Baibi City

Whoosh!

The figure landed on the ground.

He wore a green robe, his black hair cascading like a waterfall.

A sword was strapped to his back.

He lightly brushed the dust off his sleeves, then moved, soaring as if he were flying, and landed before the wall to look at the nearly unconscious Ji Su.

"Sigh, I arrived a moment too late."

He looked at Ji Su's miserable state, sighed, and with a gentle wave, grabbed one in each hand. Carrying Ji Su and the other unconscious inner disciple, he flew away.

At the same time, he left behind a single sentence, "You lot, continue with your mission."

Li Gan and the other four were completely bewildered.

What exactly had happened?

"Just now, that... that seemed to be the green-robed elder from Yuping Peak?"

"Yes, I have seen him once before."

"So strong. He wiped everyone out in one move, including someone at the postnatal realm ninth layer."

"Is this the power of the xiantian realm?"

All of them were injured, though none of the wounds were severe.

After all, they all possessed cultivation at the postnatal realm fifth or sixth layer, while most of the black-clad attackers only had the strength of the postnatal realm third or fourth layer.

It was precisely because of this that they were able to hold out for so long against the encirclement and hidden arrows.

Only Li Gan remained completely unscathed.

There wasn't even a speck of blood on him.

He was a man who loved cleanliness.

Unable to tolerate bloodstains on his body, he had consumed his internal qi to manifest a protective qi barrier.

If I were to fight him, I wonder if I could win?

Li Gan looked at the black-masked man lying not far away and thought to himself.

Although he had only faced ordinary martial artists during the chaotic battle just now and hadn't had the chance to unleash his true strength, facing a master at the postnatal realm ninth layer was still far too risky.

Fighting above one's rank is not fun at all. I still prefer to win by being the stronger one.

Li Gan thought to himself.

He did not want to be the center of attention.

Previously, he had been a bit too flashy, and he was immediately targeted by that masked man in black.

Fortunately, the green-robed elder from Yuping Peak arrived in time; otherwise, the consequences would have been unpredictable.

Therefore, he must be even more low-key in the future.

After reflecting on himself, Li Gan sighed at the benefits of going out to gain experience and complete missions. It broadened his horizons and helped him accumulate experience, making it easier to grow than just staying cooped up on the mountain.

The people from the Yongcheng firm came out of the house.

They began to clear the corpses from the courtyard.

Several inner disciples went into the house to treat their wounds.

"Do you guys think this escort mission is a bit strange?"

"Indeed, so many attackers appeared, including martial artists at the postnatal realm ninth layer. I wonder what kind of cargo it is?"

"What's even more outrageous is that the green-robed elder actually came. Could he have received news in advance?"

"There must be some inside information we don't know about. Forget it. Anyway, the danger should be temporarily resolved. As long as we escort them to Baibi City tomorrow, this mission will be considered complete."

As they discussed, the inner disciple Liu Hui suddenly looked at Li Gan.

"Junior Brother Li, your strength is impressive. How did you manage to not get injured?"

In that kind of situation, with enemies launching sneak attacks and surrounding them, it was impossible to just stand by and do nothing.

There was only one possibility: Li Gan had some real skills.

"Just luck."

Li Gan said.

"In such a chaotic battle, being able to remain uninjured is not as simple as just luck."

Liu Hui said.

Li Gan, who previously seemed to have no presence, now appeared a bit more mysterious in their eyes.

Early the next morning, the caravan set off again.

Only the six of them, including Li Gan, remained to provide escort.

Along the way, everyone remained highly vigilant.

Everything remained peaceful until they reached Baibi City.

The group finally breathed a sigh of relief, their anxious hearts settling down.

"Let's go, let's grab a few drinks."

Liu Hui said, "The Moonlight Brew at Dongchen Restaurant here in Baibi City is absolutely peerless."

"Is it really a good idea to drink while injured?"

"What's there to fear? It's just a minor injury, it won't get in the way."

Liu Hui waved his hand dismissively.

And so, everyone agreed.

Li Gan had originally intended to return directly to the Divine Sword Sect, but he couldn't refuse their warm invitation, nor could he afford to appear too unsociable.

Dongchen Restaurant.

As the most famous restaurant in Baibi City, it was bustling with popularity.

It was high-end, and the prices were not cheap.

For inner disciples of the Divine Sword Sect, however, such expenses were nothing.

In Li Gan's memories, his predecessor had visited this Dongchen Restaurant several times.

"Brother Gan?"

Just as the six of them entered the restaurant, a voice filled with surprise suddenly came from the side.

Li Gan turned toward the sound and saw a girl in a pink dress, looking to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, with delicate and pretty features.

He searched his memory for a moment and immediately recalled who this girl was.

His cousin, Li Xiaoxiao.

The youngest daughter of his second uncle.

She was the same age as him, just a few months younger.

They had grown up playing together, and their relationship was quite good.

By the time his predecessor had run away from home, this cousin had already been betrothed to someone else.

"Brother Gan, it really is you! Where have you been all these years?"

Li Xiaoxiao ran over, looking very excited.

More than three years ago, Li Gan suddenly ran away from home, leaving no word behind.

Li Gan felt a bit helpless; he hadn't expected to run into an acquaintance the moment he returned to Baibi City.

"Junior Brother Li, is this your sweetheart?"

Liu Hui asked with a wicked grin.

"Senior Brother Liu, this is my cousin."

Li Gan replied.

"So, it's a cousin."

Liu Hui immediately stopped teasing. "Junior Brother Li, we're heading inside first. No need to rush."

With that, Liu Hui and the others entered the restaurant.

"Junior brother? Senior brother? Brother Gan, which sect have you joined?"

Li Xiaoxiao asked curiously.

"Xiaoxiao, you don't need to worry about that. Also, don't tell anyone that I've returned to Baibi City."

Li Gan said.

He didn't want to have anything to do with the Li family.

"Brother Gan, why? Even though Auntie was indeed a bit excessive, Uncle really cares about you. After you ran away, he was so worried."

Li Xiaoxiao said.

In truth, she knew her cousin's situation in that household. His mother had died early, his uncle was easily swayed, and his stepmother was a formidable woman. She kept up appearances well, but in reality, she treated her stepson terribly.

"Alright, let's not talk about this. I'm going in."

Li Gan waved his hand, then turned and entered the restaurant.

Li Xiaoxiao watched her cousin's retreating back, hesitating.

Just then, a young man in fine silk robes walked out of the restaurant and said happily, "Xiaoxiao, I thought you weren't coming."

"I have something to attend to, I'm leaving."

Li Xiaoxiao glanced at the young man and turned to walk away.

The young man was left dazed. What was going on?

She had clearly arrived, so why did she suddenly leave again?

Li mansion.

In Baibi City, the Li family was considered a fairly well-known and prestigious clan.

They were a typical scholarly family, with many members serving as officials in the prefecture and county governments.

Before his passing, the old master of the Li family had been a fourth-rank grand educational inspector for the prefecture, overseeing education for the entire region.

After the old master passed away, the Li family declined significantly. Although many still held official posts, they were all minor sixth or seventh-rank officials.

Furthermore, in this world where martial arts reigned supreme, those with true, immense influence were inevitably the powerful martial arts factions.

In the courtyard.

A woman was feeding the fish in the pond.

Suddenly, a maidservant ran in. "Madam, there is news of young master Gan."

"He has returned?"

The woman set down the fish food, her delicate brows furrowed, and asked immediately.

"It was the young lady from the third master's household who said so," the maidservant replied. "And..."

"And what?" the woman asked.

"The young lady said that young master Gan was addressing someone as senior brother and junior brother. It is very likely he has joined some martial arts sect," the maidservant said.

"He has certainly grown ambitious. He left for three years without a word. If word of this gets out, people will think it was I, his stepmother, who mistreated him."

The woman let out a cold snort, then turned and left the courtyard.