The four of them had just arrived in Qingcheng County and were not familiar at all with the layout, environment, or terrain of the city.

If they were to escape now, it was unlikely they could avoid the search.

Before long, a few governmental officials arrived at their inn.

"Everyone, don't panic. We need to check your passage documents to prevent thieves from Wushan Village from slipping into the city."

A governmental official shouted from downstairs.

Chen Tang and the two others hid on the second floor, their expressions tense.

Once the first floor was finished being checked, they would be inspected on the second floor, sooner or later, it would come to them.

Staying here was merely waiting for death!

Changsun Jingren said, "I'll stall them for a while, try to cause a bigger commotion, and you two escape in the chaos."

"No, we leave together!"

Dugu Qingcheng immediately said.

Changsun Jingren said, "You don't need to worry. Even if I'm caught, I have ways to handle it, I certainly won't be in trouble."

Something stirred within Chen Tang as he recalled the scene at the ruined temple and had a vague guess about Changsun Jingren's identity.

Dugu Qingcheng hesitated.

Regardless of whether Changsun Jingren would encounter trouble, leaving a companion behind went against her conscience.

Governmental officials were already walking up to the second floor.

And their room was directly facing the stairway!

The first room the officers would check upon coming upstairs was theirs!

Changsun Jingren signaled to Chen Tang and Dugu Qingcheng, holding a long spear, standing by the room door, ready to create some 'big commotion.'

At that moment, urgent footsteps echoed from the stairs.

The next instant, the door suddenly swung open.

Changsun Jingren's expression turned cold, just about to act, but then he paused.

The one who pushed open the door was none other than Yuwen Heigou!

Yuwen Heigou casually closed the door and stuffed a piece of paper into Changsun Jingren's arms, subsequently passing a paper to both Chen Tang and Dugu Qingcheng.

The three looked at it closely.

What they had received was actually a passage document.

However, unlike the ones issued by the Government Office, this passage document was issued by the Cyan Dragon Bureau.

It bore the information of the three people.

Dugu Qingcheng, Murong Haitang, Changsun Jingren…

Before the three could react, a governmental official pushed the door and entered, frowning as he saw Yuwen Heigou at the doorway, barking, "Why were you running just now? Where is your passage document? Hand it over, the three of you as well!"

Yuwen Heigou took out a paper from his arms and handed it over.

"Hmm, this is..."

The official took it, looked, and said, "Issued by the Cyan Dragon Bureau?"

"Any problems?"

Yuwen Heigou spoke blandly.

"No problem."

The official quickly smiled.

The passage document issued by the Cyan Dragon Bureau carries more weight than the Government Office's, possibly cooperating with the Cyan Dragon Bureau on official duties!

Furthermore, the person here bore the name Yuwen.

This is a truly noble surname in Qian Country!

However, the name Heigou is somewhat unique.

The official respectfully returned the passage document to Yuwen Heigou with both hands.

Seeing how effective this paper was, Chen Tang and the others quickly handed their passage documents to the official.

The official, upon receiving them, was so stunned his eyes almost popped out.

"Murong Haitang."

"Dugu Qingcheng."

"Changsun Jingren."

The official: "..."

Given his position and status, he had no opportunity to encounter members of the Four Great Clans.

But now, in a single stroke, he stumbled upon four!

And they weren't from the same family, hailing from four different houses.

What exactly is going on with these four?

From their outfits and appearance, they seemed ordinary, staying at such an ordinary inn as well.

No matter, these noble sons and daughters often have peculiar habits, going incognito for private visits or something.

The official returned the passage documents to the three, bowed, and exited with a smile, "Apologies for the disturbance, everyone."

Saying so, he gently helped close their room door.

"Why so slow, was there a problem?" another governmental official asked.

"No problem."

The first official mumbled, "It's just that the ink on the documents wasn't dry yet..."

"Hmm?"

"They're all noble young masters and misses, best not provoke them."

The two officials exchanged a few stray words, then descended the stairs.

Inside the room, the four exchanged glances and exhaled gently.

"Big Heigou, you've got some skills,"

Dugu Qingcheng looked Yuwen Heigou up and down, saying, "Looks like we need to get to know you better. Should we address you as lord from now on?"

Being able to retrieve four passage documents from the Cyan Dragon Bureau, and in such a short time, proves a lot!

"Are you affiliated with the Cyan Dragon Bureau?"

Changsun Jingren inquired.

"No."

Yuwen Heigou shook his head, his demeanor calm.

"Hmph!"

Dugu Qingcheng naturally didn't believe him, merely let out a light snort.

Yuwen Heigou looked at Dugu Qingcheng and said, "I hold no official position in the Court, and I am extremely averse to matters of the temple. If you don't believe me and find me annoying, I will simply leave."

With his personality, if it were a normal situation, he wouldn't bother to explain.

Yet, for some reason, he seemed to care about what the three thought of him.

He wanted to explain to Dugu Qingcheng and didn't want Chen Tang and Changsun Jingren to misunderstand.

Dugu Qingcheng stared at Yuwen Heigou without blinking, and after a while, she smiled gently and said, "Alright, I believe you."

"Thank you."

Yuwen Heigou suddenly felt a wave of relief, a kind of joy he had never experienced before.

Yuwen Heigou was grateful, not just for Dugu Qingcheng's trust, but also because she didn't continue questioning.

Being without an official position yet able to obtain four Passage Documents from the Cyan Dragon Bureau was unusual in itself.

If Dugu Qingcheng had continued to ask, would he have needed to explain?

Perhaps, he would have had to leave.

Dugu Qingcheng waved her hand and said, "It's fine. Everyone has secrets they can't share."

"True."

Changsun Jingren smiled faintly.

"Do you have secrets too?"

Dugu Qingcheng asked.

"Of course."

Changsun Jingren said proudly, "My identity is a secret."

"Tch, what kind of secret is that? Are you called Changsun Ming?" Dugu Qingcheng pursed her lips.

Changsun Jingren immediately jumped up, pointing at Dugu Qingcheng, lips trembling for a long time, unable to utter a word.

Then he looked at Chen Tang and Yuwen Heigou.

Their expressions were equally unsurprised.

"You all..."

Changsun Jingren clenched his fists.

They actually already knew!

Chen Tang seemed to have thought of something, sighed, and said, "Indeed, everyone has some secrets they can't express."

"Tch, your secret certainly isn't bigger than mine!"

Dugu Qingcheng's strange desire to compete emerged, and she said mysteriously, "If I revealed my secret, it would scare someone to death!"

"So, how about telling me your names first?"

Changsun Ming couldn't help but say.

The four, but only he revealed his real name, felt strangely exposed in front of the three...

"No way!"

The three said in unison.

Changsun Ming gritted his teeth.

Too unfair!

Then he looked at Chen Tang, as if he had thought of something amusing, and laughed, "I thought of another secret, but I won't tell."

"By the way, there's something else."

Yuwen Heigou said seriously, "I just inquired, and indeed, the Captains of the Cyan Dragon Bureau went to the County Governor's Mansion to inquire about the matter, but it's said the Commander was unwell, his voice hoarse, supposedly entangled by some evil spirit."

"The Cyan Dragon Bureau Captains naturally didn't believe it, initially intending to take the Commander back to the Cyan Dragon Bureau for investigation, but the Commander said he had already arranged for the Observatory Master of the Profound Celestial Temple to treat and exorcise the evil spirit, so the Cyan Dragon Bureau Captains had to wait."

"After the Observatory Master arrived, he said the Commander was under the Suppression Technique, needing to cast spells to expel the evil, which was the only way to cure it, denying any impersonation."

"Moreover, after the Observatory Master cast spells, the Commander's complexion improved significantly upon reemerging. With the Observatory Master's assurance, the Cyan Dragon Bureau Captains said no more and returned with their team."

Yuwen Heigou, witnessing the Cyan Dragon Bureau's fruitless return, immediately guessed the potential situation.

So he left as soon as possible, obtaining four Passage Documents and asking about the situation at the County Governor's Mansion at that time.

Changsun Jingren asked, "Could it be we were deceived by the seventh leader of Wushan Village, and the Commander was merely bewitched?"

"Hard to say."

Yuwen Heigou said, "But this matter must be confirmed first; otherwise, acting rashly might lead to killing the wrong person, making it hard to justify."

"I still think there's something wrong with the Commander."

Dugu Qingcheng remained skeptical, "What Suppression Technique, it's too coincidental."

Changsun Jingren asked, "How can we verify if the Commander is real or fake?"

"It's tough; we can't even see him, let alone approach him, so how to verify?"

Dugu Qingcheng frowned slightly.

Chen Tang pondered, "As for whether there's an issue with the Commander, the ones who stand the highest chance or discover anything unusual first would be those closest to him. We should try to contact those around him, to gather intelligence."

"Correct."

Yuwen Heigou nodded and said, "But we shouldn't act rashly for a while."

Changsun Jingren said, "We've already alerted him with this incident; the city is tightly guarded. The Commander is certainly on guard, any slight movement could alert him, we should wait for some time."

The four set a plan and temporarily stayed in Qingcheng County.

They wandered around the city's taverns and teahouses daily, gathering information.

After ten days, they finally awaited an opportunity.

The Commander's daughter was set to publicly recruit some personal guards.

The four exchanged glances, opportunity arose!

If they could become the Commander's daughter's personal guards, they could gather more information from her.

They might even have direct contact with the Commander of Qingcheng!

On the recruitment day, the four arrived early to sign up at the County Mansion.

Initially, they thought many would come, anticipating a fierce competition.

But in reality, few registered, only a few dozen.

"What's happening? So few people signing up?"

Chen Tang inquired.

"You don't know?"

The person said mysteriously, "The County Mansion hasn't been peaceful recently. It's rumored evil spirits entered, even the Commander was affected, requiring the Observatory Master to exorcise them, yet people remain cautious."

Another person said, "Moreover, it's not easy being the Commander's daughter's guards. I heard several of her personal guards recently met with misfortunes and died outside the city."

Upon hearing this, the four simultaneously thought of the corpses they encountered on the way to Qingcheng County!

It now seemed those corpses might have been the previous guards of the Commander's daughter!

After chatting a bit more, under the servants' lead, they arrived at the Mansion's backyard.

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