The villainous bosses from their past lives have all been reborn.

Back Mountain Cottage

The night was quiet, except for the still-burning alchemy furnace in the room, which still emitted a faint warmth.

Yuan Xiu sat on the bed, his fingers forming a sword shape. His internal energy circulated throughout his body. After being tempered by the [Danhuo Master] these past few days, the circulation of his internal energy was faster and smoother than before.

Since his rebirth, the only martial arts techniques with extremely strong combat power that Yuan Xiu has practiced are the Yin Demon Palm, a high-level martial art of the Demonic Sect, and the sword technique of the Yuan family.

The former is because it's easy to practice and powerful, while the latter is because every member of the Yuan family has to practice it. Even if it's exposed, it's easy to cover up.

The Yuan family's sword technique was created entirely from scratch. Since its founding by their ancestor, generations of Yuan family descendants have added to, modified, and refined it, pushing it to an extremely high level.

When one cultivates to a high level, one can kill without relying on external objects, using only sword energy to kill someone several feet away.

Upon reaching the Grandmaster realm, one can further condense sword intent within their sea of ​​consciousness. In combat, unleashing this sword intent allows for the instant release of twelve sword energies, significantly increasing both power and attack range. Nothing can withstand its onslaught!

But this is where it all ends. It's not that the Yuan family's sword techniques can't go any further, but rather that the grandmaster is limited by his own body and can't advance any further.

If a grandmaster were to forcefully condense a second sword intent, he would either go insane or have his meridians shatter due to the unbearable pressure.

However, after this period of tempering his mind and body through the [Alchemy Master], Yuan Xiu not only improved his alchemy skills, but also expanded his sea of ​​consciousness and began to condense his second sword intent.

Yuan Xiu estimated that through the tempering of the [Danhuo Master], he should eventually be able to condense three sword intents and unleash thirty-six sword energies.

After that, one must find a way to break through the eleventh realm. Only by reaching the eleventh realm can one break through one's own limitations and continue to advance the Yuan family's sword technique.

At that time, the Yuan family sword technique could perhaps not be described as martial arts.

As the second sword intent formed in Yuan Xiu's sea of ​​consciousness, the first sword intent that originally existed sensed something and began to be out of Yuan Xiu's control, autonomously rejecting the second sword intent.

The buzzing sound of swords echoed throughout the small building, even affecting the surrounding plants and trees, which became disordered and fell amidst the vortex of true energy.

Finally, at a certain moment, the chaotic vortex of true energy began to become orderly, forming a spiral around Yuan Xiu, and slowly disappeared into the air.

The second sword intent has been successfully condensed!

Yuan Xiu opened his eyes and suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves outside the small building.

"Rokuro, are you there?"

Yuan Cai's voice echoed outside, and then he pushed open the door and came in. Looking at the mess in the yard and the chaotic scene inside the house, he asked in confusion:

What are you doing?

"They're practicing sword techniques!"

Yuan Cai listened, but disagreed, saying:

"No matter how powerful the Yuan family's sword techniques are, they are no match for the Fu family's Xuan Tian Palm. If you want to learn them, I'll teach you!"

The Fu family's Xuan Tian Palm is a typical martial art that is very powerful in the early and middle stages, but becomes mediocre in the later stages. The Yuan family's sword techniques, on the other hand, become more powerful as they progress. At the Grandmaster level, the Xuan Tian Palm is practically useless.

However, considering that Yuan Cai only reached the seventh rank, Yuan Xiu felt relieved.

Not wanting to discuss martial arts with Yuan Cai, Yuan Xiu changed the subject and asked:

"What brings you here so late?"

"I'm going to Jinzhou tomorrow. What if... I mean, what if I'm not up to the task and encounter danger that I can't handle alone?"

"It's only a five-day journey from Yanzhou City to Tianquan Manor, what danger could there be?"

"You can't say that. I betrayed the Demonic Sect, and now they're stirring up trouble in Jinzhou. If we run into them, wouldn't that be terrible?"

"Then bring more people!"

"That won't do. If we bring too many people, it will attract attention and could become even more dangerous."

Yuan Xiu thought for a moment, then took a cage from the side, inside which was a snow-white pigeon.

"If you encounter a danger that even your [One-Day Calamity] cannot resolve, release this pigeon. I will then take action!"

"good!"

Yuan Cai was overjoyed to receive the pigeon and, without regard for anything else, was about to leave.

Yuan Xiu added another instruction, saying:

"Remember, do not use this pigeon unless it is absolutely necessary."

"I see!"

……

Three days later, looking at the snow-white dove, Yuan Xiu fell into deep thought.

A bamboo tube was tied to the pigeon's leg, with a simple and unadorned depiction of Yuan Cai's current state.

"Rokuro, save me!"

However, Yuan Xiu still couldn't understand.

Yanzhou is connected to Jinzhou. It takes three days to cross the border of Yanzhou. If you hurry, you will reach Liangshuipu in Jinzhou.

Has the security situation on the border become so bad?

-----------------

Yuan Residence.

Shortly after Yuan Xiu received the letter, Yuan Feng also had him summoned back to his residence.

However, when he met Yuan Feng, the other party's expression was hard to describe; it had a sense of relief and open-mindedness.

However, the reason behind this open-mindedness was something that Yuan Xiu found hard to understand.

"Sanlang, you're caught!"

"..."

While Yuan Xiu was puzzled, Yuan Feng explained:

"I planted a spy in Liangshuipu, Jinzhou. He sent me a message saying that Sanlang was captured by Jinzhou soldiers as soon as he arrived in Liangshuipu."

After hearing this, Yuan Xiu did not express curiosity about the reason for Yuan Cai's arrest, but instead asked:

"Uncle, you planted spies in Liangshuipu? That's a post station used by the imperial court. Planting spies there is tantamount to treason."

Yuan Feng coughed and said:

"The situation on the border is constantly changing, and if we know about it in advance, we can be prepared."

Yuan Xiu smiled knowingly and said:

"Uncle, I think it's not enough to just set up stations at the front lines. It would be best to set up several more in the rear, especially at the post stations along the official roads connecting to the capital."

"You think I didn't set something up..."

Just as Yuan Xiuzheng was surprised, Yuan Feng quickly changed the subject, saying:

"Let's talk about Saburo instead!"

Why was Saburo arrested?

Yuan Feng's expression turned quite serious, and he said:

"The governor of Jinzhou is dead, and all clues point to Sanlang. The commander of Jinzhou had no choice but to arrest him and temporarily place him in the Jinzhou city prison."

Governor of Jinzhou?

Yuan Xiu had little recollection of this person. In his previous life, when the Demonic Sect led the barbarians of the North to launch a massive attack on the six northern prefectures, Jinzhou was on the front line. This governor of Jinzhou should have immediately rallied the people, implemented a scorched-earth policy, and awaited reinforcements.

However, the governor surrendered the city the moment the northern barbarians arrived.

This led to a change in the situation at the front. After capturing Jinzhou City, the Demonic Sect immediately mobilized its main force to attack Tianquan Manor. Caught off guard, the Fu family was caught off guard and suffered a crushing defeat by the Demonic Sect, thus beginning their decline.

There was no further news of this governor of Jinzhou after that.

"Sixth Brother, the newly arrived Prefect of Yanzhou is pressing us very hard, and I can't get away. I'm afraid I'll have to leave this matter to you."

"Don't worry, Uncle!"

……