C6 Enemies Always Cross Paths with Each Other

The news that the Lord Protector's Heir had slain the Antler Marquis in the streets swept through the Imperial Capital in less than half an hour. Chen Dutian had barely settled back into his residence when a silver-armored guard rushed in, bowing deeply, "Young Master, Master Pang Yuan requests an audience!"

At the mention of Pang Yuan, Chen Dutian's eyes sparkled, and a flood of thoughts filled his mind. In the vast expanse of the Imperial Capital, Pang Yuan was his sole confidant.

One was the Lord Protector's Heir, and the other the scion of the Ministry of Revenue's head. They shared not just comparable statuses but also the absence of Power Nodes. Their kindred spirits had bonded them since childhood, and they referred to each other as brothers.

"Please, bring him in at once!"

Chen Dutian steadied his emotions and rose to greet his guest at the entrance of the main hall.

Shortly, the portly figure of Pang Yuan emerged, his substantial girth preceding him. Chen Dutian couldn't suppress a wry smile as he clapped Pang Yuan on the shoulder, "Fatty, you've put on quite a bit more prosperity!"

"Hehe, brother, what are you talking about? Do you think maintaining this figure is easy?" Pang Yuan chuckled, unfazed, and ushered Chen Dutian back into the main hall.

Yuan Liu and the guards at the entrance discreetly withdrew, and a maid served them two cups of aromatic tea. Once seated, Pang Yuan warmed his chubby hands and asked with a grin, "I heard you dispatched Qin Fan?"

"Yes, a lowly cur. He thought he could swagger into the House of the Protector just because he'd been granted the title of Antler Marquis. I cut him down with a single stroke!" Chen Dutian replied nonchalantly, sipping his tea.

Chen Dutian had handled nearly every noble and young master in the Imperial Capital. The demise of the Antler Marquis was no exception, and no one would dare question it.

The Lord Protector's title was not for show. Half of the generals in the entire Phethia Dynasty were once loyal to Lord Protector Chen Dou. Not just a newly minted Antler Marquis, but even members of the royal family had to show due respect to the Lord Protector.

Pang Yuan gently shook his head and whispered, "Brother, that Qin Fan is Grand Preceptor Wang Xuanyang's prized pupil. If you kill him in broad daylight, I fear Wang Xuanyang won't let it slide so easily!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Dutian felt a stir in his heart, and a steely glint appeared in his eyes as an image surfaced in his mind. Wang Xuanyang, the Grand Preceptor, was the foremost civil official of the Phethia Dynasty and the emperor's father, with a network of old associates spread throughout the dynasty. Chen Dutian remembered that his own father had been executed on trumped-up charges, with Wang Xuanyang as one of the chief instigators.

"Hmph, what of it! Qin Fan was forging imperial regalia, and I caught him red-handed. If Wang Xuanyang dares to make an issue of it, it'll only show he harbors treasonous thoughts too!" Chen Dutian said dismissively, his eyes darting with defiance.

"You're right, brother. I was worrying too much!"

Pang Yuan gave Chen Dutian a thorough once-over, then shifted his hefty frame closer, his curiosity piqued. "Brother, I thought you lacked a Power Node. How did you manage to kill Qin Fan in the street?"

This was Pang Yuan's primary concern. Among all the officials' offspring in the Imperial Capital, only he and Chen Dutian were without Power Nodes. They usually strutted around, buoyed by their family's influence, and were known as the city's two most notorious wastrels. Now that Chen Dutian had suddenly acquired a Power Node, did that leave Pang Yuan as the sole wastrel of the Imperial Capital?

"Hehe, the Teachings of the Divine are not for sharing, my friend."

The two shared a close bond, but Chen Dutian wasn't about to confide in Pang Yuan. With his father still missing and his own strength at the Spirit Convergence stage, divulging too much could be dangerous. Besides, Pang Yuan had never shown any real interest in cultivation, fully embodying his father's focus on wealth above all else.

"Ah well, if you're not inclined to share, I won't pry. But today's victory over that cur Qin Fan is cause for celebration. Shall we seek out some pleasures at the Crimson Moon?" Pang Yuan let out a feigned sigh before quickly reverting to his usual debauched demeanor.

The Crimson Moon was the grandest brothel in the Imperial Capital, a favorite haunt for the sons of wealth to seek their pleasures. Chen Dutian and Pang Yuan, in their past lives, were no strangers to splurging there.

"No problem, we'll have another round of gambling later!" Chen Dutian said with a smile, nodding his head. He rose from his seat in the main hall and summoned Yuan Liu to the accounting room, where he secured 100,000 taels of silver notes and tucked them into his clothing.

Mounted on their majestic steeds, the two of them, along with a retinue of over ten guards, left the House of Protector. The citizens of the Imperial Capital, upon witnessing the notorious pair emerge, hastily made themselves scarce, eager to avoid any potential trouble.

The young maidens of the city tightly shut their doors and windows at the sight, while the strikingly beautiful servants at the Crimson Moon's entrance welcomed Chen Dutian and Pang Yuan with radiant smiles.

"You two haven't visited us in quite some time. Please, come in!"

After dismounting, the female servants eagerly flocked to Chen Dutian and Pang Yuan. Pang Yuan flashed a wide grin, flaunting several silver notes as he announced, "I'm in high spirits today—call the four top courtesans to entertain me!"

"You're not aware, but they've all been reserved by someone else today!"

"Yes, the Grand Preceptor specifically requested their company. Perhaps you'd consider choosing other ladies?"

"There are more than just those four at the Crimson Moon. Take a look—I'm certainly no less charming!"

The servants' faces nearly burst into bloom with their smiles as they accepted the silver notes. Yet, upon hearing Pang Yuan's request for the four courtesans, envy quickly set in.

"Grand Preceptor, Wang Yuntian is here as well. Shall we go over and have a look?" Pang Yuan, arms draped around two of the servants, inquired of Chen Dutian with a furrowed brow.

Wang Yuntian, a man with close ties to the Crown Prince, often scorned Chen Dutian and Pang Yuan, branding them as worthless. Moreover, the enmity between Lord Protector Chen Dou and Wang Xuanyang meant that their families were locked in a bitter feud.

"And what brings Xu Qing here?" Pang Yuan noted a young man in opulent attire stepping down from a carriage nearby, his brow arching with intrigue.

Xu Qing, the second son of the Minister of Rituals and an associate of Wang Yuntian, had recently suffered a setback at the hands of Pang Yuan and Chen Dutian.

A mischievous smile played at the corners of Chen Dutian's mouth as he sauntered forward, positioning himself in front of Xu Qing.

Xu Qing's eyes widened in surprise upon seeing Chen Dutian and Pang Yuan, his body involuntarily shivering. "You... What are you doing here?" The memory of being thrashed in the street was still vivid in his mind, casting a long shadow over his spirits. The sight of Chen Dutian and his companion inevitably sent a wave of nervousness through him.

"What's the matter? Can you be here and we can't? Does the Crimson Moon belong to you?" Pang Yuan dismissed the guards behind Xu Qing with a glance, striding up to him and giving him a shove.