"I will personally draw the attention of the Gongsun family. You must first hide Gongsun Xiangyi in the secret chamber, and then take her out of the city tomorrow night, heading directly to Yunjing. Can you manage that?" Ye Jingyu stated with profound seriousness.

Seeing the gravity in Ye Jingyu's gaze, and feeling the strength emanating from his arms, Mudan was momentarily startled. She understood perfectly the place Xiangyi held in Ye Jingyu's heart; otherwise, she wouldn't have journeyed so far to rescue her from the Gongsun family in the first place. Now, entrusting such a critical task to her—wasn't this a complete expression of his trust?

Recalling the instructions from her Master and Senior Sister, and considering Ye Jingyu's true identity, Mudan quickly made her decision.

"My Lord, rest assured. Even if I must be shattered into dust, I will escort Miss Gongsun safely to Yunjing City. However, the Gongsun family has masters like clouds; you..." As she spoke, a clear shade of worry crossed Mudan's face.

"Don't worry. I can't kill them right now, but it won't be easy for them to capture me either!" Ye Jingyu declared with unshakeable confidence.

"Then, my Lord, please be careful!" Having said this, Mudan knew further words were pointless, so she merely offered a final caution.

"Mn," Ye Jingyu nodded, then let out a soft whistle. A white shadow darted out from nowhere—it was the divine beast, Tao Tie Little Peach.

"Little Peach, you will stay here temporarily to protect Xiangyi and Mudan. You absolutely must escort them back to Yunjing!" Ye Jingyu instructed calmly, looking at Little Peach, who was no bigger than a housecat.

Little Peach's pair of jade-green eyes flickered, and its small head nodded, signaling Ye Jingyu to be at ease...

"Do not tell Gongsun Xiangyi about this yet. Inform her only after I have left. Also, Meng, all of you must be exceptionally cautious. I have arranged for Xiu and the others to wait for you three hundred li south of the city. Remember to rendezvous with them!" Ye Jingyu emphasized heavily once more. Both Mudan and Little Peach nodded. At this critical juncture, even one small error could prove fatal.

Mulling over the arrangements for protecting Gongsun Xiangyi, Ye Jingyu felt a slight easing of his mind. He turned and exited the Flower Filled Tower, slipping into a narrow alley. With a flash, a figure shot out from within his body—it was his Heaven and Earth Dual Souls. He then began chanting an incantation, and before his eyes, the Heaven and Earth Dual Souls started to transform.

Soon, they had taken on the exact appearance of Gongsun Xiangyi.

Seeing his own soul-forms morph into a woman, Ye Jingyu couldn't help but feel a strange mix of amusement and awkwardness. Coincidentally, at that moment, a squad of patrolling soldiers marched by, catching sight of the figure resembling Gongsun Xiangyi.

These were part of the search party dispatched by Gongsun Sheng, and they had naturally seen the portrait of Gongsun Xiangyi. Seeing the graceful, tall figure of Gongsun Xiangyi not far off, how could they not be excited?

Immediately, one of them shouted directly, "Found her! We found her!"

"Not good! Xiangyi, we've been discovered!" Ye Jingyu shouted with a feigned urgency, but simultaneously drew his Heaven Sovereign Blade and lunged towards the guards.

The highest-ranking among these guards barely reached the Martial Master realm; most were mere Martial Warriors, and some hadn't even condensed True Qi, remaining at the Martial Apprentice stage. Facing Ye Jingyu, whose martial cultivation had already reached the pinnacle of the Grandmaster realm, it was like a small rabbit encountering a lion.

A dazzling blade light flared, instantly slicing seven or eight guards in half, scattering gore and flesh across the ground.

The remaining guards were stunned into inaction by the sheer power of Ye Jingyu's strike, hesitant to advance. However, at this moment, increasing numbers of guards were converging on the area. Even the hidden experts lurking in the shadows rushed over immediately. Ye Jingyu sensed the auras of at least seven or eight Grandmasters closing in. He was not at all surprised by the sheer number of Grandmasters in Medicine City; the Gongsun family had practiced medicine for years, owing favors to countless Grandmasters who would naturally offer full support in their time of need. Furthermore, there was the Xuanyuan family; Ye Jingyu had killed Xuanyuan Blood, so it was impossible for the Xuanyuan family to remain completely silent. Given the Xuanyuan family's deep foundation, deploying a hundred Grandmasters would not be out of the question, let alone just seven or eight...

"Xiangyi, hurry and run! Experts are coming!" Ye Jingyu yelled, yet he grabbed hold of his Heaven and Earth Dual Souls and bolted rapidly towards the city gate. However, in order to lure more people—at least to draw out the true experts—Ye Jingyu did not run at full speed, deliberately acting as if he were being slowed down by Gongsun Xiangyi, proceeding step by step toward the West Gate.

Although he intentionally held back his pace, ordinary guards could not withstand him. By the time Ye Jingyu reached the West Gate, only the seven or eight Grandmasters and a group of those barely reaching the peak of the Martial Master realm were still trailing him.

Yet, seemingly aware of the strength of Ye Jingyu and his companion, a man wielding a massive blade stood atop the city gate. Judging by the aura he exuded, he was at least above the Grandmaster realm.

Seeing Ye Jingyu charging toward them with the 'Gongsun Xiangyi,' a savage grin stretched across the man's face. He suddenly raised his great blade, circulating his True Essence Power frantically, and leaped down from the gate tower, bringing his blade down fiercely upon Ye Jingyu.

In an instant, the sound of a dragon's roar echoed. A colossal blade light, resembling that of a Green Dragon Crescent Blade, materialized from the void, easily seven or eight zhang long, slashing ferociously toward Ye Jingyu and the Gongsun Xiangyi behind him...

This warrior had taken the Gongsun Family Head's words to heart: alive or dead, they must produce a body.

Almost simultaneously with this man's attack, the three Martial Masters and seventeen Innate Martial Warriors stationed at the gate also struck. Slashes of blade energy, sword qi, spear shadows, and halberd gleams illuminated the entire void. Although they paled in comparison to the man's brilliant blade light, they effectively sealed off all of Ye Jingyu's escape routes.

At this moment, the seven or eight Grandmasters following Ye Jingyu also attacked in unison. Savage fists, mighty palm winds, and sharp finger strikes shot toward him. In this scenario, even a true Martial Saint would have a headache, let alone Ye Jingyu, who could not employ Soul Arts to maintain the disguise of "Gongsun Xiangyi."

Just as Ye Jingyu and Gongsun Xiangyi were about to be engulfed by these sword and blade energies, a single streak of sword light ignited in the void, growing brighter and larger. In the blink of an eye, this beam of light stretched a hundred zhang long, carrying immense destructive power, and slashed savagely toward the man wielding the crescent blade and the massive city gate behind him...