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

The atmosphere inside the Northern Garrison Command's office remained somewhat tense.

The matter of the Imperial Guard camp weighed heavily on everyone's minds like a boulder.

Liu Mang, a centurion, was seriously injured in three moves by Wei Zheng, a general of the Shence Army.

This is not only a disgrace to Liu Mang personally, but also a complete loss of face for the entire Northern Garrison Command.

Commander Zhao Lian and Zhou Mingxuan sat in the public room, speechless, the tea having long since lost its warmth.

The captain they sent to gather information outside the Imperial Guard camp has yet to return.

"Pei Yun's journey here is likely to end in misfortune."

Zhao Lian frowned and sighed.

It wasn't that he didn't believe in Pei Yun's abilities; it was just that Wei Zheng was a peak eighth-grade innate general, a fierce general in the army, and renowned far and wide.

Although Pei Yun has recovered his cultivation, it has only been a short time. How could he possibly defeat him?

Moreover, that old scoundrel Yan Chongyue is notorious for being overly protective of his own and has always looked down on the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Zhou Mingxuan remained silent.

He had previously recommended Liu Mang, hoping to curry favor, but unexpectedly suffered a loss.

Now that Lord Luo has sent Pei Yun there, he is even more uneasy.

If Pei Yun also fails, the reputation of the Embroidered Uniform Guard will truly be trampled into the mud.

Just then, a captain rushed in, looking excited.

"Reporting! I am reporting to the two commanders!"

Zhao Lian and Zhou Mingxuan perked up and looked over at the same time.

"Commander Pei... he's back!"

The captain was panting heavily, his face full of disbelief.

"How is it?" Zhao Lian asked anxiously.

"Was he injured? What about Li Yu...?"

The captain swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly with excitement:

"Commander Pei is safe and sound! The wanted criminal Li Yu has been escorted back to the office and is now in the imperial prison!"

"What?!"

Zhao Lian and Zhou Mingxuan both stood up abruptly at the same time, looking at each other in disbelief.

"That old scoundrel Yan Chongyue actually agreed to release them?" Zhao Lian couldn't believe it.

The captain took a deep breath.

"At the Imperial Guard's training grounds, in front of Commander Yan and Chairman Qin of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce..."

He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts on how to describe that breathtaking scene.

"With his late-stage eighth-grade Innate Realm cultivation, he defeated General Wei Zheng, a peak eighth-grade Innate Realm expert, with a single punch!"

"General Wei was completely convinced, and Commander Yan had nothing to say! He immediately ordered Commander Pei to take Li Yu away!"

"Furthermore, Commander Pei publicly exposed that Li Yu colluded with the demonic 'Tiger Fiend Hall,' aiding the enemy and colluding with bandits! The evidence is conclusive!"

boom!

These words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

Zhao Lian and Zhou Mingxuan stood there, speechless for a long time.

How could a late-stage Innate Realm cultivator defeat Wei Zheng, a fierce general from the peak of the Innate Realm?

How is this possible!

That's Wei Zheng!

The most outstanding young generation in Shence Mansion!

How long has Pei Yun's foundation been restored?

They originally thought that Pei Yun's ability to negotiate with his silver tongue was already the limit.

I never expected such swift and decisive action, so utterly devastating!

"He also revealed that Li Yu colluded with the demonic path?"

Zhou Mingxuan murmured, his expression complex.

In this way, the Shence Mansion not only lost face, but also suffered a complete loss in terms of substance.

That old fox Yan Chongyue is probably going to be so angry he'll vomit blood this time.

Suddenly, Zhao Lian recalled the many praises that Commander Yan Xiu had given to Pei Yun.

He had always felt that Yan Xiu valued Pei Yun too much. What merit or ability did a centurion who had lost all his cultivation have?

Looking back now, how sharp the garrison commander's judgment was!

He was the one who truly underestimated this young man.

"Pei Yun... Pei Yun..."

Zhao Lian kept repeating the name, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

This time, he ended up owing the other party a favor.

-

The rear hall of the Northern Garrison Command.

The garrison commander, Luo Qingyi, sat upright at his desk, holding a yellowed, old file in his hand.

It was the same portion that the Holy Maiden of Candlelight had given her before.

The paper, bearing the slight scent of decay from the passage of time, records a seemingly insignificant old case from eighteen years ago in the capital.

Luo Qingyi's fingertips gently brushed over the words on the dossier, her eyes slightly dazed.

The fact that the Holy Maiden of the Candle Shadow Sect sent this document shows her despicable intentions.

The other party wanted to use this old case to distract her and prevent her from paying attention to the impending turmoil in the capital.

But precisely because of this, the authenticity of the contents of this file is beyond doubt.

That enchantress is adept at scheming against people's hearts, and her greatest skill lies in using truth as bait.

Eighteen years ago, she was still a child.

He could only watch helplessly as his father was falsely accused, imprisoned, and ultimately died under mysterious circumstances.

Over the years, she climbed the ladder step by step.

I've taken this position to find out the truth about what happened back then.

The higher her position, the more she sensed how incredibly deep the waters ran behind that case from back then.

Even now, as the garrison commander, she still faces numerous obstacles in investigating the case from back then.

Many clues abruptly end at crucial points, as if forcibly erased by an invisible hand.

Those who can achieve this must hold an incredibly high position in the imperial court.

The file that the Holy Maiden of Candlelight has given us is not the case from back then.

It was just an old case of "being punished for speaking out," which seemed ordinary, and involved only a minor official of the seventh rank in the capital eighteen years ago.

Luo Qingyi checked repeatedly but did not notice anything unusual.

However, the attitude of the Holy Maiden of Candlelight seemed to indicate that this case was related to her father's wrongful conviction years ago.

There must be something fishy about this.

It was obvious that the other party had accurately predicted her obsession with her father's wrongful conviction.

If she personally devotes her energy to investigating, it will inevitably touch the nerves of some sensitive people, alerting them to the danger.

At that time, the water in the capital will only become more turbid.

And the person behind the scenes will inevitably react once they notice her actions.

This is exactly what the Holy Maiden of Candlelight is happy to see.

Let her fight against the mastermind behind that miscarriage of justice first, and then the demoness can reap the benefits.

Luo Qingyi's lips curled into a cold, sharp smile.

That sorceress, despite her meticulous planning, correctly predicted her obsession with the old case, but she miscalculated one thing.

She, Luo Qingyi, may not necessarily need to get involved herself.

If she were to investigate openly and make too much noise, it would surely not escape the notice of the person behind the scenes, and would play right into the hands of the Holy Maiden of Candlelight.

That being the case...

She could hand the file over to someone who was absolutely reliable and wouldn't attract too much attention to investigate it.

As for herself, she might as well make some other noise in the capital and attract all the attention hidden in the shadows to herself.

Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside the public housing.

"Knock knock knock".

There was a soft knock at the door.

"Come in."

A captain of the Imperial Guard rushed in and knelt on one knee.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, Commander Pei has returned and successfully brought back the wanted criminal Li Yu."

"As for the Shence Prefecture... Governor Yan personally ordered not only the release of the people, but also promised compensation."

Upon hearing this, Luo Qingyi's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile.

Pei Yun's ability to complete the task was within her expectations.

But it was somewhat unexpected that she could get that stubborn old man Yan Chongyue to back down and even offer compensation.

Who was Yan Chongyue?

The Commander-in-Chief of the Capital Garrison of the Shence Prefecture wielded immense power and was known for his stubborn temper.

"Is Yan Chongyue really so sensible?"

Luo Qingyi's lips curved into a barely perceptible smile.

"It is reported that Commander Pei defeated Wei Zheng of the Shence Army in public at the Imperial Guard's training ground."

"Understood. Summon Pei Yun to see me."

"Yes."

The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard received the order and withdrew.