The Martial Doctor

"Senior sister, go home first, I’ll take Xiaohuo out for a while." Lin Miao instructed Sun Youwei. This matter could be dangerous, although his senior sister had cultivation, her combat strength was not high.

Sun Youwei nodded: "I understand, come home early, dinner is waiting for you."

"Don’t worry." Lin Miao nodded.

First, he sent Sun Youwei back home.

Then he mounted the fine horse Su Chen had given him, and chased after Jing Hui and Dingxian with the fire qilin’s help.

Apparently, the two had left the city, and early in the morning had departed hurriedly, clearly something important was at hand, otherwise, they wouldn’t have even skipped the vital task of collecting medicine from the Lin Mansion.

They actually left the city through the East Gate.

In Dongshan City, the East Gate and South Gate serve as the main entrances and exits, the West Gate isn’t often opened, mainly for departures, and the North Gate only opens on specific days.

After all, the road north of Dongshan City is difficult, there’s a path, but it’s not wide and smooth like an official road.

Only in spring, when setting out or visiting ancestral tombs, does the North Gate open.

The eastern district of the city is the best, with the Dongshan City administration, including the prefecture office and Xinglin Garden, all located there, alongside the residences of nobles such as the Marquis Lingyang Mansion, which occupies a large space in the East City and is the largest and most luxurious mansion there.

If someone could force Dingxian to leave Heaven-Reaching Temple with Jing Hui and other nuns, hide their identities and destroy the temple, the power behind them must be extraordinary.

Otherwise, given Dingxian’s Meridian Passage Realm cultivation, and the martial skills of many nuns in Heaven-Reaching Temple, why would they need this?

Within the Dongshan Prefecture and the Lanzhou region, the forces capable of this count on one hand, and the Marquis Lingyang Mansion definitely ranks among them.

The Marquis Lingyang Mansion alone isn’t daunting, but the Green Blade Sect, ranked first in Lanzhou, is among his recruited pawns.

If it’s the Green Blade Sect opposing Heaven-Reaching Temple, it would explain much.

"Big brother, they stopped here!" Lin Huo relayed information through their pact, Lin Miao halted and noticed it was at the back alley of the Marquis Lingyang Mansion.

"Ah Huo, did they go inside?"

"No, they must have stopped briefly; they were waiting for someone. I sense a similar aura from that person..."

"Let’s go." Lin Miao didn’t linger, called out to the fire qilin, and exited the city through the East Gate.

Pursuing the three’s aura, they chased over thirty miles away.

"Hmm!"

Lin Miao dismounted, found a sheltered spot for the horse to hide temporarily, climbed the mountain, and after walking a while, felt a familiar sensation about the place.

The areas outside the city differ from inside; under the heavy snow, many areas remain uncleared except for frequently traveled official roads.

The trail up the mountain was covered in snow, some places snow piled up to the waist.

Therefore, some landmarks were invisible, but snow made leaving footprints easier. However, if traveling with Lightweight Skill, they were harder to spot.

Nonetheless, traces of their aura lingered in the air, unnoticed by ordinary beings, but easily discerned by the fire qilin.

Lin Miao recalled this was the location of the castle owned by Marquis Lingyang’s Xue family outside the city, no wonder the surrounding mountains seemed familiar.

These two masters indeed seem linked to the Marquis Lingyang Mansion.

However, recently, apart from Mrs. He, no important people had been at the Marquis Lingyang Mansion. Reportedly, Mrs. He hadn’t been seen for half a year.

Though Mrs. He was an enemy, he was uninterested in someone’s private life, but rumors said Mrs. He hadn’t appeared lately and her belly grew, suggesting she was bearing someone’s child.

True or false, it’s unknown.

But rumors are never baseless.

Anyway, it’s indisputable that Marquis Lingyang has a big green hat on his head.

If Mrs. He isn’t at the mansion in the city, could she be at the villa outside?

It’s possible.

This villa is quite secluded, with complete facilities, a fine location for hiding childbirth.

But what were Jing Hui and Dingxian doing here? Were they enemies of the Marquis Lingyang Mansion or did they have another goal?

While Lin Miao puzzled over this, the fire qilin suddenly relayed information: there’s fighting within the villa, matching the aura they’d tracked.

Lin Miao was shocked, quickly pulled out a black scarf to hide half his face, and dashed toward the villa.

Following the fire qilin’s directions.

Lin Miao smoothly entered the villa, having been there before he was familiar with the layout, knowing the general location, he could find them.

The courtyard at the northwest corner.

Dingxian battled a man with a chilly complexion, exuding a murderous aura, while Jing Hui and another woman Lin Miao vaguely remembered as Jingxin were surrounded by men in black.

These men’s martial skills varied but their cultivation was considerable, they targeted the two nuns’ lower bodies, using vulgar moves.

Clearly, they were no good people.

Why did these three come to someone else’s estate? Were they discovered and intercepted, and where was Jing Hui’s child? Where did she leave the child?