Three days later, at the third quarter of the hour of the Rabbit.
The sky was just beginning to brighten. A streak of fish-belly white had barely split the heavy darkness when a solemn procession of carriages and horses emerged from the entrance to East Street.
Hooves struck the bluestone road as the procession passed silently through the gates of Kuishan County.
Yang Ning wore a neat outfit of close-fitting martial clothes, with the Storm Blade hanging at his waist. He was among the procession.
Before setting out, he had handed over the Patrol Bureau's affairs one by one to Qian Zhong, Liu Qian, and the others.
Only then had he boarded the Rain Sword Sect's carriage with peace of mind.
He wasn't alone in the carriage. A Rain Sword Sect disciple sat opposite him.
The man wore a blue robe and carried a long sword on his back. His features were handsome and refined.
When Yang Ning entered, he merely nodded in greeting, then closed his eyes to rest and said no more.
The carriage set off. The horses' hooves beat rapidly, and they traveled far faster than an ordinary carriage horse.
Yang Ning touched the carriage wall with his fingertips, feeling the slight jolts caused by their speed. He mused to himself:
These horses have astonishing stamina. They run smoothly and yet incredibly fast. They're nothing like ordinary horses from the marketplace.
The Four Families and Four Sects have held their ground in Kui Mountain for so many years. As expected, they have hidden depths.
As he pondered, the carriage had already left the city. The sights beyond the gates gradually came into view.
Though it was only the hour of the Rabbit, the roads outside the city were already bustling.
The Grass Market along the roadside had