As expected, a figure leapt from Commander Yan’s side. He reached the wandering cultivator’s neck with a single, wraithlike grab.

The poor sap didn’t even have time to resist before being picked up like a hapless chick.

He was thrown onto the ground with incredible force, making every bone and organ in his body creak in protest. The impact brought him to the brink of death as he breathed out without taking any air in.

The one who’d taken action was one of the captain’s capable underlings. After the deed was done, he dusted off his palms, like he’d done something utterly insignificant.

The display of brute force utterly stunned the other dissenters.

“Since when did the Blue Eagle Guard suffer commentary from the rabble?” The guard swept a murderous glare across the wandering cultivators’ faces.

“All of you, get the hell back to your rooms 

now

 and wait for inspection. Anyone who does not after a count of ten will be treated as a rebel. The penalty for noncompliance is death without exception!” The man spoke in a dominant, unquestionable tone.

Jiang Chen shook his head to himself. He didn’t know why these guardsmen thought they were untouchable, or if there was another reason. But what they were doing was utterly unreasonable.

Yes, the Blue Eagle Guard was unrivaled in Bluesmoke, but who knew if anyone present was from a greater outside faction? What guarantee was there that they would respect Bluesmoke’s strength?

There wasn’t much risk of the above occurring, but it certainly existed.

Still, there had to be a reason for their actions, though Jiang Chen wasn’t interested in finding out what they were.

In the meantime, the ruthless subordinate had already begun the countdown.

“Ten, nine, eight, seven…”

Part of the crowd scampered off with each counted number, retreating back to their rooms. The more cowardly cultivators gathered couldn’t ignore the threat.

“Five, four…” The man put down his fingers one by one, mockery plain upon his face. These cultivators were nothing special. A bit of shock and awe would easily force them into submission.

But there were a few stubborn ones that remained. They furtively traded disgruntled looks.

Commander Yan’s aura was the deciding factor that beat them back. He was too strong for them to take on.

All of the wandering cultivators here added together wouldn’t be able to defend against a single one of his attacks.

In the blink of an eye, most had retreated back into the courtyard. Those who were especially timid had already retreated into their rooms. The stragglers were close behind them, sighing helplessly all the while.

Jiang Chen’s eyes rested on the back of one of them. A surprised glint entered his eye. The person he was looking at seemed rather familiar!

Just as the last couple of people were about to walk back into the inn’s courtyard, the guard interrupted them. “Stop right there, you lot!”

The stragglers tensed as their footsteps came to a stop, unnerved by the sudden demand.

“Commander Yan, these guys should be the ones behind that commotion we had earlier. They’re the last ones to leave. Clearly, they’re not going willingly.” The savage lieutenant snitched to his captain.

Commander Yan nodded slightly. “Investigate all of them. Don’t miss a single lead.”

All of the mentioned people paled at this. “Commander Yan,” a few of them called out, “we didn’t start anything. Look, aren’t we going back inside as well?”

The captain ignored these people. He swept his gaze in front of Jiang Chen instead, scrutinizing the youth in the corner.

In the meantime, Jiang Chen’s attention was on the wandering cultivators. When the one he’d noticed turned around, he was very pleased to confirm his suspicions.

It really is him!

Jiang Chen hadn’t remotely expected to see him here in Bluesmoke. It had been so many years… that they would meet again!

It was none other than Chu Xinghan, whom Jiang Chen had saved on Eternal Spirit Mountain! The former disciple of the Purple Sun Sect had then departed under the charge of Elder Shun.

As a student of the House Yan elder, he had disappeared after Elder Shun’s capture a few years back. Jiang Chen had asked the elder about his whereabouts, but the elder hadn’t known where the young man had ended up.

To meet him again here at this Miracle City inn was certainly propitious!

Jiang Chen’s drastic growth and disguise had prevented Chu Xinghan from noticing him. Even if he had, he wouldn’t have recognized him.

The Eternal Sacred Land’s young lord swept his eyes across his old acquaintance. Chu Xinghan certainly hadn’t wasted his time in Myriad Abyss in these recent years.

He wasn’t yet empyrean realm, but already peak great emperor. This kind of progress was virtually impossible in the human domain. And yet, it was only slightly remarkable in Myriad Abyss.

If he had kept studying under Elder Shun’s tutelage, he might have been talented enough to break through to empyrean.

By now, Chu Xinghan and a few others had caught the unwelcome attention of the Blue Eagle Guard. Several furious guardsmen surrounded them.

“Hand over your storage rings!” There was immediately an unreasonable demand.

The cultivators who were hemmed in collectively paled at this.

A sallow man mumbled, “Good sirs, I’m from House Helian of the Verdantpine Isles. I’m definitely not the criminal you want. Here’s proof of my identity…”

“Enough prattling. Do you not have ears? Didn’t you hear what we said?” The lieutenant who’d killed someone a moment ago delivered a crisp slap.

Clearly, the Blue Eagle Guard had no regard whatsoever for some so-called House Helian.

The man’s face bruised immediately. The hungry guards stripped him bare, then began to loot his valuables.

Though everything worth money was found, it was thrown on the ground in front of him. Evidently, his property wasn’t particularly interesting. “What a beggar. Go back to your room!” a guard cursed.

The sallow-faced man stumbled off dejectedly, afraid of making another fuss. He picked up his things and clothes, then ran for shelter.

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