Chapter 86

（Second update, please give recommendations and add to favorites. Strong push has started, and it will basically be on the shelf by February 1st, a week later.）

「Who are you! What is your background!」

In a moment, the cavalry had approached, each warhorse clad in armor, the metal gleaming coldly. Their massive hooves and long manes indicated that they were all fine warhorses with the bloodline of the famous "sweat-blood" horses.

Such fine horses were rarely seen among the common people, often costing hundreds or even thousands of silver taels. In Chang'an, Su Qignian knew that many wealthy families and prominent merchants would specifically collect them to decorate their mansions.

The one who spoke was the leading knight, clad in a suit of blue iron armor. The iron was pure, with fine, cotton-like cloud patterns, indicating that it was a fine iron armor made from dense cloud-patterned iron.

Dense cloud-patterned iron was a royal craft, with pure and tough iron, more solid than ordinary steel. Armor made from it could at least cut hair, and forging armor required even more material. Su Qignian estimated that this piece of dense cloud-patterned iron armor was worth at least several thousand silver taels. According to the Ministry of Rites, only military officers of the seventh rank and above could be equipped with it, and it was not a reward; once they left their post, they had to return it to the national treasury for reassignment.

Among this group of cavalry, only the leader wore dense cloud-patterned iron armor, while the others wore ordinary fine iron armor. However, the armor provided by the imperial army was supervised by the Ministry of War, with extremely strict craftsmanship, far beyond what ordinary blacksmiths could produce.

「Sir, we are outsiders, disciples of Wudang.」 Qingyu clasped his hands in greeting.

「Wudang disciples?」

The leading knight was encased in armor, with only his eyes visible, which sparkled with a sharp light. Before he could speak, a cavalryman beside him leaped up, pouncing like a wolf or tiger. His fist was clad in a fine iron knuckle guard, and as he opened and closed his hand, it resembled a wolf pouncing or a tiger devouring, stirring up a storm of blood and gore.

「Wolf Tiger Fist!」

Su Qignian's mind raced. This was a foundational boxing technique used in the military, different from the seven-layer foundational technique "Running Horse Power" that was popular among the common people. In the army, there was a specialized eight-layer foundational technique called "Wolf Tiger Decree." When perfected to the eighth layer, it could grant the strength of a "sweat-blood" warhorse.

With a galloping warhorse, the air distorted, and its hooves were as large as bowls, almost evolving into a true "sweat-blood" warhorse. The cavalryman pounced at Qingyu with the speed of a gale, his movements clean and precise, without any hesitation. The martial arts technique he used had a killing aura and a bloody smell, adding a unique charm to his boxing. At the fourth level of martial arts, his Wolf Tiger Fist had almost reached the third level, the realm of comprehension.

Clang!

Qingyu drew his sword, and a flash of sword light split into three, two sword shadows as solid as reality, tearing the air with a sharp whistle.

Clang! Clang!

Sparks flew as the cavalryman flipped backward, landing back on his horse. His strength was perfectly controlled, neither too much nor too little, and he shouted, 「Good swordsmanship!」

「One Qi to Three Clarity! Not bad, indeed the foundational sword technique of Wudang. You shouldn't have any resentment. In this Moya Mountain Range, there are many demons and monsters lurking, and they use various deceptive techniques. Martial arts traditions cannot be faked. On this journey, I have already killed three demons pretending to be Wudang disciples.」

The leading knight, who called himself a commandant, spoke again. Su Qignian understood that this person held the rank of seventh grade, which required a person of the Kai Tian realm to hold. Moreover, they were often outstanding figures in the Kai Tian realm. From the sound of his voice, he was not old, likely a martial scholar who passed the imperial examination every three years, a pillar of the state.

As for the provincial examination candidates, they could not hold such a rank and had to wait for the Ministry of Personnel to assign them to an eighth-grade or lower eighth-grade position before they could serve.

Half an incense stick later.

「Indeed, it is a Spirit Infant Sacrifice! Damn demons, actually attempting to召回 the true spirit of the fallen Moya Emperor from the river of time. No wonder the local garrison in Shiyan Prefecture has been frequently attacked by civilians, who have lost their children and gone mad!」

The young commandant shouted in anger, but then changed his tone: 「However, the Dragon Generals and Dragon Guards of the Dragon Guard Manor have already entered the mountains, and a Dragon Lord has also infiltrated. The Moya Mountain Range has not yet seen major disturbances, indicating that the sacrifice has not been completed. Moreover, the spirit world of the great hero Hong Qi has appeared in the Moya Mountain Range, seemingly in the Blood Shack Mountain area. The timing is too bizarre. The governor has already reported to the court, awaiting the emperor's decision. By the way, have you two seen the Princess's Chi Dragon Carriage on your journey through the mountains?」

The Princess's Chi Dragon Carriage?

Su Qignian raised an eyebrow and asked, 「Which princess?」

Glancing at Su Qignian, the young commandant found it absurd that a teenager who seemed to have practiced martial arts for less than a year and a half would be here, but he still replied, 「Under the heavens, apart from the Han Yang Princess personally ennobled by the emperor, who else could have a Chi Dragon Carriage?」

The Chi Dragon Carriage was not pulled by a real chi dragon, a spirit beast that even the greatest martial arts masters might not be able to tame. Instead, it was pulled by a chi dragon beast with chi dragon blood, capable of traveling ten thousand miles a day. Though not a spirit beast, once grown, it could rival a second-rate martial artist.

Typically, the Chi Dragon Carriage was a royal carriage exclusive to the imperial harem, with the Ministry of Rites stipulating that only concubines of the rank of Noble Consort and above could use it. Even the Empress used a Chi Dragon Carriage. However, the only daughter of the current Demon Suppression King, the Han Yang Princess, was deeply favored by the Han Emperor, and even the Chi Dragon Carriage was bestowed upon her. According to the young commandant, when the imperial edict was issued, many princesses in the royal mansions were so upset that they smashed their rooms and couldn't eat from anger.

「I haven't seen it. Why isn't the princess in the Demon Suppression King's mansion in Chang'an? Why would she come to the Moya Mountain Range?」 Qingyu glanced at Su Qignian and asked.

The commandant frowned and sighed, 「The princess has a strong personality. Upon hearing that Hong Qi's spirit world had appeared, she rushed to Shiyan Prefecture to use the Dragon Subduing Palm to refine the Chi Dragon Fist and break through the ninth level of the Chi Dragon Technique. The governor had already arranged a thousand-man garrison and invited young talents from major second-rate and above sects and families to escort her. However, the princess, who had verbally agreed during the day, secretly left the governor's residence at night, driving the Chi Dragon Carriage alone. Someone saw her enter the Moya Mountain Range alone, and it has been a full day. The governor has dispatched all the commandants under his command to find the princess and ensure her safety.」

Su Qignian, hearing this, slightly curled his lips. He knew that beneath the princess's calm appearance lay a wild and ruthless heart, one that would not tolerate the hindrance of a large entourage on her martial path. Not lashing out on the spot was already a consideration for the royal family's face and a show of respect to the governor of the province.

However, Su Qignian quickly composed himself, becoming unusually calm.

「Alright, your contributions have been noted. Once this matter is resolved, I will report to the governor's office and the Dragon Guard Manor, and you will be rewarded accordingly.」

「Move! Speed up!」

The warhorses neighed, and the cavalry charged forward, their blood and qi like smoke, the killing aura of the soldiers tearing through layers of demonic fog, like a sharp blade piercing into the depths of the Moya Mountain Range.

Watching the rolling dust in the distance, Qingyu took a deep breath, patted Su Qignian's shoulder, and then vanished in a flash, his voice echoing from afar.

「Stay alive.」

Stay alive!

Su Qignian was taken aback, looking at the tattered robe in the distance, a faint smile slowly forming on his lips.

In the next moment, he took a step, and in a few flashes, he was far behind the cavalry, moving faster than a galloping horse.

…

Blood Shack Mountain.

Near the heart of the Moya Mountain Range, a purple-black ancient mountain, with rugged rocks and withered vegetation, showing no signs of life.

The only difference was that at the peak, which was about seven hundred zhang high, a burst of auspicious qi and a thousand rays of light were rising, the purple qi rising from the east, tearing through the thick demonic fog and welcoming the brilliant winter sun.

Even from dozens of miles away, such an unusual phenomenon was clearly visible. Su Qignian's eyes twitched, his spiritual energy in the Ancestral Aperture stirring, and the unease in his heart grew stronger.（Second update, please give recommendations and add to favorites. Strong push has started, and it will basically be on the shelf by February 1st, a week later.）