163: Chapter 163 is not a place to run wild.

The two Yao Beasts were startled simultaneously, letting out a neigh as they abruptly came to a halt.

The two people on the carriage shafts were almost thrown off. After steadying themselves, their expressions darkened in unison. One of them spoke first, his voice carrying a hint of anger and a touch of threat.

"Who is it? You blind thing, didn't you see that this is a carriage belonging to Chunhui Xie? You dare to block our path?"

The other person already had a short blade in his hand, its edge gleaming coldly in the twilight, his gaze scanning Yun Tianxiang vigilantly.

Yun Tianxiang did not speak; he merely raised his eyes to glance at him.

That gaze was calm, yet as deep as an abyss, as if he were observing an ant that did not know the immensity of heaven and earth.

The bodies of the two on the carriage shafts stiffened abruptly. Blood-colored mist surged instantly within their pupils, and an indescribable terror welled up from the depths of their Souls.

A Void Refining expert! And a terrifying existence far beyond ordinary Void Refining experts! This was no longer something small fries like them could provoke.

"Se... Senior! This lowly one is blind and failed to recognize Mount Tai. I have offended Senior; please, Senior, forgive me!"

The middle-aged man, who had been arrogant just a moment ago, turned deathly pale. He hurriedly jumped off the carriage and bowed deeply toward Yun Tianxiang, his voice trembling.

"Senior! Spare our lives! We are just errand runners and know nothing. If this carriage has offended Senior, we will clear the way for you right now!"

The other person also jumped off the carriage, bowing repeatedly.

Yun Tianxiang ignored their pleas for mercy. He simply took a portrait from his sleeve, unfurled it, and held it out in front of them.

The painting depicted a youth of seventeen or eighteen. His brows and eyes bore some resemblance to Yun Tianxiang, though his face was more youthful, and between his brows, there was still a hint of untarnished youthful spirit.

"Have you seen this person?" Yun Tianxiang asked, his voice calm, betraying no emotion.

The two on the carriage shafts were stunned at first, then the gaze of one of them fell upon the portrait, and his pupils contracted abruptly.

The change happened extremely quickly, yet it was still keenly captured by Yun Tianxiang.

"We... we haven't seen him!" The man shook his head hurriedly, his voice somewhat flustered. "Senior, we are out running goods all year round and have seen too many people; we can't quite remember."

Yun Tianxiang did not speak. His gaze landed quietly on his face, as if scrutinizing something.

Cold sweat slid down the man's forehead, yet he still gritted his teeth, not daring to admit it.

Yun Tianxiang's gaze rested on his face. After a moment of silence, he said indifferently, "You have his Qi on you. Not only have you seen him, but you have also touched him. This Qi is stained on your robes; although it is very faint, it cannot deceive anyone."

The man's face instantly turned pale. His lips moved, wanting to explain something, but he could not utter a single word.

Yun Tianxiang did not ask any further. He raised his hand, and a flash of spiritual light entered the man's brow.

The man trembled violently all over, his eyes quickly becoming unfocused, then regaining a hint of clarity.

His voice became mechanical and flat: "Two days ago, I saw him at the entrance of Qingshi Lane in the west of Qingkui City."

"At that time, he was injured. He was captured by our Steward's people, taken onto another carriage, and headed in the southwest direction."

"Who is the Steward? What is his cultivation level? Where in the southwest did he go?"

"The Steward's surname is Wang, and he has the cultivation of the Initial Stage of Void Refinement. He is the head Steward of Chunhui Xie, specializing in capturing those lone Loose Cultivators and homeless wanderers, and sending them to the Muyun Villa in the southwest direction. As for what they are sent there for, this lowly one does not know."

Yun Tianxiang frowned slightly: "What kind of faction is Chunhui Xie?"

"Chunhui Xie is the largest medicinal herb firm in Qingkui City. Its backer is the Xie Family of the Xuanyuan Dynasty. The Xie Family is one of the top ten major Families in the Xuanyuan Dynasty, with an expert at the Peak of Body Integration sitting in the clan."

Yun Tianxiang withdrew the spiritual light, and the middle-aged man immediately collapsed to the ground, fainting.

The companion on the side was already scared out of his wits, kneeling on the ground, shivering, not daring to say a word.

Yun Tianxiang looked down at the two of them, his tone flat: "Take me to Chunhui Xie."

"Yes! Yes! This lowly one will lead the way right now!"

Yun Tianxiang brought the two of them onto the carriage and drove toward the direction of Qingkui City.

Not long after, the carriage stopped in front of a sprawling residence. Above the gate hung a plaque with the three gilded characters "Chunhui Xie" written on it, shimmering faintly in the twilight.

Yun Tianxiang leaped off the carriage and looked up at the residence.

The middle-aged man took out a token with trembling hands and showed it to the guards at the gate: "Move aside! This Senior wants to question the Steward!"

The guards did not recognize Yun Tianxiang, but they recognized the token in the middle-aged man's hand. After hesitating for a moment, they still cleared the way.

Yun Tianxiang stepped into the residence.

His voice was not loud, but it exploded in the courtyard like a thunderclap: "Steward, come out."

As his voice fell, there was silence in the depths of the residence.

A moment later, a low voice came from the inner courtyard, carrying a hint of displeasure at being disturbed: "Who is it? You dare to shout in Chunhui Xie's territory?"

As soon as the voice fell, a figure slowly walked out from the inner courtyard.

It was a thin, tall middle-aged man with a sinister face and a cold gaze, his body surrounded by the aura of the Initial Stage of Void Refinement.

Steward Wang's gaze swept over Yun Tianxiang, lingering on him for a moment, and then scanned Yun Tianxiang's young face.

Initial Stage of Void Refinement, the same cultivation level as his own.

"Who is Your Excellency? To be so presumptuous on my Chunhui Xie's territory is to show too little regard for the Xie Family."

Yun Tianxiang ignored his questioning. He simply unfurled the portrait and handed it to the other person again: "Did you capture this person?"

Steward Wang looked down at the portrait. His gaze paused slightly, and then the corners of his mouth curled into an ambiguous smile.

He neither denied nor admitted it. He simply returned his gaze to Yun Tianxiang, his tone carrying a hint of amusement: "What is this person to you?"

"My younger brother." Yun Tianxiang's voice was flat, yet it carried an unquestionable coldness. "Where is he?"

Upon hearing this, the smile on Steward Wang's face deepened, but it also grew colder.

He clasped his hands behind his back and paced in the courtyard, his tone unhurried: "This is Chunhui Xie, not a place where you can run wild."

"Your younger brother? I don't know about any younger brother, and I have never seen this person."

He paused, his gaze filled with a bit of provocation: "I advise you to be sensible and walk out yourself, otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite."

Yun Tianxiang did not speak; he just looked at him quietly, with no emotional fluctuation in his eyes, as if he were looking at a dead person.

Steward Wang felt an inexplicable irritation in his heart from being looked at with such a gaze. He snorted coldly and waved his hand.

Three figures swept out from the shadows behind the residence and landed behind Steward Wang.

All three of them had the aura of the Initial Stage of Void Refinement. Their faces were grim, their spiritual power surged around them, and their gazes were like knives, locked tightly onto Yun Tianxiang.