In a high-level martial arts game, a wife is given to you at the start.

The old man's face turned deathly pale instantly. He had no doubt that the person before him possessed such ability. That seemingly effortless strike had already exceeded his comprehension. The guards behind him were even more terrified, not even daring to meet Lin Qiye's gaze.

Just then, a clear, cool female voice came from the middle carriage, whose curtains had been drawn low. It carried a hint of weariness, yet possessed a calm and composed demeanor:

"Manager Chen, agree to his request."

The old man turned sharply to look at the carriage, his lips trembling as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately it turned into a helpless sigh. He turned around and bowed deeply to Lin Qiye: "Yes... I will obey Miss's orders. Sir, please... please accompany my caravan. When we enter the city, I ask that you... temporarily bear with it and disguise yourself as the newly hired head guard of my merchant guild. As for your identity documents... I will find a way to handle it."

Lin Qiye nodded and said nothing more. He turned around and waved towards the riverbank.

Soon, Luo Sheng, carrying Lin Xi, Shuang'er, Man Ji, Qing Yin, and others, along with the children and maids, emerged from behind the grass on the riverbank and headed towards the caravan.

Upon seeing this, Steward Chen and all the guards nearly popped their eyes out.

Women...children...and babies?! And not just one, but more than a dozen women, with more than a dozen children and babies of all ages!

This… this jinx is actually traveling through this perilous wasteland with his whole family?!

Manager Chen felt a chill run down his spine, and the last shred of hope in his heart was completely extinguished. To be able to lead such a defenseless team safely across the wasteland, a place where even their elite guards had to proceed with extreme caution and were bound to suffer casualties... this person's strength was probably far more terrifying than he had imagined.

He quickly directed his men to clear out the largest trailer, which was originally used to carry lighter and heavier goods. They laid out clean animal hides and soft cushions, and respectfully invited Lin Qiye's family members to board. He also arranged for two clever maids dressed as chamber of commerce women to help take care of the children.

Lin Qiye didn't get into the carriage. Instead, he walked to the carriage from which the woman's voice was coming from and, through the curtain, said calmly, "Thanks."

A moment of silence fell over the carriage, then the cool female voice rang out again, still steady: "It's simply a matter of mutual benefit. Your strength is exceptional, and the future of our caravan is uncertain. It is fortunate to have you traveling with us."

Lin Qiye said no more, walked to the front of the caravan, and stood with his hands behind his back, just like the scarred giant before. His presence made the atmosphere of the entire caravan extremely oppressive, yet strangely, it also gave people an unprecedented sense of "safety".

Manager Chen wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, directed the caravan to reorganize, and after a quick disposal of the scarred man and the earth dragon's corpses, the caravan set off again, slowly heading towards the majestic "Guixu Holy City" in the distance, which resembled the abode of a god.

The wheels rolled over the dirt road, the panting of the pack animals mingling with the sound of footsteps. Lin Qiye's gaze remained fixed on the direction of the Holy City, deep and serene.

The team set off again, but the atmosphere was completely different from before.

The previous journey had been filled with despair and numbness, but now, though still weary, a faint light shone in everyone's eyes. The outline of that colossal city was the source of that light.

Manager Chen walked cautiously at the head of the procession, occasionally glancing back to sized up Lin Qiye. This "newly hired head guard" walked silently, a black iron spear casually held in his hand. His pace seemed slow, yet he maintained a perfectly steady distance from the large cart carrying the women and children. Manager Chen's heart pounded. He couldn't fathom this man's temperament, nor did he know whether entering the city would bring fortune or misfortune.

"Uncle Chen," the carriage curtain was lifted slightly, revealing half a pale yet beautiful face—it was the young lady who had spoken earlier. She looked no more than twenty years old, but a lingering melancholy hung between her brows, and her eyes held an unconcealable weariness. "That lady...is there anything you need?"

Manager Chen quickly leaned closer and lowered his voice, "No, Miss. They've just been silent the whole way. Miss, are we really going to bring them into the city? The risk..."

"Risks?" The young lady coughed lightly, lowered the curtain, and her voice, tinged with self-mockery, came through the fabric. "Compared to what we'll face on this journey, what are these risks? Besides..." She paused, "Look at those women and children. The fact that they've made it this far from the wasteland speaks volumes. This person's strength is unfathomable. Rather than becoming an enemy, we'd rather leverage their power. Once we enter the city, whether they're dragons or tigers is governed by the Temple's rules. What does it have to do with us? We only need to... complete the transaction and get what we want."

Manager Chen remained silent, knowing that the young lady had made up her mind, so he said no more, but his worries only deepened.

The caravan proceeded along the increasingly clear dirt road. The road gradually widened, transitioning from mud to gravel, and further on, the edges of the road were even visible, paved with neatly cut bluestone slabs. Scattered, simple stone houses or wooden sheds began to appear on either side, resembling outposts or abandoned relay stations. Occasionally, figures could be seen moving about, observing the sizable caravan from afar, their gazes lingering particularly on Lin Qiye.

The primal energy in the air grew increasingly dense and stable, a stark contrast to the chaotic and disordered atmosphere of the wasteland. The oppressive aura of the distant megacity intensified as the distance closed in, and the runes on the city walls occasionally shimmered in the sunlight, as if the entire city were breathing.

After traveling for about an hour, a massive pass constructed of black iron and gray stone appeared ahead. The pass spanned the only road leading to the holy city, standing about twenty zhang high, extending to the left and right, connecting with low but continuous defensive fortifications faintly visible in the distance. The pass's gates were wide open, but a long queue had formed before them: caravans, scattered travelers, and groups of people dressed in uniform, seemingly belonging to a sect or family.

On either side of the city gate stood dozens of guards clad in dark silver full armor. Silent as mountains, only their hard face shields were visible, and they held uniquely shaped halberds, their blades shimmering with faint, eerie blue runes. Even more striking were the three enormous bronze mirrors suspended above the gate, their surfaces smooth as water, emitting a soft, milky-white light, slowly rotating and enveloping every person and vehicle passing below.

"That's the 'Mirror of Truth'," Manager Chen whispered, approaching Lin Qiye at some point. "It's the first checkpoint in the Holy City. It can reveal concealed figures and disguised appearances, and it can also detect abnormal fluctuations in Origin Qi, especially... that kind of polluted or overly violent and chaotic aura. Ordinary people can pass through without any problems, but if there's a problem..." He swallowed and didn't finish his sentence.