"Hmm?"

Feng Wuhen heard someone outside announcing himself as Ling Feng. When he stepped out to look, he saw only a burly and obese man standing there. His brows immediately furrowed.

"Who are you? How dare you mock me!"

A trace of anger flashed in Feng Wuhen's eyes. Beside him, He Yuanzhi carefully examined Ling Feng for a moment. Although the man's body shape had completely changed, the features around his eyes and brows still faintly resembled Ling Feng.

"Wait, Wuhen. He might really be Ling Feng."

He Yuanzhi smiled slightly and looked straight at him.

"Little friend Ling Feng, you disguised yourself like this to avoid the soldiers searching the city, didn't you?"

"Hehe! Supreme Elder Yuanzhi truly has a keen eye!"

Ling Feng nodded with a smile. He circulated the Eight Desolations Body Refinement Art and shifted his muscles and bones. His body soon returned to its original form.

"Well, Supreme Elder Feng, do you believe me now?"

"Brother Ling Feng, it really is you!"

Only after seeing Ling Feng return to his true appearance did Feng Wuhen burst into laughter. A moment later he frowned again and looked at him with disbelief.

"Boy, do you even know the situation in the city right now? Yet you still dare to come back?"

"Ling Feng doesn't have many strengths, but I do have courage."

Ling Feng smiled calmly.

"You should already know that, Supreme Elder Feng."

"You brat!" Feng Wuhen shook his head with a smile. "You never visit the Three Treasures Hall without a reason. Tell me what you need. Although our Tianmeng Chamber of Commerce never participates in factional conflicts, you and I share some friendship. If you need help, this old brother will certainly do his best."

"Many thanks, Senior!"

Ling Feng gave Feng Wuhen a fist-and-palm salute.

Back then this old fellow had developed quite a grudge with Despicable Donkey. If Ling Feng had not helped him breakthrough to the Human Emperor Realm with that medicinal pill, Feng Wuhen would probably still be shouting about killing him rather than calling him brother so warmly.

"Hold on!"

Feng Wuhen looked at Ling Feng again with surprise in his eyes.

"Something about your aura feels strange! Why can I not see through your cultivation anymore?"

"I was fortunate during these past six months and gained a few opportunities. My cultivation has reached the third level of the Creation Realm."

Ling Feng rubbed the bridge of his nose and spoke casually.

Feng Wuhen and He Yuanzhi both felt their eyelids twitch violently when they heard this.

This kid was still so young, yet he had already become a Human Emperor level expert. Worse still, his cultivation had already surpassed Feng Wuhen's.

"You truly are a little monster!"

Feng Wuhen shook his head with a bitter smile.

"In the path of martial arts, those with greater ability deserve respect. From now on you should stop calling me Senior. I cannot accept it anymore."

"Uh..."

Ling Feng pursed his lips slightly.

"In that case, I will boldly call you Brother Feng!"

"Your cultivation is higher now, so whatever you say goes!"

Feng Wuhen circled around Ling Feng and examined him carefully, nodding repeatedly.

"A genius like you would rank among the top talents even in the sacred lands."

Ling Feng gave a faint smile.

So the Tianmeng Chamber of Commerce truly had deep ties with the sacred lands. That explained why its status within the Tianbai Empire was so extraordinary.

"Not that impressive."

Ling Feng smiled modestly before returning to the main topic.

"I came this time because I need Brother Feng's help to investigate something. I want to know where Yan Jinghong has imprisoned the captives he arrested. The imperial capital is enormous, and I have no clear leads. I had no choice but to seek information from the Tianmeng Chamber of Commerce."

"That is simple!"

Feng Wuhen nodded.

"I cannot personally assist you since I represent the Tianmeng Chamber of Commerce. However, gathering some information for you is no problem!"

"Many thanks, Brother Feng."

Ling Feng cupped his fists again in gratitude.

"No need to be polite. Yan Jinghong has thrown the entire Tianbai Empire into chaos. Even our imperial capital branch has suffered some losses. I hope you can kill that little demon soon and restore prosperity to the Tianbai Empire. With your current abilities, you should be capable of fighting him head on."

"Hehe..."

Ling Feng only smiled awkwardly and said nothing.

Soon Feng Wuhen led him to the intelligence archives of the Tianmeng Chamber of Commerce.

Every major event that had taken place across the empire during the past month was recorded here in meticulous detail.

"Third day of the eighth month, year 317 of the Tianbai calendar. The King of Tianbai suddenly dies. Yan Jinghong is suspected of involvement. That same night the Fourth Prince is summoned by the Empress Dowager and crowned as the new emperor."

"Ninth day of the eighth month. Yue Zhonglian, sect leader of the Divine Guardian Sect, questions the cause of the late emperor's death. He leads the eight Supreme Elders of the sect and six imperial ancestors in a joint attempt to execute the new ruler. Yan Jinghong suppresses them alone. More than half of the eight Supreme Elders and six ancestors are killed or severely injured. That same night the Cangqiong Sect leader is convicted of treason and imprisoned outside the Taiqing Hall, where he is whipped daily under the scorching sun to intimidate the court officials."

"Tenth day of the eighth month. Tianwei Academy is abolished."

"Eleventh day of the eighth month. General Weiyuan is stripped of rank. The rebel Ling Feng is declared a wanted criminal throughout the empire."

"Twelfth day of the eighth month. Ascendant Eagle General's residence is abolished. Grand Commandant Li is removed from office and placed under investigation."

"Thirteenth day of the eighth month. The Alchemist Guild is dissolved. All high ranking elders are imprisoned."

"Fifteenth day of the eighth month. The three southeastern prefectures submit..."

"..."

"Eighteenth day of the eighth month. Yan Jinghong is granted the title of Regent Prince."

...

After reading these records, Ling Feng's brows knitted tightly together.

In less than a month, Yan Jinghong had nearly overturned the entire Tianbai Empire. His strength was terrifying, but his ruthless methods were equally extraordinary. It was difficult to believe that this was the same proud and fiery Yan Jinghong from the past.

Ling Feng had never liked Yan Jinghong before, yet the man had always acted openly and with pride. Someone with such arrogance had disdained schemes and underhanded tactics.

Now he felt completely different. In fact, his style had begun to resemble Lin Canglang.

Combined with Ling Feng's earlier suspicions, he had reason to believe that Lin Canglang's shadow might be lurking behind everything.

Ling Feng took a deep breath and continued reading the archives. Soon he found several records about where prisoners were being held.

Some captives had been imprisoned at General Weiyuan's Mansion. Ling Feng had already rescued those people earlier, so he could ignore that location.

Members and elders of the Cangqiong Sect were mostly imprisoned within the sect's mountain gates, guarded by a unit of Black Armored Cavalry.

Officials who had resisted the court were imprisoned in the Prison of Fire Refinement, guarded by the Divine Guards and the imperial palace guards.

"So the Cangqiong Sect and the Prison of Fire Refinement."

Ling Feng memorized the two locations, then cupped his fists toward Feng Wuhen.

"Brother Feng, thank you for your help this time!"

"It's nothing."

Feng Wuhen thought for a moment before adding,

"However, Brother Ling Feng, I have heard that everyone imprisoned by Yan Jinghong was forced to swallow a poison pill containing demonic miasma. The poison devours and suppresses the user's elemental force. Even if you manage to break in, protecting them all will be difficult. In their current state, they will only become a burden."

"I already have a plan for that."

Ling Feng thanked Feng Wuhen once more before departing from the Tianmeng Chamber of Commerce. As he neared the outside world, his body shifted again and he turned back into the large and chubby man from earlier.