In a perfect world, you start by relying on your own strength.

He didn't entirely believe Shi Geng's story. This little fellow was quick-witted, cunning, and his words were hard to distinguish between truth and falsehood; he was incredibly shrewd. What truly concerned him was Shi Geng's extraordinary talent.

With his Blood Transformation Realm cultivation, he was able to slay a Five Heavenly Cave Realm expert. Such a feat is extremely rare in the history of the Stone Kingdom. If he is carefully cultivated, he will at least be able to rise to the ranks of kings and marquises in the future.

Shi Geng gave up struggling. This person's cultivation was unfathomable. With his current strength, he was powerless to resist. Even if he activated the Celestial Mode and went all out, he would still be no match for him.

Thinking of this, Shi Geng could only suppress his resentment and silently follow behind, holding Xiao Bai's hand.

The journey was silent as the two returned to Tianqi City.

The streets were still a scene of devastation. The ruins left by his fierce battle with Yu Wuchen were still clearly visible. The entire street was destroyed by the aftershocks of the battle, with rubble and debris scattered everywhere, and one could vaguely imagine the danger of the fight.

Passersby would stop and stare at the spot, whispering amongst themselves as they passed by.

The desolation was mostly caused by Yu Wuchen's actions. Shi Geng had mastered the control of his own power and could release and control his magical techniques at will, so it did not cause much damage.

The middle-aged man glanced at the ruins, his expression unchanged, and led Shi Geng straight towards the core area of ​​Tianqi City.

Before long, a magnificent mansion came into view. Above the vermilion gate, a gilded plaque was inscribed with the four characters "Tianqi Prince's Mansion," written in a vigorous and powerful style, exuding a powerful and imposing aura.

The man raised his hand and waved it lightly, and the heavy mansion gate opened with a thud. The guards on both sides stood tall and straight, their eyes sharp, and they all bowed respectfully upon seeing the newcomer, not daring to be negligent in the slightest.

"Come in with me," the man said calmly, taking the first step into the mansion.

Shi Geng was stunned. He hadn't expected this person to be a king or marquis. No wonder he had no power to resist. This was not just a difference of one or two major realms, but three or four major realms.

The mansion was filled with pavilions and towers, and lush flowers and trees, displaying the grandeur of a royal residence. Servants and attendants along the way would lower their heads and avoid the two men when they encountered them, not daring to look them in the eye.

Shi Geng calmly surveyed his surroundings, passed through several courtyards, and finally arrived at the main hall.

King Tianqi took his seat in the main position and gestured for him to sit beside him: "The news of your killing of the Rain Clan members in the city has already spread throughout Tianqi City. You can stay here in peace for the next few days. If the Rain Clan members come looking for you, I will handle it. They will not dare to disrespect me."

He had just secretly used a secret technique to investigate and confirmed that Shi Gen indeed had pure Shi Clan blood flowing in his body, and his identity was genuine.

However, whether the other party is from the Wu King's Mansion is still uncertain and requires further investigation.

Shi Geng nodded slightly. He knew that he was now at the mercy of others, and struggling would be futile. He could only stay here for the time being and wait for an opportunity to find another way to escape.

As he was secretly plotting his escape, the clear tinkling of jade pendants suddenly came from outside the hall. A girl of about twelve or thirteen years old, dressed in a gorgeous dress, lifted the curtain and entered. Her features were delicate and pretty, and her figure was light and agile.

The girl's gaze immediately fell on Shi Geng, her eyes suddenly lighting up as she stepped forward with a smile: "What an adorable little brother! Father, where did you bring him back from?"

After saying that, she reached out and pinched Shi Geng's cheek, as if she were tormenting an interesting toy. Shi Geng was already good-looking, and the village aunties had introduced him to many girls, but he had rejected them all.

"This kid got into a fight and destroyed our inn. I brought him back to work and pay off the debt. Since Wan'er likes him, he can play with you from now on," said the King of Tianqi.

Wan'er was overjoyed upon hearing this, but her little hand still wouldn't let go. Her fingertips gently brushed against Shi Geng's cheek, and her eyes curved into crescent moons: "Father, it's a promise! From now on, you'll follow me."

Shi Geng's muscles stiffened slightly, and he felt helpless. When had he, the dignified little tyrant of Shi Village, been treated like a child and made fun of?

However, intimidated by the power of the Apocalypse King, he ultimately restrained himself and did not move aside, allowing the girl to keep pinching his face.

Looking at his daughter's lively appearance, the Emperor Tianqi smiled faintly. Then, his expression turned serious as he looked at Shi Heng and said in a more solemn tone, "You can stay here in the mansion without worry. You don't need to be so formal in your daily life."

Shi Geng cupped his hands slightly and said, "This junior understands."

"Don't just stand there, I'll show you around!" Wan'er grabbed Shi Geng's wrist and excitedly dragged him out of the hall.

King Tianqi sat in the main seat, watching the two figures disappear at the end of the corridor. The smile in his eyes slowly faded, leaving only a deep and somber look.

He was able to kill a Five-Heaven Realm expert while being at the Blood Transformation Realm, and his bloodline was that of the orthodox Stone Clan. His talent was unparalleled in the world, but there was too much mystery surrounding Shi Geng.

He tapped his fingertips lightly on the arm of the chair and murmured, "It seems I have to make a trip to the Prince Wu's residence."

The corridors were winding and the flowers and trees were lush. As Wan'er walked along, she chattered on and on, introducing the various scenic spots of the Prince's Mansion to Shi Geng as if she knew them by heart.

"That area ahead is Ningxiang Garden, where flowers bloom in all seasons, but it's most beautiful in late spring. Over there is the martial arts training ground, where the guards of the manor train daily; they're all incredibly skilled!"

The girl walked briskly, her laughter ringing out, preoccupied with sharing where she was going to play. Shi Geng, however, remained tense, his gaze sweeping silently over the pavilions, corridors, and side streets, as well as the servants and guards coming and going, memorizing the layout and defense routes of the entire palace.

Turning through a moon gate, a clear blue pool appears before you, its waters shimmering and willows swaying gently along its banks.

Wan'er pulled Shi Geng to a stop, pointed to the spirit fish swimming in the pond, and said with great interest, "This is the Moon-Washing Pond. The spirit fish in the pond are intelligent; I often come here to feed them. Come on, I'll go get some fish food!"

Before Shi Geng could respond, she dashed off to a side room not far away.

The surroundings fell silent instantly. Shi Geng raised his hand to rub his cheek, which was slightly sore from being pinched, and gazed intently into the depths of the Prince's mansion.

"I have to find a chance to leave as soon as possible," Shi Geng muttered to himself, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. He didn't want to stay here any longer; the identity he had fabricated was ultimately not real, and who knew how the Heavenly Revelation King would deal with him when it was exposed.

Before long, Wan'er returned quickly, carrying a carved wooden box filled with glistening fish food.

She squatted by the pond, scattering handfuls of bait into the water. In an instant, all sorts of colorful fish swarmed around, their tails slapping the surface and splashing up tiny droplets of water.

"You should try it too, they're so well-behaved." Wan'er turned to Shi Geng, her eyes crinkling with joy.

Shi Geng squatted down as instructed, picked up a few fish food pellets with his fingertips, and glanced at them, then paused slightly in surprise.

"Such rich and potent energy."

He was secretly amazed. The pure essence contained in this ordinary fish bait was comparable to the meat of a ferocious beast, yet it was being casually used to feed the fish in the pond.

Seeing that he hadn't moved, Gu Wan tilted her head and smiled, "What's wrong? This fish food was specially made by my father. Only when the spirit fish eat it can they grow up to be lively and beautiful. You can't find another one like it in the entire Tianqi City."

Shi Geng suppressed his surprise, his face remaining calm and composed, and gently sprinkled the fish food onto the water's surface.