371: Peeping into the secrets

Xiao Shi's expression was solemn.

He knew.

Although the Great Wu Crown Prince detested Xiang Zizhen, Xiang Zizhen was, after all, a Saint of the Great Wu Dynasty. Without a special reason, the Great Wu Crown Prince, no matter how much he detested Xiang Zizhen, would not kill him!

Especially since people from the Red Tiger Sect were also involved.

“Then there's only one possibility...”

“The Great Wu Crown Prince knows my identity, and knows my relationship with Xiang Zizhen and the Red Tiger Sect, which is why he's acting against them.”

Xiao Shi's eyes narrowed slightly.

He knew his disguise wasn't flawless.

Xiang Zizhen and the Red Tiger Sect were his biggest weaknesses.

Although he believed that neither Xiang Zizhen nor the people of the Red Tiger Sect would betray him, as long as they were within the Imperial Domain, the Great Wu Crown Prince had too many ways to make them reveal the truth.

This was also one of the reasons Xiao Shi wanted to get them out of the Imperial Domain as quickly as possible.

Once the Great Wu Crown Prince discovered something amiss.

It would inevitably be detrimental to them.

He just didn't expect the Great Wu Crown Prince to act so quickly!

Xiao Shi's brows were deeply furrowed.

The current situation was not good.

Not only were Xiang Zizhen and the people of the Red Tiger Sect facing a major crisis, but he himself was also facing the threat of the petrified face's imminent arrival.

All the difficulties seemed to have converged... But one thing was certain.

The Great Wu Crown Prince's target was him, and he definitely wouldn't kill Xiang Zizhen and the people of the Red Tiger Sect right now.

He would most likely detain them to use them as leverage against him.

“Then...”

“How will he deal with me?”

Xiao Shi fell into deep thought about this.

Undeniably.

Xiang Zizhen and the people of the Red Tiger Sect were indeed his soft spots.

Xiao Shi couldn't just sit by and watch the Great Wu Crown Prince kill them.

Just as he was deep in thought.

He suddenly noticed a fluctuation coming from the dream jade stone.

Xiao Shi's gaze instantly sharpened.

This dream jade stone... was an important item he used to communicate privately with Xiang Zizhen.

Logically speaking.

Xiang Zizhen shouldn't have the opportunity to contact him through the dream jade stone now.

At the same time, even if this dream jade stone fell into the Great Wu Crown Prince's hands, the Great Wu Crown Prince wouldn't be able to use it.

Because dreams were a power system unique to the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect.

If one wasn't a member of the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect, even if they obtained a dream jade stone, they wouldn't be able to use it.

Looking at the constantly fluctuating dream jade stone.

Xiao Shi's eyes narrowed slightly.

He had already guessed who was using Xiang Zizhen's dream jade stone to contact him.

He didn't hesitate.

He directly reached out and grasped the dream jade stone.

Upon activating it, he entered the Dream World.

He knew.

The dream woven by this dream jade stone wouldn't pose any threat to him. Even if the other party wanted to deal with him in the dream, he could leave at any time.

There would be no danger.

And he urgently needed to know the situation of Xiang Zizhen and the others, so he had to meet the other party in the Dream World.

As the dream jade stone was activated, a faint black light expanded from Xiao Shi's palm, casting a dark veil over the surroundings.

The surrounding scenery began to distort, replaced by a blanket of darkness.

The next second.

Xiao Shi appeared out of thin air in the pitch-black Dream World.

Previously, when Xiao Shi and other members of the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect met in the Dream World, they were always in the form of luminous figures, emitting light all over their bodies, with their figures and appearances obscured.

However, at this moment, when Xiao Shi appeared in the Dream World, he saw a clear figure without any light on him.

This allowed Xiao Shi to clearly see the person's appearance.

Short, light brown hair, sharp facial features, and a faint stubble around his mouth.

Just as he had guessed.

The person contacting him through the dream jade stone was Xiang Zizhen's master, and the current Sect Master of the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect, Chen Yuan!

Chen Yuan stood with his hands behind his back, his deep, starry blue eyes gazing at Xiao Shi, who had appeared in the Dream World. His face was expressionless, revealing nothing of his emotions or thoughts. After gazing at Xiao Shi for two seconds, he spoke.

“We already know who you are.”

Xiao Shi was not surprised by this.

He asked.

“How are Xiang Zizhen and the people of the Red Tiger Sect?”

“They have been imprisoned, but are temporarily not in life-threatening danger.”

Chen Yuan replied.

Xiao Shi nodded.

“Speak, what do you want?”

Chen Yuan looked at Xiao Shi.

“His Highness wants me to bring you into the Imperial Domain. I can use the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect's Dream Leap to allow you to bypass the Demigod Barrier and directly descend into the Imperial Domain.”

“However...”

“This requires your cooperation with me. If you don't cooperate, I won't be able to forcefully bring you into the Imperial Domain.”

As Chen Yuan's words came out.

Xiao Shi immediately understood the Great Wu Crown Prince's intention.

It was obvious.

The Great Wu Crown Prince intended to use Xiang Zizhen and the people of the Red Tiger Sect as bait to lure him into the Imperial Domain.

If he remained in his own domain, the Great Wu Crown Prince would definitely have no way to deal with him.

But once he entered the Imperial Domain... he would be at the mercy of the Great Wu Crown Prince.

However, the Great Wu Crown Prince wouldn't kill him.

After all, his true intention wasn't to eliminate him, but to acquire his domain.

Therefore, even if he entered the Imperial Domain.

He believed the Great Wu Crown Prince wouldn't kill him.

Instead, he would make him merge the Fifth Domain into the Great Wu Dynasty.

At the same time, he would also make him rejoin the Great Wu Dynasty.

Completely confining him within the Great Wu Dynasty.

This way, even if Xiao Shi wasn't truly loyal to the Great Wu Dynasty, as long as he and his domain were within the Great Wu Dynasty, it would inevitably bring a massive increase in providence to the Great Wu Dynasty.

Although this wouldn't pose any threat to Xiao Shi's life.

But as long as he entered the Imperial Domain.

Then he would be under the Great Wu Crown Prince's control for the rest of his life.

And if he didn't comply... the Great Wu Crown Prince would definitely kill Xiang Zizhen and the people of the Red Tiger Sect.

Xiao Shi had already confirmed this through the tianji plate's Tianji Warning; the Great Wu Crown Prince would absolutely not use this as a long-term threat.

If Xiao Shi refused now, the Great Wu Crown Prince would immediately kill Xiang Zizhen.

After all, the Great Wu Crown Prince himself detested Xiang Zizhen.

With such a rare opportunity, he definitely wouldn't spare his life.

Thus.

If Xiao Shi wanted to rescue Xiang Zizhen and the others, he had to go to the Imperial Domain; there was no other choice.

“The reason the Great Wu Crown Prince let Chen Yuan handle this matter is clearly because he doesn't want the three Demigod Heavenly Kings to know about his actions, and wants me to enter the Imperial Domain without a sound...”

Xiao Shi knew.

The Demigod Barrier outside his domain.

Besides preventing others from entering his domain, it was also monitoring him.

If he were to leave his domain in a normal way, he would undoubtedly be sensed by the three Demigod Heavenly Kings immediately.

Only methods similar to the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect's Dream Leap and the Tianji Hall's space travel could allow him to leave his domain without being detected by the three Demigod Heavenly Kings.

If the three Demigod Heavenly Kings knew about the Great Wu Crown Prince's actions.

They would definitely try to stop him.

For these three Demigod Heavenly Kings, they would rather accept the Fifth Domain falling into the hands of any one of them than accept the Fifth Domain being merged into the Great Wu Dynasty.

“Then...”

“If I tell the three Demigod Heavenly Kings about this, can I get their assistance?”

Xiao Shi felt that in this situation.

Perhaps he could consider cooperating with the three Demigod Heavenly Kings.

However, after a careful thought.

He quickly dismissed this idea.

This method was clearly unfeasible.

On one hand, the three Demigod Heavenly Kings couldn't enter the Imperial Domain, so even if he told them, they wouldn't be able to help him get Xiang Zizhen and the others out of the Imperial Domain.

On the other hand, Xiao Shi felt that cooperating with the three Demigod Heavenly Kings was like playing with fire; compared to the Great Wu Crown Prince, these three Demigod Heavenly Kings were even more dangerous.

Moreover, once these three Demigod Heavenly Kings realized that methods like Dream Leap and space travel could bypass their barrier, they would definitely try to implement a greater degree of blockade.

He definitely couldn't tell them about this.

Without any assistance, how could he, alone, rescue Xiang Zizhen and the others from the Imperial Domain?

Xiao Shi couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

Chen Yuan said nothing, quietly waiting for Xiao Shi to make a decision, without urging him.

After pondering for a long time.

A plan gradually formed in Xiao Shi's mind.

But he couldn't be sure if his plan would work.

He needed to use the tianji plate's "Peering into Tianji" to foresee the outcome first.

Thinking of this.

Xiao Shi looked at Chen Yuan and asked.

“How much time do I have?”

“One day.”

Chen Yuan said.

Xiao Shi shook his head.

“One day isn't enough, I need five days.”

Chen Yuan frowned upon hearing this.

Based on his understanding of the Great Wu Crown Prince, the Great Wu Crown Prince would definitely not give Xiao Shi that much time.

“Within five days, I will definitely come to the Imperial Domain, but during these five days, I hope you can protect Xiang Zizhen and the people of the Red Tiger Sect.”

Xiao Shi said with a serious expression.

Chen Yuan looked deeply at Xiao Shi.

“I cannot guarantee that.”

After speaking.

He turned to leave this dream.

Xiao Shi looked at Chen Yuan with a complicated expression.

He knew that although the other party said he couldn't guarantee it.

Such a reply already indicated that he would do his best to help him stall for time.

At the same time, Xiao Shi could also feel from Chen Yuan... that for Chen Yuan.

He didn't want to see anything happen to Xiang Zizhen.

He also wanted to save Xiang Zizhen.

But with the imperial decree upon him.

No matter how unwilling he was, he could not disobey the Great Wu Crown Prince.

He could only implicitly assist Xiao Shi within a certain scope.

“Wait!”

Just as Chen Yuan was about to leave the Dream World.

Xiao Shi suddenly spoke, calling out to him.

He looked at Chen Yuan's back, unable to resist asking the doubt in his heart.

“Is such a person... worth your loyalty?”

This doubt had existed ever since Xiao Shi entered the Imperial Domain.

Since the fall of Emperor Wu, the collapse of the Great Wu Dynasty's imperial power, and the successive departure of the three Demigod Heavenly Kings and numerous lords from the Great Wu Dynasty.

Chen Yuan, as the sole heir of the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect, became the “guardian god” of the Great Wu Dynasty.

However, he never received the respect a guardian god should have.

He was constantly constrained by the Great Wu Crown Prince.

What the Great Wu Crown Prince wanted was not to properly honor this guardian god, but to continuously suppress him, fearing that Chen Yuan's growing power would threaten his own position.

To this end, he even supported a new force, the Martial Pavilion, to achieve a balance of power with the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect.

If Chen Yuan was someone who cared about power.

The Great Wu Crown Prince's approach would be normal.

After all, for those in power.

They would always be wary of their subordinates becoming too powerful and overshadowing them.

Especially Chen Yuan, who controlled the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect, had a certain ability to usurp power.

But as Xiao Shi understood Chen Yuan better.

He knew that the other party had no such intentions at all.

Chen Yuan's gaze had always been on the current Tianwu Continent, not the current Great Wu Dynasty.

What he thought about was how to revive the Great Wu Dynasty, how to contend against the three Demigod Heavenly Kings, and how to make the Great Wu Dynasty return to its former glory.

He had no interest whatsoever in the internal power struggles of the Great Wu Dynasty. Even when constantly suppressed, he harbored no resentment.

Even Xiao Shi, who had only recently joined the Imperial Domain, could see this.

He didn't believe the Great Wu Crown Prince wouldn't know.

However, the Great Wu Crown Prince's gaze always remained solely within the Imperial Domain.

Even as the Great Wu Dynasty continued to decline, he was still preoccupied with internal power struggles.

Xiao Shi felt that if he were Chen Yuan, he would have long since left the Great Wu Dynasty.

He dedicated himself wholeheartedly to the Great Wu Dynasty, only to be met with suppression and suspicion.

Why should he continue to serve it?

This became the greatest doubt in Xiao Shi's heart.

Whether it was him or Xiang Zizhen, after experiencing such unfair treatment from the Great Wu Crown Prince, they had already become utterly disappointed with the Great Wu Dynasty.

However, the injustice Chen Yuan suffered was hundreds, even thousands of times greater than theirs.

Yet, in such circumstances.

Chen Yuan still remained loyal to the Great Wu Dynasty and still obeyed the Great Wu Crown Prince implicitly, which made Xiao Shi very confused.

Facing Xiao Shi's question.

Chen Yuan did not turn back.

He merely uttered four words faintly.

“It is my duty.”

After saying that.

Chen Yuan's figure then disappeared from the Dream World, directly exiting it.

Xiao Shi frowned deeply at this.

He could feel it.

The Great Wu Crown Prince's suppression of Chen Yuan and the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect was not merely a simple internal power struggle; it most likely contained other reasons.

At the same time, Chen Yuan's loyalty to the Great Wu Dynasty was also like this.

After Emperor Wu's fall that year, many forces chose to leave the Great Wu Dynasty, but only the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect remained loyal.

There must also be some unknown reasons behind this.

Shaking his head.

Xiao Shi temporarily put this doubt aside.

For him right now, the most important thing was the upcoming action plan.

This operation carried a high risk.

Xiao Shi wasn't entirely confident either.

He needed to use the tianji plate's "Peering into Tianji" to foresee the outcome. If the predicted outcome was failure, then he would need to make corresponding adjustments.

This was also the power of the tianji plate.

It could predict the outcome before making a certain decision, and then adjust based on the result.

Immediately,

After Xiao Shi left the Dream World, he directly activated the tianji plate's "Peering into Tianji."