I'm already invincible, and you're telling me I just logged in?

Upon hearing this, Bao Ting gestured towards a neighbor and asked, "Aunt Ma, if Lord Xu eats your tofu pudding, will you accept payment?"

The woman smiled and waved her hand, saying, "How can I accept this?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Shuangning's gaze toward Xu Yan immediately turned cold.

Xu Yan's heart tightened, and she instantly realized that she had been misunderstood.

Although he didn't care how Shen Shuangning viewed him, he absolutely couldn't let his reputation be tarnished.

Just as Xu Yan was about to explain, Aunt Ma smiled and said, "I'm overjoyed that young Master Xu could come!"

As she spoke, she brought out a bowl of tofu pudding and handed it to Shen Shuangning, looking her over and laughing, "Oh my, this girl is really pretty!"

Aunt Ma clearly misunderstood the relationship between the two and praised them sincerely.

"Let me tell you, Master Xu is a well-known good person in our Qing Shi Town."

"Those yamen runners used to collect fees but did absolutely nothing. When they saw hooligans causing trouble on the streets, they would avoid them, afraid of offending them."

"Only Master Xu! Not only did he not charge any fees, but he also kept those thugs completely under his thumb!"

"whispering sound."

Upon realizing she had misunderstood, Shen Shuangning's embarrassment vanished almost instantly.

She scoffed lightly, then left Xu Yan standing there and went off to wander off on her own.

Xu Yan ignored her and started taking Xiao Qi to stroll through the night market.

That night, Xu Yan took Xiao Qi home to check on Dongfang Canghai's situation.

Xiaoqi stood outside the courtyard, looking at her father frantically carving words on the ground under the moonlight, her face full of worry.

"Brother Xu, is it really possible for my father to get better?"

The Eastern Ocean has entered this state before, but it has never lasted this long.

Xu Yan frowned but did not answer immediately.

The writing on the ground was so densely packed and mixed together that it was almost impossible to decipher.

He tried his magic touch again, but still to no avail.

This means there is no new content.

"Could it be because I lack comprehension?"

"Never mind, it hasn't been that long."

Seeing that Dongfang Canghai was still in a state of enlightenment, Xu Yan could only take Xiao Qi back to the martial arts school.

That night, after Xiao Qi fell asleep, Xu Yan suddenly opened his eyes.

He took out the "Thousand Transformations" from his pocket and put it on his face.

Xu Yan did not forget Huang Zhang's resentful eyes.

Although the Huang family has distanced themselves from Huang Gui.

Like father, like son!

If the root of the problem is not eliminated, the consequences will be endless.

After changing his appearance to Qin Feng's, Xu Yan arrived at the Huang family.

He stopped a servant on duty, questioned him briefly, and quickly found out where Huang Zhang lived.

......

The following morning, Huang Zhang was found dead in his room by his concubine.

The Huang family immediately reported the incident to the authorities, pointing the finger directly at Xu Yan, convinced that he was the one who had eliminated all potential threats.

However, the servants who were on duty last night came forward to testify that the suspicious person who appeared that night did not resemble Xu Yan in appearance or build.

The authorities conducted a thorough investigation of the scene according to procedure. Based on the wound marks, they confirmed that the murderer used a knife, not the fist technique that Xu Yan was used to practice, thus completely eliminating him as a suspect.

Back at the martial arts school, Xu Yan was about to practice his punches on the wooden stakes.

Shen Shuangning crossed her arms and strode forward, lowering her voice so only he could hear: "You killed that person, didn't you?"

Xu Yan was slightly taken aback, but replied frankly, "Uncle-Master, I was at the martial arts school all night."

"Besides, the killer used a knife, while I only know how to use fists."

After saying that, he shook his head and began practicing punching the wooden stake.

Shen Shuangning narrowed her eyes and scrutinized Xu Yan, her gaze full of suspicion.

She had already learned the details of what happened from Chen Xuan.

The timing of Huang Zhang's death was too coincidental; those who knew the inside story would probably suspect that Xu Yan was behind it.

But Huang Zhang did indeed die from a swordsmanship malfunction, so Shen Shuangning didn't pursue the matter further.

She didn't care whether it belonged to Xu Yanqian or not.

In Shen Shuangning's view, like father, like son.

If we keep this person around, he will eventually find a way to provoke and retaliate against my senior brother's martial arts school.

Death would be the end of everything.

Shen Shuangning found Chen Xuan and explained that she had come specifically to say goodbye.

Chen Xuan's expression was complicated as he advised, "Junior Sister, your injuries haven't fully healed yet. Why don't you rest in Qing Shi Town for a few days?"

"Thank you for your trouble, Senior Brother." Shen Shuangning shook her head gently. "This case has dragged on for too long. When I go back this time, I'm going to investigate it thoroughly."

Chen Xuan knew her temperament and knew he couldn't persuade her, so he could only look at Xu Yan and sigh softly.

My master often said, "Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles."

"Those who practice martial arts should not only focus on rigorous training to pursue martial arts prowess, but also travel to different places to experience the hardships of ordinary people."

He turned to look at Shen Shuangning and said, "Xu Yan is a good prospect, and I have already taught him the most I can."

"Junior sister, take him with you this time. Let him go out and gain some experience. The two of you can look after each other. Also, have him go back and check on Master for me."

Shen Shuangning frowned upon hearing this and turned to look at Xu Yan.

Xu Yan happened to be looking in this direction and was somewhat surprised to hear their conversation.

If he could see the favorability rating, he estimated that Shen Shuangning's favorability rating towards him was probably already in the negative, so there was no need to think about this side quest.

So he didn't try to stop him, but he didn't expect Chen Xuan to turn the conversation to him.

"Do you want to come with me?" Shen Shuangning suddenly asked.

Xu Yan glanced at the exclamation mark above her head, then cupped his hands in a gesture of respect: "Please take good care of me along the way, Uncle-Master."

Ever since he learned that Shen Shuangning was Chen Xuan's junior sister, Xu Yan's attitude has become much more restrained.

After all, the other party was indeed his nominal senior master.

Shen Shuangning was quite pleased with his attitude.

"Hurry up and pack your things, we're leaving first thing tomorrow morning."

The next day.

With everything prepared, Xiao Qi was entrusted to Chen Xuan.

Xu Yan boarded the carriage and left Qing Shi Town with Shen Shuangning.

On the way, Xu Yan was thinking about whether he could get the complete "Broken Mountains and Rivers" when he suddenly heard Shen Shuangning's curious voice.

"What level is your Tai Chi?"

When she was a child, her master and fellow apprentices often praised her for her good physique.

Shen Shuangning was indeed impressive; at only twenty-one years old, she had already reached the sixth level of the Transcendent Realm.

Shen Shuangning could understand that the cultivation level of the scions of powerful families surpassed hers, after all, their families were wealthy and their cultivation resources were far beyond what she could compare to.

But why is Xu Yan, who is so much younger than me, so amazing?

If it's a Heavenly Rank, then everything makes sense.

Xu Yan snapped out of his daze and replied, "Earth Rank."

"Earth Rank?"

Shen Shuangning was slightly taken aback, and a sense of disappointment and frustration welled up in her heart.

She also cultivates Earth-rank martial arts, which is a secret sect technique that her master taught her privately.

The other senior brothers in the martial arts school, including Chen Xuan, all practiced only Xuan-level martial arts.

Shen Shuangning sighed softly in her heart and looked at the pedestrians coming and going on the official road.

After I finish the cases at hand, I must go back and immerse myself in intensive study for three to five years to improve my skills.

Xu Yan followed her gaze and looked over.

In this world, life is not easy for those at the bottom of society.

Pedestrians came and went in a hurry, their faces showing signs of weariness.

Most of them were tenant farmers who went to towns and counties to sell their grain, just to exchange it for some money to get through the winter.

They were exploited by powerful families and oppressed by the imperial court.

When cornered, the worst that can be done is to become an outlaw and then turn to oppress the weaker, lower class.

As for whether kings, nobles, generals, and ministers are born with a special destiny.

It doesn't exist in this world at all.

In the eyes of the upper class who have mastered profound martial arts, the rebellion and rioting of the common people is simply a joke.

A martial artist with profound skill could kill all of these people.

Prince Rui wanted to rebel because he was already a local ruler, and he even had the support of countless powerful families behind him, which gave him the courage to do so.

This world is a power game for the upper class.

Xu Yan withdrew his gaze and stopped thinking about it.

Right now, I still need to improve my skills as soon as possible.

Perhaps only when we stand at the very top of this world can we change anything.

......

Two weeks later, the two successfully arrived in Shangyuan County.

This place is located at the border of Dingzhou and Yunzhou, and the journey is much longer than to Anle City.

Upon entering the town, Xu Yan found it unusually quiet, far less bustling than Qing Shi Town.

As for the reason, Shen Shuangning had already told him.

As soon as they stepped off the carriage, a woman looking around on the street spotted them and immediately ran up to them, excitedly calling out, "Yuan'er! My Yuan'er, you're finally back!"

The woman hugged Xu Yan tightly, tears streaming down her face.

Xu Yan: ? ? ?