"Ye Sheng Gege, look, this is the clay doll Grandpa gave me."

One of the girls took out a clay figure and handed it to Song Yan.

From their earlier laughter and chatter, Song Yan knew that her name was Xie Chan, and she was Xie Xing’s granddaughter.

Xie Chuan took over the conversation, speaking of the sword-wielding old man in front, his eyes full of admiration and respect: "Grandpa Xie Xing is a swordsman, he’s really amazing."

For some reason, when Xie Chan showed the clay doll to Song Yan, Xie Xing in front looked back.

Inside the carriage, boys and girls laughed and played, a stark contrast to Xie Xing’s tense vigilance outside.

"This clay doll is so exquisite."

Song Yan carefully took it, holding it in his hand to observe.

Xiao He in his sleeve also became interested, hiding in the sleeve and peeking at the clay figure through the gap near Song Yan’s wrist.

She loved these handmade little trinkets.

The two girls in the carriage, seeing Song Yan’s serious expression, whispered to each other: "This scholar Gege is so handsome."

Young boys and girls, experiencing the first stirrings of love, yet innocent and unaware, were overheard by both Song Yan and Xiao He.

...

Xiao He looked at the girl from inside the sleeve.

"She has good taste. Our Yan Yan is a famous beauty in Shili Baxiang, Stone Ridge!"

"What was that sound?"

Song Yan tapped the little snake’s head through his sleeve, telling her to shut up.

Then he asked the person in front: "Senior, did you make this clay figure? What skillful craftsmanship..."

"Hahaha, I, an old man, am just a rough and unrefined martial artist. How could I possess such exquisite craftsmanship?"

Xie Xing laughed: "This has been passed down from our ancestors."

Perhaps because Song Yan had shown no unusual behavior throughout the journey, and they were almost at the border of Fufeng City, Xie Xing’s vigilance towards him had significantly decreased.

"The Xie Family’s business isn’t large; they’ve been operating a clay doll business for generations."

"My branch is an exception; every generation produces a reckless martial artist."

"My grandfather was a famous swordsman in the Martial Forest, and this clay doll was made by him."

"Even today, there are rumors in the Southern Chu Martial Forest that this clay doll contains a peerless sword technique, but I, an old man, have searched for most of my life and haven’t found anything."

As Xie Xing spoke, Song Yan felt something was off.

The old Jianghu’s words, seemingly a disclosure, were actually a test.

"Young brother, you look like a scholar with high Comprehension Ability. Have you noticed anything in it?"

"This..."

In the carriage, at this moment, even if there truly was some profound meaning within, it would be difficult to discern anything.

Song Yan shook his head: "This junior is dull and cannot see anything."

He truly hadn’t seen anything, and casually returned the clay doll to Xie Chan.

Even if there was, the so-called "peerless sword technique" contained within a master of this Mortal Martial Forest should be of no use to him, a Cultivator.

"Hehe..."

Xie Xing turned his head away and said no more.

Chatting and laughing, they were about to enter the territory of Fufeng City.

The carriage entered a dense forest, and Song Yan, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them.

Nearby, someone seemed to be in ambush... bandits?

This place was close to Fufeng City; there shouldn’t be such audacious bandits.

Although his Realm had fallen, his Divine Sense was not affected. On the contrary, perhaps after experiencing a life-and-death battle in the Secret Realm, his Divine Sense strength had slightly improved.

Enemies?

From Xie Xing’s previous wary expression, this was not impossible.

Having received the kindness of the Xie Family on this journey, Song Yan was about to offer a warning.

"Hmm?"

Xie Xing frowned, and sounds had already begun to emerge from the surroundings.

"Not good!"

"Xiao Chuan, you all stay in the carriage, don’t run around recklessly!"

Whoa—

The convoy stopped.

Xie Xing leaped down, drew his sword, and loudly shouted: "Who is lurking here!"

From the dense forest, several figures in black emerged.

"Senior, please don’t blame us..."

"We originally have no grievances."

The leader, also masked in black, said: "It’s just that someone paid a hefty price for the life of your Xie Family’s Young Master!"

This was... Mortal strife, Jianghu disputes.

It seemed the Mortal Martial Forest was not peaceful either.

"Young Master Xie Chuan possesses a natural Spiritual Root and can enter the Dao sect. We are truly envious..."

Xie Xing’s eyes narrowed.

On this trip, the Xie Family had consistently claimed that several children were fortunate enough to enter the Chaolu Academy in Fufeng City to study.

To cover their tracks, they had not even hired any bodyguards or martial artists to escort them, apart from himself.

Now that the news had leaked, there must be an informant among the Xie Family members!

Moreover, several clan elders probably knew about it long ago, otherwise, why would they summon him, a wandering martial artist, from a thousand miles away to make this trip back to the clan?

"Spiritual Root?"

The children in the carriage dared not breathe at this moment. Song Yan glanced at Xie Chuan, who was huddled in a corner, terrified.

He was afraid that Song Yan was in league with the villains who were intercepting the convoy outside.

"Did the Qin Family send you?"

Xie Xing’s gaze swept over the group, contemplating a strategy to repel the enemy.

"This... I’m afraid I cannot tell you."

Although he didn’t answer directly, Xie Xing’s guess was almost certainly correct: it was the Southern Chu Qin Family. His heart immediately flared with anger.

"The Southern Chu Qin Family, with its vast Family and business, has produced several Cultivators within its clan, and its Mortal connections span the entire Southern Chu."

"Why must they utterly destroy a small Family like the Xie Family!?"

Southern Chu Qin Family?

Song Yan pondered.

It was another of the Four Great Families. He heard that there was a proud daughter of heaven named Qin Ying in the Cave Abyss Sect’s inner sect, who came from the Southern Chu Qin Family.

Northern Yan, Southern Qin.

The Northern Chu Yan Family and the Southern Chu Qin Family had many Cultivators within their clans, earning them the title of "Immortal Clan."

Now it seemed that this Qin Family was quite ambitious.

The man in black waved his hand, no longer bothering to conceal anything, as all these people were going to die anyway.

"Hehe, in the vast Southern Chu, there is only the Qin Family, a flourishing Cultivation Family. The reasons behind this, an old Jianghu like Senior, must understand with a hint."

"Senior Xie, there’s no need to struggle. Below an Immortal, we are all ants. Just accept your fate."

Buzz—

Before he finished speaking, Xie Xing struck first, already thrusting his sword.

Alone, he fought with this group of black-clad figures, evenly matched.

Through the carriage curtain, Song Yan saw that Xie Xing’s swordsmanship was entirely composed of killing moves, without a single fancy flourish, flowing smoothly and perfectly refined.

It was just... from a Cultivator’s perspective, the speed was a bit slow.

"Sixteen, go kill everyone in the carriage. Be quick."

The leader shouted, but his blade work did not falter.

Xie Xing’s heart tightened. Wanting to protect the children in the carriage, the previously evenly matched battle began to fall into a disadvantage.

Of course, Song Yan couldn’t just watch the Xie Family members be killed. He was about to summon the little snake, but after some thought, decided to act himself.

He was currently at Qi Refining First Layer, and Xiao He’s strength was comparable to a Cultivator in the Middle Stage of Qi Refining. Xiao He was his trump card.

Clang!

Outnumbered and advanced in years, Xie Xing was ultimately unable to continue.

In a moment of carelessness, he was injured on the finger by the strong wind from the leader’s long saber, and his long sword was subsequently knocked away.

The black-clad leader, quick-witted, brought his saber down with an incredibly ruthless strike towards Xie Xing’s face.

The long sword fell, spinning in the air.

He had drifted for half his life, long anticipating this day, but without his protection, the five young children of the Xie Family would surely die.

Xie Xing’s heart was filled with sorrow, but he was powerless to change anything.

"Buzz—"

The long sword suddenly flew up, deflecting the black-clad leader’s fatal blow.

"Who?!"

Amidst the astonished gazes of the martial artists, a Flying Sword shot out, aimed at the black-clad man who had already reached the carriage.

Pfft.

"Ah—"

With a scream, the Flying Sword pinned the man’s palm to the ground.

...

Xie Xing’s eyes widened, filled with disbelief.

It wasn’t just that black-clad man who mumbled; in the silent scene, everyone heard it clearly.

"Immortal..."

Inside the carriage, Song Yan lowered his gaze slightly.

However, he did not take anyone’s life. After all, the so-called Qin Family and Xie Family, and the reasons for their disputes, were all one-sided accounts.

Without seeing the full picture, Song Yan did not want to get involved; he only wanted to return to his sect peacefully and steadily.

Moreover, these were disputes between Mortals. Although they involved Cultivation World forces behind the scenes, he had no reason to interfere.

His intervention was merely to repay the kindness of sharing the journey.

A clear voice, by some unknown means, echoed throughout the bamboo forest.

"This Senior Xie Xing and I are old acquaintances. If you all have any grievances."

"Let’s discuss them another day."