it was a test.

He wanted to see exactly how capable this General from the Southern Frontier was.

He also wanted to let the arrogant Prodigies of the Divine Capital witness what a true Prodigy looked like!

Shen Yuanmo's gaze lingered on the gold-embossed invitation card for a moment. He casually took it, his tone still flat.

"I'll go if I have time."

Having said that, he ignored Ji Wushuang, turned around on his own, and picked up the cup of clear tea that had long since gone cold.

Ji Wushuang looked at his unguarded back, and a hint of solemnity that no one could detect flashed in the depths of his eyes.

He cupped his hands in salute toward Shen Yuanmo's back from a distance.

Then, without another word of nonsense, he turned and departed, taking the Thunder Shadow Guard, whose Face was still deathly pale.

Only after leaving the Star Gazing Pavilion did the Thunder Shadow Guard ask in a low voice, still shaken: "Your Highness, who exactly is this person? How can he be so terrifying!"

"A true, world-shaking Prodigy."

Ji Wushuang's eyes flashed with a complex light interwoven with excitement and Battle Intent.

"Uncle Lei, pass down the order. At the Dao Discussion Gathering three days from now, I want everyone to know that another True Dragon has emerged in my Great Qian Immortal Dynasty!"

He intends to use this gathering to completely push Shen Yuanmo into the spotlight!

He wants to see if this Fierce Dragon crossing the river from the Southern Frontier can remain as composed and calm as he was today when facing the pressure of all the Prodigies in the Divine Capital!