Chapter 49

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When Shen Lian went to Jilan Mountain again, the fox spirit father and daughter were nowhere to be found, as if they had never appeared.

The ancient temple was in ruins, with decay visible everywhere, and even the spider webs seemed to have been there for a long time.

That day, he had not noticed at all that the clean and tidy courtyard was actually an illusion, which showed the profound magic of the old fox spirit.

Shen Lian knew that although they had left, he would meet them again sooner or later, and hoped that by then he would have entered the path of immortality.

Mingjian Manor is in the northeast, and the journey from Qingzhou to Mingjian Manor is three thousand miles.

There was no water route, so Shen Lian took the land route.

The country where Shen Lian was located is called Da Wei, with its capital in the north, and it has a tradition of traveling for education. Shen Lian, with a sword at his waist and a fair complexion, clearly looked like a scholar from a wealthy family.

The only thing that seemed odd was that he had no servants with him.

Shen Lian only carried a purse of gold leaves, with nothing else, even simpler than the so-called backpackers of his previous life.

A sudden heavy rain came, and with three hundred miles left to Mingjian Manor, Shen Lian did not want to rush and instead found a family to take shelter from the rain.

The family Shen Lian found was actually an estate, and the three characters "Su Family Fort" were prominently displayed.

His eyes narrowed, and he was moved. The three characters "Su Family Fort" were carved with a single stroke, using some unknown weapon, be it a knife, a stick, or a sword.

They flowed like clouds and water, very natural.

"This family must be from the martial world," Shen Lian thought. Even if they were not from the martial world, the person who carved the characters must have achieved inner qi. Just the natural flow of the three characters, Shen Lian admitted, he could not carve them.

When martial arts reach their peak, they should be connected to the path of immortality.

Shen Lian suddenly had this feeling.

The mystery of the three characters could only be felt by someone as spiritually sensitive as Shen Lian, who could sense the continuous flow of water-like intent. In terms of calligraphy, the characters were not particularly beautiful.

At this moment, Shen Lian was in Su Family Fort, and the hall was already filled with people seeking shelter from the rain.

The spring rain was cold, but the host had thoughtfully lit a stove, dispelling much of the chill.

Among the people, there was a group carrying knives and swords, dressed uniformly, with a fierce and imposing demeanor.

The leader was a young man of about twenty-eight or twenty-nine. Although surrounded by others, he was not the largest, but he had an indescribable aura. Under his tight clothing, Shen Lian could glimpse his vigorous blood qi.

Even with the stove in the hall, Shen Lian, sitting quietly, could sense that this young man himself was like a large stove, truly fitting the description of being full of vigor and blood qi.

Of course, Ling Chongxiao, who had reached the White Tiger stage, could lock most of his blood qi, so it did not leak out, making him look like an ordinary person. If he were to burst out, he would still far surpass this young man.

However, Ling Chongxiao was a remarkable figure, and the young man could be considered a skilled martial artist to be able to compare with him slightly.

Apart from this group, there was a short-haired monk.

When Shen Lian looked at him, the monk also smiled at him, seemingly without any ill intent.

There were also three other people whose origins were unclear, tall and fierce.

These three people were all paying attention to the young man surrounded by the group, their expressions filled with a killing intent, as if they were ready to attack at any moment.

The young man was also secretly observing these three people, his expression stern.

It seemed that both sides had a tacit understanding, waiting for something, and had not yet made a move.

Outside, a spring thunderclap echoed, rumbling continuously.

A young nobleman with a smiling face appeared in the hall.

Despite the storm and the cold, he held a folding fan, exuding an indescribable charm and handsomeness.

In terms of appearance, he was as handsome as Shen Lian, but this young nobleman was more delicate and had a touch of nonchalance.

When the young nobleman entered, the previously fierce-looking people all showed signs of joy.

The three tall, fierce-looking men and the group surrounding the young man all stood up.

The atmosphere was tense, ready to erupt at any moment.

The young nobleman pointed at the young man, his white, jade-like finger visible in the light of the stove and lamps, and no one would think such a person could be dangerous.

"You are Li Zhuang."

His voice was very clear, like the sound of pearls falling on jade.

"I am indeed Li Zhuang of Shunfeng Escort Agency. I don't know who you are, but these three from the Northern Desert, who have been following me, must be related to you," Li Zhuang said with a deep, resonant voice, exuding the demeanor of a great general.

"How do you know these three fools are related to me?" the young nobleman asked lazily.

The three tall, fierce-looking men were the famous Northern Desert Trio, ruthless killers who were top-notch outlaws.

They grew up together, like brothers, and had a set of coordinated attack techniques. Over the years, few people could match them.

However, they had been out of sight for five years, and it was rumored that they had been defeated by Ling Chongxiao, but it turned out they were still alive.

Li Zhuang did not recognize them at first, but after a confrontation, he recognized their martial arts.

He had already lost two of his brothers, feeling deep sorrow but forcing himself to remain calm.

He was puzzled about why the Northern Desert Trio was here to rob the escort.

It was not until the young nobleman appeared that he had some suspicions.

Now, his most important task was to buy time until reinforcements arrived.

"I don't think the Northern Desert Trio would dare to rob my escort," Li Zhuang said, his words carefully chosen to avoid provoking the Northern Desert Trio while subtly probing the young nobleman's background.

"Heh heh, what is Mingjian Manor? This thousand-year ice jade is something our young master must obtain. If you are smart, you will hand it over willingly," the oldest of the Northern Desert Trio said.

Li Zhuang laughed, "I don't know who this young master is, but to make the Northern Desert Trio disregard Mingjian Manor, he must be quite a figure."

The young nobleman, called "young master," smiled slightly, "Who I am, you are not worthy to ask. This thousand-year ice jade is not that special. It's just that Ye Liuyun lacks confidence and wants to use it to pass the Heart-Questioning Path. So-called 'First Nobleman of the Martial World' doesn't seem to be much."

"I dare not call Young Master Liuyun the 'First Nobleman of the Martial World,' nor do I know what the Heart-Questioning Path is, but his knowledge, martial arts, and character are what I respect the most. Young Master must have some misunderstanding about him," Li Zhuang said sternly.

"What misunderstanding could I have? I have never met him in my life. You don't need to buy time. I know you come from Fumo Temple and are the first person in two hundred years to master the Great Vajra Palm before the age of thirty, and you have also reached the sixth level of the Golden Bell Cover. Here's what I propose: I will let you strike me first. If I am unharmed, you will take my strike. If you are injured, give me the item, and I will spare you the trouble of more killing."

...

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