Yang Guo: I'm invincible in the opening battle against Aunt Guo!

After speaking, she narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly.

His gaze swept over the three of them.

Be prepared to see the expected wariness, fear, or at least surprise.

However, to her surprise...

Huang Rong's brows twitched almost imperceptibly, her eyes grew even deeper, but she showed no fear. Instead, she seemed to have a knowing look that said, "It really is her."

Yang Guo maintained his calm and smiling demeanor, as if he had only heard the name of an ordinary Taoist nun. He even politely replied, "So you are Taoist Master Li. It's a pleasure to meet you."

What left her speechless was the girl named Guo Fu, who blinked her big eyes and looked at Huang Rong with innocent curiosity, asking softly:

"Mother, is Li Mochou... very famous? I've never heard of her."

Huang Rong: "..."

Li Mochou: "..."

The scene fell silent for a moment.

Li Mochou looked at Guo Fu's innocent expression, which seemed completely genuine.

Looking at Yang Guo's unwavering smile and Huang Rong's unfathomable calm, a strange and absurd feeling suddenly arose in my heart.

These three... are quite special.

She gave Yang Guo a deep look, then said nothing more, only calmly, "Thank you for the food."

Then he turned around, took the two portions of fragrant roasted meat, and walked back to his apprentice.

Yang Guo watched her retreating figure, smiled, and took the remaining roasted meat, distributing it to Guo Fu, who was already impatient, and Huang Rong, whose expression was somewhat complicated.

"Master Gan, please try it. How's my cooking?"

The campfire crackled, and the aroma of meat filled the air.

……

Soon everyone finished eating the wild game.

Guo Fu was even blaming Yang Guo, saying she hadn't had enough to eat yet!

They demanded that Yang Guo take care of all his meals while traveling!

Guo Fu stopped bothering Yang Guo after he agreed!

After leaving the fragrant woodland, the rest of the journey was uneventful.

Although the two groups were traveling the same route, they tacitly maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too far, without disturbing each other.

Several days later, the majestic Xiangyang city wall finally appeared on the horizon.

Banners fluttered atop the city walls, and weapons stood in rows, exuding a chilling and heavy atmosphere.

This is the front line of the resistance against the Mongols, a magnificent city that has attracted worldwide attention.

Li Mochou, riding her horse, saw Huang Rong and her two companions in the distance. They seemed to have been unchecked at the city gate. The gatekeeper even bowed respectfully to Huang Rong, and they passed through without hindrance.

A slight stirring ran through her heart, and she couldn't help but feel even more curious.

After entering the city, the streets were bustling with activity and crowds of people. Despite being on the front lines, the city maintained a high level of vitality and order.

Li Mochou originally thought that Huang Rong and the other two would first find an inn to stay in, or go to some place where martial arts people gathered.

She followed them silently for a while, hoping to find out where they were staying and perhaps glean more information from it.

However, to her surprise, Huang Rong did not linger in the downtown area.

Instead, they walked straight through the streets and alleys towards a relatively quiet area in the city, which was clearly where wealthy and powerful families lived.

Finally, the three of them stopped in front of a magnificent and spacious mansion.

The gate of the mansion was tall and imposing, with black lacquer and gold nails. A gilded plaque hung above the gate, bearing two powerful characters: "Guo Mansion".

A group of capable guards stood watch at the gate. Upon seeing Huang Rong and her companions, they immediately straightened their backs, their faces showing genuine respect and joy, and bowed in unison: "Madam! Miss! You're back!"

His voice was loud and clear, and he was well-trained.

Guo Fu, unable to contain her excitement at returning home, waved to the guards and tugged at Yang Guo's sleeve with a grin:

"Brother Yang, we're finally home!"

Like a bird released from its cage, she hopped and skipped over the high threshold, her figure disappearing behind the screen wall.

Yang Guo nodded slightly to the guards and calmly followed Huang Rong inside.

As Huang Rong entered, she seemed to casually turn her head, her peripheral vision glancing at a corner of the street where a flash of an apricot-yellow Taoist robe appeared.

She didn't point it out and stepped into the mansion with a normal expression.

In the shadows of the street corner, Li Mochou stood quietly, her apricot-yellow Taoist robe fluttering gently in the breeze.

Her usually cold and beautiful phoenix eyes were now filled with astonishment and realization.

"The Guo family... the lady's surname is Huang... the young lady's name is Fu..."

She repeated these messages in a low voice, quickly matching them with the famous figures in the martial arts world.

"The Beggars' Sect Leader, Huang Rong! Daughter of Huang Yaoshi, the Eastern Heretic, and wife of the great hero Guo Jing! That young girl is their daughter, Guo Fu!"

Li Mochou gasped, her mind instantly clearing, but also feeling a lingering fear.

"So it was her! No wonder she has such an extraordinary and unfathomable demeanor! It is said in the martial arts world that Huang Rong is full of wisdom and has reached the perfect state of the Innate Realm, making her one of the top martial artists in the world today... Although I have reached the late stage of the Innate Realm, if we were to really fight, the outcome against this female Zhuge Liang would be uncertain, not to mention that she has Guo Jing and the entire Beggars' Sect behind her..."

She recalled that on the way, she had briefly considered forcibly taking the fragrant roasted wild game.

Although I later gave up because I admired the young Yang Guo, thinking about it now, I can't help but feel a chill down my spine.

If I had acted impulsively back then, I'm afraid I would have immediately provoked Huang Rong's furious counterattack, with unimaginable consequences.

"Thank goodness... thank goodness..." Li Mochou secretly rejoiced.

At the same time, she became even more curious about the boy named Yang Guo.

Being accepted as a "male disciple" by Huang Rong and taken back to the Guo family mansion, this boy is no ordinary person.

His composure in the face of his own reputation might not be due to ignorance, but rather... something he has something to rely on?

However, these thoughts only flashed through my mind.

Li Mochou is stubborn and has a clear goal; Xiangyang is not her destination.

Although Guo Jing and Huang Rong are strong, as long as they don't provoke each other, they have nothing to do with her.

"Zhongnan Mountain..."

She uttered those three words in a low voice, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

That was her ultimate goal for this trip—the ancient tomb, and the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra!

She would pay any price to get it.

She didn't linger any longer, turned around and coldly said to Hong Lingbo and Lu Wushuang behind her, "This place is not safe to stay any longer, let's go."

"Master, aren't we going to the inn to rest?" Hong Lingbo asked cautiously.

"No need," Li Mochou said resolutely. "Leave the city immediately and head to Zhongnan Mountain."

She had to get there as soon as possible to avoid any unforeseen complications.

As for the interesting young Yang Guo, and the unfathomable Huang Rong...

If we meet again in the martial arts world in the future, perhaps there will be a different story.

She glanced one last time at the imposing "Guo Mansion" plaque, and with a swift movement, she and her two disciples disappeared into the flow of people in Xiangyang City.

Heading towards the North Gate, their figures gradually receded into the distance, leaving the bustling and noisy city of Xiangyang behind, heading straight for the misty and cloud-shrouded Zhongnan Mountain, thousands of miles away.

Inside the Guo residence, however, the scene was quite different.

Upon hearing that the Madam and Miss had returned, the mansion was filled with joyful activity, yet orderly and efficient.

Servants bustled about, and the steward stepped forward to report on the matter.

Huang Rong took off her cloak.

While listening to the butler's brief report.

With a focused and capable expression, she had already entered the roles of "Madam Guo" and "Leader of the Beggars' Sect".