As Han Chong had said, the journey after the Ten-Serpent Pass had been remarkably smooth. Aside from a few minor hiccups here and there, the pace of the caravan had not been significantly slowed. Over these several days, the famed Tianbei City had grown increasingly close. During this period of rest and recuperation, Xiao Yan's strength had gradually recovered to about seven or eight parts of its former condition. The injuries sustained within him were healing swiftly, thanks to the combined effects of his qi and the pills. The recovery seemed to be progressing faster than Xiao Yan had anticipated. Nevertheless, although his strength was steadily returning, Xiao Yan had yet to reveal it. He held a genuine fondness for these straightforward men of the caravan and did not wish to make them feel intimidated or respectful, thus creating a sense of distance that might strain their growing rapport over these past days. With Xiao Yan's current strength, concealing his aura within the convoy would be difficult even for Han Xue—let alone, perhaps due to the spatial energies circulating within him, Xiao Yan's true strength might be hard to gauge even for top-tier Du Phong or Du Zong-level warriors. Though Xiao Yan believed he had hidden himself flawlessly, during the past few days of travel, he noticed that Han Xue had grown more attentive toward him. After assigning tasks to Han Chong, no one else ever asked Xiao Yan to perform physical labor. This special treatment left Xiao Yan only able to smile in quiet resignation—was a woman's intuition truly that sharp? He was certain he had left no trace of his concealment, yet Han Xue still seemed to sense something subtly, occasionally catching a faint expression of curiosity and contemplation in her gaze when she looked at him. Moreover, whenever she had spare time, Han Xue would often appear before Xiao Yan, chatting with him casually as if by chance. Yet the content of their conversations was actually carefully gathered information about Xiao Yan's identity and background. Naturally, given Xiao Yan's extensive experience over the years, he could never reveal any clues to her—a young woman—so that Han Xue's seemingly vague and insubstantial remarks always ended in failure. It felt as though she were pressing against cotton, which left her increasingly frustrated. Faced with this situation, Xiao Yan often found himself trying to maintain a careful distance between himself and Han Xue, so as not to be discovered by this perceptive woman. The journey progressed swiftly under Han Xue's persistent inquiries and speculations. On the fifth day, as they set up camp, a messenger bird bearing the Han family crest flew in from the direction of Tianbei City, arriving from afar. Receiving the scroll from the messenger bird in the hands of a guard, Han Xue slowly unfurled it. As her gaze swept across the pages, her delicate features gradually turned cold, and flashes of anger stirred within her eyes. Watching Han Xue's changing expression, the camp, which had previously been filled with laughter, grew quiet. Everyone rose to their feet, their eyes fixed on Han Xue at the center. "Miss, what's happened?" Han Chong asked in a serious tone. "It's a message from within the family. It says that the Hong family has recently decided to take action against our household, and we should be cautious." Han Xue tightly gripped her jade hands, her voice cold. "The Hong family? Damn it, once again these stubborn old fellows." Upon hearing the name "Hong," a wave of angry murmurs erupted around the camp. "What do they intend this time?" Han Chong frowned, asking. Han Xue gently blinked her lashes, then softly remarked, "Old Mr. Hong insists that I marry Hong Chen alongside my sister. But I suspect his real intention is to absorb our Han family and establish himself as the true dominant power in Tianbei City." Hearing this, several younger members of the caravan grew visibly displeased, clearly deeply angered by the demands put forth by the Hong family. "By heaven, does the Hong family really think our Han family is just a piece of fruit they can easily squeeze? They've come up with such ridiculous demands!" Han Chong exclaimed in anger. Despite Han Chong's outburst, Han Xue's face remained cool and composed. Her gaze subtly shifted, suddenly pausing on the dark-robed young man seated by the fire. Yet the latter seemed entirely unheeding to the conversation, busily tossing the firewood. Noticing this, Han Xue furrowed her brows slightly, then turned her gaze away, speaking coldly, "Tomorrow marks our entry into Tianbei City's territory—everyone must be cautious." "Yes!" The group responded in unison. Han Xue nodded, then suddenly murmured softly to no one in particular, and turned directly toward her tent. Only after Han Xue's silhouette disappeared did the others in the camp gradually settle back by the fire, their faces flickering in and out of brightness under the glow. In their eyes, the Hong family posed a greater threat than the serpent Xia Mang. "Brother Han, isn't the Hong family really strong?" The quiet, tense atmosphere persisted for a while, until Xiao Yan, intently stirring the fire, finally straightened up, stretched, and smiled. "If we're being precise, the Hong family might actually be the strongest family in Tianbei City. Even our own Han family falls just slightly short. More importantly, the Hong family has ties to the Fenglei Pavilion. Their most outstanding figure of this generation, Hong Chen, is actually a member of the Pavilion and holds a particularly prominent position there." "Han Chong sighed,苦笑说道: "The Hong family has only been able to gain such rapid growth in reputation and influence over the past few years because of their strong ties to this powerful house. After all, in the northern region of Zhongzhou, the Fenglei Pavilion is already among the top-tier forces. Compared to them, our Han family still falls significantly short." Xiao Yan smiled slightly, remaining unconcerned. "Alright, everyone, rest well now. Increase the number of guards on duty, and I expect all of you to keep your eyes sharp tomorrow. By the time we return to the clan, things should be safe." Han Chong sighed, stood up, waved his hand, and then turned to leave, leaving the others, still furious, directing their complaints toward the fire. Watching the slightly weary figure recede, Xiao Yan lightly tapped his fingers and flicked a bamboo stick with his hand. The stick shot into the fire with a soft whoosh, then plunged deep into the ground like an arrow. He then clapped his hands, rose to his feet, greeted the group, and slowly made his way back to his tent. As he entered, he took a quiet breath and murmured to himself. "Ah... People's sentiments are truly heavy..." ... The sun shone brightly, the sky clear and cloudless, beams of sunlight pouring down with intense heat. Under such scorching weather, even the trees along the roads seemed weary, gently drooping. On the broad road, a column of horses galloped furiously, sweeping up a towering plume of dust. "Attention! We're about to enter the territory of Tianbei City!" Suddenly, a sharp cry rang out from within the column, sending everyone's hearts racing. They looked up toward the guiding stone marker at the road's end, instinctively reaching for their weapons at their backs—the hands gripping the reins also dampened with a light sheen of sweat. "Haha, it seems you've been well-prepared indeed. Unfortunately..." The laughter drifted slowly from the forest, followed swiftly by a wave of dark figures rushing forth to completely block the road leading to Tianbei City. What particularly concerned Han Chong and his companions were the two elderly figures at the forefront of this group. Dressed in light red robes, each bearing an identical red emblem on their chest, they stood prominently. "From the Hong family," Han Chong and his companions murmured, their eyes narrowing slightly at the sight of the emblem. "Haha, Miss Han Xue, please come out. We've come all this way specifically for you," the two elders said, ignoring Han Chong and his guards, their gaze fixed firmly on the vehicle where Han Xue was seated. "Grinding..." The vehicle door creaked open, and Han Xue stepped down with a composed, cold demeanor, her eyes steadily fixed on the two elders. "I never thought that merely to capture a young woman like me would require the involvement of Elder Hong Mu and Elder Hong Li. Truly, it's a great honor." "Speaking like this, yet in her heart, Han Xue felt her resolve grow steadily heavier. These two elders of the Hong family were both at the level of four-star Sovereigns—stronger even than Xia Mang. Now, with both of them acting together, today... she truly feared she would be doomed. "No more words, then. I shall follow orders. You, come with us!" said Hong Li, expression neutral, glancing at Han Xue. "Dreaming!" Han Xue's eyes flashed with cold resolve, and with a graceful grasp of her jade hand, a long sword materialized instantly. "Stubborn!" Seeing Han Xue resist, Hong Li shook his head, a touch of impatience flickering in his gaze. He stepped forward, and in an instant appeared directly before her. With a sweeping motion of his palm, a powerful, scorching gust of wind surged forth, pressing down with overwhelming force, completely enclosing all of Han Xue's escape routes. Watching Hong Li deploy his full strength so swiftly, Han Xue's cheeks turned pale. She clenched her teeth and countered with a powerful palm strike. "Crash!" "As the two palms met, the surging gust of wind instantly sent the people around retreating in haste. Han Xue's slender frame, like a kite with its string cut, stumbled back several steps before finally steadying herself. 'To withstand my single palm is no small feat—you deserve credit,' Hong Li said calmly, his body motionless. He glanced at the retreating Han Xue, then stepped forward again, his palm wind roaring once more, pressing on her. Feeling the now more intense assault from Hong Li, Han Xue's face grew marked with a poignant sense of despair. Facing a Duke-Class powerhouse, she had little to offer in resistance. The palm wind surged toward her, yet just as it was about to strike her body, an unseen force suddenly surged forth, and with a resounding boom, effortlessly deflected Hong Li's palm wind. The residual force sent him staggering back several steps. The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned, and Han Xue, after a brief moment of stillness, swiftly turned her gaze, fixing her beautiful eyes firmly on the carriage where Xiao Yan was located.