Patrol Captain

After his two captains left, Chen Yuan's eyes twitched. He looked towards the western sky, then raised his hand and made a grabbing motion in that direction.

The void in front of him quickly rippled, a point of red light gathered, and then suddenly flashed, a figure in red staggered out from it, stumbled for a moment, and quickly regained his balance.

"Brother!" Lian Ni Chang called out crisply when she saw Chen Yuan.

"Wait a moment!" Chen Yuan said.

Then, he made another grab. This time, his hand reached directly into the void, which rippled like water. After two or three breaths, a white light flashed from the void, and a disheveled old man with a bulbous nose let out a strange cry and fell to the ground.

When Old Man Dong appeared, he was initially a little confused, as he was protected by internal energy. Upon seeing Chen Yuan, he became annoyed, "Young Chen, why did you suddenly capture me? You scared me half to death! I almost used my powers..."

Before he could finish speaking, he noticed that this was not the small bamboo courtyard he had been looking at. It was quite grand. He looked around curiously, wondering, "Where is this? This place, this building, has a profound and extraordinary atmosphere."

As he spoke, his bright red, bulbous nose twitched, and his brow furrowed. "There's also a strong smell of blood; quite a few people must have died."

"Young man Chen, where is this?"

Old Dong was staying in his secluded retreat. Ever since he got a great demon from Chen Yuan, he had been thinking about how to use it to brew a rare and excellent wine. He spent his days unkempt, immersing himself in the wine and oblivious to the world around him. He had no idea that Chen Yuan had gone out for the past few days and that things were in complete chaos outside.

Chen Yuan directly dragged him from his secluded retreat.

"This used to be the Northern Liang King's Mansion. I moved it here, intending to refine it into a portable grotto-heaven." Chen Yuan said this casually, then raised his eyelids, looked at the strange-looking old man Dong, and smiled, "Old Dong, now that you have broken through to the Dragon-Tiger realm and become one of the most powerful beings in the world, you should stop burying yourself in your wine research and come out to show your skills and let the world know your fame!"

When Old Dong heard this young man flattering him, a familiar feeling washed over him, and he immediately became wary. "Tell me, what trouble have you gotten into this time?"

As he spoke, he picked at his ear with one hand, his eyes filled with surprise and doubt, as if he had misheard. "Did I hear that right? What did you just say? You moved the Northern Liang King's Palace here? Where will the Northern Liang King live? He's a powerful vassal king who commands a million soldiers and governs a region!"

"So, they started a rebellion!"

Chen Yuan's words stunned Old Man Dong, his pupils dilated involuntarily, and then he became furious.
"You wretched brat, I knew you were up to no good. You can't get good things, but you always think of me when things go wrong. I won't listen, I want to live a few more years."

With that, he turned and left, still angry.

"This palace houses countless tribute wines; Old Master Dong can drink to his heart's content!" Chen Yuan said from behind, and Old Master Dong's angry steps stopped abruptly. He paused, turned around, his eyes hesitating for a few moments before succumbing to the temptation.

"where is it?"

Chen Yuan called out, "Someone come here!"

A trusted subordinate immediately came over, "General!"

"Take Elder Dong to the wine cellar; he can do whatever he wants with that place!"

"Yes!"

The armored soldiers under his command agreed, and led the old man, who was rubbing his hands together and whose nose was red with excitement, to the Prince's wine cellar.

Lian Ni Chang, who had been standing silently to the side, couldn't help but say something when she saw this amusing scene:

"My brother's way of getting along with Elder Dong is truly...unique!"

Chen Yuan turned his head, shook his head, and laughed.
"Old Dong is a man who loves a drink. Ever since we met, every time something happens, he grumbles and rambles on, but he's never missed a chance to help. Our occasional banter is always a bit of a fun thing!"

As he spoke, Chen Yuan's eyebrows twitched, and he asked Lian Ni Chang, "Speaking of which, I just remembered that I scanned the area within hundreds of miles, but I couldn't find the Dragon Girl."

“Brother, Senior Dragon Girl suddenly left three days ago. I wanted to tell you, but you weren’t there.”

Three days ago? Chen Yuan thought back, he was still wreaking havoc in Liangzhou at that time!
"Do you know what happened?" Chen Yuan was somewhat surprised. The North Sea Dragon Girl had never left since she came with him, so he was used to her presence. However, she rarely showed herself, and he hadn't realized that she had already left.

“Ni Chang doesn’t know, there was no sign before Senior Dragon Girl left, something must have happened suddenly.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan frowned slightly. Didn't they greet him?
Although he had known the Dragon Girl for over a year, he knew very little about her and had not communicated with her many times. He also did not know why she had left this time. However, given that she had recovered her strength to the Dragon and Tiger, she should have no problem protecting herself.

Having thought it through, he set the matter aside for the time being, nodded slowly, then his expression turned serious, and his tone became somewhat somber.

"There should be nothing wrong. Did you come because of what happened earlier?"

Lian Ni Chang nodded, her handsome features showing a hint of seriousness, her voice low and deep.
“Ni Chang has ordered the magistrate of Qingshan County to impose martial law on the entire city and conduct a thorough investigation of all strangers. However, the manpower in the county is too weak, and the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light. Moreover, their targets are ordinary people. Ni Chang is worried…”

Chen Yuan nodded, his eyes gleaming with a cold light. "They're all here for me, so naturally I'll take full responsibility!"

"Let's talk as we go. I've already had my troops discuss the matter and come up with a plan. You'll come along too!"

As he spoke, he stepped towards the front yard.

Lian Ni Chang followed as instructed.

The two walked along the corridor and path towards the outer courtyard. Lian Ni Chang quickly noticed that the mansion was densely covered with precious plants, emitting various kinds of misty light. A silvery, towering tree stood in the center of the mansion, its silver leaves shimmering and shining, making the entire old site of the mansion seem as if it were covered with a layer of light.

"Brother wishes to transform this mansion into a celestial realm. May I ask what secrets this mansion holds?"

"This mansion is imbued with the fortune of the Northern Liang for a thousand years, and its essence is rich. Every place we walk on is engraved with intricate array patterns, forming a complex array. This mansion will not be destroyed when I fight against the Celestials. If it is successfully refined, it can be used to garrison troops and cultivate wasteland in peacetime, and transformed into a military formation when needed, gathering the power of thousands of troops to form a powerful force for both offense and defense. It is perfect for me."

Lian Ni Chang's eyes lit up with surprise as she listened. Along the way, she saw many soldiers stationed here. "Brother, have you brought troops here?"

With one hand behind his back and the other clasped in front of his abdomen, Chen Yuan nodded thoughtfully. "The elite troops are all here. Mr. Gongsun, please take the rest of the men and stay at Ninth Mountain to keep an eye on any movements in Chengdu."

Lian Ni Chang knew her brother's actions were methodical and well-organized, so she didn't need to worry. However, thinking about the current situation, a shadow of gloom couldn't help but rise in her heart.
"With troops being mobilized in the north, the situation is tense and could erupt at any moment. The southwest of Shu is also unstable. It seems you have your own plans, which puts my mind at ease. I don't have much ability; I only hope to work with you to protect this land and keep it peaceful." Chen Yuan paused, turning his head to look at the woman's spirited features. After a while, he realized he rarely paid attention to this woman he had known since their humble beginnings. He said:
"Given your public-spirited nature, I thought you would persuade me to come out of seclusion and save the people from their suffering,"

Lian Ni Chang paused slightly, then said seriously, "Brother, I know that people only see your glory, but how many know the hardships and dangers you have faced along the way? This chaotic situation is the responsibility of the court and His Majesty. If anyone tries to blackmail me with the guise of righteousness, I will be the first to refuse."

These words were spoken with such force and conviction, showing that no man could be inferior to them. Hearing this warmed Chen Yuan's heart, and his eyes lit up with a smile.

"Yes, it's Emperor Wu who should be worried. If the sky falls, there's always someone taller to hold it up."

Lian Ni Chang smiled.

Then, the two of them arrived at the front hall of the former Prince's Mansion, one after the other.

Liu Qing, Yun Tiansheng, and several other cavalrymen and officers were already waiting. Upon seeing the general arrive, they all knelt on one knee and pressed their fists to the ground.
"See General!"

"Get up."

"The King of Liang in the north wants to settle a blood debt with me. You'd better give me a plan today: nail those they sent to vent their anger to the ground outside Qingshan County and forbid them from setting foot in the county town. Can you do that?" Chen Yuan's words were filled with murderous intent.
"We will do our utmost," they all said in unison.

"Then you should discuss countermeasures with Commandant Lian. I want to see how many loyal soldiers that King Liang has."

If this matter is to be resolved quickly, it is not difficult. Simply seal off the city, and then Chen Yuan can use his Heavenly Eye to patrol around Qingshan County and arrest any suspects. After all, to be a death squad member, one's cultivation level must be quite high.

However, the entire Qingshan County was thrown into panic, as if trapped in a cage, which only created more trouble and could only solve the immediate problem. It was a poor strategy. Chen Yuan was not about to let a single assassin cause such a commotion and create an atmosphere of fear and panic throughout the city.

He wasn't alone; he needed to keep a close eye on everything in Qingshan County. His soldiers had their own ways of solving his problems, and even the local deities in the mountains and forests obeyed his orders.

Just as the generals of the Ninth Mountain were discussing countermeasures in the front hall, and Chen Yuan was resting his head on his hand and pretending to sleep with his eyes closed, there was a strange movement in the sea of ​​clouds in his Niwan Palace.

He opened his eyes on the blue lotus, pointed his finger at the sea of ​​clouds below, and a wisp of white cloud swirled upwards, revealing the figure of Gongsun Yang!
"What brings you here, Mr. Gongsun?" Chen Yuan asked calmly.

Gongsun Yang's projected spirit bowed to Chen Yuan and his group, then spoke.
"Reporting to the general, just an hour ago, a mutiny broke out in a large camp under the jurisdiction of the Northern Liang Prefecture west of Chengdu! More than a thousand elite soldiers stormed the camp, killed the supervisor sent by Yunding Mountain, and fled."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan frowned slightly. "How did Helian Shan handle things? Two days have passed since the news of the Liang King's mutiny broke. The Northern Liang Governor's Office is deeply involved with it. He knows this all too well. How did he manage these troops? They actually mutinied and stormed the camp right under his nose."

"However, a thousand elite soldiers can't cause any trouble. Our Grand Preceptor should be able to handle it."

However, Gongsun Yang's next sentence changed the course of events.
"Reporting to the General, the leader of the team is Huo Zhen, the Great General of Northern Liang who suppresses demons!"

"Huo Zhen? Wasn't he tricked by Helian Shan into going to the western front?" Chen Yuan's face darkened upon hearing this name, and he said coldly, "Logically speaking, Helian Shan should have already ordered the capture or execution of this man the day the news of the Northern Liang mutiny came out."

Gongsun Yang bowed and clasped his hands in greeting. "The Grand Preceptor Helian did indeed send men with holy weapons to capture him, but an accident occurred, and he escaped."

A cold glint suddenly flashed in Chen Yuan's eyes, and he let out a cold snort, "Is this the explanation that the Grand Preceptor gave us? If we had listened to him back then and been so indecisive, we would probably be in trouble later when Xiao Zhongtian and the Celestials joined forces."

"Incompetent!"

He directly berated this veteran of three reigns for having too many concerns, but his decisiveness in killing only created more trouble.

"How did Helian Shan handle this matter after it happened?"

Gongsun Yang replied, "After Huo Zhen led his troops in a mutiny, he didn't head north. Instead, he led his men around the south of the city, broke through the southern blockade, and headed east. The auxiliary troops outside the city were mainly deployed to the west and south. In order to deal with the two-front war, and in addition to the troop redeployment two days ago, a small number of troops outside the east of the city were also transferred away. There were no troops there to intercept him, so this man led this small force and disappeared into the mountains and forests to the east. Grand Preceptor Helian was furious and rushed to the city to make a move. An unknown powerful figure outside the city intervened from a distance to stop Grand Preceptor Helian. After the two fought for more than ten rounds, the powerful figure who made the move quickly disappeared."

Chen Yuan hadn't expected such a twist afterward, and his eyes narrowed. "Who was the one who made the move?"

"I don't know, but I have some impression of that aura and supernatural abilities. General, you should still remember the day when General Qitian marched towards the Martial Saint realm. He was ambushed by several unparalleled experts. He should be one of them!" Gongsun Yang helped Chen Yuan recall the day when General Qitian marched towards the Martial Saint realm.

Gongsun Yang guessed that the person who attacked Helian Shan today was one of them!
Since the incident at the Forbidden Land of Heaven and Man, Chengdu has attracted countless powerful figures. Now, many old monsters live in seclusion there, and they should not be underestimated.

It's those guys again!

These people are really a nuisance. They seem to want nothing more than chaos, or perhaps they have some connection with the Northern Liang.

"I am aware of this matter. Is there anything else?"

"This humble general has just come from the Grand Preceptor Helian. The Grand Preceptor asked me to convey a message to the general: Huo Zhen is heading east, which may cause chaos. The general happens to be in the east, and I would like to ask the general to take action to prevent this man from escaping back to Beiliang."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow, pondered for a moment, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes.

"Send a message to this Grand Preceptor."

"Tell him to be more efficient in the future and not cause trouble for others!"

As he spoke, he raised his hand and with a flick of his wrist, Gongsun Yang's figure transformed back into clouds.

Outside, Chen Yuan opened his eyes, a golden light flashing within them, particularly captivating. When the golden light faded, he pinched his nose with the hand supporting his head.

Yun Tiansheng and the others, who were in the middle of a discussion, stopped talking when they noticed the general sitting in the main seat acting strangely.

"General, are you dissatisfied with the strategy we discussed?"

Chen Yuan waved his hand and sat up straight.

"General Huo Zhen of Liangzhou led his troops in a mutiny and fled to the east. Helian Shan is giving me trouble!"

(End of this chapter)