# Chapter 255: Following the Wind
On the ancient road, several fine horses galloped, and atop these horses sat a group of young men and women.
The woman racing along the middle of the road wore a fiery red long robe, her heroic aura striking, extremely beautiful, with a few hints of pride flickering in her eyes.
"Qianqian, this time when you return to Yangzhou City, you will surely shine brilliantly. The entire clan will be proud of you."
At this moment, a young man spoke to the girl in the fiery red robe, his gaze carrying a hint of excitement. This young man was none other than Lin Hong.
And the fiery red girl beside Lin Hong was his younger sister, Lin Qian, the one who had once made the entire Lin Clan proud of her.
Now, Lin Qian, compared to a year ago, had added a few more traces of mature charm, her aura even more extraordinary.
One year. In the Imperial City, she had used only one year to break through from the First Layer of the Spirit Martial Realm to the Fourth Layer of the Spirit Martial Realm. Her talent went without saying, but she had also put in a great deal of sweat and effort. Lin Qian, she wished to become a dragon among men, someone who could look down upon others. Her pride compelled her to be strict with herself, constantly growing stronger.
"Brother, you're not weak either. Among the young disciples of Yangzhou City, few can match you." Lin Qian said calmly, her words carried away by the wind, causing a faint smile to appear at the corner of Lin Hong's mouth. To return home in glory with such cultivation was an honor beyond compare. The clan would be proud of them.
"Qianqian, compared to you, I'm still far behind." Lin Hong said with a smile. Lin Qian's talent was indeed much greater than his, her older brother's. Moreover, she had even caught the interest of Dapeng Gongzi among the Eight Young Masters, causing countless people to envy and curry favor with her. Those riding alongside them were all from the Snow Moon Holy Academy, each with talent surpassing Lin Hong's, yet they willingly followed. Dapeng Gongzi was someone too many could only look up to.
Lin Qian did not say much more. She knew that in the Lin Clan, there was one person she could never catch up to.
Lin Feng. The former waste of the Lin Clan, the waste who had been expelled from the family. The last time she saw him, his strength was already formidable. Now, after so long without seeing him, Lin Feng must be even stronger, right?
Lin Feng's enfeoffment as a marquis and general was unknown to Lin Qian. During this period, in order to return to Yangzhou City, she had deliberately gone into seclusion with Lin Hong to cultivate for a while, hoping to be stronger by the time they returned.
Just emerging from closed-door cultivation, Lin Qian immediately spurred her horse and rushed toward Yangzhou City.
On the same ancient road, a similar fiery red figure, riding a fine horse, set out from the Imperial City, heading for Yangzhou City.
Nalan Feng glanced at the young man beside her, a gentle smile on her face.
"Du Gu, thank you for being willing to come back to Yangzhou City with me."
Nalan Feng's eyes sparkled with love. Du Gu Xiao, a member of the Du Gu Clan in the Imperial City, a noble's son with deep background. Moreover, Du Gu Xiao's own strength was very formidable. He was her man, Nalan Feng's.
She had been with Du Gu Xiao for nearly two years, silently being his woman, yet she had never received a formal status. But she didn't mind. Being able to become Du Gu Xiao's woman was itself a matter of pride.
She, Nalan Feng, though the daughter of the City Lord of Yangzhou City, was as insignificant as an ant compared to a noble family. Nalan Feng knew that with his status, his willingness to accompany her back to Yangzhou City was a great honor for her, and it moved her deeply.
"You've been with me for so long. I said I would give you a status."
Du Gu Xiao's calm voice filled Nalan Feng's face with joy. Status was something she had always longed for.
"Hyah!"
Nalan Feng's long whip cracked, and the horse's hooves flew. The wind came rushing towards her, stirring her long hair and fiery red dress. At this moment, her heart was also racing.
"Lin Clan, Lin Qian, let's see how you can compete with me."
Nalan Feng's face showed a look of intense anticipation. This time, returning to Yangzhou City with Du Gu Xiao accompanying her, they would surely be shocked, wouldn't they?
At this moment, Lin Qian and Nalan Feng were both brimming with pride. They both believed that this time, Yangzhou City would be made brilliant because of them, and they would become the unique protagonists.
Lin Qian and Nalan Feng did not know that as they had already set foot on the road back to Yangzhou City, outside the Imperial City, two spirited dragon steeds slowly stepped out.
On these two spirited dragon steeds sat two figures, one male and one female.
The man was handsome and refined, clean and fresh, with a spirited demeanor. The woman was dressed in white, pure as snow, stunningly beautiful. Together, they were like an immortal couple.
Looking at the vast ancient road before him, Lin Feng turned back to glance at the outer city. How unpredictable life was. Time flew by swiftly, and no one could foresee how the trajectory of time would turn.
He still remembered a year ago, when he and his father were expelled from the Lin Clan. After that, he had shone brilliantly in Yangzhou City, then returned to the sect.
But returning to the Cloud Sea Sect, what awaited him was annihilation. The Cloud Sea Sect was brutally slaughtered, and Lin Feng had no choice but to flee to the Imperial City, stepping into this holy land of Snow Moon. In his heart, he was filled with longing for the future.
Now, a year had passed. His pursuit of the martial path remained as tenacious and persistent as ever. However, his mindset was completely different from before. This year, he had experienced too much and had become too familiar with this world.
From a person who had crossed over into this foreign world, he had gradually and fully integrated into this martial world. Now, at the Eighth Layer of the Spirit Martial Realm, he had stepped into the realm of Unity of Heaven and Man, possessing countless trump cards, his talent astonishing to all.
Glancing at Meng Qing beside him, Lin Feng's face revealed a trace of gentle tenderness. During this time, only this holy, fairy-like woman had silently stayed by his side, without complaint or regret, quietly giving for him. Everything she did was only for him, Lin Feng. Meng Qing seemed like a gift from the heavens.
Feeling Lin Feng's gaze, Meng Qing's eyes showed a hint of unease. Her gaze flickered for a moment as she looked at the vast road ahead. She remained as quiet as ever, cold as ice, like an icy goddess.
"Meng Qing, do you remember the first time we rode a horse together?"
Lin Feng asked with a smile. Meng Qing nodded slightly. Of course, she remembered.
"Then let me do the same as that time and ride the same horse with you."
Lin Feng revealed a sly smile. His body suddenly leaped, soaring into the air, stepping across the void, and directly sat behind Meng Qing.
The dragon steed neighed, its front hooves rising high, causing Meng Qing's body to lean back slightly. Lin Feng took the opportunity to embrace her, their bodies tightly pressed together.
Meng Qing's body stiffened, her eyes rippling. This Lin Feng...
"Let me ride."
Lin Feng laughed heartily, taking hold of Meng Qing's hand that held the reins. With a slight shake, the dragon steed's four hooves pounded fiercely, charging forward.
Meng Qing's hand loosened as if shocked. Feeling the chest behind her, a strange emotion stirred in her heart. But she did not resist. She simply sat quietly on the horse, occasionally leaning into Lin Feng's embrace.
Very quiet. Occasionally, ripples stirred in her heart. Very warm.
...
A hundred miles outside Yangzhou City, in a desolate mountain range, amidst the many peaks, many figures were active among stone caves and mountain slopes.
These people all carried a murderous aura, some fighting, others cultivating alone.
Among the mountains, there were also many iron cavalry, all clad in crimson. Crimson Blood Horses, Crimson Blood Iron Cavalry.
At the cliff top of one mountain peak, a figure stood quietly, eyes closed, sensing the feeling of the wind brushing past—ethereal, elusive.
This continued for a long time, until the person's eyes suddenly snapped open. A domineering blade light burst forth, and combined with the large "Ba" character imprinted on his face, he appeared extremely majestic and imposing.
"Blade, follow the wind!"
He shouted softly, his long blade sweeping through the air, as elusive and formless as the wind. A brilliant radiance bloomed in the sky.
"Crack!"
A soft sound rang out. On the distant cliff, a massive boulder split apart with a sound, severed cleanly. The broken edge was as smooth as silver.
"Whoosh..."
A look of satisfaction appeared in the domineering man's eyes. He rested the blade behind his back, gazing into the distance. Then, in his line of sight, two figures on one horse came galloping toward this desolate mountain range.
"Finally here."
Seeing those two figures, the domineering man's dignified face actually showed a hint of a smile. Their army of over ten thousand iron-blooded soldiers had been stationed in this mountain range for quite some time, ready at any moment to march into Yangzhou City!