Huanglong Prefecture, Shenfu Mountain.

"I knew it! I always wondered why you stayed away from women. So, this is my sister-in-law?"

Yang Fangyu roared with laughter as he looked at the woman beside Bai Yuan.

Yesterday, he had received a message from a Divine Mansion Sect disciple that Bai Yuan was inviting him to a feast.

After knowing Bai Yuan for so long, he had always been the one to arrange their meetings. For Bai Yuan to be the host was a first. So he immediately set out for Shenfu Mountain with his wife, Yan Xiuhong.

As soon as he entered Bai Yuan’s residence, he saw Xiao Qiaoniang standing beside Bai Yuan.

He had long heard that Bai Yuan had a wife from his humbler days, but she had later gone to the south. Today, he finally got to meet her.

Xiao Qiaoniang had first trained in martial arts and later became a Demon Hunter of the Demon-Controlling Lineage. Her aura had grown increasingly refreshing and transcendent. Even when compared to a woman from a great clan like Yan Xiuhong, she held her own.

Yan Xiuhong glanced at Yang Fangyu. "Don’t you go scaring her."

She had met countless women and could tell with a single glance that Xiao Qiaoniang was no frail, helpless maiden.

Bai Yuan smiled faintly. "Old Yang, please, come in."

He immediately led Yang Fangyu into the Inner Courtyard.

When Yang Fangyu and his wife arrived in the Inner Courtyard, they saw the Lu Family siblings and Zhu Wu already seated under the pavilion.

Afterward, Wang Daming also made a special trip from Ling Province, and he brought his wife as well.

As for Li Huan, with his status as the Crown Prince of the Qingzhou Royal Mansion, it would likely be very difficult for him to come to Huanglong Prefecture. Thus, Bai Yuan hadn’t sent him a letter, as it would have only put Li Huan in a difficult position.

With everyone gathered, the courtyard instantly became very lively.

Zhu Wu couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the scene. He was the only single one here, it seemed.

"Sister Lu..."

He had just started to speak to Lu Shanshan when Yan Xiuhong shot him a glare. Then, Yan Xiuhong led Xiao Qiaoniang and the other women to the rear courtyard.

Facing Yan Xiuhong, Zhu Wu naturally backed down. Who could blame him? The woman was too fierce; he was no match for her.

If she decided to beat him up, he wouldn’t even have a place to plead his case.

Zhu Wu and Yang Fangyu had been brothers for many years, so he knew his brother’s capable wife’s temperament all too well. She would not hesitate to get physical just because she was a woman.

Yang Fangyu walked up to Zhu Wu and said earnestly, "Old Zhu, you’re not getting any younger. It’s time you thought about marriage."

Zhu Wu rolled his eyes.

Although he was envious, Zhu Wu had no intention of getting married.

Unlike the others, his Nine Sword Sect was a Jianghu Great Sect, and it was uncommon for members to marry and have children.

After all, those who roamed the Jianghu were bound to make enemies. Revenge killings that wiped out entire families were all too common, leading most Jianghu Martial Masters to give up the idea of marriage.

Even if they did marry, they would mostly keep it a secret.

For the men and women of the Jianghu, a fast blade was all that mattered. Who needed love?

Compared to marriage, Zhu Wu was more concerned with when he could break through to the Mingxin Pass.

Since Bai Yuan was the host this time, it was natural that he would be the one cooking.

Yan Xiuhong took the other women to a separate table in the rear courtyard, leaving only Bai Yuan and the other men to drink under the pavilion.

As they talked, the conversation drifted from women’s chests to the war in the Northern Territory.

Yang Fangyu let out a soft sigh. He had served as a Thousand Households in the Northern Garrison Army for many years, so he had many friends there and received intelligence far more quickly and in greater detail than Bai Yuan and the others.

"I hear the Grand General of the North is massing troops, planning to annihilate the Demon Sect’s experts in the Northern Plains and keep the enemy far from our gates."

Seeing Yang Fangyu’s worried expression, Wang Daming asked, puzzled, "Is there something wrong with that plan?"

"If they could really be annihilated, Grand General Xu would have done it back when he was still around."

"..."

The group fell silent. What Yang Fangyu said made sense.

Although the current Grand General of the North, who once served as a General in the Capital City, was quite capable, his military strategy was still far inferior to Xu Dingchun’s.

Yang Fangyu said, "I heard the current Holy Emperor is dissatisfied with the Grand General’s long-standing lack of victories, which is why he’s planning this desperate gamble."

Don’t be fooled by the stories of famous ancient generals using surprising tactics to overcome greater numbers, winning them praise from later generations.

But in reality, most of the generals who attempted such high-risk maneuvers ended up having their heads taken by the enemy. The margin for error is just too low.

A steady, cautious advance is the true path to victory, but it requires withstanding immense pressure.

After all, for every day the war dragged on, Xuan Yang had to spend countless snowflake silver, not to mention endure the attacks from political rivals in the Imperial Court.

If the main force of the Northern Garrison Army were to be counter-annihilated by the Demon Sect, the situation for Xuan Yang would become dire.

At this thought, a heavy weight settled in everyone’s hearts.

If the Northern Garrison Army fell, Ling Province would surely be the first to suffer.

But even if they could foresee the coming cataclysm, with their current strength, they were powerless to stop it. In the end, they were just slightly larger specks of dust adrift in a chaotic world.

"That kid Liang Ren was the smart one, running off to the south so early."

Zhu Wu cursed with a laugh.

Among their group of brothers, only Liang Ren, far away in the south, would be unaffected for the time being.

Wang Daming was silent for a moment, then spoke slowly. "It won’t be long before I leave Ling Province as well."

The group drank a large gulp of wine in tacit understanding.

The great chaos in the Northern Territory was no longer a secret among Xuan Yang’s upper echelons. Some well-informed great clans and sects had already evacuated their important disciples from Ling Province.

Compared to the others, Yang Fangyu and Bai Yuan had their roots in Ling Province. It was impossible for them to leave.

Yang Fangyu’s gaze grew distant. "I wonder if I’ll ever have the chance to step into the Mingxin Pass in this lifetime."

Bai Yuan looked at Yang Fangyu in surprise.

After all their years of friendship, he knew Yang Fangyu was incredibly ambitious and had boasted more than once of becoming a Grandmaster. But now, he seemed to have lost his spirit.

’The Heart Gate...’

Once one stepped through the Mingxin Pass, they would become a true powerhouse in Xuan Yang.

But among Xuan Yang’s countless prodigies, only a few dozen had ever become Grandmasters.

The group once again raised their cups and took a drink in unison.

A rare look of exhaustion and dejection appeared on Yang Fangyu’s face.

He had been stuck in the realm of Awareness for several years now. He hadn’t just failed to break through; he couldn’t even see a path forward, which was enough to make anyone despair.

If it was like this for Yang Fangyu, how could it be any different for the others?

Enduring hardship to practice martial arts was only natural, but the most despairing thing was to see no possibility of progress.

The most likely outcome for them was to be stuck in place for the rest of their lives. Such a future was suffocating.

Bai Yuan couldn’t help but think of Old Dong.

Old Dong, once the top prodigy in Huanglong Prefecture who even surpassed Murong Tian, had been stuck in the Power-Entry realm for thirty years. His perseverance was truly frightening.

’If not for my own cheat, I probably would have given up long ago.’

He felt a sense of alarm.

’The path of the Martial Dao is arduous. I must remain steadfast and not become complacent.’

The group drank late into the night before finally dispersing.

In the end, only Bai Yuan and Xiao Qiaoniang remained.

Xiao Qiaoniang had the air of a true mistress of the house, directing the servants to clean the courtyard.

Bai Yuan smiled knowingly. "Sister Qiao, the man who marries you will be very lucky."

Xiao Qiaoniang couldn’t resist kicking Bai Yuan.

...

The war in the Northern Territory unfolded just as Yang Fangyu had predicted. The Grand General of the North truly seemed to have made full preparations for a decisive battle against the Demon Sect in the Northern Plains.

The amount of supplies being transported from all over Xuan Yang to the Northern Great Wall increased significantly.

The Demon Sect, of course, noticed this unusual activity, and their hidden experts began to make their moves.

As a Demon Slayer Guard of Ling Province, Bai Yuan was naturally very busy.

He and Xiao Qiaoniang still spent more time apart than together.

Fortunately, Liang E seemed quite interested in Ling Province and had no plans to return to the south anytime soon.

After half a month of fighting, Bai Yuan finally found an opportunity to return to Shenfu Mountain.

Just as he walked into the courtyard, he saw Qiaoniang playing with a massive green python that was easily thirty feet long.

Beauty and the beast. The scene was somewhat incongruous.

This green python was, of course, Xiaoqing. The Xiaoqing of today had recovered to her peak state and possessed immense combat power.

Thanks to Xiaoqing’s bloodline as a descendant of the Soaring Snake, Qiaoniang’s strength was now no weaker than that of the Peak Masters of the Divine Mansion Sect’s Thirteen Peaks.

Although Xiaoqing had been Bai Yuan’s controlled demon, as Qiaoniang’s strength grew, the contract within Xiaoqing became more of a restriction. So, Bai Yuan simply dissolved his contract with Xiaoqing.

Even though Bai Yuan was no longer Xiaoqing’s master, she still showed an affectionate expression upon seeing him.

Her huge, snake-like head nudged against Bai Yuan’s leg like a docile puppy.

A look of delight appeared on Qiaoniang’s face when she saw Bai Yuan return.

As the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. She leaped joyfully into Bai Yuan’s arms.

Bai Yuan kissed Qiaoniang’s forehead and then looked towards Xiaoqing.

The Soaring Snake was arguably one of the most powerful beings in the Hundred Demons Painting, even stronger than the Lili.

Of course, the bloodline within Xiaoqing was extremely diluted; she couldn’t compare to the eighth-rank Lili on Shenfu Mountain.

"Brother Yuan, how long can you stay this time?"

Xiao Qiaoniang blinked, her eyes full of anticipation.

Bai Yuan stroked Qiaoniang’s hair. "I should be able to stay for a while."

Qiaoniang pressed her face against Bai Yuan’s chest and hummed softly in agreement.

...

They were both Martial Artists, and powerful ones at that. Naturally, their "battle" would not be a short one.

A night of passion followed.

It wasn’t until dawn that a weary Qiaoniang finally fell asleep.

Bai Yuan held Qiaoniang, leaning against the headboard.

He looked at his panel.

[Name: Bai Yuan]

[Occupation: Demon Hunter, Sword Ghost, Boxer, Spirit Cooker, Skin Painter]

[Skills: Chaotic Blood Hidden Tiger Saber (Proficient), Manggu Zhuhe Technique (Initiate), Demon Mimicry Technique (Initiate), Spirit-Taking (Master), Spirit-Seizing Technique (Master)...]

[Enhancement Points: 4376]

During his recent battles, Bai Yuan had been studying the Demon Mimicry Technique.

As one of the three major branches of Demon Hunters, the Demon Mimicry lineage was naturally extraordinary.

Qiaoniang had spent many years in the Southern Border, the main base of the Demon Hunters, so she knew a lot about them.

Demon Hunters were divided into three lineages: Demon-Seeking, Demon-Controlling, and Demon Mimicry. Zhou Siming, who possessed the Ten Thousand Demons Painting, belonged to the Demon-Seeking Lineage, while Liang E and Qiaoniang were naturally from the Demon-Controlling Lineage.

Besides these two lineages, there was also the Demon Mimicry lineage.

The so-called Demon Mimicry was, in fact, a cultivation technique developed by ancient Demon Hunters who imitated demons in order to survive their life-and-death struggles.

Later, the Demon Mimicry lineage continued to evolve. Great Achievers could even transform directly into ancient beasts—a feat comparable to the power of gods.

Of course, for an ordinary Demon Hunter, it was really just about imitating a demon’s abilities.

Take Sanka, for example. He imitated a Leopard Demon, which was why he was so agile, no less so than a Martial Artist who specialized in Body Techniques.

The Demon Mimicry lineage was also the one with the strongest individual combatants among the Demon Hunters.

Bai Yuan was really looking forward to seeing the results of learning the Demon Mimicry Technique.

’Allocate points!’