Chapter 666: Former Small Town

## Volume 5: Renowned in One Region

Jingzhou, located in the northwestern part of Yue, is a sparsely populated region with very few large cities but countless small towns and villages. The terrain mostly consists of small hills and uninhabited, desolate areas.

Consequently, Jingzhou has significantly more bandits and petty thieves than other provinces, making it a melting pot for martial arts practitioners. No major martial arts force has ever been able to unify this region.

However, this has also led to a rugged local populace, with a proliferation of dart escort agencies and caravan groups, standing in stark contrast to the number of bandits in Jingzhou.

On this particular day, along a dirt road in the wilderness, a scene often witnessed across Jingzhou was unfolding once more.

A hundred burly men, dressed in coarse cloth, their heads wrapped in black scarves, wielded various weapons as they besieged over thirty figures in green. Surrounding the green-clad individuals, several high-canopied carriages were tightly protected. It was a fierce confrontation between bandits and a dart escort agency.

Behind the bandits, three similarly dressed figures in black watched the scene coldly, their faces occasionally showing a ruthless glint.

Near the carriages, several young, sturdy men in servant attire stood guard with sticks and poles, their expressions slightly tense.

Inside the three or four carriages behind them sat several women and children in luxurious clothing. In the largest carriage at the very front, a middle-aged scholar with an unperturbed expression sat composedly.

This man’s three long strands of beard were dark and shiny. Although he appeared to have no martial prowess, he exuded an inexplicable aura of authority, one that commanded respect.

Opposite the scholar, a burly man with a bushy beard, dressed in blue brocade, sat cross-legged, leaning against the carriage wall.

His hands were massive, and his eyes gleamed with intensity, revealing him to be a rare, top-tier martial arts master.

The identities of these two were clearly extraordinary, and their expressions remained calm and self-assured. And in such a large carriage, there were only these two; no third person shared their ride.

The two men remained silent, but through the half-open carriage window, they could clearly see the situation outside. The sounds of battle and screams periodically drifted into the carriage.

The black-scarved bandits had overwhelming numbers, while the dart escorts and porters in their green uniforms were more skilled. For a time, both sides were deadlocked, unable to determine a victor.

Seeing this, the scholar faintly smiled and suddenly spoke to the burly man with the bushy beard.

“It seems Brother Li won’t have to exert himself; the Heavenly Martial Escort Agency can handle this!”

“Heh heh! If the three leaders of the Black Scarf Bandits don’t make a move, the Heavenly Martial Escort Agency can certainly deal with these small fry. But if the three of them act, these escorts and porters won’t be able to hold them off. After all, the three leaders of the Black Scarf Bandits are also notorious figures on the Jingzhou roads. I heard they are brothers and are very skilled at fighting together. Ordinary experts are no match for them.” The burly man said, a faint hint of excitement appearing on his face. At the same time, he flexed his thick fingers, producing explosive "crack-crack" sounds, clearly a sign of his external martial arts reaching the pinnacle.

“Brother Li! When it comes to fighting, you always get so eager. You’re just like Uncle Li used to be.” The scholar chuckled at the burly man’s appearance, as if there was nothing he could do about him.

“Brother Han, that’s natural. Our Li family passes down martial arts, so encountering interesting opponents naturally makes one want to test them. It’s the same principle as your Han family, a lineage of scholars for generations, always having one or two members serving in the government. What puzzles me, though, is how our Han and Li families, being so different, became lifelong friends in the first place? And how has this friendship lasted so many years, with each generation maintaining such good relations?” The burly man said, clasping his hands together, a little bewildered.

“Heh heh! A few days ago, I happened to flip through some old notes and learned a bit about past events. If Brother Li wants to know, I can tell you a thing or two, though I don’t know how much of it is true.” The scholar said with a light chuckle.

“Really! Unfortunately, our Li family doesn’t have a habit of documenting our ancestors' affairs. Besides leaving behind a few exquisite martial arts techniques, there’s no mention of how our Han and Li families first interacted.” The burly man named Li showed curiosity upon hearing this, appearing quite interested.

“Not good, those three guys have indeed made their move. Brother Han, wait a moment; I’ll go deal with them and then come back and tell you about it.” The burly man’s expression changed slightly as his gaze swept outside.

Then, with a "whoosh," he shot out of the carriage like a powerful crossbow bolt.

Soon after, the burly man’s wild laughter, mixed with sounds of fighting and screams, erupted outside.

The scholar sighed, gently shaking his head as he drew the curtain, no longer looking out. He seemed to have complete confidence in the burly man.

About the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the sounds outside finally began to fade.

The carriage curtain moved, and the burly man, dusty from the outside, flashed into the carriage. His shoulder was slightly crimson, as if he had sustained a minor injury. Yet, he laughed heartily at the scholar, saying:

“Those three fellows actually had some tricks up their sleeves; they made me exert a bit more effort. But I’ve killed all three of them. From now on, the Black Scarf Bandits will be no more in Jingzhou.” The burly man seemed thoroughly satisfied.

Upon seeing this, the scholar, however, looked apologetic.

“If Brother Li hadn’t come along this time, I’m afraid my journey back home to ancestral worship would have become a path to my death, Han Rui. It seems those adversaries truly hate me to the core! But because of this, Brother Li has been implicated.”

“What’s this about implication? Hasn’t the Li family been able to stand firm in the martial world until now because of your Han family’s numerous assists! Our two families supporting each other is simply what we do.” The burly man named Li said indifferently.

“You’re right, it was indeed disingenuous of me.” The scholar smiled, his expression returning to normal. He was clearly a man who could easily adapt to circumstances.

“But, Brother Han! Don’t forget to tell me about the past of our two families; I’m very curious about it!” The burly man asked, suddenly remembering, as he pulled out a bottle of wound medicine and applied it to his shoulder.

“Of course. Speaking of which, the process by which our two families became lifelong friends is truly incredible. Do you still remember the Seven Mysteries Sect, which dominated Jingzhou City decades ago? Our two families’ ancestors were once sworn brothers within that martial arts sect. According to those notes, one of our Han family’s granduncles and your Li family’s ancestor were as close as brothers within the Seven Mysteries Sect, supporting each other. That’s how our two families began their friendship. And our granduncle was an extraordinary person. It is said that back then…”

As the middle-aged scholar spoke softly, the green-clad individuals buried the bodies of both sides. The carriages then resumed their journey, gradually moving away and disappearing from the desolate land.

“Green Ox Town?”

Han Li hovered hundreds of feet in the air, a faint blue light emanating from his body, observing the small town below. A trace of doubt flickered across his face.

Though the town was pitifully small, only a few miles in size, it bore no resemblance to the tiny, one-street village he remembered.

Yet, according to the location in his memory, this was indeed Green Ox Town, no mistake.

It seemed that after over a century of absence, the small village had flourished into a proper town. Han Li stared blankly from above for a while, then hesitated. Suddenly, he activated an invisibility spell, sinking down to appear in an unnoticed alleyway. Only then did he confidently step out of the alley and slowly walk along the narrow street.

“It really is different!” Han Li murmured to himself, looking at the completely unfamiliar houses and pavilions lining both sides of the street.

For some reason, even though he knew he just needed to fly a little further west to see the small mountain village where he was born and the dark green mountain, he hesitated. He found himself unconsciously descending into this greatly altered Green Ox Town.

At this moment, Han Li appeared composed, but inwardly, he desperately hoped to find a familiar trace of memory on either side.

But so far, he had been met with disappointment.

Suddenly, Han Li’s steps slowed, and he stopped at a three-way intersection.

He stared motionlessly at a dilapidated small tavern by the roadside.

The tavern was short and old, only two stories high, with a faded yellow plaque bearing the characters "Chunxiang" (Spring Fragrance) hanging above its door. This was the old place where Han Li had stayed for two days, the Chunxiang Tavern managed by Han Li’s third uncle, "Fatty Han."

Looking at the tavern, Han Li’s once blurred memories suddenly opened their floodgates.

His round-faced, chubby third uncle, the incredibly narrow courtyard behind the tavern, the dimly lit side rooms, the fragrant and delicious food, the dark horse-drawn carriage with the Seven Mysteries Sect flag… All of it appeared vividly before Han Li’s eyes.

Han Li gazed at the tavern, his face full of complex emotions, a hint of sadness in his eyes.

He watched the tavern for a while longer, then suddenly noticed passersby looking at him with strange expressions. It was no wonder; a young man standing still and staring intently at a dilapidated tavern was indeed a bit peculiar.

Han Li pondered briefly, his expression returning to normal. With his hands clasped behind his back, he slowly ambled towards the tavern.