Transformation Diagram: Starting as a Skinny Dog-Chapter 484 - 314: The Tide of Power

Wooo!

Just at the instant when Yang Xi lost his arm, the external body of Chen Ku ended its three breaths’ duration.

He stepped forward, holding that severed arm and the Immortal Weapon Moon Repairing Axe in his hand.

At the end of his sight was Yang Xi, screaming in pain and flying afar, heading toward Baojiao County, bellowing:

"Marquis Han Shou, save me!"

Below, Guan Qingfeng’s face changed drastically: "The young prince... lost an arm, the Moon Repairing Axe taken? This..."

Although earlier Yang Xi was suppressed by Chen Ku due to his negligence, he had always believed the young prince had the capability to counter-suppress, given that he wielded an immortal weapon.

But Chen Ku was astounding, able to wield the Champion Marquis’s immortal weapon’s power and also possessing such ancient martial arts divine abilities like Plucking Hair to Make Soldiers!

The martial arts he displayed gave Guan Qingfeng the impression that Chen Ku wasn’t a mere country bumpkin but rather a true disciple of some major sect, otherwise he wouldn’t have such terrifying martial arts foundation and endless strategies, even outmatching Yang Xi by a head.

"Young prince!" He shouted with a changed expression.

"Master!" The most anxious was none other than the blade-bearing guard, Yue Cang. He, being an attendant from the Prince Mansion, now witnessing his esteemed master being severed an arm by Chen Ku, felt as if the sky had fallen.

He wanted to go up to help, but both Chen Ku and Yang Xi relied on their methods to fly too high, far exceeding the airborne limits of Seventh Realm Gang Control masters.

However, Guan Hongluan was dazed.

Watching Chen Ku chasing Yang Xi in the sky, she seemed conflicted.

Since she was young, she knew Yang Xi was powerful, surpassing his peers to the extent that she had to acknowledge, albeit reluctantly, that Yang Xi was a genius.

Yet today, she witnessed that genius’s myth extinguish.

In the distance.

From beginning to end, the Twelve Guardians and others observing the battle were elated.

They, like the blade-bearing guard Yue Cang, wanted to assist but were helpless as their little master uncle’s battlefield with the opponent was in the air, even Seventh Realm Gang Control experts couldn’t intervene, let alone them.

Now, seeing Yang Xi screaming for help, flying toward the two-thousand-strong army stationed around Baojiao County.

Their expressions changed too:

"Not good!"

Chen Ku and Yang Xi, one escaping, one pursuing, heading toward the military station at Baojiao County.

Below, the Twelve Guardians and others, including Guan Qingfeng, chased after them.

"Madness!"

Yang Xi looked back at Chen Ku chasing him, stayed strong against the pain of losing an arm, and yelled:

"You’re crazy, do you really intend to kill me? I am the princely heir of the Feather King, the future Feather King. You want to kill a royal, rebel?"

"Rebellion? I reckon you’re the one plotting rebellion. I’m here under the order of Mr. Zhang Xiaoting from the Cabinet, as a Martial Arts Scholar, investigating the mystery of Lord Tan’s disappearance, which eventually led to you. Kidnapping an imperial envoy is nothing short of rebellion, and now pretending to be the princely heir of the Feather King Mansion, I, Chen, merely seek to arrest you, deliver you to the Imperial Court, and let the court adjudge you."

Chen Ku’s voice was loud, spreading across heaven and earth under the push of True Qi, resonating like a hundred miles of thunder:

"Bold traitor, confess swiftly, hand over the imperial envoy Lord Tan, what’s this, you even want to implicate Lord Guan, is this true!"

This voice naturally carried toward Baojiao County, and reached the Han Shou Army camp stationed ten li outside the county, stirring the curiosity of the camp’s two-thousand-strong army toward the sound’s direction.

The Old Marquis, initially sitting in the main tent like a majestic lion, heard these words, and his face turned pale.

"This..."

Like a cannonball, the aged figure shot out of the main tent, rushing toward the location where the voice came from, flying in the air.

Below.

The Twelve Guardians chasing Chen Ku and Yang Xi, along with Pure Stream Wang Xingji from the cohort of the Twelve Guardians, upon hearing Chen Ku’s far-reaching words, looked at each other and then praised:

"True to our little master uncle!"

...

Losing an arm, Yang Xi, hearing Chen Ku’s shouts, changed his expression drastically:

"You?!"

He realized now, fleeing toward the Han Shou Army camp was a grave mistake, allowing Chen Ku to boldly reveal the matter to everyone.

Now, admitting his identity as the princely heir was impractical because Tan Chongrui was indeed secretly held in that camp.

And refusing to admit made him truly a fake princely heir, harboring an imperial envoy?

This Chen Ku.

Could it be that he knew all along that he wouldn’t bring Tan Chongrui for an exchange with Guan Hongluan, and had prepared this speech early to force him?

This method isn’t particularly clever, merely a straightforward strategy, requiring a fundamental basis.

That was, the opponent must possess extremely high strength to wield this strategy.

On the other hand, if the opponent’s strength is insufficient and still uses these slogans, I would have crushed him with a punch, sparing him from using these slogans?

Therefore...

"From the beginning, he was confident he could defeat me? Forcing me to flee? Even... confident enough to speak righteously in front of Lord Guan, who commands a twenty thousand strong army?"

Yang Xi was shaken:

"Could it be he hasn’t shown his full strength yet?"

Suddenly.

He felt an old but stalwart blood aura crossing the skies from behind, surprisingly it was the most revered Marquis of Qiu Dragon Mansion, Marquis Han Shou.

"Lord!" Seeing this, Yang Xi gritted his teeth and said to the old marquis: "Lord, you finally came, this lowly man has taken the Immortal Weapon from this hall, and I suspect Qin Yuxian never acquired the Hero King Realm, the Hero King Treasure is on his body."

He wanted this lord whose strength had long reached the Eighth Realm to join him in subduing Chen Ku, not only to retrieve the Immortal Weapon Moon Repairing Axe but also to uncover Chen Ku’s secrets.

Just like Guan Qingfeng’s thoughts, the techniques and martial arts Chen Ku displayed in his fight were absolutely not the background a rural bumpkin from a prefecture could possess, resembling a disciple from a major sect.

Such a person must have big secrets behind his back, which need to be revealed.

The white-haired old marquis looked at Yang Xi’s severed arm and was shocked for a moment, knowing full well the prowess of this little prince, even when using Bright Moon Divine Skill and wielding the Immortal Weapon Moon Repairing Axe, he—having cleaned his marrow three times—even hesitated to suppress him, yet...

His arm was severed, and the Moon Repairing Axe taken.

Instantly, he focused his gaze on Chen Ku.

This was the man who just called out, causing his military camp to descend into chaos.

Guan Yanbing was about to speak.

Unexpectedly, Chen Ku clasped his hands and said loudly: "I am Chen Ku, a martial arts scholar of Daji year 155 from the Martial Temple, tasked to investigate the mystery of the disappearance of Imperial Envoy Lord Tan Chongrui. Who might you be, elder?"

Guan Yanbing replied deeply: "I am the County Marquis of Han Shou appointed by the Imperial Court."

Chen Ku showed a surprise expression immediately, then solemnly said with a stern tone: "Oh, it’s Old Marquis Guan, you’ve come just in time. The person behind you is a rebel, not only abducting the imperial envoy Lord Tan but also daring to impersonate the princely heir of Feather King Mansion. I boldly request Old Marquis to join me in capturing this rebel!"

"You!" Yang Xi was enraged: "In front of Marquis Han Shou, you still dare to speak so boastfully?!"

The old marquis furrowed his brows, looking down at the camp, knowing that among his military camp, there were many Assistant Generals, Capital Commandants, Thousand Commanders, and Hundred Captains sent by Magistrate Li Lishan of Qiu Dragon Mansion.

Although the twenty thousand strong army is under his nominal command, these people are Li Lishan’s planted confidants, and he cannot uproot them all in a short time.

Now Chen Ku has revealed his identity, claiming to be the martial arts scholar of Daji, tasked with investigating Tan Chongrui’s case...

Unless he can, in this public setting, with undeniable strength, forcibly suppress this small martial arts scholar and shut him up, these words are bound to sway people’s hearts.

Yet, seeing Yang Xi’s severed arm, he was secretly stunned, realizing the strength of the opponent might indeed be fearless of his intervention, possibly even waiting for him to act.

No wonder he thinks so.

If he intervenes and fails to suppress Chen Ku, but is instead suppressed by Chen Ku, then...

Wouldn’t he really be branded a rebel for ’suppressing the imperial envoy’?

The painstakingly earned command authority would not only need to be relinquished again, but the noble Marquis Han Shou’s Mansion might also be labeled as a rebellious traitor?

But he would certainly not let Chen Ku’s mere words grip the intangible momentum; since Chen was playing official language, he too responded coldly:

"Chen Ku? You, a martial arts scholar, defeated the Champion Marquis’ imprint, I have heard of your name and know your skills. You claim to be under Mr. Zhang Xiaoting’s orders, investigating Tan Chongrui’s disappearance, do you have a decree? In black and white? If not, then you’ve fabricated orders, crafting false decrees, akin to rebellion!"

At this time, within the Han Shou Army Camp, those Assistant Generals and Thousand Commanders also stared at the three figures in mid-air, hearing their marquis question, glancing at each other with confusion.

Yet, Chen Ku’s name had already spread throughout Qiu Dragon Mansion by this time.

Then, only hearing the martial arts scholar laugh softly: 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Since it’s under orders, how can there be no decree. Twelve Guardians, where is the decree I’ve received?"

Nearby, the three followers of Guan Qingfeng suddenly noticed in the distance twelve Flood Dragon Horses, among which one horse carried two men, one tall at nine feet, the other appearing like a scholarly writer.

Leading Qin Fang shouted at the high sky:

"The decree is here!"

Before long, he stepped forward and helped the gentle Pure Stream official Wang Xingji down from horseback.

Seeing this scholarly man in a blue robe immediately take out a corner of an official document from his sleeve, smiling at the three in mid-air: "This is the note petitioned by the Minister of Justice and signed by Cabinet Minister Mr. Zhang. The decree states that Martial Arts Scholar Chen Ku is tasked with investigating Tan Chongrui’s disappearance. Marquis can take a look to verify the truth."

No need to look.

By the time reaching Marquis Han Shou’s level, one can distinctly sense the majestic national aura on the document corner, indeed an official document stamped by the Cabinet.

Chen Ku, satisfied, looked at the corner paper, exactly his arrangement before heading to Fire Beak Mountain, ensuring the Twelve Guardians reach out to Tan Chongrui’s backing forces, leveraging strengths against one another.

Now, wielding Ninth Realm flames as a formidable weapon, he is entirely undaunted by the old marquis above, with the imperial decree as a moral high ground.

At the union of power and legitimacy, even a small open scheme can be executed with majesty, borrowing the imperial momentum to press forward.

Who dares to defy? Who dares to claim he’s wrong?

Now, he folded his arms, looking at the white-haired elder before him, saying: "Marquis, the Cabinet decree is here; is Marquis willing to join me in capturing this rebel, impersonating Feather King Mansion’s princely heir?"

While speaking, he pointed at Yang Xi.