Xiyun, be obedient.

The old town master choked up a bit. "In my entire life, I've never seen anything so evil... Xiaofeng, if it weren't for you tonight, our town would be finished..."

Lu Xiyun waved his hands hurriedly, his expression showing a little embarrassment: "Don't say that. You and the Young Town Master risked your lives to protect this town. I was just doing it for the sake of convenience."

Ren Xuan looked at the prince's unbearable look and immediately understood what was going on.

Lu Xiyun definitely didn't come here specifically to save the situation. He probably just happened to pass by on his way to find Xie Lingyan and casually drew his sword - but as a result, he accidentally ended up being worshipped as a Bodhisattva.

As expected, Lu Xiyun wanted to run away the next second: "Uncle, I have something urgent to do."

After saying that, Lu Xiyun was quick to grab Ren Xuan's shoulders and pushed him forward without any hesitation: "Old man, this is my superior, General Ren. I am only following orders. He knows more about the affairs of the town than I do. If you want to thank him, thank him."

Then, the young man walked away without looking back, fearing that someone would call him again.

Ren Xuan looked at his actions and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

Forget it... Qin Shu can't control you, how can I dare to be your superior...

The old mayor was so excited that he was at a loss for words. He hurriedly grabbed Ren Xuan's hand and said, "General Ren, I'm sorry for neglecting you! You are a very kind person! The benefactor of this town. We all remember your kindness!"

Faced with the old town master's deep affection, Ren Xuan could only bite the bullet and continue to smile: "My duty is my duty, my duty. You are too kind, old man."

Since the play has come to this point, Ren Xuan can only continue with the story and try to point out the other culprit.

"Well, we thank the City Lord for personally leading the Silver Pivot Guard out of the city overnight!" Ren Xuan said solemnly, his tone strong and powerful: "No matter what, the people of all directions, Silver Pivot City will take care of them!"

"Don't worry! City Lord Xie will be in town soon!" Ren Xuan reiterated, emphasizing it particularly deliberately: "We in Yinshu City will definitely protect everyone's safety!"

While dealing with the old town lord, Ren Xuan glanced at Lu Xiyun who had already taken half a step and was about to slip away.

Sure enough, after hearing this, Lu Xiyun paused and then... retracted his leg.

Ren Xuan was secretly happy.

Lu Xiyun paused, tilted his head slightly, and looked at Ren Xuan: "Is City Lord Xie coming?"

Ren Xuan nodded seriously, his tone extremely firm.

This time, he really wasn't talking nonsense. Just now, Lu Xiyun used the Heavenly Gang Breaking Flow technique, which was the final move of the Zongheng Jue. Ren Xuan was stunned at the time, thinking that Lu Xiyun had encountered a powerful enemy.

Although it seems now that Lu Xiyun was most likely just anxious to find Xie Lingyan, he started with a big move in his haste.

But the problem was, Xie Lingyan didn't know! If Xie Lingyan didn't rush over here overnight like herself and Yue Anshan, she would have seen a ghost.

So, Ren Xuan continued to offer the prince a way out, saying earnestly, "Prince, we've been busy all day. Why don't we wait for him for a while? It's a good opportunity to rest in town for a night."

Lu Xiyun frowned, his expression a little perfunctory: "I stayed because I was tired, not waiting for anyone."

Ren Xuan: "Yes, yes, yes."

They've been chasing him all this way, yet he's still angry. Ren Xuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "We just happened to pass by Yinshu City on our way back to Yunzhong Commander's Office. We're not worried about anyone."

God knows - why would I pass by Yinshu City on my way back to Yunzhong Commandery?

Lu Xiyun's mouth twitched when he heard this. He wanted to refute, but he couldn't find a more reasonable reason.

After a moment, he could only glare at Ren Xuan angrily, making it clear that he didn't want to pay any attention to him.

Watching Lu Xiyun walk away with the old town lord, Ren Xuan shook his head with an unconscious smile in his eyes.

This is more like Qin Shu, who is clearly extremely worried and as stubborn as an iron rod.

Only a quarter of an hour later, Xie Lingyan arrived with the Silver Guards.

When Lu Xiyun saw Xie Lingyan, his eyes lit up and his tone was a little lighter than before: "Thank you, Brother!"

However, just a second later, the prince's expression quickly fell.

Lu Xiyun crossed his arms across his chest, his face, voice, and atmosphere cold: "Ren Xuan and I are passing by here on our way back to Yunzhong."

Ren Xuan felt helpless. Forefathers, please look at the map again - can we 'pass by' Yinshu City?

But what was even more surprising was that Lu Xiyun's anger was written all over his face. Instead of trying to appease him, Xie Lingyan stepped forward and solemnly bowed to Ren Xuan with a fist clasped. "General Ren, the journey to Yunzhong is long. I'll trouble you to take care of Xiyun."

The prince was so angry that he almost jumped up: "Thank you, big brother!"

Xie Lingyan simply sighed deeply, revealing a complex mix of emotions: "This situation is dangerous. Involving too much will be disadvantageous to you. Xiyun, be obedient."

--obedient?

As soon as these two words came out, Ren Xuan immediately took a step to the side to avoid being affected later.

Sure enough, the next moment, Lu Xiyun's expression could no longer be described as "ugly".

"Obedience? Obedience again?!"

Lu Xiyun gritted his teeth, almost squeezing out the two words from between his teeth, with emotions surging in his eyes, like a mountain covered with snow all year round collapsing.

"You all do this!"

The young man's voice suddenly rose: "During the Battle of Shufeng, Big Brother told me to be obedient. Then Big Brother came back with the palace's military flag."

"During the Frost Blade Campaign, my second brother asked me to obey him again. Now there's not even a decent skeleton left at home."

The young man's voice tightened, and he shouted almost hoarsely: "I've been obedient! What about you?!"

Xie Lingyan's expression froze for a moment, and in the end, he just stood there quietly, his eyes heavy, as if he wanted to say something but stopped.

In the end, he didn't say anything.

Lu Xiyun was so angry that he nailed the long sword in his hand into the ground. The sword body trembled and made a buzzing sound as it penetrated three feet into the soil.

Lu Xiyun stared at Xie Lingyan intently: "Back then, in front of my second brother's coffin, you said you would see my father off. My father still remembers those words!"

The young man's chest heaved, as if questioning, but more like venting: "Does this still count?!"

Xie Lingyan's eyes trembled, and emotions surged in his eyes: "Of course it counts."

The young man's voice suddenly rose: "Then why do you want to follow their example and abandon our father? And abandon me?!"

Lu Xiyun's eyes were slightly red, and her voice was hoarse. "Father has three adopted sons and four sons... Now, there are only you and me left. How can I explain this to Father?!"

Xie Lingyan closed her eyes and sighed.

Xie Lingyan was silent for a long time. He walked forward and gently placed his hands on Lu Xiyun's shoulders.

The young man's shoulders trembled slightly under his palms, like a wounded little animal whose wounds had not yet healed, but he still gritted his teeth and held on, refusing to take a single step back.

Xie Lingyan lowered his head, his voice slowed down, and his tone was gentle, as if he was comforting a sad child: "Xiyun, it's my fault. I shouldn't have left you. Let's deal with this together, okay?"

Lu Xiyun lowered her eyes, not looking at him, her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

Xie Lingyan paused, as if thinking seriously, and continued, "Brother will accompany you back to the West Mansion for the New Year, okay?"

Lu Xiyun gritted her teeth and still ignored him.

Xie Lingyan sighed again, a little helpless: "From now on, I will take you wherever I go, okay?"

The air was silent for a moment, and Lu Xiyun barely raised his eyelids: "...you said it."

···

The night was deep. Ren Xuan stood motionless on the earthen wall outside the town gate. The mountains in the distance were swallowed up by the night, and their color was as dark as ink.

The wind blew, but the smell of blood lingered, hanging heavy in the air and making people's hearts palpitate.

Xie Lingyan stepped onto the city wall, and the moonlight cast a long shadow behind him.

"General Ren, you're looking for me?"

Ren Xuan turned around, his brows furrowed, his eyes as dark as the night: "Thank you, City Lord. I just heard from Tang Shoubei that—"

"Tonight, twenty-seven towns below the mountain were attacked simultaneously. The Silver Guards came out in full force, but it was ultimately a drop in the bucket. Of the seven towns in the northwest that were in danger, three were massacred, resulting in the loss of 107 Silver Guards."

Ren Xuan spoke in a calm tone, but his voice was so low that each word was so heavy that it made people breathless.

The wind started to blow. Ren Xuan took a deep breath. "To get a golden robe, Fang Cun would actually do anything to achieve his goal."

Ren Xuan angrily said, "These Yanshi are simply inhumane beasts!"

Xie Lingyan's expression remained unchanged, his brows as still as water, and his tone was slightly cold. "I've also heard of Master Yan's rank. Those with robes embroidered with gold are rare among ten thousand. But what Xiyun beheaded that day was nothing more than a metal puppet."

Xie Lingyan's eyes were cold and sharp. "No matter how rare meteorite iron is, it's ridiculous for the Yanshi sect to devote all their strength to paying such a price for it."

Ren Xuan smiled bitterly and shook his head: "City Lord, the problem is not the puppet."

Ren Xuan: "That's not a puppet."

Ren Xuan paused, then slowly uttered the last few words: "That was a man—a madman who transformed himself into a puppet. The head I brought back that day contained a core. If you get the core, he can still live."

After these words were spoken, even Xie Lingyan's expression changed slightly.

Xie Lingyan frowned slightly. "What do you mean, General? From what I know, the art of 偃術 is merely the manipulation of inanimate objects. How did you discern this?"

Ren Xuan took a deep breath and sighed for a moment.

Back then, when he dealt with this guy, most of his body was melted, and he could even speak.

"That's all in the past." Ren Xuan said slowly, "These Yanshi have long been dissatisfied with just controlling inanimate objects."

Ren Xuan chuckled: "This madman is the best among them."

The wind blew, and the smell of blood lingered in the air.

Ren Xuan lowered his eyes. "That day, the 'youngest brother' that Fang Cun mentioned, the young man in red who fought with you, was nothing more than the 'work' of this madman."

Xie Lingyan frowned, her expression unable to conceal her solemnity. "That young man in red is at least at the Yuanhua realm. Such individuals are rare in the world. How could they be a 'work'?"

Ren Xuan shook his head: "I'm afraid he has already surpassed the Yuanhua realm."

He paused and continued, "When I first met him, he was already at the Yuanhua realm."

Ren Xuan: "As far as I know, he was born with the Qi of countless masters. That Qi helped him enter the realm of Yuanhua."

Ren Xuan raised his eyes: "This fellow Xue Yi—he was destined to be a monster from the moment he was born."

A hint of coldness flashed through Xie Lingyan's eyes. "This behavior is truly insane."

Xie Lingyan seemed to be thinking, then raised her eyes and asked, "What will happen if he can't get this core back?"

Ren Xuan scoffed and answered decisively, "If he can't get it back, he will surely die within ten days."