Lin'an Prefecture City.

Chen Yuan slowly descended from the void with Zhang Erjie, who clung tightly to his side, holding his hand firmly in her arms.

Her eyes were tightly closed, her face bearing a lingering fear.

On this journey from the capital to Lin'an Prefecture, Chen Yuan had directly soared into the sky after leaving the city, reaching a height of at least several thousand meters above the ground.

Although he protected them both with Yuan Qi, Zhang Erjie was still somewhat terrified.

After all, she only possessed the Ning Gang cultivation level, unable to even glide for a short distance, let alone fly directly in the void. However, this gave her an excuse to hold onto Chen Yuan, experiencing a mix of fear and joy.

"Erjie, we're here."

Chen Yuan's calm and clear voice rang in Zhang Wanshu's ears. She tremulously opened her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering as she scanned her surroundings, sensing the solid ground beneath her feet, and finally exhaled a long breath of relief:

"Hoo... that was fast."

The capital was hundreds of miles away from Lin'an Prefecture, but she felt as if she had arrived in the blink of an eye. She couldn't help but marvel at this, understanding why everyone in the world revered martial arts.

Who wouldn't envy such divine abilities?

Unfortunately, her aptitude was ordinary, and her comprehension was mediocre. Even with the extensive resources provided by the Zhang family, she had only reached the Na Qi cultivation level. She had the opportunity to condense evil Qi, but she was hesitant to do so, fearing the consequences of absorbing evil Qi into her dantian.

"It's good that you've recovered. Since we decided to witness the grand event of Longmen Crossing, it wouldn't be good to waste time on the journey." Chen Yuan said with a smile, his gaze falling on his right arm.

At this moment, it was being held tightly by Zhang Erjie, and he could feel its unusual size even through her clothes.

He couldn't tell that Erjie had something going on.

Following Chen Yuan's gaze, Zhang Wanshu's face suddenly turned a subtle red, as if she had been shocked. She quickly released his hand and subconsciously tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Then... then let's take a good look."

"Alright."

Chen Yuan smiled and began to stroll along the streets of Lin'an Prefecture with Zhang Wanshu.

Today was June 14th, and tomorrow would be June 15th. Although the auspicious scene of carps leaping over the Dragon Gate had not yet begun, that didn't stop the crowds from gathering now.

Many people had arrived early, fearing that something might go wrong and they would miss it.

The streets of Lin'an Prefecture were bustling with activity. As far as the eye could see, there were dense crowds of people, including residents of the city, martial artists, and wealthy young masters and misses who had come to enjoy the scenery.

There were also government constables and Sky Survey Guards patrolling in official uniforms, with long sabers at their waists and cold expressions on their faces.

As one of the four major prefectures in Central Continent, Lin'an Prefecture was undoubtedly very large, several times larger than ordinary prefectures. As one of the important towns guarding the capital, it was also very strong, both in terms of the number of residents and the quality of martial artists.

He hadn't found any Hua Yang True Persons, but he had already seen several Dan Realm Grandmasters. Tong Xuan martial artists and Ning Gang martial artists were not common, but they were definitely not rare.

To prevent any unnecessary trouble, he always concealed a faint hint of True Intent. Ordinary people couldn't see anything wrong, but martial artists with some cultivation could see his unfathomable depth at a glance. They would usually take a deep look and then quickly withdraw their gaze.

Zhang Wanshu also followed Chen Yuan's previous instructions. Although she was very interested in this lively market, she always stayed close to Chen Yuan's side.

Seeing this scene, Chen Yuan thought about it and decided to let her do as she pleased.

With him around, at least nothing would happen in Central Continent. Besides, it had been a long time since he had strolled around like an ordinary mortal.

It would be nice to relax once in a while.

It would also benefit his cultivation.

Receiving Chen Yuan's approval, Zhang Wanshu was naturally overjoyed. She dragged Chen Yuan around the roadside stalls for a long time, looking at ordinary jewelry, snack stalls, and novelties like candied haws and sugar figurines.

Zhang Wanshu hadn't eaten these things for many years. This time, in front of Chen Yuan, she acted like a young girl again.

After spending half a day strolling around with Zhang Erjie, Chen Yuan himself felt much more relaxed, and the strong aura of ferocity on his body dissipated invisibly.

Seeing the various aspects of human life and understanding the myriad beings, Chen Yuan also found some joy in it.

It wasn't until noon that the two of them stopped to rest and had some food in a restaurant in Lin'an Prefecture City. Zhang Wanshu looked at Chen Yuan happily and said:

"Thank you for today."

"You're welcome, Erjie."

"Don't call me Erjie anymore, it makes me seem much older than you."

Zhang Wanshu glared at him.

"Alright, Erjie."

"Call me... Wanshu."

Zhang Erjie glared at Chen Yuan.

"Alright, Wanshu."

Chen Yuan looked at her expression with a slight smile and quickly responded.

"That's more like it. Here, try this..."

Zhang Wanshu picked up a piece of food for Chen Yuan.

After the meal, Chen Yuan thought that Zhang Wanshu would want to stroll around again, but she said:

"That's enough strolling. Why don't we go take a look at Longmen Crossing?"

"Sure."

Chen Yuan nodded. He had come for Longmen Crossing in the first place, so naturally he wanted to take a look in advance. It would be nice if he could get it in advance.

No sooner said than done, the two left the prefecture city and headed straight for Yan Mountain outside the city.

Although they had been strolling around to relax at noon, they hadn't been completely idle. They had easily learned the location of Longmen Crossing, so it wasn't unfamiliar to them.

The location of Longmen Crossing was about ten miles east of Lin'an Prefecture City. When Chen Yuan arrived, there were already about a hundred people gathered here.

They stood on a high platform, looking at the turbulent Jiuhe River below.

Similar to the Dujiangyan in Shu Prefecture, there was also a gorge here, where nine rivers converged into one. From a distance, it looked quite spectacular.

On the riverbank, some people had already begun to set up lanterns, seemingly preparing for tomorrow night.

Chen Yuan accompanied Zhang Wanshu, gazing at the scene of fish leaping up from time to time. After pondering for a moment, he said in a low voice:

"Wanshu, stay here and don't move. I'll go buy something. If you encounter any danger, just shout my name."

"Oh, oh... alright, I understand. Go ahead and do what you need to do."

Zhang Wanshu was stunned for a moment and quickly said.

Although the scattered crowd around them didn't seem to be selling anything, a smart woman never asks too many questions. There must be a reason for Chen Yuan to do this.

Seeing that Zhang Wanshu was so sensible, Chen Yuan subconsciously touched her hair, then turned and left.

Zhang Wanshu's face was flushed, as if she had been drunk, and she was stunned for a long time.

This... seemed to be the first time Chen Yuan had taken the initiative.

After leaving Zhang Wanshu, Chen Yuan naturally disappeared into the void. The people around him had relatively low cultivation levels and didn't notice anything unusual, and most of their attention was on Longmen Crossing.

Therefore, it was very peaceful. The absence of Chen Yuan was unremarkable.

Chen Yuan entered the water. According to the guidance of the opportunity, the Flood Dragon Divine Pearl must be near Longmen Crossing, and he had to search carefully.

In the muddy river, Chen Yuan walked as if on flat ground, stepping on the water. The riverbed, more than ten feet deep, was slowly covered with the silt from the other nine rivers. Chen Yuan opened his Heavenly Eye, but after searching carefully for many times, he didn't notice anything unusual, which made him frown.

Could it be that the Flood Dragon Divine Pearl would only appear on the night of the full moon, when the carps leaped over the Dragon Gate?

After thinking for a long time, Chen Yuan had no choice but to give up.

On the bank of the Jiuhe River, Zhang Wanshu looked around suspiciously. Although she wouldn't ask, that didn't mean she wasn't curious. On the contrary, she was very curious.

At the same time, she felt a strange sense of worry.

She was born into a Divine Envoy family and knew the dangers involved. Perhaps Chen Yuan had encountered some martial arts master or enemy in the area and left quickly to avoid implicating her.

It had to be said that her imagination was very rich.

Just as Zhang Wanshu was looking around, a young man in white, holding a folding fan, looked at the woman in front of him with a slightly admiring gaze.

Although her cultivation was not high, she exuded an extraordinary demeanor, and her appearance was also top-notch. He had been paying attention to her since she first arrived.

However, there was a man in black beside her that he couldn't see through, so he didn't dare to cause trouble rashly.

After all, Central Continent had plenty of officials.

Nobles, officials, martial arts experts, and even royal family members...

No one knew how big a fish you could catch with a single hammer blow.

However, he felt that the man in black was probably a guardian of some sort, and perhaps he had gone to do something, which was why he hadn't returned yet. After thinking about it, he decided to make contact.

If she had a background, he would try to befriend her. If she didn't have a background... he would simply get to know her.

With that in mind, the man in white pondered for a moment, then calmly walked forward with one hand behind his back and nodded with a very dignified smile:

"Miss, are you... enjoying the scenery alone? Today isn't a good time. Tomorrow is the day of the Dragon Gate Leap."

The atmosphere stagnated for a few breaths. The man in white looked up and found that the woman in the cyan dress was not paying attention to him at all. She was still looking around, as if searching for something.

Feeling somewhat displeased, the man in white didn't show it and continued:

"Is Miss looking for someone? My name is Jiang Yun. I have some influence in Lin'an Prefecture and might be able to help you."

Zhang Wanshu frowned and stared at him:

"Are you talking to me?"

"Yes, I am."

Jiang Yun's face stiffened slightly, and he quickly nodded.

"No need."

Glancing at him coldly, Zhang Wanshu's expression became serious. She didn't show the girlish attitude she had displayed in front of Chen Yuan. Instead, she looked like a cold fairy.

Jiang Yun couldn't hold back his face. In Lin'an Prefecture, there were very few people who dared to speak to him like that. However, her tough attitude made it difficult for him to figure out her background for a moment. He frowned and asked:

"May I know Miss's name and origin?"

Jiang Yun wanted to know her background.

Zhang Wanshu held a Divine Talisman in her hand and turned her head indifferently:

"I'm from the capital. If Mr. Jiang has nothing to do, he should leave quickly, lest he bring trouble upon himself."

She was the daughter of a Third Rank official. No matter how virtuous and gentle she appeared on the surface, that was only in front of Chen Yuan. She wouldn't put on a false show for outsiders.

Lest Chen Yuan misunderstand.

"Miss, aren't you going a bit too far? I was just asking."

Jiang Yun frowned and stared at Zhang Wanshu.

"Say one more word, and get lost. If you don't, leave your life here." Zhang Wanshu took out the Divine Talisman directly from her sleeve, her eyes full of impatience.

Jiang Yun's gaze froze on the talisman, his pupils shrinking instantly. He froze in place.

He had seen this before. It was a Divine Talisman!

"Impudent! How dare you speak to my young master like that!"

Before Jiang Yun could say anything, a maid beside him reprimanded her.

"Slap!"

A crisp slap echoed. Jiang Yun slapped the maid to the ground, then quickly bowed and said:

"Miss, please forgive me. I was blind and didn't discipline my people well. Miss, please forgive me..."

"Young Master."

The maid on the ground, whose face was quickly swelling into a pig's head, was stunned. She looked at the scene in disbelief.

"Shut up."

Jiang Yun glared at her.

He knew very well what it meant to have a Divine Talisman. It was almost equivalent to having a Fifth Realm True Person behind you. How could he dare to offend such a person?

Even if his father came, he would have to be careful when dealing with a Divine Talisman.

The woman in front of him didn't seem to have a high cultivation level, so she might not be able to activate the Divine Talisman, but who knew if she had any special treasures? If he angered her, one strike would leave him with nothing but bones.

He couldn't take the risk!

Moreover, could a person who could casually take out a Divine Talisman to protect themselves be an ordinary person?

They might have a powerful force behind them.

Although he was somewhat flirtatious, he had always been a sensible person, knowing who he could offend and who he couldn't even look at.

"Get lost."

Zhang Wanshu said coldly, looking down at Jiang Yun.

"Yes, yes..."

Jiang Yun couldn't care less about his reputation at this moment. He quickly agreed.

"What is 'yes'?"

A faint voice resounded in everyone's ears. Chen Yuan, dressed in black, slowly walked out of the void, frowning as he looked at the humble Jiang Yun and his group.

He had only been gone for a short while, and it was already so cliché?

The indifference and coldness on Zhang Wanshu's face quickly faded. She put away the Divine Talisman and quickly walked to Chen Yuan's side, letting out a long breath, as if she was still a little scared.

"You... you're finally here. I almost wanted to call you."

Zhang Wanshu said charmingly.

Chen Yuan looked at Zhang Wanshu, who was pretending to be frightened, and almost laughed. If his divine sense hadn't enveloped the area in advance, he might have believed her.

He didn't expect Zhang Erjie, who was usually gentle and cold, to have a bit of a manipulative side.

Tsk tsk, interesting.

Seeing that Zhang Wanshu didn't want to go back to her previous cold appearance, Chen Yuan didn't expose her. He gently stroked the back of her hand, which was a little uneasy, and asked gently:

"Wanshu, what's wrong?"

"They..."

Zhang Wanshu quickly gave a brief account of what had just happened.

Jiang Yun, who was still fearful, froze in place. Where was the cold appearance from just now?

How did it change so suddenly?

If he hadn't experienced it himself, he would have almost thought that this gentle girl wasn't the cold woman from before.

Seeing Chen Yuan's imposing gaze sweeping over, Jiang Yun only felt a slight pain in his teeth.

It was obvious that this man had an even stronger background and an incredibly terrifying cultivation level. At least, he, a Tiangang cultivator, couldn't see the slightest clue.

He had been wary of this man, which was why he hadn't dared to make any substantive advances.

Now...

He suddenly felt a little scared. His mouth twitched, and he quickly bowed and clasped his fists:

"This brother, please don't be angry. It was just a misunderstanding. Jiang was just asking the lady what she was looking for, to see if I could help in any way. I never expected to displease the lady. It was all my fault. Please forgive me, brother, please forgive me."

Chen Yuan narrowed his eyes and looked at the man in white in front of him. His appearance was not bad, but his cultivation was somewhat lacking. He was already over thirty years old and only had Ning Gang cultivation. Moreover, his aura was very weak.

He looked like a typical spoiled young master.

He wasn't interested in wasting words with him. Chen Yuan moved his divine sense, and the maid who had spoken disrespectfully vanished into the void in the blink of an eye. If it weren't for the pool of blood on the ground, no one would have known that she had ever existed.

To Chen Yuan now, this man in white and the maid were nothing but ants.

Not much stronger than grasshoppers.

"Gulp."

Jiang Yun looked at the maid who had suddenly disappeared and swallowed involuntarily. He understood the horror of this man and quickly lowered his head:

"Brother, please forgive me. Please forgive me. My father is the Cyan Envoy of the Sky Survey Division of Lin'an Prefecture..."

He quickly revealed his family background.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan's lips curled up slightly. A burst of energy instantly entered the man's body, and he said indifferently:

"Are you using your family to pressure me?"

This man wasn't too arrogant. He had originally planned to give him a small lesson and let him go, but now it seemed that this kid was very tactless.

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. Brother, please forgive me. I really didn't offend this lady. I hope you can be generous and not hold it against me."

"Go back and have your father come to see me."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Yuan spoke.

"My... my father?"

"This official is Chen Yuan, the Sky Envoy of the Heavenly Division of the Sky Survey Division. What, is there a problem?"

"Marquis Wu'an?"

Jiang Yun was stunned for a moment.

The shadow of a person, the name of a tree!

Recently, he had heard this name so often that he was about to get calluses on his ears. He never thought that the famous Marquis Wu'an, who was feared throughout Central Continent and even the world, was this person.

He was finished! He had brought disaster upon himself!

His heart tightened, and he seemed to see the tragic situation ahead.

He had heard that this Marquis Wu'an was cruel and often destroyed families. He even had the title of Killing God. He must have gone out without looking at the almanac today. He was incredibly unlucky.

"No... no problem."

Although the man hadn't revealed his identity token, he was basically completely certain in his heart and didn't dare to be negligent in the slightest. All he could hope for now was that the other party would spare his life because he hadn't done anything too outrageous.

And wouldn't implicate his family.

At this moment, he even had the thought of committing suicide to appease the anger.

Zhang Wanshu tugged at Chen Yuan's sleeve, as if she didn't want him to be too ruthless. The other party was quite sensible, otherwise, if he had dared to speak disrespectfully, she would have destroyed him with a Divine Talisman long ago.

Chen Yuan glanced at her without saying anything.

————

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(End of this chapter)