Great Ominousness! Great Ominousness!

"The General wishes to see Brother Qiu?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Hong and the others' expressions changed slightly, and they immediately realized the reason behind it.

"Guard Miao, is the military governor summoning Brother Qiu over because of the Marshfolk Prince?" someone beside Liu Hong asked, clearly recognizing the visitor.

The Miao guard looked in the direction of the voice, saw who it was, and nodded. "That's right, the Marshfolk Prince's men have already explained everything to the General."

"This is a case of the guilty party accusing the innocent first!"

"That's a brilliant tactic!"

"That's utterly shameless!"

Upon hearing this, many soldiers couldn't help but curse aloud, while others tried to explain the situation to Guard Miao: "Guard Miao, it wasn't Brother Qiu who caused the trouble. It was those Marshfolk who went to the camp first, making things difficult for us and releasing poisonous insects. If Zhang Qi hadn't risked his life to stop them, all of us brothers would have been poisoned. Afterwards, we brought Zhang Qi here for treatment, but we were blocked by the Marshfolk. If it weren't for Brother Qiu stepping forward and speaking up for justice, the consequences would have been unimaginable!"

"That's right! The Marshfolk are despicable, resorting to verbal attacks and backstabbing, and now they're even turning around and accusing others first. They're utterly shameless!"

The soldiers, one after another, recounted the entire story. The Miao guard listened, pieced together the events, and frowned. "So there were these twists and turns in this whole affair?"

This Miao guard was the personal bodyguard of Jiedushi Song Yuan. These personal guards patrolled the Military Governor's Residence on weekdays and provided close protection during wartime. They were all Song Yuan's trusted confidants. The "Grand General" they were referring to was none other than Song Yuan, the Jiedushi of Wuxin Commandery. This was because, in addition to his position as Jiedushi, Song Yuan also held the titles of Protector-General of Annam and Grand General of Annam.

Although the personal guards were close to the military governor, they were still soldiers at heart, belonging to the Wuxin Commandery. They formed their own faction within the army, vying for power and fighting with other factions. However, when facing external enemies, they could still unite as one. Therefore, after understanding what had happened, the Miao personal guards also felt dissatisfied and their attitude towards Qiu Yan became slightly more amiable.

"Young Master Qiu, there are still some details to this matter, but the General's orders cannot be disobeyed. Please come with me first, and I will report the matter to the Commander and try to plead with the General."

After hearing Miao Qinwei's statement, Qiu Yan nodded and followed him.

Watching the two figures depart, Liu Hong said, "The cause of this matter lies with us. We can't let Brother Qiu suffer the consequences. You two stay here and look after Zhang Qi. I'll go to the military camp now and inform the general, so he can also plead for leniency."

After saying that, he also set off.

In the tavern across the street, many people witnessed this scene. They had their own guesses, and most shook their heads and sighed, but the two scholars exchanged a glance, smiled silently, and felt as if they had a masterful plan that had been devised without fail.

"Young Master Qiu, the General is in a good mood today. When you have your audience later, you can explain the whole story clearly. But do not contradict the General, lest you make things worse."

Miao, the guard, led the horse and walked alongside Qiu Yan. He gave Qiu Yan some instructions, clearly out of good intentions. Although Qiu Yan had already made plans, he still nodded repeatedly.

The two walked a few steps and, as they passed a street corner, a Daoist priest came towards them.

The Daoist priest had his hair styled in a topknot and looked to be only seventeen or eighteen years old. He held a whisk and had a refined demeanor, but his Daoist robe was rather strange. Although it had a cross-collar and wide sleeves, the trim was fiery red. As he walked, the trim swayed as if blood was flowing, but upon closer inspection, it was clear that it was just an illusion.

The Daoist priest staggered over, and when he passed by Qiu Yan, he suddenly stopped, took a step forward, and stared at Qiu Yan with wide eyes, scrutinizing him carefully.

This unexpected turn of events naturally made Qiu Yan and Miao Qinwei stop in their tracks, wanting to find out what was going on.

Qiu Yan narrowed his eyes and scrutinized the Daoist priest. He sensed a profound and unfathomable aura emanating from him, especially his eyes, which were filled with a sense of vicissitude, unlike those of a young man.

"This is definitely not a young Daoist priest!"

Across from him, the Daoist priest, after examining him for a moment, suddenly spoke, "Esteemed benefactor, I see your forehead is dark, foretelling misfortune; your eyebrows are raised, indicating a lack of flattery and a tendency to anger influential people; the lines on your eyebrows and nose signify a lack of mourners after your death, a truly tragic end. I observe that your three vital energies indicate meager fortune, short lifespan, and premature death; your vital energy is abundant but lacks clarity; two of your Three Souls are already fixed, but the Heavenly Road is uncertain, and ultimately you will all vanish into nothingness. A great calamity! A great calamity!"

When the Daoist priest spoke, his voice was deep and resonant, not that of a young man, but rather that of an old man in his sixties. Moreover, he spoke words of great ominousness, his words flowing in waves, one after another, causing the Miao guard to subconsciously feel pressure and as if a tidal wave was crashing over him!

On the contrary, Qiu Yan, the person in question, kept his eyes narrowed and watched the Daoist priest calmly.

The Daoist priest continued, "The consequences of today are the causes of yesterday. This ominous sign is clearly due to your evil deeds. You killed a noble person and offended the Grand Duke Jupiter! No one can save you! You'd better take care of yourself!"

After saying this, the Daoist priest withdrew his gaze, gave a cold laugh, and staggered away, quickly disappearing around the street corner.

After a long while, Miao Qinwei finally recovered from his surprise and whispered, "This is just spreading rumors! Young Master Qiu, you don't need to take it to heart."

However, as soon as he finished speaking, he noticed that the passersby around him were whispering among themselves, and he could occasionally hear snippets of conversation, such as "old sage" and "unfailing strategy." This immediately reminded Miao, the guard, of a certain rumor, and he couldn't help but speak up again to remind him, "However, Young Master Qiu, you must not act impulsively later, and you must not anger the General."

Qiu Yan smiled slightly and nodded in agreement, but her mind was still replaying the scene from just now, and she had a guess in her heart.

"This Daoist priest appeared abruptly, but it seemed as if he had known me for a long time. He said I was weak and my fate was unlucky, and that it was because I had killed a noble person. He even used some bewitching methods in his words, trying to disturb my peace of mind. Little did he know that I had the Sage Manuscript to calm my mind, and these tricks had no effect on me. Hmm?"

Feeling troubled and confused, Qiu Yan suddenly had a flash of Spiritual Light.

"I see. His actions, when combined with Heart Demon, can indeed make people believe it. But if one worries constantly, has anxieties, and overthinks, even good fortune can turn into disaster! Fortune is indeed related to one's own thoughts."

With this thought in mind, his mind became clearer and clearer, and in the end, he even laughed.

"Good thing, good thing. It's most worrying when the enemy is hiding behind the scenes. On the contrary, once they come to the forefront, regardless of their cultivation level, at least there are signs, and we can figure out some things and get some clues."

As Qiu Yan pondered this, he felt increasingly relaxed, and followed Miao's personal guards into the Military Governor's Residence.

"Qiu Yan, after hearing my words, you must be filled with doubt and confusion. Your mind will become even more confused, and your Heart Demon will continue to deepen until you go completely insane."

On a street corner, the Daoist priest who had just spoken to Qiu Yan was sneering.

"His recklessness in clashing with that Marshfolk prince just now was a sign of his lost mind. He lost his sense of proportion and didn't know when to advance or retreat. If we just add fuel to the fire, he'll soon be consumed by Heart Fire and unable to extricate himself!"

The young Daoist priest's weathered eyes revealed a deep-seated hatred.

"Simply killing this man would be too lenient! Even if I were to grind his bones to dust, it wouldn't be enough to quell the hatred in my heart! Only by making him suffer endless torment, until his mind is utterly destroyed, and then being slain by my sword, will he be condemned to eternal damnation, his Living Soul entangled with his Heart Demon, forever trapped in this cycle of depravity!"

As the thoughts raced through his mind, a smile appeared on the Daoist's face. He seemed refined, yet there was a bloodthirsty aura about him. He turned his head and looked towards the center of Wuxin City. His eyes flashed with a sharp light, and his gaze seemed to pierce through all obstacles, looking directly at the Military Governor's Residence.

"That demon who stole the Divine Rank is now also seriously injured and suffering greatly. Neither Qiu Yan nor that demon can escape. In this way, he can sever his Heart Demon and remove his attachments, thus achieving the Upper Spirit Second Turn, and it's even possible that he can directly Core Formation!"

With that thought in mind, he took a step, each step leaving no trace on the ground, yet a lingering aura remained, faintly rising and connecting with something in the sky.

"Yu Zhanguo, you and I were once hailed as two heroes, yet you ultimately fell to me. This was because I acted with meticulous care, using all my strength even when hunting a rabbit! Once everything was in place, it was a thunderous strike!"

A faint scent gradually spread, subtly reaching half the city.

The Military Governor's Residence is located in the center of Wuxin City, covering an area of nearly 100 acres. The houses are continuous and the mansion is magnificent, just like a royal palace. It is said that it was once the Imperial Palace of a small country that controlled the southwest. After it was destroyed, it became a land without an owner. After several changes of ownership, it became the Military Governor's Residence.

Qiu Yan followed Miao's guards to the front of the mansion. The first thing that caught his eye was the red-lacquered gate and the stone carvings in front of it. It was Great Qi and imposing. Four men in armor stood by the gate. They were tall and straight, with a calm demeanor and sharp eyes, always watching the passers-by.

As soon as Qiu Yan reached the door, all four eyes turned to him, and Qiu Yan immediately felt a stinging pain on his face.

"To be able to pierce someone with a glance means one has the ability to sense qi, and must have at least refined one part of the soul. For such a person to be someone's house guard shows just how powerful this military governor is."

Qiu Yan had come to investigate several times before, but he had only observed from a distance and therefore had not been able to discern the gatekeeper's cultivation level.

These four gatekeepers were not personal guards, but household servants. However, household servants of military generals were not just people who watered flowers and tended to plants; on the battlefield, they could also fight and charge into battle.

Miao, the guard, stepped forward and showed his token. Then he led Qiu Yan into the mansion through the side gate. The gate of the Military Governor's Residence was not something that could be opened casually. It involved etiquette, and if one's rank was not high enough, entering through the gate would only bring trouble.

After entering the palace and passing through a garden, Miao, the guard, arranged for Qiu Yan to wait in a side room, while he himself withdrew.

The room was fully equipped, and soon a maid brought out snacks, followed by tea.

He picked it up and took a sip; the aroma filled his mouth, clearly indicating it was no ordinary tea. However, Qiu Yan had no interest in savoring it.

"Judging from the setup inside and outside this mansion, Song Yuan is definitely not a simple person. How could someone like him be deceived by the Mountain-Passing Great King, failing to discover his true identity, and even becoming his wife? Here... wait, there's a faint Yao Qi in this room. It means a demon once lingered here."

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