An hour passed in the blink of an eye. The area surrounding the Wen family estate in Mingxin Prefecture—spanning a radius of ten li—had been thoroughly cleared out by a large contingent of officers and soldiers. Though the local residents were filled with confusion, they had no choice but to leave the area under the insistent urging of the troops.
Leading these garrison soldiers were the rarely seen Prefectural City Guard Commander, a man who usually kept a low profile. Standing tall and erect, clad in heavy armor, his cold gaze swept across the surroundings, exuding an intimidating authority.
In front of the City Guard Commander stood the Prefect of Mingxin Prefecture, along with a host of government officials. These officials, normally accustomed to lives of comfort and ease, now wore grave expressions. The Prefect’s brows were furrowed so deeply that they formed the character for “river” across his forehead, and his eyes betrayed a hint of fear. His lips quivered slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but the terror in his throat choked back the words.
A heavy sigh escaped from deep within the Prefect’s chest.
What on earth was happening?
Everything had come so suddenly, catching everyone completely off guard.
The Wen family—a prominent clan of imperial relatives, a titan that dominated the entire Eastern Domain. As the foremost aristocratic family in the East, their influence ran deep, their roots firmly entrenched.
By comparison, although the Prefect of Mingxin Prefecture held a certain degree of power as a local official, that authority and strength were worlds apart from the Wen family’s. It wasn’t even worth mentioning—not even a fart in the wind.
However, as formidable as the Wen family was, compared to the Great Xia Black Bird Guard, they were in an entirely different league. The Black Bird Guard answered directly to Her Majesty the Empress, a mysterious and immensely powerful organization with unimaginable authority and privileges.
Thus, the Prefect didn’t have time to overthink. He made a decision in an instant. Without the slightest hesitation, he abandoned the Wen family and pledged his full obedience to the Black Bird Guard.
After all, the Prefect knew very well that if the Black Bird Guard wanted his head, it would be as easy as crushing an ant—effortless, and with absolutely no repercussions afterward. His insignificant life was worth no more than a strand of hair in their eyes.
How bizarre. What heinous, unconscionable act had the Wen family committed to draw the Deputy Commander of the Black Bird Guard all the way to Mingxin Prefecture in the Eastern Domain? And to go so far as to mobilize such an overwhelming force, determined to bring the Wen family to justice?
The Deputy Commander of the Black Bird Guard had actually appeared in Mingxin Prefecture—this shocking fact shattered whatever false hopes the officials might have harbored. The government officials present were all old foxes, and they understood perfectly well:
This was no ordinary matter. This had reached the highest echelons of power—it had to be an imperial decree personally issued by Her Majesty the Empress herself.
Everyone’s hearts churned with turbulent waves of shock as they secretly speculated: Just what kind of earth-shattering disaster had those damned Wen family bastards brought upon themselves?
What could have provoked such thunderous wrath from the Empress, leading to a decree like this?
Looking at the scale of the operation, the punishment being meted out to the Wen family was practically on par with dealing with treason and rebellion.
“Hey! What are you looking at? Get back! No one is allowed beyond this point from now on. Anyone who disobeys will be killed without mercy!”
Countless officers and government runners shouted in unison, their voices booming like rolling thunder, echoing through the empty streets.
This tense, dangerous, and confrontational scene only fueled the curiosity of the onlookers. Yet, faced with the endless ranks of soldiers and the strict vigilance of the government guards, the common folk blocked outside dared not approach. They could only gaze from afar, their hearts filled with questions and wonder.
Wen Family Estate!
Beyond the view of those curious bystanders, the Wen family estate had now become a battlefield inside and out. The sounds of clashing weapons and cries of battle rose and fell—though it was, of course, nothing but a one-sided massacre by the Black Bird Guard.
Just then, within the Wen family’s forbidden grounds, the invisible air suddenly rippled with an eerie disturbance. In the blink of an eye, two tall figures materialized like ghosts.
This forbidden area was strictly off-limits to anyone except the Wen family’s core members. Previously, it had been heavily guarded, with hidden sentries and protectors deployed everywhere by the Wen family.
Yet at this very moment, in the presence of one of these two figures, all the Wen family’s martial guard were as fragile as paper.
This man moved with lightning speed, his silhouette flickering through the darkness so fast it was nearly impossible to track. Every movement was accompanied by a flash of cold steel, followed by a low, muffled groan. The highly trained Wen family guards didn’t even have time to let out a full cry before they were cut down in an instant.
One by one, the bodies of the Wen family’s martial guards slumped to the ground. Blood spread across the floor, staining it a deep, horrifying crimson.
These two figures who had appeared in the Wen family’s forbidden grounds were, naturally, Lu Xuan and Mu Yun.
Within Mu Yun, surging True Essence churned and flowed, spreading along his right arm before racing into the longsword in his hand. The bloodstains on the blade were swiftly washed away by his overwhelming, powerful True Essence. In the blink of an eye, the bronze sword gleamed once more with its original cold, sharp radiance, not a single trace of blood left behind.
Mu Yun sheathed his sword with a smooth, practiced motion. Then he turned to face Lu Xuan, his expression respectful yet tinged with severity, and spoke.
“Lord Lu, all the Wen family members here have been dealt with.”
Mu Yun paused briefly, his gaze shifting toward the depths of the Wen estate, and continued, “Only the Wen family head and the old ancestor, Wen Fengyuan, remain.”
Just as Lu Yun was about to speak, his expression suddenly sharpened, and his gaze shot like lightning toward a specific direction within the Wen estate. In that instant, Lu Xuan detected an astonishing martial artist’s aura—a tempestuous surge of power—the aura of a Grandmaster at the peak of the External Gang Realm.
According to the intelligence Lu Xuan had received, only one person in the entire Wen family possessed such a level of power: Wen Lingyun, the Wen family head, a martial artist at the peak of the External Gang Realm.
Shortly after Lu Xuan sensed that formidable presence, Mu Yun also detected Wen Lingyun. He pressed his lips together, his expression cold and silent, giving Lu Xuan only a slight nod of acknowledgment.
Then, with a sudden surge of terrifying aura, Mu Yun’s form flickered like a phantom, leaving behind a trail of afterimages too fast for the naked eye to follow. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from where he stood, his speed almost incomprehensible.
Lu Xuan paid no mind to Mu Yun’s departure. Instead, he strolled unhurriedly toward the room ahead.
Because within that room in front of him, there was the faint trace of a living person!
This aura was incredibly weak, barely perceptible, as if deliberately concealed by some mysterious, powerful force. Had it not been for Lu Xuan’s formidable spiritual sense and immense Soul Power, he might very well have missed it entirely.
Excellent!
Lu Xuan’s eyes suddenly flared with a brilliant violet light as the power of his Soul began to seep slowly from his Spiritual Palace.
The person in this room might very well be the one he had been searching for the most since infiltrating the Wen family.
Princess Xingyue!
The next moment, with a thought from Lu Xuan, a surge of immense force erupted outward. With a thunderous crash, the room’s door was violently ripped open, sending countless splinters of wood flying through the air.
Then, with a light step, Lu Xuan crossed the distance in a few flickering movements, coming to a sudden stop beside the bed.
At that moment, the thin curtains hanging over the bed seemed to be parted by an invisible hand—moving without any wind, they slowly lifted and then obediently fell aside.
With the curtains no longer in the way, the scene within was fully revealed before Lu Xuan’s eyes.
Lying quietly on the bed was a woman dressed in dark black robes. Though her face was pale as snow, it did nothing to diminish her innate noble elegance. Her features were delicate as a painting—even in such a weakened state, she possessed a breathtaking, almost ethereal beauty.
The moment Lu Xuan’s gaze fell upon her face, a faint, almost imperceptible ripple passed across his usually calm and composed countenance. He was taken aback for a brief moment.
He hadn’t expected this woman to truly be Princess Xingyue!
As memories surged forth, Lu Xuan recalled the time in Haoran Prefecture when that so-called “Disaster-class Anomaly” had shown him visions of the past—and among them, there had been the likeness of Princess Xingyue.
Now, the woman lying before him matched that image from the Disaster-class Anomaly’s memories exactly—as if carved from the same mold.
Lu Xuan’s spiritual sense surged out like a tidal wave, utterly disregarding Princess Xingyue’s royal status, and enveloped her body within its reach.
However, in the very instant his spiritual power began to carefully probe her entire form—something unexpected happened!
“Hm?”
“What is this?”
In a flash, an invisible force shot across space like lightning, hurtling straight toward Lu Xuan!
This attack came with blinding speed. Any ordinary martial artist would have been utterly unable to react in time. But to Lu Xuan, this terrifying attack seemed impossibly slow.
“Hmph!”
With a cold snort, a flicker of disdain passed through Lu Xuan’s eyes.
His aura exploded outward in an instant, and the very space within the room seemed unable to withstand the shockwave—it collapsed on the spot. Lu Xuan’s Soul Power collided fiercely with that invisible attack.
Two terrifying forces of Heaven and Earth clashed violently, intertwining and unleashing a cataclysmic power. The entire room crumbled under the impact, reduced to countless particles of dust that dissipated into the air.
The ensuing shockwave, like a rampaging hurricane, swept through the surroundings. The nearby structures shook violently, then collapsed into rubble, reduced to flattened ground.
Even the distant Black Bird Guards and Wen family members were shaken by this mighty force. They all halted their fighting, turning their horrified gazes toward the scene.
In an instant, clouds of dust billowed, blotting out the sky.
Yet amid that thick haze, a blazing violet radiance pierced through like an arrow, dazzling and brilliant.
Lu Xuan stood with his hands clasped behind his back in the center of the ruins, his aura deep as an abyss, his gaze sharp as lightning as he surveyed the area coldly.
Behind him, a towering three-meter-tall violet flame barrier blazed brilliantly in midair. The purple flames leaped and surged, and within that mysterious yet warm protective barrier lay a woman, still and quiet—Princess Xingyue.
Her complexion remained pale and fragile, but bathed in the glow of the violet flames, she radiated an otherworldly beauty.
Before the ruins, the swirling dust gradually settled.
An elderly man approached with steady, unhurried steps. Though his frame appeared slightly hunched, he carried a quiet, dignified authority. In his right hand, he held a bronze ruler, about the length of a forearm.
Its surface was engraved with ancient, natural patterns that seemed to glow faintly with mysterious light, even under the dim surroundings.
The old man came to a leisurely stop, precisely ten meters away from Lu Xuan.
Then, slowly opening his murky, weathered eyes, a sharp gleam suddenly flashed within his pupils, as if penetrating through layers of dust and smoke to instantly see through Lu Xuan’s identity.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, a mix of surprise and realization in his voice as he spoke slowly: “So it’s you!”
Then, without hesitation, he spat out two words: “Lu Xuan!”
His voice was not loud, yet it seemed to carry a heavy weight, echoing through the ruined space.
And this old man’s identity was none other than the Wen family’s ancestor, Wen Fengyuan—a martial artist at the Great Achievement level of the Divine Palace Realm, a Soul Transformation True Man!
Wen Fengyuan’s eyes narrowed slowly, his gaze locked firmly on Lu Xuan without shifting for even a moment.
To be honest, he had never expected that the leader of the Black Bird Guard dispatched from the capital to the Eastern Domain would be Lu Xuan—the highly acclaimed Deputy Commander of the Black Bird Guard.
Lu Xuan’s exploits were now known to everyone throughout the Great Xia Dynasty. His fame had reached its peak.
This newly appointed Deputy Commander, still young, already possessed power capable of rivaling a Soul Transformation True Man.
In the Great Xia Dynasty, the title “Soul Transformation True Man” represented figures who stood at the very pinnacle of power.
As the Wen family ancestor, Wen Fengyuan had naturally paid close attention to Lu Xuan’s deeds. A trace of wariness flickered across his aged face.
After all, his own strength had greatly declined. With this shift in power, if he truly had to face this young, vigorous Lu Xuan, Wen Fengyuan wasn’t confident at all.
As the saying goes, “Fists fear the young.” His old bones really couldn’t handle a fierce battle anymore.
After a brief silence, Wen Fengyuan fixed his cold gaze on Lu Xuan and spoke slowly: “Lu Xuan, I’ve left a strand of Soul Power on Princess Xingyue’s heart.”
Though Wen Fengyuan’s tone was casual, the threat hidden within his words was unmistakable.
“I want to leave this place.”
