Chapter Ninety-Seven: Entering the City, Part Two

Because the place where Ye Cheng and the others had landed their flying boat was not far from the city gate, the few of them reached the gate of Yongle City in just half an hour at most.

As they drew near, Ye Cheng was surprised to see that dozens of soldiers in black armor were stationed on both sides of the city gate, their sharp eyes sweeping back and forth over the pedestrians entering and leaving the city.

A glance across their ranks was enough to show that every one of those black-armored soldiers was overflowing with vitality and blood, clearly all having reached the level of consummate Blood Qi cultivation.

At the gate, a long queue of people snaked forward, and only after each person had been carefully examined by the black-armored soldiers were they permitted to enter or leave.

“Little Brother Ye, these are the Black Armor Troops of my Nangong family. They are under the charge of the nine commanders,” Old Wu said with a smile. Yet his gaze carried a hint of puzzlement as it settled on Nangong Xue.

Beside him, Nangong Xue frowned slightly. There seemed to be something grave in her beautiful eyes as she said, “Commander Wang, if I remember correctly, the Black Armor Troops are not responsible for guarding the city gates. Why have they been reassigned here? What is going on?”

“Miss Xue,” Third Commander Wang Yang said gravely, clasping his fists as he looked at her, “now that the Blood Fiend Gang is stirring up trouble, we had no choice but to guard against their collusion with other powers and their infiltration into Yongle City. Thus, the Grand Commander decided to transfer fifty men from the three thousand Black Armor Troops to handle gate defense and strictly inspect all passersby.”

Nangong Xue nodded. She did not go to the back of the line. Instead, she led the others around the crowd and slowly made her way toward the city interior.

“Eh, who are those people? They are not lining up. The way they look, it seems they are just going straight in.” As Ye Cheng and his party bypassed the queue and headed directly for the gate, several men in mercenary garb among the waiting crowd began whispering to one another.

“They seem very strong. Especially that man in the blue robe. He gives me a strangely oppressive feeling,” one martial practitioner said in shock.

Another man behind him said in disbelief, “No way, Brother Yan. You’re already at the peak of the Blood Qi realm. How could he make you feel oppressed? Could that man in the blue robe be a Yuan realm expert?”

“Yuan realm experts are not uncommon here,” the man called Brother Yan said bitterly. “Not only that man in the blue robe, but I suspect even that old man beside him is also in the Yuan realm.”

He had come from a small place. In his hometown, Yuan realm experts were rare, and even peak Blood Qi experts were remarkable figures. But here, peak Blood Qi cultivation was nothing special. Even the soldiers guarding the gate were all at least at the consummate Blood Qi level.

“Stop right there! Who are you people?”

When Nangong Xue and Ye Cheng’s group reached the front of the black-armored soldiers, one of them barked the order.

Nangong Xue and Old Wu said nothing. Ye Cheng stood behind them, quietly watching. Third Commander Wang Yang stepped forward and took a black token from his broad waist.

“A commander’s token?”

The soldiers’ expressions changed at once when they saw the black token Wang Yang had produced. Their faces instantly turned respectful, and they dropped to one knee in unison. “My lord!”

“My lord?”

“So those people were that impressive? No wonder they didn’t line up and just walked straight through.”

“I wonder what great figure they are. If I could build even a little connection, I’d never have to worry again in this lifetime.”

The crowd in line immediately grew restless, and their eyes all turned respectful. They widened their eyes, trying to make out Ye Cheng and the others’ appearance. Everyone knew that anyone addressed as “my lord” by the Black Armor Troops must be an extraordinary personage, the sort of figure they would never normally have the chance to see.

At that moment, a squad leader of the Black Armor Troops hurried out from the inner city gate and rushed to Third Commander Wang Yang’s side. He bowed to Nangong Xue and Wang Yang and said, “Miss, Third Commander, you have finally returned. The four stewards and all the commanders have already rushed back from outside and are now at the Nangong family headquarters.”

Upon hearing this, Nangong Xue nodded and gestured to Third Commander Wang Yang. Only then did he say, “Let’s go. Return to the family.”

With that, Nangong Xue walked in front, while Old Wu, the Third Commander, and Ye Cheng followed behind her.

“Yes!” The squad leader hurriedly forced a smile and followed after them.

Once they had left, the black-armored soldiers resumed their earlier stern demeanor and continued inspecting the passersby.

“While I was away these past days, did anything major happen in my Nangong family? And did the Blood Fiend Gang make any moves?” On the way to the Nangong residence, Third Commander Wang Yang asked the squad leader.

“Reporting to Third Commander,” the squad leader replied quickly at once, “when you left, the Blood Fiend Gang shortened the contest period by half a month. During those remaining half a month, although they did not make any further demands as harsh as before, they began openly competing with our Nangong family for business, causing our profits to suffer greatly.”

“This Blood Fiend Gang has become increasingly arrogant. They never even consider whose domain this is. To act so high-profile and unruly, no wonder they do not understand that a towering tree draws the wind. The greater the commotion, the more easily one marches toward the abyss of destruction,” Third Commander said coldly. To him, the Blood Fiend Gang’s current rise could only be temporary. In Yongle City, the Nangong family had a century of foundation. How could they be so easily provoked?

“They really think our Nangong family cannot wipe them out,” Nangong Xue said coldly, her pretty face covered in frost.

“However, later, the two stewards and several commanders outside all rushed back to our Nangong family in succession. They suppressed the powers led by the Blood Fiend Gang, and those people became a little more restrained and no longer acted as blatantly as before,” the squad leader said cautiously, afraid of offending the great figures before him.

“Mm,” Nangong Xue said with a nod. Then, as though she suddenly remembered something, she asked, “How has my father been during this time?”

“The family head... the family head’s condition is not very good,” the squad leader said hesitantly.

“How exactly? Say it clearly.”

“Although the family head’s injuries did not worsen, he has remained unconscious the entire time. What is even more shocking is that, while in that coma, the family head’s cultivation seems to have been continuously declining. Several stewards and the Grand Commander examined him, but none of them had any solution,” the squad leader said.

“Father!”

Nangong Xue’s lovely face was instantly covered in a layer of coldness. She said in a frigid voice, “I will definitely uncover who is so sinister and vicious, to have used such means to harm my father.”

“Father, hold on. Xue’er has already found the soul herb. I will surely be able to cure you,” Nangong Xue thought, pressing her lips together. In her mind, Nangong Xiong’s figure stood tall there—the man who had always protected her and spoiled her.