This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

The inscription ended abruptly there. If Xiao Xingchen had initially found the inscription somewhat amusing, after reading it all, his heart suddenly sank, even feeling a touch of sorrow.

In these mountains lie his eight compatriots, strangers in a strange land. What did they endure to die such a tragic death?

Aren't transmigrators supposed to be invincible? Why is this happening? The barrage of information unconsciously brought a look of sadness to his face, even his eyes began to redden. He felt a strong urge to avenge them. "Those who kill my kin, though far away, shall be punished"—this was not just an empty phrase, but something deeply ingrained in his bones.

Xiao Xingchen's clenched fists suddenly loosened; the three behind him had noticed his unusual behavior. He quickly concealed his emotions; he needed time to think carefully about what Xia Buyu had told him.

"Do you recognize this inscription?" Chen Miao had already walked up to him, staring coldly at him. Tian Yuanzi and Qing Yu also showed expressions of expectation.

Xiao Xingchen did not deny it. Just a moment ago, he made a decision. He was not going to run away. He was going to return to Yong'an. He was going to fight for the honor of the Chinese people. Eight of his kinsmen had died tragically in a foreign land. He could not pretend that nothing had happened. Someone had to avenge them.

"Yes, I know some of them,"

"What? You really know him?" The three were overjoyed.

Xiao Xingchen concealed her emotions and slowly stood up. She smoothed the stains on the inscription with her hand, touching each character carefully. Although many years had passed, the bloodstains on the stone tablet were still visible.

He could imagine that Xia Buyu, pierced by three swords, had used his last breath to carve these words on the stone tablet. He wasn't some sword immortal; he was just a mortal who, to give those who came after him a way to survive, endured excruciating pain and wrote so many words, each one written with his own blood.

He even had the audacity to ramble on so much, wanting future readers to enjoy it all. But the bloodstains beneath the words told Xiao Xingchen just how horrific the events of that year had been.

Letting out a sigh of frustration, Xiao Xingchen turned around and spoke solemnly.

"Chen Miao, how about we make a deal?"

This time it was Chen Miao's turn to be surprised.

"You actually know my name?"

"Yes, your father, Chen Haoran, is about to take office as the Vice Minister of Revenue. You are the only daughter of the Chen family and are proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Am I right?"

Qingyu's eyes widened, glancing between Chen Miao and Xiao Xingchen, and she asked incredulously,

"Did we have a mole among us?"

"That's interesting. Well then, I'll ask you again: who are you?"

Xiao Xingchen didn't reply directly, but lowered his head and pondered for a moment before continuing.

"This is your public identity. Your true identity comes from Dali. Am I being accurate?"

To achieve cooperation, you need to demonstrate your value. The speculation about Chen Miao's identity comes from Xiao Xingchen's combination of Xiao Jianren's memories and his interactions with Chen Haoran. It's highly likely that the Chen family of Hanhai is already part of Dali.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xingchen noticed that the three of them's expressions changed, and he immediately pressed his advantage.

"Don't worry, there's no need to kill me to cover it up. I have no other intentions and I won't report you. Now that we're here, I believe we have a basis for cooperation. After all, only I can recognize this script; there is no one else in the world who can."

This was Xiao Xingchen's leverage to dare to lay their cards on the table: they needed Xiao Jianxian's secret, and that was enough.

"Hehe, what an amazing young man! I'm getting more and more interested in you. How do you want to trade?" Chen Miao neither admitted nor denied it.

“It’s simple. I come from a humble background, and it’s very difficult for me to establish myself in Yong’an. Just give me an identity, an identity that will allow me to establish myself in Yong’an. That’s enough.”

"It's that simple?"

"Yes, it's that simple, how about it?"

"So what can you bring me?"

"Is the price enough to reveal the secret of the Sword Immortal Xiao?"

"I don't know if what you're saying is true or false. Regarding Xiao Jianxian, he appeared suddenly and disappeared suddenly. How can I judge whether what you're saying is true or false?"

Chen Miao questioned,

"It's very simple. I will prove everything about Xiao Jianxian to you, because this is where Xiao Jianxian's tomb is located."

"What did you say? This is Xiao Jianxian's tomb?" The three of them's expressions changed drastically.

Xiao Xingchen nodded, looked at the forest of corpses, and slowly spoke.

"Yes, this is a tomb. Don't say you don't believe it, even I don't believe it, but the inscription does say so. Many people were trying to kill Xiao Jianxian. He was here, pierced by three swords, and died. At the end of this road is a sword mound. Would you like to go and take a look?"

"You even know this?" This time, it was Tian Yuanzi who asked the question, truly shocked by Xiao Xingchen's words.

"I don't know, it was Xiaojianxian who told me, so if I'm right, is this deal feasible?"

“If everything you say is true, I’ll grant you anything, let alone an identity,” Chen Miao said, her eyes gleaming with a seductive light as she gave Xiao Xingchen a meaningful smile.

Xiao Xingchen had his own considerations regarding this deal. Although using Xiao Jianren's identity, he could directly rely on the Mountain King, this Mountain King was truly deadly. He might be implanted with a sword by the Martial Emperor at any time, and currently, he was powerless to resist; this was a dead end.

Changing one's identity isn't something that can be done easily. People aren't stupid; they can easily verify the authenticity of an identity. To solidify one's identity, it requires the intervention of officials, much like obtaining an extra ID card in a previous life. Without the help of the system, it would be impossible to do so.

What he valued was Chen Haoran's identity. With their help, this identity could be completely exposed, allowing them to survive. This was Xiao Xingchen's sudden change of heart.

"Alright, let's continue forward then. I believe there is still information about Xiaojianxian ahead."

"No rush, let's stick to the same question: who are you?"

This was the third time Chen Miao had asked him.

"The foundation of cooperation between the two parties is openness and honesty. I don't even know who you are, so how do you think I can trust you?"

Xiao Xingchen nodded in response.

"I come from the Great Tang Dynasty in the East, and my name is Xiao Xingchen,"

"The Xiao family of Nanling?"

"No, no, don't misunderstand. I have absolutely no connection with the Xiao family. Our place is a small town, otherwise we wouldn't be without any identity."

He quickly explained, somewhat regretting the few things he'd said to the monk Jue Wu at the Silent Temple. If he continued to fabricate now, the story would be inconsistent. He could only bite the bullet and keep rambling.

"Really not? Then what is the Great Tang Dynasty in the East?"

Chen Miao looked at Tian Yuanzi, but Tian Yuanzi shook his head, indicating that he had never heard of this place.

"Okay, I'll believe you for now. We can talk about other things after we get out of here."

Qingyu wanted to say something more, but Chen Miao glared at her, and she gave up.

"Alright, I hope you keep your word and don't kill me halfway through. I'm telling you, cooperating with me is mutually beneficial, and you need me."

Xiao Xingchen's heart pounded. In truth, his words weren't without flaws. Just because he shared the surname Xiao and knew so much about Xiao Jianxian, others had reason to suspect his connection to the Nanling Xiao family. If someone investigated further, they would surely uncover something.

Xiao Jianren must die, otherwise his identity will definitely be in trouble in the future, but that's a matter for later. Solving the immediate problem is the most important thing.