We’re in trouble!

The patriarchs of the various villages all wore worried expressions.

They couldn’t help but be anxious. This was the most dangerous time of year, when Tribulation Cultivators were at their most rampant!

At this time, the villages were heading to the Wu Family Collection to trade. They carried with them a half-year’s harvest from their Spirit Fields, along with Spirit Medicines gathered from the wild and all sorts of other materials.

Thus, in the eyes of the Tribulation Cultivators, these merchant caravans formed by small, traveling villages were nothing more than fat sheep walking to the slaughter.

Robbing these caravans was not only far less difficult than breaking through a village’s defenses, but the rewards were also much greater!

Given the choice, it was obvious what the Tribulation Cultivators would do.

And that was precisely why, under normal circumstances, few Tribulation Cultivators would take the enormous risk of attacking a village to plunder the Minor Immortal Cultivation Clans within.

But during the trading season, nearly all Tribulation Cultivators would emerge from hiding. They would lie in ambush throughout the mountains and forests, robbing the caravans from the various villages and partaking in this short-lived feast.

During this process, even some Cultivators from the larger villages would don masks, conceal their identities, and join the frenzy.

It was practically a hunting season in the wilderness!

And for the weak, like them, it was undoubtedly a catastrophe!

Fortunately, however, they were not completely powerless to resist.

Perhaps it was because this was a remote area where the Cultivation Realm was not particularly prosperous.

The Tribulation Cultivators who participated in these robberies mostly had a Cultivation below the Qi Introduction Seventh Layer.

This might be because the gap between the Qi Introduction Sixth Layer and the Seventh Layer was a massive watershed; once a Cultivator reached the Seventh Layer, they likely looked down on such petty gains.

It was also possible that pressure from more powerful Immortal Cultivation factions prevented Cultivators at the Qi Introduction Seventh Layer and above from acting too recklessly.

But whatever the reason, since the Tribulation Cultivators’ Cultivation was generally in the Qi Introduction Early and Middle Stage, it gave the Minor Immortal Cultivation Clans from these small villages a chance to fight back.

Just like in the past, they had relied on Shen Shiyin, who garrisoned Dawan Village. With Shen Shiyin as their backbone, they had relied on their superior numbers and the banner of the Tian Nan Shen Clan. Even when they encountered Tribulation Cultivators on the road, they always made it through safely.

But there was one condition: the person acting as their backbone had to be strong enough! 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Back then, Shen Shiyin’s own Cultivation was at the Qi Introduction Fifth Layer Late Stage or higher. Coupled with his powerful heritage from the Tian Nan Shen Clan, he was capable of holding his own against a local Qi Introduction Sixth Layer Cultivator for some time.

With their support, it wasn’t impossible for him to hold out for even longer.

And even if a Tribulation Cultivator at the Qi Introduction Sixth Layer could defeat them, they wouldn’t be able to kill everyone in a short amount of time.

If even one or two people managed to escape, the consequences of ambushing a member of a behemoth like the Tian Nan Shen Clan had been personally demonstrated by the Hu Family all those years ago.

Twenty years ago, the Hu Family of Dawan Village had quite a reputation in this area.

However, all of this was predicated on one thing: that their backbone could withstand the Tribulation Cultivators’ attacks!

Shen Shiyin had been one thing; at least he was a Cultivator at the Qi Introduction Fifth Layer Late Stage.

He could more or less rely on his techniques to bridge the gap of a single Realm.

But this Shen Changchuan?

Qi Introduction Fourth Layer,

and a teenager of sixteen or seventeen at that.

A young man like that...

could he possibly possess the strength to fight an enemy two Realms above his own?

Impossible!

"Everyone, what should we do?"

Patriarch Li asked the others in a low voice.

Although they were sometimes competitors, their interests were aligned in this matter.

But the others just looked at each other, their brows deeply furrowed, completely at a loss.

"Youths are full of vigor. I’m afraid that Young Master Shen just wants to prove himself. He spoke with such conviction; it seems there’s no room for negotiation."

Guo Cheng sighed and said in a low voice.

In their preconceived view, the one who killed the He Mountain Four Fierce must have been an elder backing Shen Changchuan.

They figured this person was simply too powerful and disdained to appear before them or get acquainted, so they had tacitly agreed not to ask.

Now, Shen Changchuan’s words sounded like a rebellious teenager who had a falling out with his family’s elders and was determined to prove himself by making a name for himself.

In a state like that, no amount of persuasion from outsiders would likely work.

Even explaining the dangers of the journey would probably just provoke his rebellious streak and make things even more troublesome.

"Sigh, let’s just go with the flow. He’s young and impulsive. If we anger him, who knows what kind of trouble he’ll cause."

"Since that senior was willing to deal with the He Mountain Four Fierce, he must know about the dangers here. Maybe he’s been hiding in the background, protecting him in secret all along?"

"If that’s the case, this trip might not be as dangerous as it seems."

Guo Cheng said, trying to reassure himself.

"I suppose that’s all we can do."

The other patriarchs felt uneasy, but they could only agree helplessly.

...

The caravan soon set off.

A long line of fully loaded carriages, like a great serpent, kicked up dust as it headed toward the Wu Family Collection.

Along the way, they encountered several other groups of travelers like themselves.

Large and small carts were pulling plenty of goods.

It seemed they were all other people heading to the market at the Wu Family Collection.

However, after a few nervous reminders from the village patriarchs, Shen Changchuan graciously complied and deliberately put some distance between their group and the others.

According to the patriarchs, there had been incidents in the past where Tribulation Cultivators disguised themselves as a merchant caravan, asked to travel together, and then launched a surprise attack at night, nearly wiping out the entire group.

Therefore, unless they knew the other party’s background, they would always keep their distance, even from fellow merchant caravans.

Other than that, the journey was uneventful.

But because of all the baggage, the long caravan had to cross mountains and rivers, and the roads were difficult and treacherous.

Their progress was somewhat slow.

On the fifth day, they were still three days away from the Wu Family Collection.

It was then that, in the wilderness, they came across a chase.

A dozen or two men in black were hunting down an old man and a youth. The pair quickly rushed past the caravan, which was already on high alert.

’What’s going on?!’

’Could this be a trap?’

Shen Changchuan’s vigilance spiked in that instant.

The entire caravan went on guard.

The black-clothed men who were chasing the old man and the youth saw Shen Changchuan’s group as well.

The apparent leader of the group had a cyan light flare in his eyes as his gaze swept over them.

In an instant, Shen Changchuan and everyone else present felt as if their auras were being scanned and probed!

It seemed to be a type of Pupil Technique used to gauge an enemy’s strength.

In the space of a breath, the Cultivation Realms of Shen Changchuan and his entire party were completely exposed.

"So it’s just a bunch of small fry!"

"Since you’re here, don’t even think about leaving!"

"Kill them! Leave no one alive!"

Not far away, the leader of the men in black gave a savage grin.

His gaze passed over the group, and a flicker of greed flashed in the depths of his eyes as he looked at the fully loaded carriages behind them.

"Wait! Valiant heroes, we are merely passing by!"

Patriarch Li shouted in terror.

But the men in black didn’t hesitate for a moment. A faint white light enveloped them as they activated the Light Body Technique. Gripping their long sabers, they charged toward the caravan!

’Alright then. No need to overthink this. Time to fight.’