Chapter 104: Lone Smoke in the Great Desert

Traveling without stopping, one month later, Yan Xiao led the members of the Shengjian Sect, as well as Ma Cuihua and a group of servants, to the borders of Qinghe County.

"The lone smoke of the desert rises straight, the long river reflects the round setting sun. This Qinghe County actually has quite a bit of frontier scenery."

Looking at the vast, desolate land ahead, yellow sand filled the sky, boundless and limitless. In the distance, a column of earth-colored thick smoke shot straight into the clouds, which was quite spectacular. Seeing this scene, Yan Xiao couldn't help but recall the poem written by that great poet from his past life.

He had come here to seek refuge, so his mood was somewhat low. But upon seeing that trail of thick smoke, Yan Xiao couldn't help but feel invigorated in his heart. A sense of heroism welled up spontaneously.

"I shall first conquer this desert as the cornerstone for conquering this world!" Yan Xiao waved his large sleeve and stepped onto his Flying Sword, charging forward.

"Jingting, accompany your husband for a walk."

Yan Xiao extended a hand and invited Feng Jingting.

Feng Jingting looked at the imposing Yan Xiao, smiled faintly, tapped her lotus-like steps, and flew to Yan Xiao's side.

Yan Xiao scooped her up, soared straight into the sky, and finally stopped in mid-air, looking down at the entire land.

"Master and Mistress are truly a celestial couple, so happy!"

Ma Xiaoyun pinched her sleeve, gazing at the two people in the sky, her face full of envy.

"Fangirl, you don't cultivate properly at such a young age, just thinking about useless things." Seeing her infatuated appearance, Ma Jianyang couldn't help but tease her.

"As if you aren't envious, then why do you keep staring at Master?" Ma Xiaoyun pursed her lips and said in a low voice.

"I admire Master's spirit. Look at our Master, growing so fast; in a short time, he has become a Sect Master who shakes the region. Along this journey, whether it was the Phantom Demon in Majia Town, the assassins from the Tingyu Pavilion, or the difficulties from the Liuyun Chen Family, Master has always been able to face them calmly, moving us to safety without haste. There is a domineering aura about Master that says 'who else but me,' which makes me admire him greatly."

Ma Jianyang looked at the figure ahead, who was not particularly tall, his feelings of reverence uncontrollable.

"Junior Brother is right. The first time I met Master, I was conquered by his kingly aura. From that moment on, I decided in my heart that I, Wang Dazhu, am Master's person in life and his ghost in death; I am following him for sure!"

Wang Dazhu didn't know when he had also crowded over, his tone sincere and resonant.

"Sycophant!" Nangong Erhu gave Wang Dazhu a side-eye, though the look in his eyes as he watched Yan Xiao was also full of worship.

"It is our honor to be able to meet the Sect Master!" Luosang also couldn't help but sigh.

"Yes, this old man has never been as happy as I am now; this is all the Sect Master's grace," Luo Cang said slowly. Although he was blind, due to the significant improvement in his cultivation, his sensory abilities had become increasingly powerful. The deeper his understanding of life, the more he felt Yan Xiao's unfathomable nature.

Luo Ying drove the carriage, sitting beside the Jade Coffin containing Tingxue's physical body, muttering to herself, "Sister Tingxue, you are so brave, actually willing to give up your life for this blockhead. Sigh, if it were me... could I do it?"

"Hmph! That bad guy hasn't even agreed to let me be his second wife, why would I risk my life for him? I'm not that stupid! But Sister Tingxue, you were willing to give your life for him, so you should be his second wife; I'll just be the third."

"Oh my... what am I thinking? Without Qingxue's consent, I'm afraid I can't even be the fourth or fifth wife. This bad guy is actually quite fickle, but he's just afraid of making Qingxue unhappy. He has the heart of a thief but lacks the courage, which has made life miserable for us sisters."

Luo Ying was heavy-hearted and had no one to tell, so she could only confide in Tingxue in the Jade Coffin. However, the more she spoke, the more outrageous it became; if Tingxue could hear her, she would probably be shocked awake.

"Husband, do you have something on your mind?" Feng Jingting leaned slowly against Yan Xiao's shoulder and asked softly.

"I have actually always been a person without great ambitions. I didn't expect to become the Sect Master of the Shengjian Sect for no reason, with such a large group of people following behind me. In the future, I will be responsible for their food, drink, and sleep. I'm afraid I won't be a good Sect Master and will starve them all to death."

Yan Xiao sighed. Although he was heroic, he was experiencing such great pressure for the first time, so he felt a bit of urgency.

"Like them, I followed you of my own volition. Whatever happens in the future, whether joy or sorrow, it is voluntary and cannot be blamed on others. Besides, my husband is so excellent, how could he let us go hungry?" Feng Jingting smiled sweetly, beautiful and moving, and with those gentle and sweet words, Yan Xiao's love increased greatly, and his worries vanished.

"Thank you, wife." Yan Xiao was moved and buried his head in her arms.

"There are people around, don't mess around!" No matter how dignified and elegant Feng Jingting was, she was made red-faced and ashamed by this bad guy, and she scolded him in a low voice.

"Does that mean when there are fewer people, I can..." Yan Xiao chuckled, deliberately drawing out his tone.

"Dream on. Father said that a girl cannot lose her virginity before marriage, otherwise some people won't know how to cherish it." Feng Jingting rolled her eyes at Yan Xiao, speaking with infinite charm.

"Father-in-law is really joking. I don't have enough time to cherish you, how could I not? Your husband is a man of sentiment and righteousness, standing tall between heaven and earth. If I can't even protect my own wife, what kind of hero am I!"

Yan Xiao promised.

"You only know how to say nice things to make me happy. Father was right, you men are indeed all the same; when it comes to feelings, I can't just listen to everything you say." Feng Jingting laughed, used her sword to dodge someone's wandering hand, and drifted downward.

"Hmm? It seems Father-in-law was worried about Jingting before we left and taught her many 'truths of life'!" Yan Xiao sighed inwardly; it seemed his night of passion would have to wait.

But as Feng Chen said, his gaze toward Jingting was even more filled with love now? "Are men all cheap? The more they can't get, the more they want?"

Yan Xiao shook his head, casting aside these messy thoughts. What he needed to do now was take down Qinghe County.

The Shengjian Sect group, including servants and laborers, numbered about four hundred. Entering the county city all at once would be too conspicuous, so he decided to settle Ma Cuihua and the other mortals without cultivation first, then go meet the Zhang Family, the number one family in Qinghe County.

A hundred miles outside the county city, there was a small town. The population was not large, but it was more than enough to settle everyone. Yan Xiao ordered Qian Youdao to buy a private manor and let Ma Cuihua and the other servants and disciples with low cultivation live there temporarily. He, however, took the Juesha members and Elders like Luo Cang and walked swaggeringly into the county city.

"Sect Master, are we going to make a quick decision and take down the Zhang Family with thunderous means, or should we first probe the forces in Qinghe County?" Luo Hai rubbed his fists and wiped his palms; in the previous battles, they were all powerful cultivators, and he had no chance to make a move. Now that he finally had a chance to show off his skills, how could he miss it? He was already itching to act.

"Let's go take a look first. Liu Yu, you lead the way, let's go meet the Zhang Family first." Yan Xiao smiled slightly, took out a folding fan, and looked like a young master from a noble family.

"Liu Yu, watch how I humiliate the Zhang Family later to avenge you." Yan Xiao wanted to use their own methods against them.