But asking for help was never an easy thing to do. Qianye hesitated for a long while before saying, “That… Tianqing…”

Ji Tianqing patted Qianye’s shoulder, saying, “Speak, this young miss might help you if you perform well.”

“This… you know… about Zining…”

“It’ll depend on your performance!”

Qianye was puzzled. “Performance?”

“Simple, we have a deal if you yield your life to me.”

Qianye’s puzzlement turned to astonishment. “This… you know I already…”

He hadn’t even finished speaking when Ji Tianqing cut him off, “Don’t you even get a joke!? I’m your aide, so I naturally have to accompany you in saving him.”

Ji Tianqing answered as if everything was right and proper. Qianye, however, was overcome by an odd expression. “You’re going with me?”

“Of course, who else is there?”

Qianye felt a huge headache looming over the horizon. “Didn’t you say there will be powerful reinforcements?”

Ji Tianqing puffed up her chest. “Am I not a powerful reinforcement? How is your aide inferior to other people?”

Qianye felt a string of unspoken words stuck in his chest. He laughed wryly after a long while, saying, “Do you remember that you just escaped with injuries last time?”

“Didn’t that old man lose a leg this time? What are you afraid of?”

Qianye shook his head. “You go back first, I’ll wait here.”

“Go back? Where to?”

“Southern Blue, of course. Kuanglan is also there.”

“No! I’m your aide, so I have to stay where you are.”

Qianye’s expression was serious. “I’m fine on my own.”

Ji Tianqing’s smile disappeared as she asked, “You’re blaming me for implicating Song Seven, right?”

Qianye remained silent for a moment. “No, this matter isn’t your fault since there will be accidents in every battle. If someone is to blame, we should blame Song Zining for going to battle at that time. There was no need to destroy the Wolf King’s army in such a rush.”

Ji Tianqing looked at him seriously. “But you still blame me a bit, right?”

“I did, but not anymore. I would’ve done the same if I were in Song Zining’s shoes.”

There was no telling whether she accepted this explanation. “Then, will you do the same if I was the one captured?”

“You? I’ll, of course, find a way to rescue you.”

“I mean, will you risk your life like this?”

Qianye didn’t quite understand what she was getting at. “Of course, I’ll do my best.”

Ji Tianqing sighed lightly. “I think I’ll stay behind, I can still help you.”

“Just go back first, I’m more certain of escaping when I’m alone.”

Seeing Qianye so adamant, Ji Tianqing stopped trying to convince him and simply turned to leave.

Qianye heaved a sigh of relief after her departure. Then he observed his surroundings once more and went to look for a hiding place.

But the last few questions Ji Tianqing had asked him kept ringing in his mind. Qianye couldn’t help but feel that there were hidden meanings in her words, but what exactly was it that she wanted to know?

Qianye could always escape with Spatial Flash even if he were to encounter Luo Bingfeng. Up until this point, the only one from whom Qianye couldn’t escape was the mysterious ent.i.ty in the Eastern Sea. No matter how powerful Ji Tianqing’s secret arts were, there was no ability on par with Spatial Flash in terms of a swift escape. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been injured by Rui Xiang.

Hence, there was no way Qianye could keep her at his side. Additionally, there was a different notion that he couldn’t bring up with her. He was afraid that Song Zining would suffer more and more as time went by, or even have his life threatened. At this point, Qianye felt that the pressure he was giving the other party wasn"t high enough.

So, he decided to sneak into Tidehark.

The most powerful targets inside the city were Luo Bingfeng and that mysterious woman. Qianye wasn’t crazy enough to go and alarm them—his target this time was Rui Xiang.

Every step inside the city would be fraught with danger and Qianye wasn’t even sure if he could escape from Luo Bingfeng a second time. His refusal of Ji Tianqing’s advice was just so that she wouldn’t follow him in.

Ji Tianqing didn’t go very far. She remained gazing at Tidehark from a distance and, looking at the time, felt that Qianye should’ve gone into the city by now. It was just that she didn’t know what Qianye was planning to do.

One day pa.s.sed by just like that. It was dusk over Tidehark when a pillar of flames rushed into the sky and lit up half the city.

A person’s figure flickered about in the flames as he flew out of the city.

It was at this time that a shocking aura emerged from atop the holy mountain, almost as though there was a pair of b.e.s.t.i.a.l eyes staring at the flying figure.

An indescribable force appeared out of thin air and bore down from the sky. It was like a giant Buddhist bell trying to cover that fleeing silhouette. Just as the attack was about to connect, however, the shadow flashed out of existence!

An astonished Luo Bingfeng appeared above where Qianye had disappeared. It was as though he hadn’t expected Qianye to actually escape from under his eyes. His lightning gaze tore through the vast night and landed at a certain spot outside of the city.

Qianye’s figure happened to appear at that point, staggering and almost stumbling as he did so. That location was already several thousand meters away from the city, but that distance was nothing to an expert. Luo Bingfeng snorted with a cold expression and made to give chase.

However, a graceful figure jumped out from the shadows and left with Qianye in its arms, fleeing at such great speeds that it even astonished Luo Bingfeng.

That gentle lady appeared beside Luo Bingfeng. “Let’s go back, we can’t catch them anyway. He didn’t cause a lot of damage, either.”

Luo Bingfeng snorted heavily. “No damage my a*s! I have one vice-commander dead, the other injured, and Steward Rui has lost a leg. Now he’s burned my prison. Is this Qianye really courting death?”

The lady replied, “I think this person isn’t so bad. He’s willing to risk life and limb for his brethren, repeatedly no less. How good would it be if we had friends like that?”

Luo Bingfeng sighed. “Let’s not mention the past.”

He glanced at the raging flames and said, “Humph, this Qianye can’t be allowed to repeat his tricks. I’ll definitely keep him here the next time he comes!”

The lady’s gaze s.h.i.+fted about, but she only sighed without trying to dissuade him.

Luo Bingfeng unleashed a loud shout, “Everyone, meet me at the city lord’s manor.”

His clear, resounding voice spread to every corner of Tidehark. After hearing this call, Du Yuan led the city guard generals toward the manor and even Rui Xiang’s men weren’t exempted.

“Bingfeng, you…”

Luo Bingfeng waved his hand. “No need to dissuade me, I’ve already made a decision. So much has happened these days, how long do you plan to hide them from me!?”

Sighing, the lady followed Luo Bingfeng as he flew toward the city lord manor.

By the time Luo Bingfeng arrived at the city lord manor and entered the main hall, all qualified personnel had already a.s.sembled. Even Rui Xiang was here, albeit looking fairly pale. Although he had all four limbs on him at this point, his sitting posture was a bit unnatural. Clearly, that new leg couldn’t be utilized naturally just yet.

Luo Bingfeng sat down at the central seat with that lady occupying the seat beside him.

Luo Bingfeng’s lightning gaze scanned everyone in the hall. “What exactly is going on? Why would Qianye keep attacking us day and night?”

All eyes fell upon a distressed Rui Xiang. He could deny Du Yuan’s request, but he couldn’t say no to Luo Bingfeng. This city lord had always acted on his own, and Zhang Buzhou wouldn’t say anything if he were to kill Rui Xiang.

Seeing that he could no longer hide from this matter, Rui Xiang said, “City Lord, there’s a reason for this. That Song Zining is simply too arrogant. He actually wanted to take down the Wolf King’s army. I took action and captured that little thief since we’re all subordinates of the heavenly monarch. Heh, turns out that the so-called future G.o.d of military strategy is just so-so.”

Luo Bingfeng’s brows knitted tightly together. “Where is that Song Zining, right now?”

Rui Xiang hesitated for a while. “This…”

“Where is Song Zining!?” Luo Bingfeng asked once more, his voice suffused with a frosty intent.

Rui Xiang forced a reply, “City Lord, this matter is related to the heavenly monarch and it’s not a big matter.”

Luo Bingfeng’s face turned gloomy. “How dare you hide things from me!? Do you really think the heavenly monarch will seek trouble if I kill a servant?”

Rui Xiang was livid, yet he also knew that Luo Bingfeng wasn’t wrong. He would be inviting mortal trouble by dragging things on. Not to mention the fact that he hadn’t recovered from his injuries, he might not be able to flee even if he was at his peak.

“This Song Zining… is in Totemic Castle right now.” With that, Rui Xiang clammed up and gazed at his feet, apparently feeling quite hateful.

Luo Bingfeng paid him no attention, but the Totemic Castle made him frown. Even with the Wolf King injured, anything related to him spelled trouble.

It was at this time that the conference room doors opened and an aide walked in. He arrived beside Luo Bingfeng and whispered, “City Lord, Her Excellency Caroline from Thunderfrost Temple seeks an audience.”

“Caroline? Why is she here?” Luo Bingfeng had never had any relations.h.i.+p with the Thunderfrost Temple. Caroline’s arrival here was an unusual move indeed.

All the divine champions of the neutral lands were privy to the secrets of Tidehark and the holy mountain. They also knew that Luo Bingfeng’s strength would increase sharply within the city. Entering Tidehark was like forfeiting half of their lives, so fewer and fewer experts were willing to visit over the years.

Luo Bingfeng said, “Ask her to wait in the lounge, I’ll come soon.”

Caroline was seated calmly in the lounge, that famous whip of hers stowed away in a box near her. This was a sign of respect for the master of the house, a sign that she came in peace.