Before Qiao Mu could say anything more, Feng Jiu’er came riding forward on Zhuiyue.

She raised her eyes to glance at the mountain not far ahead and said softly: “What comes will come. Go inform the brothers behind us — we continue forward.”

“Yes, Miss Jiu’er.” One brother nodded and continued ahead.

The other brother also clasped his hands in a bow, then turned and headed back the way he had come.

Facing troops of unknown identity, everyone in the procession kept their guard up.

The procession continued forward into the mountain range, with Feng Jiu’er and the others at the very front.

It seemed that with such a small white figure present, even if there were thousands upon thousands of soldiers ahead, there was not a trace of fear on the brothers’ faces.

Feng Jiu’er rode Zhuiyue forward swiftly, with Qiao Mu and Jian Yi riding their horses closely behind.

Passing over that tall mountain, sure enough — a considerable number of troops and horses had arrived at the foot of the mountain.

Feng Jiu’er stood on the small hillside, looking through a telescope at the procession at the mountain’s foot that had halted its advance.

After a short while, she lowered the telescope and turned to look at Qiao Mu, who was also holding a telescope.

“It’s him — the Fort Master of Nanman Fort.”

“It really is him.” Qiao Mu nodded, lowering the telescope. “Jiu’er, do you think he intends to…”

“Most likely he already knows I’m coming.” Feng Jiu’er dropped this remark and rode forward alone.

Qiao Mu and Jian Yi immediately followed.

“Jiu’er, shouldn’t you wait for the brothers?” Qiao Mu was a little concerned and glanced back.

“Even if you once helped them, now that we’re here to reclaim their territory, they may not necessarily agree.”

“He will agree.” Feng Jiu’er paid no attention to Qiao Mu and, along with those who had caught up behind her, continued riding swiftly forward.

If one truly intended to start a fight, who would bring along a wife with not even a trace of martial skill?

The Fort Master of Nanman Fort, watching the figures descending from the hillside, extended his hand and clasped the hand resting at his side — his wife’s hand.

“My wife, it really is Little Sister Feng — they’ve come.”

The Fort Master’s wife had a rosy complexion and looked younger and more vibrant than before.

She curved her lips slightly upward and said nothing at all.

The Fort Master released his wife’s hand, glanced back at the people behind him, raised his palm and pressed it downward.

His large hand returned to his side — one clasping his wife’s hand, one gripping the reins — and he rode forward to meet them.

Captain Nanmen, who was not far behind him, waved his hand and rode along.

The brothers further back received the unspoken order: not a single one followed. They remained quietly in place, waiting for further commands.

Feng Jiu’er descended the hillside and could now clearly see the two horses coming toward her.

Earlier on the hillside, she had spotted a woman behind the Fort Master; if her guess was right, that woman was undoubtedly the Fort Master’s wife.

Qiao Mu, following behind Feng Jiu’er, let out a quiet breath of relief upon seeing that only two horses were approaching.

Qiao Mu raised a hand and the procession behind her came to a halt.

In the end, the only ones who continued forward with Feng Jiu’er were Jian Yi and Qiao Mu.

“Little Sister Feng.” Before the Fort Master had even arrived, his voice carried over ahead of him.

If one looked carefully, one could still notice that the pace of his horse today was unhurried, moving steadily without a single jolt.

Feng Jiu’er watched the Fort Master’s expression — anxious, yet not daring to rush forward — and the corners of her lips curved lightly.

Nearly five months had passed in the blink of an eye. Time truly moved fast.

Very soon, the few of them met on a stretch of flat ground.

The scenery here was quite lovely — green mountains and clear waters, with birds singing and flowers blooming.

Not far away, a spring tumbled down from the mountain, its melodious dripping and splashing most pleasant to the ear.

“Little Sister Feng, I’ve finally waited for you to come.” The Fort Master of Nanman Fort looked at Feng Jiu’er with a smile.

He gently shifted his horse to one side, bringing the woman behind him into Feng Jiu’er’s view.

“Little Sister Feng, I’ve brought my wife to see you.” The Fort Master said with a face full of delight.

In Feng Jiu’er’s eyes, this couple both looked younger than before.

She glanced at the Fort Master’s wife, then returned her gaze to the Fort Master and raised a brow to ask: “You’ve brought so many people — are you here to welcome me?”

“But of course.” The Fort Master nodded in reply. “I received word long ago about what Little Sister Feng has been doing in the Black Canyon.”

“Knowing you would come, I naturally had to open the gates wide to welcome you.”

“So then, you agree to submit?” Feng Jiu’er’s voice sounded again.

“There’s no reason not to agree.” The Fort Master said with a smile. “Little Sister Feng — no! Calling you that seems a bit disrespectful.”

“Now that General Feng has become the ruler of the Black Canyon, I am merely the master of a small mountain stronghold. Calling you that doesn’t seem quite appropriate.”

“No matter.” Feng Jiu’er shook her head and smiled faintly. “As long as the Fort Master feels it is fitting, there is nothing unfitting about it. I am still myself — I am Feng Jiu’er, that’s right.”

“However, what the Fort Master has said is indeed what I desire.”

“I told the Fort Master long ago: my aim is to recover the entire Black Canyon. As for who becomes its ruler, that can be decided by true ability.”

“If Little Sister Feng doesn’t mind, I, Jia, would still hope to go on addressing you as such.” The Fort Master smiled faintly, the smile carrying a hint of shyness.

At first glance, he was nearly half again as tall as Feng Jiu’er.

Yet now, standing before Feng Jiu’er, the Fort Master looked like a child gazing upon the great hero of his heart.

“Fort Master, no need to stand on ceremony.” Feng Jiu’er smiled gently and nodded.

“Wonderful, wonderful.” The Fort Master smiled with great delight. “Who would have thought that the Black Canyon would ultimately be unified.”

“I don’t think anyone could have imagined that the one to unify the Black Canyon would be a young woman barely in her teens, could they?”

“Ha ha ha… To have had the fortune to meet and become acquainted with Little Sister Feng ahead of time — that is indeed my, Jia’s, blessing.”

“Oh, right.” The Fort Master once again clasped the hand of the woman behind him and looked back at her. “How could I have forgotten such an important matter?”

“Little Sister Feng, thanks to you, I’m about to become a father! I’m going to be a father — ha ha ha… Little Sister Feng, I am so overjoyed! It is all thanks to you!”

Feng Jiu’er looked at the Fort Master’s wife, her expression also very cheerful.

Just now, watching the Fort Master ride forward with such careful, cautious steps, she had already begun to guess.

Sure enough, the Fort Master’s wife had truly managed to conceive as she had hoped.

“Congratulations, congratulations!” Feng Jiu’er clasped her hands in a bow to the Fort Master’s wife.

“Thank you, Miss Feng.” The Fort Master’s wife withdrew her hand from within the Fort Master’s palm and clasped her own hands in a bow to Feng Jiu’er.

“The pleasure is mine!” Feng Jiu’er returned her a faint smile and nodded.

“Ha ha ha…” The Fort Master continued to laugh heartily, laughing no differently from a child.

Seeing how genuinely happy he was, perhaps in the future he would be a warm and loving father.

The Fort Master’s wife had endured for over ten years and had finally managed to see the light at the end of the tunnel. As a fellow woman, Feng Jiu’er felt genuinely happy for her.

“Fort Master.” Feng Jiu’er looked at the Fort Master and called softly.

The Fort Master immediately stopped laughing and looked at her: “Little Sister Feng, is something the matter?”

“There is something.” Feng Jiu’er looked at him with an expression of mild seriousness. “You should not have brought your wife out at this time — and certainly should not have let her ride on horseback.”

“The mountain path is treacherous. However careful you may be, it is still far too bumpy a ride.”