In a trance.
A pair of cyan cloth shoes appeared in his field of vision.
The Daoist had arrived before him, looking down with a cruel smirk twisting his lips.
The next instant.
His foot lifted, about to stomp down.
Roar—!!!
A Dragon roar suddenly erupted.
A silver enraged Dragon roared out from the end of the long street, directly swallowing the Daoist's figure.
The originally arrogant Cyan-robed Daoist was actually forced back several yards by this strike, stabilizing his posture somewhat awkwardly.
Before he could react.
Uniform footsteps, like muffled thunder rolling across the ground, shook the long street.
A large group of figures clad in Black Clothes and Red Patterns surged out from the corner like a black tide, surrounding the area completely in the blink of an eye.
And among that crowd.
A young man wearing a golden robe slowly stepped into the area.
Seeing this figure.
The Daoist finally lowered his shoulders, True Qi surging within his body.
A faint illusory image of a mountain flashed behind him and vanished.
He narrowed his eyes slightly and asked softly, "And who are you?"
Facing the inquiry.
The young man remained expressionless. The silver enraged Dragon transformed into a Pale White Longsword, flying back to his side and circling him.
"I am You Wujiang, Golden Robe Inspector of the Great Tang Demon Suppression Division."
Finally.
He slightly raised his palm, and the longsword hummed.
"A dignified Guan Shan Martial Venerable, yet you bully mere vendors and commoners in the marketplace. You are certainly losing face. If Your Excellency wishes to spar, I, You, wouldn't mind accompanying you for a few moves?"
Hearing this, the Daoist remained silent for a moment.
Although he greatly looked down upon the land of Great Tang, the strongest person stationed here was, at best, a Lamp-Lighting Martial Saint.
But if there was no need, he truly did not want to completely tear off all pretenses with the Great Tang imperial court.
After all, he had traveled thousands of miles to this barren land for the Opportunity that was about to emerge, not to fight to the death with this group of local tyrants.
Moreover, the opponent was also in the Mountain Gazing Realm. Although he seemed to have only just entered the Mountain Gazing, if they truly fought, it would be somewhat tricky.
Thinking of this.
The Daoist's tense body slowly relaxed, and his aggressive Aura receded like a tide.
He forced a smile and said, "So it is Lord You... I merely saw that this young fellow had decent aptitude and felt an itch to offer some guidance. Since Lord You has spoken..."
He flicked his wide sleeve, not even glancing at the crowd again, and turned to leave.
"I have important matters to attend to, so I won't delay here."
The several Deputy Generals of the Demon Suppression Division wearing Scarlet Cloaks all looked displeased.
Causing trouble and injuring people in the Great Tang Capital for no reason, and then just leaving with such a flimsy excuse?
Did he really think their Great Tang was made of mud?
The men subconsciously looked toward You Wujiang, their eyes holding a hint of expectation.
...
But then they lowered their gaze in disappointment.
Feeling the gazes of the men beside him—glowing hot before turning cold—You Wujiang's mouth twitched slightly, but he still weakly lowered his hand.
The constantly circling Pale White Longsword let out a mournful cry and flew back into the scabbard on his back.
"Send the injured to the Medical Hall and make sure they are properly comforted."
You Wujiang left these words behind, no longer looking at the people behind him, and departed alone in solitude.
Not until he reached a desolate area.
Did he finally reveal his exhausted state.
This was the Realm he had dreamed of entering.
He once thought... that as long as he entered the Mountain Gazing Realm, he could protect more people.
But now, too many Martial Artists and Cultivators of unknown origin have flooded into Chang'an City overnight.
Take the man just now, acting so recklessly—was he truly relying only on the fact that he was a Guan Shan Martial Venerable?
He remembered that when this person first came to Chang'an, he was following a Tower-Ascending Martial Immortals!
The Mountain Gazing Realm, facing the current situation in Chang'an... truly counted for nothing.
Inside the Demon Suppression Headquarters.
The oppression was even heavier than on the long street outside.
You Wujiang silently walked through the corridor. Everyone he saw along the way were members of the Demon Suppression Division rushing about with looks of indignation on their faces.
"Another incident! Just because someone looked too long, their eyes were gouged out!"
"What's that? I heard that yesterday, there was even a conflict involving a Tower-Ascending Martial Immortals at the Drunken Immortal Tower. If it weren't for..."
Before he finished speaking.
A sharp-eyed Demon Suppression Guard spotted him and quickly scurried forward, bowing and saying, "Lord You, Deputy Commander Zhao requests your presence."
You Wujiang nodded slightly, said nothing, and walked straight toward the inner hall.
Following him into the inner hall.
He saw the elderly man sitting in the hall, his face full of fatigue, his eyes sunken, looking as if he hadn't slept for days.
Seeing him enter, Zhao Zhongliu merely lifted his eyelids weakly.
"Wujiang, you're here."
You Wujiang finally couldn't hold back. He stepped forward and asked in a deep voice, "Elder Zhao... what are the origins of these people? Why is the imperial court so permissive?"
Hearing this.
Zhao Zhongliu gave a wry smile, rubbed his throbbing temples, and slowly stood up.
Starting a few days ago.
Large numbers of Cultivators and Martial Artists emerged from unknown crevices and corners, pouring into Chang'an City one by one.
They were often Mountain Gazing or Lamp-Lighting, and there were even Tower-Ascending Martial Immortalss.
The backgrounds and origins of these people were diverse, and not a single record could be found even in the files of the Demon Suppression Division.
If it weren't for Thirteen Wu, the old Immortal Master of Xuanzhen Grotto-Heaven, making an appearance the day before yesterday, the heavens of Chang'an City would probably have been overturned by this group of powerful Dragons crossing the river.
Zhao Zhongliu sighed deeply and retorted irritably, "You ask this old man, who should this old man ask?"
"This old man only knows that these people seem to be rushing over because something has appeared within Great Tang, but exactly what it is, I don't know at all..."
Hearing this.
You Wujiang felt helpless inwardly.
This group of people had always been arrogant, constantly calling Great Tang a poor, remote place... If it truly were a poor, remote place, what could possibly be worth such a huge commotion?
But the old man's expression didn't seem fake... he probably truly didn't know.
Asking more would be useless.
He gathered his thoughts, no longer dwelling on those insoluble matters.
He nodded, stopped talking, and brought up the main topic.
"Elder Zhao, why did you ask me to come?"
Zhao Zhongliu sighed and rose from his chair.
"The affairs within the city are no longer something we can easily suppress."
He paced twice, his voice growing heavier: "Currently, only High Ancestor, a Lamp-Lighting Martial Saint, is guarding His Majesty. Commander Bai is in secluded cultivation healing his injuries and cannot emerge anytime soon."
"No matter how chaotic Chang'an City becomes, His Majesty's safety absolutely cannot suffer the slightest mishap."
He turned around and looked at You Wujiang.
"You have now also entered Mountain Gazing. Although you still lack some experience, this is all the foundation our Great Tang has left."
"Starting today, you will take up duty in the Imperial City. Stop worrying about these messy affairs outside; this old man will watch over the outside matters."
Hearing this, You Wujiang grew anxious and couldn't help but say, "But the Demon Suppression Division is already short-handed. If even I leave, how can you alone suppress all the monsters and demons filling the city?"
Hearing these words, the old man let out a scoff, his face full of self-mockery.
"Even if we had a few more Guanshan Martial Venerable, what use would they be for the situation in Chang'an?"
He waved his hand, feeling dispirited.
"Go."
"Now, all we can rely on is hoping that Your Highness can return quickly..."