Yan Qing thought for a moment and carefully put away the small iron box. “We go to the Five Clans Territory.”

“The Five Clans Territory is very chaotic. Miss should let Dihuai go instead.” Murong said worriedly. “Criminal societies run rampant there; it’s very unsettled.”

“Are you comfortable with Dihuai going alone?”

“Isn’t there still Master Mu?”

“With Mu Bai’s personality, he will only follow me and won’t go anywhere else.” Yan Qing rubbed her temples. A person like Mu Bai only followed absolute orders. Xie Yan had told him to come protect her, so he would stay by her side without moving an inch.

Murong thought of the situation in the Five Clans Territory and worried about Dihuai too, yet she didn’t want Yan Qing to go into danger. She was momentarily indecisive.

“With Mu Bai around, we only need to act in a low-key and careful manner. Nothing will go wrong. Although that place is a dark domain, it is not hell. There are large numbers of residents living there; it won’t simply devour people whole.” Yan Qing thought of the badge in the iron box and felt she was getting closer and closer to the truth. As long as she unraveled the story behind this badge, she could learn the truth of Qian Lan’s background.

The Five Clans Territory — she absolutely had to make a trip there.

Yan Qing and Murong quickly packed their things. Dihuai had already hired a horse carriage. Motor vehicles were almost nonexistent in the town; the main means of transport were horse carriages and rickshaws.

The carriage Dihuai had hired came with a lavishly fitted compartment, normally used by the wealthy young ladies and mistresses of the area.

Dihuai and the coachman sat at the front. Murong and Yan Qing sat inside the carriage. Mu Bai, as always, sat on the roof.

“This Master Mu is truly peculiar.” Murong glanced toward the roof and shook her head. “In the dead of winter wearing a single-layer garment, with a compartment available but refusing to sit inside — insisting on sitting on the roof. Isn’t he afraid of getting frostbite?”

“Does he look cold to you?”

“Not the slightest sign of minding the cold.” Murong, who also practiced martial arts, had been trained by her master through the three hottest days of summer and the coldest days of winter since childhood. She considered herself someone who could endure hardship, but compared to this Mu Bai, she felt all her years of training had been wasted.

When goods are compared, one must be discarded; when people are compared, one is maddened with envy.

When the carriage traveled to the edge of a grove, Murong suddenly heard a faint sound from the roof.

All the way here, Mu Bai had maintained a completely motionless state. Now that he suddenly made a sound, there must be some sudden development.

“Miss…” Murong quickly used her body to shield Yan Qing. “The bald man’s group has probably given chase.”

The bald man had his hand broken by Mu Bai and would certainly not let it go. What’s more, he had always terrorized Huxi Town and had never suffered such a loss. Even setting aside the revenge for his broken hand, he simply could not swallow this humiliation.

So the bald man had gathered every person under his command in this area, intending to take his revenge.

“Boss, just ahead is the Five Clans Territory.” In the grove, the bald man’s henchman cautiously said. “We’ve just come out of the Five Clans Territory ourselves — we don’t want to be dragged back in.”

“I know.” The bald man was also somewhat cautious. “We deal with these few people and get out fast. And — that woman, leave her for me.”

“That young girl really is quite a looker. I’ve never seen anyone that good-looking.” A henchman licked his lips. “Her maid isn’t bad either. Though not up to the young miss, still quite comely. Boss, should we take both of them?”

“The miss is mine, the maid is for you lot.” The bald man laughed heartily, and thinking of that outstandingly beautiful face beneath the hood, his lascivious heart soared.

“Right.” The bald man’s expression suddenly grew serious. “That man with them is an expert. Make him your primary target.”

“Don’t worry, Boss. With so many of us, even if he were a god it would be useless.”

Reassured by his henchmen’s guarantee, the bald man relaxed slightly. He glanced at his hand in its splint, cursed under his breath, and said, “Take them alive. I want to deal with him personally.”

Seeing the carriage speeding toward them from not far off, the bald man gestured to his men. Everyone raised their weapons, and fifty-odd people suddenly surged out of the grove.

When they rushed to the vehicle, the whole group stood somewhat dumbfounded. The carriage had no coachman; on the roof sat a single person with empty hands. That person’s eyes were as cold as a vast glacier.

Those eyes, slightly downcast, snapped open when they heard people approaching. In that instant the bald man clearly saw a bloodthirsty gleam flare from within them.

This man showed not the slightest fear in the face of dozens of thugs; on the contrary, an excited, barely-restrained light danced in his eyes — like a leopard that has finally spotted a herd of prey.

“Don’t… don’t be afraid.” The bald man looked at Mu Bai and was reminded of his broken hand, but he still forced himself to remain calm and said, “There’s only one of him. Nothing to be afraid of. Everyone charge together — don’t go easy on anyone. But remember: I want them alive.”

Mu Bai saw the crowd surrounding him, every one of them brandishing weapons and shouting loudly.

The corner of his mouth curved slightly. His form flickered. No one could see how he had descended from the roof, but in the blink of an eye the rooftop was empty.

“Ahh!” In the midst of the crowd, a sudden shriek rang out, accompanied by the sound of an arm being wrenched from its socket, and then shrieks rose one higher than the last.

The people all held weapons in hand yet could not find where their attacker was. Cold sweat poured down every forehead, and their expressions were as if they had seen a ghost.

While Mu Bai was fighting with great relish on that side, Yan Qing and the others had already hidden in the grove not far away.

The sky was growing dark, and the grove was somewhat dim.

“Miss, don’t be afraid. Those people won’t come over.” Murong kept shielding Yan Qing and carefully tucked her cape snug. “Miss, are you cold?”

“Not cold. Stop worrying only about me.” Yan Qing smiled helplessly. “Your hat is nearly falling off.”

Yan Qing reached up and straightened Murong’s hood. Dihuai had already caught up and, seeing Murong’s face flushed red from the cold, he quickly took off his own coat.

“Murong, take this.”

“Quick, put it back on. It’s so cold — what if you get frostbite? You’re not Master Mu, after all.” Murong saw he was left with only a cotton garment on his body and hurriedly waved it off.

Dihuai smiled. “I’m a man. What’s a little cold? Not so easy to get sick. Besides, if you fall ill, how will you take care of Miss?”

Murong heard this and had no choice but to accept the coat. As she draped it over herself, it still carried a warm temperature. She couldn’t help but feel her face grow warm — fortunately the sky was dark, and no one could see.

“Miss, could Master Mu be in any trouble?” Dihuai looked over with some concern, as the sounds of fighting and cries continued from that side.

“I trust Master Mu.” Yan Qing’s trust in Mu Bai was also grounded in her trust in Xie Yan. Xie Yan would not send someone without ability to serve her.

Just as everyone was waiting anxiously, the grove behind them suddenly erupted in commotion.

“Boss is over there. We’ll cut them off from this side.”

“It’s just three or four of them — what’s all this fuss about?”

“Word is there’s one who’s very hard to deal with. Oh yes, and two girls too. Boss says whoever catches them can have them.”

Listening to the conversation drawing closer, Yan Qing felt a sudden chill in her heart. She had not expected the bald man to have brought people around to intercept them as well, and judging from the footsteps, there seemed to be over ten of them.

Murong and Dihuai heard this and their expressions changed drastically. They were very close to these people right now; the slightest movement would lead them over.

But if they continued to stay still, these people would pass by and see them anyway.

“Miss.” Murong saw the situation was not good and lowered her voice. “In a moment, Dihuai and I will hold them off. You run toward Master Mu. Master Mu will protect you.”

“We all run together.”

“Master Mu is likely unable to handle this many people on his own. The two of us will stay and stall for a while.” Murong said firmly. “No matter what, we must protect Miss’s safety. Your husband has said it a thousand times over — Miss cannot suffer any harm. If anything happens to Miss, even if we survive, we can’t account to your husband.”

“Miss, listen to Murong. Go find Master Mu. Leave this to us two.”

“But there are too many of them, and you two don’t have weapons…”

“Miss, rest assured. Just run as fast as you can.”

Seeing the voices drawing ever closer, Dihuai gave Yan Qing a nod.

Yan Qing knew that at this moment she could not keep deliberating. Staying here would only make her a burden. Better to quickly join up with Mu Bai than to keep pushing back and forth.

“Miss, go now.”

Dihuai issued a low command.

Yan Qing ducked out from under the tree she had been hiding beneath and ran quickly toward the edge of the grove.

“Someone’s over there.” The moment Yan Qing moved, she was spotted at once, and over ten people came rushing over in a swarm.

Dihuai and Murong knew they would be discovered sooner or later. They simply leapt out to block the crowd’s path.

Yan Qing heard the sounds of fighting behind her and dared not look back, only quickening her steps.

Just as she broke out of the grove, she ran headlong into a group of people.

Yan Qing groaned inwardly. Had everyone chosen this spot for a gathering? Why did there keep being wave after wave of people?

The group ahead were each dressed in black and wore expressions of killing intent. They looked even harder to deal with than the bald man’s lot.

Yan Qing’s sudden appearance also startled these people for a moment. They clearly had not expected a lone woman to come running out of this grove.

After all, this was the border between the Five Clans Territory and Huxi Town. What ordinary woman would dare come to a place like this?

Yan Qing swallowed hard, and taking advantage of the moment while these people were still stunned, she turned and bolted in Mu Bai’s direction.

But she had not run more than a few steps when a figure suddenly blocked her path, an arm extended to cut off her way.

Without hesitation she grabbed that person’s arm and, regardless of everything else, bit down hard. The person let out a muffled grunt, and the arm blocking her way was withdrawn.

Yan Qing seized the chance and was about to run again, when she heard that person speak in a low, deep voice: “Miss Yan.”

Yan Qing, at the sound of the voice, came to a sudden halt. Only then did she lift her head and look at the person who had spoken.