Cloud Dragon Lake, Cloud Dragon Mountain

Three days later, a tall figure clad in a Flying Fish Robe and carrying a Spring Embroidered Saber strode quickly and landed before Su Changqing's courtyard.

Several people followed closely behind him.

"Commander Su, Zhou Chu requests an audience," Zhou Chu called out, frowning slightly.

He stepped forward and pushed open the gate, suddenly stunned. Before his eyes was a youth enveloped in golden light.

The youth sat cross-legged beneath the large willow tree, his sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes adorned with brocade and snow, his waist cinched by a red Flying Fish sash. His eyes were slightly open.

A faint golden light emanated from him, vast as the sky, with rolling waves of energy that made it difficult for Zhou Chu to stand.

"Commander Su, what cultivation technique is this?" Zhou Chu asked, frozen in place, deeply shocked.

"Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill," Su Changqing replied, opening his eyes, his gaze deep as he looked at him.

The few people behind him were also stunned. Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill?

Hadn't this skill been abandoned by the martial world long ago?

This was the supreme protector divine skill of Tibetan Esoteric Buddhism, yet few even among them practiced it because it was too time-consuming.

"May I ask Commander Su, what level have you reached?" Zhou Chu quickly cupped his hands.

He had once ridden with Su Changqing through Changfeng Street, killing the true disciples of Mang Mountain. He remained a Centurion, while Su Changqing was now a Commander.

"I've made some progress, the fourth turn," Su Changqing said calmly as he stood up.

Zhou Chu's heart grew even more astonished. Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill was a Heaven-grade cultivation technique. It was no wonder Su Changqing was surrounded by a faint golden light; he had truly mastered it.

The fourth turn? Even someone with innate divine strength would likely be unable to contend with Su Changqing.

"Sir, Commander Jin has ordered us to report," Zhou Chu said, cupping his hands again.

He was keen to serve under Su Changqing. By rights, a Deputy Commander could choose three Centurions to expand their combat readiness.

Centurions were also willing to find a strong patron.

However, Su Changqing had never chosen anyone, leaving him as a lone veteran.

Since Zhou Chu had a past connection with Su Changqing, he naturally wanted to get the advantage of proximity.

Su Changqing nodded slightly and walked to a nearby weapon rack, scanning the items. The Suppression Bureau had equipped it for him with axes, halberds, hooks, whips, maces, hammers, and claws...

His gaze finally settled on the last Azure Dragon Crescent Blade. He reached out and shook it, and the long blade fell into his palm.

He swept the long blade, his demeanor peerless.

"Let's go, we're meeting Commander Jin," Su Changqing said as he strode forward.

After three days of arduous cultivation, not only had the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill reached a satisfactory level, achieving the fourth turn, but his True Qi had also reached the Xiantian Second Layer.

If he were to unleash his full power now, his combat strength would definitely surpass that of an ordinary Commander.

"The Suppression Bureau has a saying that Commander Su is like Little Guan Gong, who could kill Ye Tian like a dog with his Azure Dragon Crescent Blade. Seeing him today, it is indeed true," Zhou Chu marveled inwardly.

Soon, they arrived at the main hall of the Suppression Bureau. Outside the hall, nearly three thousand Imperial Guards were gathered. Chen Mo, Li Kongxiang, Ye Ronghuo, and others were all present, their waists adorned with Spring Embroidered Sabers and Flying Fish Robes, their bearing stern and murderous.

This was almost the entirety of the Suppression Bureau's strength.

It seemed a major operation was imminent. Su Changqing's eyes narrowed slightly as he stepped inside.

Inside, a dozen or so people were scattered about, all looking at Su Changqing. One gaze, sharp and cold, swept over him.

Su Changqing looked and saw it was Ye Tian. He smiled lightly and took the seat next to him.

"You scoundrel, how dare you show yourself to me today?" Ye Tian said to Su Changqing, his voice cold.

His chest was wrapped in white bandages. Even with his astonishing physique, the sword wound Su Changqing had inflicted that day had not yet healed.

"Why wouldn't I dare? We both serve under Commander Jin. Behave yourself today," Su Changqing said with a smile.

"You, a mere servant, have risen to this point with no connections, no background, and no planning. Today, I will show you what it means to be suppressed by power!"

Ye Tian sneered and said no more.

Su Changqing ignored him and instead surveyed the surroundings, observing the potential of these Deputy Commanders.

Including himself, there were only nine scattered individuals.

Soon, Jin Yichuan and a black-robed middle-aged man strode in. Jin Yichuan, a man of such arrogance, was now willingly taking a subordinate position and following the other man.

"Greetings, Commander Zuo!" everyone stood up and cupped their hands.

Su Changqing also cupped his hands slightly, simultaneously observing the man.

The middle-aged man in black was not particularly tall, even a bit thin, but his aura was steady. He walked with a powerful stride, his face heroic, and his sword-like eyebrows reaching his temples. Six steel sabers were behind him, glinting sharply in the sunlight, brimming with edge.

"I am here by order of the court. The entire Suppression Bureau is to mobilize and eliminate the Cloud Dragon Lake bandits!" Commander Zuo cupped his hands in return, looking at everyone calmly.

"Anyone who slacks off in today's battle will be executed immediately! Next, I will transmit all the intelligence gathered by the Imperial Guard's secret agents to you."

Sheets of yellow paper were placed before many of the Imperial Guard Deputy Commanders. These were the intelligence reports from tens of thousands of Imperial Guard secret agents deployed throughout the Great Shang's jianghu.

This was also why the Scarlet Blood Scholar, after arriving in Chang'an City, only visited courtesans and did not kill; his Purple Blood Soft Sword was still registered.

The world is vast, but none is more so than Great Shang. The intelligence gathered is more than anyone, even the Divine Marquis.

His intelligence network even encompassed the Western Regions, Fusang, Dali... and other places.

"Cloud Dragon Lake, with Cloud Dragon Mountain above it and the vast Azure Sea lake below, stretches for a hundred miles..."

Su Changqing gazed at the intelligence report, examining it closely. Cloud Dragon Lake had nearly a thousand bandits, led by seven chiefs, all of whom were in the Xiantian realm and possessed extraordinary strength.

This was almost comparable to the combat power of Mang Mountain. No wonder they could occupy a mountain and a lake, and it required the entire Suppression Bureau to be dispatched to resolve the situation.

Su Changqing's eyes narrowed slightly. Just as he was about to look further, he saw Ye Tian turn his cold gaze towards him, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

He had cultivated the fourth turn of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill. This person was even less of his match now. The Overlord Saber was enough with one strike!

Who gave that person such great confidence? Su Changqing's brow suddenly furrowed. It seemed they were still short one Commander. What about Tai Long?

"Ye Tian, the Suppression Bureau is heading west. There's a medicinal shop five li down Changfeng Street. You can go there. I'll give you the money."

Su Changqing looked up and suddenly said to him calmly.

Ye Tian didn't understand at first. When he did, his face instantly darkened, and he slammed the intelligence report onto the table.

It was as if he couldn't afford to treat an illness.

No, he wasn't ill in the first place.

"None of you are allowed to make a fuss. We depart in half an hour. Wait for Commander Tai to return."

Zuo Qianhu frowned slightly, looking at Jin Yichuan. He instructed, "You need to manage these two new Deputy Thousand Households well. How can personal grudges and desires compare to matters of the court?"

Jin Yichuan quickly nodded and glared at Su Changqing and Ye Tian.

"That's true. Why hasn't Commander Tai returned yet? We're only half an hour away from departure," Jin Yichuan frowned.

A figure strode over from a distance. He was tall and burly, his arms exposed, muscles bulging like solid rock.

He was as thick as an ox, like a ferocious bear. He seemed to be holding something in his hand as he stood at the doorway, his towering figure almost blocking the sunlight outside.

"Su Changqing, get out here!"

Su Changqing's brow furrowed sharply. As expected, this must be Tai Long, the Commander.

He had never met him before and didn't know when he had offended him.

Beside him, Ye Tian took a deep breath. If he hadn't been confident in defeating Su Changqing in a short time, he truly wouldn't have wanted to leverage his connection with Tai Long.

"Commander Tai, Su Changqing is here."

Su Changqing glanced at Ye Tian, understanding the situation, and stepped forward.

"You stole Ye Ronghuo's mission from Ye Tian and killed your own comrade, Iron Claw Flying Eagle, outside the Great Buddha Temple with inhumane cruelty. Today, I will destroy you. Do you admit it?"

A head was casually thrown out by Tai Long, rolling across the floor.

Only the skull remained, with messy hair. The flesh and eyes were gone, as if gnawed by a beast, bearing the marks of sharp teeth.

"What is this?" Jin Yichuan's eyes narrowed.

"Iron Claw Flying Eagle's head. Did he think no one knew what he had done?" Tai Long said coldly.

The many Deputy Thousand Households stared at the skull, sighing. Iron Claw Flying Eagle was, after all, a True Qi realm expert and a Centurion of the Imperial Guard. They never expected him to end up like this.

"Without a thorough investigation, how can you jump to such conclusions?" Jin Yichuan frowned.

He knew about Ye Tian and Tai Long's master-disciple relationship.

When Ye Tian was a child, he fell into a Withered Well and ate snake eggs, acquiring the Seven Orifices Exquisite constitution. He received the true teachings of an Imperial Guard Commander, which were passed down by this Tai Long.

Although they did not observe the formalities of master and disciple, the entire Suppression Bureau knew that Ye Tian was Tai Long's disciple.