Chapter 961

In the martial world, anyone with a name and a face knows of Zhuge Shenhou, and who would dare not give him face?

"If you are returning to the capital, then this poor monk and our fellow practitioners would find it inconvenient to keep you."

Liaofan nodded, then abruptly shifted the topic,

"It's just that yesterday I received news that my junior brother Liaokong was murdered by a villain.

Therefore I have invited our fellow martial world practitioners to come specifically to see justice done for Junior Brother Liaokong.

If Benefactor Shangguan wishes to return to the capital, this poor monk naturally will not stop you.

But you must let this poor monk take a look inside your carriage, to see whether the murderer who killed my Junior Brother Liaokong is there."

As expected!

Liaofan had actually come to avenge Liaokong?

It's just that before Liaokong passed into Nirvana, he had clearly told Shangguan Haitang to take Guihai Yidao to find Liaofan to dissolve the threat of one man dominating the world.

Why is it that now, face to face with Liaofan, he instead wants to avenge Liaokong?

Moreover, how could Liaofan have received news of yesterday's matter so quickly?

He had even contacted all these martial world sect martial artists, and even Cao Zhengchun's Eastern Depot men.

Such speed of contact—no matter how you think about it, it's bizarre!

It's just that what was in his heart, after all, could not be spoken directly.

Otherwise it would be admitting that Guihai Yidao was right there inside his carriage.

"Forgive Haitang for being unable to comply."

Shangguan Haitang refused directly,

"Inside the carriage is in fact a criminal wanted by the imperial court, personally named by Zhuge Shenhou.

Until Zhuge Shenhou himself appears, no one may open the carriage to inspect it."

In today's martial world, Zhuge Shenhou's prestige truly runs deep.

Though he does not involve himself in the martial world, from the leaders of the eight great orthodox sects above down to ordinary martial artists below—

the name of Zhuge Shenhou is truly a golden signboard.

Upon hearing that the carriage held a criminal wanted by the imperial court, personally named by Zhuge Shenhou, the martial artists who had followed Liaofan all changed color.

No longer did they look as aggressive as before.

Even Liaofan himself, his expression shifted slightly.

"Oh? A wanted criminal?"

Cao Zhengchun, hearing this, could not help but laugh out loud,

"The Eastern Depot, by decree of the Son of Heaven, is specifically charged with investigating major cases. I wonder which imperial criminal is in your carriage, Haitang.

May I take a look?"

In the jianghu, no one dares defy the name of Zhuge Shenhou.

But in the imperial court, there is also this Eastern Depot Superintendent Cao Zhengchun, who opposes him at every turn.

Moreover, the Eastern Depot was established at the founding of the dynasty; in terms of authority to investigate cases, it is indeed above the Shanzhuang.

Once Cao Zhengchun spoke, those Eastern Depot agents immediately leaped down.

Some ten men blocked the carriage's path forward and backward completely.

Then a tall man was seen leaping down, landing lightly not far from the carriage like a hawk.

"Since the Superintendent has given the order, please step aside, Miss Haitang."

"Tiezhua Feiying, you must not be too presumptuous."

Shangguan Haitang naturally knew this man, and immediately grew somewhat flustered,

"You must think this through—this is a criminal personally designated by Zhuge Shenhou; without his presence, no one may—"

"Zhuge Shenhou, I naturally dare not offend."

Tiezhua Feiying smiled darkly and said,

"But I am the Second Head of the Eastern Depot, directly under the Superintendent.

The Superintendent has shown me kindness as heavy as a mountain; even if he asked me to be ground to dust I would not fear.

Step aside quickly and let me inspect.

If it truly is a wanted criminal, I'll let you go and be done with it."

Saying this, Tiezhua Feiying swaggered step by step toward the carriage, utterly indifferent to Shangguan Haitang's attitude.

Shangguan Haitang was anxious in her heart; she knew that if Guihai Yidao's presence were exposed,

given today's lineup, Guihai Yidao would likely be in danger.

But although Tiezhua Feiying was not the top expert under Cao Zhengchun, he was still an expert who could be ranked among them.

His eagle claws, combined with the iron claws in his hands—

feinting and striking in turn, yet fierce and swift.

In terms of Wu Gong combat power, he was truly above her, Shangguan Haitang.

Especially since on the scene there was far more than just one Tiezhua Feiying!

"Miss Zhou, if you are willing to lend me a hand, I shall help you find news of another Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom—how about it?"

At the critical moment, Shangguan Haitang suddenly whispered these words to Zhou Zhiruo.

In fact, ever since that year Tianhui brought back news of the Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom from You Dongying,

Zhuge Shenhou had long ago ordered his men from all quarters to search for news of the remaining Heavenly Fragrance Cardamoms.

Among them, Shangguan Haitang, and her Number One Manor under her, had naturally also long received the task.

After years of investigation, they had indeed obtained quite a bit of information.

Yesterday on the cliff, I traded the news of the Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom for Zhou Zhiruo's tight-lipped silence.

Shangguan Haitang also knew Zhou Zhiruo's strength was truly extraordinary.

If today I relied only on myself, I certainly couldn't protect Benefactor Guihai Yidao.

So he immediately thought of using the news of the Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom to get Zhou Zhiruo to step in and help him.

"Really?"

Sure enough, upon hearing the news of the Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom, Zhou Zhiruo immediately turned her head to look straight at Shangguan Haitang.

"Don't worry! I, Shangguan Haitang, always keep my word."

Shangguan Haitang immediately gave her guarantee.

Clang!

Having gotten Shangguan Haitang's guarantee, Zhou Zhiruo immediately drew her sword.

She landed lightly in front of the carriage, sword tip pointing at the ground, and said,

"Halt!"

"You little wench, with your fair and tender skin, don't let the wind blow your tongue out of joint!"

Ever since that bizarre barefoot act, the entire Eastern Depot had taken notice of Zhou Zhiruo.

Tiezhua Feiying was naturally no exception.

But even combining it with the Eastern Depot's intelligence, he simply couldn't recall who this devastatingly beautiful woman was.

Seeing now Zhou Zhiruo's graceful sword-drawing motion, he secretly felt she was a formidable foe.

Flippant words still on his lips, before he even finished speaking, he lunged straight forward.

Tiezhua Feiying came from the Feiying Sect; not only had he practiced the Eagle Claw Art to perfection, his whole body had been tempered with horizontal training of sinew and bone.

Unless it was a divine weapon of the Divine Weapon grade, it would be nearly impossible to wound him in the slightest.

He had further, for the sake of his own strength, not hesitated to take century-old refined gold, mixed in a thread of dark iron collected from the Western Regions, to forge a pair of iron claws.

These iron claws looked utterly unremarkable, but paired with his Eagle Claw Art that combined agility with fierce power, they were truly wings to a tiger.

At this point he already regarded Zhou Zhiruo as a formidable foe; the moment he struck, it was the Feiying Sect's Thirty-Six Heaven-Rending Claw Technique.

Every claw seemed to appear out of nowhere, yet also fell like a sudden violent storm.

Truly vicious and exquisite clawwork.

From time to time, he even brought out the iron claws.

Combined with his claw technique, the power was truly all the more extraordinary.

Even an ordinary Earthly Immortal Realm practitioner, upon seeing this, if caught off guard and slow to parry, would fall behind within two or three exchanges.