Asura Emperor Venerable
Chapter 567: Prince’s Mansion

Chapter 567: Chapter 567: Prince’s Mansion

Over the next two days, Shi Hao directly entered the Immortal Abode.

This was not just a place capable of warding off external enemies; in fact, the Immortal Abode was also extremely suitable for cultivation, with an exceptionally rich concentration of Spiritual Energy.

—Could something created by an Almighty of the Immortal Realm for his beloved daughter be ordinary?

It was indeed fortunate that the Immortal Abode existed, not only easily assisting Shi Feng in escaping his predicament but also greatly shortening the time it took for him to break free from his restraints.

On the twelfth day after emerging from the Abyssal Cave, Shi Feng successfully lifted the restrictions within his body and restored his cultivation.

He did not laugh loudly, nor did he experience any emotional fluctuations; instead, he was profoundly calm.

However, beneath this calmness lay an unshakable determination to ensure that the line of Shi Long paid their blood debts in full.

He first discussed martial arts with Shi Hao.

Having not guided his son for so many years, he feared that Shi Hao might have strayed in his cultivation. Now that his own cultivation was restored, he wanted to understand his son’s progress and set things right.

Yet, Shi Hao possessed all the insights of a Heaven Building Ladder powerhouse, and his own comprehension was astonishingly keen. The result of their discussion was that Shi Feng actually received some enlightenment.

This left him speechless; wasn’t he supposed to be advising his son? How did it end up with him being the one receiving guidance?

After feeling dejected for a moment, he naturally filled with surprise, which was, of course, a good thing.

"Dad, what kind of person was mom?" Shi Hao asked.

"Your mother, ah, she was the most beautiful and gentle woman in the world." As he spoke of Zhu Yulan, Shi Feng’s face softened with tenderness, as though his late wife was right before him, within reach.

Beauty lies in the lover’s eyes, and Shi Hao, of course, did not think it an exaggeration. However, upon a careful inquiry, he found that his mother had come from a humble and very ordinary background.

That wasn’t right.

Shi Hao had caused the remnant soul of a Heaven Building Ladder powerhouse to perish within him. Although the Stone Clan was impressive, the ancestor was only at the Heaven Building Ladder level. How could his descendants be so exaggerated?

Therefore, Shi Hao believed his mother might have been extraordinary.

Yet, according to his father’s memories, his mother was indeed very ordinary.

Why?

Moreover, the Bloodline Talisman had made it abundantly clear that Shi Hao was indeed Shi Feng’s son.

This left Shi Hao baffled as to what secrets lurked within him that allowed him to destroy the remnant soul of a Heaven Building Ladder Almighty.

He once suspected that his mother might have been an individual from the Immortal Realm, which would explain why he possessed a special ability. After all, if he could encounter a woman from the Immortal Realm, why couldn’t his father?

The odds were small but not non-existent.

But now, even that possibility seemed to have been erased.

Forget it, once his power became formidable, he should be able to uncover the secrets within himself.

"Dad, shall we cause a big ruckus?" Shi Hao said with a smile.

"Indeed, it’s time to let the world know that I, Shi Feng, have returned!" Shi Feng declared proudly. Twenty years ago, he had been renowned throughout the South Wood Continent, hailed as the most prodigious talent since Gu Shiyun. His pride was naturally immense.

Having been imprisoned for twenty years, he was naturally ready for a king’s return.

Shi Hao left the Immortal Abode first and headed towards the Prince’s Mansion.

He did not walk quickly, appearing quite leisurely.

Before long, the secret scouts of the Prince’s Mansion discovered Shi Hao’s trail, and messages began to spread.

"Envoy Shi Hao spotted."

"Three miles from the west gate, heading southeast."

"Now on Lao Heng Street, still heading southeast."

"West Chang Street now, turning eastward, the target seems to be... the Prince’s Mansion!"

"The target is still three miles from the Prince’s Mansion."

"Two miles to go."

"Half a mile left."

It was precisely because Shi Hao was headed towards the Prince’s Mansion that the Zhou Family also chose to stand down.

Why?

There was an extra cost to dispatching the people nurtured by the mansion, but if Shi Hao took the initiative to provoke them, then these experts would be obligated to protect the Zhou Family and capture Shi Hao.

Thus, in the interest of saving money, the Zhou Family refrained from acting first.

After a while, Shi Hao arrived at the entrance of the Prince’s Mansion.

Since the Zhou Family had been forewarned of his arrival, the guards at the entrance did not stop him but rather cleared a path for him, "Envoy Shi, our lord, the Commandery Prince, has been waiting for you for a long time."

Look, aren’t we from the Zhou Family amazing? We had control of your movements before you even arrived.

Shi Hao smiled lightly and strode in.

He was led along the way to a luxuriously grand hall.

The Zhou Family, having ruled for generations, had amassed astounding wealth over the millennia.

In the hall, the Commandery Prince Zhou Qi was already seated regally, surrounded by his children and grandchildren, numbering more than a dozen.

—Unlike the Shi Family, with its countless clan members, the Zhou Family had always been few in number, never managing to expand their family bloodline.

"How audacious, not to kneel promptly in the presence of the Commandery Prince!" Zhou Qi’s eldest son, Zhou Xueling, bellowed loudly.

Shi Hao gave a faint smile, "I am a baron of the empire and of the Stone Clan. Why should I show courtesy to an outsider?"

"Presumptuous!" Zhou Qi’s second son, Zhou Hong, also rebuked, "The ancestors of our Zhou Family and the Stone Clan became sworn brothers. They promised our Zhou Family eternal lordship over the Sea King Territory, a status only second to His Majesty the Emperor. By spouting such insolence, are you disregarding the Stone Clan ancestors’ teachings?"

Shi Hao shook his head, "The Stone Clan treated you well. Our ancestor trusted the Zhou Family ancestor immensely to entrust the Sea King Territory to him. But what have you done? You’ve caused misery to the people here, forcing many to flee. If we don’t eliminate you, will there be any living souls left in the Sea King Territory?"

"Treason!" Zhou Qi roared, his voice thundering, causing his descendants’ faces to turn ashy pale.

It was true that the Zhou Family had declined, but he still had the cultivation of the Supplementing Divine Temple, his strength far surpassing that of Shi Hao.

So how could he tolerate such insolence from a mere Self-Observation in his presence?

Shi Hao smiled slightly, unaffected, and said, "Lord Zhou, please accompany me back to the Imperial Capital. Confess all the misdeeds your Zhou Family has committed these years and submit to the empire’s laws."

No sooner had he spoken than the hall fell silent, then erupted into laughter.

It was ridiculously amusing; a mere Self-Observation daring to demand that the Zhou Family seek their own punishment?

What a joke!

"Shi Hao, do you really think that because I dare not kill you, I cannot deal with you?" Zhou Qi said ominously. His son and grandson had been killed by Shi Hao, and naturally, he was itching for revenge.

But Shi Hao was of the Stone Clan and an envoy. If he killed him, how could the Zhou Family escape implication?

Hence, he could only apprehend Shi Hao, bring him to the Imperial Capital, and then invoke Shi Fengxiao’s ancestral teaching to have the Shi Family take action.

And if he captured Shi Hao and subjected him to punishment, as long as he did not render the man dead or disabled, surely the Stone Clan could not hold him accountable for that?

Shi Hao smiled faintly, "I’m standing right here. Use whatever tricks you have; I’m waiting."

"Seize him!" Zhou Qi commanded starkly, and immediately three martial artists stepped forward, surrounding Shi Hao.

All were from the Founding King Court.