Five young figures emerged from the forest.

Their attire alone marked them as extraordinary.

This was the perilous mine, yet these youths walked with steady poise, not a trace of panic, exuding calm confidence.

As if this were their own backyard.

Leading them was a toweringly robust young man.

His expression was dull, almost foolish at first glance.

But anyone with keen eyes would see the massive bow on his back and think twice about his simplicity.

It was a horn bow as tall as a man, its curves smooth, its string taut, radiating a primal, savage beauty.

Despite its imposing size, the plain black bow seemed no different from a hunter’s.

But when Uncle Jie saw it, his eyes twitched imperceptibly. The bow’s horns were clearly demon beast bone!

What extravagant craftsmanship!

Uncle Jie said nothing, gripping his great spear loosely, its tip lowered but ready to strike.

Xiangzi subtly stepped forward, covering Uncle Jie’s flank.

The youths, chasing the tiger demon, hadn’t expected to find anyone here.

Seeing a group of sweaty rickshaw pullers, they froze.

The robust leader, initially nonchalant, caught sight of Xiangzi and Uncle Jie’s stances, and a playful smile curled his lips.

There was a hint of mockery, as if they were ants daring to block a cart.

But more than that, there was surprise—were these two unranked martial men the ones who faced down the tiger demon?

“Did the tiger demon attack you?” the robust youth asked suddenly.

All eyes turned to Xiangzi.

The youth blinked. Could this young giant be the one in charge?

Uncertain of their background, Xiangzi kept his spear ready, but his face bore a friendly smile. “We’re rickshaw pullers from Harmony Rickshaw Yard, heading to the mine camp to haul ore. The tiger demon appeared and injured one of our brothers.”

“Thanks to you all arriving, you saved us.”

“With such a commotion, I reckon the Li Family Mine’s guards should be here soon.”

The last remark was abrupt, but the robust youth savored it, his smile deepening. What a cautious young man.

But when he noticed Xiangzi’s stance, his brow ticked up. Such a steady Four-Square stance.

The youth laughed heartily, turning to someone behind him. “Third lass, it’s your family’s mine. What’s the plan? Your senior brother’s listening.”

“Thank you, Fifth Senior Brother.”

A cool voice answered as a black-clad woman in a veiled hat stepped forward.

Her figure was balanced, neither thin nor plump, her movements devoid of feminine fragility, instead carrying a sharp, decisive air.

She lifted her veil, and the rickshaw pullers gaped. Even Uncle Jie, the seasoned veteran, was briefly stunned.

Her face was strikingly beautiful, yet laced with an undeniable martial vigor.

Heaven seemed to favor her, blending these contrasting qualities in perfect harmony.

The Li Family guard, clutching his mangled leg and groaning, saw her and forgot his pain, crying out, “Third Miss… save me! I’m Little Hao. I hunted with you in the mine last year!”

The Li Family’s Third Miss glanced at her bloodied guard, frowning. With a flick of her finger, a pill landed beside him. “Eat it. It’ll stop the bleeding.”

The guard, heedless of the filth, scrambled in the mud, grabbed the pill, and swallowed it.

Moments later, a visible flush returned to his face.

Uncle Jie, seeing this, pulled a bandage from his pocket and bound the guard’s leg wound.

The Third Miss surveyed the chaotic scene, grasping the situation, and asked, “Who’s in charge here?”

Xiangzi stowed his spear, stepped forward, and said loudly, “I am. Yard leader of Harmony Rickshaw Yard.”

The Third Miss studied the young giant, barely older than herself, and paused.

Raised in Baolin Martial Hall, she had little to do with mine affairs but knew the weight of a yard leader on the mining route.

Such critical matters, handled by a mere youth?

But for this pride of heaven, it was a trivial detail.

She spared her guard no further glance, focusing on Xiangzi. “Did you see where the tiger demon went?”

No pleasantries, no feigned concern—this stunningly beautiful Third Miss spoke with calm directness, cutting to the point.

Her commanding tone, natural from a noble family’s daughter, felt effortless.

Xiangzi’s brow twitched faintly. He pointed in a direction.

The youths said nothing, heading that way.

But the bow-wielding robust youth lingered, suddenly asking Xiangzi, “Your Four-Square stance—who taught you?”

Caught off-guard, Xiangzi paused, then answered carefully, “I was a guard at the yard. Trained under Master Tang for just over two months.”

Only two months?

The youth’s faint smile lingered as his wrist flicked, a slender dagger slipping from his sleeve.

In the dim light, a cold glint flashed.

The next moment, a red heart appeared in his palm.

The blind bear at his feet was silent, a fist-sized hole in its chest.

The group stared, dumbfounded. That blade was too fast!

The youth flicked his finger, and the bear’s heart landed in Xiangzi’s hands.

“Big guy, your stance training’s solid. This bear’s no demon beast, but its heart’s a fine thing for martial men. Don’t waste it.”

Xiangzi, stunned to receive the bear heart, tucked it onto the cart and clasped his hands. “Thank you!”

The youth smiled, said nothing, and vanished into the forest.

The other young martial men hurried after him.

The rickshaw pullers were left staring at each other.

Uncle Jie clapped Xiangzi’s shoulder, laughing. “You got lucky, kid! This bear’s roamed the mine for years. That heart’s as good as a top-grade vitality soup.”

There’s an old saying in Forty-Nine City: A bear’s strength, six parts in its heart.

The two Li Family guards had been eyeing that heart when they fell into the trap.

Xiangzi was amazed, carefully wrapping the heart in a blue cloth. He asked, “Who are these people?”

Uncle Jie disassembled his spear into two parts, grinning. “If I’m not mistaken, that bowman wore a Baolin Martial Hall jade pendant. Likely an inner disciple!”

An inner disciple so young?

Xiangzi had last seen martial hall disciples at a West City pharmacy, gawking at the pompous “guard team”—burly, middle-aged outer disciples.

But that robust man, barely older than Xiangzi, was already an inner disciple?

Xiangzi marveled. “That big guy’s gotta be ninth-rank Bone Forging, right?”

Uncle Jie laughed. “Foolish kid, to be an inner disciple at Baolin Martial Hall, you’re at least an eighth-rank Muscle Strengthening Realm expert. How else would they dare roam this mine?”