Conditions for Entering the Second Prince’s Residence

"That's right, it's him. The Second Prince is known for being approachable, never putting on any airs. He's currently recruiting talented people from all over. With your gifts, you should easily become one of his retainers." General Roland Lowell said.

As for Skylar Yule, Evan Chu had only met him once before, but his impression was of someone gentle and easygoing. He still had the token Skylar gave him in his storage ring, though right now he didn’t dare take it out.

"Thank you, Great General. I just worry that my strength is too low for him to take me seriously. When the time comes, I hope you'll put in a good word for me." Evan Chu said with a smile.

"Kid, you've got a way with words. That'd get you far in politics, but it won't earn you a thing with me. I can't stand bootlickers and flatterers. Let's go!" General Roland Lowell replied.

Right after, Evan Chu felt a powerful force lift him into the air. In a flash, he was soaring toward a magnificent, golden palace in the imperial city.

As Evan Chu left, a small golden bird in his room shot off in his direction at top speed.

Soon, the two of them landed in front of a dazzling, gold-laden mansion. Evan Chu knew this was the Second Prince’s residence—truly impressive, as the four bold characters on the gate’s signboard made clear.

The gate guards saw General Roland Lowell arrive with a strange young man. One of them immediately stepped forward and asked, "What brings the Great General here today? Should I announce you?"

"No need. I’ll go in myself. This young man is a genius I’m recommending to the Second Prince. You should get along with him in the future." General Roland Lowell said with a smile, then walked inside.

Evan Chu followed close behind, taking a careful look at this so-called royal estate—damn, it was impressive. The whole corridor was paved with uniform Blazestone, and the exotic flowers and rare plants on either side were trimmed perfectly. Even though it was already winter, many flowers were still blooming brightly.

After winding through a few corridors, a huge pond appeared, flanked by several pavilions. The water was crystal clear, but the summer lotus flowers had already withered, leaving only a few stems poking above the surface.

Dozens of koi swam lazily in the pond, giving off an incredibly soothing vibe. The Second Prince really knew how to enjoy life.

Soon, they stopped in front of a refined main hall. General Roland Lowell said, "Wait here for a moment. I'll go inside."

Evan Chu glanced around and realized there were dozens of people hidden in the shadows. If you didn’t look closely, they were hard to spot—these must be the Second Prince’s bodyguards.

This place really was a dragon’s den. If anyone tried anything funny here, they'd be caught instantly.

After a short wait, Evan Chu saw General Roland Lowell come out with Skylar Yule and an old man. The old man gave Evan a sense of unfathomable mastery.

General Roland Lowell walked up to Evan Chu and said, "Logan Zhao, pay your respects to the Second Prince."

"Logan Zhao greets the Second Prince!" Evan Chu said respectfully, bowing to Skylar Yule.

"So you’re Logan Zhao? I’ve already heard about you since I got back. You managed to take first place in both the First and Second Trials with just Earth Martial Realm cultivation—that’s really impressive!" Skylar Yule said.

"You flatter me, Second Prince. I was just lucky—nothing worth mentioning." Evan Chu replied, neither arrogant nor servile.

The old man looked Evan Chu up and down and said, "No need to be modest. Anyone personally recommended by Great General Roland Lowell must be extraordinary to even make it here. But for someone at your realm to have such strong attack and defense—now that's surprising. Would you mind giving us a demonstration?"

The words caught Evan off guard, but he quickly replied, "Logan Zhao’s skills are humble—if I can catch your eye, I’ll be honored. Just don’t laugh at me afterward."

Skylar Yule studied Evan Chu closely, feeling like his gaze was oddly familiar—almost as if they’d met somewhere before, though he couldn’t be sure.

"You’re at the Earth Martial Realm, so I’ll have a Heaven Martial first-layer guard spar with you. Let’s see how many rounds you can last against him. If you can defeat him, I’ll reward you handsomely." Skylar Yule said.

General Roland Lowell chuckled, "Don’t worry, just go for it. Even if you lose, you can still stay here—I’ve already explained your situation to them."

Evan Chu gave General Roland Lowell a grateful look. "Rest assured, Great General—I won’t let you down."

A guard, about three or four years older than Evan Chu, stepped forward and bowed to Skylar Yule. "Your subordinate greets the Second Prince. What are your orders?"

"Spar with him for a few rounds. Let us see what he’s capable of. Don’t hold back—my residence has no use for dead weight." Skylar Yule said.

"Understood!" the guard replied.

"Go to the training grounds. If you fight here, you’ll ruin all the flowers and plants!" the old man said.

So Evan Chu and the others arrived at a massive training ground—at least as big as the one at Heavenly Dragon Academy. Stone pillars towered everywhere, clearly for cultivation practice.

The two opponents faced each other, standing about five meters apart, ready to attack.

Evan Chu felt a bit troubled—his Chaos Qi had only recovered halfway, and fighting someone at the Heaven Martial Realm put him at a clear disadvantage.

His biggest worry was whether to use the Demon-Breaking Fist. He’d gotten this technique at an auction, and Skylar Yule had been there at the time.

If Skylar recognized the Demon-Breaking Fist, would he suspect Evan was actually Niu Tian? That would be walking right into the tiger’s jaws.

Luna, the Sword Spirit, understood Evan’s worries perfectly. "Lin Feng, even if he notices you’re using the Demon-Breaking Fist, he won’t know you’re the same Niu Tian he met before.

The Demon-Breaking Fist is an Earth-tier upper-grade technique; most people take months or even a year to master it. You’ve only had it for a few days—he won’t suspect a thing.

Defeat this guard and make Skylar Yule take notice—try to become his trusted retainer. That way, your chances of getting the Fire Dragon Pearl are much better."

Luna’s words instantly eased Evan Chu’s worries. He drew the Frostbane Sword from his storage ring and said, "Logan Zhao is ready to learn from your best moves!"

With a swift movement, Evan charged at his opponent. His speed shocked everyone watching.

The guard wielded a broadsword. When Evan Chu charged, he swung his blade in response. Both attacks were light, more about testing each other's strength than going all out.

Sword and blade collided, sparks flying. Both fighters retreated several steps, ending up evenly matched.

Evan Chu didn’t want to waste time. The faster he defeated his opponent, the more impressive his strength would seem.

He stowed the Frostbane Sword back in his storage ring and threw a punch—no power behind it, just pure speed.

With only half his Chaos Qi left, Evan could use the fifth form of the Demon-Breaking Fist just once. To win, he’d have to do it in style—ideally in a single move. He was betting the guard would strike back fast, and then, splitting his focus, he’d unleash his real attack…

(Author’s note: Six chapters today! The last one will be posted tonight. Thanks for your support, and have a great weekend!)