He asked, "Is Lady Zhushan still a physician?"

Shi Zhongjian replied, "An absolute divine healer."

"Whatever is sold in Thousand Treasures Pavilion, she can make."

"Even what's not sold in Thousand Treasures Pavilion, she can also make."

"Thousand Treasures Pavilion is indeed her establishment."

Song Cheng paused, realizing that Lady Zhushan and the proprietress of his own household had the same "profession."

He silently noted this matter, then resumed chatting with Shi Zhongjian about some trivial issues he faced back in Tang River Village and Shanghe County.

While they were talking, suddenly an armored warrior on city patrol shouted, "They've retreated! The barbarians have retreated!"

General Yuan, the External Affairs Envoy, quickly stood up and looked into the distance, indeed seeing the wolf mounts and demon eagles gradually pulling back...

Hong Juguang asked in surprise, "Why did they suddenly retreat?"

After thinking for a moment, General Yuan said, "The barbarians have depth with their demon beasts, but if they are short on provisions and realize they can't take a place down, they surely won't stubbornly cling on and will quickly withdraw to attack elsewhere."

After speaking, he laughed and said, "In this battle, we held our ground."

Upon hearing this, everyone silently breathed a sigh of relief.

Song Cheng stood atop the city wall, gazing at the retreating army's silhouette that was a mix of black and white with shades of blood, then looked up toward the hazy distance...

Too indistinct to see.

The situation was truly unclear.

One could only respond to each challenge as it came.

He suddenly said, "Is there a possibility that this troop was merely scouting? Were they probing the defensive strength of the prefectural city?"

General Yuan pondered for a moment, then cautiously said, "It's not impossible, that would be troublesome. However, I will dispatch scouts to investigate all around, we will not be taken by surprise."

Song Cheng felt an inexplicable heaviness in his heart.

If it were just a battle between people, that would be one thing.

But there were also ghost servants.

What exactly did the ghost servants want to do?

Now, he knew of three ghosts: the Drowning Ghost, Human Skin Ghost, and... the one that could infect people with rot."

Human hearts are deceptive, barbarians are ferocious, and evil spirits are unfathomable.

He couldn't help but think of the Pearl Mountain Taoist Temple, dominating ten passes to the south of Hanping Prefecture.

Perhaps, he should take the initiative to make contact.

For the south may well be the only place to retreat in one piece.

And Lady Zhushan's actions made him feel that she probably also wanted to slip away, or at least, she had kept her retreat path clear.

As for today's victory, it actually had little impact on the overall situation.

A win was not enough to celebrate.

Defeat, however, would mean utter ruin.

This was a predicament.

A dead end.

The young man was contemplating this when suddenly his heart stirred, and he looked into the distance.

He always felt someone was watching him...

This sensation had actually been present since the early hours of the morning when he was fighting the barbarians, but at that time many eyes were on him, and this feeling of being watched drowned out. Now that the barbarians had dispersed, the feeling was very clear.

If his Divine Soul had not been strong, he would not have been able to detect this feeling of surveillance, but now... he was increasingly certain.

Someone was watching him.

Who?

...

...

With the barbarians retreated, Song Cheng, a Guest Elder who came in support, could naturally leave now. This battle had brought him closer to the relationship with Shanhe Martial Arts Hall of Hanping Prefecture.

He reseated himself in the carriage, which was carried by a disciple of Shanhe Martial Arts Hall toward the An Residence in the west of the city.

The disciple showed him even deeper respect.

The fierceness of this Guest Elder at last night's fight was witnessed by everyone.

Although they could not perceive that "each of his actions was actually suppressing the opposing force with an unbelievably keen sense, time and again shattering the foe's burgeoning momentum," they did see this Guest Elder, fierce as a tiger, shielding with one hand and wielding a sword in the other, unstoppable in his assault left and right.

Everyone acknowledged the role of this Guest Elder in last night's defense.

Without him on the city wall, the defense may well have fallen.

The disciples of the Martial Arts Hall always respected the strong, especially since this strong man was also their Guest Elder.

"Mr. Song, we have arrived," said the disciple respectfully, halting the carriage and then offering to open the carriage curtains for him.

Song Cheng stepped down and said, "Thank you for the effort, why not come to the An Residence for a cup of tea?"

The disciple smiled and said, "Mr. Song, you're too kind, but I have other duties."

Song Cheng responded with a smile, "Then take care on your way."

As the carriage departed, Song Cheng was about to step into the An Residence when his footsteps hesitated slightly, as the feeling of being observed returned.

Just as he was contemplating this, urgent footsteps came from behind the gates of the An Residence.

Song Cheng looked up and saw An Chenyu, dressed in white, running towards him from afar.

The young lady with a mania for cleanliness leapt into the blood-soaked youth's arms.

The white garment stained with blood turned into a red plum.

"I'm fine," said Song Cheng with a chuckle.

He glanced around, noticing Madam Tong had not yet arrived.

But he did not mind.

The young lady was keen on information, incomparable to the simple-minded Madam Tong.

Madam Tong was surely worried about him too, certainly having had a restless night, but she just couldn't match the young lady's swift reaction.

Sure enough, before long, Madam Tong also hurried over, anxiously gazing at him, her physician's instincts "acting up," as she took his pulse and checked him over, her face filled with concern.

Maid servants bustled about, boiling water and preparing meals, while the talented Ling specially brought a calming incense burner.

Song Cheng had a comfortable bath, and at this time, the sensation of being watched had disappeared.

But after he changed into clean clothes, the feeling of surveillance returned.

Song Cheng was curious, thinking: Is this watcher polite?

However, under these circumstances, the last time he encountered such a feeling was at the foot of the mountains east of Tang River Village, that gaze from the west was almost certainly Yune's.

Now, who was it?

Someone from Pearl Mountain Taoist Temple?

Such polite surveillance seemed to harbor no malice; anyone in the prefectural city with such techniques must be from Pearl Mountain Taoist Temple; and interested in a blind man...

'Perhaps, it's Lady Zhushan?'

As Song Cheng walked toward the dining hall, he reflected: 'The other party doesn't know I can sense the surveillance because practicing martial arts and soul cultivation are conflicting; in everyone's eyes, since I am a Form Realm Warrior, it's impossible for me to be a Soul Cultivator.'

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