I'm seventy years old this year, and you want me to have many children and much happiness?

The head constable in iron armor thought that Chu Xiao had invited someone of great stature.

The person who came over was just an old groom?

He's a dignified Iron-Clad Constable, a Rank 1 Martial Artist!

He commands more than a dozen Iron-Clad Constables.

Xu Wanshan had always looked down on people like Lu Xuan, who were at the very bottom of society; he wasn't even worthy of carrying Lu Xuan's shoes!

Now you're going to be working with someone like that?

Although I know that your Fengwu Hall has its own style of doing things, this is simply too outrageous.

"Officer Xu, my master doesn't need to explain his actions to you, does he?"

Yan Shiba frowned.

Last time, Fengwu Hall lost one person and two others were seriously injured in the operation to capture Gu Dubei, so they were unable to participate in the follow-up operation. That's why the constables from the yamen were dispatched.

However, in terms of official rank, Chu Xiao was Xu Wanshan's superior, and Xu Wanshan was not allowed to question him here.

When subordinates question their superiors, it is a very serious issue.

A hint of displeasure flashed in Xu Wanshan's eyes.

"It's not that we have doubts, but this mission is of utmost importance. We brothers are all risking our lives to do this, and I have to be responsible for them! If we get into a fight with the thieves, how can I possibly think about the old groom's safety?"

Xu Wanshan spoke up.

Lu Xuan simply watched from the sidelines, without participating.

He was merely a lowly servant of the Huang family, with no right to speak.

"Alright, I'll take responsibility for Lu Xuan's safety."

"Lu Xuan is indispensable for this mission. If anyone is unwilling to go, they can say so now, and I will report it truthfully."

Chu Xiao raised his hand and said.

Lu Xuan listened from the side and had already grasped the current situation.

Chu Xiao was young, but he was already Xu Wanshan's superior. Naturally, he was unwilling to be managed by a young man in front of his subordinate.

This trip is probably not going to be easy.

Lu Xuan thought to himself.

He had heard of Xu Wanshan's name before.

He was a ruthless and corrupt man. Many wealthy people cooperated with Xu Wanshan. As long as you gave Xu Wanshan some money, he could arrest people on trumped-up charges.

Xu Wanshan also handled many things for the Huang family.

"We dare not disobey the order, sir. However, if the old groom causes trouble, we will report it to the authorities truthfully."

Xu Wanshan snorted coldly.

Lu Xuan's heart skipped a beat when he heard the other party say this.

numb.

Having lived for so many years, how could he not understand the meaning behind Xu Wanshan's words?

Catching those martial arts thugs won't be easy.

But killing an old stableman like you would be a piece of cake.

If we kill you, we can also affect Chu Xiao's career. Wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?

I reckon this person will definitely do something behind the scenes to sabotage Lu Xuan.

Lu Xuan felt extremely helpless. He wished he could just focus on practicing martial arts, marry a few wives, and live a good life. Wouldn't that be much easier and more carefree?

They're just muddling along in this mundane, worldly mire.

No one can remain unaffected; the only way to cope with different crises is to strengthen one's own capabilities.

"what ever."

Chu Xiao said coldly, his brows furrowing slightly.

Xu Wanshan's displeasure was not without reason.

Dugu Bei's case was originally going to fall to them, but they didn't expect Fengwu Hall to interfere.

Now that Dugu Bei has been brought to justice, the credit goes to Fengwu Hall. Now we still need to help Fengwu Hall to bring the other criminals to justice.

However, if Xu Wanshan disobeys orders along the way, Chu Xiao will definitely not be lenient.

"Mount up and let's go!"

Chu Xiao flipped over and landed on the horse's back.

Lu Xuan also had a horse.

A group of more than ten people also headed out of the city in a grand procession.

"Lingshui County? Isn't that the direction of Qingxue's home?"

"If the opportunity arises, perhaps we can retrieve the cultivation techniques from Qingxue's family."

"We still don't know where the map we found in Dugu Bei is. Perhaps we'll find something there this time too."

As Lu Xuan rode his horse alongside the main force, he was also pondering and analyzing the situation in his mind.

As for Xu Wanshan's threat.

Lu Xuan was just being cautious; once they got to the mountains, it was uncertain who would eat whom.

"drive!"

On the official road, fine horses galloped.

Lu Xuan didn't perform particularly well either, always staying at the very back of the group, and even inadvertently creating some distance between them.

If it were easy to keep up with the pace of these iron-clad constables, then there would be a problem.

Chu Xiao also knew that this journey was quite long. They would be fine, but Lu Xuan might not be able to handle it.

So every now and then, we would stop and rest, and at the same time, we would slow down as much as possible.

Of course, Xu Wanshan's sarcastic remarks were indispensable in the process.

"If you're traveling with an old man and he gets jolted to death by the horse halfway there, you'll have to prepare an extra coffin for him!"

Xu Wanshan glanced at Lu Xuan and said.

At this moment, Lu Xuan also looked exhausted, drinking water repeatedly and panting heavily.

"My lords... I am... I am truly sorry..."

"This old servant is getting on in years, and my body is frail and weak..."

Lu Xuan said with a forced smile.

Xu Wanshan and the other constables also looked on coldly, probably thinking that it would be better if Lu Xuan had died on the way.

"It's alright, we're already very close. These people are far weaker than Dugu Bei, they can't escape."

Chu Xiao nodded slightly and said.

Although he took care of Lu Xuan, he was still busy with official duties and did not linger. Seeing that it was almost time, he continued to instruct everyone to mount their horses.

Finally, after another hour of travel.

The group finally arrived at a mountain range outside Lingshui County.

This mountain range receives abundant rainfall, resulting in lush vegetation, with some weeds growing taller than a person.

Dense fog often forms there, and the terrain is treacherous; in the fog, one wrong step could send you plunging into an abyss.

Therefore, it was named Wuyuan Mountain.

"This place is Wuyuan Mountain outside Lingshui County. According to our information, there are four bandits in total, and they are riding black-maned horses."

Wuyuan Mountain is far more complex than the previous Yunmang Mountain.

It is extremely difficult for ordinary people to walk here; they must walk at a very low speed, otherwise they cannot see the road ahead clearly.

Fortunately, the road was relatively flat, unlike the high-altitude areas of Yunmang Mountain.

"A black-maned horse?"

When Lu Xuan heard this term, a look of surprise appeared on his tired face.

"Black-maned horses are mostly found in the northwest region of the dynasty. They are several times stronger and more endurance than our horses. They are strong and recover quickly, which means they need to eat a lot."

"And some special nutrients need to be added to the feed, such as small fish and shrimp. However, black-maned horses have poor absorption, so the production of horse manure is high. In addition, there is a lot of undigested food in the horse manure, which will attract some wild animals and birds to gather."

After pondering for a moment, Lu Xuan explained everything related to the Black Mane Horse.

"Furthermore, the scent of the black-maned horse can be a deterrent to the horses here."

"So, these horses get scared when they get close to the Blackmane?"

Chu Xiao asked.

"good."

Lu Xuan nodded and said.

Chu Xiao was also very surprised after hearing this. It was true that different professions are like different worlds. She had practiced martial arts since she was a child, but she did not know that there were so many intricacies involved in horsemanship.

"What's the point of saying all this? Hurry up and lead the way to find them!"

Xu Wanshan shouted.

Although Lu Xuan has shown some usefulness, it doesn't mean that Xu Wanshan will treat you well.

"Yes, sir..."

Lu Xuan bowed in response, not offending Xu Wanshan, and adopted a very humble posture.

Then, Lu Xuan walked ahead in the jungle.

It's unclear whether Lu Xuan was just lucky or if he truly possessed the ability to track down his targets.

After venturing only about ten miles in, they actually made a discovery.

"Sir, there seems to be some movement ahead."

Lu Xuan said.

Along the way, we could already see a lot of horse manure piled up on the ground.

However, just as Lu Xuan finished speaking, a sudden sound came from ahead.

At the same time, several sharp arrows whistled towards Lu Xuan and his group.

"Be careful!"

Faced with the incoming arrows, Chu Xiao rushed forward and pulled Lu Xuan behind him. With a whoosh, he drew his long sword from his waist and shattered the arrows with a single strike.

"Good! Take them down!"

Xu Wanshan's eyes lit up immediately, and he roared.

The iron-clad constables behind them also spurred their horses forward to give chase.

But at that moment, the four bandits suddenly split up and fled in two different directions.

"Officer Xu, lead six men to pursue the culprit on the right."

"The rest of you, follow me and pursue to the left!"

"good!"

Xu Wanshan dared not be careless; when it came to actually taking action, he absolutely could not be negligent.

He immediately divided his men into two groups, and Xu Wanshan also led six men to pursue the right flank.

"Yan Shiba, you and Lu Xuan stay here."

"If no assembly signal is issued after two hours, take my order and go to Lingshui County to mobilize troops."

Chu Xiao tossed a token to Yan Shiba, then led three iron-clad constables in pursuit to the left.

"grown ups……"

Yan Shiba saw Chu Xiao rashly chase after him and his eyes showed worry.

The once bustling forest suddenly became deserted.

Although Yan Shiba wanted to help, he had no choice but to stay put and protect Lu Xuan's safety.

After all, Chu Xiao had previously said that he would ensure Lu Xuan's safety.

At this moment, Lu Xuan spoke up.

"My lord, what good is there for an old man like me to take care of? You should go and help Lord Chu."

"Those people are not Lord Chu's confidants, so it might be inconvenient to use them."

Lu Xuan's tone was sincere, and even Yan Shiba looked at Lu Xuan with surprise.

I never expected Lu Xuan to say something so insightful.

"But……"

"There's nothing to regret. Catching the thief is the most important thing. It's my honor to be able to contribute to the court. If I really die in this desolate wilderness, then that's my fate."

"Lord Chu is the future pillar of the court; we absolutely cannot afford any mishaps."

Yan Shiba was moved by Lu Xuan's words.

In addition, I was indeed anxious.

At this moment, he also bowed to Lu Xuan.

"Sir, you are very magnanimous. You can return the way you came and wait for us in Lingshui County!"

"it is good."

Lu Xuan nodded.

The next moment, Yan Shiba spurred his horse and charged forward at full speed.

Lu Xuan glanced around from where he stood.

After confirming that Yan Shiba and the others had all left.

He then carefully took out the drawing from his sleeve.

Just now, when I was leading the way for them...

Lu Xuan happened to pass by a place and suddenly realized that the place was very similar to the blueprints found on Dugu Bei.

Therefore, Lu Xuan had his own guess.

This treasure map should be the entrance to some treasure somewhere in this area.

These so-called accomplices of Dugu Bei were probably all there for the entrance to this treasure.

But Dugu Bei was killed and the treasure map was never found, so these people came here hoping to try their luck.

Upon receiving the news, Chu Xiao led his men to arrest them. Perhaps Chu Xiao and his men's purpose was precisely for this treasure map.

Now these murderers are scattering in all directions.

This also gave Lu Xuan an opportunity.

Since the other party has been able to find this place, they just don't know where the entrance is. If given enough time, they might find it themselves.

Therefore, Lu Xuan did not delay.

Cut the Gordian knot.

Lu Xuan tied the horses to a safe spot nearby.

He then used the Snake Step technique.

His figure darted swiftly through the jungle.

"I just passed a crescent-shaped lake that looks very similar to the one on the map."

"The entrance to that mysterious place lies beneath this lake!"

Lu Xuan quickly returned to his original spot on the lake.

He was walking ahead when he saw this place and he was stunned for a moment.

Fortunately, no one noticed.

As for the disputes among Chu Xiao and others, they were of no importance to Lu Xuan.

Let them fight their own battle.

Every day there is fighting and killing, and people die.

We arrived at the lake.

It was already past midnight, and the surrounding air was chilly.

Lu Xuan walked along the lakeside.

We found a location that was very similar to the one written on the map.

"Without a map, how could we possibly find this place?"

After confirming the location.

Without hesitation, Lu Xuan jumped into the water.

With their cultivation reaching the Unity Realm and possessing the Profound Heaven Martial Bone, venturing into ordinary forbidden areas would not be a problem.

Just as Lu Xuan jumped into the lake to search for the entrance.

In the distant mountains and forests.

Xu Wanshan, along with several iron-clad constables and three men dressed as bandits, hid in a secluded place.

"Did you find the entrance?!"

"The news of this matter has been leaked by Dugu Bei. Now Fengwu Hall has taken notice of this place. Once they find out that this is the tomb of Master Yunhe, it will be too late for us."

"That map was obtained only after much effort by killing the descendant of the Cloud River Alchemist!"

Xu Wanshan said in a deep voice.

The several constables in iron armor were all his trusted confidants.

The three people opposite were the martial arts thugs that Chu Xiao had mentioned.

Even Chu Xiao probably never imagined that Xu Wanshan was in cahoots with these thugs!

There may even be a bigger story behind this.

Of course, none of this matters right now.

We still need to get things done first.

"We couldn't find it. This Misty Abyss Mountain is so vast. We only glanced at the map briefly before Dugu Bei snatched it away. How could we possibly find it?"

The three men, dressed like bandits, all looked distressed.

"The fourth brother has already led them to Lingshui County; there's still time."

"If we really can't find them, the three of you can pretend to have been captured by us. Once we get to Lingshui County, we'll find an opportunity to kill all the members of Fengwu Hall."

There were only two of them.

"Oh, right, there's also an old man!"