Just from Gongsun Jinghong’s expression, Zou Feng could tell that she seemed completely ruthless, the type to turn on her own family.

She didn’t even care if the Emperor of Great Yan could win this duel, focused only on whether she could use the Dragon and Tiger Kan and Li Skill to obtain her desired benefits.

’He feared that when the time came, should any other royals feel that Gongsun Jinghong was truly disgracing the Royal Family and try to stop her dual cultivation, she would kill them all the same...’

At this thought, Zou Feng couldn’t help but probe, "Has the Commandery Princess considered what might happen if your Emperor of Great Yan loses this duel?"

The chaos from the Southern Prince’s rebellion was still ongoing.

But if the Emperor of Great Yan were to kick the bucket, it was entirely possible the chaos would finally end.

After all, the Southern Prince’s justification for rebelling was to depose a tyrannical emperor and enthrone a virtuous one.

The only question was whether the Southern Prince had already been "persuaded" by his subordinates and "forced" to don the Yellow Robe.

Gongsun Jinghong, of course, knew what Zou Feng was really asking. She gave a faint, knowing smile. "Barring any surprises, I was already banking on your Biyou Palace Master to win."

"As for Gongsun Xiang... if he loses, he loses. So what?"

Gongsun Xiang was the given name of the current Emperor of Great Yan. For Gongsun Jinghong to address her imperial relative so directly showed she had long since lost any trace of reverence for him.

After a pause, Gongsun Jinghong’s smile vanished. She said seriously, "However, even though Gongsun Xiang will most likely lose, the destiny of the Great Yan Dynasty will not be exhausted by his defeat."

"That’s why the Southern Prince’s slogan is to enthrone a new, virtuous ruler, not to take the throne himself..."

’Destiny not yet exhausted?’

To Zou Feng, that sounded a bit too esoteric.

But he didn’t really believe in such metaphysics at this point. There had to be a more concrete reason for this so-called ’destiny’.

And sure enough, Gongsun Jinghong’s next words confirmed his suspicion. "If the people from ’over there’ don’t give the nod, the Southern Prince wouldn’t dare sit on the throne even if you placed it right in front of him!"

’Uh, so that clearly means there’s someone pulling the strings above the Royal Family.’

’But where exactly was this "over there" she mentioned? The Upper Realm? The true Immortal Cultivation Realm?’

"The Southern Prince may not dare to take it, but I, for one, would like to have a seat..."

Zou Feng was about to ask more about it, but to his surprise, Gongsun Jinghong seemed to have said all she wanted to say. She turned and leaped away.

"I will be waiting for you!"

With that, Gongsun Jinghong floated away at an incredible speed.

Her voice had yet to fade, but she was already gone from sight.

Gongsun Jinghong’s arrival had been as swift as her departure, leaving Zou Feng rather baffled.

’Ah, whatever. It doesn’t matter. I just need to use this opportunity to see if I can make a push for the Second Grade.’

「Celestial Essence Sword Sect, Wenjian Cliff.」

Chen Jun, the Fire Fierce Sword, was staring at a sword mark on the cliff face, completely lost in thought.

This seemingly unremarkable sword mark had been left by the previous Sword Saint. Only a discerning Sword Immortal could perceive the profound Sword Dao it contained.

After a long while, a sharp glint flashed in Chen Jun’s eyes, as if he’d had a sudden epiphany.

"So that’s how it is... I understand!"

The moment he spoke, the air around him erupted with the terrifying crackle of countless swords slicing through the void.

To be able to provoke the hum of swords from the very air without making a single move proved that Chen Jun’s claim of understanding the sword mark was no empty boast.

A moment later, a man with a refined, scholarly air slowly descended from the sky behind Chen Jun.

"Congratulations, Brother Chen. Your Sword Dao has reached a new level!"

The one offering congratulations was Zhang Changchun, another of the Celestial Essence Sword Sect’s "Seven Swords."

Having gained an epiphany from the sword mark, Chen Jun was in high spirits. He turned to Zhang Changchun and said, "Sit!"

A stone table and stools stood nearby.

As the two walked over, a disciple immediately came forward and busied himself with preparing tea.

After they sat, Zhang Changchun studied Chen Jun and said, "Brother Chen, you must be close to breaking through to the Second Grade, aren’t you?"

Hearing this, Chen Jun simply smiled without a word, a clear, unspoken confirmation.

After a moment, however, Chen Jun’s brow furrowed and he sighed. "It’s a shame Junior Brother He won’t be here to see it..."

The "Junior Brother He" he mentioned was, of course, He Yuan—another of the Seven Swords, who had been killed by Zou Feng.

When news of He Yuan’s death arrived, Chen Jun and the other masters from the Celestial Essence Sword Sect were in the middle of their assault on the Five Poison Hall.

At the time, Chen Jun had been consumed by an uncontrollable rage, wanting to abandon the mission and immediately hunt down Zou Feng to avenge He Yuan.

However, he was held back by the others. That, coupled with a sudden and inexplicable stomach ailment, caused the matter to be dropped.

But Chen Jun had shared a deep bond with He Yuan, and the thought of revenge had never left his mind.

Now, hearing Chen Jun bring up He Yuan again, Zhang Changchun sighed as well. "It’s a shame. That fiend Zou Feng is hiding out in the Southern Border, and with that she-devil backing him... avenging Junior Brother He won’t be easy..."

Chen Jun was silent for a moment before replying, "That she-devil, Su Qingyu, is dueling Gongsun Xiang at the Forbidden City Peak soon. As a Biyou Palace Elder, Zou Feng will have to be there to provide support, won’t he?"

Hearing this, Zhang Changchun frowned slightly. "That may be true, but it won’t just be Biyou Palace’s masters in attendance. Other major Evil Sects, like the Rakshasa Sect and the Cyan Nether Sect, will also be there in full force."

"There will likely even be Evil Cultivators, who normally only dare to stay in hiding, coming out to join the spectacle..."

Zhang Changchun’s meaning was clear: both the righteous and evil factions would have their eyes on this battle. Before a victor emerged between Su Qingyu and Gongsun Xiang, they would be watching each other, adhering to a tacit agreement to only observe and not interfere.

After all, if anyone were to break the rules and start a fight, the observation would likely devolve into a chaotic melee, and there was no telling how many True Qi Realm masters would fall on the spot.