Meng Peijiu

When they left Meng's Cloth Workshop, there had been four of them. But once they passed the stone stele at the town entrance engraved with the words "Yellow Bamboo," only the siblings remained.

Meng Peijiu had to arrange manpower and carriages for transporting the goods. They would meet directly at the siblings' home when the time came.

The burly man surnamed Zhou had only been tasked with guarding them until Ruan Su returned. With a hand resting on the saber at his waist, he gave them a greeting and left to report back.

Beyond the town, mountain winds swept up dead leaves and sent them spinning. The daylight of late autumn carried a comfortably cool chill as Ruan Su carried Qin Yi on her back, walking step by step toward the outskirts.

The road outside town was exceptionally broad. For a long stretch leading outward, it was hardened pavement laid with specially made clay. Carts and horses crisscrossed over it; it was far from jammed, but there were certainly plenty of them.

Escorting carts bearing the flags of security agencies, vicious-looking bandits, and martial groups heading into the mountains to hunt demonic beasts—all wore the weary viciousness of fatigue on their faces.

The risks of smuggling goods through Mount Yunianci were not limited to demonic beasts. Threats from one's own kind were the greater danger. But upon reaching Yellow Bamboo Town, with Immortal Guest House standing guarantee, they could finally lower their guard against other people somewhat.

The siblings walked along the roadside, drawing many gazes. After all, children who dared to leave Yellow Bamboo Town alone were a rare sight.

Especially the human traffickers. To them, Qin Yi's little face was no different from a gold ingot.

Fortunately, Ruan Su's fierce reputation had spread far and wide. Because the siblings were both good-looking, human traffickers had often set their sights on them when they first arrived in Yellow Bamboo Town. Over the years, the traffickers Ruan Su had killed around the town could probably have been piled into a small mound of severed heads.

Thus, upon seeing the distinctive long axe hanging from Ruan Su's waist, the traffickers all very sensibly shifted their gazes away. The more cowardly ones would even turn their carriages around from afar, avoiding her sharp edge for the time being.

Half an hour later, after confirming that no one was following them, Ruan Su finally left the main road and turned onto a narrow path leading deep into the mountains.

The mountain wind passed through the branches. Beside his ears came the rustling of clothing brushing against thickets and weeds. Ruan Su suddenly glanced sideways at Qin Yi.

Without his sister saying anything, Qin Yi softly said:

"My head doesn't hurt anymore."

Ruan Su nodded, then looked at him again.

Still without his sister speaking, Qin Yi explained:

"The old master called for me because of yesterday's matter. I deliberately exposed myself because yesterday's attack was planned by the old master..."

The wind seemed to freeze in that instant. The rustling in the forest came to an abrupt halt. Ruan Su stood where she was, and the hand gripping behind Qin Yi's knee tightened slightly.

"It hurts, Sis."

Qin Yi spoke calmly and immediately gave the young woman's shoulder a light pat.

Had he spoken a moment later, he had no doubt that the hollow of his knee would have been crushed outright.

Ruan Su hurriedly loosened her grip in alarm. Realizing she had nearly hurt Little Yi, her dry voice was filled with self-reproach.

"Sorry... sorry."

Qin Yi did not mind that bit of pain. Instead, he was a little pleasantly surprised. It had been a long time since Ruan Su had lost control like this. It seemed his sister's strength had indeed swelled explosively once again.

"No need to apologize. Your throat hurts when you talk."

There was comfort in Qin Yi's voice as he reminded her half-jokingly, "But Sis, it looks like you've gotten stronger again. You should get used to it first. Remember not to knock my head anymore lately."

At that, Ruan Su lowered her head, looking even more guilty.

Qin Yi left it at that and continued from where he had stopped.

"Anyway, we'll put last night's matter aside for now. But don't let down your guard. If something happens to me someday, don't worry about anything—just run..."

"No."

Ruan Su interrupted him, clearly uttering those two words. As she turned her head, her long hair brushed Qin Yi's cheek, nearly kissing the side of the boy's face.

Qin Yi tilted his head slightly. The siblings' straight noses touched lightly for an instant. Looking into the young woman's jet-black eyes so close to his, he ignored the stubbornness within them and merely smiled calmly.

"Sis, then no one will be left to avenge me. Live first. Come back once you have the strength, and send his whole family down to keep me company."

After a brief silence, Ruan Su turned back around and nodded lightly.

Qin Yi gently wrapped his arms around the young woman's warm neck, squeezing faintly as he spoke in a childish voice beside her ear.

"Sis, don't worry too much either. Haven't we made it through all those life-and-death moments on the road south?"

Her ear felt a little ticklish. Ruan Su did not dodge, only nodded silently.

Having achieved his purpose, Qin Yi tilted his head aside slightly and continued.

"Anyway, I reached an intention to cooperate with the master in the carriage today. In the short term, he probably won't make another move against us."

Ruan Su was not surprised in the slightest.

Little Yi was the most amazing.

No matter how strong the enemy was, no matter how dangerous the situation they encountered, as long as he woke up, he could always find a path to survival for the two of them.

The childish voice continued beside her ear, carrying that reassuring calm.

"Once we get home and deal with this batch of goods, you can try asking the master for an internal cultivation manual tomorrow."

To this day, Ruan Su's fighting ability basically relied entirely on her own physical qualities. Qin Yi had taught her some things when they were children, but not much.

The first time Qin Yi saw someone slash out more than a dozen sword shadows with a single sword, he knew the strange killing techniques in his head were a joke in this world.

So he very consciously taught Ruan Su only some basic knowledge—for instance, where to strike to kill someone with the least force, where to strike to make someone instantly lose consciousness, or lose the ability to move.

It was not as though they had never considered having Ruan Su cultivate the inner qi of this world.

During the tide of refugees, they had not had the conditions. After entering Yellow Bamboo Town, Qin Yi had made plans, but due to the old master's tight guard, the siblings had only managed to acquire a few low-grade incomplete copies one after another.

Each time he gave one to Ruan Su to practice, she would cultivate until she coughed blood. Over time, Qin Yi stopped making her continue. Letting her combat power rest in those automatically swelling numbers was better than continuing to take risks.

If Ruan Su truly cultivated herself to death one day, he would have to head into the mountains and become a savage that very day. But now that the situation had changed, they could put this plan back on the agenda.

Thinking of this, Qin Yi pondered briefly, then added another line just in case.

"When we get back, I'll write a 'letter.' If the master still makes excuses and delays, take it to trade for one. He should give you a complete cultivation manual."

The blazing sun hung high overhead. It was already noon.

When the siblings stepped over fallen leaves and neared their small courtyard, a carriage was already parked beside the mountain road leading to the hidden path to their home. Accompanied by the rustling sound of grass being brushed aside, they arrived at the courtyard gate, where three people were already waiting for them.

Ruan Su set Qin Yi down at the entrance.

Meng Peijiu, dressed in a light green ru-skirt, sat on the swing beneath the old locust tree. She had one leg crossed over the other, an elbow propped on her knee, and her chin resting in her hand as she stared blankly in boredom.

At her side stood a short, dark-skinned woman, who must have been Meng Qi.

Seeing the siblings enter, Meng Peijiu lazily rose to her feet and stretched her graceful figure. Rolling her eyes, she said:

"Ah, you're finally back. You two have no idea how stubborn this uncle is. I told him I came to collect the goods, but he insisted on waiting for the owners to return. If I'd known, I should have brought you two along earlier."

As she spoke,

her eyes shifted, and she glared toward the other side of the courtyard. She asked irritably:

"Hey, Uncle, can you let me appraise the goods now?"

Peng Jun, who had remained in the courtyard since morning, still stood beside the well. The two dismantled Killing Apes and the weapons Ruan Su had seized last night were neatly stacked behind him.

He did not mind her tone. His voice was rough, even carrying a smile.

"Miss Meng, I'm only doing my duty."

As the two spoke, Qin Yi habitually swept his gaze around the courtyard. He discovered that the bloodstains seemed to have been cleaned away, and several traps had been triggered.

Noticing Qin Yi's gaze, Peng Jun gave a simple, honest smile.

"After I finished taking the materials from the Killing Apes, I had nothing else to do, so I helped you little ones clean up a bit."

"These traps..."

"Miss Meng triggered them." Peng Jun looked rather speechless. "She insisted on going over to play on that swing."

"..."

Qin Yi turned back in mild surprise. The autumn wind stirred Meng Peijiu's light green ru-skirt. She was perfectly clean, without even a trace of disarray, exactly as she had been when they left Meng's Cloth Workshop.

"Little brother, why do you have so many dangerous things around your home? Big sister nearly died, you know."

Meng Peijiu's crisp voice followed the topic, carrying a complaint. She raised one hand to the side, and the dark-skinned woman immediately placed three feathered arrows in her palm. Meng Peijiu brought them before her eyes and examined the iron arrowheads, which carried a faint bluish gleam. Then she came forward, rubbed Qin Yi's head, and handed the arrows back to him.

"Tsk, tsk, they're even poisoned~ Here, take them back, little brother."