Above the Great Dao

The people were stunned and put down their work. The scholar also became tense and whispered, "Government officials!"

The knights of the government halted their mounts next to them. The middle-aged man leading them glanced at the fallen mounts and then at the villagers, his face darkening. "Who did this?"

The villagers remained silent. Someone glanced at the scholar but was immediately tugged by others, preventing them from turning their head.

"These mounts belong to the government."

The middle-aged man's face hardened, and he sneered, "You killed the government's mounts; that's a capital offense. Won't speak, right? Men, kill the men, and take the women under thirty!"

Knights on the surrounding mounts nodded, the divine embryo of the shrine appearing behind their heads, their Nascent Souls ready to strike.

"I did it! I killed them!"

The scholar hurriedly stepped out, raising both hands, shouting, "I acted on my own, it has nothing to do with them! The noble's mounts ate humans, so I killed them!"

The middle-aged man's gaze fell on him and he smiled, "Are you a scholar?"

The scholar replied, "A child student of Jiajing 6637."

The middle-aged man laughed, "Your life is spared, come with me, you can choose one of these women to be your wife."

He waved his hand, saying, "Kill the men and feed them to the mounts, take the women under thirty."

The scholar was stunned and shouted loudly, "I confess! Kill me! Let them go!"

The middle-aged man laughed, "You've read books and are a cultivator; you are useful. The government's mounts died, compensation is needed, so the men feed the mounts, and the women are taken away to earn money, repaying debts through the flesh trade."

The scholar, unable to restrain his anger, shouted, "Who dares to touch us, I'll risk my life against them!"

"Stubborn fool!"

The middle-aged man shook his head and ordered, "Kill him too."

The knights laughed heartily, started their spells, sword lights flickering, flying towards the villagers. Just then, the sound of zithers resonated, the knights' bodies suddenly shivered, their breaths dispersed, divine embryos disintegrated, and they fell to the ground, dead.

The middle-aged man was shocked to the core, tried to escape, but his mount was too terrified, unable to move. His legs went weak too, attempting to step forward but unable to lift them.

The villagers looked at the scholar, who was a picture of bewilderment.

He didn't know what had happened.

The middle-aged man's gaze passed over him, falling onto the ox cart, shouting fiercely, "Do you know who we are? How dare you do this to us! My surname is Yang! I am the nephew of Governor Yang Zhen of North Alliance Province! From the Yang family of the Thirteen Families, do you understand?"

Yang Bi sat in the ox cart, suddenly laughing loudly, "Are you from the Yang family? From the Yang family of the Court Prefecture?"

Everyone looked toward him.

The middle-aged man gathered courage and shouted, "That's right! You know the Yang family of Court Prefecture? You should know, if I were to die—"

Music descended from the heavens, his Nascent Soul behind his head suddenly collapsed, the middle-aged man froze, and his corpse fell to the ground.

"The Yang family... hehehe! The Yang family!"

Yang Bi started laughing like mad, suddenly yelling angrily, "What kind of nonsense did I protect with all my might!"

"Puh!"

He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and fainted.

Xiao Fang quickly laid him down, pried open his mouth, and stuck her fingers in to prevent him from biting his tongue during unconsciousness.

Yang Bi, in his stupor, bit her hand until it bled. Fortunately, the medicinal power of the ginseng grass fruit was still in effect, and soon Yang Bi regained consciousness, seeing the young woman's thumb and forefinger almost with visible bone, filled with guilt.

Xiao Fang hurriedly asked, "How is your injury?"

Yang Bi struggled to sit up and replied, "After spitting the clotted blood, I feel much better. How's your hand?"

He held her hand, attempting to transfer some Qi-Blood over, soothing the wound, aiding her recovery.

Xiao Fang tried to withdraw her hand, but failed to move it.

A few days later, under Xiao Fang's care, Yang Bi managed to get off the cart, capable of walking around, the sores on his body healing, though he still limped a bit.

Since the incident with the Yang family, he seemed reborn, starting to live and cultivate earnestly.

He shed his tattered old clothes, replaced with new garments Xiao Fang prepared for him, though humble, he felt no discomfort wearing them.

He began anew, like a genuine villager, living among them, driving away ghost monsters and wild beasts, protecting the women, children, and elderly.

He imparted cultivation techniques to the scholar and children, Xiao Fang caring for him while also learning Daoist Skills.

They grew closer.

The villagers found a riverside to settle, intending to start anew there. They wove fishing nets, built small boats, planning to live by fishing.

Over a month later, witnessed by the village elders, Yang Bi and Xiao Fang married in a lively wedding ceremony.

A few days later, a group of cultivators from Red Mountain Hall passed by, seeing Yang Bi teaching villagers cultivation methods, they stopped, watching for a long time instead of leaving.

"Hey!"

The leader of Red Mountain Hall was a woman who spoke to Yang Bi, "I am Tian Yue'e, hall master of the Northern Alliance branch of Red Mountain Hall. Your Daoist practice is profound; I've listened for a long time and gained much benefit. Our Red Mountain Hall, Master Chen has arrived in the North Alliance, reviving Huaxia Gods, rebuilding the community, we are in need of people. Join our Red Mountain Hall."

Yang Bi had already heard of Red Mountain Hall's reputation, having significant influence among the people. They supported the populace everywhere, punished villains, disciplined powerful tyrants, and slew ghost monsters causing havoc.

"Who is your Master Chen?" he asked.

Tian Yue'e smiled, "The current top scorer, Chen Shi!"

Yang Bi was stunned, after some time, he nodded.

"I will join Red Mountain Hall."

Tian Yue'e smiled, "You can't stay by the river, better migrate early. The riverside can't produce crops. Go to the nearby temple. We've cultivated fertile land there, plus the sun and moon of the Ancestral Land Divine Continent there; you can even see stars at night!"

She was quite excited, smiled, "Pack up, I'll take you all there!"

The villagers hesitated upon hearing this.

They had just built their houses; moving would be a major setback.

Tian Yue'e laughed, "We have plenty of brothers from the Lu Ban Sect in Red Mountain Hall, building houses is very quick, don't worry. Just bring the young and old and follow us."

Yang Bi thanked her and resumed the journey with the villagers.

They traveled for over ten days, finally reaching the temple Tian Yue'e had mentioned.

The temple sky hung high, with a sun in it, its warmth comfortable.

Numerous cultivators were opening kilns to make bricks, fires burning, building houses, the area bustling, a small town forming with the temple at its center.

Tian Yue'e settled them in, leading Yang Bi into the temple, saying, "This temple's deity is from Huaxia Divine Continent, recently revived by Master Chen."

Yang Bi looked and saw couplets on both sides of the temple.

Asked by the maiden

Lovers marry young

He looked up, the lintel inscribed with three ancient characters.

Pengzu Pavilion.

Yang Bi entered the temple; the deity inside was awakening.

Yang Bi exited the temple, gazing into the vibrant human world outside, a fervent heat swelling within.

Previously, he lived for the Thirteen Families.

Now, he had new courage to live on.

"We cultivators wield great power within ourselves. I cannot rely on others; this time, I will rely on myself!"