But I'm Protecting Lord Yan's Reputation

The crowd hadn't recovered from the shocking scene before them when they saw a figure appear in the arena.

The man stood tall and straight, clad in a golden-threaded, four-clawed Flying Fish Uniform, his hands clasped behind his back, exuding a commanding aura.

The newcomer was none other than Lin Xiao. He stood calmly in the arena, his gaze sweeping over the Centurion who had been wielding the saber at Xue Shan.

"My man. Who do you think you are to even touch him?"

As his words fell, an invisible force exploded in front of Xue Shan.

The two Centurions were instantly flung away, crashing straight through the walls of the nearby Junior Officer's office.

Lin Xiao's move silenced everyone; the entire scene was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Hiss!!!

His strength was terrifying.

They had all heard that Lin Xiao was strong, but they had never seen it with their own eyes. Today, witnessing it firsthand, they were so frightened they didn't dare breathe loudly.

Yan Lifeng's eyes narrowed slightly as he saw Lin Xiao, a hint of apprehension in his heart.

Of course, even if Lin Xiao was strong, he didn't believe Lin Xiao would dare to do anything to him.

Because he had someone above him.

Someone Lin Xiao couldn't afford to offend.

"Heh, Commander Lin is certainly showing his authority. Are you trying to give me a hard time right after taking office?"

"Yue Qi is a Junior Officer under my command. Even if he has made a mistake, I should be notified and handle it. Commander Lin directly sending people to arrest him... isn't that a bit disrespectful to me?"

Lin Xiao finally turned around, his gaze fixed on Yan Lifeng.

"Commander Yan, it's true that Yue Qi is your man, but the mistakes he's made are unforgivable. If Commander Yan were to handle this, I fear there would be suspicion of corruption."

"I'm doing this to protect Commander Yan's reputation."

Hearing Lin Xiao's unreasonable arguments, Yan Lifeng's face turned ugly.

"Is Commander Lin implying that I'm protecting my subordinates?"

Lin Xiao said calmly, "Doesn't Commander Yan's actions today perfectly illustrate whether or not you're protecting your subordinates?"

"Lin Xiao, you're being too presumptuous! My uncle is the Grand Secretary of the Dynasty, the head of all officials, and deeply favored by the Emperor. My Yan family has always taken loyalty to the Emperor and love for the country as our duty. How could we do something that would disgrace our family's reputation?"

Yan Lifeng quickly rebuked Lin Xiao's words.

He couldn't let Lin Xiao pin such a charge on him.

Even if it was baseless, if it reached the Emperor's ears, it would arouse suspicion, even if it wasn't true.

After all, the Emperor's mind was the most difficult to fathom. Who knew if the Emperor would be in a bad mood and become dissatisfied with their Yan family?

Although his uncle held the highest position among officials, the Emperor could deal with him with just a word.

The current Emperor was known as the most powerful Emperor in five hundred years, and the country's power had reached its peak, shaking the four seas.

No one dared to make the Emperor unhappy, or the consequences would be dire.

Lin Xiao sneered, "Since Commander Yan is from a family of loyalty, then do what a loyal subject should do."

"Yue Qi's treachery must be thoroughly investigated to give His Majesty an explanation."

"You..."

Yan Lifeng looked at Lin Xiao, gritting his teeth, unsure how to stop him.

Normally, a Junior Officer wouldn't warrant such protection, but that Junior Officer was his man, and this was a matter of face between him and Lin Xiao.

Once Yue Qi was taken away, his face would be completely trampled by Lin Xiao.

But now he had no good reason to refuse. Forcibly stopping them would only give Lin Xiao a handle to use against him, but if he didn't stop them, he couldn't afford to lose face, putting him in a dilemma.

Seeing Yan Lifeng speechless, Lin Xiao sneered in disdain and waved his hand, "Take him away."

Chang Le and Xue Shan immediately responded, taking the pale-faced Yue Qi away.

"Sir, save me! I'm innocent! I don't want to go to the Imperial Prison!"

As a member of the Jinyiwei, Yue Qi knew the horrors of the Imperial Prison.

Over a hundred tortures, no one could withstand them.

Everyone in the world knew that they would rather commit suicide than enter the Imperial Prison.

"Stop right there! I want to see who dares to take him away today!"

Yan Lifeng finally couldn't let go of his pride and didn't want to be suppressed by Lin Xiao like this. He suddenly roared, his aura erupting.

He actually possessed the strength of the Grandmaster Realm.

The crowd didn't seem surprised.

Because throughout the Pacification Office, it was no secret that Yan Lifeng was a Grandmaster Realm expert.

The Ding Province Garrison Command had a total of three Grandmasters.

One of them was this Yan Lifeng.

Yesterday, Yan Lifeng was not present when Lin Xiao received the military warrant in the Pacification Office's main hall. He has only just returned from an outing today.

Boom!!!

A terrifying aura pressed directly towards Chang Le and Xue Shan.

Just as the two of them were about to succumb, Lin Xiao's figure appeared before them, and that oppressive feeling vanished in an instant.

"My lord."

Seeing that Lin Xiao had shielded them from Yan Lifeng's aura, they were both visibly moved.

"Alright, take him down. I will handle things here."

"Lin Xiao, I dare you!"

A furious roar rang out.

Yan Lifeng transformed into a blur, and when he reappeared, he was already in front of Lin Xiao, throwing a punch with explosive force.

The terrifying wind pressure from the punch forced everyone to retreat.

"Interesting."

Facing Yan Lifeng's punch, Lin Xiao also raised his palm to meet it.

Boom!!!

The two exchanged blows, instantly unleashing terrifying shockwaves.

The surrounding ground was instantly cleared.

After the exchange, Lin Xiao remained motionless, while Yan Lifeng only swayed slightly before throwing another punch.

His fist was filled with vigorous essence, his entire being billowing like wolf smoke.

This was the ultimate manifestation of cultivating a supremely Yang technique.

"Great Subduing Tiger Fist."

"Look, it seems Thousand-Household Commander Yan is using the Shaolin Temple's Seventy-Two Supreme Arts, the Great Subduing Tiger Fist."

"It really does seem like the Shaolin Temple's Seventy-Two Supreme Arts. How does Lord Yan know Shaolin Temple techniques?"

Everyone was shocked that Yan Lifeng knew Shaolin Temple techniques.

But Lin Xiao didn't care in the slightest.

So what if it was the Shaolin Temple's Seventy-Two Supreme Arts?

Among those of the same cultivation realm, there was no one he feared.

The two exchanged blows at an incredible speed, and in the blink of an eye, they had already traded more than ten moves.

Roar!!!

A dragon's roar echoed throughout the Pacification Office. Lin Xiao unleashed a palm strike, the domineering force sending Yan Lifeng flying.

"How about you take one of my punches?"

Lin Xiao laughed loudly, using a move that was exactly the same as the one Yan Lifeng had used earlier.

It was also the Great Subduing Tiger Fist.

"How does Thousand-Household Commander Lin also know the Great Subduing Tiger Fist? Are the Shaolin Temple's Seventy-Two Supreme Arts common knowledge now?"

Of course, Lin Xiao didn't know the Great Subduing Tiger Fist. The reason he could use it was because he was relying on the Heaven Collapsing Earth Sinking Grand Formless Skill from the Heaven and Earth Intersecting Yin Yang Great Compassion Art.

A technique that could penetrate all the mysteries of heaven and earth and trace back to the source.

Of course, this technique could only imitate the form and could not truly replicate the essence.

The reason why the Great Subduing Tiger Fist that Lin Xiao unleashed had the same power and aura as Yan Lifeng's was because of Lin Xiao's cultivation realm.

He was forcibly activating it with the powerful true energy within his body.

Ah!!!

Faced with Lin Xiao's domineering punch, Yan Lifeng felt the pressure, roared in anger, and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Bang!!!

Yan Lifeng couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood and fly backward.

Just as Lin Xiao's fist was about to continue attacking Yan Lifeng with undiminished force, A dignified voice rang out: "Enough, stop it, both of you."

Lin Xiao's wrist was grabbed, and the remaining power in his fist was neutralized.