Too many female prisoners, a special forces soldier transmigrates and marries wildly.

The hidden stone slowly slid back to its original position, fitting perfectly without leaving any trace.

"Alright." The mountain guardian seemed to have completed a major ritual, letting out a long sigh of relief. He appeared to have hunched over a bit, looking even more exhausted.

"From this day forward, this secret, this responsibility, belongs to you. I... can finally rest."

"Senior..." Lin Feng looked at his old and tired appearance, and a complex emotion welled up in his heart.

The mountain keeper waved his hand, interrupting him:

"No need to ask, no need to say. What you need to know, you already know. What you shouldn't know, knowing won't help. Go, I'll see you out."

The two returned along the same route.

Lin Feng walked silently behind, his mind still replaying the few lines of small characters at the bottom of the hidden compartment.

"Those who are not of the Xiao family bloodline, yet possess the jade and are close to the key, may unlock the secrets. However, they must be extremely sincere, and use a drop of blood as a catalyst, to reveal the true secrets."

Where is the "pivot"? And what is the "secret treasure"?

It requires "utmost sincerity" and "blood"... This sounds more like some kind of ancient tradition or test than a simple treasure.

Could it be that the Dragon Shadow Guards are protecting not just gold, silver, or confidential documents, but something more important that requires specific conditions and a certain mindset to unlock?

While pondering, I found myself back in front of the rock wall at the entrance.

The mountain keeper activated the mechanism again, and the rock wall slowly slid open.

Outside, it was already daylight.

Su Wanyue, Bai Xiaohe, and Lao Zhao immediately came forward, their faces filled with worry.

"My husband!"

"Brother Lin!"

Seeing that Lin Feng was safe and sound, the three of them breathed a sigh of relief.

The mountain guardian stood in the shadows at the cave entrance and did not come out.

He looked at Lin Feng and said finally, "Remember your choice."

"I understand," Lin Feng said solemnly, cupping his hands in greeting.

"Let's go." The mountain guardian waved his hand, his figure slowly retreating into the darkness. The rock wall closed again, completely sealing off that secret world.

The four stood before the now-ordinary reclining ox stone, feeling as if they had been transported to another world.

The sunlight was warm, and the birdsong was melodious, as if everything from last night and just now was merely a bizarre dream.

"Husband, that senior..." Su Wanyue asked softly.

"He was a hermit in the mountains, and he's already gone," Lin Feng said briefly, glancing at the sky.

"We can't stay here any longer; the pursuers are probably still nearby. We need to leave immediately, find a safe place to rest, and then... head north."

"Aren't you going to see Prince Jing?" Bai Xiaohe asked.

Lin Feng shook his head, his gaze fixed on the depths of the southern mountains: "Let's not go. Some things are better left unknown than known. Some things are better left unseen than seen. Let's go home."

Go home. Go back to the north wind. Go back to that place, though bitterly cold, it was relatively simple, with familiar rules and responsibilities.

After traveling for several days, they entered the hilly area on the southern outskirts of Shuofeng City.

The area is becoming increasingly sparsely populated, the mountain slopes are becoming gentler, and the official road has fallen into disrepair over the years, with weeds and shrubs growing on both sides.

That afternoon, they stopped to rest in a sheltered mountain hollow.

The faint sounds of wheels and voices could be heard in the distance, growing louder as they approached.

Lin Feng frowned slightly, signaling Su Wanyue and the other woman to be quiet and discreet.

Before long, a convoy consisting of seven or eight mule carts and more than twenty people appeared on the official road not far below.

The convoy moved slowly, with high piles of sacks on the mule carts, apparently carrying grain. The escorts were all dressed in uniform gray short-sleeved shirts, each one sharp and capable, carrying sticks and looking vigilant.

In the middle of the caravan was a rather exquisite blue cloth carriage.

"Is it a grain merchant?" Bai Xiaohe whispered.

"It doesn't seem like it," Lin Feng shook his head.

"The guards on the carriage walked with steady steps, like trained martial artists, and their positioning was quite disciplined, unlike ordinary caravan guards. That carriage... the curtains were completely drawn, so we couldn't see inside."

As they were observing, a cry of alarm suddenly came from the front of the caravan, followed by the braying of mules and shouts. The lead mule cart had one wheel stuck in a deep ditch covered by weeds.

"What's going on?! Get it out of there!" A middle-aged man who looked like a butler rode up from the middle of the caravan and shouted sternly.

The curtain of the small blue cloth carriage was also lifted slightly, revealing the profile of a young woman who seemed to be looking ahead as well.

The woman was about twenty years old, with fair skin, bright eyes and a straight nose. Even a single glance gave her an air of efficiency and competence. Her brows were slightly furrowed, as if she was somewhat displeased with the delay.

Just as the convoy's attention was drawn to the stuck wheels, a sharp whistle suddenly rang out from the bushes on both sides of the official road!

Immediately afterwards, dozens of arrows shot out like locusts, heading straight for the convoy!

"There's an ambush! Protect the young lady!" The butler-like man reacted quickly, shouting as he drew his sword and deflected several arrows aimed at the carriage.

The men escorting the vehicle were also well-trained. They immediately used the vehicle as cover and used sticks, swords, and knives to deflect the arrows, so their formation did not fall into disarray.

Despite the dense barrage of arrows, several people were still wounded and fell to the ground screaming in agony.

As the rain of arrows subsided, thirty or forty people emerged from the bushes on both sides, wielding various weapons and dressed in disheveled clothes.

The bandits' target seemed clear: most of them were heading straight for the carriage.

The steward was skilled in martial arts, wielding his knife with such dexterity that water seemed to have no effect. He cut down several bandits who rushed towards the carriage, but he was also surrounded and attacked by several people, putting him in grave danger.

The carriage curtain had been torn, and the spirited woman inside was also holding a short sword, fighting with a bandit who was trying to climb onto the carriage shaft. Her skills were surprisingly agile.

"Brother Lin, we..." Bai Xiaohe looked at Lin Feng.

Lin Feng's gaze swept across the battlefield. These bandits' ambush here was probably not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather a premeditated one. This meant that this place was not safe, and they might also be affected.

"You all retreat to that grove of low bushes behind us, hide well, and don't come out," Lin Feng quickly ordered, while he took off his hunting bow from his back, drew an arrow, and nocked it.

"Husband, be careful!" Su Wanyue knew she couldn't stop him, so she could only give him a worried warning.

Lin Feng nodded, his figure sliding silently down the hillside like a cheetah, using the terrain and bushes for cover, and quickly approaching the battlefield.

He did not show himself immediately, but first observed the bandit leader.

He quickly spotted a one-eyed, burly man standing on the outskirts of the battlefield, shouting and directing the troops. This man had a ferocious face and the most imposing presence; he was clearly the leader of this band of mountain bandits.

Lin Feng held his breath, drew his bow, and subtly adjusted the arrowhead as the one-eyed leader moved. The distance of a hundred paces, the sound of the wind, and the target's swaying were all within his calculations.

"call out--!"

The arrow left the bowstring and hurtled through the air, leaving only a blurry afterimage!

The one-eyed leader suddenly felt a gust of evil wind rush towards him, and turned his head in horror to see a cold star looming large before his eyes! His soul nearly left his body; he only had time to raise his ghost-headed blade—

"puff!"

The arrow pierced precisely through the gap in the blade barrier, entering his wide-open mouth and exiting through the back of his neck! The one-eyed leader's roar abruptly ceased, his burly body swayed, and he crashed to the ground from the boulder, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"The leader is dead!"

"There are hidden arrows! And an ambush!"

The bandits were thrown into chaos by the sudden death of their leader, and their offensive stalled.