The burly man, reading further, was on the verge of tears. All the soldiers in the capital were under the command of the Grand Protector of the City, and he was no exception. He had just insulted the Grand Protector and even threatened to tie him up. How could he possibly get away with that?
"General Zhao... General Zhao, I truly didn't know it was you!" the burly man stammered. He wasn't lying. Although he was a squad leader, he was merely a low-ranking soldier. At his level, he never had the chance to meet Zhao Liang, let alone recognize him. Besides, if he had recognized Zhao Liang, he wouldn't have dared to be so arrogant even if given ten thousand chances.
"Hmph, what's your name, and are the things they said just now all true?" General Zhao asked angrily, his face stern.
"My name is Wang Er. What they said, what they said..." The burly man dared not refute, implicitly admitting it. However, he still had a shred of reason left and quickly begged Chen Xiao for mercy. "Young Master Chen, it's all my fault. Please be magnanimous and let me go like I'm nothing but a fart!"
Chen Xiao, unwilling to let him off the hook, said mockingly, "What are you talking about? I was the one tied up. How can I be the one to let you go? That's asking too much of me."
The burly man immediately put on an understanding expression and stepped forward to untie Chen Xiao. "Young Master Chen, I'll untie you right away!"
Chen Xiao, however, pulled his hands back and said coldly, "It was easy to tie me up, but it's not so simple to untie me."
The burly man's face turned pale, and he regretted his actions immensely. Zhao Liang also looked grave. He knew Chen Xiao was forcing him to take a stand. Of course, dealing with a rogue soldier was a trivial matter, but Wang Er was acting on behalf of the Zuo family, so Zhao Liang had to consider it carefully.
However, in front of Old Man Wang, Zhao Liang would never show any hesitation. Thus, he immediately roared, "How dare you, Wang Er! Disregarding the law and abetting evil! You are hereby stripped of your military rank. Guards, take him to prison. I will personally interrogate him later."
As soon as Zhao Liang finished speaking, the other soldiers quickly apprehended Wang Er. Wang Er, however, shouted towards the direction he had been hiding, "Young Master Zuo, save me!"
But no matter how Wang Er cried for help, Zuo Youren did not appear. At this point, Wang Er had completely given up hope. He knew he had become a discarded pawn, and Zuo Youren would definitely not come to save him.
However, Wang Er was being a bit too sentimental. In Zuo Youren's eyes, he wasn't even a discarded pawn; he was merely a stepping stone.
In fact, Zuo Youren had not left. He had been hiding in the shadows, observing everything that was happening. Seeing Wang Er being captured, his expression remained unchanged because all of this was within his expectations. He merely muttered to himself, "This Old Man Wang indeed has some influence. No wonder Grandpa told me not to provoke him easily. But this is just an appetizer. The real show is yet to come. Chen Xiao, just wait to be played with and destroyed by me slowly!"
Afterward, Zuo Youren left with a sinister grin.
After ordering Wang Er to be tied up, Zhao Liang casually walked up to Chen Xiao and said carelessly, "Your name is Chen Xiao, right? Since you're with Old Man Wang, from now on, if you encounter any trouble, just mention my name."
As he spoke, he reached out to untie Chen Xiao. He assumed Chen Xiao was merely a junior of Old Man Wang, and seeing that Chen Xiao was not young yet but had such low cultivation, he couldn't help but feel contempt.
Moreover, he felt that with his current status and position, there was no need to be polite to Old Man Wang's junior, hence his somewhat arrogant tone.
But in reality, Chen Xiao was not only not Old Man Wang's junior, but it could even be said that Old Man Wang was now asking for his favor. Chen Xiao was very displeased with Zhao Liang's attitude and said indifferently, "I wouldn't dare trouble you."
Then, with a surge of strength from his hands, the ropes binding him snapped into pieces with a "bang."
It was worth noting that these ropes were made of sinew, incredibly tough. Chen Xiao's display was astonishing. Achieving this was not due to brute force but precise control of strength.
Although Zhao Liang was shocked by Chen Xiao's skill, he felt somewhat embarrassed at this moment. He, the dignified Grand Protector of the City, had personally come to untie a young brat, only to be rejected and publicly humiliated.
Zhao Liang's expression changed instantly. If not for Old Man Wang being present, he would have likely attacked. He then roared angrily, "You brat, you..."
Before Zhao Liang could finish speaking, Old Man Wang angrily shouted, "You shut up!"
Zhao Liang was stunned. He hadn't expected Old Man Wang to actually get angry at him for a mere youngster. Then, Old Man Wang continued, "You're no longer needed here. You can leave!"
Zhao Liang felt a surge of pent-up anger, but he dared not disobey Old Man Wang's words. He could only flick his sleeve and leave on his horse, full of rage.
At this moment, Chen Xiao also walked to the entrance of the Zhengyi Pavilion. Old Man Wang said in a low voice, "Don't blame him. That's just his temper."
Chen Xiao smiled and replied, "Old Man Wang, you think too much. We just have different paths, that's all. I don't blame him."
Then, Chen Xiao turned and cupped his fists towards the crowd who had come to buy formation talismans, saying, "Everyone has seen today that I, Chen Xiao, have not yet obtained certification from the Formation Talisman Master's Guild, so I cannot sell formation talismans to you all."
A wave of disappointed sighs immediately arose from the crowd.
Chen Xiao quickly continued, "But don't worry, everyone. I will go and get that certification tomorrow. The day after tomorrow, I guarantee that the top ten registered guests will receive personally drawn enchanted formation talismans. Thank you all for your trouble today. Please disperse now."
Upon hearing Chen Xiao's guarantee, the people became excited again. Although they didn't get to buy formation talismans today, with Chen Xiao's promise, they didn't mind waiting one or two more days.
Moreover, what happened today was exciting enough. Chen Xiao was too formidable, not even giving face to the Grand Protector of the City. Today was not a wasted trip; they had more stories to brag about.
After the crowd dispersed, Chen Xiao and the others returned to the Zhengyi Pavilion. After Chen Xiao introduced Wang Ke to Old Man Wang, Old Man Wang took a good impression of the simple young man, and accommodating him for a few days was naturally not a problem.
At this moment, the happiest was Xiao Liuzi. The Zhengyi Pavilion was usually lifeless. Old Man Wang was often drunk and asleep, and when he was sober, he was very stern and spoke little. The lively and harmonious atmosphere that existed now was unprecedented.
After dinner, Xiao Liuzi and Wang Ke went to the ghost market to set up a stall. Chen Xiao did not accompany them. He needed to seize every moment to cultivate and improve his strength.
Before returning to his room, Chen Xiao found Old Man Wang and said, "Forget all techniques. Break and then establish, and you will naturally find your way. If you comprehend this sentence, I believe your formation talisman artistry will soon break through."
Chen Xiao's seemingly ordinary words were like a sudden enlightenment to Old Man Wang. Overjoyed, he rushed into his dedicated formation talisman drawing room without even saying goodbye to Chen Xiao.
"Isn't that too hasty? He's old and still so impulsive!" Chen Xiao looked at Old Man Wang, who had left like a gust of wind, in astonishment. He then shook his head and returned to his room. More important matters awaited him.
The large hole in the roof had been repaired. Chen Xiao sat cross-legged on the bed, formed hand seals, and began cultivating the God-Slaying Art.