"Wake up!" A hoarse voice roused Liu Dong from his torpor.

"Ah," Liu Dong groaned, blinking his eyes open. His first instinct was to use a movement technique to escape from his assailant. However, the next moment, sharp pain assaulted his meridians causing his face to blanch as he coughed blood.

"What the—" Liu Dong gasped, clutching his chest as he stared in horror at the glistening blood on the ground. In panic, assessed his body and made a disconcerting discovery.

His spatial ring had vanished, along with all his body protection trinkets and talismans. Stripped of his ability to use spiritual qi, Liu Dong found himself reduced to a mere mortal, making him anxious.

Liu Dong's gaze fixated on the person standing leisurely in front of him. It took him no time to realize the culprit behind his dire situation. Rage and humiliation surged inside him as he glared at the figure.

"Bastard! Who the hell are you?" Liu Dong shouted. "How dare you do this to me?"

Thud!

A sharp kick landed in Liu Dong's gut as a response.

"Aargh!" Liu Dong screamed and curled up like a shrimp. Eventually the pain subsided, but he remained motionless, afraid to utter a single word.

Not long ago, he had reveled in playing the aggressor against Liu Fengying. Now, the tables had turned. The stark realization that he was at this man's mercy stung him and he shot the figure an ugly expression.

That man gave him a cold look and sneered, "Shall we try again?"

"W-what do you want?" Liu Dong stammered. "If you release me, I-I can offer you a trove of spirit stones and treasures."

"Oh, you mean this?" The man toyed with Liu Dong's spatial ring in his palm, before casually tossing it aside. "Not interested."

Pop! A faint popping sound echoed as black smoke billowed from of the ring.

The ring had been protected with a formation, restricting access to its owner alone. If somebody else attempted to access its contents, it would trigger self-destruction. And just now, that very formation had been activated.

Instead of feeling relieved, Liu Dong's expression turned ashen. If his captor wasn't after his wealth, it could only mean one thing: he was after Liu Dong himself.

"Plotting against the crown prince," the man chuckled. "You guys certainly have a lot of nerve."

"Don't spew bullshit," Liu Dong roared. Conspiring against the crown was treason.

Even if he wasn't directly involved, exposure would mean more than just a life imprisonment. He would never admit to such a thing.

"It doesn't matter if you deny," the man chuckled as he took out a recording jade. The faint glow indicated it had already been used.

Liu Dong was aghast and instinctively reached out to grab the recording jade, but the man had already stowed it away.

"H-how long have you been spying on us?" Liu Dong tried to maintain composure, but his heart raced like a cornered rabbit. How much incriminating evidence did this guy possess? What if his misdeeds were exposed? Liu Dong shuddered at the thought.

"Long enough," the guy said with a slight smile, as if reading Liu Dong's mind. "I've already recorded several of your talks. Once I hand them over to His Highness…" He left the threat hanging.

"His Highness?" Liu Dong furrowed his brow for a moment. However, upon noticing the nonchalant smile on the man's face, realization dawned like a thunderclap. "Y-you are one of the Crown Prince's men!"

"Are you surprised?" The man chuckled. "Did you think you could conspire against His Highness without anyone noticing? His influence extends beyond your imagination."

Liu Dong wanted to deny it,yet words eluded him. His overconfidence in his allies' had blinded him to the possibility, but now he could only concede—there were spies in their ranks.

"Don't tell me—" Liu Dong's breath stagnated as a chilling thought consumed his mind.

His untimely appearance, accompanied by Long Xueyi of all people—was it just a mere coincidence or was there a deeper design? With spies lurking in their midst, the Crown Prince's awareness of their trap seemed likely. Would he be truly foolish enough to walk into it knowingly?

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Impossible. Unless he was already prepared.

Displaying his wit and strength by dismantling the trap meant to ensnare him—such an action befitted the stature of the Crown Prince. Their trap would become the stage for the Crown Prince to establish his dominance.

Once brimming with confidence, Liu Dong now wavered. The Crown Prince was privy to their scheme, yet their own ignorance regarding his movements, left them vulnerable. Even if they succeeded, the cost would be too heavy to bear.

Furthermore, his involvement was meant to remain secret. Despite having a backer, Liu Dong feared that 'that person' would abandon him if exposed.

As the gravity of his predicament settled, Liu Dong's expression darkerned. He studied the spy before him, a tempest of anger and helplessness whirling within. Yet, the spy's failure to strike him down hinted at the purpose behind the commotion.

"What do you want?" Liu Dong ground his teeth, determined to compromise. Survival took precedence.

"Working with intelligent individuals is always a pleasure," the spy's eyes brightened as he nodded appreciatively at Liu Dong. "We've amassed sufficient evidence to bring the princes to trial. However, if you cooperate, our case will be foolproof. In return," he cast a sidelong glance, "the throne will pardon your recent transgressions."

Liu Dong sighed. Cooperation in exchange for amnesty—a typical arrangement for those without unforgivable offenses. It seemed reasonable, but accepting it would align him implicitly with the Crown Prince's faction. His former allies would swiftly become adversaries.

"What do you say?" The spy persisted, noting Liu Dong's subdued demeanor. "Under ordinary circumstances, you wouldn't even qualify for such a deal. After all, any attempt on His Highness's life isn't something trivial that will be ignored."

"W-we aren't after his life," Liu Dong blurted out. In his mind, he had already acquiesced to the other party's offer.

"You aren't?" The spy's expression betrayed surprise for the first time.

"O-of course not." Liu Dong shook his head. "If we kill him, the Emperor would be furious. Evidence wouldn't matter. Anyone remotely involved would suffer."

"Indeed," the spy concurred. "If not his life, what are you after?"

"I'm willing to talk, but you have to promise me that you will protect me." Liu Dong put forth his condition. 'That person' wouldn't care as long as he was still useful. But the same couldn't be said for the other princes.

"Sounds reasonable," the spy said and gestured at Liu Dong to continue.

Liu Dong took a deep breath. "We aren't after the Crown Prince's life," he clarified. "We simply want him to accept certain terms."

"And how do you plan to achieve this?" the spy arched his eyebrow.

"The Crown Prince upholds righteousness and values friendship," Liu Dong said. "He would go to great lengths to protect his companions."

They didn't dare kill the Crown Prince, so crippling him politically was the next best thing. As long as they coerced him into some unfavorable agreement, even the Emperor would be helpless.

"He remains a prince," the spy said, shaking his head. "What if he chose to disregard his friends' lives to uphold his authority?"

"The Crown Prince has lacked friends since youth," Liu Dong said, eyeing the spy curiously. "Even if, by some twist of fate, he were to sacrifice them for authority, it would wound his heart and tarnish his reputation. Such actions would weaken his future influence and strength."

"How devious," the spy snorted. Whether they succeeded or failed, they would gain something. "Why are you involved in something like this?"

Liu Dong hesitated briefly before confessing, "The Liu Clan."

The spy looked at him, speechless.

"T-the other princes agreed to support me in secret," Liu Dong explained.

"Incredible," the spy scoffed. "You conspired against the Crown Prince and even your own clan? Your greed knows no bounds."

Liu Dong hung his head in embarrassment.

The spy shook his head, his tone becoming serious, "Tell me about 'that person'."

At the mention of 'that person', Liu Dong froze. "I-I can't."

"Hmph!" the spy snorted. "Have you forgotten the mess you are in?"

"I can't," Liu Dong asserted, shaking his head resolutely.

The spy frowned. Liu Dong's refusal to speak against 'that person' intrigued him. It hinted that he was under some restriction.

To Liu Dong's relief, the spy refrained from forcing the issue.

"I've shared all I can," Liu Dong said. Tentatively, he asked, "May I go? I-I will use the token and leave the realm immediately."

"Not yet," the spy chuckled. "There's one more task remaining."

"W-what is it?" Liu Dong's fear spiked. Was this guy reneging on their agreement?

"It's nothing frightening," the spy assured. "I heard you've already captured a hostage. Take me to her."

Liu Dong groaned. Liu Fengying was crucial to some of their goals, yet he found himself cornered. Depressed and with his life hanging in the balance, he reluctantly nodded. "Alright."

Liu Dong rose to his feet and took a step forward. Yet before he could move further, the spy seized his shoulder.

"If you dare play any tricks," the spy warned in a hushed tone. "you—"

The spy's robes shifted, revealing a small white triangular head poking through.

Liu Dong and the spy directed their gazes downward.

There laid a drowsy little fox.

Oblivious to their inquisitive stares, the fox yawned and licked its lips. It then stretched its legs and settled into a cozy position.

"T-that fox?" Liu Dong's mind momentarily blanked. He recognised it—the same fox Liu Fengying had carried aboard the ship.

While one might argue that distinguishing individual animals was challenging for humans, how many little white foxes could possibly inhabit this realm?

Liu Dong's gaze darted between the fox and the spy.

A little white fox. A guy with familiar eyes.

Liu Dong's thoughts raced faster than lightning as they pieced bits of information together. His eyes widened in disbelief as he realized something. He knew why he'd felt an inexplicable urge to kick this guy upon seeing him.

"Mu Chen, you scoundrel!" Liu Dong exploded in anger and lunged forward. "How dare you play me?"

The 'spy' snorted and kicked Liu Dong aside. He cast an exasperated look at the fox in his arms before tucking it into his robes. Then, with a shake of his head, he removed his skin mask, revealing a much younger and handsome visage.

"Yes, I played you," Mu Chen retorted in his true voice. "What of it?"