Encountering a Robbery on the Road

With Zhao Shanshan's comfort, Mu Qingling felt a bit better. Perhaps because Mu Qingling's mood wasn't as bad, the tense atmosphere slowly dissipated.

"Senior, do you happen to know where that scene just now was taking place?"

Old Man Tianji didn't dare to scry again, and Zhao Shanshan didn't ask him to. However, the person in the scene just now should have been Mu Qingling's mother.

Since they weren't going to scry anymore, they would just find her themselves. But the prerequisite was knowing the location from the scene.

Unfortunately, Old Man Tianji didn't know either. He hadn't even had time to check before he suffered a backlash from a single glance from Mu Qingling's mother.

"Little Senior, I apologize. My abilities are limited, and I can't help you."

Old Man Tianji felt a bit embarrassed. After all, he had made a guarantee before. But how could he have imagined that the person he was scrying for would be so powerful!

Now, just like Medicine Spirit, he addressed Mu Qingling as "Little Senior," genuinely fearing Mu Qingling's identity.

"Big sister, what do we do now?"

"It's fine. Don't we know what your mom looks like now? We can find a skilled painter to draw a portrait of your mom."

"I'll have my Imperial Father release the portrait to the public, and we'll definitely find your mom then."

"That's great! Let's go find a skilled painter quickly!"

"Okay!"

"Little Senior, actually, I am a skilled painter. I also saw your mother just now. If Little Senior doesn't mind, I can draw a portrait of your mother."

Just as Mu Qingling was about to pull Zhao Shanshan away, an Old Ancestor from Tianji Sect spoke up. He usually enjoyed writing and painting.

"Grandpa, are you also a skilled painter? Then please draw my mom's portrait quickly!"

"Alright, Little Senior, please wait a moment."

Seeing Mu Qingling agree, the elder walked to a table, took out a set of brushes and ink, and began to draw.

The elder did not disappoint. In about half an hour, he finished. A beautiful woman in white leaped onto the paper, looking about eighty percent similar to the woman in the scene just now.

"Is this what Mom looks like?"

Mu Qingling picked up the portrait and stared at it intently, as if trying to memorize her mother's image. A hint of longing appeared in her eyes.

"Senior, could you please draw a few more?"

"Of course."

The elder replied to Zhao Shanshan and then started drawing again. He drew five more in one go, each one more lifelike than the last. The final one even matched the appearance in the scene exactly.

After taking all the portraits, the three of them left Tianji Sect. Upon exiting, Zhao Shanshan handed all the portraits to Medicine Spirit, asking him to take them back to the palace for Zhao Wuji.

Zhao Shanshan, however, took Mu Qingling and continued their search. With the portraits, it was much more convenient now. Zhao Shanshan believed that as long as they kept searching, they would find her one day.

Without Medicine Spirit by her side and no Ark, they had to buy a carriage to travel.

Zhao Shanshan took the main road. If they followed this path, they would exit Xiling Empire. After the royal family's involvement in Xiling Empire, Zhao Shanshan planned to visit other empires.

Mu Qingling, who was riding in a carriage for the first time, was particularly excited. She would occasionally poke her head out of the carriage and sometimes even get out to drive with Zhao Shanshan.

BOOM!

Suddenly, two large trees fell on both sides of the main road, completely blocking the path ahead. This sudden event almost crushed the carriage under the trees.

Before Zhao Shanshan and Mu Qingling could even react, a group of black-clothed men rushed out from the woods on both sides of the road, surrounding the carriage.

Zhao Shanshan's expression changed. She knew she had run into robbers. What she didn't expect was to encounter robbers even though she had specifically chosen the main road.

This area was close to the border of Xiling Empire, a place where bandits were most rampant. Zhao Shanshan had heard about it when she was still in the palace.

That was precisely why she chose the main road, but she still encountered them. Zhao Shanshan's expression changed not out of fear, but because she couldn't believe these bandits were so audacious.

Robbing Mu Qingling? Wasn't that just asking for trouble?

Putting aside how strong Mu Qingling was, even Little Black couldn't be dealt with by these bandits. These bandits had picked the wrong target today.

"Big sister, what are these people doing?"

The little girl looked at the black-clothed men without fear. Instead, she found it amusing and asked Zhao Shanshan happily.

"Ling'er, these are bad guys. They make a living by robbing passing merchant caravans."

These people's cultivation wasn't high. The leader was only in the Innate Realm. These bandits primarily targeted passing merchant caravans.

Although Zhao Shanshan and Mu Qingling were only in one carriage, Zhao Shanshan had bought the best one to make Mu Qingling more comfortable.

Putting aside the luxury inside the carriage, just looking at it from the outside, it was clear that only a wealthy person could afford such a carriage.

It was precisely because the carriage was too luxurious that these bandits made their move. They all knew that if this job succeeded, it would be much more profitable than robbing a merchant caravan.

Merchant caravans would definitely have many escorts, and those traveling on the main road would inevitably be large merchant caravans. Robbing them successfully wouldn't be easy.

But with just one carriage, it was much simpler. Even though they knew that someone who could ride in such a luxurious carriage must be either rich or noble, and there might even be experts protecting them.

However, relying on their numerical advantage, and with only a woman and a little girl driving, they chose to attack the carriage.

"Hahaha...!"

"Little girl, we are indeed bad guys. Hand over all your money and valuables quickly if you know what's good for you, or something might happen in this wilderness, and you'll regret it too late."

The leading Innate Realm bandit burst into laughter upon hearing Zhao Shanshan's words. He demanded Zhao Shanshan hand over all her money and even threatened her.

"So this is what bandits are like?"

"But Dad said bandits always shout some slogans before robbing people. Why aren't these bandits shouting their slogans!"

Mu Qingling had never seen bandits rob someone, but she had heard plenty of stories! She knew that bandits would always shout a couple of slogans before a robbery.

Yet, these people who claimed to be bandits robbing them now, why weren't they shouting the slogans they were supposed to say before a robbery!

"Little child, why would we need to say slogans when we're robbing you!"

Everyone was confused, not understanding what the little girl meant by slogans. Moreover, this little girl wasn't even scared when she knew they were bandits.

Not only were the bandits bewildered, but Zhao Shanshan also looked at Mu Qingling with a puzzled expression, not understanding what Mu Qingling meant by slogans.