Chapter 209 Brilliant Flame City
"Senior Cang, is she coming to the grand sect competition?", Zhan Chen asked.
"Yes, this time she will bring our young cultivators to the cloud province", Lu Tai Cang replied.
'A mid Tribulation realm expert! That is exactly what I need at this moment', Zhan Chen thought inside his mind and kept talking with Lu Tai Cang.
The flying treasure flew at a very fast pace and it took only an hour for it reach the Dragon province. Lu Tai Cang didn't stop his flying boat even after they entered the dragon province. Their journey continued for the entire night and they finally stopped when it was the time of sunrise.
"Young master Chen, have we reached the Brilliant flame city?",Li Shu asked from the side.
"No but we are very close to it. We should travel by foot from here to avoid any unnecessary attention", Zhan Chen spoke.
Lu Tai Cang nodded his head in admiration as Zhan Chen understood his intention clearly. He travelled along with them and finally the walls of a huge city appeared infront of their eyes.
"How many days are you planning to stay here?", Lu Tai Cang asked to Zhan Chen.
"Senior Cang, is there any problem if we stop here for a while?", Zhan Chen asked in return to Li Tai Cang.
"We still have eight days before the Grand sect competition start. So, you can take your time", Lu Tai Cang spoke.
"Thank you senior", Zhan Chen politely showed his gratitude. Lu Tai Cang took out a signal tailsman from his spatial ring and handed it to Zhan Chen.
"Crush it if there is any problem. For now, it will be better if I do not enter the Brilliant flame city", Lu Tai Cang spoke.
All three girls and Zhan Chen bade farewell to Lu Tai Cang and left for the Brilliant flame city. Lu Tai Cang looked at their leaving figures as a contemplative look appeared on his wizened face.
"Too sharp and clever. Even I can't see through him despite my late Tribulation realm cultivation", Lu Tai Cang thought to himself as he kept his eyes on the leaving figure of Zhan Chen.
Zhan Chen led the three girls towards the city gate of Brilliant flame city. He paid their entrance fees near the gate and brought them inside.
The Brilliant flame city was bustling with crowd of cultivators. Zhan Chen found the owner of a magical beast carriage and asked him about a certain inn.
"Hello friend, do you know where the Spring drizzle inn is?", Zhan Chen looked at the owner of the beast carriage owner.
"Yes, it is at the eastern side of the city", the carriage owner replied.
"Can you give us a ride?", Zhan Chen asked the beast carriage owner.
The owner of the magical beast carriage agreed immediately and invited the group of Zhan Chen inside his carriage. The magical beasts started to pull the carriage after all the three girls and Zhan Chen entered the carriage.
"Young master, why are we visiting this Spring drizzle inn?", Li Shu looked towards Zhan Chen.
"I have promised to meet someone here", Zhan Chen replied. Li Shu wanted to ask some more questions but her attention went towards the commotion which was happening outside.
"What is going on? Why is there such a commotion?", Li Yan asked with a surprised voice.
Zhan Chen asked them to wait and came out of the beast carriage. Outside, he saw a huge number of cultivators trying to move to the either side of the road.
"Move, move, move. It is the bear guards of the imperial army", the crowd shouted loudly as they opened up a path in the center of the road.
Zhan Chen felt curious and spread his soul consciousness. He saw a huge number of soldiers walking orderly in the center of the road.
There was a young man riding a silver coloured chariot behind them. Four imposing looking flame tailed lions were pulling the imposing looking chariot.
A surprised look appeared on the face of Zhan Chen when he spread his soul consciousness towards the chariot. The reason for his surprise was not the young man but the seemingly ordinary chariot driver.
"A late Tribulation realm expert as a chariot driver!", Zhan Chen thought to himself.
The ordered footsteps of the soldiers approached gradually and soon the huge army arrived where Zhan Chen's carriage was.
"Everyone, bow your heads. His highness, the fifth prince has graced your Brilliant flame city", a soldier spoke loudly to the crowd present.
Fear and awe appeared in the eyes of the cultivators as they looked towards the silver chariot behind the group of soldiers. All of them decided to now as many of them knelt down in their places.
"Who dare sit inside a carriage while his highness is passing through?", a booming voice came from the front of the silver chariot as an imposing looking soldier looked towards the carriage where Li Yan, Li Shu and Kai Min were sitting.
The legs of the magical beast carriage driver became weak after he saw the gazes of the soldiers towards his carriage. He knelt down immediately and three an angry glare towards Zhan Chen.
"How troublesome!", Zhan Chen thought to himself as he looked towards the soldiers who had halted their March and looking towards the carriage where Li Yan, Li Shu and Kai Min were shooting.
"Break it open. Let me see who dare disrespect his highness", the booming voice from earlier came again but this time his voice was meant for the soldiers who were marching orderly.
A group of soldiers came out with their weapons as they approached the carriage of the three girls menacingly. Li Shu's body shivered as she felt the cold killing intent towards her.
Li Yan also clenched her hand nervously as kept her other hand on her sister to give her some strength. A frown appeared on Zhan Chen's face after he saw the situation spiralling out of control.
"What are you guys planning to do?", Zhan Chen looked at the soldiers who was coming towards the carriage.
"Brat, step back", a soldier warned Zhan Chen and charged towards the beast carriage.
"Thud! Thud", to the surprise of onlookers it was not carriage which broke apart but it was the five soldiers who had crashed into the ground.
"Dare to challenge imperial army. Brat, you have a death wish", the commanding voice came again.
This time a wave of soldiers came towards Zhan Chen and the carriage. "I will kill as much as you send", Zhan Chen spoke with a cold look on his face.
His figure vanished from his location as he moved towards the nearby soldier. A thin cut appeared on the neck of the soldier before he could swing his weapon towards him.
Other soldiers tried to launch attacks towards him but none of their attacks landed on Zhan Chen's body.
His figure shimmer erratically as thin lines appeared on the necks of the approaching soldiers.
It was only few moments but all the soldiers fallen before landing an attack on Zhan Chen. "How dare you?", the commanding voice came again. This time the onlookers manage to see a glimpse of the soldier who was commanding the soldiers.
The soldier who came out this time was a tall man with a burly looking body. He was carrying heavy swords in both of his hands.