When he thought of this, Bai Quanshui gritted his teeth and made a quick decision.

He smiled bitterly and said softly, “Brother Zhao, Ding Hao is now in Sword City, a guest of our Extermination Swordsmanship Sect. If I do nothing when something serious befalls him, I, Bai Quanshui, will lose face. How about this? Brother Zhao, please postpone the arrest for a day or two. Ding Hao will soon leave Sword City. Then, when you come to apprehend him again, it will have nothing to do with me, and I won’t plead on his behalf again. What do you say?”

Bai Quanshui had made up his mind to deal with the situation as soon as possible. He had to find a way to send Ding Hao away secretly from the Northern Region and let him hide. They could always make plans later.

No matter what, he could not let his friend, Ding Hao, come to grief before his eyes.

He had not expected Zhao Lie to not give him face at all. The man still shook his head and said, “Brother Bai, the seriousness of this matter is beyond your imagination. I advise you not to get involved. Your face is not as important as millennium-old sacred foundation of the Extermination Sword Sect, right?”

His words made Zhang Keyi and the other disciples of the Extermination Swordsmanship Sect shudder with fear.

“Things are more serious than they can imagine?”

“What kind of incredible trouble had Ding Hao got himself into?”

Bai Quanshui’s brows were also tightly knitted.

It seemed that there was really no room for negotiation.

“Who is that man? Why does he want to make trouble for you?”

By the window of the restaurant, Gu Xing’er was looking extremely worried.

She could tell that it was a serious matter this time. Even with Bai Quanshui’s status, the other party had not gone away after his appearance. However, as they were too far apart and separated by a Qi barrier while talking, Gu Xing’er could not overhear what they had said.

Ding Hao said calmly, “I’ll go and have a look.”

The moment he stood up, Gu Xing’er suddenly grabbed him with her delicate little hand and whispered, “Don’t… don’t go.”

Ding Hao started and immediately retracted his hand calmly. He smiled and said, “Don’t worry, nothing will happen.”

In fact, Ding Hao knew very well that although this trouble came inexplicably, it was definitely not inconsequential.

Gu Xing’er and others could not hear the conversation between Bai Quanshui and the man, but Ding Hao’s strength allowed him to overhear every word. Just like Bai Quanshui, Ding Hao felt that he must have been marked by some great power from the Holy Palace of Mysterious Frost.

Ding Hao did not want Bai Quanshui to be in a dilemma.

By now, Bai Quanshui could no longer resolve this problem alone.

If things did not work out, Ding Hao could still fight his way out with the supreme power in his rusted sword and devil saber. This world was so big, the Holy Palace of Mysterious Frost could not control every region. Since he had to leave the Northern Region anyway, even if the Mysterious Frost Holy Guards were to send highly skilled martial artists after him, they might not be able to catch him.

With Bai Quanshui and Song Que around, they should be able to take good care of the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect in Snow Province.

Ding Hao smiled at Gu Xing’er.

The next moment, his figure disappeared from the restaurant.

In the sky.

Bai Quanshui gnashed his teeth and shook his head. “Since that is the case, there’s no other way out. Keyi, leave now with the others.”

Zhang Keyi was stunned. “Martial Uncle Bai, what are you…”

Bai Quanshui waved his hand, motioning for them to leave quickly. Then, with a solemn look, he gazed at Zhao Lie and the others opposite him and said calmly, “Ding Hao is my friend. I can’t abandon him at this moment. Brother Zhao, if you still insist on taking Ding Hao away, I will have to offend you. What I did today is my personal decision. It has nothing to do with the Extermination Swordsmanship Sect. I, Bai Quanshui, will bear all the consequences.”

As soon as he uttered these words, the complexions of Zhang Keyi and the rest changed greatly.

In the next moment, Zhang Keyi heard Bai Quanshui’s secret voice. “Leave now, and find Brother Ding quietly. Take him away through the secret space gate. The further you go, the better. Tell him that if there’s no news from me and Fatty Song, don’t come back to the Northern Region. I will take good care of the disciples of the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect for him.”

Opposite him.

Zhao Lie’s expression also changed. It immediately turned frosty and he said in a deep voice, “Young Sect Leader Bai, I will give you one last piece of advice. Don’t make a mistake. The consequences of this matter are definitely not something you can bear.”

Bai Quanshui said no more. He instantly condensed the profound Qi around his entire body, and his aura was oppressive.

Zhao Lie sneered and was about to speak, when suddenly, everyone felt dizzy.

A teal-robed, jade-like figure suddenly appeared.

It was Ding Hao.

Bai Quanshui became flustered. Before he could say anything, he saw Ding Hao smiling. Ding Hao patted him gently on the shoulder and said, “Brother Bai, don’t be in a spot. I have my own way to deal with this. If you act on my behalf, I’m afraid that the Extermination Swordsmanship Sect will get into deep trouble.”

“Hahaha, why are you saying this? We are friends! How can I sit idly by and watch you get arrested? If that’s the case, I’m afraid that Fatty Song Que will look down on me and sever ties with me.” Bai Quanshui had made up his mind and no longer hesitated. He burst into laughter. “Besides, how can I, Bai Quanshui, be a coward afraid of death, a vile fellow who abandons a friend in trouble?”

Once he said this, he was about to strike, when his complexion suddenly changed. Looking at Ding Hao, he said anxiously and angrily, “You…”

In the next moment, the Qi fluctuations all around Bai Quanshui’s body suddenly dissipated, and his whole body swayed in the sky.

“Brother Bai, sorry to have to do this. I have no choice but to temporarily seal your meridian channels. You will recover after an hour.” Ding Hao smiled and said to Zhang Keyi, “Martial Nephew Zhang, please take Brother Bai away. I, Ding Hao, will deal with my own matters myself.”

It turned out that while placing his palm gently on Bai Quanshui’s shoulder, Ding Hao had secretly sealed several meridian channels in his friend’s body.

This was a little technique taught to him by the Saber Master and the Sword Master. It could stop Bai Quanshui from getting involved for the next hour.

“Why are you doing this…” Bai Quanshui was shocked and angry. “You aren’t treating me as your friend!”

“Haha, Brother Bai, you’ve taken such good care of me over the last few days, I, Ding Hao, will never forget your kindness. As long as the mountains and rivers stand, we will meet again. Brother Bai, don’t worry. We’ll definitely see each other again someday.” As he said this, Ding Hao turned around and gazed at Zhao Lie and his men calmly. He said, “Friends, let’s go. I will leave with you.”

Ding Hao had made up his mind not to implicate Bai Quanshui and the Extermination Swordsmanship Sect. After leaving Sword City, he would immediately attack them and flee the Northern Region.

If he had really allowed Zhao Lie and his men to escort him to the Holy Palace of Mysterious Frost, he would be a fool.

Zhao Lie looked at Ding Hao and paused for a moment. Then he shook his head and said with a sneer, “Go? Go where? Boy, I’m afraid you are mistaken. The order I received was to kill you on the spot.”

As soon as these words left his mouth, a murderous malice filled the air.

Ding Hao’s complexion changed. He frowned and asked, “And why am I being executed?”

Zhao Lie laughed out loud.

He was polite to Bai Quanshui because of the power of the Extermination Swordsmanship Sect, but he did not care about Ding Hao at all. This boy had no power, no influence, and no matter how powerful he was, he was still an ant unless he became an Emperor Sage. He sneered scornfully. “What reason do I need to kill a reckless barbarian from a border town? Boy, I’ll give you a choice. Would you rather commit suicide, or would you prefer me to kill you?”

Ding Hao’s heart surged with rage, and he stopped being polite. He sneered. “Well, since you forced me to, I will offer you an option too. Do you want to get out of here yourself, or would you rather I destroy you and throw you out?”

Zhao Lie’s expression froze. A Mysterious Frost Holy Guard beside him stepped out toward Ding Hao, and shouted, “You ignorant boy, how dare you insult Inspector Zhao! You have reached the end of your life. Prepare to die!”

As he spoke, he threw out a punch. A rapid breeze shook the air, and the heavens and earth turned a grimmer color.

He was an expert in the Martial Emperor Realm, so his abilities could not be underestimated.

Ding Hao took a deep breath and instantly summoned his rusted sword and devil saber from his storage space, injecting Qi into them while preparing to activate their Supreme Power.

Right from the start, he did not intend to get entangled with them. The more than a dozen Mysterious Frost Holy Guards before him were all experts in the four or five-apertured Martial Emperor Realm. If things dragged on, he would be in danger. Since there was no room for negotiation, Ding Hao no longer stood on ceremony. He was going to unleash his most powerful trump card at the first strike.

An astounding Qi aura was slowly resurrecting in his rusted sword.

As Ding Hao was about to strike, something no one had expected happened—

Suddenly, a crack appeared in the void without warning.

The shattered space formed a direct barrier between Ding Hao and the Mysterious Frost Holy Guards. The devouring power of the black fissure instantly swallowed up the horrible fist power of the Mysterious Frost Holy Guards, as well as the Qi aura released by Ding Hao. Then the fissure closed.

Before everyone, two more figures suddenly appeared.

A gray-haired old man with a medium build.

And a charming, extremely alluring middle-aged woman, with a slim and delicate figure.

The gray-haired old man had ordinary looks, but there was a horrendous Sage-level aura flashing by his body. It was so powerful and horrific. It was clearly him who had torn through the void just now.

The beautiful middle-aged woman had a noble bearing, with a ravishing, exquisite countenance. She was like the Queen Mother of Heaven, yet a little coquettish like a mortal woman and extremely seductive. She wore a light gauze dress, her snowy-white skin partly visible. Although her aura was ethereal, it was nothing extraordinary. She stood in front of the old man—clearly, her status was higher than his.

The moment he saw the two, Ding Hao was startled.

He had known them for a long time.

Ding Honglei, the Inspector of Snow Province, and her servant with unfathomable power, Elder Chen.

All this while, Ding Hao had wanted to see Ding Honglei again.

So many things had happened in Snow Province, which could basically be interpreted as upheavals in the major sects. However, as the Inspector of Snow Province, Ding Honglei had gone completely missing, and had done nothing to quell the unrest. It did not make sense. Moreover, the jade bone pendant, that jade bracelet bearing the inscription “the Palace of Eternal Life on the seventh day of the seventh month, whispers at midnight with no one around,” those strange phenomena on the Sage Battlefield, and a lot else, were all related to the origin of Ding Hao’s body. Ding Hao wanted to ask about them.

Unfortunately, Ding Honglei had always been elusive. No one in Snow Province could find her. Ding Hao could only give up the search.

Yet unexpectedly, Ding Honglei had appeared with Elder Chen at this moment.

“Who are you? Do you want to die?” that Mysterious Frost Holy Guard who had struck the earlier blow shouted.