Stepping upon and shattering the ephemeral green clouds one by one, Jiang Wang flew swiftly across the borders of Qi.

From Linzi to Daze County, two paths presented themselves: one traversing Le’an, the other Xinming. Both counties shared a border with Daze County. Unlike his previous journey to Seven Star Valley, this time Jiang Wang chose the Le’an route.

Naturally, no one obstructed his path along the way. In but half a *shichen*, Jiang Wang had already entered Daze County. Displaying his full speed before others was unwise, and indeed, he held something in reserve. Yet, to onlookers, his passage appeared as a blur, piercing clouds and breaking wind, an exertion of full power.

Daze County comprised eighteen cities, with Ji City being the most central. On the map, the entire Daze County formed a trapezoid, wider in the west and narrower in the east. Jiang Wang found himself idly wondering if the Tian clan, so meticulous in their order, didn’t yearn to shape it into a perfect square.

Exercising the immortal technique of Pingbu Qingyun, Qingyangzi soared, swift yet supremely elegant and composed. He resembled not a hunter giving chase, but a scholar on a leisurely excursion, earning silent admiration from the many cultivators he encountered along the way.

At that very moment, Tian Sifu stood guard at the city gate, trembling. His left hand clenched his waist knife, but for the life of him, he couldn’t keep it steady. The damn knife always trembled. He widened his eyes, striving to maintain the image of a dignified guard. But from time to time, a bead of sweat rolled into his eye, forcing him to blink fiercely several times to clear it, making him appear somewhat comical. Sweat endlessly streamed from his forehead and the back of his neck. He was not alone; the other guards stationed at the city gate with him fared little better.

After another fierce blink, a young, elegant figure suddenly appeared in his vision. At first, Tian Sifu thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, but a few more blinks confirmed it; the person was already approaching. That person walked through the air, a green robe fluttering in the wind, their eyes unspeakably clear and bright. A long sword, a piece of white jade, a single person. For some inexplicable reason, Tian Sifu’s trembling ceased. He pressed a hand to his waist knife and formally inquired, “Who approaches?”

Jiang Wang, who had arrived as if pressing down upon the very sword intent, did not immediately respond. For upon reaching Ji City, the first sight to greet him was not these guards at the gate, nor even the perfectly square, orderly city itself. While the city naturally came into view from afar, something else, something far more significant, instantly seized his attention.

It was a person.

A person with disheveled hair covering their face, hanging suspended above the city gate! Golden light faintly shimmered about that person’s body, and jade hues flowed, clearly marking them as a Shenlin realm cultivator! And at this moment, in Ji City, who else could that Shenlin cultivator be?

A tempest of disbelief surged within Jiang Wang’s heart. He had come to apprehend Liu Xiao and escort him back to Linzi. In truth, he was no match for Liu Xiao; he relied solely on the emperor’s majesty to compel Liu Xiao’s surrender. He had carefully considered the matter on the journey and felt it would not pose a great challenge. Liu Xiao was not a madman; he had things he cherished and wished to protect, and therefore, he understood awe.

Jiang Wang had contemplated what scene might await him upon arriving at Ji City. The nearly ten years of deep-seated hatred accumulated by the Fufeng Liu clan might drive Liu Xiao to wreak havoc in Ji City, secure in the knowledge that death was his likely fate anyway. Perhaps that person would kill only Tian Anping! Jiang Wang had expected to find Ji City in ruins. Perhaps he would have to search among the rubble to find Liu Xiao, deliver the imperial decree, and escort him back to the capital.

But how could he have imagined the scene before him now? Liu Xiao, a Shenlin realm cultivator, had chosen a time when the Tian clan’s strong practitioners were absent, when Daze County was vulnerable, to boldly assault Ji City and slay Tian Anping. This should have been a matter with a nine-tenth certainty of success. He himself had believed Tian Anping unlikely to escape such a fate. Only because of a lingering sense of caution did he speculate that Tian Anping might possess some means of escape.

Yet now, it was Liu Xiao who was hanging upon the city gate! How was this possible? This utterly defied the common sense of cultivation! He, the undisputed foremost Inner Mansion cultivator in the world, found it difficult even to preserve his life in the face of a Shenlin strongman. How then could Tian Anping, also confined to the Inner Mansion realm… how was it possible?

Did the Tian clan still possess hidden Shenlin realm strongmen? Or perhaps some formidable array, some hidden trump card? Or, could it be that Tian Anping had long since defied the decree and quietly broken through? Leaving aside how such a feat was accomplished, did the Daze Tian clan truly dare to disregard the majesty of the Qi Emperor?

Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, Jiang Wang stepped down onto the ground and declared in a loud voice, “I am the imperial sealed Qingyangzi, third-rank Golden Melon Warrior, Jiang Wang! I come by decree to apprehend Liu Xiao and escort him back to the capital!” Regardless of the circumstances, he came by imperial decree and must not diminish the emperor’s majesty; naturally, his demeanor was stern and fearless.

He looked again at the person hanging upon the city gate, his breath still present, though unmoving. Then, he turned his gaze to the guard and asked, “Is this person Liu Xiao?”

Tian Sifu hesitated for a moment, then replied, “It… it is!”

Jiang Wang wasted no further words and stated directly, “I shall take the person now.” The whereabouts of Tian Anping, the reason for Liu Xiao’s current state, he did not wish to inquire; it was not his concern. His command was to apprehend Liu Xiao and return him to the capital; that was his sole task.

Tian Sifu and the others exchanged glances, not daring to obstruct him, nor possessing the authority to decide. Jiang Wang paid them no mind, directly stepping into the air as if treading upon steps of void, walking towards the hanging, disheveled-haired Liu Xiao. Liu Xiao’s hands were clasped together, bound by a rope, and he hung from the city gate. His breathing was weak, but he was undeniably alive.

Jiang Wang did not immediately take Liu Xiao down, but first parted his hanging hair. He wished to first clearly ascertain Liu Xiao’s condition to have a clearer understanding. This would prevent any unforeseen incidents on the journey back, which he would be unable to explain. Thus, he saw a pair of wide, staring eyes, slightly parted lips, and a vacant expression. Saliva even trickled from the corner of his mouth.

A venerable Shenlin cultivator… what had he encountered? Were his five senses sealed? His divine soul damaged? What were these guards of Ji City before the gate so fearful of?

Jiang Wang carefully observed Liu Xiao’s eyes, yet could discern no trace of life within them. He was still alive, but his essence, energy, and spirit seemed to have been utterly drained. No matter how Jiang Wang scrutinized him, Liu Xiao’s head remained slightly drooping, completely motionless.

Jiang Wang frowned slightly and extended his index finger, pressing it towards Liu Xiao’s brow center.

Suddenly, Liu Xiao’s hair strands rose up one by one like poisonous snakes, all striking forward together!

Jiang Wang instantly leaped back, landing on the ground.

“Who allowed you to move.”

A voice spoke. This should have been a question. But because the speaker displayed no questioning tone, instead stating it as a fact, the sentence carried a fatal sense of oppression. Or perhaps, that oppressive feeling stemmed solely from the person himself.

Jiang Wang looked towards the depths of the city gate. Within the gate stood a person wearing a single garment, his bare feet touching the ground. His eyes were dull, as if in a daze.

Tian Anping!

Only at this moment did the ferocious, snake-like black hair on Liu Xiao’s head suddenly droop down, once again covering his face. To die with hair covering one’s face was to die without honor, unable to face others even in death. But Liu Xiao… was clearly still alive!

Jiang Wang’s hand pressed against the long sword at his waist. He looked directly at Tian Anping and slowly said, “Who allows me to move, I believe I have already stated.”

Tian Anping lifted his eyes and glanced at him, a trace of bewilderment in his gaze, as if surprised by Jiang Wang’s audacity. “I have seen you in Seven Star Valley.” He then asked, “Who are you?” It seemed only now did he truly begin to acknowledge Jiang Wang’s presence. Being valued by Tian Anping… whether it was fortune or misfortune was yet to be seen.

But Jiang Wang simply said, “I have also introduced myself once. If you did not hear clearly, you can ask your subordinates later. Now, it is my turn to ask.”

He stood before the city gate of Ji City, raising his head and holding his sword, facing Tian Anping directly, and also facing the entire Ji City, his eyes becoming severe: “Tian Anping, do you intend to defy the imperial decree?!”