The senior and junior disciples walked and talked, and after half a shichen, they turned from a secluded mountain path onto the main road.

The main road suddenly became lively, though not in the usual sense. Both sides of the road were crowded with refugees.

They wore tattered clothing; some were desperately digging for grass roots and tree roots, others sat blankly staring into space, while some lay on piles of withered grass, barely breathing.

Among the crowd were scattered makeshift tents.

Chu Caiwei watched with confusion, wondering why they would gather here so far from any city, with nothing to eat.

When she turned her gaze toward Yang Qianhuan ahead, she noticed he was now wearing a veiled hat. Instead of light gauze, it was draped with thick cotton cloth—the kind that even supernatural martial artists couldn’t see through.

“Mother, I’m so hungry…”

By the roadside, a six or seven-year-old boy curled up in his mother’s embrace.

The mother and child were disheveled and gaunt from hunger.

“Just hold on a little longer, just a little longer and you won’t feel hungry anymore.”

The young mother held her child, shivering in the cold wind as she said, “When you fall asleep, you won’t feel hungry…”

The young mother’s face bore several bruises, her wrists showed dark red blood, and her pale lips suggested she was injured or ill.

Chu Caiwei’s eyes reflected the young woman’s resigned and numb expression and the child’s desperate longing for food and fear of hunger.

She walked over slowly and crouched before the mother and child, taking out two steamed buns wrapped in oiled paper from her deerskin waist pouch.

In an instant, numerous bloodshot eyes turned toward them, gleaming with an indescribable light that seemed barely human.

The young woman took the buns and shook her drowsy child awake, urging anxiously:

“Eat quickly, quickly…”

While stuffing a bun into her mouth, she grabbed a sharpened stone she had kept beside her, sweeping fierce glances at the surrounding refugees who were swallowing their saliva and eyeing them eagerly.

Throughout this, she kept urging her child to eat faster.

Seeing the boy choking with his eyes rolling back, Chu Caiwei quickly handed over her water flask, saying softly:

“Slow down, drink some water.”

While the boy drank, Chu Caiwei looked at the young mother and asked:

“Why are you all gathered here?”

From her experience, refugees typically survived in three ways. Some became bandits, plundering other commoners like locusts, and those who were robbed would also become refugees, creating an ever-growing cycle.

Some would gather outside city walls, surviving on government handouts or searching the mountains for anything edible.

Some would enlist as militia.

The last option was chosen least often, firstly because the government’s provisions were limited and couldn’t support too many militias, and secondly, because Qing Province was at war, and militia members would quickly be sent to the Qing Province battlefield.

But these refugees gathering here, far from any village or inn, were they just waiting to die in the cold wind?

The young mother took two bites of her bun, then stopped eating and held it, saying hoarsely:

“Six Li ahead there’s a mountain with a mountain chief. They go out robbing every few days, and after each raid, they send people to bring us food.”

Seeing her child finish his bun, she handed over her portion:

“Eat this too…”

She then looked at Chu Caiwei, and after studying her for a moment, pleaded softly:

“Miss, could you take my child with you?”

Chu Caiwei was stunned. She certainly couldn’t take a child with her. The boy looked about the same age as Xu Lingyin but was weak and timid, clearly not as hardy.

Moreover, she was an exile from the Imperial Astronomy Bureau, traveling everywhere. A frail child couldn’t withstand such hardships.

Just as she was about to refuse, she heard the young mother’s plaintive voice:

“I can’t protect him much longer. Those people have been looking at him more and more strangely. Last night someone tried to secretly take him away, but thankfully I woke up in time and fought them…”

Chu Caiwei suddenly understood the source of the bruises on her face and the dark red blood on her hands.

At that moment, she could barely breathe.

Just then, her ears caught the sound of hoofbeats.

She stood up and looked down the main road to see a mounted squad galloping toward them, led by a beautiful woman in a black dress with thick eyebrows and large eyes, radiating vigor.

“Rustle rustle…”

The lifeless refugees suddenly “came alive,” springing up from the ground and surging toward the mounted troops.

Crack!

The woman in black cracked her whip, forcing back the rushing refugees, and berated them:

“Line up properly! Anyone who dares to rush forward, this young lady will whip you to death!”

The refugees seemed extremely wary of her and obediently formed lines.

The mounted soldiers dismounted, each carrying a cloth bag filled with steamed buns, which they distributed once per person.

By the time every refugee had received food, the bags were empty.

The woman in black, still mounted, looked Yang Qianhuan and Chu Caiwei up and down, saying:

“From your dress, you don’t look like refugees. Where are you from?”

Just as Chu Caiwei was about to speak, Yang Qianhuan rose into the air, his back to the crowd, and slowly recited:

“Holding the bright moon, I pluck the stars,

In all the world, none compare to who I am.

Had Heaven not birthed me, Yang Qianhuan,

Great Feng’s eternal night would still span.”

Everyone present, including the refugees, stared in awe, their faces filled with reverence.

The woman in black, though wary, didn’t dare act rashly. She asked in a deep voice:

“What brings you here?”

She secretly tightened her grip on her sword hilt.

Not long ago, government forces had tried to attack the mountain and eliminate them.

Though they had been repelled, Li Lang was certain the government wouldn’t give up, and at this crucial time, the sudden appearance of a mysterious figure with considerable cultivation was very likely a high-ranking officer sent by the court.

Yang Qianhuan spoke slowly:

“I come to visit my friend Li Lingsu. Have you heard of him?”

[Continued in the next section due to length…]

The sun hung tepidly in the sky, bringing not a hint of warmth. In this easily defended mountain stronghold, smoke rose from cooking fires.

A man wearing worn cotton clothes, and carrying a bamboo basket, came to the watchtower at the stronghold’s entrance and called out:

“Come down for meals!”

“Alright…”

The lookout on the watchtower responded, then suddenly asked puzzled:

“Eh, Fourth Boss is back, but why did she bring so many people?”

The woman in black galloped to the stronghold’s entrance and exchanged the “safe return” hand signal with the guard in the watchtower.

The gate slowly opened.

“Fourth Boss, why did you bring those refugees back with you?”

A guard came forward eagerly to take her horse, while his gaze kept drifting to the yellow-dressed young woman behind her.

Large almond eyes, a slightly thin face, and delicate, pretty features—she was an exceptionally rare beauty.

The woman in black said flatly:

“These aren’t our people, just arrange temporary accommodations for them.”

After this brief explanation, she dismounted and led Chu Caiwei inside.

They walked past several crude wooden and earthen houses before reaching their destination—another earthen house, but this one surrounded by a fence.

The woman in black called out:

“Li Lang, come out! An old friend has come to visit.”

Shortly after, three people emerged from the house. The one in the middle was exceptionally handsome and dignified, like a refined young master.

On the right was a graceful woman in white dress with a scholarly air, and on the left was a woman in purple clothing with fair skin and bright eyes.

All were exceptionally beautiful women.

The women in white and purple frowned slightly upon seeing Chu Caiwei, their eyes becoming vigilant.

“Miss Caiwei!”

Li Lingsu, who had previously been in contact with Yang Qianhuan, showed no surprise. Looking around, he asked:

“Where is Brother Yang?”

Just then, Yang Qianhuan’s voice came from the roof tiles, as if reciting poetry:

“Had Heaven not birthed me, Yang Qianhuan,

Great Feng’s eternal night would still span.

Holding the bright moon, I pluck the stars,

In all the world, none compare to who I am.”

Everyone looked up to see a white-robed figure standing on the black tiles, his clothes flowing in the wind.

This sight inspired reverence in the women in white and purple, who didn’t know his background, believing him to be a transcendent master.

Even the woman in black, who had heard the verses before, still looked amazed.

Li Lingsu introduced them to the three women:

“Let me introduce you—this is Yang Qianhuan from the Imperial Astronomy Bureau. You can call him Senior Brother Yang; he’s the third disciple of the Bureau Chief.”

He then introduced the three women.

The woman in white was named “Zhao Susu,” the daughter of a county magistrate; the woman in purple was “Yu Hanxiu,” the daughter of a local martial arts sect leader; the woman in black was “Lan Lan,” a disciple of Xiangzhou’s Fuyun Sect with Cultivation Realm [Liangshen] cultivation.

“Susu excels at arithmetic, helping me manage the household accounts and the entire stronghold’s expenses. Xiu’er used to help her father train and manage disciples, and she maintained order in the stronghold. Lan’er has the strongest cultivation and helps me rob the wealthy.”

Li Lingsu said: “Miaozhen was right—I’m not cut out for leading armies. Even with her teaching, I couldn’t learn, but fortunately, among my acquaintances, there’s no shortage of talent.”

Yang Qianhuan held back for a long while before uttering:

“That’s just like you!”

Li Lingsu waved his hand, inviting Yang Qianhuan and Chu Caiwei in for tea, asking:

“What brings you here? Do you have urgent business?”

Yang Qianhuan, wearing his veiled hat and sitting with his back to everyone, remained silent.

Chu Caiwei said:

“Senior Brother Yang wanted to outshine Xu Qi’an by donating all the Bureau’s wealth, which displeased Senior Brother Song, who reported him. So our teacher, the Bureau Chief, exiled us.”

Li Lingsu held back for a while before saying:

“That’s just like you!”

“But Miss Caiwei, why did you come along? Why get involved?”

Chu Caiwei said somewhat embarrassedly:

“When you eat someone’s food, you should help them with their affairs. Senior Brother Yang treated me to meals after all.”

Just like you… Li Lingsu thought sarcastically.

At this point, Yang Qianhuan said:

“I’ve brought back those refugees we met on the way, planning to follow your example—gathering refugees and occupying the mountain as our base. I’ll handle the provisions, but they’ll need to stay in Brother Li’s stronghold for now.”

Li Lingsu looked at Zhao Susu, who managed the expenses, and seeing her nod, immediately agreed:

“No problem at all. With Brother Yang’s mysterious teleportation techniques, raiding the granaries of those heartless rich would be easy.”

Yang Qianhuan shook his head:

“I won’t raid. If we need provisions, we’ll simply buy them.”

Hearing this, Zhao Susu smiled slightly:

“Senior Brother Yang, that’s no small expense. Currently, grain prices have risen…”

Before she could finish, Chu Caiwei interjected:

“When we left the Bureau, Teacher gave each of us fifty thousand taels.”

Li Lingsu was stunned: “Fifty thousand taels of silver? The Bureau is indeed wealthy…”

Chu Caiwei shook her head:

“It’s gold.”

We should rob and kill… Li Lingsu thought to himself.

Yang Qianhuan said solemnly:

“My purpose this time, besides being unable to bear the people’s suffering and wanting to help, is mainly to gather strength and form an army that cannot be ignored.”

“Then go to war in Qing Province? It seems Brother Yang and I are kindred spirits,” Li Lingsu sighed.

Yang Qianhuan fell silent for a moment, then said:

“That’s certainly one purpose, but this is my method for suppressing Xu Qi’an.”

Though he didn’t understand how this would suppress Xu Qi’an, just hearing the words “suppress Xu Qi’an” made Li Lingsu happy, and he quickly asked:

“What do you mean?”

Yang Qianhuan said calmly:

“That dog Xu Qi’an keeps gaining fame by currying favor with the common people. No matter what I do, I can’t catch up, which is truly disheartening.”

His beautiful companions are all extraordinary and truly disheartening… Li Lingsu deeply agreed: “Ah, Brother Yang understands me.”

Yang Qianhuan’s tone remained calm, due to his confidence:

“But recently, I suddenly had a brilliant plan. If it succeeds, the name Yang Qianhuan will overshadow Xu Qi’an.”