From the main gate of the courtyard, a cobblestone path extended outward, connecting all the way to the pier on the Liujing River.
At the bridgehead, more than a hundred Imperial Guards stood on either side of the pier like statues, clad in heavy armor and gripping long iron spears, their expressionless faces fixed on the directions under their watch.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from upstream beneath the pier.
The Imperial Guards quickly noticed him and immediately turned to look. Sharp gazes swept upstream, locking onto the white-clad young man standing atop a small boat drifting downstream.
Seeing the young man's appearance, the commander of the guards stationed at the pier frowned slightly.
He raised a hand, and the surrounding guards moved in unison, drawing powerful bows and crossbows from their backs and waists and aiming them at the white-clad young man standing with his hands behind his back aboard the boat.
"Clang—"
The sound of bowstrings being drawn rang out, yet the white-clad young man at the bow did not react at all.
The commander did not hesitate. Without even giving a warning, he swung his arm, intending to order the guards beside him to shoot the intruder dead.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Shrill whistles tore through the air as a skyful of arrows, like locusts blotting out the sun, shot from the pier and both riverbanks, instantly sealing off the white-clad young man on the skiff.
Icy killing intent came crashing down with the dense arrow rain, yet the white-clad young man at the bow did not so much as twitch a brow.
He casually flicked his sleeve, and the river beneath his feet suddenly roared like an enraged dragon turning over, raising a towering wave!
The huge wave surged forth, carrying the force of ten thousand tons as