The Admiral's Naval Estate in Trấn Nam Cảng was not a place easily entered. It was a true military citadel—walls high, moats deep, and sentries patrolling strictly. Cold killing intent radiated outward, causing ordinary martial artists to only dare look from a distance.
But Tran Kien was no ordinary person.
He carried no weapons and wore the clean attire of a scholar. He walked straight to the main gate, facing the wary gazes of the guards.
"This humble one is Ve Nhan, a Strategist of the Six-Feathered Gate," he presented his old medallion, his voice neither haughty nor humble. "Following the orders of Lord Tao, I have a confidential matter to discuss with Great General Ly."
The guards looked at each other, half-doubting. But the medallion of the Six-Feathered Gate was genuine. Daring not to delay, they hurriedly sent someone inside to report.
A moment later, a vice general stepped out, looked Tran Kien up and down, and said coldly, "The Great General invites you. Lord Ve, please follow me."
Tran Kien walked silently behind him. He could sense that from the moment he stepped through the gates, at least ten powerful Divine Senses had locked onto him. Should he make any abnormal move, he would likely be hacked into a hundred pieces instantly.
He was led into a vast hall. There were no luxurious furnishings, only military sandboxes, weapon racks, and animal hides hanging on the walls. An iron-clad, resolute military aura dominated the space.
Ly Kinh Thien, the Great General guarding the south, stood there with his back to him. He wore no armor, only a simple martial robe, yet his frame remained tall and majestic as a mountain.
"You are Ve Nhan?" he spoke without turning around, his voice as resonant as a bronze bell. "The one who single-handedly shook Tran Bac City, forcing that old bear Mong Phong to bow his head?"
"Reporting to the Great General, it was merely a bit of lucky strategy," Tran Kien replied modestly.
"Strategy?" Ly Kinh Thien suddenly turned around. His tiger-eyes were sharp as lightning, locking onto Tran Kien. "Since when did Tao Chinh's Six-Feathered Gate begin meddling in the affairs of the military?"
A terrifying coercive pressure descended. If it were an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator, they likely would have dropped to their knees under this pressure.
But Tran Kien stood firm. The Primordial Chaos Qi within his body circulated slightly, effortlessly neutralizing the pressure. He knew this was the first "dominance display" from the veteran general.
"Reporting to the Great General," he spoke without fear, his eyes calmly meeting the General's. "I come today not as a member of the Six-Feathered Gate, but as a citizen of Dai Viet."
"Oh?"
"I wish to ask the Great General a question," Tran Kien said, his voice turning solemn. "If one day, a foreign power, under the guise of 'assistance,' intended to interfere in the court, manipulate the empire, and even seek to change the very bloodline of the nation... then, Great General, what would you do?"
Ly Kinh Thien's pupils constricted. "What... do you mean?"
Tran Kien did not answer. He simply retrieved an object from his bundle and placed it on the table.
It was an old ledger. One of the very ledgers he had seized from the Black Dragon Stronghold's lair, recording the secret transactions between the Marquis of Vinh An and demonic factions, including clues about the "Sacred Dynasty."
Ly Kinh Thien picked up the ledger and flipped through several pages. His complexion grew increasingly unsightly. The hand holding the ledger trembled with rage.
"Traitors! A pack of national traitors!" he roared, the sound causing the entire hall to shake. "I knew Vinh An had ambition, but I did not expect him to commit such heartless atrocities! 'Sacred Dynasty'? What manner of demons are these?!"
"They are not demons, Great General," Tran Kien said, his voice dropping low. "They are phantoms of history. A power that has hidden for a millennium, and now, they seek to return and seize the body of Dai Viet."
He briefly recounted what he had learned from the Evil Spirit's memories—the Sacred Dynasty's conspiracy and how the Marquis was merely a puppet.
Ly Kinh Thien fell silent. He was a martial general, but he was no fool. He knew that if this was true, it was no longer a struggle for power. It was a war for the survival of an entire nation.
"You want me to trust you?" he looked at Tran Kien, his gaze full of probing. "Based solely on a ledger and a few words?"
"I do not require the Great General to trust me immediately," Tran Kien replied. "I only wish to plant a seed of suspicion in your heart. You may send your own men to investigate. Investigate the abnormal activities of the Marquis's naval forces in the East Sea. Investigate the mysterious 'disappearances' of extraordinary individuals over the past centuries."
"And," he continued, "investigate a place called the 'Sacred City'."
Having spoken, Tran Kien said nothing more. He merely bowed and turned to depart.
He had done everything he could. He had planted the seed. Whether it would sprout depended on the choice of this veteran general. The stratagem of "Playing hard to get"—sometimes, taking a step back is the way to advance a thousand li.
Ly Kinh Thien did not stop him. He merely stood there, watching the silhouette of the youth, his tiger-eyes filled with internal conflict and an impending storm.
Leaving the Admiral's Estate, Tran Kien did not linger in Trấn Nam Cảng. He headed to a smaller port where Thiet Phu and the retrofitted ship were waiting.
"Exalted Lord, how did it go?"
"The seed is planted," Tran Kien replied. "Now, it is time for us to do our own work."
He looked toward the boundless sea, where white-capped waves crashed against the shore.
"Weigh anchor," he commanded.
"Target: The Sacred City!"