Volume 16 Chapter 24: City's Missing

Most of Central Continent Guards were currently in Central Continent City's southern outskirts encampment.

After Di Choufei was assassinated by Lin Xi last winter, the real controlling authority of the Central Continent Guards was actually already in Xu Zhenyan's hands.

As long as these close to a hundred thousand Central Continent Guards didn't go crazy and storm Central Continent City, then no matter how great of unrest the death of Yunqin Emperor caused, this type of shock would still only mostly remain in the people's hearts. There was no chance of Central Continent City becoming truly chaotic, truly entering a state of endless bloodshed.

Xu Zhenyan wasn't someone the academy had control over. That was why when Lin Xi appeared in front of the palace gates alone again, Qin Xiyue, Chi Yuyin and the other Fiend Race cultivators who followed Lin Xi, as well as some of the academy's important figures already all headed towards the southern outskirts' Central Continent Guard army.

The Central Continent Guards already didn't have any Sacred Expert level existences. Chi Yuyin and the other Fiend Race cultivators had their own methods for dealing with established armies, so even if Xu Zhenyan and these Central Continent Guard high ranking officers had any other intentions, there was no way the Central Continent Guard army could enter Central Continent Imperial City before Lin Xi did.

Gao Yanan, Jiang Xiaoyi and some other academy important figures, including Xu Shenmo, headed to Thunder Academy.

Within a certain valley in Thunder Academy was precisely where the private army Yunqin Emperor raised remained. Once they controlled Thunder Academy, even if Yunqin Emperor didn't choose to try to take Lin Xi down with him and instead chose to run, then most of his forces in the world of cultivators would also be ruined. This way, even if he was able to ultimately flee from Central Continent City, there was no way he could possess much strength.

The academy's lecturers in Ailao Rear Peak had already consulted with Lin Xi over the various developments that could happen. However, no one expected that in the very end, Yunqin Emperor actually revealed that type of secret, choosing to destroy indiscriminately in this type of manner.

No one expected that what was being created in Rong Family's highest level workshop were the sacred level metal puppets that appeared in Thousand Leaf Pass' great battle!

This was definitely not negligence on Green Luan Academy's part. Without the cooperation of some of the highest level figures in Central Continent City, no outside powerful hidden strength's arrangements and plans could be carried out. Even though Green Luan Academy focused most of their attention in the last week on killing Yunqin Emperor, the matters of Rong Family making some single-wheeled metal puppets would have definitely been discovered by Green Luan Academy.

The only ones who had the ability to carry this out in Central Continent CIty, to seal up all information this tightly, moreover prevent Green Luan Academy's eyes from reaching in at all, were three people.

Leng Qiuyu's father Leng Zhennan, Rong Family's current head Rong Zongsheng, as well as Xu Zhenyan who, according to past rumors, already began to bootlick and rely on Rong Family.

And what about this external powerful force?

Even if what Lin Xi discovered weren't single-wheeled metal puppets but something else... After Thousand Leaf Pass' distinguished meeting, when Zhang Ping controlled the Flame Titans from Sky Devil Prison Plains to kill the last Purgatory Mountain Great Elder, becoming the new Purgatory Mountain Patriarch, the only one who could be of some potential threat to Green Luan Academy could only be Zhang Ping.

That was why Bian Linghan and the others felt a bit of misgivings towards Zhang Ping.

...

"Should we head to the southern outskirts?"

Lin Xi spoke these words with difficulty. His lips were filled with indescribable bitterness, as if all of his body's feelings of discomfort surged up to his lips.

Regardless of whether he was willing to believe it or not, the things that happened right now all pointed at Zhang Ping. There wasn't even a second option.

Originally, according to the plans, after he killed Yunqin Emperor, after Nangong Weiyang completely controlled True Dragon Mountain, they would directly head into Yunqin Imperial Palace to control the greater situation. However, the Imperial Princess who was supposed to help them control the situation disappeared from that carriage that wasn't far from True Dragon Mountain. Something even happened to the Imperial Princess right under his and Nangong Weiyang's eyes, so how could he not worry about the safety of Gao Yanan and the others who headed towards Thunder Academy?

Moreover, what was even harder to endure was... if it really was Zhang Ping, then much of the strength he possessed came from Lin Xi's trust in him.

"Please, please do not be you..."

Lin XI forcefully swallowed all of the uncomfortable feelings in his lips. After saying this pleadingly to himself, he did his best to think like normal, to not think about any terrifying consequences.

"No."

He shook his head immediately afterwards and looked at Nangong Weiyang, "If it really was him... what we should be doing first is remain in Central Continent City and find him first, and not head to the southern outskirts."

"Why?" Nangong Weiyang's brows furrowed tightly as she looked at Lin Xi.

Even though she had absolute trust in Lin Xi, she had her own way of thinking and opinions in every matter. On this matter where Zhang Ping became Purgatory Mountain's new patriarch, she didn't have too many considerations regarding some of Lin Xi's thoughts. She still used her own power and even some of Zhantai Qiantang's power in Great Mang to continuously investigate and examine Zhang Ping. Only when she felt like she had sufficient reason to trust Zhang Ping did she give up the observation of Zhang Ping. Normally, Lin Xi didn't restrict any of her actions. Moreover, he knew that even if he knew what she was doing, there was no way he could change her way of thinking or her way of doing things. However, even after she did so much to investigate Zhang Ping's every action, this type of thing still happened today, she still lost track of Zhang Ping's location. That was why she felt like a large part of this was her responsibility, that was why her current mood was exceptionally bad. Her serious voice even carried a bit of ruthlessness that was normally not present.

"I understand what you are trying to say. You believe that what Zhang Ping cares about the most is Qin Xiyue. If we were to say that there is something most important to him in this world, then it could only be Qin Xiyue." Lin Xi looked at her somewhat crude self, saying with a bit of pain. "However, the more one cares about someone, the more they would focus on a single way of looking at things. If it truly is him... he might not even care about what Qin Xiyue thinks, won't be scared of losing her... If this was the case, how could he possibly immediately head to the southern outskirts?"

Nangong Weiyang's brows furrowed a bit tighter. At this type of time, her thinking instead moved a bit faster than Lin Xi's, a bit more clearly. She almost immediately looked at Lin Xi and said, "That is why if he planned to head to the southern outskirts, he would have done so a long time ago. Since he is still in Central Continent City, then he still has other important matters to take care of."

Under Nangong Weiyang's expression that was still a bit rough, Lin Xi slowly bit down on his own lips.

"Lin Xi, you idiot, what in the world are you doing? What are you hesitating over? Wake up! If you don't wake up now, you won't be able to solve anything, you'll end up harming many people!"

He suddenly shouted out, this voice loud to the point where many people could hear him.

His eyes carried even greater pain, but the corners of his lips instead became gold and rigid.

"If we want to determine if it is him or not, it is extremely simple. If he is still my friend, he will naturally come see me as quickly as possible. He will naturally be able to understand my current actions."

He said this to himself quietly. Then, he directly faced the streets, his soul force rippling as he roared out, "Zhang Ping, I want to see you!"

Many people in the city west heard his words. His words, under the repetitions of the people, quickly spread throughout Central Continent City.

"We will look for him at the same time!"

Lin Xi indeed no longer carried any hesitation. He coughed lightly, and then said to Nangong Weiyang, "In Central Continent City, transfering the royal court's power will be the fastest. Have all the forces of the various sectors and the army search from house to house, have them find him! Find the Imperial Princess!"

"Use some methods to deliver this news as quickly as possible to the southern outskirts and Thunder Academy!"

...

Central Continent City had never experienced this type of unrest before. The hearts of Central Continent City's people had never experienced as much anxiety as today.

The Yunqin Emperor who originally still seemed wise and virtuous in the hearts of most Yunqin people, who already began to show signs of remorse, was killed by Lin Xi who represented Green Luan Academy. Meanwhile, before he died, everyone discovered with shock that he had previously schemed against the Principal Zhang Yunqin's people revered the most.

While Central Continent City's people were still wondering what they should do, wondering if the Imperial Princess was completely innocent, there were more news released. The Imperial Princess who was already prepared to take over the greater situation under Lin Xi's arrangements was kidnapped, her current situation unknown.

Most people didn't know who Zhang Ping was. But after Lin Xi recovered his ability to think, releasing the news of the Imperial Princess' capture was extremely effective.

Even more Yunqin officials woke up from their tremendous grief, loss and indecision, starting to immediately investigate the Imperial Princess' whereabouts.

Many ordinary Yunqin people who never returned home since early morning didn't eat anything, also beginning to search for suspicious traces.

Boom!

City gate towers fell one after another, smashing into the ground, releasing thunder pillar like heavy rumbling sounds.

All of Central Continent City was shaking.

Lin Xi and Nangogn Weiyang stood on one of the city gate towers.

All of the city gates were already shut.

Central Continent City already became a completely isolated city.

If the people in the city wanted to leave, they could only jump over the city walls, charge through the city gate guards' blockade.

The power of the entire city's commoners was even more astonishing than that of any cultivator. However, Lin Xi's expression instead became more and more cold.

It was because even now, Zhang Ping still didn't appear in front of him. There still wasn't any sign of Zhang Ping.

It wasn't just Zhang Ping.

The Imperial Princess, Xu Zhenyan, Leng Zhennan, Rong Family's several important figures, these were originally all Central Continent City people, yet they all seemed to have completely disappeared from Central Continent City.

Were these people still in Central Continent City?

Lin Xi looked at this world's most majestic city, at the countless streets and alleys. He took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled. He sat down on the city gate tower, closed his eyes, and then began meditation cultivation to replenish soul force.

It was because he understood that right now, the only thing he could do was wait.