If you force me to take the blame, I'll spend a day in jail and gain a year's worth of spi

Pharmacists' Union, top floor quiet room.

Du Jun was enjoying his tea.

Suddenly, a vast and powerful array fluctuation, yet carrying a somewhat familiar aura, swept across the entire capital city like ripples.

He suddenly raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the roof, looking in the direction from which the fluctuations came—the Ministry of Justice's prison.

"Such strong array fluctuations, this aura... seems to belong to that old guy Xiao Xuan?"

How did he get out of seclusion?

And they even used such a powerful array?

What happened at the prison?

Du Jun was filled with doubt and unease.

Xiao Xuan, the only Grandmaster-level expert in the royal family, is also the true pillar of the royal family.

Because of his advanced age, he has been in seclusion for many years. Unless it is a matter of great importance concerning the survival of the royal family, he would never easily show himself, let alone go to such lengths to activate the Heavenly Prison Array.

"No, we have to go check it out. What if that old guy went mad from practicing his martial arts and blew up the prison?"

Du Jun put down his teacup, and with a flicker of his body, he disappeared from the quiet room like a ghost.

As a late-stage Innate Realm expert, his movement skills were naturally extraordinary. With his full strength, he arrived outside the heavily guarded forbidden area of ​​the Imperial Clan Court in no time.

"Halt! Who dares to trespass on royal territory?"

As soon as he appeared, several imposing members of the Xiao family emerged from the shadows and shouted at him.

Du Jun frowned slightly, about to introduce himself.

"Let him in."

An aged, ethereal voice, yet carrying an undeniable authority, suddenly rang out above everyone's heads.

Upon hearing this, the Xiao family members trembled, bowed respectfully, and made way for him: "Yes, Ancestor!"

Upon hearing this, Du Jun felt a chill run down his spine.

As expected, it was Xiao Xuan. He actually personally granted permission to pass, which means the situation is more serious than we thought.

Without further hesitation, he stepped into the core area of ​​the forbidden zone.

Upon entering the main hall, Du Jun immediately felt a heavy and oppressive atmosphere.

Inside the main hall, the core members of the royal family were gathered together, from Emperor Xiao Zhengshan to several princes and dukes, all with solemn expressions, as if facing a formidable enemy.

In the center of the main hall, an elderly man dressed in a simple gray robe, with white hair and beard and an ancient face, sat cross-legged, his hands resting on a crystal array plate that emitted a soft light, and he was activating it with all his might.

It was none other than Xiao Xuan, the only grandmaster of the royal family.

At this moment, Xiao Xuan's face was flushed and the veins on his forehead were bulging, clearly indicating that he was exerting all his power in an attempt to regain control of the great formation.

"Um!"

Suddenly, Xiao Xuan let out a muffled groan, his body trembled violently, and his hands involuntarily sprang off the array plate.

He staggered backward uncontrollably, his face turning several shades paler.

"Ancestor!"

"Grandfather!"

Upon seeing this, everyone was shocked and exclaimed in surprise, their faces filled with panic and disbelief.

Even the ancestor himself failed?

"How is this possible... Even the patriarch couldn't regain control?"

"Who was that person in the prison that day? Could it be the legendary Grandmaster?"

"What do we do now? Are we really going to destroy the Heavenly Prison Formation?"

The crowd was abuzz with discussion, their words filled with despair.

Destroying the Heavenly Prison Formation would not only mean the collapse of the defense system that the royal family had spent a century of effort and countless resources to build, but it would also affect the Imperial City Formation and might even damage the dragon vein's fortune beneath the capital.

The price is too high! So high that even the royal family cannot bear it.

"Old friend, what's wrong?"

What drove you to this point, even bringing out your trump card, the 'Mysterious Heaven Array Plate'?

Du Jun stepped forward, looked at Xiao Xuan's pale face, and asked in a deep voice.

Xiao Xuan took a deep breath to calm his churning blood and qi.

He glanced at Du Jun, a hint of helplessness and bitterness flashing in his eyes: "Brother Du, you've come. Alas, it's strange, the Heavenly Prison Formation... has been taken over by someone else."

"What?"

Upon hearing this, even the well-informed Du Jun couldn't help but gasp in shock:

"The Heavenly Prison Formation has been taken away?"

How is that possible?

That's one of the foundations your Xiao family has built over hundreds of years, and with you personally overseeing it from the central level, who else could possess such extraordinary connections?

He was taken aback.

"The Heavenly Prison..."

Du Jun frowned, and suddenly, a name flashed through his mind like lightning—Zhang Yu.

He turned his head sharply, looking in the direction of the prison, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Could it be him?

That young man whom he regarded as a prodigy in alchemy with unlimited potential?

That mysterious young friend who is imprisoned?

But... how is that possible?

He had witnessed Zhang Yu's talent for alchemy firsthand and was utterly astonished.

However, the art of formations is completely different from the art of alchemy, requiring countless efforts and time to study.

How old is Zhang Yu?

This is unreasonable; it completely defies common sense.

"No, that's impossible..."

Du Jun subconsciously shook his head, dismissing the crazy idea.

There must be some unknown old monster of formations imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison, or a formation master sent by some hostile force, taking the opportunity to cause trouble.

"Brother Du, do you have any ideas?"

Xiao Xuan looked at Du Jun with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

The Pharmacists' Union has a deep foundation and extensive network of connections; perhaps it can come up with some unexpected solutions.

Du Jun gave a wry smile and shook his head:

"If even a master of formations like you can't handle it, what can I do?"

Unless… we can get those legendary figures involved, but that's too far to solve our immediate problem.

He paused, looking at Xiao Xuan with a solemn expression:

"However, I do have a guess."

"Has anyone... anything special gone into the prison lately?"

"Someone special?"

Xiao Xuan was taken aback and looked at Emperor Xiao Zhengshan.

Xiao Zhengshan hurriedly stepped forward and quickly recited the list of important prisoners recently detained in the Heavenly Prison, which naturally included "Zhang Yu, the abandoned son of the Marquis of Yong'an".

Upon hearing the name "Zhang Yu," Du Jun's heart skipped a beat, but he immediately dismissed the idea.

One's energy is limited, and it is impossible to cultivate both formations and alchemy at the same time.

"That's enough."

Xiao Xuan sighed deeply, his gaze returning to the crystal array plate, a resolute glint in his eyes. "Perhaps, the only solution now... is that last resort."

Destroy the formation!

Although the cost was heavy, allowing the enemy to control the Heavenly Prison Array would pose an even greater threat.

"Ancestor, please think it over."

Xiao Zhengshan and several princes hurriedly tried to dissuade them, saying that they could not bear the consequences of destroying the formation.

Inside the main hall, silence and despair once again reigned.

"Ancestor, please wait a moment. Prince Jing and Princess Fenghua have arrived at the Heavenly Prison. Let's hear their news before making any plans."

Clinging to his last hope, Xiao Zhengshan opened the image jade tablet and connected it to Prince Jing's jade tablet.

The next moment, a light screen appeared in the air, showing the situation inside the Heavenly Prison.

The atmosphere inside the prison was oppressive and eerie.

Prince Rui's heir, Xiao Yun, remained kneeling in a humiliating position, pinned to the cold ground by the invisible power of the array, unable to move.

His face was contorted with resentment and anger, almost overflowing as he stared intently at Zhang Yu, who sat cross-legged in the cell, uttering vicious curses and threats incessantly.

"Zhang Yu, you bastard, you traitor, how dare you humiliate this young master like this! You're dead, your whole family is dead!"