An Understated Dominance

When Li Juntang woke up again, it was already evening. Zhang He and Wu Yong stood outside the door with a team of elite guards, fully armed and alert. Inside the room, Li Juntang's mother, Consort Spanner, along with several imperial physicians, waited anxiously. As soon as she heard the news that her son had fainted, Consort Spanner rushed over with the royal doctors. Li Juntang was her only son. She had raised him with meticulous care, pouring all her love and effort into him. Fortunately, her son had also lived up to her expectations. Among all the princes, he had distinguished himself and now had the qualifications to compete for the title of Crown Prince. Lately, she had been making various plans for her son's future. Just as they were nearing a critical moment, this sudden incident occurred --- no wonder she was so anxious. Luckily, there was no serious harm; he had simply fainted from a fit of rage. “Juntang, how do you feel? Are you alright?” The momen...

“So that’s how it is…” Dustin listened quietly, his gaze falling on the chessboard, and he nodded slightly. “Since you helped me out of a tight spot tonight, consider it a favor I owe you. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to come to me.” His nature had always been one of repaying kindness with kindness, and vengeance with vengeance. Hongniang hadn’t just kept his secret but also covered for him. This kind of favor absolutely had to be repaid. “Sir Rhys is truly a man of loyalty and integrity. I admire that,” Hongniang nodded with a smile, her charm becoming all the more alluring. “But I’m curious, why did you come to me? Could it be you already noticed something?” Dustin asked again. “Those who come to rely on Li Juntang do so either for power, fame, or profit. I can see through such people at a glance. You, Sir Rhys, are the only exception,” Hongniang smiled and continued, “You entered the mansion, presented the Dragon Origin Spirit Qi, and yet asked for neither s...

Dustin’s expression carried a trace of displeasure, and his tone became much more severe. If he said nothing and allowed Li Juntang to search without protest, that would seem even more suspicious. "Brother Logan," Li Juntang said grimly, "there’s been a thief in the residence. The entire compound is under lockdown. For your own safety, we have to conduct a search!" Right now, Li Juntang strongly suspected that Dustin was the thief. But without concrete evidence, he couldn’t fall out with him directly. Of course, if Dustin insisted on interfering, then he wouldn’t be polite either. "A thief?" Dustin raised a brow. "Something like that happened? Was the tremor earlier related to this thief?" "We’ll talk about the details later. To prevent the thief from escaping, we need to search this place first." Li Juntang had no interest in explaining further. With a wave of his hand, he motioned for Zhang He and Wu Yong to begin. The ...

"Quick, quick, quick! Run faster, all of you!" Li Juntang was burning with anxiety, constantly urging his guards forward. At that moment, he found himself irrationally blaming the size of his mansion --- it was too large to reach the scene quickly. "Your Highness! What’s going on?!" Just then, Zhang He and Wu Yong arrived with an elite unit, having rushed over after hearing the alarm. Most of them hadn’t even had time to get dressed --- bare-chested and frantic --- since this was the first time they'd ever encountered such an alarm within the residence. "A thief has infiltrated the estate! Lock down all exits immediately. Do not let them escape!" Li Juntang had no time to explain and issued the order without hesitation. "Move! Seal the entire estate!" Zhang He shouted, leading his men swiftly into action. They had been trained for this exact moment --- it was finally time for them to prove their worth. "Follow me!"...

Looking at the stone steps descending downward, Dustin took a deep breath and slowly stepped in. The tunnel was rather long, but there was light within. After descending for a while, it began to level out, and the deeper he went, the more spacious it became. He proceeded forward, encountering no abnormalities and triggering no traps. Before long, Dustin followed the passage into a hidden chamber. The chamber was quite spacious, filled on all sides with all manner of rare treasures. There were divine weapons, secret manuals, and some rare spiritual herbs and precious artifacts. Dustin carefully inspected the room but did not see the jade box containing the Dragon Source Qi. Eventually, his gaze locked onto the deepest part of the chamber. There stood a large gate made of refined steel, covered in intricate runes. Dustin took out his compass and observed it closely. The needle pointed unwaveringly toward the gate, showing no sign of movement. “Looks like it’s hidden i...

Li Juntang arrived in front of the treasury. He quickly knocked on the door a few times with both hands. With a loud rumble, the heavy doors of the vault slowly opened. Inside, the treasures were dazzling and countless --- jade pendants exuding celestial energy, bronze tripods carved with mysterious patterns, and elixirs glowing with a strange light. At the very center, inside a protective cover made of bulletproof glass, lay a jade box. Li Juntang stepped forward, entered a code, opened the protective cover, and then lifted the jade box. Inside, a second stream of Dragon Origin Qi was revealed. This Dragon Origin Qi appeared as a pearl the size of a chicken egg, with a dragon-shaped airflow constantly swirling within it. “What a treasure!” Li Juntang placed the Dragon Origin Qi offered by Dustin beside it, his face showing joy. Dragon Origin Qi could defy fate and bring great fortune. He had gone through great efforts to acquire the first stream, and now he had obtaine...

“Mr. Rhys is so generous, I truly don't know how to repay you,” said Hongniang. Her fingertips gently traced the smooth texture of the jade box, her eyes shimmering with moisture. As she looked up at Dustin, her gaze was filled with gratitude. “It was just a small favor, Miss Hongniang, no need to take it to heart,” Dustin said with a faint smile. “Besides, this item seems destined for the Third Prince—I’m merely offering it on his behalf.” “What does Mr. Rhys desire in return? As long as it's within my ability, I’ll agree to it,” Hongniang said with a gentle smile. “I ask for nothing else—only that should I encounter trouble in the future, the Third Prince will lend his support,” Dustin replied. “I see. That makes sense.” Hongniang nodded. So, he didn’t seek any treasure—only a favor from the Third Prince. Given the prince's current position, a favor from him was worth more than any treasure. And if the prince succeeded in ascending the throne and becoming the rule...