After speaking, Lin Xiao turned and left.
After Lin Xiao departed, everyone in the Pacification Office's main hall looked at the Pacification Envoy in confusion.
"My lord, Lin Xiao is so young. His martial cultivation cannot possibly be that high. Why did you agree to such an absurd request from him?"
"If we try to remedy this now, we may still be able to placate those people of Stability Prefecture's martial world. But if we let Lin Xiao continue making trouble like this, I fear the situation will spiral out of control."
The Pacification Envoy shook his head. "Lin Xiao is someone His Majesty values. Do you truly think we can simply hand him over for those martial world people to deal with as they please?"
"If we did that, we would be facing His Majesty's wrath."
"Do not think that just because Stability Prefecture has been a border region these past years, far from the center of power, His Majesty has had no energy to concern himself with us. His Majesty sending Lin Xiao here to assume office may well be a signal."
"If we continue doing nothing, perhaps one day His Majesty's blade will fall upon our heads."
"My lord, is His Majesty truly going to make a move against Stability Prefecture?"
A Thousand-Household Commander asked fearfully.
The Pacification Envoy nodded. "I would not dare say it with absolute certainty, but I am at least seventy percent sure."
"As an Emperor, His Majesty's schemes and methods surpass those of every emperor before him. Every move His Majesty makes may conceal profound meaning."
"The martial world is in turmoil now. The White Lotus Sect has been making constant little moves, while the major martial world forces harbor hidden agendas. One wrong step could very well bring chaos to the entire Central Plains."
"Therefore, once His Majesty the Emperor makes his move, his methods will surely be incomparably ruthless."
Upon hearing the Pacification Envoy's words, everyone grew wary.
They all feared the Emperor's blade falling upon their heads.
After leaving the Pacification Envoy's main hall, Chang Le and Xue Shan hurried forward to meet him.
"My lord, how did it go? What decision did Lord Pacification Envoy make?"
Lin Xiao said flatly, "I gave Lord Pacification Envoy a military pledge. I will resolve this matter alone."
"What?"
"My lord, you intend to deal with those troublemaking martial artists alone?"
"My lord, you are being foolish."
"This subordinate has just learned that those martial artists have invited Qiu Li, the Iron Palm Gang's leader, to come."
"It is said that Qiu Li has cultivated his Iron Sand Palm to perfection. He is known as invincible with both palms, and his strength is unfathomable. He has reached the second level of the Grandmaster Realm. Even the Grandmaster experts of One Sect, Four Gates must give him some face throughout Stability Prefecture."
As Chang Le spoke of Qiu Li, fear appeared on his face.
That man was a renowned veteran expert of Stability Prefecture.
Though the Iron Palm Gang was not as powerful as One Sect, Four Gates, it was only a shade weaker.
"Heh, that makes things even more interesting. Then I shall go meet this Qiu Li."
After speaking, Lin Xiao headed directly outside the Pacification Office.
At this moment, outside the Pacification Office, the martial artists all knew that once Lin Xiao emerged again, it would be time for both sides to settle their grievances.
The tightly shut gates of the Pacification Office slowly opened, and a figure appeared before everyone.
The sound of weapons being drawn rang out.
In an instant, a murderous chill filled the entire street before the Pacification Office.
Meanwhile, atop a tavern some distance from the Pacification Office, several young men and women stood quietly.
"Something interesting is about to happen. It seems our trip to Dingzhou City was not wasted."
These young people were the geniuses of One Sect, Four Gates.
The leader wore white robes and possessed handsome features. Holding a folding fan, he gave others the feeling of a spring breeze brushing their faces.
He was Liu Yuyang, the chief true disciple of Azure Cloud Sect from One Sect, Four Gates, and the man hailed as Stability Prefecture's number one genius.
Beside him stood a cold-faced youth gripping a long saber. He was Wang Nan, a genius of the Wang Family, one of the Four Gates.
It was said that Wang Nan possessed an extraordinarily high talent for the saber. He began practicing at seven, reached the peak of the Acquired Realm at twelve, entered the Innate Realm at seventeen, and mastered his Lineage's supreme art, the Overlapping Wave Saber Technique, at nineteen.
Now twenty-two, his strength had already reached the fourth level of the Innate Realm. People had declared that he would surely become a Grandmaster in the future.
The other person was a woman with a proud temperament, cold as frost. She was a genius of the Zhao Family, one of the Four Gates.
Her name was Zhao Xinxin.
Zhao Xinxin possessed exceptional talent in music and rhythm. She had joined the Phantom Sound Sect as a disciple from a young age, and upon hearing of her Lineage's martial competition, she had specially returned from the sect.
As the Ding Province Martial Meet was approaching, she accepted Liu Yuyang's invitation and came to Dingzhou City with him.
Furthermore, rumors in the martial world claimed that Azure Cloud Sect and the Zhao Family intended to form a marriage alliance, with Liu Yuyang and Zhao Xinxin being the two involved.
The two were considered well matched. One was the chief true disciple of Azure Cloud Sect, Stability Prefecture's greatest sect.
The other was the beloved jewel in the palm of the Zhao Family, one of Stability Prefecture's Four Gates.
However, Zhao Xinxin did not like Liu Yuyang, because she had fallen for the Phantom Sound Sect's senior brother.
Though Liu Yuyang was certainly outstanding, he was still far inferior to the Phantom Sound Sect's senior brother.
The geniuses recorded on the Hidden Dragon Rankings were all under thirty years old.
Once they passed thirty, they would be removed from the rankings.
Though the current prodigies on the Hidden Dragon Rankings shone brilliantly, the prodigies of the previous generation who had left the rankings had already begun contending on the Human Ranking, which recorded Grandmasters.
In this martial world, there was no shortage of geniuses.
Each generation of the Hidden Dragon Rankings contained one hundred and eight names. Every year, some left due to age while others took their places. Over time, who knew how many prodigies the major forces had accumulated?
Some geniuses who had once shone incomparably brightly on the Hidden Dragon Rankings, after leaving due to age, devoted themselves to cultivation. Their strength grew ever more terrifying, and they gradually became the backbone of their respective forces.
Of course, the most terrifying of all were the monsters ranked in the top ten of each generation's Hidden Dragon Rankings.
Those monsters would one day become overlords who shook an entire region, or successors to their respective forces.
There had once been a monster from the Hidden Dragon Rankings who held firmly to the first position until he left the rankings at thirty.
He was known as the Astonishing Rainbow Sword, a genius of the transcendent Sword Pavilion.
It was said that he had now become the Sword Pavilion's Young Pavilion Master. Once the Sword Pavilion Master stepped down, he could become the new master of the Sword Pavilion, shining in mutual splendor with Ye Xuanqing, who currently ranked first on the Hidden Dragon Rankings.
As a transcendent force of the Zhenwu Continent and the foremost sword power under heaven, the Sword Pavilion's strength was plain to see.
Moreover, the current Pavilion Master was a Shattering Realm expert, one of the supreme powers on the Heavenly Ranking, able to stand as an equal beside the Emperor of the Wu Kingdom.
He was known as the Sword Emperor, meaning the emperor of the sword path.
Of the remaining two, one was Liu Yuyang's junior sister, a true disciple of Azure Cloud Sect who admired Liu Yuyang.
The other was a genius from a force slightly weaker than One Sect, Four Gates.
At this moment, Zhao Xinxin spoke. She frowned lightly and said, "Who is this Lin Xiao? He actually dares to publicly oppose Stability Prefecture's martial world. Does he not know that the Stability Prefecture court has the weakest control over Stability Prefecture's martial world?"
"Doing this is no different from seeking death."
Liu Yuyang snapped his folding fan shut, smiling as he shrugged. "Who knows? Perhaps he is simply some greenhorn who does not know the depth of heaven and earth."
"We only need to watch the show."
"Lin Xiao, you finally came out. Well? Have you thought it through? Are you ready to admit your mistake to us? Hahaha..."
A burst of unrestrained laughter rang out.
Several martial artists looked at Lin Xiao disdainfully.
Lin Xiao swept his gaze over them and said indifferently, "A pack of martial world rabble, mere ants, yet you dare act so wantonly. Those who are not afraid of death, follow me out of the city. Today, this official will show you who truly rules this land."
"Boy, do not be so arrogant. Since you are courting death, when we reach outside the city, this master will grant your wish."
A burly man carrying a broad-backed saber suddenly shot into the air and sped toward the city gates.
Lin Xiao glanced at Chang Le and Xue Shan. "If you two are not afraid of death, follow me. If you are afraid, remain here and wait."
Without another word, Xue Shan followed Lin Xiao away.
Chang Le stood where he was, hesitating for a moment. The expression on his face shifted repeatedly before he finally stepped forward and followed.
A horse let out a shrill neigh.
It galloped rapidly in from the distance, and just as it was about to pass Lin Xiao—
Without even turning his head, Lin Xiao reached out and caught the reins. Borrowing the force, he spun once through the air and landed astride the horse's back. His movements were exceptionally dashing, drawing involuntary praise from all who saw them.
This horse was precisely the mount he had ridden from the capital to Stability Prefecture.
He had once left it in Chen Family Village. Later, Chang Le had sent someone to retrieve it, and it happened to be delivered today.
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