The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

Lingzhou.

Celestial Profound Sect.

"Sect Leader, Bai Yuan's actions are far too audacious. Does the Emperor intend to move against our Celestial Profound Sect?"

Monk Fa Ding wore a troubled expression.

Bai Yuan's recent activities had caused a massive uproar, and the world was talking. Naturally, the Celestial Profound Sect had caught wind of it, which was why Monk Fa Ding couldn't help but worry.

The Imperial Court had long harbored the ambition to unify the Jianghu.

They had tried once before, several hundred years ago, but that grand campaign had ultimately ended in victory for the Jianghu.

Now, it seemed they were trying to stage a comeback.

Linghu Yang, Sect Leader of the Celestial Profound Sect, sat meditating with his eyes closed, seemingly dozing. He uttered four words lightly.

"We will wait and see."

He could see it clearly, of course. Bai Yuan was obviously acting on Emperor Xuanyang's instructions.

However, unlike the attempt a century ago, the current Emperor Xuanyang was in the prime of his life, and the Xuan Yang dynasty's fortunes were at their zenith. The plan, therefore, was to proceed slowly and deliberately.

Perhaps the time for a real move would come when Bai Yuan had truly matured, or when Xu Dingchun broke through to the Tongshen realm.

Everything before this had just been minor skirmishes.

Many smaller sects might compromise, but this was still a far cry from affecting the Celestial Profound Sect.

The Celestial Profound Sect had stood firm in the Northern Territory for ten thousand years; it would not be toppled easily. If the Court wanted to move against them, both sides would likely face a long and protracted struggle.

Seeing that the Sect Leader had no intention of entering the fray prematurely, Monk Fa Ding could only let out a helpless sigh.

Bai Yuan was simply causing too great a stir in the Northern Territory; one couldn't help but be concerned.

He certainly remembered Bai Yuan. The man had left a deep impression on him back in Dingzhou.

Of course, he wasn't afraid of Bai Yuan himself. Although the young man hailed as the "Northern Flood Dragon" was exceptionally talented, he hadn't been practicing martial arts for long and was not yet a major force. The ones behind Bai Yuan, Yan Shao'an and Liang Yuan Kang, were not so easy to deal with.

They were the ones the Celestial Profound Sect truly needed to watch out for.

Just as Monk Fa Ding was preparing to leave, Linghu Yang slowly opened his eyes. "Have Sect Leader Xia take some men to Binzhou. We can't let him continue this foolishness."

Hearing Linghu Yang's words, Monk Fa Ding's expression brightened. "Yes!"

...

Binzhou. The Prefecture Magistrate's Office.

A portly middle-aged man smiled as he poured tea for Bai Yuan.

This man was the Prefect of Binzhou, Tang Baichuan.

"Lord Bai, General Li has gone north under orders from General Dong, so it is only I who am here to receive you. Please forgive my poor hospitality."

Bai Yuan raised his teacup and took a sip.

Of the Northern Thirteen States, Lingzhou was, of course, the strongest. After it, only Xiangzhou could barely contend with Binzhou.

This was evident from Prefect Tang's own profound aura.

His strength was likely a cut above even Kong Sen's and could not be underestimated.

Tang Baichuan refilled Bai Yuan's cup as he spoke. "Lord Bai, the battle in Xiangzhou has not ended. Lord He is also in Xiangzhou."

The Lord He he spoke of was He Xinping, the Jiedu Envoy who presided over the three states of Xiangzhou, Binzhou, and Chuanzhou.

This Lord He was the former Minister of War.

To make way for Xu Dingchun, he was first left idle for about a year before being appointed Jiedu Envoy, which showed the trust Emperor Li Chengyuan had in him.

Bai Yuan had come to Binzhou in his capacity as Right Chief Imperial Censor.

Logically, he should first pay a visit to He Xinping, the true Chief Official of Binzhou.

The Imperial Inspection Office's oversight was meant to ensure officials served the Emperor diligently, not to actually hound people to their deaths.

Bai Yuan glanced at Tang Baichuan. "Lord Tang, have you by any chance heard of my affairs in Yu State?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Baichuan's tea-pouring hand couldn't help but tremble.

The story of how Bai Yuan had unified the Jianghu of Yu State in seven days with an iron fist had long since spread throughout the Northern Territory. How could he not know?

But Binzhou was not Yu State, after all.

Bai Yuan was the Shuofang Jiedu Envoy. Ultimately, Yu State was his territory, so he could naturally do as he pleased there. Moreover, how could Yu State's strength even be compared to Binzhou's?

Tang Baichuan cursed his rotten luck inwardly.

The waters in Binzhou were much deeper than those in Yu State.

It wasn't a situation where a minor Prefect like him could call the shots. He didn't even dare get arbitrarily involved in Bai Yuan's coming actions.

If he truly acted as the two chief officials in Yu State had, he would likely be unable to keep his position as Prefect.

'Back then, the fact that it took the Grand Tutor's personal intervention just to get the Celestial Profound Sect to aid the Northern States spoke volumes about its profound heritage.'

Whatever Bai Yuan was about to do would clearly offend the Celestial Profound Sect, so of course Tang Baichuan wanted to avoid it like the plague.

Bai Yuan watched Tang Baichuan with a smile that was not quite a smile.

He had, of course, understood the meaning behind Prefect Tang's words.

It was that if he wanted to accomplish anything in Binzhou, he first had to get past He Jiedu Envoy; otherwise, the Binzhou Prefecture Magistrate's Office would not cooperate.

It was true he was the Right Chief Imperial Censor, but he ultimately lacked direct jurisdiction over Binzhou.

Bai Yuan said, "Lord Tang, you can rest assured. Before coming to Binzhou, I sent a letter to my master. I imagine Lord He's secret missive will be delivered to Binzhou very soon."

The smile on Tang Baichuan's face froze. 'This is bad,' he thought.

'He had thought his actions would buy him some time against Bai Yuan.'

'But he'd forgotten that Bai Yuan's master, Dong Wanjun, was the Grand General of the North and was currently in Xiangzhou.'

'He'd heard that Dong Wanjun's relationship with He Jiedu Envoy was quite good. For all he knew, the missive might have already reached Binzhou.'

Tang Baichuan inwardly bemoaned his fate even more.

'Besides, Bai Yuan represented the will of Emperor Li Chengyuan. How could he dare to defy that?'

Bai Yuan patted Tang Baichuan on the shoulder and offered a comforting word. "A true man, though a thousand may stand against him, marches onward."

"..."

Tang Baichuan thought the words sounded heroic enough, but he couldn't shake the feeling that they also carried a tragic, desolate air.

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