In the end times, many children bring more blessings. I pick up a goddess every day.

"Unusual activity?" Liu Yang raised an eyebrow. "What counts as unusual activity?"

"It's just that... if you go to the Zhao family or Luoxia Mountain, you must immediately return to the manor to report!" The cultivator dared not hide anything and blurted it all out. "The patriarch also said that if you attack us, we should not resist but hurry back to report!"

Liu Yang released his grip, and the cultivator rubbed his aching wrist, his face deathly pale. He hadn't expected this person to be not only strong but also so ruthless. Fortunately, the patriarch had instructed him beforehand not to resist, otherwise he might have truly perished here today.

“Go back and tell Li Hong,” Liu Yang’s eyes turned colder, “not to send anyone to keep an eye on me anymore, otherwise, I don’t mind going to Li’s residence to talk to him in person.”

The two cultivators felt as if they had been granted a pardon. They nodded hurriedly, turned around and ran towards the Li residence, their steps even a little unsteady.

Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Su Qingyao whispered, "Master, is Li Hong staring at us like that because of Li Hao? Or is he actually afraid that we'll come into contact with the Zhao family?"

The two walked north along the main street. The closer they got to the Northern Region's family district, the fewer cultivators there were, replaced by guards in uniform. Most of these guards were Qi Refining cultivators.

Liu Yang withdrew his spiritual sense, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes: "The Zhao family's protective formation is stronger than I imagined, and the barrier on the west side was obviously added recently. It seems they are indeed preparing for the Ice Thunder Token."

Just then, a black carriage approached from afar, flanked by eight Foundation Establishment cultivators, exuding an imposing aura, clearly important figures from the Zhao family. The carriage stopped in front of the Zhao residence, the door opened, and an elderly man in a black robe stepped out, his face stern and his eyes sharp—it was none other than Zhao Qian, the Zhao family elder Bai Song had mentioned earlier.

Just as Zhao Qian was about to step through the gate, his gaze suddenly swept over Liu Yang and Su Qingyao, and his eyes immediately turned wary: "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Su Qingyao's heart tightened, and she subconsciously leaned closer to Liu Yang. Zhao Qian was at the peak of the late Foundation Establishment stage, half a level higher than Liu Yang's current cultivation. If they really fought, they might not have the upper hand.

Liu Yang remained calm and cupped his hands in greeting: "I am Liu Yang. I was just passing by when I heard that the Zhao family is a prominent family in Qingyang City, so I thought I would like to stop and take a look. I have no other intentions."

Zhao Qian stared at Liu Yang for a moment, his eyes full of scrutiny: "Passing by? Qingyang City is so big, why did you have to pass by the Zhao residence? I think you have ulterior motives!" As soon as he finished speaking, eight Foundation Establishment cultivators immediately surrounded Liu Yang and Su Qingyao, their magical artifacts flashing with spiritual light, ready to make a move at any time.

Su Qingyao's face turned pale, and she quietly gripped the jade pendant at her waist—this was her last life-saving artifact, which might be of some help if a fight really broke out.

Liu Yang remained calm, his eyes turning colder: "Elder Zhao, are you going to make a move? I was just passing by and did not offend the Zhao family. Does Elder Zhao intend to bully us?"

"So what if you bully others with your power?" Zhao Qian sneered. "In Qingyang City, what the Zhao family wants to do is none of the business of outsiders! I find your behavior suspicious; you might be a spy sent by the Li family. I'll arrest you today and take you to Li Hong to demand an explanation!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a cultivator suddenly thrust his sword at Liu Yang. The sword was crackling with spiritual energy, clearly indicating that he was using his full strength. Liu Yang dodged to the side, raised his hand, and unleashed a burst of spiritual energy that struck the cultivator's wrist, causing him to drop his sword to the ground in pain.

"Attack!" Zhao Qian roared, and the eight cultivators attacked simultaneously, their magical artifacts illuminating the surrounding air. Liu Yang pulled Su Qingyao back a few steps, his spiritual energy forming a barrier in front of him, blocking the cultivators' attacks.

"Elder Zhao," Liu Yang's voice carried a hint of coldness, "I'll say it again, I am not a spy for the Li family, nor do I have any intention of being an enemy of the Zhao family. If you push me too far, don't blame me for being impolite!"

"You're too kind?" Zhao Qian sneered. "You? You dare to say such things to me! Today I'll see what you're really capable of!" As he spoke, a black longsword appeared in his hand, crackling with lightning, clearly a high-level magic weapon.

Su Qingyao's expression changed drastically when she saw the sword in Zhao Qian's hand: "Master, that's the Thunderclap Sword! It's the Zhao family's heirloom, containing the power of lightning, and its power is immense. You must be careful!"

Zhao Qian gripped the Thunderclap Sword and slashed at Liu Yang. A bolt of purple lightning shot out from the sword, accompanied by a deafening roar, and instantly reached Liu Yang. Liu Yang dared not be careless. He condensed his spiritual energy into an invisible sword, which collided with the lightning, producing a loud bang that shook the surrounding air.

"You've got some skill." Zhao Qian's eyes narrowed. He hadn't expected this person to be able to withstand his Thunderclap Sword. "However, that's not enough!" He swung his sword again, and this time the lightning was even more powerful than before. The purple light illuminated the entire street, attracting even the guards patrolling in the distance.

Liu Yang sensed the power of the lightning and knew he couldn't take it head-on. He quickly pulled Su Qingyao back, while simultaneously unleashing several streams of spiritual energy to form multiple layers of barriers in front of them. The lightning struck the barriers, producing crackling sounds, and three layers of the barriers shattered instantly, while the remaining two layers were on the verge of collapse.

"Master, this can't go on!" Su Qingyao said urgently, looking at the increasingly intense lightning. "Zhao Qian's cultivation is higher than yours, and he's also empowered by the Thunderclap Sword. We're no match for him! Let's retreat!"

Liu Yang remained silent, his gaze fixed on the Thunderclap Sword in Zhao Qian's hand, a knowing glint in his eyes. While the Thunderclap Sword was powerful, each use consumed a significant amount of spiritual energy. Zhao Qian had already swung the sword three times in succession, his aura clearly unstable. If he could hold out a little longer, his opponent would reveal a weakness.

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from afar, and a voice shouted, "Elder Zhao, stop! The patriarch has ordered you to return to the manor immediately!"

Zhao Qian frowned and looked in the direction of the sound. He saw a member of the Zhao family riding up on horseback, looking flustered. He hesitated for a moment, then finally sheathed his Thunderclap Sword and looked coldly at Liu Yang: "Consider yourself lucky today. If I see you loitering near the Zhao residence again, I will not let you off!"

After saying that, he led eight cultivators into the Zhao residence. The gate slowly closed, leaving only Liu Yang and Su Qingyao standing there.

Su Qingyao breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead: "That was close. Luckily, the Zhao family members arrived in time, otherwise we might have really been doomed here today."

Liu Yang remained vigilant, his eyes still fixed on the gate of the Zhao residence: "Zhao Qian suddenly withdrew not because of the patriarch's orders, but because his spiritual power was almost exhausted. Moreover, the way he looked at me just now clearly showed fear, as if he knew who I was."

"They know who you are?" Su Qingyao was stunned. "That's impossible! You've never been to Qingyang City before, how would the Zhao family know you?"

“Perhaps they don’t recognize me, but rather something about me.” Liu Yang touched the storage pouch at his waist, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. “Or perhaps they actually knew I would come to Qingyang City, which is why they set up surveillance at the city gates in advance.”

Su Qingyao felt increasingly uneasy: "Master, do you think it's possible that... someone deliberately leaked your whereabouts to the Zhao family? And this person might even know that you're looking for the Ice Thunder Token?"

Liu Yang nodded; this was indeed the most likely scenario. He had set off from the far north, being extremely cautious along the way, and hadn't noticed anyone following him. Yet the Zhao family knew his attire and entourage beforehand, and even knew he would come to Qingyang City. There was definitely someone pulling the strings behind the scenes.

"Let's go check out Luoxia Mountain first." Liu Yang turned and walked towards Luoxia Mountain in the north of the city. "The west side of the Zhao Mansion is the passage to the forbidden area, and the forbidden area is connected to Luoxia Mountain. Maybe we can find clues there."

Su Qingyao quickly followed, and the two walked along the path towards Luoxia Mountain. The higher they went, the denser the spiritual energy became, and the surrounding trees grew taller and taller. Occasionally, they could hear the roars of demonic beasts, indicating that few people came here.

After walking for about half an hour, a medicinal garden suddenly appeared ahead. The garden was surrounded by a high fence with a defensive array on top, and occasionally one could see cultivators dressed in cyan outfits patrolling – it was the Li family's medicinal garden.

“I didn’t expect the Li family’s medicine garden to be here.” Su Qingyao lowered her voice. “The location of the medicine garden is right opposite the cave in Luoxia Mountain. It seems that Bai Song was right. The Li family is indeed monitoring the Zhao family’s forbidden area.”

Liu Yang released his spiritual sense to discreetly investigate the interior of the herb garden. The garden was filled with various spiritual herbs, but there wasn't a single gardener in sight. Instead, many cultivators were hidden in the shadows, their eyes fixed on the direction of Mount Luoxia. Even stranger, there was an artificial hill in the center of the garden, and the spiritual energy beneath it fluctuated abnormally, clearly indicating the presence of a secret passage.

“The secret passage leading to the Zhao family’s forbidden area should be located beneath the artificial hill.” Liu Yang withdrew his spiritual sense, a knowing glint in his eyes. “The Li family built the herb garden here, ostensibly to cultivate spiritual herbs, but in reality, it was to infiltrate the Zhao family’s forbidden area through the secret passage and seize the Ice Thunder Token.”

Just then, a quarrel broke out in the herb garden, and a familiar voice rang out: "Why won't you let me in? This is the Li family's herb garden, I can go in whenever I want!"

Liu Yang and Su Qingyao exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes—it was Li Hao's voice!

The two quietly approached the herb garden, hiding behind a large tree and peeking through the gaps in the fence. They saw Li Hao arguing with several Li family cultivators, his face flushed red, clearly very angry.

"Third Young Master, the Patriarch has ordered that no one is allowed to enter the herb garden now, not even you!" A cultivator said firmly. "The Patriarch also said that if you insist on going in, you will be tied up and sent back to the manor!"

"How could my father do this!" Li Hao exclaimed angrily. "It's just a run-down herb garden! What's there to keep secret? I think you're all deliberately trying to oppose me!"

As he spoke, he tried to force his way into the herb garden, but was stopped by the cultivators. The two sides were locked in a stalemate when Li Hao suddenly spotted Liu Yang and Su Qingyao outside the fence. His eyes lit up immediately: "Liu Yang! What are you doing here? Quickly teach these people a lesson and make them move aside!"

Liu Yang frowned, not expecting to run into Li Hao here. This kid not only didn't know his own limitations, but he also seemed to know how to cause trouble. If he really helped him, he might expose his whereabouts.

"Third Young Master, please watch your words." Liu Yang didn't move, his tone calm. "We are not related, why should I help you?"

Li Hao was taken aback, clearly not expecting Liu Yang to refuse him. His eyes darted around, and he suddenly smiled, "If you help me get in, I'll tell you a secret! The secret about the Zhao family's forbidden area and the Ice Thunder Token!"

A hint of interest flashed in Liu Yang's eyes: "What secret? Tell me first."

"No!" Li Hao shook his head. "What if you don't help me if I tell you? You get me in first, then I'll tell you!"

Liu Yang stared at Li Hao for a moment, making sure he didn't seem to be lying, before turning to Su Qingyao and saying, "You wait here, I'll be right back."

Su Qingyao nodded. She knew Liu Yang's strength and that he could handle any danger. However, she was still a little worried—Li Hao was unreliable and might play some tricks.

Liu Yang walked to the entrance of the herb garden and looked at the cultivator blocking Li Hao: "Let him in."

The cultivators exchanged glances, clearly not taking Liu Yang seriously: "Who are you? How dare you interfere in the Li family's affairs? Get out of our way, or don't blame us for being impolite!"

Without a word, Liu Yang raised his hand and unleashed a burst of spiritual energy, instantly sending several cultivators flying, leaving them lying on the ground, unable to move in pain. Seeing this, Li Hao quickly ran into the herb garden, heading towards the artificial hill.

"Liu Yang, come with me!" Li Hao called out as he turned around, without stopping.

Liu Yang frowned, but still followed. He wanted to see what secret Li Hao knew, or whether this was actually a trap set by the Li family.

The two arrived in front of the artificial hill. Li Hao reached out and pressed on the artificial hill, which suddenly opened, revealing a dark passage.

"Look, this is the secret passage leading to the Zhao family's forbidden area!" Li Hao said proudly. "I discovered it by chance; my father doesn't even know about it yet!"

Liu Yang looked at the passage, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. This passage was obviously dug recently, and the surrounding spiritual energy fluctuations were very unstable, as if someone had tampered with it.

"What about the secret you mentioned?" Liu Yang didn't go in, but stared at Li Hao.

Li Hao chuckled, then suddenly took a step back and reached out to close the artificial rockery: "The secret is—you've been tricked! This is a trap my father set to lure you in!"

Liu Yang's eyes turned cold. He raised his hand and used a burst of spiritual energy to wrap around Li Hao's wrist, preventing him from closing the artificial hill: "Li Hong was indeed plotting against me. Did you think you could trap me like this?"

"It wasn't my father who plotted against you, it was the Zhao family!" Li Hao said urgently. "My father said that the Zhao family knew you were coming to find the Ice Thunder Token, and they even joined forces with the Wang family to set a trap in the forbidden area to kill you! My father asked me to lure you in, but actually it was to save you!"

Liu Yang frowned. Li Hao's words were half true and half false; he didn't know whether to believe them. Just then, footsteps suddenly echoed through the passage, and a familiar voice rang out: "Fellow Daoist Liu Yang, how have you been?"

Liu Yang looked up and saw Bai Song walking out of the passage, holding a compass in his hand and smiling.

"Bai Song?" Liu Yang's eyes turned cold. "What are you doing here?"

"Fellow Daoist, don't be nervous, I'm here to help you." Bai Song put away the compass and cupped his hands in greeting. "The Zhao family and the Wang family have joined forces to set a trap in the forbidden area to kill you. After Li Hong found out, he sent me to inform you and take you away through the secret passage."