“This junior of the Boundless Dao-Sovereign Sect… Xue Yan… greets Crown Prince Ziyang…”

Xue Yan gulped for air, the veins standing out on his neck. Still, he forced his hands to let go and, with every ounce of strength he had, bowed respectfully.

Circumstances were stronger than any man, as the saying went. Zixian had married into Xihong; she counted as only half a member of the East Dragon Palace. The man in front of him was another matter entirely. He could all but speak for the whole of Donghong!

And beyond his exalted standing, the purple-whiskered white dragons might be known for their kindness, but as the one who held the power, Ziyang was perhaps the most forceful of his whole clan—even more so than his father.

He really might kill someone because the East Dragon Palace's dignity had been offended.

In front of Crown Prince Ziyang, Xue Yan no longer dared to hide behind the Boundless Dao-Sovereign Sect's name. The two were powers of the same tier, and he himself was only a junior who had just made his mark. Bowing his head to save his life was no disgrace.

“It's only that the Yue family was ambushed, and one of those involved is an old acquaintance of Senior Zixian's, and the matter happens to touch on the Myriad Demon Hall. This junior only wanted to come and ask about it—to give the Yue family an answer, and to keep those killers from plunging all of Hongze into misery.”

Feeling the pressure on him ease a little, Xue Yan hurried to get it all out in one breath. Then he held his bow, head down, waiting for a response.

Crown Prince Ziyang raised his eyes slightly. At the mention of plunging Hongze into misery, he finally turned slowly toward Zixian. “Do you know this man?” he asked gently.

“I suppose so.”

Zixian sighed. “But he really has nothing to do with the Myriad Demon Hall. He was a cultivator Qi Laojiu brought to my birthday banquet. He got into a bit of a clash with the Bright-Moon Frost…