Chapter 31: Qin Immortal Clan
“Brother Yesheng, look, this is the clay figure Grandpa gave me.” One of the girls took out a clay doll and handed it to Song Yan.
From their earlier laughter and banter, Song Yan had learned her name was Xie Chan, and she was Xie Xing’s granddaughter.
Xie Chuan picked up the conversation, speaking of the sword-carrying elder ahead, his eyes full of admiration: “Grandpa Xie Xing is a swordsman, he’s incredibly powerful.”
For some reason, when Xie Chan showed the clay figure to Song Yan, Xie Xing turned back to glance at them from ahead.
Inside the carriage, men and women laughed and played, a stark contrast to the tense and vigilant Xie Xing outside.
“This clay figure is so exquisitely crafted.”
Song Yan carefully took it and held it in his hands to examine.
Xiao He in her sleeve also grew curious, hiding within the sleeve and using the gap near Song Yan’s wrist to look at the clay doll.
She simply loved these little handmade trinkets.
The two girls on the carriage, watching Song Yan’s serious expression, whispered to each other: “This scholar brother is so handsome.”
Youth and maidenhood, just awakening to love, yet ignorant and unaware—all of it was heard by Song Yan and Xiao He.
“…”
Xiao He glanced at the girl through the sleeve.
“She’s got good taste. Our family’s Yan Yan is famous for his beauty within ten miles of Stone Beam!”
“What was that sound?”
Song Yan poked the little snake’s head through his sleeve, telling her to be quiet.
He then called out to the front: “Senior, did you make this clay doll? What a skilled hand…”
“Haha, this old man is just a rough martial artist, crude and unrefined, how could I have such fine craftsmanship?”
Xie Xing laughed: “It’s been passed down from my ancestors.”
Perhaps because Song Yan had shown no unusual behavior throughout the journey, and they were about to reach Fufeng City’s territory, Xie Xing’s wariness of him had considerably lessened.
“The Xie family’s business isn’t large, we’ve run a clay figure trade for generations.”
“But my branch is the exception—every generation produces a reckless martial artist.”
“My grandfather was a famous swordsman in the martial world. This clay figure was molded by his hands.”
“To this day, there are still legends in the Southern Chu martial world that this clay figure contains a peerless sword technique. However, this old man has searched for most of his life and never found any trick to it.”
As Xie Xing spoke, Song Yan felt something was off.
This old fox’s words seemed like a confession, but were actually more like a test.
“Little brother, you look like a scholar with high comprehension. Did you spot anything in it?”
“This…”
On the carriage, in such a short time, even if there truly were some profound meaning within, it would be difficult to discern any clues.
Song Yan shook his head: “This boy is dull, I can’t see anything.”
He truly hadn’t seen anything, and casually returned the clay figure to Xie Chan.
Even if there truly were something, the so-called “peerless sword technique” contained in the martial arts of this mundane world would likely be of no use to him, a cultivator.
“Heh…”
Xie Xing turned his head away and said no more.
Chatting and laughing, they were about to enter Fufeng City’s territory.
The carriage reached a dense forest, and Song Yan, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them.
Nearby, someone seemed to be lying in ambush…
Bandits?
This place was close to Fufeng City—there shouldn’t be such brazen bandits here.
Though his cultivation level had fallen, his divine sense was unaffected. On the contrary, perhaps because of the life-and-death battle in the secret realm, his divine sense had actually strengthened slightly.
Enemies?
From Xie Xing’s earlier vigilant expression, it wasn’t impossible.
Since he had received the Xie family’s hospitality, Song Yan was about to speak up and warn them.
“Hmm?”
Xie Xing frowned, and movement had already begun in the surroundings.
“Not good!”
“Xiao Chuan and the rest, stay in the carriage! Don’t run around!”
The procession stopped.
Xie Xing leaped down, drew his sword from its sheath, and called out in a loud voice: “Who goes there, lurking in the shadows!”
From within the dense forest, several figures in black emerged.
“Senior, please don’t misunderstand…”
“We have no grievances with you.”
The leader, also clad in black with his face covered: “It’s just that someone paid a great price for the life of your young master!”
This was…
Mortal conflicts, martial world disputes.
It seemed the mundane martial world was not peaceful either.
“Young Master Xie Chuan possesses a natural spiritual root and can enter a Daoist sect. We truly envy that…”
Xie Xing’s gaze hardened.
For this journey, the Xie family had uniformly claimed the children were fortunate enough to enter Fufeng City’s Zhaolu Academy to study.
As cover, they hadn’t hired any escort agency personnel or martial artists to accompany them besides himself.
Now the information had leaked—within the Xie family, there must be a traitor!
And the several clan elders had likely known all along. Otherwise, why would they have summoned him, a wandering martial artist, to make this journey back to the clan from thousands of miles away?
“Spiritual root?”
The children in the carriage held their breath at this moment. Song Yan glanced sideways at Xie Chuan—the child was terrified, cowering in the corner.
Afraid that Song Yan was in league with the bandits outside attacking the carriage.
“Was it the Qin family who sent you?”
Xie Xing’s gaze swept over the group, thinking of a strategy to repel the enemy.
“That… I’m afraid we cannot disclose.”
Though they didn’t answer directly, Xie Xing’s guess was eight or nine out of ten correct—it was the Southern Chu Qin clan. Anger immediately surged in his heart.
“The Southern Chu Qin family, a vast and powerful clan. Several cultivators have emerged from their ranks, and their mortal connections spread across all of Southern Chu.”
“Why must they wipe out a small family like the Xie clan!?”
Southern Chu Qin clan?
Song Yan pondered.
Another of the four great clans. He had heard that within the inner sect of Dongyuan Sect, there was a prodigious young woman named Qin Ying, who hailed from the Southern Chu Qin clan.
Northern Yan, Southern Qin.
The Northern Chu Yan clan and the Southern Chu Qin clan had numerous cultivators among their ranks, worthy of the title “Immortal Clan.”
Now it seemed this Qin clan had considerable ambition.
The black-clad man waved his hand, no longer bothering to conceal anything. After all, all these people were going to die.
“Heh, in the vast Southern Chu, only the Qin family line has produced a respectable immortal clan. For an old fox of the martial world like you, Senior, I’m sure you understand the underlying reasons with just a hint.”
“There’s no need to struggle, Senior Xie. Beneath immortals, we’re all just ants. Just accept your fate.”
Before his words had fallen, Xie Xing struck first, thrusting out with his sword.
Alone, he fought the group of black-clad men to a standstill.
Song Yan watched through the carriage curtain, seeing that Xie Xing’s swordsmanship was entirely killing intent, without a single flourish—flowing like clouds and water, perfected to the highest degree.
However…
From a cultivator’s perspective, the speed was somewhat slow.
“Sixteen, go kill everyone in the carriage. Make it quick.”
The leader shouted, though the saber in his hand did not slow.
Xie Xing’s heart tightened. Trying to protect the children on the carriage, the originally even battle began to tip against him.
Song Yan naturally could not watch the Xie family be killed. He was about to summon the little snake, but after a moment’s thought, decided to act himself.
He was now at the first level of Qi Refining. Xiao He’s strength could rival a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator—Xiao she was her trump card.
Clang!
Outnumbered and advanced in age, Xie Xing could not hold on indefinitely.
A moment of carelessness, and the leader’s saber’s qi injured his fingers, flicking the sword from his grasp.
The black-blade leader, quick and sharp, slashed a ruthless strike toward Xie Xing’s face.
The long sword fell, spinning through the air.
He had wandered half his life and had long foreseen this day. But without his protection, these five Xie children of the Xie family faced certain death.
Sorrow filled Xie Xing’s heart, yet he was powerless to change it.
“Hum—”
The long sword suddenly flew up, deflecting the black-clad leader’s fatal strike.
“Who?!”
Amidst the shocked gazes of the martial artists, the flying sword shot forward toward the black-clad man who had already reached the carriage.
Sigh.
“Ah—”
With a scream, the flying sword pinned the man’s hand to the ground.
“…”
Xie Xing’s eyes widened, filled with disbelief.
Someone among the black-clad men murmured, and in this silent scene, everyone heard clearly.
“An immortal…”
Inside the carriage, Song Yan slightly lowered his eyes.
Yet he did not take any lives. After all, regarding the so-called Qin and Xie clans and their conflicts, these were merely one side’s words.
Without seeing the full picture, Song Yan did not want to get involved. He simply wanted to return to the sect peacefully and safely.
Moreover, these were all disputes between mortals. Though they involved forces from the cultivation world behind the scenes, he had no reason to intervene.
His intervention was merely to repay the kindness of sharing the ride.
A clear voice echoed through the entire bamboo forest using some unknown method.
“This senior Xie Xing and I have an old acquaintance. If you have any grudges…”
“Bring them up another day.”