「Two days later.」

The Che Family caravan gathered, leaving the ruined temple and heading toward Wann City.

Bai Fu rode her horse, glancing back toward the ruined temple from time to time and occasionally touching the longsword hanging at her waist.

"Giddy-up!"

The road was muddy after the rain. Hoofbeats sent large splatters of mud flying everywhere.

Che Yunxiu lifted the carriage curtain and looked at Bai Fu.

"What’s wrong with you today? You look a little upset."

"Nothing." Bai Fu snapped out of it and quickly shook her head.

"I’m fine, my lady."

"You haven’t fallen for that Young Master Zhu, have you?" Che Yunxiu mused, unable to hold back a laugh.

"It’s only been two days. You sure fall fast."

"No, I haven’t!" Bai Fu’s face flushed red.

"Young Master Zhu is an extraordinary person. I... How could I possibly be worthy of him? Please don’t say such things, my lady."

"Alright, alright, I won’t." Che Yunxiu suppressed a smile.

"But you were in such high spirits during those two days at the temple. Now that we’ve left, you’re all sullen. You can’t blame people for getting the wrong idea."

"It’s... it’s because Young Master Zhu was teaching me Martial Arts," Bai Fu explained.

"Young Master Zhu is an amazing person. He doesn’t talk much, but I think what he taught me is very useful."

"It’s only natural I’m a little sad to part ways."

"Is that so?" Che Yunxiu stroked her chin.

"In just two short days, your Cultivation could improve?"

"Mhm." Bai Fu nodded emphatically.

"My lady, I will train hard in Martial Arts and practice my Sword Technique to ensure your safety."

"Hee hee..." Che Yunxiu giggled at her words, her big eyes curving into two crescents.

"Then I’ll leave my safety in your hands."

With that, she lowered the carriage curtain.

’She didn’t really think Bai Fu’s strength could have increased that much. After all, it had only been two days.’

’It did make me a little curious about the "Young Master Zhu" from the temple, but I’ll probably never see him again, so there’s no need to dwell on it.’

On horseback, Bai Fu’s face tensed. Her fingers gripped her sword hilt tightly, and the urge to draw her blade surged within her.

’Time to practice my swordsmanship!’

Ever since she started practicing the modified Flying Cloud Sword Technique, her mastery of Swordsmanship had advanced by leaps and bounds.

Bai Fu herself hadn’t fully realized it. She only felt that swinging her sword was easier and more satisfying. Practice was no longer a torment but a pleasure.

Even her body’s Qi Blood had increased, and it seemed she had reached the Blood Strengthening Realm, the second Realm of Martial Arts.

"Uncle Zhang."

Suppressing the impulse, Bai Fu rode her horse over to Nursing Director Zhang and asked:

"Your hometown is near Saint Head Mountain, right? You must know a few things about Saint Head Mountain and Saint Head Peak."

"Of course!" Nursing Director Zhang nodded.

"Speaking of Saint Head Mountain, we have to talk about its origin. Legend says the mountain flew here from beyond the heavens..."

"And Saint Head Peak has a secret of the Martial World concerning the Unparalleled Grandmaster Fu Xuan from a century ago. Very few people know about it..."

*

*

*

"Take the horses to the back courtyard, remove their saddles, and feed them. Put these few carts of goods under the carriage shed."

"You lot, take turns on watch tonight."

Elder Qian shouted, assigning tasks to everyone in the caravan.

"Nursing Director Zhang, just one more tough night. Tomorrow, we’ll reach Wann City and can finally get a good rest."

"Don’t worry, Steward Qian." Nursing Director Zhang nodded.

"I understand."

On the second floor of the inn.

Bai Fu helped her lady prepare a bathtub with hot water for her bath, then tidied up the room.

Only after Che Yunxiu had finished washing up and was lying in bed did she take the dirty clothes downstairs to launder.

The night water was ice-cold.

She had to rub her hands together to warm them up before she could bear the temperature and start scrubbing.

By the time she finished all her chores, the sky had grown dark.

As Che Yunxiu’s personal maid, she shared a room with the other maids but had her own separate bed.

Her bed was right next to Che Yunxiu’s room, making it convenient to respond quickly if her lady called for something during the night.

Exhausted from a long day’s work, she was so drained that she collapsed onto the hard wooden bed and fell into a deep sleep.

In a state between sleep and wakefulness, she seemed to hear a commotion.

’Huh?’

Bai Fu’s eyes shot open. Her gaze was hazy at first, but then she remembered to reach for her sword.

Just then, BANG!

The door was smashed open with Giant Power.

Three burly, masked Black-Clothed Men holding steel sabers burst into the room. One of them scanned the room and couldn’t help but laugh.

"A room full of maids. As expected of a great family—even the maids who heat water and wash clothes are all lookers."

"Heh heh..."

"We might not get a turn with the young lady, but having a few maids to play with will make this trip worthwhile."

"Not bad," another man nodded repeatedly, raising his steel saber to point at the panicking maids.

"Listen up, all of you. Serve us brothers well, or else..."

SHING!

He swung his long blade viciously, slicing off the corner of a nearby table and making the maids’ faces turn deathly pale.

"This will be your fate!"

"Ah!"

As maids from a wealthy household, they had never witnessed such a scene. They couldn’t help but cry out and huddle together in fear.

’Bandits!’

’The Che Family caravan isn’t an ordinary one; it has numerous guards. How could they have been targeted by bandits?’

Bai Fu’s face was also pale, but she remembered her duty. Her voice trembling, she asked:

"Where is my lady?"

"Your lady?" The Black-Clothed Man sneered.

"You don’t need to worry about that. Someone is already ’taking care’ of her."

Before he could finish speaking, a scream filled with terror came from the next room.

"Who are you?"

"Why are you in my room?"

"Heh heh..." a strange man’s voice sounded.

"Don’t be afraid, little lady. As long as you do as you’re told, this young master won’t hurt you."

RIIIP!

The sound of tearing fabric followed immediately.

"Ah!"

Che Yunxiu shrieked.

"Get away!"

"Get away from me!"

SLAP!

"You want to do this the hard way? Looks like you’re tired of living."

"My lady!" Bai Fu cried out in alarm, her body lunging toward the door.

"Get out of my way!"

"’Out of your way’?" The Black-Clothed Man facing her had an icy gaze. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"You really don’t know what’s good for you. I didn’t get a good look before. That birthmark on your face is quite appetizing."

"Go to hell!"

SHING!

The long blade chopped down, whistling through the air.

Bai Fu hurriedly swung her sword to block, but as a woman, she was naturally weaker than a man.

Moreover, in her haste, she hadn’t had time to channel her strength.

CLANG...

Her wrist trembled, and the longsword was nearly knocked from her grasp. Bai Fu staggered backward, her fingers numb.

"Oh?"

The Black-Clothed Man raised an eyebrow.

"So you’re a practitioner. A shame..."

"Your skills are lacking!"

He took a step forward and swung his saber again, this time with his full strength, vowing to cut down the maid before him.

CLANG...

The sound of collision rang out again. Bai Fu shifted to the side, her longsword deflecting the saber’s edge, and then lunged forward with a sudden thrust.

Cloud-Piercing Sword Form!

SQUELCH!

The sharp blade plunged straight into his throat. With a slight twist, it brought forth a gush of blood, and the body crashed to the ground.

The Black-Clothed Man...

...was dead!

It all happened so abruptly that no one had time to react. Even Bai Fu had only acted on instinct, following the muscle memory from her recent sword practice. She herself hadn’t expected such an outcome.

"Second Brother!"

"Gouzi!"

Seeing this, the two remaining Black-Clothed Men roared in fury. Murderous intent filled their eyes as they brandished their sabers and lunged at Bai Fu.

CLANG...

SHING!

Her longsword wove between the two long blades like a nimble Swimming Fish, meeting them with a series of simple, rapid moves.

Flying Clouds Covering the Moon!

Dark Star Form!

Her Sword Technique shifted as if by instinct. The three figures crossed, and the sword’s edge drew two flashes of blood.

THUD!

Both Black-Clothed Men fell to the ground.

Bai Fu’s body trembled, seemingly from both shock at her own strength and terror at having killed. She paused for a moment before rushing to the next room.

"My lady!"

BANG!

She slammed open the half-closed door to see a bare-chested, masked man about to assault Che Yunxiu.

With a furious cry, she charged forward, sword in hand.

SHING!

The brilliant Sword Light startled the masked man.

’An expert!’

’Other than Nursing Director Zhang, how could the Che Family caravan have such a young Sword Technique expert?’

As the thought flashed through his mind, his movements were swift. He snatched up the bedsheet with one hand and whipped it toward the Sword Light.

Under his power, the soft sheet instantly became like a club, whistling as he swung it again and again.

’Cloth-Binding Club!’

In terms of Cultivation alone, the man’s strength was at the Peak of Blood Strengthening, just half a step away from becoming a Body Tempering Martial Artist.

With sword in hand, Bai Fu’s Sword Light flashed repeatedly. Over the past few days of her Sword Technique Cultivation, she had frequently asked Zhu Ju for guidance.

Although his pointers were few, each one struck at the heart of the matter, causing her Swordsmanship to improve dramatically.

The modified Sword Technique was as if tailor-made for her; its various forms were now ingrained in her very bones.

Wherever the Sword Light passed, the "club" ripped to shreds, and the man was forced into a hasty retreat.

CRASH!

The man smashed through the window and tumbled down to the first floor.

"My lady."

Bai Fu didn’t seize the chance to pursue him, instead rushing to Che Yunxiu’s side.

"Are you all right?"

"I-I’m fine." Che Yunxiu’s face was pale. With no time to be amazed at how Bai Fu’s Sword Technique had suddenly become so good, she hastily covered herself with her clothes. The two of them stepped outside the door and saw that the entire inn had turned into a battlefield.

The air was thick with the sounds of battle cries and killing.

Downstairs, at least thirty or forty Black-Clothed Men were on a killing spree, and many among them were highly skilled in Martial Arts.

Facing the well-prepared, vicious bandits, the Che Family caravan’s guards fought back hastily but were already being routed.

Even Nursing Director Zhang was surrounded by two people.

Both of them actually had the Cultivation of a Body Tempering Martial Artist. The flashes of their blades and swords crisscrossed, suppressing him to the point where he could barely fight back.

"Go!"

Nursing Director Zhang roared.

"Get the young lady out of here, quickly!"

"My lady." Bai Fu snapped back to her senses and hurriedly pulled Che Yunxiu toward the back courtyard. By then, Elder Qian had already untied the horses and was coming toward them with a few surviving guards.

"My lady."

"Quick, get on the horses!"

"Elder Qian," Che Yunxiu said as she vaulted onto a horse, asking anxiously:

"Where’s my father?"

"The master..." Elder Qian started to speak, then stopped, a shadow falling over his eyes. He then shouted loudly:

"Don’t worry, my lady. We will definitely protect you."

"No!" Che Yunxiu’s heart pounded furiously as she demanded:

"Elder Qian, tell me right now, where is my father?"

"What happened to my father?"

"My lady." Elder Qian gritted his teeth and slapped the horse’s rump hard.

"Go now!"

With Bai Fu’s help, he also found a horse and climbed on. The group broke through the back gate and charged into the night.