Green mountains faintly visible, on the banks of Wuxi River.

Shiliang Town.

At the entrance of a private house, the townspeople surrounded the area, making it impenetrable.

"It’s true."

"I saw her... the Meng Family’s daughter."

"How could an Immortal be like this?"

"Didn’t you see yesterday? Even Detective Ling was injured by them."

The crowd was somewhat boisterous.

Leading them were a young man and a middle-aged man, their Faces grim and serious, as if facing a great enemy.

Opposite them, three young men watched the crowd with playful expressions, their Faces full of sneering smiles and disdainful mockery.

"You two, what are you here for?"

Behind them, a beautiful young girl was teary-eyed, looking at the middle-aged man and the young man with an almost pleading gaze.

The middle-aged man’s name was Zhao Fengcheng.

He braced himself and said, "Fellow Daoists, this is Cave Abyss Sect territory. Would you mind giving me, Zhao, some Face?"

"Don’t tell me those useless things."

One of the young men yawned, seemingly bored by these words.

He spoke, "I am Lu Xiaowei. My two Senior Brothers and I are here by Master’s command to seek Opportunity."

"We haven’t done anything evil, have we?"

"As for Detective Ling."

"Heh heh, that was just a misunderstanding. We have already apologized. There’s no need to be so aggressive, is there?"

Lu Xiaowei gave a lecherous smile, his finger lightly tracing the girl’s cheek: "This Meng Family daughter possesses a Spiritual Root. I’m just being kind, unwilling to let a good talent go to waste. Don’t you agree?"

"Yes, yes, yes, but even so."

Zhao Fengcheng could only nod repeatedly, not yet able to continue speaking.

The young man beside him immediately spoke, "Meng Family’s little sister doesn’t want to go with you."

The young man was dressed as a yamen runner, and a small section of bandaged gauze was vaguely visible on his left sleeve, indicating an injury.

"If you continue to pester her here, wait until the Cave Abyss Sect’s Immortal arrives."

"Sheng..."

Lu Xiaowei interrupted him, his gaze cold. "I’m speaking politely, and you actually seem to think you’re important."

His gaze swept over the crowd, his Face showing undisguised disgust, and a flash of bloodlust appeared in his eyes.

"A bunch of maggots. If Master hadn’t forbidden causing trouble, I would have slaughtered all you lowly commoners."

His eyes lingered on Zhao Fengcheng.

"Including you."

"..."

Zhao Fengcheng frowned slightly, thinking that this matter would be difficult to handle.

Sheng Nian, on the other hand, was breathing rapidly, his hand already on the saber at his waist.

This scene naturally didn’t escape Lu Xiaowei’s eyes.

"You dare to fight me?"

Lu Xiaowei grinned, a hint of bloodthirsty madness rising in his eyes.

"Just what I wanted."

"This is bad, Big Rong, should we go to the back mountain to find Xiao He?"

In the crowd, Sheng Yun was looking at her brother with a worried expression. Seeing that he was about to get into a dispute with an Immortal, she could no longer hold back.

"No! Even Mr. Zhao doesn’t know about Xiao He. If the Immortal Sect people arrive now, Xiao He will be in danger."

"Then what should we do?" Sheng Yun was almost in tears from worry.

"If Ye Sheng Gege were here, it would be great."

"A’Yan..."

Xu Darong’s voice suddenly deepened: "A’Yan went to Immortal Mountain, and there’s been no news for a year and a half."

He probably forgot about these mortal friends.

He didn’t say it out loud.

Buzz—

"Ah..."

The crowd exclaimed.

Unexpectedly, Sheng Nian was the first to act.

Sheng Nian knew perfectly well that if he struck first and died here, the other party would be justified, and even if Cave Abyss Sect intervened later, they probably wouldn’t get any explanation.

However, since the opponent was a Cultivator, if he didn’t seize the initiative, it would truly be a certain death.

His Master, Detective Ling, was still recuperating in bed. He absolutely refused to watch these so-called Immortals bully the market, forcefully abducting a civilian girl.

There was no such principle.

His saber was unsheathed, cutting directly towards Lu Xiaowei.

"An ant trying to shake a tree, truly laughable."

Lu Xiaowei stepped back, easily dodging, and with a casual grip, a golden light condensed in his right palm. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"Geng Character Sword Qi."

Sheng Nian’s pupils sharply constricted, and a sense of life-or-death crisis suddenly expanded in his heart.

"Heh, in your next life, be an honest pig."

"Don’t stick your neck out for others anymore."

He grabbed Sheng Nian’s shoulder, and the golden light in his hand pressed towards Sheng Nian’s heart.

Whoosh—

A teacup flew rapidly from an unknown place, hitting Sheng Nian’s right shoulder.

He staggered back, and as the teacup clinked, hot tea splashed towards Lu Xiaowei’s Face.

"?"

The golden light in his hand dissipated, and a faint protective Spiritual Qi spread out, blocking the tea.

"Who?"

The two young Cultivators behind Lu Xiaowei could no longer sit still and quickly stepped forward, looking around cautiously.

"Why are you standing there? You’ve already made a move, shouldn’t you put him to death?"

The voice came from an unknown place.

Buzz—

Hearing this incredibly familiar clear voice, Sheng Nian could no longer suppress the long-simmering anger in his heart. He immediately surged forward, wishing he could directly shove the saber in his hand into the mouths of these Immortals.

"Die for me."

Lu Xiaowei was startled by this Aura and subconsciously retreated.

Bang bang bang.

Six cyan vines suddenly broke through the ground, wrapping around the trio’s feet.

The three instantly became immobile.

"?"

Lu Xiaowei’s heart jolted. He quickly formed a hand seal, but the blade was already close at hand. He could only fully activate his Spiritual Power to strengthen the protective Spiritual Qi on his body.

Sheng Nian swung his saber, feeling as if he had cut into a thick muddy swamp, unable to move an inch.

"Heh."

Lu Xiaowei snorted coldly, about to counterattack.

Rustle rustle—

The green vines on the ground suddenly extended, wrapping around Sheng Nian’s saber. In the blink of an eye, they had covered the entire blade.

"Hmm?"

Boom!

Without any warning, a great fire suddenly ignited on the green vines, burning them to ashes in an instant. However, the flames did not dissipate, remaining on the blade.

"..."

Sheng Nian’s mind focused, and the internal energy of a mortal Martial Artist circulated at full power. The blade clanged in the burning flames.

Buzz—

The saber hummed, heavy and powerful.

Lu Xiaowei’s protective Spiritual Qi instantly shattered. In his surprised, disbelieving eyes, it cut into his skin, carving a deep saber mark across his chest.

Pfft.

A crimson light flashed.

"Oh? A protective Spiritual Talisman."

Sheng Nian was bounced back by a powerful force, flying backward, but was slowed by a gentle Spiritual Power and did not fall and get injured.

Lu Xiaowei knelt on the ground, coughing up large mouthfuls of blood.

His two Junior Brothers had no time to worry about Sheng Nian and quickly tried to stop his bleeding.

"Who? Who exactly is it?"

One of them shouted sternly, "Hiding and sneaking around, playing tricks."

"We are Disciples of Hermit Xin Shan."

Suddenly, the voice came again, interrupting him: "My Senior Brother Zhao should have made things very clear."

"Why are you Fellow Daoists still lingering here, refusing to leave?"

Only this time, everyone heard where the voice came from.

The crowd parted, revealing a person in a gray robe and bamboo hat sitting leisurely at a tea stall not far away. After speaking, he took a sip of the freshly brewed tea in his cup.

He stood up, removed his bamboo hat, revealing the young Face of a boy.

"I am Song Yan, a Disciple of the Cave Abyss Sect."

The young man’s tone was gentle, and his smile was friendly.

"If you all have any difficulties."

"Perhaps I can see you Fellow Daoists off?"