Three punches shattered the demonic soul, young hero, I'm an honest man!

The next morning, as dawn broke.

Pei Yun was dressed in a dark flying fish robe, with a long, narrow embroidered spring knife hanging at his waist. The gilding on the hilt was spotless.

Zhang Quan, who was behind him, was dressed in the same attire and had a solemn expression.

Further behind were a dozen or so carefully selected Imperial Guards.

Each of them had sharp eyes and a calm, focused demeanor.

He carried a standard-issue long sword at his waist, his hand on the hilt, silent as iron.

The group arrived at the gate of the Imperial Guard camp.

The Imperial Guard Camp is one of the three major imperial guard camps in the capital region of the Great Ying Dynasty.

Those stationed here are all battle-hardened elites under the command of the Shence Army.

Protecting the capital is of paramount importance.

The camp gate stands tall, cast in black iron, and is covered with marks from swords and axes, telling tales of the blood and steel of the battlefield.

Eight armored soldiers stood at the gate, halberds in hand, their eyes as sharp as eagles.

If ordinary imperial guards were to arrive here, they would probably be startled by those hawk-like gazes before they even reached ten zhang.

The strictness of the inspection was evident.

Inside the camp, on the drill ground, the sounds of training resounded.

"drink!"

"kill!"

The soldiers shouted like thunder, and their spears and halberds formed a forest.

A dense aura of malevolence surged into the sky, almost solidifying into a tangible form.

This place is the claws and fangs of the fierce tiger that is Shence Prefecture.

Ordinary officials would be intimidated by him.

The news of Liu Mang, a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, returning in such a sorry state had already spread among the lower ranks of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Shence Army.

The morale of the Imperial Guards was thus boosted even further.

There was a hint of arrogance between the soldier's brows.

Even high-ranking officials in the court could not even dream of stepping into this camp without a warrant from the Shence Army.

The appearance of Pei Yun and his group immediately alerted the guards.

"Clang!"

Two long halberds crossed, blocking the way.

The leader of the group stepped forward, his face grim.

"Military camp, restricted area. No entry allowed!"

"Whoa—"

Pei Yun reined in his horse and stopped it three zhang outside the camp gate.

The imperial guards behind them reined in their horses in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized.

Dust rose slightly as the horses pawed the ground.

"Who goes there!"

The guards at the camp gate crossed their halberds, their sounds like booming bells.

With the vigilance and toughness unique to the military.

Pei Yunduan sat on his horse, a faint smile playing on his lips.

He didn't answer, but merely glanced at the guards indifferently.

His gaze was calm, yet it seemed to see right through people's hearts.

This sent a chill down the spines of several seasoned soldiers.

Zhang Quan stepped forward, flashing his waist badge: "This is an official matter for the Northern Garrison Command. Go and report immediately!"

The guard checked the waist tag.

Although they knew it was the Embroidered Uniform Guard, their expressions remained arrogant, and one of them turned around and went inside to announce their arrival.

Before long, a series of steady and powerful footsteps came from inside the camp gate.

The blades rubbed together, making a clanging sound.

Wei Zheng, the commander of the Left Battalion of the Imperial Guards, stepped out in his dark blue armor, his gait as powerful as a dragon's and the stride of a tiger's.

Behind him, a slightly disheveled figure followed closely.

It was Li Yu, the son of General Weiyuan.

Li Yu's face was somewhat pale, her eyes darting around, revealing a hint of barely concealed panic.

Yet he tried his best to maintain some semblance of dignity as a son of a military family in front of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, forcing himself to straighten his back.

Wei Zheng was tall and straight, with a resolute face, and his walk exuded the fierce and valiant air of a military general.

Behind him followed a squad of heavily armored and imposing guards.

Each of them had sharp eyes, like unsheathed swords.

The entire Imperial Guard camp seemed to have become even more imposing and menacing because of his presence.

Wei Zheng's gaze swept over Pei Yun and his group, finally settling on Pei Yun's face.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guards have indeed arrived."

His voice was steady, his gaze sharp and scrutinizing.

"Military camps are restricted areas; no one may enter without a summons."

"What brings Commander Pei here today?"

He had already heard about Liu Mang and knew of Pei Yun's reputation in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

How dare a centurion who has lost his cultivation break into his Imperial Guard camp again?

Pei Yun smiled calmly, a smile that carried an undeniable air of authority.

"Why does General Wei ask a question he already knows the answer to?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"I have come here today on the orders of Lord Luo, the Northern Garrison Commander, to take away the imperial criminal Li Yu and bring him to trial."

"The law is clear, and the Shence Palace must abide by it."

"General Wei, do you agree?"

Pei Yun spoke calmly, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

But the hidden sharpness in his words put pressure on Wei Zheng's personal guards.

Wei Zheng raised an eyebrow, his expression slightly darkening.

"Commander Pei is joking."

He said coldly, "Li Yu is an officer of the Imperial Guard of the Shence Army. Even if he has violated military law, he should be dealt with according to the military law of the Shence Army!"

"This matter is none of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's concern."

"Commander Pei, please return. Don't put me in a difficult position."

Their stance was firm, refusing to budge an inch.

Wei Zheng, as the outstanding young generation of Shence Mansion, has the cultivation level of the eighth-grade innate peak.

Why would they be afraid of a notorious "useless" centurion?

The Embroidered Uniform Guards lost face last time, and now they want to take it back?

Pei Yun's smile faded slightly, and his eyes became deep and unfathomable.

"The law is clear and cannot tolerate personal feelings."

"If General Wei insists on obstructing this, he will be going against the laws of the Great Ying Dynasty and against my Embroidered Uniform Guard."

"General Wei, can you bear the consequences?"

His tone remained calm, but an invisible pressure pressed down on Wei Zheng like a mountain.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze a little.

The Imperial Guards remained silent, but their hands gripped the hilts of their swords even tighter.

A chilling and murderous aura emanated from them.

Wei Zheng was young and impetuous, and a top soldier. He had never been so openly contradicted before.

His peak eighth-rank aura surged forth, and his armor seemed to emit a slight hum.

It was at this moment.

"Wei Zheng, step back."

A deep and authoritative voice echoed from the depths of the camp.

The voice wasn't loud, but it seemed to carry immense power, momentarily halting the tense atmosphere.

Wei Zheng, who was originally in high spirits and like a tiger ready to devour its prey, suddenly trembled upon hearing this.

The anger on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a deep sense of awe.

He abruptly suppressed the powerful aura emanating from his body and bowed with his fists clasped in the direction from which the sound came.

"Yes, Commander!"

He then respectfully stepped aside, not daring to utter another word.

Seeing this, the guards didn't dare to utter a sound.

The identity of the person who commands such respect from General Wei is quite obvious.

Under Pei Yun's gaze, a middle-aged man dressed in a purple python-patterned military officer's uniform slowly walked out of the camp.

This man was about fifty years old, with a resolute face and slightly graying temples.

His gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, as if he could see through everything.

His steps were composed, exuding an aura of profound and imposing authority.

Pei Yun recognized this person.

A military officer of the Shence Army, holding the same rank as the Commander of the Northern Garrison, but actually wielding real military power.

Yan Chongyue, Commander-in-Chief of the Capital Garrison of the Shence Prefecture.

Yan Chongyue's gaze lingered on Pei Yun for a moment before he nodded slightly.

"Commander Pei, please come into the main tent to speak."

The tone was calm and polite.

Pei Yunyi nodded slightly, dismounted, and handed the reins to Zhang Quan.

"Zhang Quan, bring the brothers and wait here."

"Yes, boss!"

Pei Yun followed Yan Chongyue alone into the heavily guarded main tent of the Imperial Guard camp.