With the rise of my family, I can summon the Daoist Soldiers' Nest.

Lin Ye sat cross-legged on the back of a flying soldier, beneath which was a broad, goose-shaped body with a wingspan of about ten feet. The four of them did not feel crowded.

This flying Taoist soldier is named Yunchen Feiyan, and is a common first-class Taoist soldier in the Northern Han Dynasty.

Although it is not good at fighting, it is large, fast and has great endurance, so it is often used as a means of transportation to carry warriors through counties and prefectures, and even across borders.

More importantly, there are said to be four or five nests of Cloud Dust Flying Geese within the territory of Northern Han, with a considerable output, so such Daoist soldiers are not uncommon in the army and major sects.

Although the Qingyuan Sword Sect does not have this nest, it has contracted more than a dozen of them through trade over the years, just in case.

Lin Ye looked down at the mountains and rivers below, his heart filled with turmoil.

He finally made his decision to follow the Sword Sect and step into the Thunder Swamp.

The Tang Dynasty, that legendary holy land of martial arts, a world of chivalry and vengeance, a realm teeming with powerful figures. He had longed for it for a long time.

If one could see it with their own eyes and step into that land of thunder, even just the outer perimeter, it would be enough to make one's blood boil.

More importantly, the Thunder Swamp contains rare and precious treasures that even third-rate martial artists can consume without hindrance. If one can use these treasures to improve their skills, or even break through to the first-rate level in one fell swoop, then encountering a lair would be an immense stroke of luck.

The Sword Sect had already made it clear that Lin Ye joined because of his merits, and all the spoils of war would belong to him alone.

For him, this was both a temptation and a motivation.

Beneath the clouds, the sword sect's ranks stretched out in a grand procession.

This trip involved a total of twenty people, with two Acquired martial artists in charge: Ning Wuji, the Supreme Elder of the Sword Sect, and Liang Feiyu, whose strength was unfathomable.

Ten top-tier elders accompanied them, including Liu Zhenghua. The remaining eight were all true disciples of the Sword Sect, including Lin Ye.

The flying geese were extremely fast, and in no time they had swept across the Lancang River, which divided the Northern Han Dynasty in two.

Looking down from above, the river stretches mightily from east to west, seemingly without end.

This great river is not only a geographical boundary, but also a natural barrier.

Historically, the Northern Xiongnu's iron hooves repeatedly trampled across the northern plains and even invaded Yanmen County, but they always stopped at the banks of the Lancang River and could not advance any further south.

Feiyan continued south, and the group stopped several times along the way to resupply and allow the soldiers to rest.

Two days later, the team crossed a majestic mountain, and a vast plain came into view.

At the end of the plain, a majestic pass stands tall, which is the northernmost pass on the border of the Tang Dynasty, Jubei City.

All exchanges between the Northern Han and the Tang Dynasty had to pass through this route.

However, the checkpoint was deserted, with hardly anyone in sight.

After all, very few people could travel all the way from the Northern Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty.

The wilderness and mountains between the two countries are overrun with monsters, making it impossible for ordinary caravans to pass through. Only a few high-level martial artists dare to risk crossing them.

Before Yun Chenfeiyan even got close to Jubei City, several eagle-shaped Taoist soldiers flew out from the city wall and flew towards the group with lightning speed.

As they drew closer, Lin Ye could see that each eagle carried a martial artist on its back, their eyes sharp and their robes fluttering in the wind.

The leader's voice was deep and resonant, carried across the wind, "Who are you? Why are you approaching Jubei City?"

Liang Feiyu stepped forward and tossed a pass token into the air.

The man took the token and examined it. His expression softened slightly. "So you are from the Qingyuan Sword Sect, here for Lei Ze. In that case, do not delay your journey. Quickly cross the four continents and do not linger or pass over other cities."

After speaking, the eagle-shaped soldiers turned around and returned to the city.

Lin Ye and the others did not linger. Yun Chen Fei Yan took off and continued flying south.

A day later, Lin Ye and his companions arrived at a small town in Liangzhou, a city in the Tang Dynasty, and chose a teahouse on the street to rest.

As the aroma of tea wafted through the air, Liang Feiyu put down his teacup and said to everyone, "Since you are new here, you should know that we are now in Liangzhou of the Great Tang Dynasty."

Next, we must pass through Youzhou, then through three continents, before we can reach Leize.

He looked out the window and continued, "Liangzhou and Youzhou, along with the nearby Jizhou and Xingzhou, are all the territory of the King of Yan."

He was the Tang Dynasty lord who had the most dealings with the Northern Han, and he possessed one innate lair and several acquired lairs.

In recent years, the situation in the Tang Dynasty has been turbulent, with powerful local lords constantly fighting amongst themselves, and the Prince of Yan is one of the most prominent figures among them.

Everyone did as instructed and sat by the window, overlooking the street scene.

Unlike the simplicity of the Northern Han, this small town exudes prosperity. The bluestone roads are worn smooth and shiny, and the crowds are dense. The shouts of vendors rise and fall, with sugar figurines, acrobatics, and spiritual plants each occupying their own corner.

The martial artists on the street carried weapons at their waists and walked briskly, while the Taoist soldiers carried goods or people and moved freely through the crowd without any hindrance.

Suddenly, a commotion arose on the street ahead. Vendors quickly packed up their stalls, and pedestrians scattered to make way, clearing a large open space from the previously crowded street.

Lin Ye and the others quickly went to the window and saw two people fighting fiercely in the middle of the street. The blades were flashing and the ground had been cleaved with several deep marks, which were obviously the work of second-rate martial artists.

"The Quicksand Gang and the Black Tiger Gang are fighting again." The tea drinkers at the next table whispered among themselves, but there was little surprise in their voices, as if such fights were commonplace.

Lin Ye stared intently. Both men wielded broadswords, their blades thick and heavy, sparks flying as they clashed, their internal energy surging.

Although both are second-rate, their moves are crude, and their internal energy circulation is far inferior to his.

After all, he was just a member of a small-town gang, and his martial arts skills had not been properly passed down; he relied entirely on brute force and experience.

Even so, one can glimpse the flourishing martial spirit of the Tang Dynasty, where even small city gangs had second-rate masters in charge.

In contrast, Xiang County only has five second-rate martial artists to date, highlighting the significant gap between them.

A moment later, the two stopped fighting and separated. One clutched his shoulder, while the other leaned on his knife and gasped for breath, but neither of them continued to harass the other.

Upon seeing this, the surrounding vendors immediately returned to their stalls, and their shouts rang out again, as if the fight had been just an interlude that had not interrupted the lively atmosphere of the marketplace.

After resting for a while, Lin Ye and the others mounted the Cloud Dust Flying Goose again and continued their journey south.

Along the way, they mostly stayed in small towns and witnessed several battles, sometimes gang fights, sometimes conflicts between martial artists over spiritual objects or territory, and even clashes between top-tier martial artists.

But Liang Feiyu repeatedly warned them not to get involved easily, so they all kept their distance and did not linger.

As they continued south, the clouds on the horizon grew lower and lower, and faint, silvery lightning bolts could be seen moving among them.

As they approached Leize, Liang Feiyu led the group in a transformation, using secret techniques to change their attire and aura, concealing their sword sect characteristics to avoid premature exposure.

Afterwards, they bid farewell to Yunchen Feiyan and began walking, entering an area three hundred miles from Leize.

According to the rules of the Tang Dynasty, flying soldiers were strictly prohibited from carrying people within this area; violators would be executed without mercy.

In the distance, lightning bolts intertwined like silver snakes, rumbling faintly.

Raize is getting closer.