At dusk, on the Qingfeng Tower of Yunhai County, a group of Jianghu guests gathered, drinking and eating while discussing the battle that took place in the city during the day.

"I didn’t expect the top of the Wind and Cloud Ranking, Chen Tang, to actually be a Beiqian Dark Scout. The Sword Pavilion really failed to see through people this time."

"Speaking of which, Chen Tang is truly remarkable. He managed to escape the siege of the Imperial Palace Guard and even killed a Commander of the Imperial Guard on the spot."

"I heard that these Imperial Guards chased him out of the city, but couldn’t even catch up with an injured person. He escaped from them."

In the Jianghu, taverns and teahouses are often the central hub for all sorts of news and are highly informed.

"I came a bit late. I heard ’Sword-Hiding Scholar’ Shen Zhiyuan and ’Medical and Poison Dual Mastery’ Su Li were also present during the day. How did things go with them later?" someone in the corner asked.

Someone replied, "’Sword Immortal’ Su Muzhe and ’Feiyanzi’ Yan Shu arrived and teamed up with Shen Zhiyuan, fought their way out of the city, and fled in the direction of the Huanhua Sword Sect."

Someone at the next table asked, "How did Shen Zhiyuan from the Book and Sword Hall get mixed up with a Beiqian Dark Scout?"

"Hehe."

Someone chuckled softly, "As the saying goes, you know a person’s face but not their heart. Shen Zhiyuan, with his scholarly aura, must have been deceived by someone."

"Humph!"

Someone nearby sneered, clearly disdainful.

The few people who were just discussing changed their expressions and turned to look. Not far away, at another table, sat three people: two men in tight outfits and a young gentleman.

An experienced Jianghu guest glanced at them and guessed their identities, frowning, "I wondered who it was. Turns out it’s someone from the Celestial Horse Escort Agency! I am Xiaolin Kuanglong, Long Xiaoyun. May I ask your names and what guidance you offer?"

"I heard that the louder one’s name is in the Jianghu, the weaker their skills are."

The young gentleman said, "I find your title particularly loud, truly reverberating like thunder."

In the hall, a few people chuckled softly.

Long Xiaoyun could tell that this young lad was mocking his lack of skill.

However, seeing the two sturdy men beside the young gentleman standing straight and with sharp eyes, not easy to provoke, he didn’t rashly step forward, only saying, "Shouldn’t you two discipline your young ones properly, or they’ll suffer losses in the Jianghu one day!"

"My surname is Du, and my brother’s surname is Hu. We don’t have any famous titles, just the Darts Leaders of the main branch of the Celestial Horse Escort Agency, unlike your mighty name."

The one on the left, Escort Du, said leisurely, "As for whether our Young Leader will suffer losses, there’s no need for you to worry."

Normally, escort agencies traveling the world would be amiable to everyone, whether from the three religions and nine schools or the black and white paths, high-ranking nobles or Green Forest bandits, trying to avoid conflicts as much as possible.

The Celestial Horse Escort Agency, however, is somewhat different.

There are escort agencies all over Great Xia, but the largest and quickest, and rarely seeing trouble, is the Celestial Horse Escort Agency alone.

Not only because the Celestial Horse Escort Agency has many semi-retired Jianghu experts serving as Darts Leaders.

But also because, behind the Celestial Horse Escort Agency, stands the Yang Clan of Chen County, a major Gate Valve of Jiangzhou, as a backing.

Someone in the Yang Clan holds the post of Inspector of Jiangzhou, guarding a region.

Long Xiaoyun, upon hearing that the two Darts Leaders were from the main branch of the Celestial Horse Escort Agency, felt a shiver in his heart and three parts of fear.

The Celestial Horse Escort Agency has sub-branches all over Great Xia, and anyone who can serve as a Darts Leader in the main office must have been a significant figure in the Jianghu!

Another table’s guest suddenly spoke, "If I’m not mistaken, the two Darts Leaders must be ’Cloud Swallow’ Du Fei and ’Thousand Changes Palm’ Hu Yifeng, right?"

Escort Hu chuckled and replied, "Our brothers are now just Darts Leaders of the Celestial Horse Escort Agency."

"I wonder what the Young Leader was laughing about earlier, was there something wrong in what we said?" someone asked.

The young gentleman replied, "It was indeed wrong, very wrong, in fact!"

"Please enlighten us."

"The top of the Wind and Cloud Ranking, One Sword Frost Cold Chen Tang, not only gained recognition from the Sword Pavilion, but Langya Pavilion also speaks highly of him. May I ask, did both of these Great Xia Pavilions, get it all wrong?"

This Young Leader continued, "Marshal Xuan vouched for him, and General Wang of the Northern Expedition Army also strongly defended him. Did these two also make a mistake? Saying he’s a Beiqian Dark Scout is utterly laughable!"

Long Xiaoyun, feeling indignant, couldn’t help but say, "Isn’t he a Beiqian person then?"

"So what if he is?"

This Young Leader said, "Do you know how his title Demon Saber came about? He waged war against the Profound Celestial Sect in Beiqian, slaughtered many Profound Celestial Temples, and finally slaughtered a Flood Dragon to be called Demon Saber!"

"The Beiqian Court and the Profound Celestial Sect hold deep hatred for him. How could he be a Beiqian Dark Scout?"

Long Xiaoyun mumbled, "Maybe it’s Beiqian’s bitter flesh strategy."

Actually, he was just being stubborn; even as he spoke, his voice grew softer and lacked confidence.

This Young Leader coldly chuckled, "Back then, during the duel between Langya Pavilion and the Prime Minister’s Mansion, I was on the scene and personally witnessed Chen Tang disabling Xia Yuanxian, the treacherous Prime Minister’s son, thus making an enemy of the Prime Minister’s Mansion."

"Those Imperial Guards take orders from the treacherous Prime Minister to hunt down Chen Tang baselessly, naturally smearing him. Only someone with a problematic mind would believe the treacherous Prime Minister’s words."

"You!"

Long Xiaoyun was speechless, his face flushed red with anger.

"Let’s go."

After saying this, the Young Leader called out, and under the escort of the two Darts Leaders, left the Qingfeng Tower, heading towards the sub-branch of the Celestial Horse Escort Agency in Yunhai County.

A man in the corner was drinking, his head covered by a bamboo hat, hiding most of his face and making him unrecognizable.

At this moment, he picked up a sword-like weapon wrapped in black cloth by the table and followed down the stairs.

"Cough, cough!"

On the street, the man bent slightly, covering his mouth with his hand, coughing a few times.

After looking at the blood in his palm, the man didn’t say anything and followed the three people from a distance.

It didn’t take long before he saw the three entering the Celestial Horse Escort Agency.

The man pondered for a while before deciding to head towards the Celestial Horse Escort Agency, knocking on the door a few times when he arrived.

Soon, someone opened the door.

It was the Escort Hu from earlier.

Beside him, the Young Leader stood not far away, looking over curiously.

"Why have you been following us all this way, what guidance do you offer?"

At this time, a voice came from behind the man.

The man did not turn to look; he could hear it was the voice of Escort Du.

He saw the three enter the agency with his own eyes, but one had somehow circled behind him.

Good body technique, truly worthy of Cloud Swallow!

The man sighed in his heart, looking calm, and said solemnly, "I want to request the Celestial Horse Escort Agency to conduct an escort mission."

"Oh?"

The Young Leader slightly raised his eyebrows, "So it turns out to be a business call. Since you’re here to request our Celestial Horse Escort Agency for an escort, why be so secretive? Speak, what do you want protected?"

"A person!" The man’s words were startling.

Upon hearing this, Escort Du and the other two all frowned.

Generally, escort missions protect items, no matter how precious, handing them to the Celestial Horse Escort Agency is fine.

Protecting people was not something the Celestial Horse Escort Agency hadn’t done before.

However, involving people means entangling with grievances and could lead to big trouble.

Generally speaking, the Celestial Horse Escort Agency would be extremely cautious.