Chapter 634

Outside the capital.

Tang Tang Lanzhou stumbled out of the city gate, running forward with all his might.

The capital was in chaos, but it was precisely because of this chaos that he managed to run out of the city under the cover of the crowd. Along the way, the foreign woman had chased him several times, only to be intercepted by Zheng Yi again. It had been a cup of tea’s time since she last pursued him.

Tang Tang Lanzhou’s chest heaved violently like a broken bellows.

Even though his heart was as firm as a rock, he could not overcome this frail, aged body.

"Where... where..."

The edges of his vision were already dark, and his consciousness began to drift.

"Must... the tiger tally and the imperial seal... must be handed over..."

Tang Tang Lanzhou stumbled forward.

Ahead, at the edge of his vision, someone seemed to be running over rapidly.

"Tang... Tang..."

"Lord Tang..."

"Lord Tang!"

The figure finally reached him and reached out to support him.

Tang Tang Lanzhou tried hard to open his eyes wide and saw the person’s face clearly.

"Ah—Lord An."

An Shen Ziyang pinched his pulse, channeled true Qi into him, and asked urgently.

"What is the situation!"

Tang Tang Lanzhou managed to regain some spirit and took the tiger tally and the imperial seal from his bosom.

"Lord Zhu, His Majesty, as well as the ministers, key officials, and offerings within the Forbidden City."

"Should have all fallen."

"That Heaven-Man whose realm is above Lord Li’s shattered the Hall of Supreme Harmony."

"Battalion Commander Zheng Yi intercepted the pursuers for me, and I haven't seen her for a cup of tea’s time."

He spat out the current situation like a string of firecrackers, each sentence making An Shen Ziyang’s expression even gloomier.

An Shen Ziyang’s condition was clearly not good either; not only was his face pale, but the hand supporting Tang Tang Lanzhou also didn't match the skin color of other parts of his body, clearly newly regenerated using healing techniques.

The foreign Heaven-Man’s assassination of Li Miao’s subordinates was clearly not so easy to endure.

If it weren't for the fact that they had rarely made moves since the Yingzhou Rebellion and their Wu Gong had greatly improved, leading the enemy to misjudge their strength, they might not have survived until now. But after being assassinated, rushing back to the capital overnight, they were already at the end of their rope.

While the two were speaking, several others arrived.

You Zi'ang was carrying the unconscious Mei Mei Qinghe, while Cao Cao Hanyan and Gao Gao Anyu were each pressing her pulse points, channeling true Qi to sustain her life.

Others included Deng Deng Baixuan, the former leader of the Hengshan Sect; Zhou Zhou Yingxue, the former leader of the Songshan Sect; Liu Baiyun, the former leader of the Huashan Sect; Sect Leader Zhi Sheng of Mount Wudang; and Elder Zhi Qing of Mount Wudang, all gathered around.

An Shen Ziyang said in a deep voice.

"No need to enter the city."

"The Old Man by the River has already entered the city."

Everyone’s expression changed suddenly.

They had all rushed back from the south overnight, but they didn't expect that as soon as they arrived, the worst-case scenario they had imagined had already come true and was placed before their eyes.

"But the old Guard Commander—"

Cao Cao Hanyan said urgently.

Tang Tang Lanzhou managed to regain some spirit and looked up, saying.

"Lord Zhu and His Majesty will be fine."

"The enemy wants to usurp the world, so they cannot kill the monarch; and Lord Zhu’s life is their bargaining chip for negotiations with Lord Li. The enemy will not kill them."

"Likewise, Lord Zhu Zhu Yijing, as well as Lord Zhu’s family, are probably the same."

"But... the others in the city..."

Tang Tang Lanzhou stopped speaking.

Deng Deng Baixuan was stunned, and then he gripped his sword hilt tightly.

"Brother Zhang... is in the Forbidden City..."

"With his personality, he will definitely try to rescue Lord Zhu at the first opportunity..."

Zhou Zhou Yingxue, Liu Baiyun, and Gao Ling, who also came from the Five Mountains Sword Sects, had their expressions darken.

Because they had similar backgrounds and had known each other for a long time, and had all switched to the Embroidered Uniform Guard because of the Taian City incident, they had become close friends over the years. Precisely because of this, Deng Deng Baixuan, who was soft-hearted, couldn't finish his sentence.

Zhang Zhang Jingfeng was definitely going to die.

The others also had faces as heavy as water.

"There is also Lord Zhu Zhu Shoujing, Offering Attendant Ruan Mei, and Offering Hong Chou."

"As well as other colleagues guarding the Forbidden City..."

Cao Cao Hanyan lowered her head, gritting her teeth.

"No time to mourn."

An Shen Ziyang said in a deep voice.

"There is still work to be done."

"The capital must be abandoned, but before the Guard Commander returns, we must do something to delay their movements... Brother Cao, take Zhou Zhou Yingxue, Deng Deng Baixuan, and Liu Baiyun to meet Battalion Commander Zheng Yi."

Cao Cao Hanyan nodded and left with the three.

"Brother You, take Sister Mei and Lord Tang and go."

An Shen Ziyang handed Tang Tang Lanzhou and the imperial seal and tiger tally to You Zi'ang.

"Go to Nanjingcheng; it is safe there."

"You must arrive there within three days, otherwise Sister Mei will definitely die."

You Zi'ang took the imperial seal and tiger tally, carried Tang Tang Lanzhou and Mei Mei Qinghe on his back, nodded, and turned to leave rapidly.

An Shen Ziyang turned his head to look at Zhi Qing and Zhi Sheng.

"Two Daoists, Battalion Commander Gao and I will go with you to meet Daoist Yue Cang."

"After that, we will do 'that thing'."

Yue Cang was the Daoist name of the Mount Wudang Heaven-Man.

Elder Zhi Qing of Mount Wudang, who had first met Li Miao, remained silent, while Sect Leader Zhi Sheng of Mount Wudang shook his head slowly.

"No need."

"Pacification Commissioner An, Uncle Master does not need to be met."

An Shen Ziyang frowned.

"But Daoist Yue Cang’s realm should be inferior to that Mount Wudang apostate..."

Zhi Sheng said slowly.

"Uncle Master left words."

"Mount Wudang descendants helping foreigners enter the pass and overthrowing the world—this kind of sin must be washed away by a Mount Wudang descendant’s own hands. It cannot be left for later, cannot be left for tomorrow. Every second that person lives is a disgrace to the Founder."

"Uncle Master will perish together with him."

"It concerns the people of the world; Mount Wudang will not hold back—that is what Uncle Master said."

Zhi Sheng’s words were decisive.

An Shen Ziyang remained silent for a few seconds upon hearing this, then nodded.

"I understand."

"If we survive in the future, the Embroidered Uniform Guard will build a cenotaph for Daoist Yue Cang, and every Qingming Festival, the Embroidered Uniform Guard will go to Mount Mount Wudang to sweep the tomb for Daoist Yue Cang."

"With that, everyone, follow me."

Having said that, An Shen Ziyang turned and dashed out like a sharp arrow.

Gao Gao Anyu, Zhi Qing, and Zhi Sheng followed in silence.

The group did not enter the city but dashed in the opposite direction.

If someone were looking down from high above, they would find that the direction they were dashing in was exactly the opposite of the path the Old Man by the River had cleared when rushing into the capital, as if they were tracing back the direction from which the Old Man by the River had come.

The group dashed like this for half an hour.

The surroundings gradually became uninhabited, and they arrived at a flat, desolate wilderness.

An Shen Ziyang stopped abruptly.

He channeled true Qi, raised his palm, and spread it out. After a few seconds, with a rustling sound, a Gu insect the thickness of a little finger crawled out from his sleeve and onto his palm. After winding and stretching a few times, it became still.

After a moment, two figures suddenly appeared in the distance.

Their speed was extremely fast, clearly also experts of the Heaven-Man realm.

Within a few seconds, they reached the group.

An Shen Ziyang scanned the two from head to toe and let out a long breath.

"Thank goodness... Brother Wang."

Wang Hai nodded and put down Li Xiaosi, whom he was carrying on his back.

"The foreign Heaven-Man had been eyeing Xiaosi for a long time. If it weren't for Master Seeing Yongjie of Shaolin, I’m afraid I wouldn't have been able to rescue Xiaosi from the city alone."

"Master Seeing Yongjie was seriously injured, and I have already told him to leave on his own."

An Shen Ziyang nodded.

"As long as you are alive."

Having said that, he turned his head to look at Xiaosi.