Inside the City Lord's Manor of Wu City.

"Brother Zhao, long time no see." The square-faced man, clad in a golden fur coat, greeted Zhao Danchen with a smile as he arrived in Wu City. Trailing behind this man was the City Lord of Wu City himself. However, in exchanges of this magnitude, the lord of an entire city held no standing to interject.

"Brother Zhao, leave the Black Nightmare Steeds to the servants. Come, follow me." Immediately, someone stepped forward to lead the powerful horses away.

Zhao Danchen chuckled, "Brother Wang, I wonder how many of my men from Azure Lake Island have arrived?" He walked alongside the man in gold.

The golden-clad man replied, "One hundred and fifty of your Azure Lake Island contingent have just arrived. They are all resting in the back courtyard right now, awaiting your command, Brother Zhao." Upon hearing this, Zhao Danchen frowned. The message from Azure Lake Island had commanded the main strongholds in the six nearest commanderies surrounding Wu City to send representatives.

Each stronghold was required to dispatch fifty men.

Now it seemed only the forces from three commanderies had arrived—barely half the required number.

"Hmm, it's still early," Zhao Danchen looked up at the sky. "Last time we noticed, that Teng Qingshan is exceptionally cunning when visibility is low." Zhao Danchen remembered clearly how, in the Heavenly Flood Palace, when he and the 'Beast King' Wu Hou were before the Golden Dragon Turtle, Teng Qingshan had lurked unseen in a corner, completely evading both of them.

This mastery of concealment in darkness made Zhao Danchen wary.

Therefore—

The move had to be made during the daylight!

Immediately, Zhao Danchen and the golden man hurried toward the back courtyard.

Because the distances between the six commanderies and Wu City varied, their arrival order was not perfectly sequential.

"Giddy-up!" "Giddy-up!"

Over twenty warhorses, brilliant yellow from muzzle to tail, yet possessing hooves the color of fresh blood, galloped down the official road, resembling twenty streaks of sharp arrows piercing the air. These were the 'Treading Fire Warhorses' from Rong Province in the Western Regions, considered among the finest steeds available there. They could cover nearly two thousand li in a single day.

This daily mileage generally referred to the distance covered over five or six daylight hours, as horses required rest. To deploy over twenty of these warhorses, each valued at more than ten thousand taels of silver, signaled a level of luxury few factions in the world could afford.

"My Lord, Wu City is just ahead."

"Indeed." Riding at the very front was a handsome youth in black, his face like frost—this was Yan Danchen, the Protector recently assigned to Yu Province to manage the stronghold of a commandery. Yan Danchen had received the news late last night and rushed toward Wu City with his fifty men at maximum speed.

Thus, Yan Danchen immediately leveraged the greatest energy Azure Lake Island possessed, procuring twenty-six Treading Fire Warhorses. He rode one alone, and the Deputy Protector also took a mount. The rest of the contingent shared the precious horses, two riders per steed.

"Why the haste from the Island? What is the urgent matter?" Yan Danchen pondered internally.

But he did not slacken his pace, leading his subordinates swiftly into the city. The city gate guards that day had clearly received instructions; they offered no resistance and instead directed them toward the City Lord's Manor.

"Halt!" Yan Danchen commanded.

"Neigh~~~" The twenty-plus warhorses snorted excitedly, rearing their front hooves in unison. All fifty men dismounted.

"Gentlemen, quickly follow us to the back courtyard; we will take care of the horses!" The City Lord's Manor guards had already thrown open the main gates, and escorts immediately came forward to take the horses. Yan Danchen led his men rapidly into the manor under the escort's guidance.

Yan Danchen turned to the guard leading the way. "How many people have arrived so far?"

"Two hundred from Azure Lake Island, including your contingent. Once you arrive, only the final group is missing," the guard chuckled. "The very first group arrived before dawn."

"Oh." Yan Danchen was inwardly startled. "It seems the Island has summoned men from quite a few strongholds urgently."

In a moment, they reached the back courtyard.

The courtyard was packed with people, yet it remained relatively quiet, punctuated only by hushed discussions. No one dared to speak loudly because, in a nearby pavilion, Zhao Danchen and the man in gold were seated opposite each other.

"Yan Danchen, Protector of Wunan Commandery in Yu Province, pays respects to the Elder!" Yan Danchen stepped forward immediately and bowed deeply.

"Oh, Danchen, you've been stationed outside?" Zhao Danchen looked at the youth before him with surprise.

Zhao Danchen clearly remembered this young man. Firstly, because Yan Danchen's recent performance over the last year had been astonishing, and secondly, because Yan Danchen's name sounded so similar to his own. Except for the surname, the pronunciation of the given names was nearly identical: one was 'Danchen' (), the other was 'Danchen' (). Zhao Danchen had thus committed the youth to memory.

"Yes, Elder," Yan Danchen replied respectfully.

"Good. You and your men wait on the side for now. We will discuss matters once the last group arrives," Zhao Danchen instructed. Yan Danchen immediately stepped back.

Yan Danchen found a stool to sit on. Because the courtyard was so crowded, only those of higher status had chairs; most men stood along the edges.

"Senior Brother, why the rush to gather men from the six commanderies? And why fifty from each?"

"It must be a major event. Even members of the Yu Emperor Sect are here! It's probably related to the Yu Emperor Sect, or maybe it concerns Teng Qingshan. Who knows... Secrets like this are only revealed right before action is taken."

Hearing the voices nearby, Yan Danchen frowned slightly. "It's likely truly related to 'Teng Qingshan,' big brother Teng!"

Yan Danchen held a deep sense of gratitude toward Teng Qingshan.

After all, Teng Qingshan had saved his life. However, Yan Danchen was equally loyal to Azure Lake Island. His martial arts were taught by the Island, and his master treated him exceptionally well. Therefore, he could never betray Azure Lake Island and cause it devastating losses.

"Repay kindness with kindness. If this matter truly involves Teng Qingshan, I must..." Yan Danchen felt a surge of anxiety.

Just then, the sound of dense footsteps echoed as another large contingent entered through the courtyard gate.

"Brother Zhao, your Azure Lake Island contingent is complete!" the man in gold, sitting in the pavilion, rose and said with a smile. Zhao Danchen also stood and looked at the three hundred assembled figures. The Protector leading the final arrival bowed respectfully: "Ying Xingzheng, Protector of Huayang Commandery in Yu Province, pays respects to the Elder."

"Mm."

Zhao Danchen walked to the center holding a stack of papers in his left hand. He stood up and surveyed the assembly. "Everyone gather around. The six Protectors come to my side."

Instantly, Yan Danchen, Ying Xingzheng, Bai Bo, and the other six Protectors stood near Zhao Danchen, while the rest formed a circle around them.

"The purpose of Azure Lake Island's presence in Wu City is to capture Teng Qingshan alive!" Zhao Danchen scanned the crowd. Those who had only guessed at the reason were shocked—they had found Teng Qingshan? Yan Danchen's heart jolted even harder.

This was serious trouble!

"As long as Teng Qingshan lives, it is a profound humiliation to Azure Lake Island! Over ten thousand soldiers of our Silver Jiao Army died because of this despicable man. Even the Young Island Master was killed by him!" Zhao Danchen swept his gaze across them. "From this moment on, everyone listen clearly."

As Zhao Danchen released his grip, the stack of papers fluttered to the ground with a soft thud. Zhao Danchen picked up the top sheet. "This map details the entirety of Wu City, and it even pinpoints the inn where Teng Qingshan is staying."

"Your three hundred men are tasked with this: position yourselves on every street and every alley within a three-mile radius of the inn. No matter where Teng Qingshan tries to flee, our men must spot him immediately. I want him to have nowhere to hide!" Zhao Danchen pulled out six more maps from the stack and handed one to each of the six Protectors surrounding him. "For you six, I have already sectioned off the street zones on these maps."

The plans had all been laid out by Zhao Danchen in the pavilion beforehand. These maps, naturally, were provided by the Yu Emperor Sect.

"Protector Bai Bo, your men are responsible for the first sector south of the inn. Fifty men to watch three alleys and one main street."

"Understood." Protector Bai Bo immediately bowed in assent.

"Protector Ju Yanfeng, your men are responsible for the second sector east of the inn. Guard the designated area tightly."

"Understood."

"Protector Yan Danchen, your men are responsible for the third sector north of the inn."

...

Soon, all six Protectors received their assignments. It was clear: centered on the inn, a three-mile radius was to be sealed off tight by three hundred men. Zhao Danchen continued, "Teng Qingshan is currently disguised as a merchant named 'Qin Wei.' Here is a portrait of 'Qin Wei.' Each Protector, take three copies. Every single man under your command must memorize the appearance of 'Qin Wei'."

The six Protectors each took three portraits, marveling silently as they examined them—Teng Qingshan's disguise was truly astonishing.

"Capturing Teng Qingshan is not your job; I will handle that personally," Zhao Danchen stated coldly. "If Teng Qingshan attempts to flee, you must immediately report his location. Of course, the likelihood of him escaping into your assigned sectors is slim."

"Remember, none of your individual teams are to enter the inn, nor are you to approach the inn closely."

Zhao Danchen looked around, his tone icy. "Given Teng Qingshan's capabilities, the moment he spots even a few of you, he is likely to sense something is amiss." Locals of Wu City and men from the distant Yang Province possessed subtle differences in temperament and speech. People were shaped by their region. If Teng Qingshan were to notice a stranger disguised as an inn waiter or a spy, he could indeed detect it.

"If anyone disobeys this order, the others are authorized to execute them immediately," Zhao Danchen commanded icily. "Now, move out!"

"Yes."

The six Protectors bowed, acknowledging the order. Even Yan Danchen, despite his internal turmoil, could not see an immediate way to aid Teng Qingshan given Elder Zhao's meticulous setup.

...

Zhao Danchen and the man in gold left the City Lord's Manor side-by-side, heading toward the inn. Their pace seemed unhurried, yet they wove through the crowds with remarkable fluidity, reaching the destination in moments. They did not stick to the main avenues but moved through alleys and crossed canals, taking the fastest, yet stealthiest, route to the inn.

"Brother Zhao, I think you're overdoing it. This time, Teng Qingshan has no hope of escape," the man in gold chuckled.

Zhao Danchen replied coldly, "Better safe than sorry. If Teng Qingshan slips away this time, I won't have the face to return and see the Island Master and the others."

"Relax. Across from that inn are three Xiantian Golden Core Elders from my Yu Emperor Sect." The man in gold smiled. "Throughout Wu City, my Yu Emperor Sect arranged for over a thousand men overnight, scattered everywhere. Even if Teng Qingshan spots you, if he tries to flee! With his speed, how could he possibly escape Wu City under the watch of three of our Golden Core Elders?"

"If it weren't for consideration of Azure Lake Island, allowing your sect the honor of executing Teng Qingshan, my Yu Emperor Sect would have already made its move," the man in gold stated confidently.