"Haha, Junior brother Fang what's with the sudden visit?" The crown prince at the building's entrance had his hands behind his back as a smile spread across his lips.

If it wasn't for the black smudges on his face and clothes, he would've looked a bit more charming. Some of the black spots had even gotten on his teeth making his smile a bit weird.

"Senior brother Bao, my father is a general under your father, his majesty's command. We've known each other since we were little, do I need a reason to visit you?"

Li Fang's response caused the crown prince to be taken aback for a moment.

"Well that's true, we could be considered close, but…"

The crown prince eyed Li Fang for a brief second before he continued.

"…I heard that general Ying's daughter is visiting the palace today. Did junior brother Fang perhaps want to meet with her?"

Li Fang was now standing in front of the crown prince and looking at the height of the two young men, one could tell that the crown prince was half a head taller than Li Fang.

After hearing the crown prince's question, Li Fang cocked his head over the prince's shoulder and said, "Senior brother Bao what kind of pills are you concocting? Do you mind if I see one?"

Realizing Li Fang was changing the subject, the crown prince blocked the view of the alchemy lab's entrance and said,

"Junior brother Fang, I'm not concocting any pills at the moment, it's just a little experiment. Now, don't change the subject and answer my question."

As if he didn't hear the prince's last words, Li Fang's eyes brighten as he said,

"Senior brother Bao since your not concocting any pills at the moment, why don't you show me around the palace, preferably the courtyards on the west wing that has beautiful sceneries."

When the crown prince heard that he couldn't help but shake his head.

The reason why the crown prince was so skeptical about Li Fang's visit was that he never visits!

Li Fang was known as one the top geniuses on the Central Continent, along with the crown prince himself and his brother. However, that was only one of his titles, another title he goes by was the Central Continent's number one debauchee!!

A very talented debauchee, a combination that can frighten any family's young daughters to death!

Due to his Legendary Physique, Li Fang gave off a natural aura that made him seem otherworldly, and couple that with his good looks, he would then go around and start seducing young daughters and talented girls from major clans and sects.

Even though he didn't go as far as forcing himself on any one of them, his behavior as a lecherer was still scorned upon by others. But, with his father as the first general under the emperor's command, no one would openly voice their opinions on the matter.

One of his new 'victims' he had set his sights on was the daughter of the second general, Hui Ying.

She was one of the top beauties on the continent with a natural cultivation talent to boot. At the age of seventeen, she was already in the mid-stage of the Foundation Building realm.

When Li Fang had gone to the Ying Clan some days ago wanting to seek an audience with her, he was immediately kicked out. But, as if he was a mosquito not willing to go away, he constantly came back.

It got so out of hand that the poor Hui Ying had to hold up in her clan, not going out in fear of running into him.

However, today something had warranted her visit to the palace, and for her to have left the clan without being spotted by Li Fang she had to disguise herself as one of the clan's maids and slipped out through the back door.

By some unknown source, Li Fang had found out about this and immediately rushed towards the imperial palace. And again by some unknown source, he was able to find out that she was staying in a courtyard on the west wing of the palace.

Even though Li Fang was considered shameless by some, he didn't want it to seem like he was following Hui Ying, so he decided to look for his good senior brother, the crown prince, he hadn't visited in a while to have him tour him around the palace and make it appeared as if he just so happened to bump into her.

The crown prince had seen through his ploy, but he could only shake his head.

"I'm heading to the treasury to get some herbs, and it just so happens to be on the west wing."

Li Fang's eyes brighten once again as he laughed and said, "You're a good senior brother, senior brother Bao."

"What's with the flattery? I'm just accompanying you around the palace." The crown prince walked past Li Fang and headed for the courtyard's entrance.

Li Fang smiled when he heard that and followed the crown prince, his monotone steps sounding out as he walked.

Sometime later, after they had walked past the different pavilions in the palace. They came upon an open courtyard that had two lifelike dragon sculptures at the entrance, along with a beautiful fountain in its center.

Before they could enter the courtyard though, a youth adorned in golden imperial robes similar to the crown prince appeared at the entrance.

It was the second prince of the Xingyun Dynasty and the little brother of the crown prince. The expression on his face was cold and indifferent.

"Oh, xiao di {little brother} when have you return? You should have informed me."

The crown prince said with slight surprise.

"I wasn't planning to stay for long, so there was no need to."

The second prince walked past the both of them, not even pausing his steps as his emotionless response flowed past his lips.

The second prince had walked by on the left, where Li Fang was. During the period when the second prince brushed past him, Li Fang felt a weird sensation that caused his Physique aura to fluctuate a little.

Shocked flashed past Li Fang's eyes, as he turned to look at the second prince with a contemplating expression.

The crown prince who was by his side saw his reaction and inquired.

"What's wrong junior brother Fang?"

Li Fang turned his head back around then said, "I felt something strange from the second prince."

"Oh, this is the first time you guys came face-to-face, you must have sensed the frigid aura from his Cultivation Technique. It's an ice base cultivation method called the 'Exquisite Ice Jade Body'. It's a very strong technique, but the downside is that it strips away a cultivator's emotions."

"I don't even know why father allowed him to cultivate something like that."

The crown prince let out a long sigh before his voice became melancholic.

"I can remember when he was younger, he would always come to me wanting to play, but ever since he went to the Solitary Sword Sect and started cultivating, he just became an emotionless block of ice."

While the crown prince was lamenting about his brother's change in character, Li Fang had his head down seeming to still be thinking about something.

"Anyways, I don't have much time to waste. I won't be following you into the courtyard, junior brother Fang you're on your own from here." Saying that the crown prince walked off to his original destination.

Li Fang raised his head and looked at the crown prince with an unwilling expression.

His plan was to have the crown prince escort him through the courtyard and 'accidentally' stumble upon Hui Ying. But if he just entered by himself now, she would probably just suspect him of following her.

Letting out a sigh, which seemed like the norm in this book, Li Fang stepped into the open courtyard.

Before he could reach far though, the crown prince's voice sounded out behind him.

"Oh! I almost forgot junior brother Fang, congratulations on beating that brat Longwei and placing third in the tournament."

Without turning around Li Fang said in a derisive tone.

"That little snake couldn't have beaten me even if I had both my legs chopped off!!"

As soon as Li Fang said that, back on the Wu Continent, in Longmin's courtyard. Longwei was sitting in the training grounds with his eyes closed when suddenly, he let out a loud sneeze interrupting his meditation.

"Is someone speaking badly about me?" Longwei asked.

Turning to his left, he kicked the knee of Longmin and said, "Hey little brother, you're not the one who was just thinking bad about me, were you?"

Longmin who was by his side, had his head buried in the book the Grand Elder had given him, while one of his arms was outstretched.

Revolving in his outstretched palm was a 2/3 completed, upgraded version of the Runic Seal Longwei had used.

Longmin had spent months trying to create it, and now, just when he had an epiphany on its final structural parts, Longwei's one kick sent everything to oblivion.

Looking at his brother who was just staring at the dissipating rune, Longwei kick again and said, "Hey! don't ignore your elder brother, I just asked you a question."

"Bastard!!" Longmin roared before his slightly red eyes turned to look at Longwei.

"....Huh?"

Was Longwei's only response.

Jumping from his seated position, Longmin sent out a kick of his own straight towards Longwei's head. Putting his arms in a cross, Longwei blocked the kick successfully but was sent flying across the training grounds, and landed against a wall, shattering it.

Not even sparing a glance, Longmin sat back down and started constructing the rune from scratch.

Over at the broken wall, Longwei's hands poked out from between the rubble and pulled his body halfway out. Fanning away the dust, he coughed out some dirt and said, "I guess it wasn't you…" 'cough, cough' "…It must have been that bastard Li Fang then. Wait till I see him."

Longwei had wanted to grit his teeth in anger, but the unbearable taste of soil in his mouth prevented him from doing so.

******

~Fun Fact~

Li Fang's name in Chinese can be translated as; Li- upright, Fang- honest. So it can be read as honest and upright, but from his personality, you can tell that's a big joke... lol.