Because Lin Yan's method was deemed effective, a new foundational sword stance exercise was added to the training regimen of the Lishan Sword Sect.
The elders, including Lin Yan's father, personally supervised all disciples, ensuring they swung their swords a thousand times daily and corrected their angles. This was then integrated into their learned sword techniques for true mastery.
While this increased everyone's training load, it wasn't overly tiring due to the simultaneous improvement in their internal energy.
Some diligent disciples even voluntarily increased this practice, swinging their swords ten thousand times a day. The Lishan Sword Sect experienced a surge in their dedication to martial arts training.
One day, Lin Yan's mother, with a troubled expression, entered Lin Yan's small courtyard. Seeing her busy daughter, she hesitated to speak.
She didn't want to bother her daughter but feared that the people of Lishan, with their martial world habits, might worsen the situation instead of resolving it.
Furthermore, this business venture had been Lin Yan's idea, so she came to her daughter for advice.
"Mother, is something wrong?" Lin Yan set down what she was doing.
"Yan'er, I've come to you about something. It concerns the shops."
"Didn't the rouge shop open in the capital already? Are there new problems?"
The family's shops had always done well. Why did her mother look so distressed?
"The capital is too complicated," Lin Mu sighed.
The capital was a hub for powerful aristocratic families, a place where their small sect from the martial world couldn't easily intervene.
Lin Yan seemed to understand what had happened and said dismissively, "Leave this to me! I've been home for quite some time. It's time I went out for a bit."
"Yan'er, you want to go?" Lin Mu was taken aback.
She had expected her daughter to devise a solution, but she hadn't anticipated Lin Yan wanting to resolve it herself!
"Yes, I've grown up now. I only left Lishan once before. Father also said my swordsmanship has improved significantly. I think I'm ready to venture out."
"Yan'er, why do you want to venture out, just like your senior brother? Isn't it good to stay within the sect?" Lin Mu was reluctant to let her daughter leave.
"Mother, I need to see more of the world. I can't stay in the sect forever!"
Lin Yan's voice was soft, but Lin Mu found herself unable to refuse.
After Lin Yan decided to leave, disciples still on the mountain flocked to her courtyard to volunteer their services. Though they knew their junior sister's martial arts had improved, they still saw her as the fragile junior sister they remembered.
Thus, Lin Yan departed from the sect amidst the reluctant farewells of many within the sect, accompanied by several of her senior brothers.
Among them, Zhao Yu Shu was the most delighted. He had originally been scheduled for this delivery, but he swapped with Third Senior Brother Zhang Yang and unexpectedly found himself able to accompany his junior sister.
He rode his horse, feeling rather pleased with himself, celebrating his foresight.
Lin Yan brought many belongings on this trip. Having left in a hurry last time, this time all her family members had helped her pack. Consequently, her departure involved a considerable amount of luggage.
This meant they couldn't travel by horse. Lin Yan sat in the carriage, the constant rocking making her drowsy.
The uneven ancient roads combined with the carriage's lack of suspension made riding a horse preferable. Fortunately, she didn't get motion sickness, or she might have already thrown up.
Therefore, on the second day of their journey, Lin Yan abandoned the carriage and, dressed in men's clothing, rode a horse with her senior brothers.
Lin Yan's group wasn't heading directly to the capital; they planned to inspect their various shops along the way. Besides the current rouge shop, the Lishan Sword Sect owned several others.
Since Lin Yan was already out, her father had given her the tokens and asked her to oversee the businesses in the various locations she visited.
Moreover, visiting these places would ensure Lin Yan received excellent hospitality, as her family's businesses would certainly not mistreat their own daughter.
Luo Yu Xuan was currently on the run, accompanied by a child of about six or seven years old. Luo Yu Xuan held the child tightly as he moved swiftly forward using his Qing Gong.
This was a child he had rescued. The child's entire family had been murdered, leaving him as the sole survivor.
However, the pursuers were too formidable, and he could not defeat them. He could only save the child, but this act had drawn the attention of the pursuing group.
He fled in a panic, regretting his intervention, but it was too late for regrets. He could only hold the child and escape.
Just then, he reached a main road where a merchant caravan was passing by. He immediately blended in with the caravan, hiding the child amongst the goods.
He knew that if discovered, he would bring trouble to the caravan, but he had no other options.
The pursuers were too strong, and he truly couldn't resist them. This made him realize for the first time that his martial arts might be insufficient.
Luo Yu Xuan carefully concealed himself within the caravan, trying not to attract suspicion.
This was perhaps the most challenging setback he had faced in many years.
Fortunately, his luck held, and by encountering the caravan, he managed to escape immediate danger.
After blending in with the caravan into a town, Luo Yu Xuan retrieved the child from the cargo. To the astonished gazes of the caravan members, he bowed with clasped hands before leaving with the child.
The child was unusually well-behaved, making no sound throughout the journey.
Luo Yu Xuan booked a room in the town's largest inn and then entered the room with the child.
"Do you have any other relatives?" Luo Yu Xuan placed the child on a chair and then crouched down, asking in a gentle voice.
"Wah!" The child, who had been silent until now, suddenly burst into tears.
"Don't cry, don't cry!" Luo Yu Xuan flusteredly tried to console the child.
The child continued to cry, no matter how Luo Yu Xuan tried to comfort him.
Gradually, as if exhausted from crying, his sobs subsided. Luo Yu Xuan finally breathed a sigh of relief and carefully wiped the child's tears with his sleeve.
"What's your name?" Luo Yu Xuan's voice was very gentle. He stroked the child's head tenderly.
"I... I'm Yuan'er," the child stammered, looking at Luo Yu Xuan with trust.
He knew that the person before him had saved him from the villains. His parents were gone, and he could only rely on this person now.
Although this person didn't look very old, he was his benefactor.
"Do you have any other family members?"
Luo Yu Xuan didn't want to upset the child further but couldn't keep him indefinitely. It would be best to reunite him with his kin.
"I... I have no family left!" Tears welled up in the child's eyes again involuntarily.
Luo Yu Xuan sighed softly and wiped Yuan'er's tears again.
"Do you have any other relatives? I can take you to them."
Luo Yu Xuan's voice was very gentle and kind, which was why Lin Yan had always favored this senior brother.
As the eldest senior brother, he had been sensible and gentle since childhood, taking care of his younger fellow disciples with consideration.
Compared to the second senior brother, who was somewhat stern and meticulous in his affairs, the junior disciples preferred their eldest senior brother, who always looked after them and smiled at them!