As Wang Jian and Su Xian made their way to the grandiose main hall while gazing at the ornate decorations and intricate designs of the walls and ceiling along the way.
The glittering chandeliers cast a soft light that illuminated the entire hall.
Wang Jian and Su Xian entered the opulent hall, their eyes immediately drawn to the arresting presence of the second princess, Wang Ying.
She sat atop her throne-like chair, radiating regal beauty that captured their attention. Her lustrous blonde tresses cascaded down her back in soft, undulating waves, while her striking green eyes glimmered with a fierce intelligence and commanding authority.
Her crimson gown, adorned with intricate golden embroidery that sparkled in the light, hugged her curves perfectly, accentuating her alluring figure.
Despite her captivating appearance, there was an unmistakable aura of frigid formality and detachment, a common trait among members of the royal family.
As she caught sight of the duo, Wang Ying's eyes flickered with a hint of surprise, especially when she noticed Wang Jian's companion.
Despite her initial shock, she couldn't help but appreciate the woman's beauty, her delicate features and graceful posture complemented her simple yet elegant attire.
Wang Jian gestured towards Su Xian and said, "This is my elder sister, Ying."
Su Xian bowed gracefully, showing respect to the second princess.
Then, Wang Jian turned to Wang Ying and said, "Elder sister, this is my wife, Su Xian."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Su Xian," Wang Ying spoke. "Are you one of the beauties my dear brother brought back from the Zhenguan Region?"
Su Xian felt a bit uncomfortable upon hearing that question, but she answered calmly, "Yes."
In the meantime, Wang Jian's eyes narrowed as he heard that question.
"So, what brings you here, elder sister? I am sure you didn't come here just to see the face of your lovely younger brother," Wang Jian spoke with a smile.
"Aww. But that's the primary reason I came to visit you today. After all, it's been quite some time since I last saw your face, my dear brother," Wang Ying spoke with a brilliant smile on her face.
Wang Jian arched an eyebrow, "And the other reasons?"
As they took their seats on the thrones flanking Wang Ying, the second princess leaned forward with a wily smile.
"One reason for my visit is to offer my congratulations on your promotion to the King Realm. I was truly overjoyed to hear the news, and I want you to know that you have my full support. If you encounter any difficulties, you can count on my assistance," Wang Ying spoke with a touch of sincerity.
Wang Jian responded with a genuine grin, "Thank you, elder sister."
"I also brought you a gift - the Titan Shield Talisman. It has the ability to withstand a full-powered King Realm attack, but you can only use it three times. The talisman can be easily linked to your spirit, and it can be activated with a single thought," Wang Ying explained, holding out a small metallic pendant.
Wang Jian's grip on the small metallic pendant tightened as he felt strands of spirit energy leaking from it and heading towards Wang Ying.
It was a clever move on her part; the talisman would save his life but also allow her to monitor his location at all times.
Wang Jian suppressed a smirk, knowing that his sister was always one step ahead.
"Thank you for this wonderful gift, sister," he said, his voice dripping with feigned gratitude.
Wang Ying's sly smile widened as she watched him accept the talisman. "I also wanted to thank you for saving the Jin Clan. By the time I received the information, it would have been too late to save them."
"It was nothing, sis. Did you find out anything about who ordered the attack?" Wang Jian asked, trying to sound casual.
With a tinge of anger, Wang Ying responded, "Who else could it be but our eldest brother Wang Hao?"
Wang Jian raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Are you sure it was him? It could have been someone else trying to frame him. You have a lot of enemies, sister."
"Perhaps you are right. But still, our eldest brother is the most suspicious. Also, only he has the resources and influence to convince the Jade Serpent Sect to undertake this task," Wang Ying argued.
Wang Jian shrugged. "Maybe, but it's best not to make assumptions before investigating properly."
Wang Ying thoughtfully nodded before changing the subject. "Let's talk about your time in the Windhaven Kingdom. It should have been under Ninth Brother's control. So why did you forcefully seize control over his faction?"
Wang Jian sighed inwardly, knowing his sister would not let this go. "I've already explained my reasons to father. I don't want to talk about it again."
"If father let it go, then it must have been nothing," Wang Ying said with a charming smile.
Wang Jian's lips twitched in annoyance, but he managed to keep his tone casual. "Nothing much happened, just some minor business deals."
Wang Ying couldn't resist teasing her brother, "Oh, and I heard an interesting piece of information. You were ambushed on your way back, but you surprisingly let the attacker go. Was it because that beauty Hong Meilin requested it?"
She smirked and added, "You are really too weak to a woman's charm. I always fear that you might be tricked by a woman one day."
As Wang Ying spoke, she subtly observed Su Xian's expression, curious about how she would react to the topic of her husband's interaction with another woman.
To her surprise, Su Xian remained composed, which made Wang Ying think, 'He sure found himself an understanding wife.'
Wang Jian didn't appear fazed by his sister's teasing and responded with a nonchalant expression, "Killing the attacker wouldn't have brought me any benefits. However, letting him go allowed me to get a personal favor from the Saintess of the Church of Divine Light."
Wang Ying's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? That's quite a feat. It seems like you are still as shrewd as ever, brother."
She asked ahead with an interested tone, "So, what else have you planned, brother? I noticed that your faction is rapidly growing in strength. Do you want my assistance?"
"No," Wang Jian responded curtly.
"Gee. You really are too cold to your dear sister," Wang Ying spoke with fake sadness.
Wang Jian rolled his eyes in disdain at his sister's act.
After chatting for some more time, Wang Ying left the palace.
Once she was gone, Wang Jian let out a relieved breath.
As Wang Jian conversed with his sister, he couldn't help but feel exhausted. After all, their talk had been quite long. However, he had to keep his guard up as six peak-level King Realm experts had locked onto him with their spiritual energy. He couldn't afford to let his guard down in their presence.
Judging from their immense power, Wang Jian concluded that these experts were much more talented than someone like Blade Serpent.
"It seems that my sister has hired some very capable experts as her guards," Wang Jian commented. "This is to be expected, considering her precarious position as the second princess."
Curious about his wife's opinion, Wang Jian turned to Su Xian and asked, "So, what do you think of my sister?"
Su Xian paused for a moment, carefully considering her words before responding, "She seemed to have a good sense of humor and was rather childish, in a positive way. She also seemed like a kind-hearted woman who cares about you."
Wang Jian let out a heavy sigh, clearly disappointed by her assessment. "That's just on the surface. In reality, she is cold, calculating, and extremely ruthless. I doubt she cares much about our sibling status."
"During the entire meeting, she was testing our bond and trying to extract more information from me. The gift she gave me was a tracker that allowed her to sense my location at all times.
Su Xian's eyes widened in surprise at this revelation. "I had no idea she would be like that," she said.
"Exactly why I brought you here, my love," Wang Jian replied, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You need to be cautious around her and not let slip any crucial information."
Su Xian nodded, her expression serious. "I understand."
The two continued to chat before a maid arrived and informed him, "Your Highness, your friends are here to meet you. What should I inform them?"
"Tell them to come inside," Wang Jian responded, and the maid left the hall swiftly.
Once she was gone, Wang Jian said to Su Xian, "Alright. Go back to your chambers and train."
Su Xian pecked his lips before leaving the hall quickly. She was excited to have spent so much time with her husband.
Wang Jian's friends entered the hall soon after Su Xian was gone.
All of them held relieved smiles as they saw Wang Jian.
"You are finally back, bro. We have something important to share with you," Luo Ying spoke.
"What is it?" Wang Jian asked curiously.
Soon, the infamous outlaws began to narrate the recent troubles they had encountered...
