"Both the eldest and second young masters have already left Yun Sen City. The eldest is doing well, stationed at Giant Rock Valley, keeping watch over the Chonjiao bandits and safeguarding the peace of the region. He can even return to the city from time to time to reunite with Master. But the second young master is serving in the capital of Jianyuan, busy with official duties, and often goes an entire year without being able to visit."

"Chonjiao bandits..."

Upon hearing this, the young lady's fair forehead creased slightly. "I've heard that things are not very peaceful within Lǐ Prefecture. There are Chonjiao bandits causing trouble overseas, and within, the Clay Pot thieves are running rampant. Even the Black Gun clan south of Luming Town is stirring, with frequent incidents of violence. Besides that, there are signs that the Black Dragon cult is making a comeback. Are these things true?"

"Miss, you worry too much. Master is the lord of Yun Sen City, guarding this land. Under his command are three thousand Qilin Guards, whose might shakes the world. Who would dare cause trouble within our Yun Sen City? I think what you've heard are just some minor incidents, exaggerated and spread by rumors."

"Let’s hope so."

The young lady glanced at Evelyn, saying no more.

She was just a maid, and though her status was higher than most, the information she could access was still limited.

"Buzz buzz!"

Just as the atmosphere in the carriage fell silent, the fine steel sword in the young lady's hand began to hum softly. As its owner, she immediately looked toward a patch of woods thirty meters off the main road. There, she could clearly sense a chilling sword aura stretching a hundred meters in all directions.

"Someone skilled is practicing swordsmanship! To make my Falling Snow Sword sing, their swordsmanship must have reached the level where sword energy pierces the sky!"

The young lady, who had just appeared calm and composed like a noblewoman, suddenly had a sharp gleam flash in her eyes.

Without any visible exertion, in the next instant, her slender figure slipped through the carriage window at an incredible angle and landed on the ground.

"Miss..."

The maid Evelyn cried out in alarm.

But the young lady, having left the carriage, didn't pause for a moment and headed straight for the woods ahead, startling the knights guarding both sides of the carriage, who hurriedly shouted, "Protect Miss!"

"Who would have thought that in Yun Sen City, famed for its peace in the heart of the empire, there would be such a master? Is it someone from the Moonlight Sword Sect, or perhaps from the Hongmen of the western Sunless Peak?"

"Whoosh!"

After leaving the carriage, the young lady moved gracefully, heading straight into the woods. The somewhat complex terrain did nothing to hinder her movement.

In less than a moment, she had penetrated sixty meters into the woods and arrived at a clearing.

There, sword marks were everywhere, but no one was in sight.

"Gone?"

The young lady glanced around, sensing carefully. Only after confirming there was no sound did the excitement on her heroic and pretty face subside a little. "What a pity. I thought I’d met a master and wanted to spar a bit."

"Miss!"

At this moment, the knights finally dismounted and hurried over.

Compared to their earlier casual attitude while on duty, their gazes toward the young lady had now completely changed.

The movement technique and lightness skill she had just displayed—if she wanted to deal with them, these self-proclaimed elites wouldn’t even have a chance to fight back...

"To unleash sword energy, one must first refine true qi. Once true qi is achieved, one is considered a master anywhere in the world. If the full meridian cycle is opened and true qi flows endlessly, that’s first-class, enough to found a sect, and the best among them are honored as martial arts grandmasters... Could it be a master from the Moonlight Sword Sect?"

The young lady muttered to herself.

"Miss, we should return quickly, lest we keep Master waiting."

The knight captain beside her spoke with a hint of respect.

"I understand."

The young lady nodded and, under the protection of the four knights, got back into the carriage.

After the carriage had traveled a short distance, a young man walking along the side of the main road came into her view.

This young man...

He had some dirt on him, as if... he had just come out of the woods?

At this thought, the young lady’s gaze immediately fell on him.

He looked to be about seventeen or eighteen, with an ordinary appearance—someone who would disappear in a crowd, and his clothes bore no special markings.

Utterly ordinary.

"Huh, that's the third son of President Carter... I think his name is Liam Carter."

Evelyn noticed her Miss's gaze and said in surprise.

"President Carter?"

"President Carter is the president of the largest merchant guild in Yun Sen City, and even all of Lǐ Prefecture, mainly dealing in grain, silk, tea, and such. While not wealthy enough to rival a nation, he’s still one of the top families in Yun Sen City."

As Evelyn spoke, her tone was extremely flat. "However, this Third Young Master Carter has no interest in business, inheriting his father’s trade and expanding the guild, nor does he care for politics, using the guild’s influence to rise quickly. Instead, he prefers martial arts."

"Martial arts?"

The young lady’s interest was piqued. "How skilled is he?"

"Skilled? Probably not very. His family doesn’t support his martial pursuits. It’s said he’s entirely self-taught... Don’t tell me you think he’s the master you sensed earlier."

"Self-taught..."

The young lady shook her head.

Without a renowned teacher, self-study—what could one possibly achieve?

Besides...