C11 Crisis

The Bloodshadow Guard, upon sensing Chen Dutian's Fifth Heaven Spirit Convergence strength, felt somewhat reassured. After all, the son of Lord Protector Chen Dou was bound to be extraordinary.

In the vast Imperial Capital, possessing the strength of the Fifth Heaven Spirit Convergence was enough to command respect among one's peers. The Bloodshadow Guard gave a slight nod and said, "I shall heed Your Grace's command and take my leave now."

Chen Dutian gave a nonchalant wave of his hand, and the Bloodshadow Guard, who had been half-kneeling before him, vanished from sight.

After a brief pause, Chen Dutian rose and exited the courtyard. He was having breakfast with Zhao Danna when Yuan Liu hurried in, his expression somewhat uneasy.

"What's the matter? Take your time and explain," Chen Dutian said calmly, seated at the table and giving Yuan Liu a measured glance.

Yuan Liu was an Astral Wandering expert, so for him to appear so grave, it was clear that a significant event had occurred.

"Have you gotten into trouble outside again?" Zhao Danna asked, eyeing Chen Dutian with a slight furrow of her brow.

Though Chen Dutian had reformed, he was once the Imperial Capital's most notorious playboy, often finding himself embroiled in controversy. As the Lord Protector's wife, Zhao Danna had frequently managed the fallout from her son's escapades.

With the Lord Protector away from the mansion and the Imperial Capital awash with hidden currents, Zhao Danna feared her son might have stirred up new troubles.

"Madam, there's no need for concern. Minister of Personnel Lee Yu has arrived with a decree," Yuan Liu reported, bowing.

The day before, Chen Dutian had slain Lee Huai'en at the entrance of the Crimson Moon, a deed that had quickly become the talk of the Imperial Capital.

Yet, after discovering his son's body, Minister of Personnel Lee Yu had not approached the House of Protector with demands for retribution. Yuan Liu was puzzled by this, and now, after Lee Yu and Wang Xuanyang had visited Emperor Yan Chen at dawn, he arrived at the House of Protector with a decree. Yuan Liu feared the Emperor might be preparing to move against them.

Chen Dutian, however, appeared unconcerned. He stood up slowly and declared, "Let's go and receive the decree."

"I will accompany you," Zhao Danna said, rising quickly. As the Lord Protector's wife, she was responsible for overseeing the household in Chen Dou's absence.

Chen Dutian nodded with a smile and, along with his mother, escorted Yuan Liu and a few maidservants to the front hall.

Lee Yu sat in the main seat of the hall, his expression dark and stormy. Flanked by eight golden-armored guards wielding swords, he clutched the imperial edict in his hand, prompting the servants of the House of Protector to kneel en masse.

A hush had fallen over the grand hall, the air thick with tension.

Upon seeing Chen Dutian and his entourage, Lee Yu's eyes blazed with unbridled rage. He stood abruptly, his aura of murderous intent unfurling as he ground his teeth, his mind consumed by hatred.

Lee Huai'en was Lee Yu's most cherished son. From a young age, he had been a companion to the Crown Prince in the palace and was the prized pupil of Wang Xuanyang. Should Crown Prince Yan Nantian ascend to the throne, Lee Huai'en was destined to be a distinguished official of the nation. Lee Yu had pinned all his familial hopes on him.

Yet, for merely speaking out of turn to Chen Dutian at the Crimson Moon the day before, Lee Huai'en had been executed in the street. Now, Lee Yu was seething with a desire for vengeance so intense he could barely contain his urge to decimate everyone within the House of Protector.

"The Lord Protector's Heir, Chen Dutian, receive the decree. By imperial command, you are summoned to the Crystal Palace for a council," Lee Yu announced, his voice resonant as Zhao Danna and Chen Dutian knelt before him.

A council at the Crystal Palace? Chen Dutian pondered if Yan Chen truly intended to strike at the Chen family. With a subtle lift of his eyebrows, he rose to his feet and replied with a sly grin, "My apologies, Sir Lee. Would you kindly inform His Majesty that I, Chen Dutian, am under the weather with a chill and regretfully cannot attend the Crystal Palace today."

Absent from the Imperial Capital, his father Chen Dou was not present to witness Chen Dutian's actions the previous day, when he had slain both the newly appointed Antler Marquis and Lee Huai'en. With Yan Chen dispatching Lee Yu to deliver the decree, Chen Dutian couldn't shake the feeling that Yan Chen might be growing restless, perhaps seeking to seize this moment to confront the Chen family.

Despite the presence of the Red Banner Army, they were over a hundred miles from the Imperial Capital—too distant to quench an immediate thirst.

Chen Dutian could only think of feigning illness to stay at home as an excuse. Without having reached the Skyflight realm, he lacked the confidence to openly defy the Yan family.

Upon hearing Chen Dutian's words, Lee Yu angrily slammed his hand on the table, pointed at his nose, and loudly demanded, "Chen Dutian, do you intend to defy the Emperor's decree?"

Chen Dutian dared to refuse the Emperor's summons and the imperial edict. It was as if he didn't take the Yan family seriously at all.

Moreover, everyone in the Imperial Capital was aware that Chen Dutian had opened his Power Node after being bestowed the Teachings of the Divine. He showed no signs of discomfort, so how could Lee Yu believe his excuses?

After Lee Yu finished speaking, the eight golden-armored guards with sabers behind him stood up, their cold gazes fixed on Chen Dutian, ready to act at the slightest provocation.

Zhao Danna's brow furrowed slightly as she tugged at Chen Dutian's arm and whispered, "The Emperor has summoned you. How can you refuse?"

Chen Dutian was in a difficult position. He knew all too well how many eyes were watching the House of Protector in the Imperial Capital. A visit to the Crystal Palace might mean he would never return.

"If you resist the decree, I can dispatch the Imperial Guards at any moment," Lee Yu threatened coldly.

Although the Imperial Guards' strength was not on par with the Red Banner Army of the Lord Protector, they could still raze the House of Protector to the ground in an instant.

Chen Dutian looked deeply at his mother and sighed, "Very well, Mother, rest assured. I will go."

Seeing Chen Dutian relent, a cold, triumphant smirk crossed Lee Yu's face. He handed over the imperial edict and exited with the eight golden-armored guards.

"Master, are you truly going to the Crystal Palace? Allow me to accompany you," Yuan Liu expressed, stepping forward with a resolute look, concerned for Chen Dutian's safety.

Chen Dutian remained silent, instead instructing the female servants behind him to escort his mother back to her quarters. Once they had departed, he turned, and an intense aura emanated from him, causing the faces of those in the main hall to falter. Yuan Liu, too, found himself retreating a half step back involuntarily.

"Such a formidable presence! The Young Master truly is a dragon among men," Yuan Liu marveled quietly, promptly bending at the waist in a bow.

"I will go to the Crystal Palace alone. Yuan Liu, assemble the Bloodshadow Guard to ensure the security of our estate. Additionally, find someone reliable to deliver my token to the Red Banner Army's station. If anyone attempts to harm the House of Protector within three days, command the Red Banner Army to storm the Imperial Capital!" Chen Dutian's voice was steady, yet his gaze sparkled with an intense sharpness. Without a second thought, he removed his jade pendant and handed it to the astonished Yuan Liu.

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