Wang Jian's mother, Bai Liqin, rode a griffin alone, with an air of regal elegance. The members of the Iron Fist were quick to follow her lead and climb onto the other ten griffins, their imposing figures fitting perfectly with the majestic birds.

When Bai Liqin offered Lady Xia a ride on the griffin with her, Wang Jian stepped in and remarked that his mother's rough riding style might not suit Lady Xia.

Although Bai Liqin raised an eyebrow in doubt, she knew her son was merely giving an excuse. After all, her riding skills were impeccable.

Bai Liqin looked at Lady Xia and then back at her son, understanding the real reason behind his words.

A knowing smile appeared on her face as she agreed with him and allowed Lady Xia to ride on the same griffin as Wang Jian and his women.

Wang Jian occupied the rearmost spot on the griffin, while Su Xian settled in the foremost position. Fen Shuying took her place behind Su Xian, Kang Huian behind her, and Han Xifeng behind Kang Huian. Finally, Lady Xia secured a spot just ahead of Wang Jian.

The griffins soared higher and higher, and the wind became more and more intense. Wang Jian's women, including Lady Xia, couldn't help but revel in the sensation of flight. They marveled at how the world looked from above and the freedom they felt in the sky.

Suddenly, Lady Xia felt Wang Jian's arm wrap around her waist and slide under her top, caressing her soft skin. She felt a jolt of panic but didn't want to make a scene in front of the others. So, she asked in a hushed voice, "What are you doing, Your Highness?"

Wang Jian's face came close to hers, and he whispered, "Just enjoying the ride, my dear. Can't I show a little affection to my lover?"

Lady Xia was taken aback by his words. She hated their adulterous relationship but knew she had no choice in the matter. She could only respond with a forced smile and say, "Please, Your Highness, not now. We're in public."

Wang Jian's chuckle was soft, his warm breath caressing Lady Xia's ear. "No need to fret. We're ahead of the other griffins, so no one can see what I'm doing," he whispered. "To them, I'm just steering the griffin with these ropes, but they have no idea that my feet can do all the work. These ropes are merely decorative."

He further whispered into Lady Xia's ear, "You should focus on controlling your moans. We wouldn't want anyone to hear, would we?"

Lady Xia's heart raced with a mixture of fear and arousal as Wang Jian's fingers explored her body. She hated the way he made her feel, but she couldn't deny the pleasure he was giving her. She clenched her teeth and bit down on her lip to keep from making any noise.

Wang Jian's touch became more aggressive as he pinched and squeezed her breasts. Lady Xia's body betrayed her as she grew hot and flushed with desire.

But even as she tried to resist him, a small part of her couldn't help but enjoy the illicit thrill of their secret rendezvous.

Abruptly, Wang Jian ceased his lascivious advances towards Lady Xia, retracting his hands from her body.

The reason for this sudden halt was that he had discerned other griffins drawing near, their flight path intersecting with theirs at an angle that would make his behavior quite conspicuous.

As Wang Jian's hands retreated, Lady Xia let out a breath of relief. Yet, a tiny fraction of her longed for more of his touch. Her body yearned for his caresses, and her mind was consumed with the passion that he had ignited within her.

Despite the swift pace of the griffins, the journey to the capital was arduous and prolonged, spanning over the course of five long days.

After flying continuously for four hours, the group would stop to rest not because the griffins lacked stamina, but rather to allow the Winged Wyverns to catch up and take a break as well.

During these intervals, Wang Jian conversed with his mother, seeking to grasp the shifts that had transpired in the empire since his exile.

He inquired about various individuals who had emerged as noteworthy talents and hidden geniuses.

Wang Jian's primary objective in seeking information about these individuals was to discover a protagonist among them.

"Son, there is one talent that has risen extremely swiftly," Bai Liqin began. "His name is Zhang Fei. He is from the Windhaven Kingdom."

"That's one of our vassal kingdoms. In fact, it's one of our weakest kingdoms," Wang Jian commented as he fell in deep thought.

Bai Liqin cleared his throat before continuing, "Zhang Fei was born to a reputed clan in Windhaven Kingdom. He had a fiancé, but he was a trash of the clan, so she broke the engagement with him."

Wang Jian raised an eyebrow in curiosity, "Why did she break the engagement?"

"Because Zhang Fei was weak and deemed unworthy of the clan's name," Bai Liqin explained.

Bai Liqin took a deep breath before answering, "It's a bit of a mystery, but it seems that after his engagement was broken, Zhang Fei suddenly began excelling in many different fields, including martial arts. He even struck a deal with local associations, and his clan's influence and power rose rapidly."

Wang Jian furrowed his brow in thought, "Interesting. Do you have any idea how he managed to strike such a deal?"

Bai Liqin shook her head, "No, the details are still unclear, but it seems that Zhang Fei has some powerful connections in the alchemist community, the array association, the trade organizations, and many other groups."

Wang Jian leaned forward, "Impressive. But what about his enemies? Surely he must have made some powerful enemies if he had risen so swiftly."

By this point, he was sure that Zhang Fei was a Protagonist.

And since Zhang Fei was a Protagonist, he ought to have lots of enemies and must have destroyed many clans and even factions.

Bai Liqin's expression grew grave. "Many clans and associations have fallen to Zhang Fei's might," she said. "The Li clan, a powerful family that had ruled over a large swath of the kingdom for generations, fell to him when he used his connections in the alchemist community to poison their leader. The Azure Dragon Association, a group of powerful cultivators, also fell to him when he defeated their top cultivators in battle."

Curious about the Windhaven Kingdom's ruling faction, Wang Jian asked, "Under whose territory does the Windhaven Kingdom fall?"

Bai Liqin was quick to respond, "It's your ninth brother, Wang Lan."

Wang Jian suppressed the urge to roll his eyes as he recalled Wang Lan's arrogant personality. He suspected that this guy would most likely be a villain and serve as a stepping stone for Zhang Fei.

With all the gathered information, Wang Jian crafted a strategy to confront Zhang Fei. But first, he needed to test the waters with the protagonist.

Based on the available information, Wang Jian inferred that Zhang Fei was a reincarnated individual and probably had expertise from his past life. However, it was difficult to gauge the true extent of his power.

Thus, it was imperative for Wang Jian to uncover Zhang Fei's cheat or any other advantage he possessed.

Soon, the group's brief rest came to an end, and they mounted the griffins once more, soaring through the skies towards the capital as swiftly as they could.