"Even so, we must thank everyone at Shenyue Palace for their righteous aid!" Ye Xiangzhen said solemnly.

The atmosphere inside the tent was heavy.

I had no desire to stay there either. My mother and the Madam of the Household had been assigned to another tent to rest and undergo physical examinations and treatment by the priests. However, since it was an all-female contingent, I felt too awkward to follow them in, so I quietly turned and left.

"Little Lan." A cool, clear female voice called from behind. Without turning, I knew it was Yan Luo.

"Yan Luo!" I turned around just in time to see her walking towards me with measured steps.

"I didn't expect to see you here," Yan Luo said. "Can you tell me why."

"Heh, I didn't want to be here either," I sighed with a touch of helplessness. "If they hadn't captured my mother."

"So, you are one of the Ye family," Yan Luo sounded somewhat curious. "This world really is small."

"Heh!" I nodded and immediately asked, "What about you? Why did you come to Biqi, and why are you being targeted by the Kuanglong Gang?"

"It's a long story." Yan Luo found a clean, large stone to sit on, patted the spot next to her, which was still quite empty, and gestured for me to sit as well.

I was slightly surprised. As far as I knew, the Fiery Woman Yan Luo was an incredibly aloof person who never offered pleasantries to others, especially men. Yet, it seemed the rumors were inaccurate, or perhaps she held a special view of me. My mind couldn't help but drift into fanciful thoughts, but I still sat down beside her.

"It's strange, isn't it?" Yan Luo said calmly.

"It is," I chuckled lightly. "They all say that the Fiery Woman Yan Luo is as cold as a block of ice."

"Perhaps," Yan Luo replied. "I just don't wish to be distracted by trivial matters."

"In that case, you didn't come here to chat with me."

"Do you know about the Corpse King Hall?" Yan Luo cut straight to the chase.

"No." I knew where the Corpse King Hall was in Legend, but I had no idea what kind of entity it was in the Marfa world.

"We came to Biqi precisely to search for the Corpse King Hall," Yan Luo continued without preamble. "But we searched every corner of the Zombie Cave and still couldn't find its location."

"So you came to ask me."

"En!" Yan Luo nodded.

"I'm afraid I'll disappoint you," I spread my hands with a trace of helplessness.

"It's nothing!" Yan Luo said calmly. "Last time in the Coffin of Death, you managed to find the tunnel of the Evil Centipede and calculate the approximate exit. I thought, with your way of thinking, if you took a trip into the Zombie Cave, you might make some discoveries."

"Didn't you manage to do that?"

"Unfortunately, in the Zombie Cave, I found nothing. No matter what methods we used, we couldn't locate the Corpse King Hall," Yan Luo stated.

"If you couldn't find it, then I certainly won't be able to," I thought, feeling a tiny bit inflated by her regard. It was just strange—was this the real reason she sought me out?

"Different people have different ways of thinking," Yan Luo reasoned. "Perhaps if it were you, you might find it."

"Different ways of thinking?" At that moment, I remembered spending a full day guarding the eastern part of the mine zone in my previous life while playing Legend, just to get the Blazing Flame Sword Art. I finally entered the Corpse King Hall from where a zombie emerged. I wondered if the Corpse King Hall in this world could be accessed the same way. The thought flashed and vanished. When I noticed the white bandages wrapped around Yan Luo's shoulder and waist, I couldn't help but ask, "Given the state of your losses, do you still intend to continue this mission?"

"Yan Kong and Yan Zhen will return to headquarters, but I have decided to stay and complete this mission," Yan Luo declared.

"Alone?" I was greatly surprised.

"Yes."

"Aren't you afraid of being ambushed by the Kuanglong Gang?"

"That's why I'm acting alone," Yan Luo said calmly. Truly, she was a proud woman.

"Even if you die, only one person dies," I muttered instinctively.

"En!" Yan Luo nodded slightly. "Shenyue Palace cannot afford any more losses."

"Would Yan Kong and the others agree?"

"He is merely the leader of this operation, and now he has decided to abandon the mission," Yan Luo explained. "So, I am no longer under his command."

"Why seek me out?"

"In Biqi, you are the only one I know, and you possess sufficient strength to protect yourself," Yan Luo replied.

"Heh, you really think highly of me."

"I don't know about other things," Yan Luo looked at me with a complex expression. "But your ability to escape is certainly passable."

Sweat! I was inwardly stunned. It seemed the Shenyue Palace knew a little bit about me after all.

"You investigated me!"

"Now, there are few people in the Ranger world who don't know you!" Yan Luo said. "After all, the Crimson Flood Dragon died by your hand."

"Ah!" I felt a very bad premonition.

"Blue Lightning," Yan Luo looked at me and spoke word by word.

"Blue—Light—ning!" I was a bit confused by her tone.

"That is what the rangers outside call you," Yan Luo explained. "You are quite famous now."

"Famous?" I murmured to myself. "I even have a nickname."

"Long before you killed the Crimson Flood Dragon, you had clashed with Chi Xiao of the Kuanglong Gang, right?" Yan Luo inquired.

"Well, heh heh, that did happen." I was shocked that even this matter had been discovered.

"It is rumored that Chi Xiao was subdued by you in a single strike."

"You could say that," I added. "But Chi Xiao wasn't using his full strength back then."

"That's not important," Yan Luo countered. "Others only know that even Chi Xiao couldn't withstand one strike from you."

"Rumor always differs from reality. I'm not that powerful," I said uneasily. "If Chi Xiao had used his full power, I would have been the one defeated."

"Unfortunately, others won't see it that way," Yan Luo continued. "Later, you calmly escaped from a siege by numerous experts of the Crimson Moon level from the Kuanglong Gang, including top masters like Chi Yan, Chi Scorpion, and Chi Xiao. That alone is enough to make your name famous across the continent." Yan Luo paused. "Moreover, the Crimson Flood Dragon was then killed by a single thrust of your sword, and even Chi Kun almost died by your blade."

"It was just coincidence," I said with a wry smile. This was truly absurd; I had become famous without even realizing it.

"After today's battle, you also killed the Red Yuan squad and the Red Peak squad of the Kuanglong Gang. Before long, this news will surely spread throughout the entire Ranger world," Yan Luo spoke as if determined to drop startling news. "You have now been listed on the Marfa Top 100 Experts Ranking, taking the exact spot vacated by the Crimson Flood Dragon you killed—number eighty-nine."

"Heavens! This! How could this be?" I felt an urge for my head to split open. "Besides all this, what else do you know?"

"That's all we know for now," Yan Luo replied. "But just moments ago, I also learned that you are a member of the Ye family."

"Heh, that... you wouldn't go and blurt that out, would you?"

"That wouldn't benefit me," Yan Luo stated.

"Meaning, if it would benefit you, you wouldn't hesitate to sell me out," I mumbled quietly.

"Perhaps," Yan Luo said calmly.

"............" I was dumbfounded. This woman was truly direct.

"Alright, what you decide to do next, I believe you must have a plan in mind," Yan Luo said. "Everyone on the continent knows that our Shenyue Palace and the Kuanglong Gang are irreconcilable enemies. If you don't want to live constantly hunted and hiding, then come to Shenyue Palace."

"Heh, you really do think highly of me!" I said helplessly. "Fine, I will accompany you to the Zombie Cave as repayment for your righteous aid. Although this whole mess was set off because of you, joining Shenyue Palace can be discussed later. After all, I am a Vice Guild Leader. Although it's just an obscure little guild, I still need to inform them."

"Meet me at the Biqi Great City Inn in one month!" Yan Luo said, standing up. "However, I didn't expect you to be so young, and so uniquely featured." With that, she turned and left.

She left me standing there, utterly bewildered. This woman clearly had no concept of politeness, and what did she mean by 'uniquely featured'?

Tap, tap! Faint footsteps sounded behind me.

I turned back to see a young Taoist priest: light brown hair, blue eyes, a lean and fit physique, and handsome features—very much like the kind of dashing character from a cartoon or manga.

"My name is Yan Zhen!" The young Taoist priest walked straight up to me, looking at me with a complex expression.

"Xingchen!" Although his gaze made me slightly uncomfortable, I instinctively reported my name.

"You know Yan Luo," Yan Zhen said.

"I suppose so," I added instinctively. "We met in the Coffin of Death."

"You are the one who killed the Crimson Flood Dragon," Yan Zhen confirmed.

"It was just a sneak attack," I admitted, slightly embarrassed.

"........" Yan Zhen seemed lost in thought, staring at me absentmindedly.

"Um! Did you need me for something?"

"Nothing much, just curious why Yan Luo sought you out," Yan Zhen said, then turned and walked away without waiting for my reply.

"....." What was all that about? Do all the people in Shenyue Palace have personality quirks?

...........................................

After a brief recovery, the Ginkgo Town Defense Force began to withdraw into the city, and the experts sent from other villages returned to their respective homes. No one had expected this outcome, especially the remaining masters of Shenyue Palace, whose faces were etched with profound disappointment and a loss of face. Frankly, I found it hard to believe that Shenyue Palace had been ambushed twice by the Kuanglong Gang. Just how deep was the hatred between these two factions for them to become irreconcilable enemies? And why did our village have to be dragged into it?

Furthermore, throughout this whole affair, I was constantly worried that my identity would eventually be discovered by the Kuanglong Gang. If that happened, my mother and the villagers would be in truly grave danger. Especially the vicious and resentful roar of Chi Kun remained like a thorn lodged in my heart. Anyone being targeted by such a person would find it unbearable.

However, I couldn't think of any good solution to this crisis right away. I could only hope that in the coming conflicts, Shenyue Palace could utterly destroy the Kuanglong Gang. Only then could I truly rest easy. But would things really go as I wished? To be honest, I had little confidence in Shenyue Palace; I always felt they were a step behind in everything. In contrast, the Kuanglong Gang was overly treacherous and cunning, using any means necessary to achieve their goals. This was evident from the two ambushes. If Shenyue Palace continued to fall for traps so easily, it was only a matter of time before they were wiped out by the Kuanglong Gang. Thinking of this gave me a headache.

As the saying goes, one friend means a path, one enemy means a wall. I now deeply understood this: the feud between me and the Kuanglong Gang was sealed. Alas, what should I do now?

"Xiao Man, everyone is looking for you!" Chen Feng shouted to me from a distance. "So you ran over here."

"En," I had no choice but to compose myself.

"Why do you look so preoccupied? Is something troubling you?" Chen Feng asked.

"Nothing," I shook my head. "Where is Mom?"

"She's with the Madam," Chen Feng replied. "We're about to head back to the village."

"En! Are they alright?"

"They're fine," Chen Feng assured me. "The priests examined them just now; nothing serious."

"That's good." I hurried toward the priests' tent. My mother was already out, and naturally, I wanted to stay with her.

"Wait for me." Chen Feng quickly followed behind.

...................................

After reorganization, our group from Ginkgo Village, led by the Lord of the Household, began our return. My mother and the wives of the Household Lords were seated in carriages, while I, Chen Feng, Chen Zhen, and the other family retainers served as guards, walking ahead of the procession.

In just one day, we entered the territory of Ginkgo Village. From afar, we could see the perimeter walls and many people guarding the village entrance.

"Ah! It's Abe, and Ada and the others!" Chen Zhen exclaimed joyfully.

"The Lord and the others are back!" Cheers erupted from the distance as Abe and the others rushed toward us.

"Brother! Waaah!" Xiao Jin, unable to contain herself any longer, jumped out of the carriage and threw herself into Abe's arms.

Others found their relatives as well, embracing and weeping. The scene was incredibly moving. It turned out that after rescuing my mother and the others, some people had raced back to the village to report the news. Upon hearing it, the villagers had gathered at the entrance early, eager to see their rescued loved ones return.

..........................

That evening, the Lord of the Household hosted a grand banquet to celebrate everyone's safe return. All the villagers gathered at the Lord's mansion. Naturally, as the great hero of this rescue operation, I was instantly surrounded.

"Xiao Man, I heard you learned some powerful skills while you were away. Is that true?"

"Of course! I always knew this child wasn't simple."

"Heh, naturally. Look who his father is! That’s Ye Chong, the strongest warrior of the renowned Ye family within a hundred-mile radius. How could his son be any less?" Blacksmith Uncle Wei shook his head smugly, as if it were a foregone conclusion.

"I said long ago, Xiao Man is our village's little lucky star. With him here, our village will surely overcome misfortune and ward off all evil."

"Uncle Wei, from now on, just forge an iron chain and lock him up. Don't let him go anywhere," someone suggested.

"Heh heh, with a great deity like Xiao Man guarding us, I doubt any demons or monsters would dare cause trouble here."

"Exactly! Since Xiao Man was born, the village has been peaceful. But ever since he left for less than two years, misfortune has befallen us."

"En! This matter is a bit strange."

.....................

Listening to them, I felt a wave of dizziness. The imagination of these people was truly speechless.

"Alright, alright," the Lord of the Household waved his hand. "What are you all saying? Chaining up a living person like that—what kind of talk is that? Be careful Su Lan doesn't fight you all!"

"Boom! Haha!" A burst of laughter filled the room, while my mother and I both looked embarrassed.

"Xiao Man, now that you've returned, you won't be leaving again, right?" the Lord of the Household said seriously.

Everyone fell silent. My heart also tightened. It seemed the Lord of the Household had plans for me.

"You've been cultivating outside for two years. I see your skills have improved significantly," the Lord of the Household continued. "It's time for you to take some responsibility."

My mother nervously tugged at the corner of my robe. I understood her intention; she had always worried about my future prospects and was naturally overjoyed that the Lord of the Household now acknowledged my capabilities, hoping he would assign me a suitable post.

"I will abide by the Lord's arrangements," I replied with a respectful bow. Truthfully, I was still thinking about venturing out into the world, especially since my mother's illness hadn't been cured. I didn't particularly want to stay in the village, but I couldn't refuse the Lord's arrangement. After all, the care he provided for my mother and me over the years had been meticulous. Moreover, others my age were already pillars of the village.

"Haha! Excellent! Youth is indeed formidable!" The Lord of the Household said with satisfaction. "Last month, the village lost quite a few retainers, so our defense strength has been somewhat diminished. You will temporarily serve as Chen Feng's deputy." Saying this, the Lord looked at Chen Zhen. "You will take over Jiani's position."

"Yes!" There was no joy on Chen Zhen's face, which was understandable. Jiani was originally the captain of the Second Squad, killed in the last battle defending the village by the 'mountain bandits.' Now, although Chen Zhen was promoted, it was at the cost of Jiani's life.

During the banquet, the Lord of the Household made a series of personnel adjustments concerning the village's current situation. Afterward, everyone began to feast heartily. As for me, I was plied with so much alcohol by everyone that I had no idea when I finally collapsed.

The next day!

So itchy! I felt a pair of soft hands caressing my face. Instinctively, I opened my eyes and saw my mother sitting in a chair beside my bed, smiling sweetly.

Her clear, bright eyes were filled with a look of relief and contentment.

"Mom!" In an instant, my chest was enveloped in a deep warmth, a feeling of tranquility and peace I had never known before, giving me a dreamlike illusion. I didn't know how to describe the feeling now; if possible, I wished this moment could last forever.

"Time to get up," Mom made a few gentle gestures. "You are a responsible adult now."

"Ah! Yes!" Remembering the appointment the Lord of the Household gave me yesterday, I quickly threw off the covers.

Mom just smiled softly and shook her head, handing me my clothes before turning and leaving the room.

I quickly dressed, washed up, grabbed the steaming bread from the table, and rushed out of the room. Because today was my first day taking office, I absolutely could not be late! I remembered Chen Feng saying before I got drunk that I would be leading the morning drill today.