Only then did everyone see the true face of the dark figure. It was a huge black leopard, covered in barbs, with a pair of scarlet eyes that gleamed with ferocity, making it look extremely terrifying.
The black panther moved with lightning speed, its claws whipping up gusts of bloody wind.
Qi Guze dared not be careless. His flying sword transformed into a streak of silver light as he engaged in a fierce battle with the black panther.
The man and the leopard clashed, their figures intertwined, and for a time it was difficult to determine a winner.
"You beast! Stop your arrogance!" Qi Guze roared, his sword pointing straight at the black panther's throat.
Undeterred, the black panther let out a deafening roar, leaped with its massive body to dodge Qi Guze's attack, and slashed at his chest with its sharp claws.
"Gu Ze, be careful!" Xu Yuehuai exclaimed, her face turning pale.
At the critical moment, Zisangyi flew over, her long whip coiling around the black panther's hind legs like a serpent, and with a forceful pull, dragged it down from mid-air.
"You beast, how dare you harm my disciple!"
Zi Sangyi brandished his long whip, which rained down on the black panther like a storm.
The black panther cried out in pain, but its ferocity remained undiminished as it struggled to break free of its restraints.
"Form a sword formation!" Zi Sangyi commanded, and the disciples acted swiftly, their flying swords flashing as they formed a huge sword formation, trapping the black panther within.
Within the sword formation, sword energy crisscrossed, and the black panther charged left and right, but could not break through the sword formation's blockade.
It roared repeatedly, its scarlet eyes fixed on Zisangyi, as if it wanted to tear her to pieces.
"Hmph, overestimating yourself!" Zi Sangye lashed out with her long whip again, striking the black panther hard.
The black panther, in pain, finally let out a reluctant whimper, its massive body slowly collapsing, barely breathing.
"It's finally resolved." Zi Sangyi breathed a sigh of relief, put away her whip, and looked at her disciples. "Are you all alright?"
"Thank you so much for saving us, Master!" the disciples said in unison, their eyes filled with gratitude.
"It's alright." Zisangyi waved her hand, her gaze turning to the unconscious black leopard. "This beast is quite strong. This Wutong region is indeed strange in every way."
The tree spirit watched in trembling fear, its smug expression vanished, replaced by deep terror.
It carefully moved its roots, afraid of angering Zisangyi.
“Lead the way,” Zisangyi glanced at the tree spirit, “to Wutong City.”
The tree spirit dared not delay and quickly led the way.
Along the way, it dared not utter another word, for fear of causing trouble again.
After passing through the dense jungle, an ancient city came into view.
The city walls are towering and magnificent, and the three large characters "Wutong City" are prominently displayed above the city gate.
Upon entering the city, the streets are lined with shops, bustling with people and teeming with activity.
Unlike the outside world, the people here wear strange clothes and exude a faint spiritual aura. They seem isolated from the world, yet they are prosperous and thriving.
Zi Sangyi found an inn to stay in, intending to learn about the situation in Wutong before making any plans.
In the stillness of the night, Zisangyi sat cross-legged on the bed, closed her eyes and concentrated, feeling the rich spiritual energy around her.
Suddenly, she sensed an unusual presence, abruptly opened her eyes, and looked out the window.
A dark shadow flashed by, moving at an astonishing speed.
Zi Sangyi was startled and immediately got up to chase after him.
The dark figure nimbly scaled the rooftops, disappearing into the night in the blink of an eye.
Zisangyi gave chase, but could never catch up with the dark figure.
During the chase, they came to a secluded alley.
The shadowy figure suddenly stopped, turned around, and faced Zisangyi.
By the moonlight, Zisangyi finally saw the shape of the dark figure.
It was a man dressed in black, tall and handsome, with eyes as deep as the night sky, gleaming with an eerie light.
"Who are you?" Zisang asked warily.
The man in black smiled slightly, revealing a wicked grin: "I am Ye Wushang, the city lord of Wutong City."
"The city lord of Wutong City?" Zisangyi repeated, her tone tinged with doubt, as she looked the man up and down.
Dressed in all black, Ye Wushang's tall and straight figure was accentuated. His face was sculpted with sharp features, and his deep eyes shone with an inexplicable brilliance under the moonlight. He certainly had the air of a superior.
But the sight of someone alone on the rooftop in the dead of night seemed rather strange.
Seeing Zisang's reaction, Ye Wushang smiled knowingly and asked, "What, doesn't it seem like it?" His voice was deep and magnetic, with a hint of mockery.
"Your Excellency, what brings you to chase after me so late at night?"
Zi Sangyi thought to himself, "This is bad." He had originally wanted to investigate the source of that strange aura, but he hadn't expected to run into the city lord of Wutong City. Now that the city lord was interrogating him like this, it was difficult to explain.
“You’re too kind, Lord City Lord,” Zisangyi said, feigning composure. “I’m just a newcomer here. I got lost and stumbled upon you by mistake. I’ll leave as soon as possible and won’t bother you any longer.”
Ye Wushang clearly didn't believe it. He took a step forward, closing in on Zisangyi, his imposing aura overwhelming her.
"Lost? Although Wutong City is large, it shouldn't be so large that Your Excellency would get lost on the roof of the City Lord's Mansion, right?"
His tone was somewhat authoritative, and his gaze was sharp as he stared at Zi Sanyi.
"Your Excellency, please tell the truth. What is your true identity and purpose?"
Zisangyi clenched her fists inwardly; Ye Wushang was indeed not easy to fool.
He took a deep breath and decided to reveal his identity: "I am Zi Sangyi. I have come to Wutong to deal with matters concerning the Ying family."
"The Ying family?" A strange light flashed in Ye Wushang's eyes.
"In that case, how about we go to the City Lord's Mansion for a chat?"
Zisang hesitated for a moment, then agreed.
He wanted to see what the city lord of Wutong City was really up to.
Inside the city lord's mansion, the lights were on full display.
Ye Wushang hosted a banquet for Zisangyi, with the table laden with delicacies and the aroma of fine wine.
"Elder Zisang, you've come from afar, thank you for your hard work." Ye Wushang raised his wine cup to Zisang.
Zisang also raised her glass in return, but she dared not let her guard down for a moment.
Although Ye Wushang appeared enthusiastic on the surface, there was always a hint of inquiry in his eyes, clearly indicating that he still harbored doubts about him.
"I wonder what has happened between Your Excellency and the Ying family?"
Ye Wushang asked casually, but his tone carried a subtle hint of probing.
"The head of the Ying family had a conflict with my disciple. I led my men and we were forced to retreat repeatedly. We had no choice but to come here first," Zisangyi said calmly.
The Ying family made Zisangyi somewhat wary, but Zisangyi didn't take the Wutong territory seriously.
“I’ve also heard of the Ying family.” Ye Wushang put down his wine glass, his gaze deep.
Zi Sangyi nodded, but secretly pondered to herself.
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