"Qingzhu Hermit, do you three know the origin of the sword at my waist?"

Jiang Feng pointed to the Red Dust Sword at his waist, and asked the three.

"That’s the gift from the Second Prince to Fellow Daoist Wang. We all heard about what happened between you and the Second Prince at the Cultivation Marketplace."

Elder Qingzhu beamed with a smile.

"This is a mid-grade magical artifact, priceless. To be honest, I’m uneasy holding such a grand gift." Jiang Feng loosened his red dust sword from his waist and handed it to Qingzhu Hermit, saying, "You three have known the Second Prince longer than I have. Please, pass this sword back to him for me!"

"Fellow Daoist Wang, what’s this? Since the Second Prince gifted it to you, even if you don’t want it, it should be returned by your own hand, not through others."

Elder Qingzhu hurriedly waved his hand.

"The Royal Family shows sincerity, and this mid-grade magical artifact is a token of His Highness’s goodwill. Since you’ve refined it already, there’s no reason to send it back."

Fellow Daoist Li pointed out.

"As long as you, Fellow Daoist Wang, serve the Li Family in the future, what’s the harm in accepting this gift? Isn’t that right, everyone?"

Fellow Daoist Zhang heckled.

"Old Zhang is right. Fellow Daoist Wang, don’t overthink it. Let’s go back!"

Fellow Daoist Li quickly chimed in.

"That is, unless you think the Second Prince’s gift isn’t valuable enough, and that’s why you want to give it back."

Qingzhu Hermit deliberately goaded him.

"Qingzhu Hermit, you’ve misunderstood. Since you all say so, I’ll keep the sword for now—and someday, I’ll repay the Li Family’s kindness."

Jiang Feng appeared unable to refuse, hung the Red Dust Sword back at his waist, and then, together with the three, used Wind Control to fly back to the Dragon Capital Purple Bamboo Forest.

After returning to the main courtyard, Jiang Feng immediately checked his Fortune Point.

Fortune: 568311

"It’s increased by nearly four hundred and ten thousand!"

Jiang Feng’s face was full of shock.

"If I had just resisted and refused to come back with them, the result would have been a bloody fight. With my Second-Layer Qi Condensation strength—even if I could kill them—I’d pay a heavy price."

"Even if I managed to escape from their hands, I might not get away from the Imperial City Sword Immortal."

"Given my strength, when I left the Purple Bamboo Forest, Elder Qingzhu and the others shouldn’t have been able to notice. So why were they able to follow me all the way, and I never detected them?"

Jiang Feng hadn’t thought that just trying to break free from the Royal Family’s surveillance would invite so much danger. He was sure of Elder Qingzhu’s ability—only at First-Layer Qi Condensation. If he wanted to leave, Elder Qingzhu couldn’t stop him.

Likewise, Fellow Daoists Zhang and Li both only had First-Layer Qi Condensation cultivation—even if the three joined forces, they might not have the upper hand with him.

Yet somehow, all three managed to follow him closely. If not for the strange behavior of his Fortune Point, Jiang Feng would never have noticed them.

Jiang Feng refused to believe the three had mastered some powerful Concealing Skill, enough to evade his Spiritual Sense probe. There must be some expert helping them.

Jiang Feng couldn’t be sure if that expert was present too; to recklessly fight with Elder Qingzhu and the others just to rid himself of Royal Family surveillance was far too dangerous.

At first, he figured that freeloading a mid-grade magical artifact might have upset the Royal Family, so they sent Elder Qingzhu and the others after him.

So he took the initiative to return the Red Dust Sword, hoping to shake off their entanglement.

But unexpectedly, the three had no interest in the Red Dust Sword at all—in every word and tone, they all wanted him back in the Purple Bamboo Forest. To play it safe, Jiang Feng had no choice but to return with them.

Now, seeing his Fortune Point shoot up by nearly four hundred and ten thousand, he finally realized there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

"What exactly is the Royal Family up to?"

"What do they gain by keeping me in the Purple Bamboo Forest?"

"Something big must be on the horizon—what could it be? Could it be the unresolved conflict with the Turkic Empire?"

Jiang Feng pondered deeply.

"First, I have to figure out: How did Elder Qingzhu and the others notice me immediately when I left the Purple Bamboo Forest?"

Jiang Feng looked out to the bamboo groves beyond the courtyard.

"Could there be some kind of high-level array restriction in the bamboo forest—one that automatically sounds an alarm when I leave?"

"Impossible."

"Even if the Great Tang Royal Family possessed such restriction arrays, they wouldn’t use them in the Purple Bamboo Forest just to keep an eye on me."

Jiang Feng shook his head.

He had read books on restriction arrays and knew that, in this world, there was no shortage of powerful arrays, but activating them required vast amounts of spirit stones and a masterful mage to set them up.

Never mind whether the Great Tang had such a mage—even if they did, the Emperor of the Great Tang wouldn’t burn so many spirit stones just to trap him.

"The array isn’t a problem, and Elder Qingzhu’s group isn’t stronger than me. So who realized I was leaving—was there some unknown powerful cultivator hiding in the bamboo forest?"

"But if they’re that strong, why would they waste time monitoring me?"

The more Jiang Feng thought about it, the less he understood, even starting to wonder if it was simply coincidence.

"Dang!"

He sat down to think; the Red Dust Sword at his waist knocked against the table and chairs, making a crisp sound.

Jiang Feng took off the Red Dust Sword and set it on the table.

"Hm... Could it be?"

As soon as the sword was on the table, Jiang Feng thought of something—he suddenly stood, and put some distance between himself and the Red Dust Sword.

"The problem is with the sword."

"The books on restriction arrays mention that some mages can leave a restriction talisman, even on magical artifacts or spiritual artifacts. Even cultivators who have refined them might not notice the mark."

"A truly strong mage could even use the enemy’s weapon to kill them from afar."

Jiang Feng muttered to himself.

With that, his Spiritual Sense surged into the Red Dust Sword.

He’d refined this sword in only three days, and since then, it felt effortless in his hand—almost like an extension of his own arm.

But now, as he probed with his Spiritual Sense, at first Jiang Feng found nothing unusual.

Yet after investigating four or five times, Jiang Feng finally detected a hidden restriction talisman inside the sword.

This restriction talisman didn’t interfere with his control over the Red Dust Sword—no disruption at all. If he wanted to erase it, he just had to inject spiritual power into the array mark and shatter it by force.

But doing so would alert the mage who placed the restriction mark.

Jiang Feng never expected the Royal Family to have this trick. Perhaps every magical artifact or treasure given to cultivators in the bamboo forest by the Royal Family had a mage’s mark on it.

He might not be the first to discover it.

Yet it’s clear the Royal Family has some secretive scheme behind these actions.

He had genuinely been obstructed when he tried to leave, which left Jiang Feng feeling tense and deeply angry—he felt the Royal Family had touched his reverse scale.

It’s one thing to be monitored.

But now they’re restricting his freedom.

Who could endure this?

Inside the Imperial City Inner Courtyard, in a secluded side courtyard.

"Your Highness, Immortal Master Wang has returned to the Purple Bamboo Forest. He came back together with Qingzhu Hermit and the other two. Qingzhu Hermit sends word that Immortal Master Wang tried to return the Red Dust Sword—plus, Immortal Master Wang detected he was being followed."

A little eunuch spoke respectfully.

"Withdraw."

The Second Prince was writing, still copying ’Xin’ from the Tidal Letter.

Gazing at the increasingly steady brushstrokes, he seemed to see another version of himself. Muttering, he said, "Immortal Master Wang, you’re so clever—I trust you won’t ruin my plans."

In a blink, ten days passed.

Jiang Feng was trapped within the Purple Bamboo Forest.

His days passed just as before, as if unconcerned about being trapped. Either cultivating in his room, or chatting with Elder Qingzhu and the others, sharing insights or sparring occasionally.

As if he had no clue he was under restriction.

This morning, news reached the Purple Bamboo Forest.

Xiao Zhan led the Wolf Slaughter Army in a surprise attack on the Turkic Empire, the Turkic King’s uncle died at the national gate, Han Dong led the marriage escort troops and set fire to Turkic grain stores, and flanked Xiao Zhan on both sides. The Great Tang army, like a hot blade through butter, captured city after city in the Turkic Empire.

The Turkic King abandoned the city and fled.

On the same day, the Second Prince married the Turkic King’s daughter—inviting all ministers. The Dragon Capital was ablaze with festivities; lanterns and decorations filled the city.