Chen Tang and his companions immediately became alert, surveying their surroundings.

The pursuers weren’t many.

But their intentions were hostile; each one looked like a master fighter!

The tall, dark-skinned man, with slightly protruding temples on both sides, was clearly a sign of having cultivated to the Fourth Grade realm.

Fifth Grade Inner Core, Fourth Grade Awakening.

After reaching the Fourth Grade, one uses Inner Qi as a needle to stimulate several major acupoints in the head.

The True Qi ascends, and while stimulating the acupoints, a sense of swelling is felt at the temples.

Over time, the temples will unconsciously protrude.

Once you cultivate to the Third Grade, with the Ren and Du Meridians connected, Inner Qi circulates within the body, round and round, restoring to its original state.

Aside from this person, the Azure Dragon Department Captain, a Defender, a Cavalry Captain, and a disciple from the Profound Celestial Temple, all had noticeable changes at their temples!

Five Fourth Grade masters!

The remaining two Guard Captains and two Profound Celestial Temple disciples didn’t seem easy to deal with either.

Chen Tang frowned secretly, his expression grave.

Among their five, only Yuwen Heigou and Song Wu were Fifth Grade; he was Seventh Grade, while Dugu Qingcheng and Changsun Ming were Sixth Grade. The power gap was too large.

There wasn’t a bit of chance.

Chen Tang glanced at his companions, a strange gleam flashing in his eyes.

Aside from Song Wu, who seemed a bit nervous like him,

Yuwen Heigou, Changsun Ming, and Dugu Qingcheng appeared relatively calm, seemingly unworried.

Chen Tang reconsidered.

Yuwen Heigou came from the Capital City and knew people from the Azure Dragon Bureau, most likely having some background, giving him confidence.

Changsun Ming, hailing from the Changsun Clan, one of the Four Great Clans, his identity provided a safety net from danger.

Why was Dugu Qingcheng so composed too?

Could it be that this girl really was from the Dugu Clan?

If these people caused such a commotion, turning the situation irreparable, would he be the only one without identity, background, or protection from a powerful figure?

Why did it feel like he was being set up?

Chen Tang felt like cursing.

“Are you a Captain from the White Tiger Bureau?”

Yuwen Heigou stared at Jin Rongfei and suddenly asked.

He had seen this person in the Capital City.

Moreover, without experts from the White Tiger Bureau stepping forward and tracing, it would be impossible for just the Azure Dragon Bureau, city defense forces, and Profound Celestial Temple to pursue them here.

Having just escaped danger, Chen Tang and the others were panting heavily, having long since removed the masks from their faces.

Jin Rongfei looked at Yuwen Heigou not far away, his heart stirred.

This person seemed slightly familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere in the Capital City.

He couldn’t remember for the moment.

He wasn’t someone commonly seen, probably someone encountered incidentally on some occasion, leaving a faint impression.

Facing Yuwen Heigou’s inquiry, Jin Rongfei acted as if he hadn’t heard, not responding.

Changsun Ming remarked, “There’s a misunderstanding here. That Observatory Master Meng Qi from Profound Celestial Temple secretly allied with Wushan Village, as the Ghost Mother behind the Ten Ghosts of Wushan. Exploiting pregnant women presented by Wushan Village, she extracts Purple River Car to cultivate evil techniques, a crime worthy of death!”

“Nonsense!”

The Fifth Grade Martial Artist from Profound Celestial Temple reprimanded, “You petty thieves conspired with Nanxia people to kill the Observatory Master, and now you make baseless accusations and slander!”

Changsun Ming frowned slightly.

He hailed from the Changsun Clan, apprenticed under the Murong Family, but seldom mentioned his background when outside.

Those scoundrels who abused the background of the Four Great Clans to run rampant in the Imperial Court and Jianghu, he always despised them.

But now, the situation forced his hand.

If a fight truly broke out, they’d all end up compromised!

Changsun Ming said solemnly, “I am Changsun Ming, my second uncle is Changsun Jiye, the Governor of Yongzhou. I swear on my family’s name that there wasn’t a single false word!”

Zhai Zhan and Jin Rongfei remained calm, unmoved.

If the Governor of Yongzhou, Changsun Jiye, appeared, they’d naturally have nothing to say and would turn and leave.

But now, it was merely a descendant of the Changsun family appearing, and they didn’t even know if this person’s identity was real.

Who would believe just a few words like this?

“In that case, you must come with us.”

The Bingzhou City Defender spoke coldly: “Whether your identity is real or not will be clarified when we return to Bingzhou City and inform the Changsun family.”

The Bingzhou City Cavalry Captain suddenly spoke: “I have some ties with the Changsun family and have seen some of the Changsun clan’s descendants, but this young lad here is unfamiliar. Impersonating the Changsun Clan is a crime punishable by death!”

Changsun Ming clenched his fist slightly, secretly angry.

He had been practicing martial arts with the Murong Family since childhood and hadn’t spent much time with the Changsun family, so naturally, this person hadn’t seen him.

But even if he tried to explain himself, they wouldn’t listen.

Yuwen Heigou had originally intended to reveal his identity.

However, he usually operated alone in the Capital City, seldom appearing publicly, and had no faction of his own.

This time, he didn’t have anything to prove his identity.

It would be of no use revealing it to this group.

In Qingcheng County, he managed to get things done with the Azure Dragon Bureau only because the Azure Dragon Department Captain there came from the Capital City and recognized him.

Of course, being taken back to Bingzhou City by these people, as long as he could see the Governor of Bingzhou, with his identity, it would not be difficult to protect Chen Tang and the others.

But Song Wu’s identity was too sensitive, coming from Nanxia; he certainly could not be protected.

Realizing this, Yuwen Heigou glanced sideways at Song Wu, giving him a look, indicating he should find an opportunity to escape on his own.

Song Wu understood.

“Take action!”

Zhai Zhan noticed the exchange of glances between Yuwen Heigou and Song Wu and immediately ordered.

Clang, clang!

Buzz, buzz!

In an instant, the sound of swords being drawn and sword qi clashes filled the dense forest.

Song Wu launched the Flying Star Step, attempting to flee into the distance immediately.

Swish!

A Flying Sword sliced through the air toward him.

His body technique, no matter how fast, couldn’t match the speed of a Flying Sword.

Furthermore, since it was now daylight with the stars dim, his Flying Star Step speed had significantly decreased.

Clang!

Song Wu raised his arms, using his arm guards to defend in front.

The Flying Sword cut across the arm guards, sparks flying.

The spikes on the arm guards were completely cut off by the Flying Sword!

What a sharp Flying Sword!

Song Wu was secretly astonished.

Whew!

Before he could catch a breath, a blade came from the side, menacing with killing intent, and an imposing aura!

A Fourth Grade Martial Artist from Profound Celestial Temple attacked!

Song Wu didn’t dare to clash head-on, he could only sidestep and move horizontally.

Another streak of white light stabbed from the side!

Song Wu quickly stopped, changed direction, and retreated repeatedly.

Under the interception of two Foundation Establishment Realm warlocks and one Fourth Grade martial artist from the Profound Celestial Temple, Song Wu couldn’t break through and had to retreat.

Too strong!

With his ability, he couldn’t escape.

On the other side, Chen Tang and the others were also entangled by Zhai Zhan, Bingzhou City Guard, and the Cavalry Captain, as well as Jin Rongfei from the White Tiger Bureau, unable to spare any effort to help Song Wu.

After Changsun Ming announced his background, although Zhai Zhan and the others claimed disbelief, they held back while fighting.

If this person’s second uncle truly was the Governor of Yongzhou, it would imply that his grandfather was the old family head of the Changsun Clan, also a Grandmaster level figure!

The Four Great Clans managed to remain unshaken through a century of wars because they had Grandmaster-level figures securing the family.

Such as Yuwen Family’s First Grade Grandmaster Yuwen Mao, who had recently seized the opportunity following Pingzhou’s rebellion to step out, reinstated as Grand Commandant, commanding the armies of the world, his prestige unrivaled, unmatched for a time.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep