Onward along the journey.

After traveling for about an hour, they had ventured several miles deep into the canyon.

Lin Miao reached out and tapped the window, signaling the carriage to stop.

Then, he got off the carriage.

"Come out now, you’ve been hiding in the carriage all along."

Just then, a woman holding a four or five-year-old girl emerged from the space between the box and the carriage at the back.

It’s hard to imagine how she managed it, but it was clever not to hide under the carriage, as she wouldn’t have lasted until he called her out.

"Brother, who are they, and why are they on our carriage?" Sun Youwei asked in shock as she looked at the presumed "mother and daughter."

"You should ask them yourself," Lin Miao replied, cupping his hands slightly.

"I’m sorry, Mu Yun and her daughter have imposed upon you and your lady. If there’s any offense, please forgive us." The woman wore a green shirt and skirt, with not even a cotton coat in the cold winter. Though she practiced martial arts, being outside for so long in temperatures below twenty degrees was unbearable, especially for her daughter, whose little face was red with cold, shivering—a sight truly pitiable.

"Mu Yun, could you be the wife abandoned by the town’s new bridegroom last night?" Liansuo blurted out upon hearing her name.

"Miss, you know my name?" Mu Yun appeared a bit surprised; she had been hiding in the inn, knowing Lin Miao and his group were newcomers and unfamiliar faces. How could they know the name of a woman hidden in her house for years?

At this moment, Lin Miao also understood the origin of this mother and daughter.

It turned out that after marrying a new love, the old one was cast out. What a scoundrel of a man! Though he wasn’t exactly a good man himself, he at least never abandoned any woman who chose to be with him, unless she insisted on leaving.

Of course, if someone didn’t want to accept him, he wouldn’t provoke them either.

"Lianxin, give them some clothes and food, and let them be on their way," Lin Miao instructed, not wanting to meddle further.

"Yes, sir."

"Brother, this little girl is so pitiful, abandoned by her father at such a young age..." Sun Youwei began.

She knew Lin Miao’s decision was correct, providing clothes and food. Not many would do as much for strangers met by chance.

Moreover, they had accompanied this mother and daughter for the entire journey.

Their hiding in the carriage suggested they recognized the "Snow Mountain Sect" symbol, fearing inspection by soldiers at tollgates.

"Sister, what do you want to do?" Lin Miao could easily tell Sun Youwei wanted to help this mother and daughter.

"Mrs. Mu, hiding in our carriage, I reckon you’re hoping to reach Li Hen City with us?" Sun Youwei stepped forward to ask.

"Yes, ma’am, with no money between the two of us, reaching Li Hen City seems impossible."

"In this freezing weather, you might not make it there before freezing to death."

"Brother, since we’ve already brought them this far, why not take them the rest of the way? It won’t make much difference."

"Since you’ve asked, I have no objections," Lin Miao replied, knowing Sun Youwei had a good heart, especially seeing the weak bullied.

Such a nature was fine for a healer but not practical for a life wandering the martial world. However, with him around, it wouldn’t be a problem.

"Thank you, sir and lady!" Mu Yun and the little girl bowed deeply in gratitude.

"Get back in the carriage." Lin Miao gestured, helping Sun Youwei onto the carriage first, then letting Mu Yun and her daughter board the carriage behind.

With four people, one carriage was a bit cramped, so Ling Yu’Er moved to Lin Miao’s carriage.

And onward they went.

Drive, drive...

It wasn’t long before the wind and snow stirred up behind them, and a group of black-clad knights quickly galloped forward, all looking like skilled warriors.

Moreover, they all bore the Heaven-Dominating Tower emblem.

"Stop the carriage ahead!"

Whoa!

Lianxin and Lin Mao held the reins, bringing the carriage to a halt.

"So, it’s the esteemed members of the Snow Mountain Sect. I’m Liang Song, from Heaven-Dominating Tower." The leading black-clad knight dismounted and saluted upon seeing the Snow Mountain Sect symbols on the carriages.

The Snow Mountain Sect was a top-tier sect that Heaven-Dominating Tower dared not easily offend. A sect led by women had a reputation for being petty, not to be provoked.

"Why do you call us to stop?" Lianxin demanded. She was in the Meridian Passage Realm, and though they were many, none matched her skill.

"Our Heaven-Dominating Tower has lost a mother and daughter. May I ask if the female heroes of the Snow Mountain Sect have seen them?" Liang Song very politely inquired.

"No, we haven’t," Lianxin replied directly.

"Thank you." Liang Song hesitated for a moment before bowing in thanks.

"Brother Song, aren’t you going to check the carriage?" A young black-clad knight rode up, his attire visibly more luxurious than the others, clearly of a different status.

"Brother, do not be rude. These are the female heroes of the Snow Mountain Sect!" Liang Song commanded.

"What about the Snow Mountain Sect, here is Longchuan Canyon. Brother Song, these two carriages seem suspicious; Mu Yun and her daughter must be hiding in one!"

As these words were spoken, a group of black-clad knights from the Heaven-Dominating Tower quickly surrounded Lin Miao’s party, encircling the two carriages completely.

"Mr. Yua, do not act rashly!" shouted Liang Song, the leader, to stop him. Though Liang Yuan was his junior, his status was far greater than Liang Song’s; otherwise, why would his knights be so obedient?

"A heroine from the Snow Mountain Sect, this is the first time I’ve seen one. Young lady, why not take off your hat and let me take a look?"

Faced with such a frivolous tone, Lianxin snorted coldly, "You’re not worthy."

"Bold! How dare you say I’m not worthy!" Liang Yuan was furious. In Li Hen City, besides a few select individuals, no one dared speak to him in such a manner.

What did it matter if she was a disciple of the Snow Mountain Sect; surely she wasn’t of high rank if she was a mere carriage driver. How dared she try to show him up?

He drew his blade and swung it forward.

The target was naturally the cloak atop Lianxin’s head that shielded her from the wind and snow.

"Courting death!" Though Lianxin was usually mild-tempered, she showed no mercy toward such arrogant and unreasonable types.

Before the blade could reach her, her whip was already in motion, whipping fiercely against Liang Yuan’s wrist.

Liang Yuan let out a painful scream and tumbled off his horse, with his long knife flying more than ten meters away, embedding itself in a tree trunk by the roadside.

The branches shook, sending snow "showering" down.

All the knights from the Heaven-Dominating Tower were taken aback by Lianxin’s retaliatory strike; though young, Liang Yuan was quite skilled.

Yet, he was injured by her in just one move. Moreover, none of them saw how Lianxin attacked, showing that her skills were remarkably high.

Liang Song also bowed swiftly in fright, "Please forgive us, heroine. My junior brother failed to recognize you. We beg for your leniency."

"I can’t be bothered to argue with him. Can we go now?"

"Yes, yes, please, go ahead..."

"Brother Song, I..." Liang Yuan stood up from the ground, clutching his injured wrist, his fair face full of resentful venom.

"Mr. Yua, don’t act impulsively. Wait until she enters Li Hen City." Liang Song stopped Liang Yuan with a stern look, speaking quietly.

After hearing this, Liang Yuan’s face eased somewhat. He wasn’t foolish; just now, he couldn’t even see clearly how Liansuo made her move. Unless they attacked together, there was no chance at all.

Lianxin flicked her whip and continued driving the carriage forward.

Meanwhile, Liang Song and the others mounted their horses and hurried past them, evidently wanting to reach Li Hen City before them.

Li Hen City was their territory; even if the Snow Mountain Sect were formidable, upon entering Li Hen City, they must restrain themselves.

"Master, it seems like there will be trouble on our journey to Li Hen City." Lianxin said while driving, addressing Lin Miao inside the carriage.

"No matter, they are just clowns. Pay them no heed." Lin Miao was calm; he might have been wary in the past, but now he feared nothing.

"Junior, was it...?"

"Senior, it has nothing to do with you. Even if you hadn’t let that mother and daughter into the carriage, they would find some excuse. I can’t allow them to trample on our dignity!" Lin Miao explained.

"Master, why are Mu Yun and her daughter going to Li Hen City when they have provoked the Heaven-Dominating Tower? Isn’t this walking into a trap?" Lianxin asked.

"They might have a way to protect themselves. Besides, even if the Heaven-Dominating Tower captures them, it doesn’t mean they’d kill them!"

"Indeed."

"Once we reach Li Hen City, find a suitable opportunity to release them," Lin Miao said, "as long as we avoid the Heaven-Dominating Tower’s people, it’s no longer our concern."

On the journey, nothing unpleasant happened again.

However, the road to Li Hen City was quite busy; people frequently rode past them, and none looked like kind or virtuous.

It’s clear that those journeying to Li Hen City weren’t ordinary folk.

Three figures exuding a chilling aura sped past them, and the temperature seemed to drop by seven or eight degrees.

"Master, those are the Three Ghosts of Snow Mountain, each at the Meridian Passage Realm, famous in Yue Country. What are they doing here in Longchuan Canyon?" Lianxin exclaimed.

"Oh, do they hold a grudge against your Snow Mountain Sect?"

"They do, but it’s relatively peaceful. They usually don’t provoke us, but surely they recognized our Snow Mountain Sect emblem."

"Ignore them, so long as they don’t hinder us; feuds in the martial world don’t concern us." Lin Miao responded indifferently.

"Yes."

...

"Big brother, did you see that carriage driver was from the Snow Mountain Sect..."

"I saw. A proper Meridian Passage Realm disciple acting as someone’s driver—there must be someone important in that carriage," murmured the eldest of the Three Ghosts.

"Could they be here for that item?"

"Hard to say. There’s been news of the Celestial Essence Fruit appearing in Longchuan Canyon; now various forces have sent people over. For this Celestial Essence Fruit, there’s bound to be intense competition!" said the eldest ghost.

"Yes, the Celestial Essence Fruit is a rare treasure; eating one could boost the chance of advancing to the Celestial Origin Realm by thirty percent. Who wouldn’t want to obtain it?" The second ghost’s eyes gleamed with anticipation, "Nie Tian dares to auction off a Celestial Essence Fruit; he must have a third, maybe even a fourth..."