The memories of all humanity are awakening, except for mine.

Mu Qingling looked surprised, but then she seemed to understand.

She understood that although Jiang Chuan's strategy seemed risky, it could disrupt the plans of the Southern Region aristocratic families and expose their conspiracy to the light of day.

“Okay, I’ll listen to you,” Mu Qingling said firmly, confident that with their combined strength, there would be no problem.

Just as Jiang Chuan and Mu Qingling were discussing new strategies, the battle in Liuying Town was still raging.

Princess Zhao Ling'er, wielding the exquisitely crafted spirit weapon Jade Linglong, meticulously crafted for her by Zhao Dun, engaged in a thrilling battle with three black-robed swordsmen.

Zhao Ling'er was agile and graceful, like a resilient rose blooming amidst the flames of war.

Each time she swung the jade pendant, it brought up a sharp gust of wind, and the spiritual light flashing on the jade pendant was as dazzling as stars.

Although the three black-robed swordsmen cooperated well and their swordsmanship was fierce, they gradually showed signs of fatigue under Zhao Ling'er's fierce attacks.

With her cultivation at the Zhiwei realm and the powerful strength of the Jade Linglong, Zhao Ling'er successfully suppressed the three assassins.

Her calm and collected demeanor, coupled with the precision of each of her attacks, made it difficult for the black-robed swordsmen to defend themselves.

Meanwhile, on another part of the battlefield, the battle between Zhao Dun and Huang Yaoshi's primordial spirits had reached a fever pitch.

Zhao Dun exuded a powerful aura of sword energy, like a towering mountain, inspiring awe in all who beheld him. His eyes were like lightning, fixed intently on Huang Laoxie, as he slowly raised his long sword, the light on its blade growing ever more dazzling.

"Heaven and earth unite as one, all phenomena are boundless!" Zhao Dun roared, unleashing the third move of the Boundless Blade Technique. In an instant, the blade's energy shook the space, as if it were about to tear the entire world apart.

The powerful force spread outwards, shattering surrounding houses and trees, sending dust flying everywhere.

Huang Yaoshi's expression was solemn. He knew the power of this move and dared not be careless in the slightest.

He abruptly plunged the evil sword in his hand into the ground, instantly transforming himself into the sword's true form. A dense black sword aura erupted from his body, clashing with Zhao Dun's blade energy.

The black sword energy surged towards Zhao Dun and Zhao Ling'er like a surging black tide.

Seeing this, a resolute glint flashed in Zhao Dun's eyes. He forcibly withdrew his attack at the crucial moment. Although he was backfired by the true energy and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, he still managed to protect Zhao Ling'er.

"Ling'er, watch out!" Zhao Dun shouted, wielding his longsword to deflect the black sword energy rushing towards Zhao Ling'er. Zhao Ling'er quickly adjusted her stance, brandishing her Jade Linglong sword, and fought alongside Zhao Dun.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Huang Yaoshi attacked Zhao Dun's vulnerable heart and lungs with his evil sword. The evil sword, like a black lightning bolt, instantly pierced towards Zhao Dun. Zhao Dun coldly snorted, and the blade energy on his body suddenly intensified, firmly suppressing the evil sword's attack.

"Hmph, you think you can hurt me?" Zhao Dun roared and unleashed his most powerful strike.

This strike embodied his life's work and profound understanding of swordsmanship. A flash of light, like a shooting star piercing the night sky, carried boundless power as it slashed towards Huang Yaoshi.

With a deafening boom, Huang Yaoshi was struck by the blade and sent flying like a kite with a broken string. He crashed heavily to the ground, spitting out blood and severely injured.

"You...you wait!" Huang Laoxie struggled to his feet, glared fiercely at Zhao Dun, then turned and, dragging his injured body, disappeared into the night.

After the battle, Liuying Town was in ruins. Houses collapsed, and the streets were filled with thick smoke and the stench of blood. Zhao Dun and Zhao Ling'er stood amidst the ruins, gazing at the scene before them, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.

"Uncle, we..." Zhao Ling'er's voice trembled slightly, her face still showing the exhaustion and fear from the battle.

Zhao Dun gently patted Zhao Ling'er's shoulder and comforted her, "It's alright, Ling'er. Everything is over."

The two went to a relatively quiet place and sat down.

Zhao Dun looked at Zhao Ling'er with great concern and said, "Ling'er, before heading south to Heyang City, I had a secret talk with the Director of the Imperial Observatory. He said that I had a chance of survival if I went south, but I never expected that I would encounter so many assassination attempts along the way."

Zhao Ling'er frowned slightly and asked, "Uncle, who do you think is behind this?"

Zhao Dun pondered for a moment and slowly said, "I have always believed that Marquis Mu Suifeng of Heyang is an upright person and that he would not rebel. But all that has happened now makes me suspect that there are other forces behind the scenes stirring things up."

Zhao Ling'er sighed and said, "Ever since Father was bewitched by Consort Xiang, the court has been controlled by Minister He Zongtang and Grand Eunuch Wang Yong. The Yan Kingdom is no longer the Yan Kingdom it used to be."

Zhao Dun nodded, his thoughts drifting back to his earlier years.

"Back then, I was enfeoffed as the Duke of Cheng, ruling over nine cities, how prestigious I was. But when I returned to Handan, I was assassinated multiple times. If it weren't for my swordsmanship and the protection of my Taoist secrets, I would probably have lost my life long ago."

Zhao Dun sighed and said, "The situation in Yan has changed dramatically over the years. My trip south to Heyang is to find the truth and restore peace to Yan."

Zhao Ling'er looked at Zhao Dun with admiration in her eyes: "Uncle, I am willing to follow you. No matter what difficulties we encounter, I will not back down."

Zhao Dun smiled slightly and said, "Alright, I feel much more at ease with you by my side. Let's travel through the night to Heyang."

Zhao Dun and Zhao Ling'er also packed their bags and set off towards Heyang.

As night fell as black as ink, Jiang Chuan and Mu Qingling, propelled by the full speed of the Nine-Colored Spirit Deer, moved like ghosts across the mountain paths, finally escaping the harrowing pursuit that had gripped Liuying Town.

They ran wildly, the wind whistling in their ears.

A peaceful village appeared before them.

Jiang Chuan and Mu Qingling stopped at the village entrance, their tired bodies and tense nerves finally finding some relief. They found a secluded corner to rest and tidy their clothes.

Jiang Chuan looked at Mu Qingling in front of him. Her hair was a little messy, and her clothes were stained with dust and blood, but her eyes showed a kind of tenacity.

“Qingling, we can’t go on like this.” Jiang Chuan broke the silence, saying wearily, “We kept a low profile before, trying to avoid the pursuit of the Southern Region families, but we didn’t expect that this would fall into their trap. They knew we would hide, and laid many traps in the dark, making it impossible for us to defend ourselves.”

Mu Qingling nodded slightly, her eyes focused on Jiang Chuan. "Therefore, we must change our strategy."

Jiang Chuan stood up, his gaze fixed firmly on the distance. "From now on, we will act with great fanfare, make a big scene, and let everyone see the ugly conspiracy of the Southern Region aristocratic families. Only in this way can we disrupt their plans and expose their conspiracy to the light of day."

Mu Qingling replied without hesitation, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

After resting for a while, the two rode the nine-colored spirit deer and continued their journey towards Heyang City.

The lithe deer's graceful figure stood out in the morning light, attracting the attention of passersby wherever it went.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in Heyang City was as tense as a fully drawn bowstring, ready to explode at any moment. Upon learning that his younger sister, Mu Qingling, had been ambushed by the Du family in Dushan and her fate was unknown, Mu Chen, Mu Suifeng's eldest son, was overwhelmed by a torrent of anger that instantly consumed his reason.

His eyes were bloodshot, like a mad beast, as he paced back and forth in the tent, each step making a loud thud on the ground.

"The Du family dares to be so audacious!" Mu Chen said through gritted teeth, his voice filled with anger and killing intent. "I will raze the Du family to the ground and avenge Qingling!" With that, he waved his hand, gathered a hundred riders, and prepared to set off immediately.

Lu Zheng, Mu Qingling's bodyguard, was seriously injured and his wounds were still bleeding, but he endured the pain and rushed back to the camp at all costs.

His face was as pale as paper, and he staggered as he spoke pitifully.

“Young Master, the Princess…” Lu Zhenggang began to speak, but then he couldn’t help coughing, and blood flowed down the corner of his mouth.

Seeing this, Mu Chen quickly stepped forward to support him and asked anxiously, "Lu Zheng, how is Qingling? Tell me quickly!"

Lu Zheng took a few breaths, mustered his strength, and told Mu Chen everything that had happened in Dushan. Upon hearing this, Mu Chen was furious. He drew his long sword from his waist and slammed it into the table beside him. With a "crack," the table was split in two.

"Du Qian, Du Ming, I will make you pay for your crimes in blood!" Mu Chen roared, his voice echoing in the tent, making everyone's eardrums ache.

Inside the city lord's mansion, Mu Suifeng stood alone in the hall, staring at the map of Yan Kingdom hanging on the wall, his brows furrowed and his face full of worry.

His eyes flickered, as if he were contemplating the future of the Yan Kingdom, or as if he were weighing his every move.

He knew that the Yan Kingdom was currently in a precarious situation, and both internal wars and border conflicts would bring enormous crises to the country.

Situ He Zongtang had already smeared him with the accusation that the beast Zhu Yan had appeared, and Prince Yan Zhao Heng, believing the slander, ordered him to be killed.

This put him in a dilemma: if he did not rebel, he and everyone involved with him would die without a burial place; if he did rebel, there would be a civil war between the north and south, the Great Wall on the border would not be able to be defended, and neighboring countries such as Qi, Zheng, and Song might take the opportunity to invade.

"Is the Yan Kingdom really going to fall into this terrible civil war?" Mu Suifeng murmured to himself.

He thought of Zhao Dun, the Duke of Yan, hoping that he could stand on his side and perhaps things would turn around.

However, Zhao Dun had been ousted from the capital by Prince Zhao Heng of Yan and had taken the sixth princess south, his whereabouts unknown.

Mu Suifeng then thought of a powerful figure in the martial arts world, a man of extraordinary strength and high prestige.

But people in the martial arts world usually don't care about the disputes in the imperial court, and he didn't know how to persuade this powerful figure.

"If I could get his help, perhaps I could resolve this crisis," Mu Suifeng thought to himself, but then shook his head, feeling that the chances were slim.

Just as Mu Suifeng was lost in thought, Mu Chen and Lu Zheng rushed back to the City Lord's Mansion. "Father!" Mu Chen shouted as soon as he entered the door, his voice filled with anger and anxiety.

Mu Suifeng turned around and looked at Mu Chen, whose face was full of anger, and Lu Zheng, who was seriously injured. His heart tightened.

"Chen'er, Lu Zheng, what happened? How is Qingling?" he asked hurriedly.

Mu Chen and Lu Zheng told Mu Suifeng about Mu Qingling's ordeal in detail.

Upon hearing this, Mu Suifeng's face instantly turned ashen, his hands clenched into fists, and his knuckles turned white from the force.

"The Du family dares to be so insolent!"

He roared, "Deputy General Chen, immediately lead eight hundred light cavalry to Dushan to meet the princess and bring her back safely!"

Deputy General Chen accepted the order and left. Although Mu Suifeng was worried about his daughter's safety, he felt that Mu Qingling might be safe and sound.

He recalled that when Mu Qingling was seven years old, a wandering Taoist priest passed through Heyang. Upon seeing Mu Qingling, he couldn't help but show surprise, saying that she was destined for greatness and that if she could follow him in cultivation, she would surely achieve great things in the future.

But Mu Suifeng refused the Taoist priest's suggestion, as he couldn't bear to see his daughter leave him.

Now, he can only silently pray in his heart that his daughter will return safely.

On the other side, Jiang Chuan and Mu Qingling rode their nine-colored spirit deer, swaggering along the road to Heyang City.

They deliberately created a stir, attracting passersby to gather around and watch.

The spirit deer emanated a mysterious light, and the two possessed extraordinary and refined qualities, causing a group of unsophisticated townspeople to mistake them for celestial beings descended from heaven, and they were full of praise.

"Look, are those immortals?" A child pointed at Jiang Chuan and Mu Qingling, his eyes filled with curiosity and amazement.

“It must be an immortal, otherwise how could there be such a wondrous spirit deer?” An old man stroked his beard and said with a face full of awe.

Jiang Chuan and Mu Qingling exchanged a glance and couldn't help but smile.

Sunlight streamed onto the cobblestone streets of the town as Jiang Chuan and Mu Qingling rode their nine-colored spirit deer, striding confidently through the town's south gate. The deer's fur shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight, drawing the attention of passersby.

Jiang Chuan straightened his back, his face full of confidence, and turned to look at Mu Qingling: "Qingling, everything will be fine once we return to Heyang City."

Mu Qingling nodded slightly, with a hint of wariness: "I hope so, but the journey has felt too smooth, and I'm a little uneasy."

As soon as they finished speaking, a slight noise came from above.

Jiang Chuan and Mu Qingling looked up at the same time and saw twelve black-clad assassins appear from the roof like ghosts. They held the most powerful long-armed crossbows of the Great Yan Dynasty, and the dark muzzles were pointed downwards.

"Oh no, an ambush!" Jiang Chuan shouted, inwardly cursing his misfortune. He hadn't expected the Southern Region aristocratic families to arrive so quickly.

Almost at the same moment, seventy-two short arrows rained down like a storm.

The nine-colored spirit deer let out a cry, giving an early warning. Jiang Chuan and Mu Qingling reacted quickly. Mu Qingling flicked her wrist, and the Xuanqing spirit shield instantly appeared behind her. With a series of crisp clanging sounds, crossbow bolts struck the spirit shield, scattering sparks everywhere.

Jiang Chuan suddenly turned around, his internal energy surging, and unleashed the Xuan Yu Palm.

He moved his palms rapidly, creating a whistling wind that deflected the crossbow bolts fired from his right.

He secretly rejoiced, thankful that his recent training had improved his strength; otherwise, he would have truly struggled to withstand this sudden attack. (End of Chapter)