Between Hai You and Liaodong, there was still a Beining Provincial Administration Commission, but if traveling by sea route, passing through Laizhou and then through Haiwei Prefecture, the distance to Jinzhou in Liaodong was only a few hundred nautical miles.

When the sky was not yet bright, fishing boats that had been fishing in nearby waters slowly returned to the dock. From one of the fishing boats, dozens of sturdy sailors disembarked, carrying large baskets of fish and shrimp. After paying very high fishing taxes, they quickly hired horse carts, loaded those fish and shrimp onto the carts, and left the dock.

After traveling for about half a day, passing through a water area, everyone threw away the fish from the baskets – there was only a thin layer, with long objects wrapped in cloth underneath. Those sturdy men removed their sailors’ tattered clothing and changed into ordinary local people’s clothes. Each took one item in hand, immediately revealing their capable and fierce aura.

The carts were also changed to ordinary horse carts, with several people assigned to each. From the middle cart, a pale hand emerged, its fingernails sharp and pointed, beckoning to signal continued advance.

The beckoning hand withdrew and picked up a chess piece from the board. The hand’s owner wore ordinary blue cloth robes, with eyes that habitually squinted, appearing dim-sighted. His chess playing was also soft and weak, requiring long thought for each move.

His opponent wore a hooded mask covering everything tightly.

Before long, the masked person pushed the chess board and laughed: “Sir’s brilliant moves are beyond my ability.”

“You find me old and slow,” the old man chuckled. “No choice – over the long years, I’ve become cautious in everything, always looking three steps ahead and three steps back before making a move. It’s become a habit.”

“That’s because Sir is meticulous in thought, which is why the Great King favors you so much.”

“The Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander is young and loyal – he’s the Great King’s beloved general,” said Eunuch Chang from the Liaodong Prince’s residence. “The information you reported this time is extremely important. The Great King specially ordered me to come handle it. Once this matter succeeds, the Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander should naturally receive first merit.”

The Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander said in a low voice: “Eunuch can rest assured. The matter of the Second Prince forging large quantities of Abyss Iron weapons in Hai You is absolutely true. Eunuch can take those swords back today.”

Eunuch Chang smiled and praised: “Such intelligence timely reported to the Great King by the Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander shows sufficient loyalty. When the weapons arrive, who knows how pleased the Great King will be – I congratulate the Commander in advance.”

The masked person gave a muffled laugh, cupped his hands, and said: “Loyalty to the King’s affairs is our generation’s duty.”

Eunuch Chang collected the chess pieces one by one, saying as if casually: “The Second Prince undertook such a great matter yet didn’t report to the royal court…”

“Perhaps because the matter was so grave, he feared failure would disappoint the Great King. Better to forge the weapons first, then escort them back together to give the Great King a surprise.”

Eunuch Chang sneered inwardly but nodded repeatedly on the surface: “Exactly so. When the Second Prince sees us coming to receive him, he’ll surely be very surprised too.”

The masked person glanced outside the window, thinking of the explosive crossbows and other deadly weapons in the cart behind them, also sneering inwardly while nodding very sincerely on the surface.

Spring wind passed through the curtain, carrying some fishy smell that, when sniffed carefully, seemed like the scent of blood.

…

Spring wind passed through the curtain, faintly carrying to the nostrils the distinctive raw and cold scent of Abyss Iron weapons.

Murong Duan looked back somewhat irritably. Abyss Iron was really too heavy, and they couldn’t take the main roads all the way, making the horse carts’ progress rather slow.

Moreover, the wheel tracks were very deep. If anyone wanted to pursue, they could easily catch up.

He felt inexplicably uneasy. Though leaving Ziyang had been convenient and passing through Laizhou checkpoints had gone smoothly, and they were getting closer to Haiwei Guard where arrangements had been made, an ominous feeling still lingered in his heart.

As if he might hear pursuing troops the moment he turned around.

He didn’t know what was happening in Ziyang at this moment, or he would probably be even more uneasy.

Suddenly there was a tremendous crash at the front of the convoy. Murong Duan jumped up and lifted the curtain to look.

Ahead was a small hill with a slight slope. The cart drivers had gotten down to push, but somehow the cart had broken. With a creak, the bottom of the cart wall split open, and the weapons inside crashed through the cart door and tumbled out with a clatter. People scattered to avoid them as the cart rumbled and crashed backwards, knocking the carts behind it far back and nearly hitting Murong Duan’s cart.

When Murong Duan went to investigate, the front part of the convoy was already in chaos. Examining the troublesome cart, they discovered several nails had been damaged at an inconspicuous spot on the cart’s bottom.

Murong Duan sensed trouble and didn’t dare delay investigating. He ordered the Abyss Iron weapons loaded onto other carts, abandoned that cart, and hurried on.

But this delay meant they could really hear the faint sound of many hoofbeats carried on the wind!

The lookout from behind galloped up, shouting: “Bad news! Dengzhou Garrison troops are pursuing us! Just five li away!”

Murong Duan was shocked: “How could they catch up so quickly!”

He urgently ordered: “Leave what can’t be collected and go immediately!”

His followers threw those priceless weapons on the ground and jumped onto carts to leave.

They hadn’t gone far when there was another commotion of whinnying horses and shouting people – a large pit had appeared ahead. The horse pulling the first cart broke its leg, the cart tipped over, blocking the path behind.

Murong Duan was so anxious his mouth corners sparked. He jumped down from the cart and saw a group of people walking leisurely toward them from ahead. Leading them was a woman in gauze robes with cloud-like hair, her figure like a jade tree or snow willow. Just standing there casually, she displayed extraordinary grace.

But the woman wore a very incongruous Fu baby mask on her face and held the token Murong Duan had given her, smiling: “Your Highness, I’ve come to collect my forty percent.”

Seeing this woman who had negotiated with him that day, Murong Duan felt a surge of anger, which he forcibly suppressed. Thinking of the pursuing troops behind, he formed a plan and smiled slightly: “Divide out forty percent for her.”

Four large carts were driven out. Murong Duan even graciously said: “Seeing that you and your followers lack carts, I’ll give you a few empty ones too.”

The woman accepted with a smile.

After both sides completed the exchange, watching the woman’s group drive their carts away, Murong Duan gave a look and sent people to follow that convoy. Murong Duan also instructed some to stay behind to erase a section of their own cart tracks, leaving only the tracks from the woman’s convoy.

Only after moving the sunken cart did they continue on the road.

His adviser whispered: “Your Highness, giving these things to others – what if we can’t get them back…”

“Better than being caught ourselves. We can’t afford to get entangled and waste time now. If they’re caught, after a battle with damaged strength, we can take the opportunity to reclaim part of it. If they’re lucky and not caught, we’ll also have shaken off pursuit and can catch up to retrieve the items.” Murong Duan said lightly: “She’s just safekeeping them for me for a stretch of road.”

“Your Highness is brilliant!”

Murong Duan smiled slightly, listening carefully to sounds behind. The hoofbeats indeed gradually faded, presumably led away by that convoy.

He relaxed and continued rushing through the night. Along the way, they passed Haiwei Guard’s checkpoint city. He took out a banner and waved it. After a moment, the city gate opened a crack and an armored man emerged. Behind him, through the gate crack, countless soldiers could be vaguely seen standing silently like bronze statues.

That man stopped before Murong Duan. The shadow cast by his helmet’s brim covered his eyes. He waved his hand, and those statue-like soldiers flowed out from the city gate like water, quickly surrounding his convoy.

Murong Duan’s expression changed slightly. The man opposite bowed slightly: “Prince Your Highness, time to pay the toll.”

Murong Duan said with a dark face in a low voice: “What should be given was already sent to the capital. It was agreed to allow passage all the way…”

The man laughed without humor: “That was the Prince’s toll for coming to Ziyang and conducting business in Ziyang. Now we’re collecting the toll for carrying contraband across the border.”

Murong Duan angrily said: “Your master is so greedy – how can we cooperate sincerely in the future!”

“Precisely because we still want future cooperation, my master only asks for half the goods from the Prince,” the armored man replied with a chuckle. “Da Qian’s iron, Da Qian’s natural resources, Da Qian’s roads, the risks of allowing the Prince into the territory for such a large operation, plus the cleanup troubles from the Prince’s careless actions exposing this matter… asking for only half from the Prince is already too generous!”

Murong Duan looked him up and down, suddenly saying: “Your master holds the highest civilian position – why does he suddenly need these instruments of war? Could it be…”

His tone was sinister, his mouth corners curved in malicious smile. But the other party remained unafraid, immediately saying: “Why must the Prince speculate wildly? Even if my master has improprieties, would what the Prince is doing be suitable for Prince Da’an to know?”

Murong Duan choked, staring at the other party fiercely for a long time. The other party didn’t meet his gaze.

But after a long while, Murong Duan’s shoulders finally sagged.

Circumstances forced him. Even if he had leverage on the other party, didn’t they equally have leverage on him? His private weapon forging in Ziyang, if his father king knew, even with all his favor, he’d hardly survive.

He now somewhat regretted being too careless and thoughtless in his actions initially. Invited to Hai You for pleasure, so coincidentally touring Fengbo Mountain, so coincidentally discovering the hollow mountain belly with various miraculous caves, until discovering Abyss Iron ore… Once greed and ambition erupted, they couldn’t withstand slight fanning, then so coincidentally finding connections with high officials, smooth passage from the capital to Hai You, actually accomplishing this great undertaking… Later, thinking it over, he vaguely felt it was unusually smooth, but he was already committed and could only see it through to the end.

Today’s extortion at the city gate finally made him understand that this large-scale steel forging had attracted wolves from all sides seeking to divide the spoils, and might end up making wedding clothes for others.

Things having reached this point, regret was useless and time couldn’t be delayed. Murong Duan gritted his teeth and waved his hand.

His subordinates stepped aside from guarding, allowing the other party’s soldiers to inspect and then drive half the carts through the side gate.

Murong Duan’s heart bled, knowing this swallowed half wouldn’t return to his hands. Thinking of the forty percent given away, he felt somewhat better – after finding a way to retrieve it later, he wouldn’t lose too much.

The armored man who had taken half was still unsatisfied, muttering: “How is this less than expected?”

Murong Duan replied coldly: “Abyss Iron forging technology is immature, with large losses.”

The man laughed: “Liaodong is skilled at smelting. If you can’t forge it well, who can?”

Murong Duan remained silent, thinking you probably don’t mine yourselves but specifically lured me to Ziyang because you valued Liaodong people’s skill at forging famous implements.

Speaking further now was useless. The man gestured to let him pass, and Murong Duan entered proudly.

After passing the checkpoint, they continued traveling. Beyond the forest ahead lay the port.

Murong Duan breathed a long sigh of relief.

Suddenly there was movement in the forest. Cart after cart drove out, lining up across the road to block Murong Duan’s path.

Having encountered repeated incidents, Murong Duan was already irritated and immediately ordered a charge through without a word.

Suddenly, by the faint dawn light, he saw the snow dragon emblem on the carts.

Like snow poured over his head, he felt bone-chilling cold from head to toe.

He trembled all over, rolled off his horse, prostrated himself on the ground, and didn’t dare speak.

The cart curtain lifted and Eunuch Chang, wearing ordinary cloth shoes, got down but didn’t speak.

Murong Duan looked up, saw it was Eunuch Chang, and suddenly relaxed, but his expression immediately darkened.

Eunuch Chang’s arrival, though better than his father king coming personally, wasn’t much better.

Eunuch Chang bent slightly sideways, avoiding Murong Duan’s direction, and smiled: “Second Prince Your Highness, greetings. Hearing you came to Hai You, the Great King was worried and sent this old slave to receive you.”

He didn’t glance at the carts behind.

Murong Duan got up from the ground and smiled: “I thank father king for his care. But with Eunuch Chang coming like this, the surprise I wanted to prepare for father king won’t work.”

Saying this, he silently swallowed a mouthful of blood.

“This old slave is dull – please enlighten me, Your Highness,” Eunuch Chang maintained his unchanging smile.

Murong Duan pointed at the remaining large carts and smiled: “Recently I found some good things in Hai You. After long management, I finally made this batch of fine items. Because we’re in Da Qian and it involves secrets, for safety I conducted this secretly. Finally finished yesterday and was rushing day and night back to Liaodong to present to father king, not expecting Eunuch Chang to arrive.”

He walked to a large cart and drew out a sword to show Eunuch Chang: “Look here. Hai You, so close to us, actually has Abyss Iron! How could we miss this opportunity? I found people to open connections and finally forged these. Look at this blade edge, this brilliance! If our Liaodong soldiers wore such sharp weapons, they’d be like tigers with wings!”

Eunuch Chang exclaimed in admiration, caressing the sword blade lovingly. Murong Duan glanced at those carts – from the wheel tracks he knew they were empty. Seeing the few guards, Murong Duan said: “We’re still in Hai You territory and not safe. Since Eunuch has come, let’s load the items on Eunuch’s carts and return together!”

Without waiting for Eunuch Chang’s answer, he waved his hand and several followers stepped forward, quickly lifting the curtains of each cart.

Murong Duan stared intently at those carts, seeing they were all empty. As his followers were about to lift the last cart’s curtain, he was certain this entire convoy indeed had few people, and felt greatly relieved.

Eunuch Chang was still admiring the sword. Murong Duan suddenly moved closer: “Abyss Iron weapons have another characteristic – Eunuch please observe—”

He suddenly punched the sword hilt!

The sword tip pointed directly at Eunuch Chang’s chest and abdomen, about to stab viciously—

Eunuch Chang suddenly raised his head, his eyes reflecting Murong Duan’s fierce expression at this moment—

Suddenly a hand like steel emerged from above the cart, ghostlike appearing between the two men. That hand precisely touched the sword body, making it tremble violently as it slid down along Eunuch Chang’s front with a smooth tearing sound. Eunuch Chang’s several layers of robes split cleanly as he retreated one zhang.

That steel-like hand snatched again, catching the falling sword in its palm. Silver light traced a bright arc in the air, and before the light faded, the sword was already at Murong Duan’s neck.

Only then did that person’s black robes settle down, with a pair of black eyes like dead water beneath a fierce silver mask.

Murong Duan shouted: “Attack!”

His followers all drew swords and charged forward, but at this moment, the last cart’s curtain lifted and someone inside coughed once.

Just one cough.

Murong Duan’s face suddenly became inhuman in color, trembling like having a fit, shaking faster and faster until his robes rustled.

The curtain opened.

Prince Da’an of Liaodong’s ordinary yet calm face appeared in everyone’s sight.

…

Thirty li before Haiwei Guard checkpoint, Xiao Xueya’s Hai You Regional Military Commission troops finally joined with Dengzhou Prefecture forces.

Shen Mi was among the Dengzhou troops. He had ridden through the night for a hundred li to Dengzhou, using Tie Ci’s Crown Princess private seal to mobilize a thousand Dengzhou garrison soldiers.

The Crown Princess had authority to mobilize troops under three thousand at any garrison nationwide. Her Crown Princess Nine Guards were also her private army, but the Empress Dowager had blocked them and they currently couldn’t leave the capital.

Even if they could leave the capital, Tie Ci wouldn’t dare use them. The Crown Princess Nine Guards’ attendants came from noble official families in the capital with too complex backgrounds, often just pretty ornaments.

Pursuing all the way wasn’t easy because the other side obviously had very powerful protection here. They often didn’t take mountain paths, and on official roads there were numerous overlapping wheel tracks, difficult to distinguish. They had even entered cities, making them impossible to track.

Fortunately, Abyss Iron had a distinctive smell. Tie Ci had people find fine hunting dogs, let them smell the Abyss Iron scent, and tracked all the way until meeting the Dengzhou troops. Though the Dengzhou troops had no shorter route from Dengzhou than they did, they arrived faster at the hill where the convoy had stopped. According to Shen Mi, they originally headed for Ziyang but seemed to have someone guiding them along the way, unconsciously led to the correct path.

Tie Ci had always vaguely felt a third party was involved in this matter – distant yet close, seeming enemy yet friend, difficult to guess. But this wasn’t the time for solving mysteries. At the foot of the hill was a pile of wheel tracks clearly heading west.

Directly ahead was a large area of scattered earth and leaves with unclear traces.

The Dengzhou Guard Commander, eager to perform before Tie Ci and Xiao Xueya, wanted to order pursuit westward but was stopped by Tie Ci.

Everyone looked at her uncomprehendingly – why not pursue when the westward wheel tracks were so clear?

Only Xiao Xueya didn’t look at her. He was frowning at his black horse – his original extremely magnificent white horse that had followed him for many years had been changed.

The reason for the change was somewhat unspeakable.

It was all Dan Ye’s revenge.

The young wolf king didn’t mind being beaten himself, but when his brother was beaten, that was unacceptable. When Xiao Xueya and Tie Ci were arguing, with thousands of troops at their side, Dan Ye said nothing and waited quietly aside. Not only did the proud Xiao Xueya forget about him, even Tie Ci thought he had taken Hai Dongqing away to heal. But halfway through the march, Dan Ye suddenly appeared, feinted an attack on Xiao Xueya, and after Xiao Xueya dodged, forcibly took away his horse.

When Xiao Xueya was leading troops, he would never leave the formation himself, nor allow any subordinate to leave formation. He could only continue advancing, merely ordering nearby officials to watch for his horse. There was no need to search – when they passed through a small town, they saw Xiao Xueya’s famous “Stone Washer” in a broken, filthy stable by the roadside. That horse, which usually strutted with even more nose-in-the-air arrogance than Xiao Xueya, was being forced by Dan Ye’s curved blade to engage in certain unspeakable activities with a dirty female donkey in the stable.

The Xiao family troops were immediately dumbfounded, staring at their usually nobler-than-themselves horse master being forced to mate in full view of everyone.

Xiao Xueya’s expression at that moment was ten thousand times worse than when Tie Ci had argued with him.

Dan Ye sat on the donkey pen, watching the mating show with his injured brother, beating time with his curved blade. Without even looking at Xiao Xueya, he said: “For desert men, the eagle is his brother, just as for battlefield warriors, the horse is wife and child. I won’t kill a battle-tested horse to vent anger, but however you treat my brother, I’ll treat your son the same way.”

Xiao Xueya: “…”

Being rendered speechless twice in one day was a first in Xiao Xueya’s cool, arrogant, and domineering career.

Stone Washer let out an extremely ashamed and angry whinny.

Dan Ye stood up, patting his buttocks with the curved blade, pointing at Xiao Xueya, then at the donkey: “Wait to hold your grandson!”

…

Thinking of Xiao Xueya’s expression at that moment, Tie Ci felt immensely satisfied and felt fondness for Dan Ye for the first time. How adorable!

She suppressed her laughter and pointed at the chaotic patch of ground: “This surface has obviously been disturbed. From the depth of the scraped dust, the original ground prints should have been deeper. At such a time, who would bother disguising the ground?”

Naturally, those being pursued.

“They divided the spoils here, so we must also divide our forces.”

Xiao Xueya said: “Your Highness, please take the western route.”

From the remaining tracks, the western team seemed to have fewer people and carts, relatively easier to handle.

The Dengzhou troops followed Tie Ci, while Xiao Xueya took the Hai You Regional Military Commission troops, each going separate ways.

Tie Ci pursued along the wheel tracks. The tracks were extremely clear, and the Dengzhou Guard Commander was somewhat impatient, constantly shouting for soldiers to quicken their pace. But Chi Xue said: “Commander needn’t worry. This Abyss Iron is too heavy – they can’t move fast. No matter what, they can’t escape our pursuing troops.”

Tie Ci nodded in agreement. Indeed, carrying such heavy Abyss Iron, even with open checkpoints, as long as large pursuing forces were behind, escape was impossible.

When dawn was about to break, she pursued to the edge of a cliff.

The scent disappeared. The wheel tracks extended all the way to the cliff edge. Tie Ci followed the tracks forward as Shen Mi called softly behind her: “…Your Highness!”

When he called out, Shen Mi paused.

He still remembered his shock when learning the identity of that private seal’s owner at Dengzhou Prefecture, and even now felt as if in a dream.

He had speculated about Tie Ci’s identity before. Even when she was still Master Mao, her bearing and actions were quite extraordinary. Shen Mi was intelligent, so he chose to follow firmly behind Tie Ci regardless of her circumstances, hoping that if she could rise, he too might see dawn.

But his status limited his imagination – he had always thought at most she was some idle royal family member.

Reaching this actual identity made things even more dangerous. Shen Mi understood this principle, but after pausing, he still said: “Your Highness, when encountering forests don’t enter, when encountering cliffs don’t approach!”

“That’s right,” Tie Ci nodded. “All ancient novels can’t escape the cliff-falling curse.”

But she still walked forward. The wheel tracks extended all the way to the cliff edge, looking as if the horse carts had really charged down from this cliff.

Discovering pursuing forces behind, they jumped off the cliff to suicide?

Even using one’s toes to think, this was impossible.

But she had to go look. The Abyss Iron swords were so heavy, and there were no branching tracks along the way – they must be at the cliff bottom.

Ahead, mist filled the air, making people invisible within three steps. Tie Ci said: “You all stay three steps away. Let me go look.”

“Your Highness!”

Tie Ci stopped her subordinates’ movements with a gesture. In terms of lightness skills, no one here could match her. If she didn’t go, who would?

Tie Ci knelt at the cliff edge, gripping the ground with both hands, carefully peering down at the bottom—

Suddenly a hand reached up from below the cliff, fiercely grabbing her belt!

Without hesitation, Tie Ci pressed hard with her fingertips. With a crack, she forcibly gouged out a large piece of ground stone and swung it down at that hand!

That hand immediately released, but another hand quickly followed, grabbing Tie Ci’s wrist and swinging her forcibly outward!

A great force surged, and with a whoosh, Tie Ci’s body was suddenly suspended in air!

Amid the cries of alarm, Tie Ci in mid-air shouted: “Don’t come over!”

At the same time, she also tightly grasped that wrist. The moment she touched the other’s wrist, with continuous clattering sounds, her fingers like vines instantly climbed from the other’s wrist to their elbow, gripping tightly.

The next moment, that wrist cracked and broke off completely, with pale wooden splinters flashing before Tie Ci’s eyes.

Tie Ci: “…”

Damn, it was actually a prosthetic limb!

But by this time she had already flipped over the cliff edge, falling uncontrollably downward.

…The cliff-falling curse remained.

In the rushing wind sounds, her ankle was suddenly tightened by vines, then she was pulled toward the cliff wall.

Looking down, she saw between the deep black cliff wall and white mist, a faint blue light extending long.

Tie Ci suddenly extended her foot, her toe landing on something hard and narrow.

That thing had some elasticity. As she landed, she was slightly bounced upward. Only then did she see clearly that it was actually an Abyss Iron longsword inserted in the cliff crevice.

A gust of wind passed, breaking open the thick fog. Below, blue lights flickered – countless Abyss Iron blades and swords were inserted at intervals, long and short. White mist rolled and gathered toward the cliff bottom, and those pale blue blades and swords extended downward through the mist like a blue stairway miraculously grown from the cliff wall.

Quite a spectacle.

The Abyss Iron swords were indeed at the cliff bottom, but they had actually been inserted one by one into the cliff wall!

Tie Ci had no time to appreciate this spectacle. After being bounced up, she fell down, landing on the next blade. Then rising again, falling again.

Stepping on this ninety-degree staircase made of Abyss Iron blades and swords, she unhesitatingly rushed toward the cliff bottom. In mid-air, her robes rose and fell gracefully, gathering a sleeve full of frost-white cloud mist and pale blue smoky rain. Her scattered black hair was pulled straight as satin by the fierce mountain wind, floating and extending downward, disappearing into the clouds.

In a secluded spot halfway up the mountain cliff, someone stood tall and elegant, back against the cliff wall, feet on thin blades, gazing at this somewhat ethereal scene before the sea of clouds and snow mist, lightly whistling.

When Tie Ci fell, people above the cliff rushed over in alarm. Dan Shuang had originally wanted to jump, but seeing this scene, she finally exhaled in relief.

Only now did she understand why Tie Ci hadn’t let them go down. Watching Tie Ci’s figure twist and fall gracefully between the sea of clouds and blue cliff looked beautiful and easy, but the downward momentum was actually enormous, and the landing spots were narrow and sharp. Besides requiring extremely excellent lightness skills, one also needed extremely strong body control, or one small mistake would result in crashing into sharp blades and cutting one’s legs.

Tie Ci currently appeared relaxed but was actually covered in sweat. All the blood and energy in her body flowed from her crown downward, penetrating her entire body, focusing her spirit and tensing her muscles, then rolling down to reach her toes. Her toes precisely sought that narrow foothold between the whistling, deafening mountain wind and cold mist, her entire body like repeatedly opening the governing and conception vessels.

Suddenly her chest ached, as if something loose was thoroughly cleared by this repeated washing. She suddenly opened her eyes wide, the mist before her dispersed, and she saw a large nest of snakes and insects below—

Tie Ci cried out and landed heavily, then cried out again the next instant.

Before she knew it, she had reached the bottom, but because she landed too hard, she sprained her ankle.

Falling onto soft green grass, Tie Ci looked around in bewilderment. Where was that nest of snakes and insects?

Beneath the green grass was black earth, with no snakes or insects within several zhang.

But when Tie Ci concentrated her vision to look beneath herself again, she suddenly jumped up.

A nest of insects was crawling around right under her!

Jumping up to look again, the insects were gone – just green grass and earth.

After several repetitions, Tie Ci suddenly paused. She vaguely understood but found it somewhat incredible. Her gaze turned to the surroundings – before her were wild grass and tree branches, scattered stones, blue-black cliff walls. She concentrated her vision to carefully examine the cliff wall, then saw the rock’s internal texture.

Then a flying bird passed, and she saw the bird’s skeleton.

X-ray vision.

Her heavenly gift ability had actually awakened!

Though it was legendarily the weakest of the heavenly gifts, Tie Ci was already overwhelmed with wild joy.

Whether she had heavenly gift abilities was truly too important for her!

That was a country, the entire world, countless people – the foundation for her and her father emperor to stand for life!

Cliff-falling indeed brought adventures – melodrama doesn’t deceive me!

Tie Ci was excited for a while, then experimented several more times, discovering her x-ray vision wasn’t yet skilled. Concentrating on extremely close objects was relatively easy to succeed.

After her excitement, she suddenly heard whooshing sounds. Looking up, she saw a black shadow coming down from above just as she had, stepping on the swords on the cliff wall like a cannonball, but stopping at a distance of two or three zhang from her, then beginning to retreat up the cliff, collecting one sword with each step back.

Tie Ci: “…”

Damn, he could actually cut off escape routes like this.

That person moved extremely quickly, retreating while collecting. Soon he had gathered a large bundle. A rope lowered from above, he tied the swords to the rope, and it was hauled up. He continued collecting upward.

Tie Ci hadn’t noticed the sword placement pattern during her frantic descent. Only now did she discover the swords were positioned with each one slightly offset from the last, unconsciously shifting to another cliff face. Her people were currently still on the other side looking for people and tools to descend, completely unable to see someone collecting swords from a different direction.

The bottommost swords remained – the other party didn’t intend to charge to her front, leaving several behind. Tie Ci watched the swords being collected in sequence and leaped up, but instantly fell back down – her injured ankle could no longer support another sword-tip crossing.

She could only watch helplessly as that person worked their way around, collecting all the swords before her eyes without hurry.

This mind and way of acting was simply extraordinary.

Mountain mist meandered, and that person wore a mask, so she never saw their face clearly. Using her full vision sometimes still only showed skeletons. She could only sense the other party was tall and very attractive. That figure gradually became a small dot in the pale clouds and soft mist. Just before disappearing from her sight, he suddenly looked down at her.

Though far away, Tie Ci still felt the other party was looking at her.

She saw that person raise their hand, fingertips seeming to lightly touch their lips, then very gracefully gesture toward her before turning and disappearing.

Tie Ci sat cross-legged on the ground, stunned for a long while.

Wasn’t that a blown kiss?

Who would make such a gesture…

After a long while, she jumped up again.

That money-loving scoundrel who had extorted, stolen from her, and even fought with her on the high seas!

…

While Tie Ci was lured and trapped at the cliff bottom with Dengzhou troops descending to search and no longer pursuing the Abyss Iron, Xiao Xueya had already reached Haiwei Guard checkpoint.

The gate official was no longer the one who had received Murong Duan earlier. The ordinary city gate minor official fearfully opened the gate, but Xiao Xueya stared at another gate opening.

The side gate’s edge showed scrape marks, and the door axis was somewhat damaged – very fresh traces.

Xiao Xueya spurred his horse over. The gate official looked nervous and hurriedly followed to obstruct, but was lightly and skillfully pushed aside by Xiao Xueya’s subordinate with a horse whip.

The mighty procession passed through the side gate. Inside the checkpoint were two rows of houses for garrison soldiers’ residence. Just as Xiao Xueya was about to order a search, a gray-clothed man suddenly emerged from under the eaves and made a long bow to Xiao Xueya.

Seeing him, Xiao Xueya’s thick eyebrows furrowed.

The man presented a letter with both hands. Xiao Xueya silently read it, his eyelashes lowered so his expression couldn’t be seen.

The gray-clothed man bowed his head: “Madam is currently in retreat at Qingyang Mountain, just a hundred li away. Since Young Master happens to be passing through, why not go with this humble one to pay respects? Madam has missed Young Master for many years.”

Xiao Xueya was silent for a long while, then suddenly said: “What’s in the houses?”

The gray-clothed man still bowed his head, as if he hadn’t heard the question: “Not having met for many years, such a rare opportunity – does Young Master still plan to pass by hurriedly?”

Xiao Xueya was silent again, then said after a while: “Military duties prevent compliance.” He spurred his horse forward a step.

The gray-clothed man stepped aside to block again.

“The master has words for this humble one to convey to Young Master: Young Master has had lofty aspirations since childhood, and the family never constrained Young Master, fully supporting all ambitions. Even this time when you insisted on abandoning the Three Borders heavy troops to go southeast, the master ultimately allowed it. The family asks no assistance from Young Master, but hopes Young Master retains some conscience, remembers your origins and destination, and doesn’t betray the family.”

He spoke very painfully and earnestly. Xiao Xueya listened quietly while walking inward, finally stopping in the courtyard and pointing at a row of large carts covered with cloth: “What’s inside?”

The gray-clothed man choked, not expecting that after speaking so much from the heart, this person acted as if he hadn’t heard. After pausing, he said coldly: “Those are supplements about to be sent to Madam – many medicines are rare and cannot be exposed to light or wind.”

Xiao Xueya nodded: “Open them.”

“Young Master!” The gray-clothed man stepped forward three paces and said sternly: “Have you forgotten! Who labored for three days and nights in difficult birth, risking death to bear you! Who protected you from that pile of concubines’ schemes under the master, injuring her foundation! Who didn’t despise your childhood slow speech and dullness, personally nurturing and raising you! Who found the most excellent martial masters for you, achieving your current great career! Now she’s been ill for years, approaching death, far from family recuperating in the mountains, hoping day and night only to see her beloved son once. You’ve already failed to return or inquire for years, disappointing deep kindness – surely you won’t destroy even the medicine sustaining her life!”

The soldiers lifting curtains hesitantly stopped and looked back at Xiao Xueya.

Xiao Xueya stood there, still straight as a blue cliff, yet that prolonged standing seemed like a snow-covered cliff or frost-laden tree, covered with desolation.

The courtyard was full of his trusted soldiers, with the Regional Military Commission troops remaining outside. The full courtyard was silent as if empty.

After a long while, Xiao Xueya knelt down, facing Qingyang Mountain’s direction, and kowtowed three times heavily.

Like a jade mountain toppling, in dust yet unstained by dust.

When he knelt, the soldiers throughout the courtyard showed shocked expressions, then all lowered their heads together.

The gray-clothed man shivered slightly in the rising sunlight.

When Xiao Xueya stood and turned again, sunlight swept past his brow like a sharp sword, his gaze still tempered like a blade edge.

He said: “Open them.”

The moment the cart doors opened, some medicine packages fell first, then Abyss Iron piled too full clattered to the ground.

Xiao Xueya stared at those blades and swords, a trace of genuine anguish passing through his brow.

The gray-clothed man stopped shivering and stood among the scattered blades and swords, directly facing him.

His face showed complete “you handle this yourself” indifference.

In the near-deathly silence, Xiao Xueya waved his hand, and the soldiers came alive. His deputy urgently ordered those carts driven out from the rear courtyard.

A soldier gathered those fallen blades and swords with difficulty, holding them together. Walking last, Xiao Xueya suddenly raised his hand and drew one sword from the pile, not even looking as he threw it backward.

The sword unsheathed in mid-air, its blue light condensed like a swimming dragon under sunlight, pouncing down at the gray-clothed man’s head.

The gray-clothed man retreated in shock as the sword struck the ground by his feet with a thud.

Xiao Xueya’s voice came from ahead: “Leave a memento for your master.”

“Tell him Abyss Iron is precious – getting this one sword is already generous for him. Knowing contentment prevents disgrace, knowing when to stop prevents danger. Excessive greed invites heavenly punishment.”

The gray-clothed man watched his straight back disappear through the courtyard gate, then suddenly shouted unwillingly:

“Third Young Master, is this how you repay the family?!”

Xiao Xueya stopped at the threshold.

For an instant, he suddenly thought of Tie Ci’s clear yet slightly mocking laugh earlier, her light tone saying “puppet’s little puppet.” He thought of Chi Xue’s words: “Without family, could you really have been so smooth in everything?”

He lowered his eyelashes and smiled with slight mockery.

Quietly saying: “Not taking you down right now is my greatest repayment to the family.”

After pausing, he stepped over the threshold.

“…And my greatest insult to myself.”