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

Lei Ze is currently the only known land in the world that can nurture spirit beasts and spiritual plants.

The Taoist soldiers' lair here is denser than elsewhere, and there are even legends of celestial beings' lair here.

Therefore, since records began, Raize has been a tempting target for various factions.

Countless wars, large and small, have erupted on this land in the struggle for ownership, with endless flames of war and mountains of corpses. Yet, no matter which side exerts its full strength, it cannot maintain its exclusive control for long.

Even dynasties with a thousand-year history, the powerful Daode Sect, and the Buddhist giant Daleiyin Temple gradually became unable to withstand the prolonged war of attrition.

Later, the major powers finally realized that no one would fare well if this dragged on.

So they made an agreement to designate the area within 300 miles of Leize as an absolute restricted zone, where no force was allowed to station or defend itself, let alone set up any obstacles.

Lei Ze itself is open to all martial artists, and anyone can enter freely without outside interference.

But the rules only extend to the entrance. Once you step into the Thunder Swamp, it's all up to your own abilities, and your life or death is in the hands of fate.

The entrances to Leize are located in four directions. Lin Ye and his group chose to enter from the north this time, which is the northern entrance. They need to pass through the famous Flying Cloud Ferry to go deep into the heart of Leize.

Before arriving at Feiyun Ferry, they disembarked from Yunchen Feiyan and rode horses.

Lei Ze possesses a peculiar power that repels Dao soldiers bound by contracts. If one forcibly brings one in, the Dao soldier will not only go out of control, but may even injure its master.

They had no choice but to abandon the soldiers and instead use horses for transportation, proceeding slowly along the way.

There were many martial artists along the way, mostly in groups of three or five, carrying weapons and with sharp eyes.

Each time they meet, they immediately distance themselves, eye each other warily, and then go their separate ways, neither wanting to cause any trouble.

Lin Ye even saw several warriors dressed in Northern Xiongnu attire.

The Supreme Elder Liang Feiyu simply raised his hand, signaling everyone to remain still, neither provoking nor showing fear.

Occasionally, the sounds of clashing weapons could be heard along the road, sometimes mixed with short shouts of anger and screams of agony.

Judging from the situation, it seems that old enemies have met again and are about to fight to the death.

Lin Ye and his group didn't go to watch; instead, they kept walking and chose to take a detour to avoid getting involved in trouble.

And so, they proceeded cautiously and vigilantly, traversing wilderness and crossing mountains for a full three hundred li, finally arriving at Feiyun Ferry.

Feiyun Ferry, judging from its name alone, sounds like a ferry crossing on a river. However, after many years of development, it has long been a city that prospered because of Leize.

The streets crisscrossed, bustling with caravans, martial artists, and independent cultivators. Restaurants, inns, and markets were densely packed, and various scents mingled in the air. There was the cold glint of metal, the fresh fragrance of herbs, and the lingering stench of blood.

Lin Ye and his group followed the flow of people, slowly entering the city from the direction of the ferry. The noise and tension hit them at the same time.

Liang Feiyu knew the area well and led them to a fairly large inn in the city.

This inn is considered one of the best in Feiyun Ferry. A heavy wooden plaque hangs at the entrance with the three large characters "Yunlaiju" written on it. Lanterns hang high on both sides, reflecting a warm light on the bluestone floor.

Unfortunately, all the top-tier courtyards were already occupied, so they could only book a small, lower-tier courtyard. Although it wasn't as spacious as the top-tier ones, it was quiet and enough for the group to stay in.

After settling in, the group rested briefly before going to the main hall for a meal. They wanted to replenish their energy and also take the opportunity to gather some information.

The main hall had thirty or forty square tables, almost all of which were occupied, with martial artists from all walks of life conversing in hushed tones.

The waiter led them to two empty tables against the wall, where they could sit down with their backs against the brick wall. Although the view was limited, it was still a safe place.

At this moment, the people at the two tables in the center of the hall are glaring at each other angrily.

At the table to the left, everyone was dressed in yellow, with knives at their waists; their attire clearly indicated they were members of a martial arts gang. The elderly man at the head of the group wore a brocade robe with gold embroidery on the cuffs and a smile on his face.

The table to the right is occupied by officials in their attire. The colors of the Six Doors of the Tang Dynasty are very conspicuous. Several people wear standard long swords at their waists, and in front of the elderly man at the head of the table is a pair of judge's pens.

Although the two groups of people did not actually fight, their confrontational attitude made the atmosphere in the hall more tense.

Most of the diners around him kept their heads down and ate, not daring to look around or interrupt.

Those who can sit calmly in the center of the hall and even dare to glare at each other in public clearly have enough strength; rashly taking over would only bring trouble upon themselves.

Lin Ye and the others simply picked up their food in silence, eating while secretly circulating their internal energy to sharpen their hearing, hoping to obtain some information.

Just as everyone was halfway through their meal, the curtain in the lobby was lifted, and another group of people stepped in.

"Fatty Jin, Brother Hua, how have you been?"

The voice came from the first person's mouth, deep and resonant, like a boulder rolling down a valley, or like muffled thunder exploding close to the ground.

Lin Ye was circulating his internal energy, listening carefully to the conversations around him, trying to discern useful information from the noise.

But the sound entered his ears without warning, as if two steel cones were piercing his brain. He felt his eardrums buzzing, his vision blurred, and his chest felt like it had been hit by an invisible hammer. He groaned and almost lost his balance.

That wasn't all. Several suppressed groans echoed through the lobby, and many people covered their ears or pressed their chests, their faces pale, clearly having suffered minor internal injuries from the shout.

"Walk!"

The Supreme Elder Liang Feiyu seemed unaffected, his expression hardening as he gave a low command.

He was the first to stand up, leading everyone to quickly leave their seats. The martial artists at the other tables also reacted, dropping their bowls and chopsticks and retreating towards the door, leaving the once bustling hall almost empty in an instant.

Lin Ye was pulled by Liang Feiyu and staggered as he followed her out.

As he was leaving, he caught a glimpse of the man who had spoken; he was a monk who had left the monastic life, with a shiny bald head that gleamed under the lamplight and a robust build.

Back at the Earth-class courtyard, besides Lin Ye, four other disciples also showed signs of minor injuries, their faces were slightly pale, and their breathing was a little labored.

Although the first-rate elders were unharmed, they all looked solemn and their gazes were fixed on the Supreme Elder Liang Feiyu.

"He should be a master of innate martial arts."

The usually taciturn Elder Ning Wuji suddenly spoke.

Along the way, of the two Supreme Elders, Liang Feiyu was mostly in charge of giving instructions, while Ning Wuji rarely spoke.

"Fatty Jin should be Jin Wanguan, the leader of the Money Gang in Youzhou," Ning Wuji said slowly. "This man has been supplying the Prince of Yan with provisions and funds for many years. He is famously wealthy and is also a Xiantian martial artist."

"The one he called Brother Hua used the Judge's Pen, so he should be Hua Feng, the Chief Constable of Xingzhou under the Six Doors, who is also a Xiantian martial artist."

"As for that monk, it's uncertain who he is, but to be able to address Jin Wanguan and Hua Feng in such a way and to use that kind of sonic skill, he is most likely also a Xiantian (innate) monk."

He must have used the Lion's Roar Technique from the Great Thunderclap Temple. Without this technique, even a martial artist of the Innate Realm would find it difficult to directly injure a second-rate martial artist with their voice.

Lin Ye silently counted in his mind that he had met three innate martial artists in an inn in Feiyun Ferry.

Before setting off, he felt that his side was not weak. With two acquired martial artists and ten first-class martial artists, even if they could not sweep through the Thunder Swamp, they should be able to protect themselves.

But as it stands now, these three innate masters alone are enough to make our side retreat.

The martial arts prowess of the Tang Dynasty was far greater than he had imagined.

No wonder the sect leader warned that the Sword Sect had suffered a complete annihilation in Leize in its early years; that time, perhaps, was a direct clash with such an existence.

Thinking of this, Lin Ye took a deep breath. This trip to Lei Ze must be more careful than expected.