Misty Rain of the Old Times

Probably because the past few days had been too peaceful and boring, when they heard a fight coming this way, Guo Qingxue and Su Roujia decided to go and see what was going on.

The little girl simply wanted to broaden her horizons. Although her martial arts skills were improving day by day, she knew that practicing behind closed doors would not improve her practical experience. She knew that she wouldn't use her full strength when sparring with her own people. Observing other people's battles might be more beneficial. She had always been looking forward to growing up and sharing the burden with her master.

As for Guo Qingxue, being a member of the martial arts world, she had been well-behaved for a few days, but when faced with such a situation, she immediately became eager to try it herself.

Chen Xuan didn't care that the two kids just wanted to join in the fun, but then said with a sigh, "It's pitch black, how can you see anything if you go with them?"

"Brother Chen, although I can't see in the dark yet, my eyesight is pretty good. Besides, the moon is very bright today, and I can see clearly even with my eyes strained," Guo Qingxue said, shaking Chen Xuan's hand coquettishly.

The little girl nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, yes."

"Fine," Chen Xuan shrugged.

The little princesses had no interest in fighting and killing. Chen Xuan then instructed Xia Mei and the others to protect the camp, and led the two little ones toward the direction of the fight.

On the way, Guo Qingxue asked curiously, "By the way, Brother Chen, are the people coming towards our camp very powerful? Even Aunt Mei couldn't handle them?"

She knew how powerful Xia Mei was. She had occasionally asked her for advice, but Xia Mei hadn't taken it seriously. Even when she used all her skills, she couldn't defend herself. Although she had never seen Xia Mei go all out, the aura she occasionally revealed made her realize that she was far inferior to her own sect leader father. In fact, in her hazy memories, she estimated that even her grandfather was no match for Xia Mei.

Regarding this question, Chen Xuan smiled and said, "The issue isn't whether the newcomers are powerful or not, but rather that there are many of them. Also, two of them are estimated to be on par with Aunt Mei in terms of cultivation and strength. Well, when I say that Aunt Mei probably can't control them, I mean without them getting hurt. Do you understand what I mean?"

"I understand. Master is worried that Aunt Mei will get hurt," the little maid said thoughtfully. She could deeply appreciate how much Chen Xuan valued everyone. Wasn't it only natural to entrust such matters to his subordinates? Yet he went there personally just because he was worried that Aunt Mei would get hurt.

Chen Xuan naturally didn't want his people to get hurt. He wasn't the kind of heartless person who would use those around him as tools. He smiled and said, "That group seems determined to fight to the death. If Aunt Mei shows up, she'll likely be targeted by everyone. With her cultivation level, she'll probably suffer. We're bored anyway, so let's just go quietly and watch for some entertainment."

Even though they didn't rush to get close to the opposing sides, Chen Xuan and his group arrived nearby in the blink of an eye. The three of them were enveloped by an invisible and intangible true essence, concealing their auras. They stood in a wide-open area and looked around with great interest, and no one noticed their arrival.

Four or five miles away from Chen Xuan's camp, a fierce battle of cat and mouse was unfolding in a mountain forest. The fleeing side was exhausted and in dire straits, while the pursuing side had the advantage in numbers and kept up the chase. The chase and escape had somehow ended up in this desolate wilderness.

Looking in the direction they came from, trees were broken and rocks were shattered. Everywhere there were marks of sword and knife cuts, a scene of utter devastation. Birds and beasts were startled and fled, showing how fierce the battle was.

It should be noted that there are more than a handful of innate masters among them, and two top-tier beings who are no less than Xia Mei. This level of battle is like a small-scale mobile natural disaster. If it were to take place in a densely populated town, it would surely leave a trail of blood wherever it goes.

The pursuing group consisted of four innate masters and more than ten acquired masters roaming around them. They were dressed in relatively uniform clothing, well-equipped, and cooperated perfectly, keeping the pursuers on the run.

Of those who had been pursued, only five remained: four men and two women. One of them, a middle-aged woman at the Innate Realm, tightly held a boy of about ten years old. Under the cover of the other three, she fought and fled, showing no fear of death despite her precarious situation, and did not abandon the boy who was like a burden to her.

Chen Xuan, who was secretly observing, could tell at a glance that the most important person in this battle and chase was the boy who looked to be about ten years old. Otherwise, given the cultivation levels of the others, even if they were no match for him, they could easily escape separately and shake off the pursuers. However, in order to protect the boy, they had no choice but to stay together and endure the siege of a powerful enemy.

This made Chen Xuan curious. What was the boy's identity that made him worth the effort of his men to protect him so desperately? After all, there were many corpses left in the direction they came from, all seemingly killed while protecting the boy.

Under the bright moonlight, the boy in the arms of the middle-aged woman was quite handsome, dressed in fine clothes, clearly from a wealthy and powerful family. In fact, if the boy didn't have a powerful background, so many people wouldn't be risking their lives to protect him.

The boy was pale at the moment, but he wasn't injured and was well protected. He was more frightened by his current situation. However, even in this situation, the boy was quite calm. He didn't cry or make a fuss and tried his best not to cause trouble for those protecting him. His maturity was remarkable. If it were any other child his age, he probably would have been crying and looking for his mother by now.

"I wonder what that child's identity is that warrants such a large commotion. His identity must be extraordinary. Ordinary families couldn't cultivate such a calm and composed mind at his age. What's truly remarkable is that, under such circumstances, he's actually trying to think of a way to break the deadlock. It's really quite remarkable. Unfortunately, the disparity in strength and numbers between the two sides is too great. Without external interference, all his ideas are in vain," Chen Xuan said, observing the two pursuing sides.

Over the years, he has traveled all over the country and seen many talented young people. Under the same circumstances, in his memory, Xiao Gao at this age was probably inferior to that boy. Speaking of which, what was Xiao Gao doing when he was ten years old? It seems that he had already shown signs of interest in Xiao Cai and Xiao Ye, but it was only after Madam Gao found out and gave him a good beating that the matter was dropped.

Strange thoughts popped into his head. Regardless of the boy's identity or why the two sides had gotten to this point, Chen Xuan had no intention of interfering. He had no interest in acting as a rescuer who would suddenly appear out of nowhere when someone was in dire straits.

"Brother Chen, the situation is too chaotic, and they are moving too fast. I can't see clearly. Is that the Chrysanthemum Guard Commander we saw a few days ago?" Guo Qingxue tugged at Chen Xuan's sleeve and pointed to a figure behind the crowd, whispering a reminder. Infected by the tense atmosphere between the two sides in the chase, her voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible.

Following the direction he was pointing, Chen Xuan nodded and said, "That's right, it's him." He then patted Guo Qingxue's hand and chuckled, "Qingxue, you don't need to lower your voice. With me here, you can speak normally; they won't hear you."

Hearing this, Guo Qingxue smiled sheepishly and said, "I've been influenced by them. In the past, I would try to stay away from other people resolving their grievances, let alone stand by and point fingers loudly. It's easy to cause misunderstandings and end up being the target of their criticism."

She wasn't a novice in the martial arts world; she knew the rules. Before she realized that with Chen Xuan around, there was no need for so many concerns.

Actually, Chen Xuan had already noticed the Chrysanthemum Guard commander when he spotted these people within his sensory range. They had only met once that day and didn't know each other, so he hadn't paid much attention to it. As he spoke, Chen Xuan looked thoughtfully at the little boy being protected and fleeing. The Chrysanthemum Guard had been mobilized; they must be representing the imperial court. However, given the rumors Xia Mei had mentioned earlier that Song Yuzhi and her younger brother might be in conflict over imperial power, it was uncertain whether the Chrysanthemum Guard was currently following Song Yuzhi or the emperor.

Then, the little boy must be the target of the Chrysanthemum Guards to capture or kill. It's just unknown whether he is a remnant of the Qin family who managed to escape. If he is a remnant of the Qin family, given the size of the Qin family in the past, it is not surprising that they could raise a child with such a temperament.

If he is a remnant of the Qin family, such a grand display of power and influence would indicate that he is one of the most important descendants of the Qin family, perhaps even the most important one.

If the speculation is true, then even a dead camel is bigger than a horse. Qin Yan and Qin Ruyu are both dead, yet Song Yuzhi's swift and decisive crackdown still managed to have a group of experts protecting them and allowing them to escape. Their strength is beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

Having heard detailed accounts of Chen Xuan and his group's visit to the imperial tomb a few days ago, the little girl, despite never having met them, knew about the leader of the Chrysanthemum Guard and exclaimed in surprise, "No wonder Master said that even if Aunt Mei came, she might not be able to keep them in check. It turns out the Chrysanthemum Guard commander personally led his men there. That day, Master said he possessed the strength to instantly kill ordinary innate beings!"

Shaking his head, Chen Xuan said speechlessly, "Although he is a master secretly trained by Aunt Song Yuzhi, we shouldn't underestimate him. Aunt Mei's strength is no less than his. It's hard to say who would be stronger if they actually fought. I just don't want Aunt Mei to come and get hurt in the event of a conflict."

At this moment, Guo Qingxue suddenly realized something and looked at the group of people who were fleeing in a disheveled state ahead, and said in a deep voice, "Brother Chen, since even a master like the Chrysanthemum Guard Commander has been dispatched, yet they have not been able to capture them for so long, there must be someone of equal strength among them, right?"

“That’s right. See that white-bearded old man following closely behind the boy? He’s also a formidable expert at the Innate Realm. The Chrysanthemum Guard Commander is keeping a close eye on him, probably because he’s wary of a mutually destructive outcome that might jeopardize the mission and allow those people to escape. That’s why he hasn’t gone all out. It seems he’s just wearing them down. Of course, we can’t rule out the possibility that he wants to capture them alive,” Chen Xuan nodded and reminded him.

While they were exchanging a few words as they watched from the sidelines, the group of people chasing and fleeing had already appeared within fifty feet of each other. However, both sides were focused on the enemy, and Chen Xuan deliberately concealed their presence, so no one noticed that there were actually people watching the show on the sidelines.

Looking at the white-bearded old man Chen Xuan had mentioned, the little girl couldn't see him clearly because they were moving too fast at night. He was just a thin old man, withered and frail, with one foot almost touching the ground. But his withered hands made her feel incredibly scared at first glance.

Knowing her own limitations and that experts are incredibly perceptive, the young girl glanced at him once and then looked away to avoid attracting his attention. Instead, she scanned the room and noticed Chen Xuan's actions out of the corner of her eye, exclaiming in surprise, "Hey, Master, where did you get these melon seeds?"

"Just now, they grabbed a handful from our luggage. Want some?" Chen Xuan asked, handing over his hand.

For him, eating sunflower seeds while watching the excitement is just routine.

They're fighting for their lives, isn't this inappropriate? The young maid, who seemed about to speak but then hesitated, took the melon seeds from Chen Xuan and said with a smile, "I don't want any, peel them for Master."

"Forget it, it's more fun to watch the excitement while you're doing it yourself," Chen Xuan said, withdrawing his hand in a polite refusal.

She didn't happen to overhear the two groups exchanging barbs. Seeing the people behind closing in and relentlessly pursuing her, among the few people fleeing at top speed, the only woman with acquired cultivation besides the little boy took one last reluctant yet resolute look at the boy in the middle-aged woman's arms, and then decisively turned around to meet the group of experts behind her.

This woman was about twenty years old, with a beautiful face and a cultivation level that had already reached the Ren meridian, meaning she had one foot in the innate realm. She possessed profound internal strength and superb lightness skills; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to keep up with these people.

She wore a beautifully designed emerald green dress, made of the finest fabric, but from the perspective of the nobility, it was the attire of a servant. Turning back with her sword in hand, she resolutely declared, "You must protect the young master and try your best to keep him alive. I'll go and buy him some time. Please, young master, I'll take my leave now. If there is a next life, please don't mind my clumsiness and come back to serve you."

"No...!" The little boy, who had been trying to remain calm in the middle-aged woman's arms, cried out in alarm. His teeth were clenched and his eyes were red. He reached out to stop her, but it was all in vain. He could only watch helplessly as the woman risked her life with her petite body to try and save her own chance to escape.

No one tried to stop them; it seemed everyone was prepared to die, and who went first was just a matter of time. Their sole purpose was to protect the little boy and keep him alive.

The group of Chrysanthemum Guards, as fierce as wolves and tigers, remained unmoved by the cold gazes of the woman who faced death without hesitation.

A Chrysanthemum Guard commander, at the Innate Realm, brandished his longsword, its blade gleaming coldly. He said indifferently, "Overestimating yourselves. None of you will escape. If you can't capture any alive, take their heads back with you."

"Young master, you must live on safely!" These were the last words the woman uttered.

Despite only possessing acquired cultivation, she was quite tragic. Her inner strength circulated wildly, and her two-foot-long short sword actually emitted a three-foot-long sword light, something that ordinary people in the acquired realm could not do. It was clear that she had cultivated superior internal skills.

However, this was nothing more than a firefly's glow in the face of a master of the Innate Realm. The Innate Realm Chrysanthemum Guard Commander casually swung his sword from a distance, its sharp edge reaching across the sky in the blink of an eye, and in an instant, the sword light had already landed on her delicate yet fierce body.

But in that instant, a fierce look appeared on the woman's face.

Seeing this, the commander of the Chrysanthemum Guards, who had been keeping a close watch on all sides, changed his expression slightly and said in a deep voice, "Not good, disperse!"

But his warning came too late. In the instant before her death, the woman's body exploded into a cloud of blood mist, from which more than a dozen dark blood arrows shot towards the pursuing group, moving so fast they were caught off guard... (End of Chapter)