As the rain gradually subsided, the great battle at the foot of Mount Shaolin finally came to an end.
Xiao Yunlong paid no further attention to the Tai Chi Sect's innate masters lying on the ground, nor did he bother to glance at the corpses of the Fusang warriors scattered everywhere. He turned and got into his car, leaving with the Dragon Blood Guards in a roaring departure.
In a small town at the foot of the Funan Mountain Range, named Funan Town, Xiao Yunlong and his entourage arrived as dusk settled.
The setting sun, like spilled blood, dyed half the sky red.
After dinner in Funan Town, Xiao Yunlong beckoned the Four Great Generals over.
"The four of you, White Tiger and Black Tortoise, you two will stay. Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird, you will take the remaining Dragon Blood Guards and return to the Northern Territory immediately!"
Xiao Yunlong issued the order directly.
"I won't!"
General Vermilion Bird, Nangong Qingzhu, immediately shook her head. "My Lord, I won't return to the Northern Territory. I want to stay and accompany you. Let Black Tortoise go back. Those two men are clumsy with their work. If I stay, I can take care of your daily life!"
After speaking, Nangong Qingzhu looked up at Xiao Yunlong with eager eyes.
However, Xiao Yunlong remained cold and unmoved. "This is an order, and discussion is not permitted. Besides, I'm a grown man and accustomed to a rough life. I don't need anyone to take care of me!"
Tang Bowen and Jun Bufan, not far away, couldn't help but want to laugh. They thought to themselves that he often had his fiancée, Liu Ruyan, take care of his daily life.
Of course, Tang Bowen and the other two dared not say this aloud. They merely kept their eyes on their noses and their noses on their hearts, feigning ignorance.
In fact, Xiao Yunlong knew Nangong Qingzhu's thoughts very well. It was precisely because she harbored different feelings that he could not let her stay.
Firstly, Xiao Yunlong himself didn't have strong feelings for her; he merely saw her as a sister. Secondly, he would never get involved with his subordinates; that was his principle.
Therefore, Xiao Yunlong refused without hesitation. He had to nip this budding affection in the bud.
Seeing Nangong Qingzhu pouting and about to say something more, General Azure Dragon, Li Jiuxiao, quickly pulled her aside. "Alright, Vermilion Bird, since our Lord has already given the order, don't say any more. Let's all return to the Northern Territory together!"
Nangong Qingzhu then nodded slightly, though her eyes betrayed a hint of grievance.
Xiao Yunlong deliberately avoided looking at her and turned to Li Jiuxiao. "Azure Dragon, among the Four Great Generals, you have always been the most cautious and steady. This is why I'm sending you back. You are more aware than I am of the current situation in the Northern Territory. Remember my words: lie low in the old place. Wait for my return for everything!"
"Yes, my Lord. However, approximately when will you return to the Northern Territory? The Northern Territory Army's main camp has already been occupied by that Northeast Tiger from the Zhang family in the northeast. Of the Northern Territory's Eight Banners, except for three banner lords who are observing, three have already turned to that Northeast Tiger!"
"Of the eight banner lords, what about the remaining two?" Xiao Yunlong asked.
"Of the remaining two, the Straight Blue Banner Lord, Ye Wentao, was the first to oppose the Zhang family of the northeast. He was directly killed by that Northeast Tiger from the Zhang family. It is said that Banner Lord Ye Wentao's head was even hung on a flagpole by that cub of the Zhang family as a warning, to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys!"
General White Tiger, Tu Fu, roared with clenched teeth, his voice filled with indignation.
"Preposterous! The Zhang family of the northeast deserves to die!" Xiao Yunlong's fists clenched, and his eyes suddenly blazed with intense killing intent.
Li Jiuxiao sighed and said, "The area under the jurisdiction of Banner Lord Ye Wentao is close to that of the Zhang family of the northeast. The two sides have had friction and disputes for a long time, and it's a long-standing feud. So when that Northeast Tiger arrived, he naturally wouldn't let him go. Ye Wentao was truly loyal, what a pity!"
"What's even more regrettable is that the soldiers in the main army camp who refused to obey the Northeast Tiger, especially many young generals and captains who were loyal to my Lord, have all been eliminated by that Northeast Tiger. This cub of the Zhang family of the northeast truly deserves to die!" General Vermilion Bird, Nangong Qingzhu, also said indignantly.
Xiao Yunlong pondered for a moment and asked, "Of the eight banner lords, there is one last one remaining. What is his current situation?"
"Cough, don't mention that scoundrel. On the very day you had your accident, the Yongzheng Banner Lord, Lan Yongzheng, went directly to the imperial capital. This bastard is usually glib-tongued, and indeed, he's not a good person!" General Black Tortoise, Zhuge Wushuang, who was usually silent and taciturn, spoke up.
"He ran to the imperial capital? What is he doing in the imperial capital?" Xiao Yunlong immediately asked.
"Naturally, he went to find a patron, to curry favor, and pledge his loyalty. This fellow doesn't have much ability, but his skill at flattering others is better than anyone else's. I didn't expect that after only a few days in the imperial capital, he actually managed to get into the Tian Ce Mansion!" Li Jiuxiao said.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yunlong's gaze sharpened. He demanded, "What did you say? That fellow Lan Yongzheng, managed to get into the Tian Ce Mansion?"
"Yes, my Lord. This matter is absolutely true. Moreover, it is said that he holds a not-low position in the Tian Ce Mansion. He was directly given the rank of a two-star general upon entry!" Li Jiuxiao said.
"A two-star general, a fine two-star general!"
Xiao Yunlong couldn't help but sneer in a deep voice, his killing intent intensifying.
He had originally been unable to figure out why. His route and timing for entering the capital were secret, and only a few people knew about it. Among those few people was Lan Yongzheng's son, Lan Mingyu.
Lan Mingyu was not only the son of Banner Lord Yongzheng but also Xiao Yunlong's personal aide. He was exceptionally intelligent from a young age and possessed formidable martial arts talent, making him a rare talent in the Northern Territory.
Furthermore, Lan Yongzheng's family had a very good relationship with the Old Northern King. The Old Northern King had no son, and Lan Mingyu had, in a sense, been like a son to the Old Northern King since childhood. Otherwise, Xiao Yunlong would not have made him his trusted aide.
Thinking of this, Xiao Yunlong suddenly remembered that on the day of the incident, outside the capital, his aide Lan Mingyu, who had always been inseparable from him, had suddenly left the team under a pretext.
"Lan Mingyu, after all my calculations, I never expected it to be you who stabbed me in the back. I even treated you as my best brother. I suppose it is precisely because of your betrayal and informing that your father was able to directly enter the Tian Ce Mansion!"
Xiao Yunlong snorted inwardly, his fierce killing intent almost impossible to suppress.
Sensing the change in Xiao Yunlong's demeanor, Nangong Qingzhu quickly asked, "My Lord, what's wrong?"
Xiao Yunlong then snapped back to reality, shook his head, and said, "It's nothing. By the way, Azure Dragon, after you return, closely monitor the movements of the Lan family, especially Lan Yongzheng and his son!"
"Yes, my Lord!" The usually calm and perceptive General Azure Dragon, Li Jiuxiao, immediately sensed something, but he didn't ask further, merely cupped his hands.
"It's getting late. You should depart now. Be careful on the road. I will escort you a distance in secret. After confirming your safety, I will return to Jiangdong!"
After Xiao Yunlong finished speaking, seeing that Vermilion Bird Nangong Qingzhu still wanted to say something, he quickly turned and got into the car beside him.
"Alright, Vermilion Bird, let's go!" Li Jiuxiao patted her shoulder. As the elder brother, he naturally understood Vermilion Bird's feelings, but he couldn't say much about such matters.
And so, led by Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird, the Dragon Blood Guards set off in a mighty procession. As for the White Tiger and Black Tortoise generals, they remained behind.
The sky had completely darkened. Xiao Yunlong drove his car, maintaining a certain distance, escorting them for over a hundred miles. Once he confirmed their safety, he turned back towards Jiangdong.