Si Taijian's expression changed upon seeing the group of black-armored middle-aged men on horseback, and he stopped in his tracks.
"They are the Black Armored Guards affiliated with the City Lord's Mansion."
"It is said that each Black Armored Guard is a martial practitioner raised from childhood by the City Lord's Mansion, with ordinary aptitude but great loyalty."
"They endure rigorous training for two to three decades, and only those who reach at least the fifth level of Qi Refinement are enlisted into the Black Armored Guards, having all undergone trials of blood and fire, and possessing considerable strength."
"The Black Armored Guards usually take charge of maintaining the order of the main city. Now they appear with such aggression, could it be because of Si Taijian's private conflict with the Misty Sect?"
"Look, the one leading them seems to be Deputy Commander Zhou Jiacai of the Black Armored Guard. It is said that this man has an iron hand, and even many Sect Leaders of the middle-ranked sects show him respect."
Bystanders near the street made way, moving to the sides and then started discussing in hushed tones.
The whole street suddenly seemed much emptier.
It just so happened that Si Taijian and the disciples from the former Scarlet Serpent Sect were seen by this group of Black Armored Guards.
The leading Deputy Commander Zhou reined in his horse, the animal's neighs echoing thunderously in the air.
This man was in his forties, with a cross-shaped sword scar on his left cheek, radiating the aura of the ninth level of Qi Refinement.
His cold gaze swept across, and the whole street instantly fell silent.
"Deputy Commander Zhou, we are wronged!"
Si Taijian's eyes darted and he quickly cried out to the leading Deputy Commander Zhou as if he were the victim.
"Who are you, and what has happened?"
Deputy Commander Zhou asked in a deep voice.
Feeling oppressed by his scrutiny, Si Taijian quickly said:
"We are disciples from the Heixuan Gate, just strolling through the night market when, unexpectedly, we were cornered by people from the Misty Sect. They humiliated us on the street, we beg Deputy Commander Zhou for justice!"
Upon hearing this, Ye Feng and Huo Yunjie and the others couldn't suppress their anger.
It was clearly Si Taijian who had provoked the trouble, yet now he was playing the role of the accuser, his treachery apparent.
"Oh? The Misty Sect?"
Deputy Commander Zhou looked at Ye Feng and his group with surprise.
Then, he turned to Si Taijian and sneered, "Are you saying that the ten-plus of you could not overcome the five from the Misty Sect?"
These words resounded prickly to Si Taijian, and he felt an ominous sense arise within him.
"This..."
Just as Si Taijian was about to explain, he saw another figure on horseback approaching from a distance.
The rider was a shiny-headed man with a slightly plump figure, none other than Steward Zhou, who presided over the conflict between the two sects.
He looked at Deputy Commander Zhou and asked, "Younger brother, why are you still here?"
"I was stopped by a group claiming to be disciples from Heixuan Gate," replied Deputy Commander Zhou, pointing at Si Taijian, who was shivering in the wind.
"So it's them."
Steward Zhou glanced at Si Taijian and then looked at Ye Feng's group in the distance, easily guessing what had probably happened.
It was simply that Si Taijian wouldn't relent and was seeking revenge on the street.
However, the fact that Si Taijian's group was beaten to such a pitiful state was indeed curious.
Thinking this, Steward Zhou's gaze settled on Mo Ying standing behind Ye Feng, and he could sense the sharp aura emanating from her.
"A Qi Refinement seventh-level sword cultivator who deliberately conceals her strength, the Misty Sect truly harbors hidden dragons and crouching tigers." Steward Zhou grew increasingly interested in the Misty Sect.
He said to Deputy Commander Zhou, "Go ahead with your departure; I will handle this situation."
"Hmm."
Deputy Commander Zhou, not wanting to waste time, immediately rode off.
Ye Feng noticed that Deputy Commander Zhou's troop of horsemen was heading towards the eastern part of the city.
"What kind of mission could it be that requires leaving the city late at night?" Ye Feng was full of questions, yet knew it wasn't his place to ask and merely grumbled in his mind.
After watching Deputy Commander Zhou and his troop of Black Armored Guards leave, Steward Zhou's smile gradually faded, and he turned to Si Taijian with a stern look, speaking in displeasure:
"You instigated trouble and yet got swept aside by a single person, now even daring to play the accuser? You have brought shame upon Heixuan Gate; now get out of my sight!"
"Yes, yes, yes."
Si Taijian appeared compliant on the surface, but inside he was cursing up a storm as he hurriedly led his fellow disciples away.
"Sect Master Ye, you weren't scared just now, were you?"
It was only then that Steward Zhou turned to Ye Feng and added, "I was drinking tea in the restaurant nearby and saw the whole thing. Your sect truly is teeming with talent, even having sword cultivators."
"Steward Zhou overpraises me."
Ye Feng finally understood why Steward Zhou was here, and with a cupped fist salute, he spoke.
With Si Taijian scolded away by Steward Zhou, Ye Feng felt he also owed the latter a favor.
However, the biggest credit for the night still belonged to Mo Ying.
Without her, Huo Yunjie and the others would definitely have been beaten black and blue.
"Oh, the person just now is my younger brother, Zhou Jiacai, who serves as the deputy commander of the Black Armored Guard. And I am Zhou Jiaqian. Should Sect Master Ye have any confusion regarding the sect's operations, you may inquire with me."
After finishing his statement, Zhou Jiaqian left behind an identity token for contact and then rode off.
Ye Feng hadn't even had a chance to thank him when the other man had already disappeared at the end of the street, heading toward the east of the city as well.
"Why are they all going to the east side of the city... Could there be some danger there? If we go back now, won't we run into it?"
Ye Feng thought anxiously.
"Hey, that's strange! How come I feel like I can predict dangers that might occur in the future?"
Ye Feng suddenly realized something was amiss.
"Ding, as the Sect Leader, you possess Sect Crisis Awareness, which allows you to foresee possible crises that may occur within the sect, and it is up to you to decide how to deal with them."
The System popped up to explain.
Ye Feng curled his lip, realizing the System had many functions, but they must be triggered one by one.
"Sect Master Uncle, shall we head back now?"
Li Jiaojiao timidly asked, having lost the mood for the night market after Si Taijian's disruption.
"It's rare for us to be out, how can we return without enjoying the market? Besides, there are so many beauties at the night market, not taking a few more glances would be a huge loss,"
Ye Feng replied solemnly, talking nonsense.
If it weren't for predicting danger, he would surely want to go back to sleep right now, but he couldn't openly discuss the System, so he had to use this reason instead.
The mention of seeing beauties made Huo Yunjie and Shi Lei so happy they almost jumped for joy.
"Pah! So indecent."
Mo Ying put away her Flying Sword and crossed her arms, though she didn't object.
Both men and women like to see beauties, and the women enjoy it just as much, if not more.
The Misty Sect quickly came to a consensus, and with a formation of three in the front and two at the back, they began strolling through the night market.
...
Ten miles east of Whitefloat City.
A marshland.
With a "bang,"
Deputy Commander Zhou Jiacai was sent flying by a shadow, his chest armor breaking apart.
Lying beside him in disarray were many Black Armored Guards, all of whom had suffered heavy injuries.
"Roar!"
A low growl emanated from the darkness, sending shivers down the spines of Deputy Commander Zhou Jiacai and his men.
"Don't panic, little brother!"
Just then, Steward Zhou Jiaqian arrived on horseback, his hands forming seals, and with spiritual light blossoming behind him coalescing into a bowl-shaped barrier, he slammed it into the depths of the marshland, eliciting a cry of pain.
This was immediately followed by an angry roar.
"My 'Spiritual Light Shield' can only hold for ten breaths, retreat now while you can,"
Steward Zhou Jiaqian yelled out.
"Retreat!"
Knowing better than to take risks, Deputy Commander Zhou Jiacai immediately led the severely wounded Black Armored Guards to retreat.