Investigation

The hall.

A few people were raising their cups and chatting over drinks.

When they heard the report, they all stopped what they were doing.

"So soon?"

Qin Jiu couldn't help but stare in surprise.

He'd asked Zheng Dahai about it earlier, and Zheng Dahai had said the Divine Guard Army would need at least another seven days to reach Songshan County.

He hadn't expected them to arrive tonight.

But when he looked at Zheng Dahai,

he couldn't help frowning.

Zheng Dahai looked bewildered.

Qi Yuan and Xu Jinghua looked just as puzzled.

"That doesn't make sense."

"A thousand-strong Divine Guard Army, escorting disciples from two other counties as well, wouldn't travel very quickly. Could I have miscalculated?"

Zheng Dahai rose, baffled. "Never mind. Come outside with me to welcome them."

At that,

the others followed him out.

Qin Jiu brought Qin Xuanzhou along behind them.

They soon reached the Outer City.

There,

they immediately saw the Divine Guard Army's encampment.

They didn't need Zheng Dahai or the others to point it out.

The army was impossible to miss.

Every soldier wore dark teal armor that gleamed with a cold light and carried a long spear. A terrifying killing intent and bloodlust hung over them. At a glance, even the weakest soldiers were Second Refining martial artists, all arrayed in neat formations.

At the front stood people of all ages and appearances.

Each had a different bearing.

Some were elderly, with the air of immortals; others were women astride white horses, silver spears in hand, their bearing heroic and spirited, or men whose sharpness seemed ready to cut through the air.

Their martial realms far surpassed those of the soldiers behind them.

Qin Jiu sensed them briefly.

He discovered that even the weakest among them were Three Refinements martial artists.

The most formidable were an old man and a man and a woman. Their auras were no weaker than Zheng Dahai's.

"Such an elite force."

"It could probably match an ordinary army of a hundred thousand."

Qin Jiu couldn't help marveling.

Martial artists were beyond ordinary men.

One could imagine how terrifying an army made up of martial artists would be. At the very least, the force before them could easily slaughter an army of a hundred thousand ordinary soldiers.

After all, the armor those soldiers wore

and the weapons they carried were all extraordinary.

"Even a martial artist of the highest realm would probably meet his end facing an army like this alone."

"Human strength has its limits."

"Even a blade would eventually go blunt."

"Wrong."

Qi Yuan, standing nearby, heard his remark and shook his head. "Once you condense true qi and break through to Elder Zheng's realm, you can come and go freely among an army like this. Even a battle formation couldn't stop you. You could kill anyone you wanted. And if you break through to Grandmaster, you'd be unmatched."

"No matter how powerful the Divine Guard Army is,"

"before a Grandmaster, they're nothing but clay chickens and pottery dogs."

His expression darkened as he said this.

Qin Jiu noticed and was about to ask why, but Qi Yuan spoke again first.

"Besides, the Divine Guard Army of the Divine Fist Sect is far weaker than the Mystic Firmament Sect's. Look at their centurions. They're only at Three Refinements. In our sect's Divine Guard Army, every centurion is at Internal Strengthening. Three Refinements is only enough to be a Squad Leader."

"This is the Divine Fist Sect's Divine Guard Army?"

"Exactly."

Qi Yuan nodded.

Zheng Dahai and Xu Jinghua also looked rather displeased.

"Well, Zheng Dahai, I didn't expect you to reach the city so quickly."

Just then,

the old man at the front of the army flickered forward like a ghost. In an instant, he stood before them, smiling at Zheng Dahai. "Your sect really is astonishingly swift."

"But I don't seem to see your army anywhere. Ah, these old eyes of mine aren't what they used to be. Sorry for the trouble, Elder Zheng, but could you tell me where your Mystic Firmament Sect's Divine Guard Army is stationed? I'll steer clear so I don't accidentally offend your sect."

"Hmph."

Zheng Dahai merely snorted.

"What's that?"

"Oh, they haven't arrived yet?" The old man chuckled. "Good, good. I was afraid I might accidentally step on a few more little grasshoppers. Those old fossils would be hopping mad again."

Zheng Dahai's eye twitched.

He was just about to rebuke him

when the old man swiftly darted back to the front of the army.

Then the troops moved in perfect unison, swiftly heading toward the western part of the city, the area closest to Songshan.

"This is trouble."

"If the Divine Fist Sect's army occupies that area..."

Xu Jinghua spoke.

He was usually taciturn, but even his brows knitted together at the sight.

"Let's wait for our army to arrive first."

Zheng Dahai shook his head. "The Divine Fist Sect has brought three Willow Tendons this time. I can't hold them back. We'll have to wait for the other sect members to gather before discussing the encampment."

The next day,

Qin Jiu was still practicing in the East Wing.

He hadn't gone to the Martial Arts Arena.

But he'd been practicing his stance for less than an hour when Qin Xuanzhou hurried in.

"Reporting to the clan head."

"The Divine Fist Sect has opened a Martial Hall in the Inner City and is recruiting in large numbers. Nearly half the people who had been lining up outside the Qin Mansion have left."

"Also, quite a few people from the martial world have flooded into the city these past few days."

"They seem to have come for the two great sects."

"Should we do anything?"

"Just strengthen our defenses."

Qin Jiu waved a hand, then said thoughtfully, "The demons within the city are gradually being cleared out, but some still lurk beyond the walls. Have people keep a close eye on the County Office and the Canal Gang, as well as the news coming from those others."

He gave the order

and sent Qin Xuanzhou away.

The Mystic Firmament Sect's Divine Guard Army should arrive within the next two or three days.

When it did, the Qin Family would leave with the escort.

Their departure was imminent.

They couldn't afford any mishaps at such a critical moment.

Qin Jiu pondered this,

then continued circulating his internal energy, using Withered Wood Meets Spring to open the hundred meridians throughout his body.

"At this pace, I'll have all my meridians open within three months and break through to Internal Strengthening. By then, the Qin Family should have established itself in Ning'an Prefecture."

"I'll be able to set out in peace and find talents to imprint."

"I just don't know about that secret method..."

His gaze was deep and distant.

As he circulated his internal energy to clear his meridians, he also sorted through his plans.

Time slipped by.

Soon, it was nearly noon.

An unexpected visitor had arrived in the East Wing.

"Senior Brother Qi, what brings you here?"

Qin Jiu saw who had come

and stopped his stance training.

He then invited Qi Yuan into the pavilion to sit.

"Most of the people who came for bone assessment today went to the Divine Fist Sect. I figured I might as well take a break from my busy schedule and come chat with you, Junior Brother."

Qi Yuan smiled.

He took the tea a servant brought and sipped it before continuing, "Elder Zheng and I have been here for two days, and we've gotten a general understanding of what's been happening in Songshan County. One thing in particular truly surprised me."

"According to what the others said..."

"A few days ago, an outer sect steward from the Divine Fist Sect entered the city with two disciples. All three of them died just a day later. Is that true?"

"It is."

Qin Jiu nodded.

Qi Yuan's gaze flickered. "Do you know that the steward was from the Baili Clan of Ning'an Prefecture? Among those who entered the city with the Divine Fist Sect last night was a prodigy of the Baili Family. He's already begun investigating the matter."