When the assassination attempt occurred, Bai Yuanfu happened to be inside the Martial Restraint Guard government office. In truth, he resided in the office year-round, overseeing everything from within.
Thus, the moment he heard the furious roars of Nie Kun and Tie Qi echoing not far from the yamen, his expression shifted drastically. Without a second thought, he bounded out of the office, his blood boiling and his true qi surging furiously as he crossed the open sky at a speed virtually imperceptible to ordinary eyes.
Though he was not yet a Grandmaster capable of flight, a single leap propelled him several tens of zhang, which to commoners seemed hardly different from flying. In just dozens of breaths, he arrived at the spot where Huang Tian was ambushed.
Boom! Boom!
His feet slammed into the ground like explosive detonations, jolting the entire alleyway. Cobblestones scattered like bullets, and through the billowing dust, Bai Yuanfu’s eyes blazed like fire as he swiftly surveyed the battlefield.
Huang Tian stood completely unharmed, his breathing calm and steady, his robes without a speck of dirt. He appeared entirely unscathed.
Excellent!
Bai Yuanfu glanced at Nie Kun and Tie Qi. Aside from the flushed and bruised tint in their complexions from the churning of their vital energy, neither seemed to bear any injury.
Very good!
Next, his gaze swept over the assailants sprawled wretchedly across the alleyway. Every one of them was utterly spent, coughing up blood, with several unconscious from catastrophic wounds.
Exceptional!
Bai Yuanfu breathed a sigh of relief and let out a hearty laugh. "Nie Kun, Tie Qi, well done, both of you!"
The moment those words left his mouth, an uncanny silence fell over the alley. Even Zhang Yu and the other critically wounded assassins turned exceedingly strange looks upon Bai Yuanfu, leaving him dumbfounded, wondering what on earth he had said wrong.
*What in the world happened? Did things not go the way I imagined?*
Seeing Bai Yuanfu's confusion, Nie Kun let out a helpless sigh, hesitating before finally managing to squeeze out a sentence: "Commissioner, today's events cannot be explained in a few words. Once we return to the yamen, Tie Qi, Huang Tian, and I will explain everything to you in detail."
Both Tie Qi and Huang Tian nodded in agreement.
Just then, another clamor of hurried footsteps and shouts approached. Looking up, they saw Xia Hong, Battalion Commander Wang, and others clad in official robes, leading a large contingent of Martial Restraint Guard warriors armed with sabers and crossbows.
"Lord Commissioner!"
A large company of armored warriors with crossbows halted at the entrance of the alley. Xia Hong walked in with a grim expression, but when he saw Huang Tian completely unharmed, he let out a massive sigh of relief and bowed to Bai Yuanfu.
After rendering his respects, Xia Hong glanced around. His eyes locked onto Zhang Yu, who lay paralyzed on the ground with his face cloth torn away. Xia Hong’s eyes narrowed, and he ground his teeth. "The Feihong Sect!"
Bai Yuanfu also looked toward Zhang Yu, deep in thought, before waving his hand with a solemn air. "With me here, there is no need for so many men. Leave a few behind to bind these cutthroats and deliver them to the Guard prison for rigorous interrogation. The rest of you, go help extinguish the fires and capture the rest of their conspirators."
"Understood!"
Everyone responded in unison. Several burly warriors stepped forward with ropes, binding and hauling away Zhang Yu and the others, who lacked even the strength to speak. The remainder rushed off toward the towering flames to put out the blazes.
Bai Yuanfu turned and asked, "Huang Tian, are you alright?"
Huang Tian shook his head with a faint smile. "Commissioner, I am perfectly fine."
Nie Kun and Tie Qi exchanged a glance, their expressions deeply complicated.
"It is good that you are unharmed. Even so, accompany me back to the yamen for now, lest these villains have other accomplices waiting outside to ambush you."
"Very well."
The four made their way together toward the yamen. Along the road, countless warriors wielding sabers and crossbows were dashing back and forth. Furthermore, virtually all the constables and yamen runners belonging to the Six Doors' Constabulary Hall and the Commandery Yamen's Patrol and Inspection Office had been mobilized, scouring every corner for the culprits.
Inside a brightly lit, cozy parlor within the Martial Restraint Guard government office, Bai Yuanfu sat upon a cushioned couch while Huang Tian and the others took their seats.
"Now, can you explain in detail what happened out there?" Bai Yuanfu asked.
Nie Kun glanced at Tie Qi, who scratched his head with an intricate smile before speaking up. "Commissioner, when Huang Tian was ambushed today—"
He recounted the entire affair from beginning to end in meticulous detail. As he spoke, Bai Yuanfu's eyes widened more and more.
"What? You're saying those two fifth-rank martial artists were defeated by Huang Tian?!"
Unable to remain seated, Bai Yuanfu sprang to his feet in disbelief. "You aren't joking? Is this true?"
Tie Qi said helplessly, "How could this subordinate dare utter jokes before you? If you do not believe me, you may ask Brother Nie."
Meeting Bai Yuanfu's gaze, Nie Kun nodded. "The events unfolded exactly as Brother Tie described."
A tempest seemed to rage inside Bai Yuanfu's mind. Though he tried his utmost to maintain his composure, the shock in his eyes could not be concealed in the slightest.
"Huang Tian, you... didn't you just break through to the middle three ranks? How could you be this strong?!"
Advancing from the seventh rank to the middle three ranks in a mere half month had already astonished him, but tonight's feat left him utterly shaken.
Defeating two fifth-rank martial artists and several sixth-rank combatants in a single exchange—such prowess was hardly inferior to the fourth rank!
Huang Tian, however, remained quite straightforward. "Has the Commissioner forgotten? I have read through over a thousand martial manuals and mastered nearly every single one. Being able to surpass martial artists of the same rank ought to be expected."
These plain, understated words left all three men thoroughly dazed. Yet after that initial stupor came sudden clarity. Indeed, having mastered over a thousand martial arts to perfection, wasn't defeating foes across cultivation boundaries precisely what one should expect?
"That's true..."
Bai Yuanfu gave a blank nod, but then something struck him, and he turned to Nie Kun. "When Huang Tian struck, did anyone else witness it?"
Nie Kun answered truthfully, "Yes, and quite a few, in fact."
The commandery seat was a crouching tiger and hidden dragon, filled with no shortage of experts. With the tremendous commotion from Nie Kun and Zhang Yu's clash, it was impossible for no one to have heard or seen it.
Just moments ago, he had noticed several dark silhouettes perched on the rooftops not far from the alley—martial artists drawn by the noise to observe from a distance.
Hearing this, Bai Yuanfu knitted his brows slightly. After pondering for a long while, he slowly relaxed his brow.
"No matter. If they saw it, so be it. Huang Tian's extraordinary comprehension is well-known to all; he grasps all forms of martial arts upon a single glance and executes them at will. For such a prodigy to defeat enemies across cultivation boundaries is only natural."
At this point, he turned toward Huang Tian and said solemnly, "However, once word spreads, certain factions will harbor even deeper envy and hatred toward you. For instance, the ones who targeted you tonight should be the Feihong Sect. Failing this assassination attempt, they will certainly not give up on striking again. You will face no shortage of assassination attempts in the future, so you must be even more cautious."
Huang Tian smiled faintly. "I understand."
Revealing a portion of his strength would inevitably invite more jealousy and animosity, not only from sect factions, but also from within the imperial court and even the Martial Restraint Guard itself. Not everyone was willing to act as a Bole, recognizing true talent; many would rather play the butcher, slaughtering the thousand-li steed to discover the secret behind why it ran so fast.
Yet Huang Tian had no intention of choosing to develop slowly out of fear of attracting envy. Revealing a suitable degree of strength brought immense benefits. Potential was never equivalent to actual power. As things stood now, the power he displayed was enough to place him among the absolute peak of Kunyun Commandery. Only in this way would others view him as a formidable powerhouse rather than merely a former prodigy.
Toward the strong, people were always far more respectful, far more tolerant, and far more generous than they were toward mere prodigies!
Chapter 87