Liu Ruoxue

The Jinyang River, the largest waterway in Jinyang Prefecture, connected nearly every city in the entire prefecture.

It was Jinyang Prefecture's economic transportation route.

Under the lingering glow of the setting sun, wisps of chill rose from the broad river's surface.

A massive hundred-zhang ship bearing the flag of the Liu Family Merchant Association sailed downstream along the river.

On the deck at the bow, a beautiful woman draped in a sable-fur cloak watched the sunset's splendor.

Behind her stood two maidservants carrying treasured swords, their gazes upon the woman ahead filled with reverence and fervor.

For this woman was the helmswoman of the Liu Family Merchant Association, twenty-four-year-old Liu Ruoxue.

She had taken over the Liu Family Merchant Association at nineteen.

In just five years, she had brought the Liu Family Merchant Association into the top three of Jinyang Prefecture.

"Look! There are two people at the entrance to the Clear Water River."

Suddenly, a startled cry shattered the tranquil, peaceful scene.

"Look! They're treading on water toward our ship. What exquisite movement technique!"

Another cry of alarm rang out.

Liu Ruoxue's willow brows drew together, and a trace of displeasure flashed across her face as she turned to look.

She saw a young man dressed in a tattered Demon Suppressing Guard uniform and a woman wearing a faceless bronze mask with a Wine Gourd at her waist, both treading over the water toward her merchant ship.

The guards aboard the ship swiftly and orderly made their way onto the deck, drawing their weapons and staring solemnly at the two uninvited visitors.

"Boat owner, might we come aboard for a talk?"

More than thirty zhang away from the Liu merchant ship, Ye Xiaofan gathered his qi and blood and called out loudly.

The miniature little dragon hid in his hair, poking out a pair of round black eyes as it curiously surveyed its surroundings.

After breaking through to the Body Refinement Eighth Layer, Ye Xiaofan did not remain inside the Inheritance Stone Tablet for long.

When he proposed leaving, the miniature little dragon did not even pause to think before clinging to his ear and following him out.

It saved him a great deal of breath.

They were fortunate. The moment they were teleported out and surfaced from the water, they spotted a large merchant ship.

So they had pursued it.

If they could catch a ride, they would reach Jinyang City faster and find the Left Thousand Households Officer.

"Let them come aboard."

Liu Ruoxue's cool voice rang in the guards' ears.

"Yes, Miss."

Liu Jie, the captain of the guard unit, answered, though he did not order anyone to put away their weapons.

A moment later,

Ye Xiaofan and Tie Wuqing leaped onto the deck, nearly ten zhang above the water.

"What impressive movement technique."

Everyone aboard turned to look, unable to stop themselves from praising them inwardly.

"Thank you, boat owner. May I ask whether your ship is headed for Jinyang City?"

Seeing dozens of guards cautiously watching them with weapons in hand, Ye Xiaofan revealed a harmless smile, cupped his fists, and bowed.

Ye Xiaofan did not know of the Liu Family Merchant Association, but Tie Wuqing did.

It was a prominent large merchant association within Jinyang Prefecture, backed by the Aristocratic Clan, the Liu Family.

"That is correct, but I cannot make that decision. My young lady must agree first."

Liu Jie returned the salute.

"My name is Ye Xiaofan, and this is my friend, Tie Wuqing. I would ask this brother to introduce us to your young lady."

Ye Xiaofan said with a smile.

"Come with me."

Liu Jie led Ye Xiaofan and Tie Wuqing toward the bow deck. The surrounding guards stayed close, encircling the pair every step of the way.

It seemed that the slightest suspicious move from Ye Xiaofan or Tie Wuqing would bring the weapons in their hands crashing down upon them.

Ye Xiaofan paid it no heed, while Tie Wuqing leisurely drank her wine.

"Miss, these two are Ye Xiaofan and Tie Wuqing. They wish to travel with us to Jinyang City."

Liu Jie came to Liu Ruoxue's side and spoke softly.

Liu Ruoxue nodded. This place was only a night's journey from Jinyang City, and taking along two extra people would not cause any trouble.

Her gaze swept over Ye Xiaofan and Tie Wuqing.

Hmm?!

When their eyes met, Ye Xiaofan and Liu Ruoxue's pupils shrank at the same time, and their hearts jolted.

A strange feeling rose in both their hearts simultaneously.

They had clearly never met before, so why did they feel such familiarity and closeness?

"So the One-armed man did not lie to me. This woman before me is related to me by blood."

Ye Xiaofan quickly understood why he felt this way.

His mother was the youngest daughter of the previous Liu Family Patriarch. Then the person before him was very likely his uncle's daughter.

However, Ye Xiaofan had no intention of acknowledging her.

The Liu Family was a great Aristocratic Clan of Jinyang Prefecture. If he had wanted to recognize the Liu Family, he would have done so long ago.

There was no need for him to go out of his way to cling to them.

Tie Wuqing glanced at Liu Ruoxue before withdrawing her gaze. She had seen the Liu Family's pearl in the palm of their hand while she was still in the Lineage.

But the two had never had much interaction. After all, Tie Wuqing was merely a concubine-born child of a maidservant.

"This little woman is Liu Ruoxue. May I ask where Young Master Ye and Miss Tie came from, and how you emerged from the Clear Water River?"

After carefully examining Ye Xiaofan, Liu Ruoxue suppressed the confusion in her heart and asked.

Her voice was like a clear, icy spring, no less lovely than Tie Wuqing's.

"My friend and I came from Qingyang County. We encountered an attack by demons along the way, which is why we ended up like this."

Liu Ruoxue nodded and did not ask further.

Yet faint ripples had already spread through her heart.

His surname was Ye, he came from Qingyang County, and he looked very much like her younger aunt.

Ye Tianhe was at the Demon Suppression Division in Qingyang County. Her younger aunt had followed him there back then and never returned.

"Captain Liu, have someone prepare two superior rooms for Young Master Zhang and Miss Li."

"Thank you, Miss Liu."

Hearing this, Ye Xiaofan thanked Liu Ruoxue, then followed Liu Jie into the ship's cabin.

What Ye Xiaofan did not know was that the moment he and Tie Wuqing left the deck,

An old man with grizzled white facial hair and a ruddy complexion appeared at Liu Ruoxue's side.

"Ruoxue, why did you allow two people of unknown origins to stay aboard the ship?"

"Third Grandfather, that man named Ye Xiaofan looks very much like my younger aunt."

"You mean your Aunt Qingshuang?"

Liu Xingwen's eyes narrowed as he hurriedly asked.

"Yes!"

"Impossible. Your younger aunt died in the jaws of demons before she could even give birth to the child in her womb."

Liu Xingwen's expression changed repeatedly as he shook his head.

"But he truly looks so much like her, especially those eyes. My younger aunt treated me best when I was little. How could I ever forget what she looked like?"

Liu Ruoxue watched as the final trace of light was swallowed by darkness, her voice seeming to contain endless sorrow.

That night,

Qingyang County City.

"Dear, demons come out every night to wreak havoc. What should we do?"

Under the dim oil lamp, a woman held her sleeping child, her face full of worry.

"Sigh, no one is allowed to leave the city now. Tomorrow, I'll go find Zhang San at the Black Market and see if he has a way to help us secretly leave Qingyang City."

Opposite her, a broad-backed, powerfully built middle-aged man who was clearly a martial artist drank three bowls of wine in succession. Then he let out a deep sigh, his eyes reddening.

"Who's there?"

Suddenly, the middle-aged man sprang to his feet and shielded the woman behind him as he glared toward the door and shouted.

"Dear..."

The woman clutched the child in her arms tightly, her body trembling uncontrollably with fear.

"It's all right. I'll protect you and the child."

Cold sweat covered the middle-aged man's forehead as he stared fixedly at the door.

He could see a figure approaching.

The door instantly shattered into pieces, and a savage boar demon more than a zhang long appeared before them, its eyes bloodshot.

"Ah—"

The next moment, two sharp, miserable screams tore through the night sky.

At that moment, twenty demons were slaughtering wantonly in the southern part of Qingyang City.

The demon cave beneath the County Yamen.

The County Magistrate, appearing like a refined young scholar, sipped tea.

Below him, Xiao Qiaofeng, covered in wounds and breathing weakly, glared furiously at the County Magistrate.

"Commander Xiao, you succeeded. It must be hard to part with the Qingyang County you painstakingly built."

The County Magistrate set down his teacup and looked at Xiao Qiaofeng, his tone calm.

Xiao Qiaofeng said nothing. He knew what the County Magistrate meant.

Ye Xiaofan had escaped from the County Magistrate's terrifying evil grasp.

But that was not what he had wanted.

His plan had been to use Ye Xiaofan to draw the County Magistrate's attention while he seized the opportunity to escape alive.

Who could have expected the Mountain Lord to break through to the Qi Condensation stage at such a moment?

Had he known earlier, he would have chosen another direction.

Now, he had been captured. What use was Ye Xiaofan's escape?

"I will not kill you. You will become the strongest demon under my command. With your talent, perhaps you may have a chance to become a higher life-form like me someday."

"Pah! Kill me if you want, but I will never become a demon."

Xiao Qiaofeng's expression was ugly, and an involuntary trace of fear surfaced in his eyes.

"Hehe, you will thank me. The immortality you humans crave is within my grasp."

The County Magistrate walked before Xiao Qiaofeng, lowered his head to look down at him, and gave an evil, charming smile.