Actually, there was another reason why Mu Yang and the White Python Pavilion elders were so slow in finding the palace, besides not being able to find the correct path.

The White Python Pavilion was determined to avenge their young master, their hearts were filled with urgency, and their actions were extremely swift.

After discussing and finalizing the plan, the group, led by the elder, immediately rushed towards the palace. In the darkness, apart from the swaying flowers and trees, only a few figures could be seen moving about, knocking down countless blossoms, which were then trampled into the dust by the next person.

The cicadas chirped and the lone crow cried, and the quiet atmosphere gradually became heavy.

The palace was built on the mountainside next to Yunwu Mountain. Although no one dared to set foot in this area on ordinary days, the stone steps and stairs were swept clean and there was not a single speck of moss.

Mu Yang's heroic rescue of the damsel in distress was quite a spectacle. Coupled with the cowardly magistrate as a teammate, all the yamen runners in the county office were forced to work overtime to protect the two of them.

When the elders of the White Python Pavilion led their disciples to catch up, they could see from afar a dense array of soldiers with swords, two in a row, row after row, holding bright torches, stretching out like a fiery dragon, as if afraid that others would not know they had arrived.

The White Python Pavilion was relatively more cautious and sent a disciple to scout ahead. The disciple returned and reported: "Elder, this group of soldiers seems to be heading towards the palace as well. Should we continue along the original route, or take another one?"

"No." The elder rejected the idea without hesitation. "Don't be fooled by the fact that the palace is so close. From what I've observed, it's surrounded by a complex array of magical formations. If we rashly change our route, we might not be able to find the correct entrance anytime soon. Everyone, be careful to conceal your movements and pay close attention to any activity. You can follow them and see what these soldiers are up to."

The scout responded and turned to disappear back into the woods.

The disciples were astonished. Although the elder was ruthless, he was also respected by many in the martial arts world for his superb array formations. They never expected that a palace in the deep mountains thousands of miles away from the royal city would have such a capable person setting up an array. After all, he was the emperor, and he had an extraordinary person who was even more powerful than the elder protecting him.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the group from Bai Mang Pavilion had to stop and rest on the spot.

The elder thought for a moment and then instructed, "By the way, when we get to the palace, be careful not to act like wild dogs that have been holding back their anger. Remember not to damage the palace in any way. Also, don't accidentally kill that pretty boy. I want to take him back to let the young master vent his anger on him."

To conserve his energy, the young master of the White Python Pavilion did not come along, mainly because he did not want to lose face a second time.

Several disciples smiled and said, "We will certainly heed the elder's reminder."

Anyway, as long as they don't kill them, they can do whatever they want. Although they are not as good as the elders, they have many tricks that can make them wish they were dead.

They were all their own disciples. Even if they farted, the elders of the White Python Pavilion could guess what they were thinking with their toes. However, they did not stop them. Only by being ruthless can one achieve something; those who are kind-hearted and soft-hearted will never amount to anything.

He simply hummed in agreement, then asked, "Didn't you say this matter also involves the Marquis of Anbo's mansion? Has Young Master Shen arrived?"

The scout disciple turned back and shook his head, "I didn't see it, but I did see Mu Yang from the Sword Forging Manor."

Elder: "Is Yu Wushuang here?"

The scout reported: "They're not here. They're all men, and we didn't find anyone in disguise."

The elder frowned: "That's strange. Mu Yang is Yu Wushuang's shadow, so why is he here alone? And why is he mingling with the government officials?"

At that time, Ji Yan almost crushed the young master of the White Python Pavilion to death. The disciples were busy looking for the young master, so no one paid attention to what happened afterward, nor did they know Mu Yang of the Sword Casting Manor's feelings for Shen Yu.

Mu Yang was of mediocre talent, but fortunately Yu Wushuang was a good person. Not only did he not look down on him, but he was also willing to take him under his wing and guide him. The two traveled together, and over time, the martial arts world knew that Yu Wushuang had a very good hindrance.

The elders of the White Python Pavilion had met Mu Yang; they knew he possessed the ability to send Mu Yang to his grave with a single palm strike.

Upon hearing this, another disciple suddenly remembered something and said, "Speaking of which, Elder, I just remembered something. Young Master Shen seems to have a lot of respect for that pretty boy. He didn't even dare to look when his own sister was thrown out. I guess that pretty boy might be a high-ranking official. Moreover, Senior Brother Yu Wushuang and his sister have been staying with the Shen siblings these past few days. Perhaps Mu Yang was entrusted by Young Master Shen to come here to protect the pretty boy."

The martial arts world and the imperial court have always kept to themselves. If the pretty boy were a court official, this matter would be difficult to resolve.

The rules of the martial world are fighting and killing, and the strong survive. No matter how powerful you are, the world of Great Yan still belongs to that person surnamed Ji. When the emperor is in power, everyone is just a commoner.

"This is hilarious! What use is such a hopeless idiot?"

The elder directly mocked, completely unconcerned, "Even if that pretty boy is one of the court officials, there's no need to worry. Just think about it, since that person came to power, how many ministers has he inexplicably killed? He killed them whether he was happy or unhappy. The former prime minister was all-powerful and arrogant, but what was the result? In the end, he still suffered the fate of having his entire family wiped out. No matter how capable this pretty boy is, can he compare to the former prime minister?"

He scoffed, “What’s the use of being so powerful now? He might be the next lamb to the slaughter. Wouldn’t it be better to die at the hands of our White Python Pavilion than to fall into that person’s hands? That person never leaves a whole corpse when he makes a move; you’ll only die without a burial place.”

The elders held immense authority in the White Python Pavilion, so even if people harbored other doubts, they dared not voice them on the spot. They had no choice but to swallow their concerns and simply agree with the elders to please them.

As expected, the elder was very pleased with the approval of his disciples, and seemed to have a sense of accomplishment that everything was going as planned.

"However, I do hope that pretty boy has some status and position. I'm afraid he's not high enough, not even as good as the chickens, ducks, fish and geese in the imperial kitchen."

Disciple: "Hmm? Elder means..."

"If that pretty boy is useful enough, then we can use him to negotiate with the Emperor."

A hint of greed flashed in the cloudy eyes of the White Python Pavilion elder: "If we could recruit the person who set up this formation to our ranks, not only would the White Python Pavilion be given wings, but our status in the martial arts world would also rise to a higher level."

The disciples were deeply moved by what they heard.

Currently, the three top sword sects in the martial arts world are, firstly, the Cloud Mist Sword Pavilion, secondly, the Sword Casting Manor Sect, and lastly, the White Python Pavilion. However, the White Python Pavilion has always been warlike, and being ranked third is far from enough for them; they consider it a disgrace.

In this martial arts tournament, they not only wanted to win first place, but also wanted to prove to the world that their White Python Pavilion was the strongest in the martial arts world. It was because they had been instilled with this concept since childhood that the young master of the White Python Pavilion acted in such an arrogant manner.

The disciple sent to scout the way hurriedly returned again. "Elder, those soldiers have stopped moving. Besides Mu Yang, the county magistrate is also in charge."