âIs Senior really serious about this?â The man in black was a bit stunned.
Just moments ago, it seemed like there was no room for negotiation. Why had things suddenly changed?
Jian Wushuangâs tone was unfathomable as he said, âIndeed, and I will ensure he returns safely to the capital!â
âThenâŠâ The man in black wanted to ask why but swallowed his words, recalling what Jian Wushuang had said earlier.
Although the truth couldnât be spoken, Jian Wushuang could easily come up with a plausible excuse.
âGo back and tell Wei Jiuxian that when he sends people to the Shanhai County, I want them to kill a few individuals for meâŠâ
âŠ
At the southern city tower.
Wei Jiuxian sat by the chessboard, holding a piece in his hand, not placing it down for a long time.
âHe wants me to help him kill a few noble families?â
âYes!â Chang Feng respectfully replied, âAccording to Number One, these people are connected to Chen Yuan, and this time Chen Yuan went to Shanhai County because of them!â
âHeh, who wouldâve thought, because of these nobles, I lost so much!â Wei Jiuxian stood up, gripping the chess piece with a sinister tone, âItâs time to clear out some small fry!â
Playing with the chess piece in his hand, Wei Jiuxian looked out beyond the city, replaying the events of the past few days in his mind.
âThe tavern, the demon sect, and the suspected transformation into a babyâŠâ
These events had all occurred within a matter of days.
When he connected the dots, two words surfaced in his mind.
âJiang Kingdom!â
And since it was related to Shanhai County, it must have come from Jiang Kingdom.
âChang Feng, do you remember the time when His Majesty ascended the throne and sent people to the Jiang Kingdom?â
âI remember, sir. It caused quite a stir back then. They were searching for a female cultivator, but when they couldnât find her, the matter was left unresolved,â Chang Feng answered truthfully.
Wei Jiuxian nodded, âAmong those sent to Jiang Kingdom, the leader seemed to be⊠Yang Xiao!â
Back then, the Guangfu Emperor had been concerned about a female cultivator who went to Jiang Kingdom and later sent the Zhanxian Guard to search for her.
When this female cultivator disappeared, the Guangfu Emperor had been troubled by it for a long time, but later, he suddenly let it go.
âConsort Yi!â
It was her appearance that made the current emperor forget about that female cultivator.
And the fight in the tavern was between a mysterious expert and a demon cultivator from the Chiyang Sect.
If it had been something aboveboard, the Guangfu Emperor wouldnât have needed the Chiyang Sect to take action. He could have just sent the Zhanxian Guard.
But the Guangfu Emperor didnât do that.
Instead, he sent a team of cultivators from the Chiyang Sect to deal with the mysterious cultivator.
There must be some unspeakable secret behind this.
This matter was likely only known to the Guangfu Emperor.
Even Jian Wushuang, who was involved, was unaware.
Thinking this, Wei Jiuxianâs gaze deepened. He had always felt that a shadow loomed over the Tang Empire these past years.
He couldnât shake off the feeling no matter how hard he tried.
âWasnât there information that the mysterious cultivator went to investigate at the First Floor? Bring me the file; I want to review it again!â
Wei Jiuxian decided to conduct a thorough investigation from the beginning. Perhaps he could uncover some clues, exposing the plot of the Light Restoration Emperor.
âŠ
At the Princessâs residence.
In the bamboo pavilion.
âThank you, Senior, for your assistance just now!â Chen Yuan bowed slightly, but when he looked up, his eyes were red, and his voice was hoarse as he said, âSenior, itâs my fault. Iâve been planning for so many days, yet I couldnât personally exact revenge. In the end, I still needed your help!â
Chen Yuan was deeply convinced by Jian Wushuangâs pretext.
From his perspective, Jian Wushuang seemed to be a reclusive expert who always kept his word.
To help an ordinary person seek revenge, he even collaborated with Zhanxian Tower, risking a great deal.
âThis was something I intended to do from the beginning; you donât need to worry about it!â Jian Wushuang patted him on the shoulder and continued, âWe depart tomorrow. I will conceal myself within the Zhanxian Guards, but I will arrange for two friends to protect you openly. As for Yang Xiao, you must keep it a secret!â
Chen Yuan immediately knelt on one knee, speaking with a serious tone, âPlease rest assured, Senior. I will take this secret to my grave. Even if someone cuts open my belly, I wonât reveal a single word!â
âLive well!â
After Jian Wushuang finished speaking, his figure disappeared from where he stood.
âŠ
The next morning.
Outside the Princessâs residence, a group of people and horses had already assembled.
With the Princess seeing him off, Chen Yuan boarded the carriage, waving goodbye to her.
On the surface, both of them kept up appearances, ensuring there was no awkwardness.
Once Chen Yuan pulled down the carriage curtain, his expression turned cold.
This time, he was heading to Mangshan County with a mission.
Aside from Yang Xiaoâs matter, he had other tasks to complete.
That task was to stall!
When he reached Mangshan County, the truth wouldnât matter; what was important was how to smooth over the situation.
While he might not have been able to discern the nuances of yesterdayâs battle, someone had pointed out to him that the more thoroughly this matter was investigated, the worse it would be for His Majesty.
And Yang Xiao was precisely the one investigating this matter, but Chen Yuan had no intention of dealing with Yang Xiao.
He had already thought of an excuseâwhat could an ordinary person like him do?
After all, Yang Xiao was a powerful cultivator at the peak of the Golden Core stage.
This time, though there were many experts accompanying the team, none of them could take down Yang Xiao without being noticed.
On the surface, the hundred Imperial Guards were all battle-hardened elite cavalry, led by Captain Dong Biao, a powerful innate-stage cultivator.
Individually, they might not be much, but their combined strength was formidable.
The hundred elite troops he commanded could surround and kill a Golden Core cultivator.
In addition to them, there was also a squad of Zhanxian Guards.
Two of them were Jinwu Guards, both late-stage Golden Core cultivators.
And this didnât even include Yang Xiao.
Besides the Jinwu Guards, there were ten Jinshe Guards.
With the strength they showed openly, it would be easy to sweep through some minor sects.
Secretly, there was also a Seven-Qian Zhanxian Guard.
He had been assigned to eliminate Yang Xiao.
Chen Yuan couldnât command him since he wasnât on the official escort list.
Apart from the hidden experts from Zhanxian Tower, there was also a cultivator from Chiyang Sect, whose strength rivaled that of Yang Xiao.
They had made thorough preparations, determined to ensure Yang Xiao perished on the way to Mangshan County.
Beyond these overt and covert forces, there was also a man and a woman traveling under the guise of being the Princessâs retainers. They were Xiang Yang and Jiang Shang.
Initially, Chen Yuan hadnât wanted to bring them along on this journey, but considering that Taiâan City wasnât exactly peaceful at the moment, it was better to have them along.
As for Jian Wushuang himself, no one knew his whereabouts except for him.
He had intended to conceal himself within the convoy, but later Jian Wushuang realized there was no need for that.
His thought power extended outwards, already covering a fifty-mile radius.
At the speed of the convoy, it would take an hour to cover fifty miles, while Jian Wushuang only needed the time it took to burn a stick of incense.
So, he moved along, stopping occasionally to survey the surroundings.
He could clearly see every person within fifty miles, whether in the open or hidden, yet no one could detect his presence.
Such formidable thought power had already surpassed that of a Nascent Soul cultivatorâthis was Jian Wushuangâs confidence.
Relying on his thought power, he constantly monitored the situation within the convoy.
Those openly visible werenât a concern to him.
However, the two hidden experts were somewhat troublesome.