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

"How many more tricks do these people have up their sleeves?!" Mu Qingling said through gritted teeth, her eyes filled with anger.

She knew in her heart that the journey would be fraught with danger, but she did not expect the enemy to be so cunning as to set up an ambush in this seemingly peaceful town.

Before they could catch their breath, ten more assassins appeared ahead, carrying huge demon-locking and spirit-suppressing nets that quickly spread out, attempting to block Jiang Chuan and Mu Qingling's path.

Jiang Chuan frowned as he looked at the predicament before him.

He knew all too well how powerful the Demon-Locking and Spirit-Suppressing Net was; once trapped, one was like a caged beast, with no chance of escape.

At this moment, he felt a warm power emanating from the Nine-Colored Spirit Deer—the power of jade. Supported by this power, Jiang Chuan felt his internal energy surge, successfully breaking through to the Other Shore Realm.

"Light and agile, I'll cut through this net, you block the other attacks!" Jiang Chuan shouted, brandishing his longsword and unleashing "Sword One, Waterfall".

A powerful sword aura surged forth, like a rushing waterfall, rushing towards the Demon-Locking and Spirit-Suppressing Net.

"Alright!" Mu Qingling responded, her Emerald Smoke Sword flashing rapidly, instantly forming a sword formation.

The sword formation flashed, blocking all the crossbow bolts coming from the left.

While fending off the attacks, she looked at Jiang Chuan with worry, silently praying that he could successfully break through the net.

"Boom!" With a loud bang, the Demon-Locking and Spirit-Suppressing Net was cleaved open by Jiang Chuan's sword energy, much to the surprise of the assassins.

But they did not give up and continued to launch attacks.

Amidst wave after wave of attacks, Jiang Chuan and Mu Qingling struggled to resist, relying on their formidable strength and the speed of the Nine-Colored Spirit Deer.

Jiang Chuan's swordsmanship became increasingly fierce, each strike carrying immense power, but the enemy's relentless attacks gradually strained him.

Suddenly, while Jiang Chuan was blocking other attacks, a crossbow bolt struck his shoulder.

Jiang Chuan let out a muffled groan, his clothes instantly stained crimson with blood. However, thanks to the protection of his pure Yang true energy, he successfully withstood the fatal blow.

"Jiang Chuan, how are you!" Mu Qingling exclaimed, her eyes filled with worry.

"I'm fine, don't get distracted, keep breaking through!" Jiang Chuan said through gritted teeth. He endured the pain, urged the Nine-Colored Spirit Deer, and rushed out of the encirclement.

Mu Qingling felt a pang of heartache, but she knew she couldn't panic. She stayed close behind Jiang Chuan, her Jade Smoke Sword flashing incessantly as she shielded him from attacks from behind.

Riding their nine-colored spirit deer, the two charged left and right through the horde of assassins. The deer moved with incredible speed, weaving through the enemy ranks like lightning. Finally, after a fierce battle, they successfully broke through the encirclement.

Jiang Chuan and Mu Qingling dared not linger and continued riding the nine-colored spirit deer at breakneck speed.

Their figures sped past on the official road, kicking up a cloud of dust.

After running for an unknown amount of time, a well-organized horse team appeared ahead.

Jiang Chuan and Mu Qingling were overjoyed; they recognized it as the military flag of Heyang City. It turned out to be reinforcements sent by Mu Suifeng—800 light cavalry led by Chen Deng.

Chen Deng rode a tall, magnificent horse at the head of the procession. He recognized Mu Qingling at a glance and quickly spurred his horse forward to greet her.

"Princess, you're safe and sound!" Chen Deng said excitedly.

Mu Qingling breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Deputy General Chen, thank goodness you arrived in time. This is Jiang Chuan; he saved me."

Chen Deng looked at Jiang Chuan, his eyes filled with gratitude: "Young Master Jiang, thank you for saving the princess. The city lord was extremely anxious when he learned that the princess was in danger, and specially ordered me to lead men to come and rescue her."

Jiang Chuan smiled slightly and said, "Vice General Chen, you're too kind. It's great to see you all safe and sound."

He secretly rejoiced that he had finally escaped the assassins' pursuit and felt relieved that he was about to arrive in Heyang City.

Under Chen Deng's guidance, Jiang Chuan and Mu Qingling successfully returned to Heyang City.

Eight hundred light cavalrymen entered the city in perfect unison, their hoofbeats echoing through the streets, causing a sensation among the people of Heyang City.

This was the third time the people of Heyang City had witnessed such a magnificent cavalry procession entering the city: the first time was when Prince Muchen entered, the second time was when Chen Deng left, and the third time was when Mu Qingling returned safely. The people flocked to the streets, their faces beaming with joy as they watched the returning procession.

At the same time, a luxurious carriage pulled by Jiang Lu slowly entered Heyang City. The driver, dressed in a straw raincoat, held an ancient sword in his arms, his eyes deep and seemingly all-knowing. The owner inside the carriage nodded slightly, as if he had expected all of this.

Mu Qingling and Jiang Chuan arrived at the City Lord's Mansion with the group. Mu Suifeng had been anxiously waiting in the mansion, and seeing Mu Qingling return safely, his heart finally settled.

"Qingling, you're finally back!" Mu Suifeng rushed forward and hugged Mu Qingling tightly.

With tears in her eyes, Mu Qingling said, "Father, I'm sorry to have worried you."

Mu Suifeng released Mu Qingling, looked at Jiang Chuan, and said gratefully, "Young Master Jiang, thank you for saving my daughter. I will never forget your great kindness."

Jiang Chuan quickly replied, "Lord Mu, you're too kind. This is what I should do."

Inside Heyang City, although Mu Qingling's safe return temporarily stabilized the situation, both Jiang Chuan and Mu Qingling knew that the impending conflict had only just begun.

They rested in the city lord's mansion, but in their hearts they were thinking about their next move.

Jiang Chuan lay on the bed in his room, the wound on his shoulder already bandaged, but his thoughts were far from calm.

He thought of the assassins' ruthlessness and the conspiracies of the Southern Region's powerful families, and a sense of unease crept into his heart. He knew that although he and Mu Qingling were safe for the time being, there were likely more things to come.

Mu Qingling was also in her room. She sat by the window, gazing at the night sky, her heart filled with worry. She knew the predicament her father faced, and she also knew that the situation within Yan was precarious.

West of Heyang City, the Piaoxiang Pavilion stands tall, its flying eaves and brackets gleaming in the sunlight.

This is one of the most bustling restaurants in the city, famous for its "ten-mile fragrance" wine.

At this moment, the restaurant was bustling with activity, with everyone sitting around, all captivated by the storyteller on the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, listen to my story about the Northern War seventy years ago. It was a truly earth-shattering and awe-inspiring battle!" The storyteller, holding a folding fan, vividly recounted the events, his eyes brimming with passion.

In a private room on the second floor, Yu Youwei sat alone by the window, with a table full of fine wines and delicacies in front of her.

She was graceful and elegant, her gorgeous dress exuding a noble air. Her features were exquisite, revealing an innate charm and mystery.

Beside her, a deaf-mute swordsman in a straw raincoat silently guarded her.

Yu Youwei picked up her wine glass, took a small sip, and looked out the window toward the Du residence in the distance.

At this moment, Mu Chen was leading eight hundred light cavalry, marching menacingly towards the Du residence. Yu Youwei watched all this, a faint smile playing on her lips, as if she were watching a meticulously crafted drama. "Sir," Yu Youwei suddenly spoke, her clear and melodious voice breaking the tranquility of the private room.

"Tell me, if Xian Zhen were to lead 60,000 ghost soldiers out of the mountains, could Heyang City and Hulao Pass withstand them?"

Upon hearing this, not only was the storyteller stunned, but the other diners present also cast surprised glances at him.

The question was sudden and bold, making people curious about the identity and purpose of this mysterious woman.

The storyteller quickly recovered, closed his folding fan, and said with a smile, "Miss, this question has truly stumped me. However, in my opinion, although Xian Zhen is a genius, Heyang City and Hulao Pass are strategically important and heavily guarded, so he may not necessarily be unable to withstand us."

Yu Youwei smiled softly, said nothing more, and continued to look out the window. She thought to herself that the situation in Heyang City was becoming increasingly interesting, and Mu Chen's actions were likely to stir up quite a storm.

She was not surprised by Mu Chen's actions; in fact, it was all within her expectations.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere inside the Du family mansion was extremely tense. Although the Du family, as one of the ten great families of the Southern Region, was no longer as glorious as it once was, it was still a force to be reckoned with and possessed a certain degree of resilience.

The fourth gate of the Du residence was guarded by Du Hui, the eldest son of the Du family patriarch, leading two hundred elite guards.

Du Hui, dressed in a scholar's robe and holding a long sword, stood with a cold and stern expression. He had studied at the Jixia Academy in Qi State and was a master of Confucian swordsmanship, not only possessing superb swordsmanship but also being adept at the eloquence of the Confucian school. At this moment, he stood in front of the gate, watching Mu Chen and his group rushing towards him in the distance, secretly calculating his countermeasures.

"Young Master, Mu Chen is coming with great force. How should we deal with him?" A bodyguard stepped forward and asked anxiously.

Du Hui frowned and said, "Don't panic, let's see how things go first. I don't believe that Mu Chen would dare to disregard the consequences and wipe out our Du family."

Mu Chen, along with eight hundred light cavalry, Mu Qingling, Jiang Chuan, and others, quickly arrived at the fourth gate of the Du residence.

He held the Huangshan sword in his hand, its blade gleaming coldly and exuding a chilling aura.

"Du Hui, do you recognize this sword?" Mu Chen asked loudly, his voice echoing in the air like a booming bell.

Du Hui looked closely and was shocked. He recognized the sword as Du Qian's sword.

But he quickly calmed down and cupped his hands, saying, "Young Master Mu, I naturally recognize this sword. However, Du Qian's actions were actually instigated by a villain, and I hope Young Master Mu will investigate thoroughly."

Hearing this, Mu Qingling was instantly enraged. "Du Hui, stop making excuses! Du Qian tried to kill me, and this score must be settled today!"

Jiang Chuan looked at Du Hui and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Young Master Du, your Confucian rhetoric is probably useless today. You have to pay the price for your mistakes."

Du Hui's expression changed slightly. He knew that a conflict today was probably unavoidable. But as a master of Confucian swordsmanship, how could he easily back down? "Since that's the case, then don't blame me for being impolite!"

As Du Hui spoke, he brandished his longsword and assumed a defensive stance.

"Kill!" Chen Deng struck first, wielding his halberd and charging towards Du Hui like a tiger. Du Hui quickly raised his sword to defend, and the two instantly engaged in a fierce battle.

For a moment, the flash of swords and the shouts of killing shook the sky.

Although the Du family's elite guards were brave, they gradually succumbed to the crushing force of eight hundred light cavalry.

After several rounds of attacks, Du Hui had sustained multiple injuries and his steps became unsteady.

"Du Hui, prepare to die!" Chen Deng shouted, thrusting out his halberd. Du Hui was unable to dodge and was pierced in the chest by the halberd, falling heavily to the ground.

"Young Master!" the assassins exclaimed in surprise upon seeing this.

But their cries could not change the course of the battle; the silver-armored army surged into the inner palace like a tide and continued their slaughter.

Du Chu, the head of the Du family, witnessed all of this from his villa.

His eyes were filled with despair and resentment. He never expected that Mu Chen would be so ruthless, driving the Du family to the brink of despair.

"Mu Chen, you dare to kill someone from my Du family! Lord He Zongtang will not let you get away with this!" Du Chu shouted hoarsely, trying to threaten Mu Chen.

Mu Chen sneered, his eyes full of disdain: "Du Chu, even now, you still think you can use He Zongtang to intimidate me? Today is the end of your Du family!"

As he spoke, he held the Huangshan sword and walked step by step toward Du Chu.

Du Chu watched Mu Chen approach step by step, his heart filled with fear. He wanted to escape, but his legs felt like lead, and he couldn't move.

"You...you can't kill me!"

Mu Chen ignored his pleas for mercy, and with a swift movement of his sword, a flash of cold light pierced Du Chu's chest. Du Chu's eyes widened, seemingly unable to believe that his century-old legacy had been destroyed in an instant.

Looking at Du Chu lying on the ground, Mu Chen's anger finally subsided a little.

He ordered his men to clean the Huangshan sword and return it to Jiang Chuan, and then bestowed Du Chu's beautiful concubine upon his men.

"Let's go back to the City Lord's Mansion!" With that order, Mu Chen led his slightly damaged light cavalry and stormed away from the Du Mansion.

At this moment, the Du residence was engulfed in flames, thick smoke billowing out, and cries and shouts mingled together, sending chills down one's spine.

In the Fragrant Pavilion, Yu Youwei witnessed the entire process of the Du family's downfall.

The complex smile remained on her face.

She never expected that Mu Chen would be so decisive and brave, uprooting the Du family so quickly.

“Interesting, very interesting.” Yu Youwei murmured softly. She knew that this conflict was just the beginning, and the contradictions between the Marquis of Heyang and the aristocratic families of the Southern Region had been completely intensified.

Yu Youwei stood up, straightened her clothes, and said to the swordsman in the straw raincoat beside her, "Let's go." With that, she left Piaoxiang Pavilion with light steps.

The sky over Heyang City seemed to be shrouded in a layer of gloom, and the aftershocks of Mu Chen leading eight hundred light cavalry to raze the Du Mansion were still rippled.

Mu Chen stood in the courtyard of the city lord's mansion, his face still showing signs of fatigue from the battle, but his expression remained fierce.

He gazed in the direction of the Du residence, his anger still not completely subsided.

"Someone come here!" Mu Chen shouted, his voice echoing in the courtyard.

A soldier rushed over and knelt on one knee: "What are your orders, young master?"

"Bring Du Hui's wife out here, drag her naked behind the horse, and parade her through the streets!" Mu Chen said coldly, without a trace of pity in his voice.

The soldier's face showed shock upon hearing this, but he quickly regained his composure: "Yes, sir!" (End of Chapter)