Zhang Jian was also curious about the Rebel King who first started the rebellion, and followed the crowd to watch the commotion.
On both sides of the street, elite soldiers from the city defense camp were deployed, with tight security on both sides.
But this couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of Haojing City's citizens.
On the streets, shoulder to shoulder, there was an ocean of people.
At this moment, Zhang Jian missed Zhang Lu a bit. With that big guy around, his stature would stand in the crowd like a wall.
Without Zhang Lu, Zhang Jian had to squeeze in with the crowd, but as he moved forward, people naturally made way for him, allowing him to reach the front.
At this time, the long procession of captured prisoners had already entered the city. Up front, Zhang Jian saw an imposing old general wearing a Phoenix Wing Crown and Flying Phoenix Chain Armor, holding a long weapon resembling a Guan Saber, surrounded by intense Evil Qi. Although his hair and beard were white, his eyes were bright and spirited.
"Old General Yang has arrived!!"
At this moment, waves of cheers erupted from the crowd.
"Celestial Martial General?"
Zhang Jian's gaze fell on this old general. With his Spiritual Gaze, he could see that although the general was old, his aura remained at its peak, resonating with the surrounding Spiritual Field, maintaining his spirit and energy at a pinnacle.
This was a common trait between those of Divination Foundation Establishment and Celestial Human Level martial artists.
Magical Power doesn't dissipate, and one's state remains at its peak until the moment one's lifespan ends.
Such is the state of perishing when the Magic is exhausted.
Zhang Jian gave him a glance but didn't pay much attention, focusing instead on the people behind.
Following behind Yang Gonghu were more than ten spirited military generals.
This spirit mainly referred to Qi Yi, who at this moment was radiating intense blood energy, akin to a small furnace, with his Body Refining Qi also reaching Peak Grandmaster.
Behind them were Qi Yuanwu and several newly risen young generals, including Songyu and Zhao Qingshan.
Each exuded intense Evil Qi, robust vital energy, and faintly projected star formations.
In Zhang Jian's eyes, he could see traces of star formations on Yang Gonghu and the other leaders.
"Stars are cloud-like, the Daqian Court's fate is not yet exhausted, with at least several decades of fortune left!"
Zhang Jian felt heavy-hearted, but he didn't really mind.
What he was after wasn't the present but the future.
Even if he couldn't accomplish something, his children might.
Since condensing the Dragon Vein, Zhang Jian knew he was inherently destined to rebel; if not him, then his descendants.
Moreover, it involved his path of Dao Practice.
In his Spiritual Gaze, the soldiers from the anti-bandit camp entering the city were heavily laden with Evil Qi, with this Qi enhancing the presence of these star formations, repelling all evil.
At this moment, Qi Yi, atop a tall horse, noticed Zhang Jian due to Qi Yuanwu's reminder. His eyes brightened and he nodded in Zhang Jian's direction.
Seeing Zhang Jian here, Qi Yi was extremely pleased.
He had also heard of Zhang Jian becoming the Champion Scholar in the sixth year of Jingwu during the spring Palace Examination—truly bringing glory to his ancestors, a point of pride in the military.
The main commanders in the army also spoke highly of this achievement.
Not to mention, during the battles, the Qi Family father and son had relied on the methods from the "Jia Chen Martial Scripture" multiple times to achieve merit and save themselves, naturally extending their favor towards Zhang Jian, their grandson.
Meanwhile, behind them was a long procession of prison carts, inside which the rebel army leaders appeared ragged and unkempt.
Especially the leader, Ming King Changli, a towering man—just like an eggplant after frost, dispirited and downcast, his face was utterly ashen.
"Ultimately, he was just a forerunner to the king!"
Zhang Jian's gaze fixed upon the face of the Little Ming King, revealing his deeply intertwined Hidden Dragon Fate was broken.
His Dragon Tendons were all extracted, his Life Plate ruined, with strands of violet-blue light fading from his Spirit Platform.
Aside from Ming King, there were many cultivators from Xuan Du sect on the prison carts, their magical power crippled, showing faces full of despair.
The prison carts were stained with blood, hinting at numerous bloody fights along the way.
Perhaps these people were even used as bait to lure out the Xuan Du sect cultivators.
With such a conjecture, Zhang Jian was not shooting in the dark—his keen Divine Thought faintly sensed numerous gazes around the long street, surveying the surroundings.
Searching for suspicious individuals.
Some figures possessed highly refined Dao Practices, extraordinarily well-concealed.
Even he could only slightly sense the presence of elusive Qi Forces.
However, with his current Spiritual Sense, even if his Divine Thought couldn't detect them, he could lock onto their whereabouts with an almost divine intuition.
This was a peculiar Anomalous Power gleaned from his understanding of the "Supreme Inquiry Scripture," akin to Divine Techniques.
As long as he maintains the absolute rationality of Supreme Forgetting Emotions, it seemed as if he could acquire god-like perception, foreseeing the future.
"It's best to watch less of this spectacle!"
After glancing around, Zhang Jian prepared to leave once Qi Yi and Qi Yuanwu's vanguard moved on.
Zhang Jian also thought that the escaped rebel strongmen wouldn't be foolish enough to come to Haojing just to get caught!
But just as he was about to leave the alley not far away, his expression suddenly changed, as he heard several extremely faint and intense sounds of breathing.
These intense breaths initially seemed like ordinary respiratory illnesses, yet upon close listening, carried the tone of death.
"Hmm!"
Zhang Jian's gaze suddenly turned toward the alley, seeing several people among the crowd lying on the ground with faces suddenly contorted—each of them suddenly split their mouths open, growing long tongues or turning pus-filled and ulcerated, and leaping out of the alley with inhuman howls.
Furthermore, a rustling sound suddenly emerged from the ground, as an ocean-like swarm of black bugs burst forth from beneath both sides of the residences, storming toward the prison carts.
The insect swarm spread over the long street like a flood.
Zhang Jian's expression changed, and he immediately withdrew.
He disappeared in a few swift movements like a breeze, grabbing two unconscious citizens in his hands, unable to help others farther away.
In panic, these citizens were immediately engulfed by a massive surge of various poisonous insect tides.
"Gu God, you are bold!"
At this moment in the void, witnessing this, several Daoists emerged in fury, prepared to enact spells to annihilate the abruptly appearing poisonous insects, but witnessed the void's depths unfolding countless Spiritual Mechanisms as a grand face floated in the sky.
A surge of Profound Light descended from the sky like capturing the soul of all creatures, causing an overwhelming Spiritual Pressure to crash down, forcing many Daoists to involuntarily kneel.
"Ants, the Celestial Venerable of Xuan Du manifests, you dare not quickly bow and pay your respects?"
And just then, nearby, Jingming Daoist adorned in a profound-colored Dao Robe, manifested his True Body on the long street, frowning at the massive mask above, astonished in his eyes.
He was truly surprised that the Xuan Du Ancestor would appear for Ming King Changli.
Just a mere rebel, why would it provoke a sect ancestor to risk coming to rescue?
Moreover, bringing the top-ranked Profound City Golden Body of the Nine Treasures of Xuan Du.
However, since the opponent came, it was naturally favorable.