Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

As for Lin Xuan's ability to become the deputy captain, it was because of her accurate judgment of the value of the goods.

She has secured considerable profits for the chamber of commerce on numerous occasions, and this keen insight has earned her a foothold within the chamber.

She learned this skill from Lin Zhao. Thinking of Lin Zhao reminded her of her family: her father, grandfather, and Zi Mo.

She wondered how he was doing. Perhaps because they were used to doing things together, she unconsciously brought Lin Qingluo along as well.

At this moment, there was a grove of trees ahead of the caravan. Lin Xuan nodded slightly, but his divine sense had already spread out like mercury across the ground.

They were watching for anything unusual in the forest. "Don't let your guard down, this forest is not peaceful."

Almost as soon as she finished speaking, ten dark beams of light suddenly shot out from the dense forest on the left, accompanied by a piercing shriek and a foul wind, heading straight for the middle of the convoy!

The dark light was actually ten bone spears wrapped in black malevolent energy, clearly demonic artifacts.

"Form ranks!" Vice Captain Zhao Kun shouted, his voice not loud but carrying throughout the entire area.

The cultivators, who were already prepared, moved in unison, their hands forming hand seals.

In an instant, a massive pale blue light barrier rose from the center of the convoy, its surface rippling with water and shimmering with runes.

The ten bone spears struck the light shield with muffled "thuds," and the black malevolent energy attached to them melted away rapidly like ice and snow meeting the sun, while the bone spears themselves shattered inch by inch.

At the same time, before the enemy in the forest could launch another attack, ten members of the guard team stepped forward, and with the support of the formation,

Five of them formed earth-elemental hand seals and pressed them onto the ground, unleashing the "Earth Collapse Technique!"

The ground within a hundred meters ahead softened and collapsed instantly, and more than ten black-clad cultivators who had just rushed out of the forest cried out as they fell into the mud.

The other five simultaneously unleashed their magical artifacts, and five beams of light, each a different color, emerged from the sea like dragons.

It wove a deadly net in the air, precisely slicing across the necks of the bandits struggling in the mud.

As the sword flashed, heads rolled off, but the blood was blocked by a layer of blue spiritual light that suddenly rose, preventing the truck from being stained in the slightest.

The entire battle lasted no more than ten breaths, and the dozen or so robbers who attacked were all wiped out, unable to even get within a hundred paces of the convoy.

Throughout the entire ordeal, most of the guards, including Lin Xuan, simply watched quietly without moving from their positions, maintaining a vigilant stance.

The goods being transported by this caravan were of extremely high value, and they were constantly robbed along the way. This was neither the first nor the last time.

On a small hill a few kilometers away, two men were watching this scene through a magic mirror.

One of them, a middle-aged cultivator dressed in brocade robes, with a face somewhat resembling Lin Xuan's and a tall, thin build, was none other than Lin Xuan's father, Lin Tianze.

His aura was subtle and concealed, revealing him to be at the eighth level of Qi Refining.

Lin Tianze stood with his hands behind his back, his clothes fluttering lightly in the night breeze.

Standing beside him was a young man dressed simply in white, none other than Xiao Wen, his close friend from his early years.

This person was tall and straight, and his cultivation had reached the peak of the seventh level of Qi Refining. He wore an ancient and unadorned bronze sword at his waist.

A bronze mirror floated in front of the two, clearly reflecting the entire process of the caravan being attacked and easily dealt with several miles away.

"Brother Lin's top-grade Sky-Gazing Mirror is truly wondrous," Xiao Wen exclaimed. "It can see everything happening several miles away. Even the divine sense of a Foundation Establishment cultivator is probably no better than this."

Lin Tianze shook his head slightly. "It was just that we had set up a few sensing talismans in the caravan beforehand and used the magic mirror to spy on them."

He changed the subject, took out a thick stack of talismans, and said, "From now on, I will entrust my daughter to Brother Xiao."

Xiao Wen's gaze was immediately drawn to the stack of talismans—a total of twenty-three Gengjin Sword Qi talismans, five more than originally planned.

Clearly, although his uncle was tough on the surface, he still couldn't let go of Lin Xuan. The extra five cards were specially obtained by Lin Tianze from the family.

"Thank you for your kindness, Brother Lin!" Xiao Wen solemnly accepted the talisman, carefully examining the flowing golden patterns on it. "I will not take a single penny of the spoils of war this time."

Xiao Wen was born into a small family of cultivators. Many years ago, his family encountered a beast tide, and he was the only one who escaped death.

He was rescued by Lin Tianze when he was seriously injured, and they later became sworn brothers. Over the years, Xiao Wen has been practicing swordsmanship diligently, but he has never been able to truly master it.

The basic requirement for becoming a sword cultivator is the ability to transform magical power into indestructible sword energy.

The sharp sword energy contained in these twenty-three [Gengjin Sword Qi Talismans] might allow him to open the door to the Dao of the Sword.

The [Gengjin Sword Qi Talisman] is indeed incredibly powerful, but only if it hits its target. Cultivators possess numerous methods.

The Gengjin Sword Qi Talisman is notoriously difficult to control, and it can only be brought to its full potential in the hands of Xiao Wen, a swordsman.

"Brother Xiao, you flatter me." Lin Tianze waved his hand and said, "As long as my daughter is safe, that's enough."

Xiao Wen pondered for a moment, "Liu Yifeng has yet to be seen. I wonder if the Celestial Mirror can pinpoint his location?"

"This kid is indeed extraordinary. Liu Yifeng is capable enough to stir up such a storm."

Lin Tianze's eyes turned cold. "He hasn't shown himself along the way, but I'm certain he's in the caravan. I've already identified a suspicious target. If you have the chance to meet him, Brother Xiao, please don't hold back."

Lin Tianze said in a chilling tone, "Dare to scheme against my daughter? Do you really think I, Lin Tianze, am made of clay?"

Not to mention that the old man in the family has already made a harsh statement: if Lin Xuan cannot be brought back safely, his son will no longer need to enter the Lin family.

Xiao Wen nodded in understanding, his fingertips lightly tracing the sharp patterns on the talisman. With the help of these [Gengjin Sword Qi Talismans], he would be able to fight even against cultivators at the ninth level of Qi Refining.

Down the mountain, the convoy had been reorganized, and the Vast Ocean Spirit Light Array had been deactivated, as if nothing had ever happened.

Lin Xuan withdrew her gaze from the distance. On her left hand was an inconspicuous jade ring, which gave her a subtle feeling. She knew that her father was not far away.

The convoy set off again, crushing over gravel and the tracks of the quickly dragged-away corpses of the raiders, steadily making its way towards the camp before nightfall.

In the distance, the last rays of the setting sun disappeared below the horizon.

As night fell, Lin Xuan and Lin Qinglu followed the caravan into the camp, where the large caravan was encamped in the wilderness.

Hundreds of trucks were lined up end to end, each with a small magic array on it that shimmered with spiritual light, while a medium-sized magic array composed of ten trucks was faintly visible in the night.

These are the true functions of a horse-drawn carriage.

These formations are interconnected, and the final array is said to be as powerful as a second-tier formation.

However, judging from Lin Xuan's perspective, it should only be a quasi-second-tier formation, which is very powerful for Qi Refining cultivators.

However, it is not invincible; its spiritual power is too dispersed, making it completely impossible to fight against a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Late at night, Lin Xuan sat by the campfire of the seventh team, closing her eyes to rest. Given the scarcity of spiritual energy and the complex situation in the wild, she dared not easily enter a meditative state to cultivate.