Chapter 1260: Jiang Shu's Answer

Zhao Xuanyang watched quietly for a while, seeing the peerlessly graceful Ji Zhaonan approach from afar.

The entire city seemed to become a backdrop.

Only this figure in frost-white armor and silver spear, stepping through the brilliance of the scorching sun, arrived.

Zhao Xuanyang smiled softly and said, "I am following the ancient Demon Slaying Alliance Pact, and I must apprehend Jiang Wang to be judged at Mount Yu Jing. Ji Zhaonan, do you truly wish to stop me?"

"Whether someone from our Qi state is guilty, we Qi people will judge ourselves. Does the Jing state wish to overstep its bounds?" Ji Zhaonan said calmly as he continued to advance, "Not until all Qi people are dead first."

"Let's not speak so gravely." Zhao Xuanyang's smile was warm and gentle. "It's merely a trial. If he is truly innocent, Mount Yu Jing will not harm him."

Ji Zhaonan stopped his steps five zhang away from them and merely said, "You should know, I am not a very patient person. If you wish to die, continue to spout nonsense to me."

"Talking about life and death at every turn is not a good habit. Carrying one's head on their belt is not secure." Zhao Xuanyang held his wooden sword diagonally behind him and smiled at Ji Zhaonan, "Or perhaps, you have boasted so much that you have come to believe it yourself, truly thinking you can kill me?"

"We will fight at the same level, by mutual consent, without harming our states or causing conflict between them. Life and death are determined by this one battle, victory and defeat only by fate. How exhilarating!"

Ji Zhaonan looked up at him, "Would you care to try?"

Zhao Xuanyang sighed lightly, "It seems the Qi state is determined to shield a demon spy."

He turned to look at Jiang Wang and smiled, "Is this the person you were waiting for?"

Jiang Wang's gaze was calm.

He was indeed waiting, always waiting for a reaction from the Qi state.

Today, he was caught here by Zhao Xuanyang, virtually defenseless.

However, his unexpected choice had bought him a day's time under Zhao Xuanyang's pursuit.

A day was enough for Chongxuan Sheng to do something, enough for the Qi state, having received the news, to react.

Chongxuan Sheng was no ordinary person; he could at any time reach the true upper echelons of the Qi state, the Chongxuan Chuliang of the Military Affairs Hall. And Chongxuan Chuliang could see the Qi Emperor at any time.

So, would the Qi state, a powerful state among the six strongest in the world, watch idly as its own prodigy was forcibly taken away for trial? Even in the name of the ancient Demon Slaying Alliance Pact, even if Mount Yu Jing did have the authority to uphold ancient pacts?

Ji Zhaonan, who had urgently emerged from beyond the Myriad Demon Gate, was the Qi Emperor's answer!

Jiang Wang had indeed waited for the reaction he needed.

But at this moment, he looked at Zhao Xuanyang and merely said, "We are so close. If you kill me now, he cannot stop you."

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Zhao Xuanyang smiled warmly, "I am only responsible for pursuing and escorting, not executing. That is a separate price."

Zhao Xuanyang naturally could not kill him just like that.

As long as he had not been formally tried at Mount Yu Jing, the suspicion of being a demon spy remained just that, a suspicion.

If Zhao Xuanyang dared to kill him now, the Jing state would be forced to pay with blood.

Jiang Wang's question was merely a reminder. He was worried that Zhao Xuanyang, being intercepted just as he was about to succeed, might become enraged and make some irrational choice. Whether Zhao Xuanyang was rational or not was his own business, but it now directly involved his life and death, so he had to care.

Zhao Xuanyang's answer indicated that he knew what he was doing and that it was not yet time to make a drastic decision.

They exchanged a few simple words here.

And Ji Zhaonan had already taken a step forward.

He truly did not give Zhao Xuanyang much patience!

A safe distance of five zhang was virtually non-existent for an expert like him.

Almost as soon as his foot stepped out, he was already close. The Shao Hua Spear, like a flood dragon overturning, leaped from behind him to before him, a single cold star, piercing with might and will, aiming directly at Zhao Xuanyang's throat!

A single spear strike into the Dao!

He actually moved, just like that!

He did not care that this was the Eastern Region, that this was the territory of the Jing state!

Precisely at this moment.

From the sky above, a terrifyingly sharp sword beam descended.

"Your opponent is me!"

The sword beam, like thunder from the ninth heaven, directly cut a massive fissure in front of Zhao Xuanyang.

It separated the charging Ji Zhaonan on the other side of the fissure.

And a young man dressed in a black Daoist robe had descended from the sky, landing within this fissure, hovering in mid-air. Facing Ji Zhaonan, he said coldly, "You are a guest from afar. If Brother Ji is eager to test his skills, Chunyu Gui will gladly oblige. If you wish to fight to the death, Chunyu Gui will also oblige!"

This person had clear features and cold eyes. It was none other than the other of the two paragons of the Jing state, Chunyu Gui, as renowned as Zhao Xuanyang!

Facing Ji Zhaonan's imposing step forward and spear strike, Zhao Xuanyang had not moved a single step from beginning to end, not even blinking.

At this moment, he merely smiled at Jiang Wang, "The person I was waiting for has also arrived."

He did not even look at Ji Zhaonan and Chunyu Gui. Grabbing Jiang Wang's arm, he soared into the air and headed straight west.

Behind them was the thunderous roar of confrontation between Shenlin level cultivators.

Light and shadow clashed fiercely, and the sounds were muffled roars, as if the earth had sunk and the sky had collapsed.

But it had nothing to do with them anymore.

As the benevolent ruler who laid the foundation for the Great Qi's hegemony, Emperor Qi Jiang Xu's "answer" was not confined to the Zhongshan State.

At the same moment, at the seventh town of the Nine Towns of the Long River, on the Bi'an Bridge.

A tall, burly figure, clad in heavy armor, walked from the other end of the bridge.

Like a ferocious beast, like a mighty lion, his steps carried the oppressive weight of a mountain.

And at this end of the bridge stood an elegant man in scholarly robes.

"Stop," the elegant man sighed.

The burly figure in heavy armor did not stop, continuing his long strides forward.

The elegant man spoke again, "Shi Mingcheng, why must you do this?"

This burly giant in heavy armor was none other than the commander of the Qi Nine Legions' Winter Silence Army, Shi Mingcheng!

This person, who bore a name signifying virtuous conduct and refined elegance, was instead built like a brute, appearing like a ferocious beast, and was known for his fiery temper.

Hearing the words, he merely grinned ferociously, "Pei Xinghe, you shouldn't be asking me this question?"

The name Pei Xinghe was known to almost everyone in the Middle Domain.

Because he was precisely the commander of the Jing Eight Armor's Disaster Slaying Army!

At this very moment, he was confronting someone on this Bi'an Bridge.

Pei Xinghe shook his head, "As the commander of an army, stationed beyond the Myriad Demon Gate, you should be commanding your soldiers and stabilizing the demon-slaying front line. Yet you lightly left and returned to the mundane world. Is this not acting like a child?"

"Are you telling me how to do my job?" Shi Mingcheng continued to walk forward.

"Is it worth it to involve someone of your level for a mere Inner Mansion cultivator?" Pei Xinghe frowned, "Furthermore, it is not our Jing state that is falsely accusing him; he truly has a questionable connection with the demon race. I can show you the evidence!"

Shi Mingcheng twisted his neck and continued to walk forward, "Talking about this is meaningless. If you don't hand him over today, I will twist off that little brat Zhao Xuanyang's head. Otherwise, try and see if you can stop me!"