Chapter 1574: Chapter 1574: Returning a Favor

"I have an urgent matter and must see the lord immediately. Please, brothers guarding the city, don’t make it difficult for me. Hurry and open the gates." Ye Shikai shouted anxiously toward the city walls.

"General Ye, it’s not that we are deliberately making things difficult, but the lord has issued strict orders that the gates cannot be opened before dawn. I dare not disobey the lord’s orders. Please wait for another hour; after dawn, I will definitely open the gates for the general."

No matter how Ye Shikai pleaded or threatened, the officers on the walls refused to open the gates, insisting he wait outside. With tens of thousands of troops defending Linxiang City and walls several stories high, forcefully breaching was impossible.

"General, what do we do now? The gates won’t open, and we can’t get in at all." Man Cang asked.

"Let me think carefully." Ye Shikai looked up at the sky; it was the darkness before dawn, pitch black. It would be at least an hour until daylight, but he needed to enter the city immediately.

"General, if we delay any longer, it’ll be disastrous."

"I have a solution." Ye Shikai suddenly declared.

"Man Cang, keep the soldiers here silently. Once the gates open at dawn, enter the city directly." Ye Shikai instructed hurriedly.

"Where are you going, General?" Man Cang asked as he saw Ye Shikai turn his horse around.

"You don’t need to worry about that. Just follow orders."

"Understood."

Ye Shikai rode his horse to the North Gate of Linxiang City, found a hidden spot to tie his horse, looked at the towering walls, and harnessed his Inner Strength. With a powerful kick, he stepped onto the wall, his body like it had wings, soaring swiftly up the wall, leaving only a dark shadow, beyond trace.

"Did something just flash by?"

"It seemed like a gust of wind; don’t make a fuss. Keep patrolling."

"Alright."

The soldiers on the walls hadn’t noticed Ye Shikai had climbed the wall and entered the city, which was expected, since with regular eyesight, ordinary people couldn’t perceive the movement technique of a cultivator.

"Finally inside," Ye Shikai sighed with relief, not minding anything else. Without a horse, he accelerated using Inner Strength.

Marketplace.

"How come? Is it not here?" Ye Shikai lay on the rooftop, looking far towards the marketplace. It hadn’t dawned yet, so the stalls were closed, and there was no one at the marketplace.

If Mi Wen intended to execute the soldier publicly before reporting, she would choose a crowded marketplace. According to the schedule, she should have arrived, but why was there no one around?

"Blade Soul, can you sense his location?" Ye Shikai asked. Though Blade Soul lacked physical form, its spiritual power was tremendously strong, far surpassing Ye Shikai’s awareness, able to foresee potential dangers.

"Only some local residents are nearby; no soldiers or cultivators in sight," a faint voice echoed in his mind.

"What’s going on, where did they go?" Ye Shikai questioned.

"I can sense many cultivators in the city, concentrated within the government compound. It seems your woman lord is well-guarded by experts." Blade Soul advised.

Although the Chu State was destroyed, it had profound foundations. I understood that after Qin Destroyed Chu, the cultivation families of the Chu State mostly retreated to the mountains to avoid chaos. However, with Mi Wen raising the "Chu State" flag, as a royal herself, she naturally gains the support of those families. When I reunited with her in Southern County, I sensed many cultivation experts around her." Ye Shikai nodded in agreement. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Since her compound has many cultivation experts as guards, she must also be in the compound." Ye Shikai analyzed, and without further thought, rushed towards the government compound. He never intended to shield the soldier, nor steal him, but Mi Wen leading troops to storm into the camp and forcibly take someone would displeasure any commander. Ye Shikai’s infiltration into the city was mainly to demand an explanation from her.

Ye Shikai reached the compound. He knew Mi Wen was living in the government compound, not her residence, in Linxiang City. Indeed, upon arriving at the compound gates, he saw hundreds of armed soldiers.

However, these soldiers couldn’t stop Ye Shikai.

Scaling walls wasn’t a first-time affair.

...............

Inside the compound.

Ye Shikai sneaked into the back garden. Usually, this place wasn’t well-guarded, only occasionally patrolled by soldiers, unless...

"I knew you’d come looking for me."

Mi Wen was calmly sitting in the courtyard, gazing at Ye Shikai.

For a moment, Ye Shikai felt as awkward as a thief caught in the act...

"What brings you here so late?" After a long pause, Mi Wen finally spoke.

"I should be asking you that. You barged into the camp with troops; what’s the meaning of this?" Ye Shikai retorted.

"Since you couldn’t make the decision, I made it for you," Mi Wen said coldly. "By dawn, that soldier’s head will be hung in the marketplace."

"We have barely the time of a stick of incense until dawn." Mi Wen looked up at the sky, murmuring.

"What are you implying?" Ye Shikai couldn’t hold back his anger, growling in a cold tone.

"By executing that soldier, you’ll gain prestige for you and your troops in Linxiang City. You’re hesitant, but I won’t sacrifice the bigger picture for one person."

"You..." Ye Shikai was speechless for a moment, turning to leave the garden, when suddenly, dozens of soldiers dressed in black emerged from the shadows, surrounding the garden tightly. Ye Shikai could feel their energy; all of them were skilled cultivators, a tough challenge, especially when surrounded by dozens at once.

"What are you insinuating, planning to kill me?"

"Rest assured, I’d hate to kill you." Mi Wen slowly stood from her stone chair, revealing a "strange" smile.

"Bring him in." Mi Wen clapped her hands, and soon, a soldier was escorted by guards. Ye Shikai looked closely; wasn’t this the troublesome soldier?

"By dawn, a head will indeed hang in the marketplace, but not this soldier’s. I’ve arranged for an inmate from the Death Prison to replace him."

"Is that true?" Ye Shikai couldn’t quite process it for a moment; was Mi Wen showing "mercy?"

"Of course it’s true. Consider it a favor from me to you."

Ye Shikai understood. Back at the camp, Mi Wen nearly took his life, though leaving no significant harm other than "a sword wound." Mi Wen was taking this chance to repay him.

"If that’s the case, why didn’t you inform me directly, and what about these soldiers in black?"