Meng Jian’s face fell at Lin Hao’s words.

"I don’t want to know. Let’s go!" Meng Jian said, her voice bone-chillingly cold.

Watching her brush past him, a hint of coldness flashed in Lin Hao’s eyes. He shrugged and said no more.

Both were proud and arrogant, and so their silence lasted the entire night.

All night long, the two of them walked on, not stopping until the sky began to lighten.

In the distance, the silhouette of a city was faintly visible.

The city lay quietly there, its silhouette like a giant, crouching beast—savage and terrifying.

"Sister Meng, I’m so tired. Let’s go into the city and get some rest."

Perhaps intentionally trying to make Lin Hao look bad, Meng Jian had kept a fast pace the entire way.

But Lin Hao, who possessed Imperial Arts, was still full of vigor despite having walked all night.

Still, holding to the idea that a gentleman doesn’t argue with a woman, Lin Hao was the one to break the silence.

"Alright," Meng Jian replied, her voice no longer as cold as before.

The two had just stepped onto the main road when they saw the city gates slowly opening in the distance.

As soon as the gates opened, several fine horses charged out.

The horses were incredibly fast, and kicking up a cloud of dust, they reached Lin Hao and Meng Jian in no time.

WHOA...

The leader was a young nobleman. Upon getting a clear look at Meng Jian’s face, he yanked on his reins. His steed let out a long neigh and skidded to a halt before the pair.

"Young Master, we must hurry. Today is a big day. It will be hard to explain to the City Lord if we are late," a middle-aged man who looked like a steward said from beside him.

The young nobleman smiled and said, "My father dotes on me. The worst he’ll do is scold me a bit. Beautiful, you look travel-worn. Why don’t you come with me? A comfortable bed in the City Lord’s Mansion is waiting for you."

His gaze swept back and forth over Meng Jian’s body, brazen and unrestrained.

As for Lin Hao, he was spectacularly ignored.

A flash of light erupted from Meng Jian’s hand.

The next moment, the young nobleman and his horse were cleaved in two.

The smile on his face hadn’t even had time to disappear.

Meng Jian had drawn her sword, quick as lightning.

The other horses shrieked and reared back in unison.

The Spiritual Sense of beasts is terrifyingly sharp; they had sensed the killing intent emanating from Meng Jian.

"You..." The steward’s face paled, but he only dared to utter that single word.

Meng Jian’s eyes were icy. Without a word, she walked straight toward the city gate.

The men on horseback could only watch as she left, none daring to stop her.

"You all wait here. I’m going to find the City Lord," the middle-aged man ordered the others before galloping off down the main road.

Before long, he stopped in front of a procession of people and horses heading toward the city.

This procession consisted of several people. All but one of them rode on strange beasts.

Behind them, two Dragon Horses pulled a carriage, upon which a dragon motif could be faintly seen.

"The steward of the Lindan City Lord’s Mansion respectfully welcomes Your Excellencies." The middle-aged man dismounted from a distance and knelt.

However, his words received no reply. The people didn’t even spare him a glance.

"Insolence! Fall back at once," the only man on foot barked, glancing at the carriage.

"Yes, City Lord. Everything is ready. It’s just..."

"Just what?"

"The Young Master was just killed on the main road. The perpetrator has now entered Lindan City."

The Lindan City Lord’s body trembled for a moment before he regained his composure and gestured for the steward to withdraw.

They proceeded in silence, and soon they reached the scene of the incident.

A flash of pain crossed the City Lord’s eyes, but he didn’t dare to linger.

He couldn’t afford to offend anyone in this procession, and the person in the carriage had a background that was more terrifying still.

"Stop."

However, just as they were about to pass, the person in the carriage spoke.

That single word was all it took; no one dared to advance another half-step.

The voice from the carriage carried an undeniable authority.

"To kill with Sword Qi, and with such perfect precision... The one who did this is an expert," the person in the carriage said.

"In a barren backwater like the Southern Border Prefecture, even if there is an expert, how could they possibly be greater than you, Saint King?" a middle-aged man on a beast not far from the carriage said with a laugh.

But his flattery backfired completely.

At these words, a cold snort suddenly came from the carriage.

PFFT!

That faint snort made the man who had just spoken spit out a mouthful of blood before tumbling from his beast.

"Barren lands breed unruly people." The voice from the carriage sounded mild, but as soon as the words were spoken, the horse that Meng Jian had cleaved in two was instantly dismembered into countless pieces.

"Saint King, please calm your anger! According to reliable intelligence, that Lin Hao is still at the Danling Sect. This place is only a day’s journey from there. We will do our utmost to take his head and seek justice for Brother Red Blood!"

Everyone on the strange beasts dismounted and knelt in unison on the main road.

At this moment, the identity of the person in the carriage was all but revealed.

Saint King Jinying!

The only king in the Cangnan Empire with a different surname.

"Enter the city. We depart in one hour." Saint King Jinying’s voice drifted from the carriage, and then there was silence.

The procession began to move forward again...

Meanwhile, Lin Hao and Meng Jian were already seated at a table by the window on the second floor of a tavern.

"What can I get for you two?" the waiter asked, bowing and scraping from a safe distance.

He wanted to get closer, but the aura around Meng Jian terrified him.

"Just bring us whatever." Meng Jian didn’t answer, merely gazing out the window. Lin Hao glanced at her and then spoke.

"Right away!" the waiter chirped, scurrying away deftly.

It was still early. Vendors were only just setting up their stalls in twos and threes on the street below, and the tavern was not crowded.

Before long, food and wine arrived. The sight of it made Lin Hao’s mouth water.

He waved for Meng Jian to eat while digging in with gusto.

Just then, a large procession was passing on the street below.

As if sensing something, Meng Jian looked down, her gaze falling upon the carriage.

"Sister Meng, hurry and eat. We need to get back on the road," Lin Hao said, his mouth full.

Meng Jian turned back and said unkindly, "Lin Hao, are you really that desperate to get back to the Heaven-Stepping Sect?"

Before Lin Hao could answer, he was suddenly overcome by an intense sense of crisis.

The next moment, Meng Jian grabbed him.

BOOM!

At the same time, a figure burst in, and Meng Jian met the newcomer with a palm strike.

Boundless killing intent enveloped the tavern.

In the next instant, the entire tavern was reduced to rubble.

Pulled along by Meng Jian, Lin Hao stood amidst a pile of ruins.

Across from them stood an old man with graying hair.

Not far away, the large procession watched like tigers stalking their prey. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Are you Lin Hao?" the old man asked, his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes fixed on Lin Hao.

Under his gaze, Lin Hao felt as if his body was about to crack apart.

The old man’s cultivation was terrifyingly profound.

"Sister Meng, don’t worry about me. Go!" Lin Hao didn’t answer the old man, speaking instead to Meng Jian at his side.

He could tell that this old man was definitely a Soul Gathering Realm expert, and among the people nearby, not a single one was weak.