Starting as a Grandmaster, all of my cultivation techniques are at max level.

"The Great Qian Dynasty? How did this behemoth from the Central Region get involved again?"

Xia Jin frowned as she looked at the letter in her hand.

Could it be that the Great Qian Dynasty has already extended its reach to the Eastern Regions?

"Husband, what's wrong? What did the letter say?" Leng Yuexi, supporting Jiang Rou, asked curiously when she saw Xia Jin's furrowed brows.

"Take a look at this." Xia Jin handed the letter in her hand to Leng Yuexi.

"This!? The Great Qian Dynasty?" Leng Yuexi's gaze fell, and when she saw the words "Xiguan City of the Great Qian Dynasty", her eyes immediately became serious.

"Rou'er, take a look too, see if you can glean anything from this letter!" She patted Jiang Rou's shoulder and held the letter out to her.

Jiang Rou took the letter and glanced at the few words on it, but suddenly smelled a fragrance. She couldn't help but bring it to her nose and smell it.

"This letter paper has a special texture and a very faint scent of soapberry. It should be made from the pith of the 'Snow Soapberry Tree,' which is unique to the Daqian Dynasty. Moreover, this kind of paper is produced in very small quantities and is usually only used by the core members of the Daqian royal family."

"The Great Qian royal family? Why would they kidnap your father?" A hint of doubt flashed in Xia Jin's eyes. "Logically speaking, Feng Lin and the Great Qian Dynasty should have no connection whatsoever. Could the problem lie with the Xuan Yin Sect?"

After speaking, Xia Jin's gaze unconsciously fell on Leng Yuexi and Jiang Rou.

"Impossible. Although my Xuan Yin Sect is located in the southern part of the Great Qian Dynasty, it has never had any dealings with the Great Qian royal family, let alone any enmity..." Leng Yuexi said with a frown, but before she could finish speaking, she saw Jiang Rou tug at her sleeve.

"Rou'er?"

"Master! Have you forgotten... that sixth prince of the Great Qian Dynasty?"

"The Sixth Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty? Him!?" A hint of disgust flashed in Leng Yuexi's eyes. "Rou'er, do you mean... today's events might have been his doing?"

"Hmm!" Jiang Rou nodded. "Apart from the sixth prince of the Great Qian Dynasty, I really can't think of any other member of the Great Qian royal family who would do such a thing."

"The Sixth Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty?" Xia Jin looked at Jiang Rou and asked calmly, "What's going on?"

"Three years ago, the sixth prince of the Great Qian Dynasty wanted to secretly recruit some powerful sects as capital for his future struggle for the throne of Great Qian. As a top sect in Great Qian, my Xuan Yin Sect naturally came into his sights," Jiang Rou explained to Xia Jin.

"He personally visited the Xuan Yin Sect's headquarters, where his master received him. It seems that he was captivated by his master, and thereafter began to pursue him relentlessly."

"Hmph!! That guy is indeed troublesome!" Leng Yuexi stood to the side, her brows furrowed with undisguised annoyance. "He's come to the Xuan Yin Sect to harass me time and time again. If it weren't for the Great Qian royal family behind him, I would have cleaved him in two with a single sword strike!!"

"However," a hint of doubt flashed in Jiang Rou's eyes, "it seems that the sixth prince of the Great Qian Dynasty hasn't visited the Xuan Yin Sect for about half a year. But he's the only one we've had contact with from the Great Qian royal family!"

"Alright! Don't overthink it!" Xia Jin snatched the letter from Jiang Rou's hand. "I'll find out the result when I personally go to Xiguan City in the Great Qian Dynasty!"

After saying that, he prepared to walk towards the door of the Imperial Study.

"Wait, my husband, I'll go with you!" Leng Yuexi immediately stepped forward and grabbed Xia Jin's hand.

Xia Jin smiled and patted Leng Yuexi's head, whispering, "You shouldn't come along this time. If it really is that sixth prince of the Great Qian Dynasty, he'll probably have discovered your presence before even entering the city! It'll be easier for me to act alone!"

Leng Yuexi gave Xia Jin a deep look before nodding: "...Alright. Then promise me you'll be careful! Especially watch out for the protector behind the Sixth Prince of Daqian!"

"A protector of the Way?"

"That's right!" A figure flashed through Leng Yuexi's mind, and her eyes immediately filled with apprehension. "It is said that the sixth prince's mother rescued a peerless expert by chance, and to repay the debt of gratitude, she vowed to protect her son for life. With such a person by his side, this sixth prince is extremely difficult to deal with."

"Your Highness, Prince Jin!" At this moment, Jiang Rou suddenly bowed deeply to Xia Jin, "I beg Your Highness... you must bring my father back safely!!"

"Don't worry!" Xia Jin nodded to Leng Yuexi.

The next moment, he transformed into a streak of black light and shot towards the direction of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Leng Yuexi helped Jiang Rou up, held her slightly cold hand tightly, and whispered, "Rou'er, don't worry, with your husband's skills, I will definitely bring your father back safely."

......

Just as Xia Jin left the Fenglin Palace,

Near the border of Fenglin, a seemingly ordinary carriage is speeding along.

Inside the carriage, Emperor Fenglin, Jiang Qianjue, finally awoke amidst the occasional swaying. He was about to rub his throbbing forehead when he discovered he was bound hand and foot.

Jiang Qianjue was immediately filled with panic and humiliation. As the Emperor of Fenglin, when had he ever suffered such humiliation and treatment?

"Who?! Who on earth tied me up here?!" Jiang Qianjue roared as he repeatedly pounded on one side of the carriage.

The continuous crashing sounds seemed to have attracted the attention of those outside, and the speeding carriage suddenly stopped.

Then, the curtain in front of the carriage was suddenly pulled open from the outside.

The blinding light made Jiang Qianjue squint instinctively. Backlit, a face with a mocking smile appeared at the carriage door, blocking most of the light.

"Your Majesty! What are you trying to do?"

"Hmm? Why does this voice sound so familiar?" Jiang Qianjue suddenly frowned, and when he saw the face by the carriage door, his eyes widened.

"Guan... Guan Heng?! It's you?!"

The person before him was none other than Guan Heng, a highly regarded guard commander in the Imperial Guard of Fenglin Palace! This man was usually reliable in his work and quite skilled in martial arts; he had even commended him several times!

How did he get here? The kidnapper was actually his own bodyguard commander?! Was this an internal traitor?!

Guan Heng looked at Jiang Qianjue, his smile growing wider, but the smile contained none of his usual respect, only undisguised mockery.

"Awake? My... Your Majesty?" Guan Heng asked slowly.

"Aren't you surprised?" He reached out and patted Jiang Qianjue's cheek. "Don't look at me like that. First of all, let me introduce myself. I, Guan Heng, am not your lowly guard commander Feng Lin. My true identity is the Left Captain of the 'Xuanying Guard' under the Sixth Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty."

The Great Qian Dynasty?! The Sixth Prince?!

Jiang Qianjue was completely stunned. The Great Qian Dynasty? That was a power that all the countries in the Eastern Region had to look up to! He and the entire Fenglin had never had any dealings or grudges with the Great Qian Dynasty, so why had he provoked them?

"Alright, my former emperor! Don't overthink it." Guan Heng said calmly, "Our target is not you! You are merely a pawn in His Highness's plan."

"It'll be thrown away after it's used up! Hahahaha!"