You Dare Lay Hands on My Men?

"You have no say in whether you're going or not."

As soon as Chang Le finished speaking, he directly gave Xue Shan a look.

Xue Shan suddenly took a step forward, one hand gripping his saber hilt as a powerful aura rose and pressed down upon Yue Qi.

After taking the Lesser Revitalizing Pill, Xue Shan's strength had already reached the Innate Realm.

Yue Qi was merely an Acquired Realm martial artist. How could he possibly withstand the pressure of Xue Shan's aura?

"Ah!!!"

Unable to bear it any longer, Yue Qi suddenly roared in fury, drew the longsword at his waist, and charged at Xue Shan.

A sharp light flickered in Xue Shan's eyes. This was precisely the effect he wanted.

As long as Yue Qi dared resist, it would be defying the law.

"What a traitor, daring to openly defy the law."

Seeing Yue Qi actually dare to resist, everyone sighed and shook their heads.

Yue Qi was still too rash. In a situation like this, even if he were beaten to death, he could not resist. After all, Chang Le and Xue Shan had come under Lin Xiao's orders.

He could stall for time and find someone powerful to resolve the matter, but he could not resist.

Though Lin Xiao was not the Thousand-Household Officer in charge of him, Lin Xiao did indeed have the authority to enforce the law.

After all, Jinyiwei Thousand-Household Officers all had the right to supervise one another.

Why was there only one Pacification Envoy, yet so many Thousand-Household Officers?

Was it not to prevent power from becoming overly concentrated and giving rise to rebellion?

Of course, having so many Thousand-Household Officers was also meant to help the Pacification Envoy share the burden of affairs.

In short, Thousand-Household Officers did indeed exist to supervise and check one another.

Seeing Yue Qi charging over, Xue Shan abruptly drew the saber at his waist. True qi burst forth, instantly knocking Yue Qi's weapon flying. Then Xue Shan raised a foot and kicked Yue Qi so hard that he spat blood and flew backward, smashing a distant table and chairs to pieces.

Before Yue Qi could even climb back to his feet, a saber was already pressed against his throat.

Looking into Xue Shan's icy eyes, Yue Qi knew that if he dared make another move, this man would absolutely kill him.

"Heh. Take him away."

Chang Le gave a disdainful laugh and called Xue Shan over, preparing to leave.

But just then, a commotion suddenly arose among the distant Jinyiwei. The crowd parted, and a young man of around thirty approached with two Jinyiwei Hundred-Household Officers.

"Who is so bold as to dare arrest one of my men?"

The moment he arrived, the man stood with his hands behind his back and looked disdainfully at Chang Le and Xue Shan.

Seeing his superior, Yue Qi hurriedly shouted, "My lord, save me! These two claim that I colluded with people from the martial world and want to take me to the Imperial Prison."

"My lord, you know my loyalty better than anyone. How could I possibly do such a thing? Even if you lent me ten times the courage, I still wouldn't dare!"

Yan Lifeng gave a slight nod. "Of course I know what kind of person you are. But even if you committed a mistake, it should be handled by me. Who is so ignorant of the rules?"

When Chang Le saw Yan Lifeng, he felt things had become difficult. He had not expected this man to arrive so quickly.

Had he managed to send Yue Qi into the Imperial Prison first, it would have been useless even if Yan Lifeng came.

He then stepped forward and respectfully said, "Reporting to my lord, this man colluded with outsiders and harmed the court's interests. He must be taken back for questioning. I ask that my lord not make things difficult for this subordinate."

Yan Lifeng sneered. "Not make things difficult for you?"

"Who exactly is making things difficult for whom now? You came to my territory to seize my man, yet you dare say that I am making things difficult for you?"

"You're quite skilled at turning black into white."

"No matter who sent you, release him to me right now. Otherwise, don't blame me for being discourteous."

"My lord, forgive me, but this subordinate cannot comply."

Chang Le gritted his teeth as he spoke.

"Hmm?"

Yan Lifeng's gaze turned cold. One of the Hundred-Household Officers behind him instantly drew his saber halfway from its sheath, and a chilling killing intent enveloped Chang Le.

Promotion within the Jinyiwei required not only merit, but strength to match.

Every Hundred-Household Officer had reached the Innate Realm.

The moment that Hundred-Household Officer made his move, he unleashed the aura of an Innate Realm expert.

Chang Le, who was only in the Acquired Realm, could not withstand it at all.

At this moment, Chang Le was in the same state Yue Qi had been in when facing Xue Shan.

But just as Chang Le found himself caught between a rock and a hard place, Xue Shan also unleashed his aura.

The auras of two Innate Realm martial artists collided, whipping up sand and dust all around them.

"Boy, you're merely two Jinyiwei strongmen. If you dare resist, you'll be committing insubordination."

That Hundred-Household Officer took another step forward, his aura growing even more powerful.

"Forgive me. I am acting under orders."

Xue Shan answered without servility or arrogance.

"What a fine 'acting under orders.' Then today, I'll take you down and see how you continue acting under orders."

As his words fell, the Hundred-Household Officer stomped fiercely on the ground. The saber at his waist left its sheath and came slashing down, carrying an overwhelming force.

Facing that vicious descending slash, Xue Shan showed not the slightest fear. He also swung his saber upward from below.

Xue Shan unleashed his family's Nine Suns Saber Technique. Like rolling, overlapping waves, all his strength condensed into this single strike.

Clang!!!

A resounding crash of metal rang out, and Xue Shan's feet left two deep prints in the ground.

Meanwhile, the Hundred-Household Officer was sent spinning through the air by the rebounding force.

The two were evenly matched in their first exchange, but neither stopped.

Instead, they began fighting fiercely in the middle of the grounds.

Though Xue Shan had only broken through to the Innate Realm today, relying on his family's Nine Suns Saber Technique, he was still able to fight that Hundred-Household Officer on equal footing.

Ever since Yan Lifeng arrived, everyone knew that Chang Le and Xue Shan were bound to suffer a loss.

This clash was, in truth, a struggle over Yan Lifeng and Lin Xiao's prestige.

If Yue Qi was taken away, Yan Lifeng would lose face.

But if Yue Qi could not be taken away, Lin Xiao would lose face.

And for Lin Xiao, losing face meant that the prestige he had accumulated over the past few days would scatter away in a single morning.

As the two crossed paths, Xue Shan narrowed his eyes and seized the opportunity to sweep his saber horizontally.

The Hundred-Household Officer's expression changed drastically. Xue Shan had extensive combat experience; he had exposed only the slightest opening, yet Xue Shan had actually caught it.

It was already too late to raise his saber to block. He could only avoid the vital areas as best he could and take the strike head-on.

But at that moment, another person charged in.

It was the other Hundred-Household Officer standing behind Yan Lifeng.

That Hundred-Household Officer had chosen his moment perfectly. If Xue Shan continued attacking the first Hundred-Household Officer, the other man would certainly kill him.

But if he did not continue his attack, he would lose this opportunity.

Moreover, even if he pressed on with the attack, he could at most lightly wound that Hundred-Household Officer, while he himself would suffer at least severe injuries. If things went badly, his life might even be in danger.

Left with no choice, Xue Shan could only withdraw his saber and evade.

Having lost his opportunity, Xue Shan faced two Innate Realm Hundred-Household Officers alone. Within a few moves, he fell into a disadvantage. His defeat was only a matter of time.

Watching this scene, Yan Lifeng wore a cold smile on his lips.

"Lin Xiao, I, Yan Lifeng, have got you right where I want you."

In truth, the entire Pacification Office was deeply hostile toward Lin Xiao.

After all, Lin Xiao was so young, yet he possessed the Emperor-bestowed Flying Fish Uniform and Embroidered Spring Blade. And after only a few days in office, he had leapt directly from a Banner Officer to a Thousand-Household Officer.

He also enjoyed the Emperor's favor.

How could that not inspire jealousy?

Clang!!!

The sabers of the two Hundred-Household Officers knocked the saber from Xue Shan's hand flying. Then one of them followed through with a downward slash.

That man clearly intended to kill Xue Shan.

"Xue Shan!"

Seeing this, Chang Le's face went pale with fright. He drew the saber from his waist and rushed forward to rescue Xue Shan, but his strength was far too weak.

By the time he reached him, Xue Shan would already be dead.

Watching the Blade Light draw ever closer, Xue Shan was afraid, but he did not panic. Though he had lived a lifetime in humiliation, the glory he had enjoyed these past two days was already enough to satisfy him.

His only regret was that he had failed to become a Banner Officer.

"You dare lay hands on my men? Have you all grown tired of living?"

Xue Shan had thought death was his only fate, yet the Hundred-Household Officer's saber suddenly stopped in midair.

No matter how much force the man used, the blade would not move an inch.

Everyone who saw this sucked in a cold breath.

What kind of strength was needed to accomplish something like this?