A Journey Through the Martial World After Transforming into a Loli

For several days in a row, they basically had nothing to do. Lin Xueyi took Lin Xiaoling around the entire Luoshan City, originally planning to go to Xiaoyao City.

First, Lin Xiaoling's clothes would take a few days to arrive, and second, Hu Xianyao's wedding was also starting in the next few days, so she planned to wait a few days until after attending Hu Xianyao's wedding before leaving. And soon, the day of Hu Xianyao's wedding arrived.

The beginning was pretty much the same as a typical wedding: loud gongs and drums, firecrackers, and two tall horses walking side by side. Hmm? Two horses?

To be honest, Lin Xueyi had never seen a wedding procession like this before. Where's the sedan chair? The bride should at least have a bridal sedan chair, right? What are these two tall horses?

I never expected the wedding procession of the Six Doors to turn out like this, especially with a group of people around cheering. You single people, how dare you cheer?

"Haha, Miss Ling, you've arrived! I was worried you wouldn't come." Hu Xianyao and his bride, well, you could call her a bride, she was wearing a red wedding dress, but it wasn't covered by a veil, and she was dressed very simply, just with her hair tied in a ponytail.

Qi Yan, the bride today, was watching the surprised young girl with great interest. She probably couldn't accept her bride's attire.

"Yan'er, this is the Miss Ling I told you about. Don't let her young age fool you, her cultivation is quite high. She even killed that white-haired old demon Yin Changfa with a single sword strike."

This man with long, dark hair was actually the old man who had escorted the people from Sunlizhuang. He hadn't recognized him before because this martial arts senior had already entered Xiaoyao City before his training and rarely went out.

But after returning and telling his master and fellow disciples, he learned that he had encountered such a ruthless person. Back in Qingzhou, this heartless man had slaughtered three villages because of a child's careless remark, and yet he died at the hands of a little girl.

Thinking of this, Hu Xianyao subconsciously glanced at Lin Xueyi's slender waist. Today she was wearing a white dress, and even in terms of material, it was of excellent quality.

There is a type of sheer clothing that, while not revealing the body underneath, also gives off an ethereal and fairy-like aura.

"Old Hu, isn't this girl pretty?"

The sudden sound in his ear startled Old Hu, making him realize that his wife was about to attack him.

That's right, he meant physical punishment. Putting everything else aside, he knew his wife's temper well enough. If he said the wrong thing, she would definitely give him a loving beating.

"Uncle Hu, you said you would take good care of Xiaoling, how come you suddenly forgot?"

Before Hu Xianyao could speak, Lin Xueyi delivered a precise blow: "Don't think I didn't notice you staring at me the whole time."

Hu Xianyao didn't think much of it at first, but when he saw Lin Xiaoling blushing and clutching her clothes in a coquettish manner because of what this naughty girl said, Hu Xianyao knew that he was in for a beating.

"Miss Ling, what grudge do we have against each other that you would do this to me?"

"Are you not planning to dismount? The auspicious time will be over soon."

Hu Xianyao, who had been chatting with people on horseback for half a day, finally realized that he still had to go inside. He quickly led his wife towards their courtyard gate.

This area appears to be exclusively under the jurisdiction of the Six Doors (a government agency), and it's mostly comprised of their own residences, giving it a very standardized feel. Each person has their own courtyard, but frankly, it's not very large—just two rooms and a courtyard. It's not even comparable to a traditional courtyard house in Beijing.

"How strange, why don't the brides here ride in sedan chairs, and why are their clothes different from those in our area?"

Amidst the surrounding blessings, Lin Xiaoling quietly murmured the same question as Lin Xueyi, but there were always kind people there to help them find the answer.

"Although the Six Doors are renowned in the martial arts world, they have always been capturing vicious criminals, which naturally makes them some enemies."

A disciple of the Six Doors, who was standing behind the two, heard Lin Xiaoling muttering something under her breath and said it with some sadness.

It wasn't that the female disciples didn't want to be carried in bridal sedan chairs, their heads covered with veils, to their husbands' homes, but they dared not. Yes, they dared not, because each of them could become a target of enemy retaliation. If they were ambushed, they wouldn't even be able to run away, and it wouldn't be a joyous occasion, but a tragedy.

After hearing the disciple's words, Lin Xueyi fell silent. If there were a country, the strong pressure would provide these righteous sects with a guarantee. But now, there is no government. In the end, wouldn't it be the innocent and vulnerable groups who suffer?

Seeing the joyful atmosphere inside, Lin Xueyi could clearly sense that they hadn't drunk much. In fact, everyone at the table was very restrained, drinking according to their own capacity, and some people didn't even touch their drinks.

Only friends from other factions would offer him large toasts here, but Hu Xianyao never got drunk no matter how much he drank. Presumably, that guy had already replaced the wine he wanted with water.

"Girl, thank you for saving Old Hu."

Just as Lin Xueyi and Lin Xiaoling casually found a table in the courtyard and sat down, the bride's voice came from behind them, indicating that she had been paying attention to her for some time.

"Old Hu is lucky, if he hadn't planted the flag so casually, I wouldn't have gone with him."

He accepted a glass of slightly cloudy wine from the bride.

"We don't actually have much money, and this is the best wine we can buy, so please don't mind it."

Before Qi Yan could finish speaking, Lin Xueyi had already tilted her head back and downed the wine in her glass in one gulp. She had met Jiang Diewu and the others from the Six Doors before and thought that the people from the Six Doors must be quite rich, but now it seems that she had been one-sided in her opinion.

Jiang Diewu herself came from the Xingcheng headquarters and was a direct disciple there, so she naturally wouldn't lack money. But the disciples outside weren't so lucky.

"Being able to drink with the people from the Six Doors is already a happy thing, so why would anyone complain?"

Seeing Lin Xueyi tilt her head back and drink the wine in her glass, Qi Yan was very happy and naturally drank the wine with her.

"Good girl, I, Qi Yan, am determined to be your friend. If anyone bullies you in Luoshan City, just mention my name, and I guarantee they'll behave themselves and won't dare to make a move."

Wow, so this woman is the local tyrant of Luoshan City. However, looking at this confident and dashing woman, Lin Xueyi naturally liked her very much.

As for Lin Xiaoling, who was standing to the side, she pouted and was somewhat puzzled by her sudden drop in mood.

Main Text: Chapter 163 Preparing to Head into the Mountains

Hu Xianyao and Qi Yan's wedding has ended, and Lin Xueyi has also met this famous female disciple of the Six Doors in the entire Luoshan City, who is also one of the constables of the Six Doors.

Of course, such a background wouldn't make her a local tyrant in Luoshan City, but she was born into a privileged family—her father was the chief constable of the Six Doors in Luoshan City, and her mother's family was one of the most powerful clans in the city. With such a background, most people really couldn't afford to offend her.

However, what surprised Lin Xueyi the most was how someone with such a background, a very easygoing personality, and a dashing demeanor could have fallen for that old man who looked to be several decades old.

"Little girl, what are you thinking about again?" Qi Yan gently tugged at Lin Xueyi's lips with the malt candy in her hand. For some reason, Qi Yan just liked to touch Ling Xueyi's lips with something. She always found it amusing to see the girl blush after being teased.

"I wasn't thinking about anything. I just felt that my sister and Uncle Hu together had a bit of a Beauty and the Beast vibe."

Lin Xueyi's words made Qi Yan burst out laughing. It wasn't that she couldn't help it, but rather that this girl's mind was truly unfathomable. Everyone else said it was a perfect match, a beauty paired with a hero, but in her case, it had become beauty and the beast.

Who the beauty is? No need to ask. The beast, hmm, her husband really does look like a large wild beast. But although she's already accepted it in her heart, she can't admit it aloud; her husband has some pride too.

He chuckled and pinched Lin Xueyi's little nose. "You silly girl, all you do is overthink things. Old Hu may look a bit old, have a lot more body hair, and be a bit stronger, but that's about it."

These words not only made Lin Xueyi laugh, but even Lin Xiaoling, who was feeling a bit uncomfortable, couldn't help but laugh out loud. Thinking about that Uncle Hu, it seemed to be true.

"However, you're buying so many supplies, are you going into the mountains? If it were just for hunting, you wouldn't be buying so much. Are you planning to go to Xiaoyao City?"

Qi Yan, who had been taking Lin Xueyi shopping for various supplies, quickly figured out Lin Xueyi's goal this time. She probably wanted to get some other information from her because she came here today to ask her to take her shopping.

Since she had been seen through, Lin Xueyi stopped trying to hide anything and began to inquire about the mountains and Xiaoyao City. She knew nothing about the place, and if she could get someone from Luoshan City, which was closest to the mountains, to tell her, it would be very helpful for her later actions.

"Xiaoyao City? Ling Xue, are you going there by yourself?"

Surprised by Lin Xueyi's undisguised actions, Xiaoyao City was no ordinary place; it was a den of dragons and tigers, extremely dangerous. Although Lin Xueyi, also known as Ling Xue, was described as very powerful by Lao Hu, the situation there was not something that could be solved simply by being powerful.

Otherwise, Xiaoyao City wouldn't have been able to stand firm amidst the mountains for so long. Although the mountains serve as a natural barrier, the city also possesses its own unique resources, which is the biggest reason for its enduring strength.

“Xiaoxue, these mountains are not only home to Xiaoyao City, but also to the Thirty-Six Bandit Strongholds. They are interconnected and support each other. They are very hostile to strangers who come into the mountains, unless they are from nearby villages, but they know those people.”

"Huh? You know them all? That can't be right. There are so many people in the surrounding villages, how could you possibly know them all?" Lin Xueyi remained skeptical of Qi Yan's words. Those were mountains, and there were so many villages around them, how could everyone possibly know each other?

In response to Lin Xueyi's words, Qi Yan could only shake her head slightly before saying, "You silly girl, look at the clothes you're wearing. You don't look like someone from the surrounding villages. Besides, the people of the Thirty-Six Villages rely on people from those villages to buy their food. How could you not know them?"

Tilting his little head, he thought, "What he said makes a lot of sense. But what can he do? The Thirty-Six Strongholds are just a bunch of bandits and thieves. How could they possibly defeat a grandmaster like me?"

"Don't think that just because you have high cultivation, you can be fearless. This world is not as simple as you think. Even masters at the Grandmaster level can perish in the mountains."

"Huh? Is it that serious? Is it that dangerous?" Lin Xueyi was shocked. Is this place really that dangerous? Even a Grandmaster-level expert can't guarantee their safety?

Seeing Lin Xueyi's adorable surprised expression, Qi Yan gently patted the little girl's head. "Now you know how serious it is, right? You should stay in Luoshan City for a few more days and then go home. The world is dangerous; it's not suitable for you."

For some reason, Lin Xueyi felt that there was a trace of sadness in Qi Yan's eyes when she said this, but it disappeared without a trace the next second. Instead, she smiled and said that she would take her to buy some small jewelry.

Lin Xueyi repeatedly waved her hands and refused when asked about the jewelry, shaking her head as if it were a rattle drum, showing that she didn't want to go and was determined not to go even if she were killed.

Qi Yan was speechless at Ling Xue's insistence on not going, and finally could only let her decide where to go. In the end, Ling Xue chose to continue purchasing supplies for the outing.

"Why won't you listen to me, you silly girl? Is that a place you can go? Not to mention Xiaoyao City, it's a city of sin, and there are countless dangers in the mountains. How can human strength overcome nature?"

"I don't know if we can overcome fate, but I've already made an appointment with someone, and I can't stand them up just because of the danger. Besides, the pigeon soup is enough in one cat's nest, there's no need to add another pot here."

Although she didn't know what kind of place this cat's den was, Qi Yan could understand Lin Xueyi's words, so she could only take a deep breath.

"Let me tell you about the Thirty-Six Strongholds first. Although these thirty-six strongholds are called mountain bandits, they have long been developed into fortresses hidden deep in the mountains. They are full of traps, and even a master of the Innate Realm would perish if caught off guard. As for Xiaoyao City, it is said that a very mysterious thing was once buried there. Once it is taken out, even a master of the Grandmaster Realm would have a hard time resisting it. You..."

"Alright, let's go buy all the supplies first."

Lin Xueyi held onto Qi Yan's arm and continued walking into the street, where there were shops selling cooked food and various grains.

Main text: Chapter 164 On the Mountain Road

In a horse-drawn carriage, Lin Xueyi bid farewell to Old Hu and his wife Qi Yan, and with her little maid Lin Xiaoling, slowly made her way towards the mountains that were already visible to the naked eye in the distance. The little white horse, carrying some supplies, also slowly followed the carriage forward.

"Miss, are we really going into the mountains this time? They say there are man-eating demons and evil people who eat human hearts there. Are we really going there?"

This wasn't the first time Lin Xiaoling had said this to Lin Xueyi. In her eyes, these mountains were like a place inhabited by demons, a place full of danger.

“I remember Uncle Li from our village. He was captured and taken to these mountains, and he never came out again.”

After being captured and taken to the mountains, Lin Xueyi seemed to realize something. Wasn't it the same people who had captured young people and children in Sunlizhuang, where Lin Xiaoling was before, and were they being taken this way? Or was their original purpose to capture people and take them to the mountains?

But what would be the point of taking people into the mountains? To build roads or to farm? With such a large population moving into the mountains, even the most basic necessities like food, sleep, and water would likely become problems.

After thinking about it, she felt that it was unlikely that so many people would be sent into the mountains. It was probably still as she had guessed before, that they would take a detour through the mountains and then go to other places. Hmmmm, to be honest, even she herself didn't believe this guess now.

"Oh dear, you little rascal, you've gone astray! You're just like Qi Yan, liking to rub your hard stick against my mouth now."

Seeing her young mistress's coquettish expression, Lin Xiaoling suddenly realized that there was a reason why Qi Yan had always liked to do this; her young mistress was truly adorable.

He just chuckled and didn't continue what he was doing before. Instead, he placed the dried mutton in Lin Xueyi's palm.

On the official road, a carriage followed by a white horse carrying large and small packages would inevitably attract attention, especially from some pedestrians on the road. These people included traveling merchants, as well as wandering knights or wandering heroes.

“That white horse over there is nice, but it’s being used as a cargo horse. Should we buy it? I don’t think the owner of that carriage is a wealthy person.”

In some people's eyes, a lone carriage without even a servant or guard could not be a sign of a wealthy or noble family, and the white horse carrying goods could be such a waste, so it certainly could not be a master with profound cultivation.

Since he has no family background and is not a master, isn't this kind of person just a lamb to the slaughter? Some people who think this way have already regarded the owner of this car as a fat sheep.

"Brother, let me go take a look first. Maybe I can buy this horse."

A man carrying two hooks on his back was eager to try his luck and gain the upper hand among the group of martial arts practitioners. In such matters, it's basically first come, first served. Of course, the first to arrive might just be cannon fodder. High risk means high reward, and the man understood this principle.

So he took the lead and rushed towards the carriage. Before he even got close to the carriage, he heard a sharp shout coming from inside.

"There are people here, please do not disturb them."

When Lin Xiaoling heard Lin Xueyi say that trouble was coming, she felt she should speak up and dissuade her. But it would have been better if she hadn't spoken up. As soon as she spoke, everyone assumed there was only a little girl in the carriage, and it would have been strange if they hadn't tried to take action.

“Miss, I am Sun Ziyang from Huiyun Sect in Lancheng, Xiashan. I wonder if you could come and meet me?”

“My young lady is not someone anyone can meet. Besides, when she’s out and about, she can’t just show her face in public.”

The sounds coming from inside the carriage were not what he expected, but this development further proved one thing: there should be two women inside, one of whom was a young lady who had run away. This development was quite intriguing.

"I am not a bad person. I just saw a white horse carrying heavy loads behind the two young ladies' carriage, so I would like to buy the white horse for a large sum of money."