The poorest member of the Imperial Guard, the Empress begged me to embezzle.

"Thank you, seniors."

After seeing Yang Changtian and the Heavenly Sword Ancestor leave, Chu Xiu clasped his hands in thanks to Gai Wushuang and Qin Xiao.

"Your Excellency, there's no need for such formalities. We are all subjects of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and protecting you is our duty."

"Moreover, our presence in Shouchun City this time is also at His Majesty's behest."

"His Majesty specifically instructed the two of us to protect the Marquis at all costs and not to let a single hair on his head be harmed."

Qin Xiao looked at Chu Xiu with a smile and said.

Although Gai Wushuang did not speak, he nodded kindly to Chu Xiu.

Chu Xiu shook his head and said with a serious expression, "Although the two seniors have His Majesty's decree, Chu Xiu will never forget the kindness of the two seniors in helping him."

Upon hearing this, Qin Xiao and Gai Wushuang's gazes towards Chu Xiu softened even further.

No one dislikes a grateful person like Chu Xiu.

"My lord, His Majesty has issued an edict instructing me to convey it to you."

"His Majesty has said that the era of great contention has officially begun."

"It is obviously not an easy task to completely eliminate Yang Xuance's faction."

Qin Xiao pondered for a moment, his expression turning solemn. He looked at Chu Xiu and said, "Therefore, His Majesty has ordered the two of us to officially take up our posts in Shouchun City from this moment on, to deter Yang Xuance's faction."

With the two of us old men stationed in Shouchun City, Yang Xuance will surely not dare to make any rash moves.

If it were the Marquis, he could lead more than 8,000 elite Imperial Guards back to the capital.

Lord Marquis is still young. Right now, his most urgent task is to continue his cultivation and increase his strength.

Whether it's eliminating Yang Xuance's faction or the Yellow Heaven Rebellion, there's no rush.

"Understood. I will gather my elite Imperial Guards and return to the capital."

Chu Xiu's expression turned serious, and he spoke solemnly.

Although he possessed all his trump cards and true strength, and with the help of over eight thousand elite Imperial Guards forming a killing blade formation, he was definitely stronger than Qi Tianchen had estimated.

But it won't become much stronger.

His current strength wouldn't be of much use in Shouchun City.

"Brother Qi, I'm leaving now. You won't stop me, will you?"

Seeing that Yang Xuance had lost his Eight Desolate Ghost God Halberd, that the Dongyang Ancestor was dead, and that Yang Changtian and the Heavenly Sword Ancestor were actually frightened by Qin Xiao and Gai Wushuang and didn't even dare to make a move, Xiao Zhenting cursed his teammates in his heart and looked at Qi Tianchen.

He was genuinely afraid that Qi Tianchen would intervene and prevent him from leaving.

If that's the case, once Qin Xiao and Gai Wushuang are captured, even he can't guarantee he'll be able to leave alive.

Although he had many trump cards to save his life, he didn't want to reveal them if he could avoid doing so.

"Please."

Qi Tianchen looked at Xiao Zhenting calmly and said indifferently.

There was absolutely no intention to stop them.

"Thank you, Brother Qi, I'll remember this favor!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhenting's face showed surprise. He hadn't expected Qi Tianchen to not stop him. He cupped his hands in greeting and said firmly.

After saying that, Xiao Zhenting's figure disappeared into the world.

After watching Xiao Zhenting leave, Qi Tianchen slipped away as well.

Chu Xiu returned to Shouchun City and summoned more than 8,000 elite Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) to leave and head towards the capital.

After a cup of tea.

Xiao Zhenting appeared outside Jizhou. A huge weight was lifted from his heart, and he said with a sigh of relief, "Finally back."

Even though he was the leader of the Yellow Heaven Sect, he had not reached the Heavenly Immortal Realm before. Instead, he had kept his cultivation at the peak of the ninth level of the Earthly Immortal Realm. Therefore, with the arrival of this Great Contest, his cultivation was actually only the same as Qi Tianchen's, reaching the minor completion of the first level of the True Immortal Realm.

only……

They returned to outside Ji Province.

Xiao Zhenting then saw two figures towering above the Julu County Prefectural Governor's Mansion.

At this moment, the direct descendants of the Yellow Heaven Sect had already withdrawn from the prefectural governor's mansion, and dared not even approach it.

There was not a single person within a radius of dozens of miles centered on the prefectural governor's residence.

The two figures included an elderly man in gray robes, who was none other than Xiao Zhenting's master and the previous leader of the Yellow Heaven Sect, Jiang Wufeng.

He was also a powerful figure of the same era as Tianjian Ancestor and others.

Now, the Supreme Elder of the Yellow Heaven Sect.

The other figure was a middle-aged man dressed in black, with an extremely cold demeanor.

"Dugu Shisi, the Imperial Household Department?"

"No, given his comprehension, he might not be called Dugu Fourteen anymore, but Dugu Fifteen."

Xiao Zhenting's eyes narrowed, and his expression changed slightly as he spoke.

Clearly, he also knew about Dugu Shiwu's matter.

In fact, the information on the four deputy hall masters of the Imperial Palace of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and even the hall master of the Imperial Palace of the Great Zhou Dynasty, is in the hands of Xiao Zhenting, and even the major holy lands and the five surnames and seven noble families.

After all, the news about the Imperial Palace of the Great Zhou Dynasty was not a secret to them.

Anyone with even a little bit of inside information knows about the existence of the Imperial Household Hall.

After all, the Imperial Palace of the Great Zhou Dynasty was established by Emperor Wu, the founding emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Excluding the Sword Immortal Nangong Yijian, among the four deputy hall masters of the Imperial Palace of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the strongest is said to be the Sword Emperor Murong Nantian.

But the most terrifying one was not Murong Nantian, but the Sword Demon Dugu Shiwu.

This person is even more terrifying than Murong Nantian!

The sword in his hand is a true demonic sword!

He can switch between being possessed by a demon and not possessed by a demon at any time, and the sword in his hand is incredibly terrifying.

Even Murong Nantian didn't want to fight Dugu Shiwu.

In the entire Imperial Palace of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the only one who could truly suppress Dugu Shiwu was the Sword Immortal Nangong Yijian!

He took a deep breath, took a step, and entered the city of Julu County, appearing on a rooftop.

Under this roof stood Dongfang Xuanxiao, Han Tianze, Ye Wuhen, and others.

Upon seeing Xiao Zhenting appear, Dongfang Xuanxiao flashed to the rooftop and bowed to him, saying, "Greetings, Master."

"No need to be polite."

Xiao Zhenting waved his sleeve, looked at Dugu Shiwu, and said, "How long has he been here?"

"Reporting to my master, I have been here for a quarter of an hour."

"After he arrived, he didn't say anything, he just stood on the governor's mansion."

"My master emerged from the prefect's mansion and confronted him."

After considering for a moment, Dongfang Xuanxiao spoke to Xiao Zhenting.

Xiao Zhenting nodded slightly, a thoughtful look on his face. Dugu Shiwu had arrived, but had not yet made a move. He was there to intimidate the Huangtian Sect, but he did not really intend to take action.

"Jiang Wufeng, make your move. Let me see how much you've improved over the years."

Dugu Shiwu looked at Jiang Wufeng with indifferent eyes and said.

"Dugu Fifteen, don't think that just because you've changed your name to Dugu Fifteen and comprehended the Fifteenth Sword, you can say such things in front of me."

"I'm not afraid of you!"

Jiang Wufeng snorted coldly, gripped the hilt of his sword with his right hand, and said in a cold voice, "My Yellow Heaven Sword Technique is no worse than your Fifteen Forms of Demonic Sword!"