The masked man in black: "..."

Who did this guy mistake him for?

Seeing the masked man in black staring blankly, as if "shocked" at how he had been recognized, Wu Zhong waved his hand and turned around, saying, "Let's go back, this isn't the place to talk."

Just as he turned around, Wu Zhong suddenly felt something was wrong.

If the other party were Black Owl or Prince Anping, given their personalities, the more shocked they are, the more talkative they become; it's impossible for them to be so quiet.

This person is...

Wu Zhong suddenly turned around.

The masked man in black also turned around almost simultaneously and fled quickly towards the Cold Palace.

His speed was extremely fast, but in Wu Zhong's eyes it was not yet untrackable. At least he was certain that he could fight this person to a draw.

The prince, princess, and Marquis Anping and his son had been searching for the person hiding in the palace for a long time, but to no avail. Today, they had encountered him alive, so how could Wu Zhong give up so easily!

The sky was just beginning to lighten.

Shang Xiye opened his eyes and woke up with a start, also waking Ji Fengyao in his arms.

"Your Highness, what's wrong?" The little bandit girl raised her fluffy little head, her eyes still sleepy, her voice soft and hazy.

Normally, Shang Xiye would have been unable to resist cuddling and kissing his wife affectionately, but at this moment he couldn't care less about tenderness and got up to put on his clothes: "Something's happened!"

Ji Fengyao had never seen him so serious before. Her heart skipped a beat, and all her drowsiness vanished. She quickly got up and dressed, asking, "Is it the palace, or somewhere else?"

"More than a dozen of our hidden guards in the palace have died." Shang Xiye quickly dressed, and seeing the young bandit girl frantically trying to straighten her clothes, only making things worse, he quickly stepped forward to help. While carefully tying her skirt sash, he frowned and said, "Wu Zhong went into the palace last night and hasn't returned yet..."

Ji Fengyao was shocked: "Wu Zhong hasn't returned!"

Suddenly, an ominous premonition flashed through her mind: Could it be that Wu Zhong had encountered the person hiding in the palace?

Clearly, Shang Xiye also had this guess.

The two did not exchange another word until they entered the secret room of the Ink Studio.

Inside the secret chamber of the Ink Studio, the corpses of more than a dozen secret guards were neatly arranged.

Ji Fengyao and Shang Xiye examined them one by one. They all had multiple knife wounds or fist and foot injuries, and more or less their tendons and veins were broken or their internal organs were ruptured. Clearly, they were not killed by ordinary martial artists.

"He's a cultivator," Ji Fengyao said solemnly, looking at Shang Xiye.

Shang Xiye asked Wuhen, who had received the message before him, "Did Wuzhong leave any clues?"

"Yes," Wuhen nodded, his expression also extremely solemn: "He left a symbol in blood deep in the Cold Palace, hinting at extreme danger. I went to check it myself, and there were traces of a fierce battle there. Three dilapidated palaces were destroyed."

"You haven't found him?" Shang Xiye asked anxiously.

"No!" Wuhen shook his head dejectedly.

Ji Fengyao pondered for a moment, then asked, "He went to the Fourth Prince's place last night. Where is the Fourth Prince now?"

"The Fourth Prince was sent back to Yunlong Palace by the Empress Dowager just half an hour ago. His tendons and veins in his limbs were severed, his manhood was destroyed, and his appearance was ruined. He will be a cripple from now on," Wuhen said, still feeling lingering fear as he recounted the incident.

Then, Wuhen added, "Although the Fourth Prince was thrown onto the Empress Dowager's bed after suffering such inhuman treatment last night, I don't believe that Wuzhong did it. The Prince did not order him to use such cruel methods on the Fourth Prince, and he would never disobey the Prince's orders."