This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

What ultimately happened between Emperor Wu and Murong Fenghua remains unknown to outsiders, but beneath the ten-mile-long pavilion stood an old man of imposing presence, unparalleled in the world.

Xiao Xingchen realized his mistake at this moment. He had always thought that the Confucian Temple was a tool for governing the world in a cage, and that it should be a gathering place for a bunch of pedantic scholars. But after the Second Sage's outburst, that majestic figure touched his heart for the first time.

This is outrageous! I never knew someone who studied could be this good?

It's important to know that among those surrounding the pavilion were many experts. Leaving aside the golden-armored figures, even the men in black were all exceptionally skilled. Yet, they were all thrown back by the Quasi-Saint, and that cold snort was practically a thunderclap.

"Everyone, he is still my disciple. Aren't you going a bit too far by being so unrestrained?"

The explosion of the Saint Seiya truly shocked many people.

Those who were thrown out were unharmed, which suggests that the Sub-Saint held back and did not intend to injure anyone. Otherwise, given the force of the attack just now, the sudden, thunderous force would have made Xiao Xingchen feel the power of a bomb explosion.

He had no doubt that if the Saint hadn't held back, they would have been either killed or seriously injured by the explosion.

"Who...who are you? This is the Great Qian Dynasty!"

The crown prince was furious. He had been overturned by an old man right at his own doorstep. If word got out, where would he put his face?

The Second Saint did not look at the Crown Prince, but turned to look at the men in black.

"And what kind of demons and monsters are you, and what grudge do you have against my disciple?"

As the voice of the Second Saint rose again, it seemed as if an invisible barrier descended from the sky and pressed down directly on their shoulders.

Madam Chen's face showed shock. Her body slumped, and she looked at the old man in front of her with some fear. She was extremely puzzled. Why would such a terrifyingly powerful person appear here? How could Xiao Xingchen have such a powerful teacher?

The guards were even less of a threat. Although their strength allowed them to roam freely in the Great Qian Dynasty, they were all suppressed and unable to move in front of this old man.

Chu Chen, the leader of the secret guards, was extremely worried. He was trying to figure out the old man's identity. After all, it was a dereliction of duty for them to be unaware that such a terrifying figure had arrived outside Yong'an City.

Only the mysterious figure in the Prime Minister's residence, despite being suppressed by the Quasi-Sage, did not fall into a disadvantageous position; on the contrary, he seemed to be putting up a subtle resistance.

"Hmm, you're quite something, but it's not enough."

The Saint showed surprise, then reached out again and gently shook hands with the mysterious man from afar. The mysterious man's face instantly turned red, and his body trembled uncontrollably, as if an invisible net had trapped him in place.

"To mobilize the power of heaven and earth—this is the method of a sage. You are actually a sage?"

The mysterious man spoke for the first time, and this exclamation made everyone else's hearts sink again. A saint?

Saints are a collective term for a special group of people. In the power system, a saint does not represent a specific realm.

Just as sword immortals represent righteousness, saints represent the abyss. The meaning of "abyss" is easy to understand: it means unfathomable, as deep as an abyss.

Those who can be called saints have all reached the pinnacle in a certain field. This pinnacle is not limited to martial prowess. Just as a scholar who studies to the utmost can become a saint, so too can a skilled craftsman who perfects their craft to the highest level.

The phrase "a saint can be found in any profession" is a general term for people who reach the pinnacle of a particular field. A saint may be an ordinary person with no weapons, but once they reach the pinnacle of a field, Heaven is fair; for such people, the power of Heaven and Earth can be used to their advantage.

No one knows why, but the power that cultivators painstakingly acquire is like an ant before a sage. This is because sages control the power of heaven and earth, and even the sages themselves don't know why this is so. Reaching that ultimate level, the power of heaven and earth naturally becomes theirs to command.

What is the power of heaven and earth? It is the most immense power in the world. Under its influence, everyone is insignificant. This is sainthood.

Reaching the pinnacle leads to sainthood; perhaps this is a gift from heaven and earth to those who dedicate themselves to profound studies, and also a form of protection from the heavens and earth.

There are saints in the world, such as the Sage of Medicine, the Sage of Literature, the Sage of Crafts, and the Sage of Agriculture. There are not many saints in the world, but there are not few either. In each field, there is a saint of his own. Even emperors have to treat saints with respect. But now, a saint has actually appeared in front of them. Although he is a sub-saint, a sub-saint is still a saint.

The fact that the young man they were chasing was actually a disciple of a sage made everyone present feel uneasy and their faces turned grim. They all realized that they had been negligent. How could such a talented young man be without any background?

Now they can match up. Only a disciple of a sage can solve Xiao Jianxian's questions and resolve problems that others cannot. They all matched up. Everyone felt like they had eaten shit. This time they were really defeated.

"Greetings, Your Majesty. I have come here on orders to protect that young man, and I have no ill intentions."

The first to back down was the mysterious man from the Prime Minister's residence. To continue resisting a sage was tantamount to suicide; the pressure of the heavens and earth's power rendered him unable to unleash his full strength. Moreover, he was protecting a sage's disciple; if handled well, this could be an opportunity to befriend the sage.

"Well, tell me where you come from, and I will believe you."

The Saint had his own judgment; he already knew from the scene just now who was there to kill and who was there to save people. Now he needed to know who these people were.

The mysterious man gave a bitter smile, then his voice, as thin as a thread, traveled a thousand miles to reach the ears of the Quasi-Sage.

"I see. Then you can stand aside."

The demigod nodded to the mysterious man, and the power of heaven and earth that had bound him vanished instantly, allowing the mysterious man to regain his mobility.

He then looked at the man in black. As the Emperor's secret guards, they were responsible for Yong'an's safety. Since the Sage was in front of them, they naturally didn't care about their identities being exposed.

Chu Chen spoke directly,

"By order of Emperor Wu of the Great Qian Dynasty, bring back that young man. His Majesty wishes to meet him in person."

"The Emperor's secret guards?"

The Saint's eyes widened in surprise. He glanced back at Xiao Xingchen, a renewed sense of doubt rising in his heart. What had this cheap disciple done to warrant the arrival of the Martial Emperor's personal guards?

Emperor Wu's face had to be respected, after all, this was his territory. Chu Chen felt a sense of relief wash over him, and all the guards regained their strength to move.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Chu Chen, the leader of the secret guards, welcomes Your Majesty to Yong'an. Your Majesty will certainly give you a warm welcome."

"No need for formalities. Emperor Wu already knew I was coming. And who is the remaining one?"

The Second Saint looked at Madam Chen; this power was also saving Xiao Xingchen.

Madam Chen gave a wry smile, then transmitted her identity telepathically, revealing her true identity to the Sage. She made no attempt to conceal anything from him, for there was no need; the Sage was detached from worldly affairs and would not concern himself with the conflicts between nations.

Furthermore, sages adhere to an unwritten rule: selflessness and non-action. These four words alone establish their transcendent status. They do not participate in the conflicts between states, and states do not harbor hostility towards sages. This is a balance.

"I see. So now the question is, why did you protect my disciple, and why did the Crown Prince of Daqian kill him?"

"To explain in detail, my disciple is not a bad person. If he does something heinous, I will kill him myself without you having to lift a finger. But if he is innocent, my disciple is not someone to be trifled with."

The Second Saint spoke domineeringly, then turned to look at the Crown Prince, as if he wouldn't be able to leave peacefully today unless the Crown Prince gave him a reasonable explanation.