Peace Order
Chapter 169 - 93: Breaking Army Meets White Tiger

Chapter 169: Chapter 93: Breaking Army Meets White Tiger

Li Guan left the Taoist temple, and no one stood in his way ahead.

The monks were specifically selected for their large and heavy bodies. Before reaching the second floor, such physiques had an advantage. He had beaten them with a resilient bamboo stick, scattering them in every direction, allowing the young man to leave unobstructed.

Li Guan mounted his horse, tossing the bamboo stick behind him with a backhand throw.

He was strong and skilled in martial arts; the bamboo flew thirty or forty yards, landing back in its original spot, and he pulled the reins, the chestnut stallion neighed long and raced away, exuberantly uncontrolled, while the monks didn’t have the energy to cause trouble as before and just kept moaning continuously.

As dusk fell, Li Guan rode his horse, carrying the Qilin Formation Diagram to a secluded spot. The Qi Fortune of the bronze tripod circulated into his eyes, and he employed the Yin Yang Family’s Qi Observation Skill to ensure safety while frantically making a copy of the formation map as fast as his previous pacing papers.

After comparing, he re-rolled the scroll properly.

He mounted the horse again and went toward the Vermilion Bird Gate of the Chen Empire’s Imperial Palace. The Vermilion Bird representing the south, hence South Gate, with the Emperor’s palace positioned to face south from the north; this gate was thus considered the principal entrance, solemn and imposing, with a broad road used by courtiers to attend court on significant occasions.

Martial Artists were forbidden to ride mounts or use Qinggong within a certain range.

The palace’s crossbow arrows have historically aligned to shoot Jimhul heroes into porcupines.

Arriving near the Imperial Palace, Li Guan dismounted, tying his horse to a willow tree by the road.

Then, carrying the scroll, he walked briskly forward; an imperial guard with a stern face approached, consisting of five men, all armored and wielding spears. On seeing Li Guan enter, they levelled their spears and called out, "Halt, who goes there?!"

Li Guan bowed slightly and replied,

"Li Guan of Jiangzhou."

"For Grand Scholar Zu Wenyuan, bringing an item to the Vermilion Bird Gate."

The imperial guards asked, "Grand Scholar Zu?"

"Do you have proof?"

Previously indeed instructed, he glanced under his iron helmet, seeing Li Guan’s attire, classy though it be—this was the Capital, where high officials outnumbered ants, and countless donned silk and satin.

But seeing the rhino horn belt at the young man’s waist, their expressions softened.

Observing the top-quality Kunlun white jade pendant, their faces paused momentarily.

Then swiftly came to realization.

They stepped aside with respect and politely said, "It turns out to be Mr. Li arriving."

"Please, come in!"

Li Guan inwardly marveled.

Indeed, the visual acuity of the Imperial Palace guards was extraordinarily sharp.

He bowed slightly in return and strode into the outer areas of the Imperial Palace. The towering walls were painted red, and only footsteps could be heard, without conversation sounds. Both palace women and eunuchs walked fast with hands stacked on the abdomen, heads down, bodies leaning forward.

When encountering Li Guan, they didn’t speak but simply bowed slightly in respect.

Then they scurried away quickly, sidestepping past him.

No need for words; the oppressive atmosphere of the palace attacked like a beast, but Li Guan felt relaxed. Arriving at the Vermilion Bird Gate, he reported his arrival and promptly a eunuch came out, wearing a round-collared purple robe, a jade belt, face hairless and always with a slight smile.

Upon seeing Li Guan, he showed a slight surprise, then greeted with a bow and a smile,

"I wondered who it was, for today the magpies in the courtyard haven’t stopped chirping, but it turns out to be Captain Li."

This was none other than the Ritual Eunuch who had previously delivered the Imperial Decree to the Xue Family. Li Guan sensed inwardly that the matter of the Qilin Palace indeed bore great importance; even the handover of the formation map needed the purple-robed Ritual Eunuch to take charge personally.

The Ritual Eunuch scrutinized the young captain before him.

At first, he was surprised when he saw Li Guan,

and felt that this young man before him was different from their previous meeting.

Previously, he had been valiant and spirited as a young man.

Seeing him today, however, he seemed gentler, akin to a free-spirited Jiangnan Ranger, almost like a completely different person from before, with such changes as indistinct as the misty rain of Jiangnan, difficult to perceive. The Ritual Eunuch’s thoughts flickered by.

He just felt that the young captain before him might be showing a temperament change because he had finally achieved his ambition.

Li Guan returned the bow, unstrapped the Formation Map from his back, and handed it over with both hands, saying,

"Today I visited Elder Zu."

"Elder Zu then had me deliver this formation map, and unexpectedly, I see you again, sir."

The Ritual Eunuch was surprised before he laughed and said, "I see."

"I had long heard that both Elder Zu and Master Wang Tong favored Captain Li. Seeing you today validates that indeed, they truly regard the captain as their own kin." He took the scroll, passed it to a trusted aide to hold, and turned to exchange pleasantries with the young man.

The matter of the Qilin Palace formation was both important and unimportant.

Important because of the Fire Qilin inside the Qilin Palace.

Unimportant because today the Qilin had gone berserk, initially suspected to be due to a failure in the formation, prompting a rush to the Taoist Temple asking Zu Wenyuan to calculate; however, the Qilin was soon restrained by the formation, and no issues arose with the operation of the formation itself.

The alchemists examined it for two hours and concluded at last.

Rather than attributing the issue to a fault in the formation causing the Qilin’s alteration, it was more likely that the sealed Qilin had become fiercely emotional, recklessly attacking the formation, which led to today’s incident.

Those in the palace who knew about this were all curious.