Mu Chen and his group arrived at the threshold of the imposing structure known as the Tower of Pride.
However, just as they moved to cross the entrance, their path was abruptly obstructed. A middle-aged man stepped forward, his posture rigid and his expression unyielding as he placed himself directly in their way.
"Stop right there," the man commanded, his voice echoing with a practiced authority. "I am Luo. If you wish to set foot inside the Tower of Pride, you must first state your names and origins. This is a sanctuary for the elite; only the most distinguished geniuses are permitted entry. We do not allow just anyone to wander through these doors."
In reality, despite his stern demeanour, Luo had no inherent right to deny them passage based on such arbitrary whims. However, his actions were not born of his own initiative. He was acting under the specific instructions of someone else.
On the second level of the building, a figure stood near the balustrade, watching the scene unfold with the stillness of a tranquil lake. His gaze was fixed on the group below, and a smug, self-satisfied smirk played across his lips.
This was Ling Xi, the celebrated genius of the Ling family. He had recently received devastating news from clan members that had shattered his family's pride.
Ling Xi had already resolved to kill those responsible for this humiliation, but he felt that a simple death was too merciful. Before he ended them, he intended to show them the staggering distance between their status and the heights of a true elite.
As the recognized strongest prodigy of the younger generation, Ling Xi believed that everything within this city was under his absolute control.
"A simple guard might not be able to truly hinder these people," Ling Xi murmured to himself, his eyes narrowing as he watched the confrontation. "But at the very least, this little charade will let them know that here, in the Great Xia they are worthless."
...
"So many problems just to enter a building," Xiao Li remarked, her voice dripping with an indifferent boredom. She looked at Luo with a gaze that found him utterly tedious. "Xiao Kingdom, Xiao Li. Is that sufficient for your records?"
Upon hearing the name of the Xiao Kingdom, a flicker of shock crossed Luo's features. He recognized the weight of that title, but he quickly suppressed his surprise.
He maintained a cold, detached tone, refusing to show any deference to the princess.
"So it is the Princess of the Xiao Kingdom," Luo said, his voice carrying the haughty weight of someone who fancied himself a king rather than a guard. "Very well, you may pass but behave yourself here. Arrogance will find no purchase here."
Xiao Li's eyes flashed with a sudden, sharp anger, and she was on the verge of an explosive rebuttal when she felt a soft hand rest on her shoulder. Shen Xi stepped forward, a mocking smile playing on her lips as she signalled for Xiao Li to remain calm.
"Well, since this is the Tower of Pride," Shen Xi said, her voice carrying an edge of cold amusement that targeted Luo directly. "I suppose a proper display of identity is required. Will this be enough to satisfy your curiosity?"
In an instant, Shen Xi released a bit of momentary burst of her Mid-Spirit Realm soul power. It was not a physical strike, but a divine sense attack that hit Luo with the crushing force of a spiritual hammer.
The impact was invisible yet devastating. Luo's eyes glazed over as he staggered back, his knees nearly buckling. A sharp, high-pitched shrill escaped his throat, and a thin trickle of crimson blood began to seep from the corner of his mouth.
He clutched his head, his vision swimming in a dizzying haze of mental trauma.
The shrill cry of Luo acted as a signal. Within seconds, the other imperial guards stationed nearby drew their weapons and surrounded Mu Chen's group.
"Who do you people think you are?" one of the guards shouted, his aura flaring with hostile intent. "How dare you lay a hand on an Imperial Guard! You are courting death in the capital!"
"Capture them immediately!" another barked, gesturing for the surrounding soldiers to close the circle. "They will be punished according to the strict imperial laws of Great Xia!"
A crowd of onlookers quickly gathered at the base of the tower, their voices rising in a sea of murmurs as they watched the drama unfold.
"It looks like someone is in trouble again," one bystander whispered with a sneer. "These country bumpkins never seem to learn their place. They think they can throw their weight around in a place like this."
On the balcony above, Ling Xi's expression turned icy as he witnessed the release of Shen Xi's power. "It seems that Soul Crystal truly helped her more than I anticipated," he thought, his jaw tightening. "But no matter. This has become far more interesting than I initially imagined."
Shen Xi, however, seemed entirely unfazed by the blades pointed at her throat. She spread her hands innocently, her eyes sparkling with a dangerous light.
"The man asked for our identity, and I simply provided it. The fact that he is still standing and drawing breath is proof enough that I went remarkably easy on him."
The lead guard's face turned a violent shade of red, his body trembling with a rage so intense it seemed he might vomit blood.
The reasoning she offered was technically sound—Luo was still breathing was already benevolent of her, but the delivery was a direct, stinging slap to the face of the Imperial Guard.
"You… you presumptuous wretch!" the guard roared, his hand tightening on his spear.
Mu Chen, who had been watching the entire theatrical display with a look of terminal boredom, finally let out a long, audible yawn. He turned his gaze toward Shen Xi and Xiao Li.
"Let us go inside," Mu Chen said, his voice flat and dismissive. "I'm tired of standing out here."
Both girls nodded, and the three of them began to walk toward the entrance as if the armed men surrounding them were no more significant than blades of grass.
The lead guard, seeing them simply walking away as if his presence meant nothing, let out a furious growl. "How dare you turn your back on me!"
His spiritual energy flared up in a sudden explosion of power. The cobblestones beneath his feet groaned and flickered with the intensity of his Qi as he prepared to launch a lethal attack at Mu Chen's back.
However, before he could take a single step, his knees buckled violently. He hit the ground with a heavy thud, his legs refusing to support him as he collapsed into a kneeling position.
At the exact same moment, every other guard who had surrounded the group also dropped to their knees with a synchronized crash. It was not that anyone had visibly attacked them or used a crushing pressure to force them down; it was as if their very kneecaps had forgotten their function, refusing to obey their will.
Nibi, the cat perched on Mu Chen's head, looked around at the two rows of guards kneeling in their wake. She let out a satisfied meow, her tails swaying with a regal air. In her mind, the queen was finally being shown the proper respect by her subjects.
"Nibi, that's rude," Mu Chen said with a mock seriousness, though he didn't slow his pace.
Nibi stared at Mu Chen with a look of utter, wide-eyed betrayal. She let out a soft huff as if to protest her innocence. How was this her fault? She hadn't been the one to make them kneel.
Shen Xi and Xiao Li couldn't help but let out a burst of genuine laughter at the cat's expression. They continued their walk, entering the Tower of Pride like sovereigns entering their own palace, while the guards watched them go in a state of paralyzed terror.
On the second floor, Ling Xi watched the group disappear into the building. He gripped the railing so hard his knuckles turned white, and he threw his sleeve back with a violent motion.
He gritted his teeth, his aristocratic mask cracking for a brief second. "Waste! Utter, pathetic waste!"
He was not merely angry that they had managed to enter; he was enraged because they had done so after the guards, he arranged to humiliate them had ended up kneeling in a show of subservience.
It made the entire play look like a welcome tribute rather than a challenge.
"Humph, I will let you have your fun for a little while longer," Ling Xi said, forcing himself to calm down. The coldness in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by his usual calm and elegant demeanour as he stepped back into the shadows of the hallway.
...
They paused just inside the entrance. The heavy doors closed behind them with a dull thud, cutting off the noise of the outside world.
Through the tall crystal windows, the two rows of kneeling guards were still visible. Their bodies remained frozen in place, weapons resting uselessly in their hands, as if they had forgotten how to stand.
Shen Xi glanced back, a faint smile on her lips.
"Quite considerate," she said calmly. "They even prepared a kneeling welcome."
Xiao Li couldn't hold back. She leaned toward the window and waved brightly.
"Thank you for the warm reception!" she called out, grinning.
Nibi let out a soft, satisfied chirp from Mu Chen's head, her tails swaying slowly as if accepting their tribute. She tapped his forehead lightly, reminding him of something more important.
Mu Chen looked up at the ceiling, his expression unchanged.
"The acoustics here are bad," he said.
Only then did a young maid step out from the shadows. Her face was pale as she looked past them toward the entrance, unable to understand why the imperial guards were still kneeling outside.
Mu Chen and the others followed a young maid as she led them at the suite prepared for them.
"That man Luo definitely had a problem," Xiao Li said, her brow furrowing as the maid bowed and departed. "Who do you think told the people of the Tower of Pride to block us like that?"
She knew that whoever possessed the influence to move the City Lord's Mansion and its guards must be someone with immense power and a very high status within the Imperial City.
"Who cares," Mu Chen said indifferently as he jumped onto the bed, his eyes already drifting shut.
Nibi didn't miss a beat. She jumped onto his chest and circled a few times before settling down comfortably. She fanned her tails slowly, creating a soft, rhythmic breeze to keep Mu Chen cool while he slept.
Seeing this, Xiao Li's mouth twitched but she knew Mu Chen genuinely didn't care.
"Don't think too much about it," Shen Xi said, her voice calm as she looked toward the window. "It must be someone from the Ling family."
Xiao Li nodded slowly. "Most likely. They probably think they can corner us here."
The only response she received was the synchronized sound of snoring coming from the bed. Mu Chen and Nibi had fallen into a sleep so deep it seemed as though they hadn't rested in centuries.