Unexpectedly, just as the leader finished speaking, the previously warm and gentle spring breeze suddenly turned strong, and the surrounding tree branches were instantly blown by the strong wind, making them crack and creak.

A strong wind blew leaves off the trees, then stirred up the fallen leaves on the ground. In an instant, they swirled and danced wildly across the ground.

The rumbling thunder grew louder as it approached, and suddenly dark clouds pressed down from the sky, making it appear as if the sky was about to collapse.

Several streaks of lightning, like golden snakes dancing wildly, instantly tore apart the entire dark, cloud-covered sky overhead, followed by deafening thunder.

Just as everyone was struggling to open their eyes to investigate what had happened, a loud, majestic voice suddenly rang out, like that of a deity: "Where did this petty thief come from, daring to run wild here!"

Upon hearing the sound, the villagers exclaimed in surprise, "A living Buddha! A living Buddha has arrived..."

Those burly men in red who had just been swaggering over the group of ordinary people were stunned by the sound, and then they all frantically searched their surroundings.

The leader, with lightning speed, spotted the old woman from behind the crowd. Raising an eyebrow, he arrogantly said, "Hmm? A fish that slipped through the net. Who are you? How dare you speak so rudely to your grandfather? Are you deliberately looking for death?"

As soon as she spoke, two burly men rushed forward and surrounded the old woman with knives. However, the old woman remained calm and composed, exuding an aura of authority and inviolability, showing no fear whatsoever.

She didn't even glance at the burly men in red who had surrounded her. Head held high, she walked steadily past the leader, strolling slowly towards the young woman and her family of three. As she did so, she gave the burly man a cold snort and said disdainfully:

"Hmph... Who am I? So many years have passed, and no one has ever asked me that question. Now, I really have forgotten who I am!"

"How dare you!" The leader was clearly quite displeased with the old woman's dismissive and arrogant attitude.

However, the old woman remained calm and walked over, taking a deep look at the young girl and her family of three, who were tightly bound and almost collapsed from exhaustion.

At this moment, the young girl called out in a trembling voice, "Madam, why are you here? Hurry, they're here to arrest you and Huan'er, and that young master Lu." The young girl didn't say anything, she didn't say anything...

Upon seeing this, the old woman burst into tears and glared angrily at the burly men, shouting, "Let them go right now!"

"You think you can just release me like that? What am I, your grandpa, here? Why should I listen to you?" The leader, looking nonchalant, swaggered up to the old woman and whispered a provocative remark in her ear.

The old woman gritted her teeth, paused, turned to face him, took a breath, and raised her head, saying, "The person you're looking for is me. This has nothing to do with them. Now release them immediately!"

The leader was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled and looked the old woman up and down. He said, "Do you think I'm stupid? I'm looking for one man and two women. You look quite old. You can't even count, can you?"

The old woman still held her chin high and said, "That's right, there were indeed three people that day. However, the other two who came back with me were not originally from this village. So, after they safely escorted me back, they both left in a hurry."

The leader crossed his arms, rested his chin on his hand, and pondered for a moment before asking, "Where did they go after they left? Do you know?"

"On the way, I saw some wicked bandits abducting a young woman in broad daylight, so I 'came to her aid' because I saw injustice. We just happened to meet by chance and had no real connection. How could I possibly know where they went in this vast world?" the old woman said, glancing at the man.

The leader thought for a moment, and based on what the woman had said, he suddenly remembered the disheveled, burly man at the scene of the incident. Therefore, she must have been present that day.

Looking again at the villagers before her, each one seemingly powerless, not one appeared capable of wielding a sword. Perhaps the truth was as she had said. With this thought in mind, she immediately gave the order: "Men, tie up this old woman too!"

"Let's see who dares!" To everyone's surprise, the old woman was taken aback and quickly took out a gold medal from her sleeve and showed it to them.

The leader slowly stepped forward, bent down and examined the gold token in the other's hand closely, then asked in confusion, "A palace token from the Western Qin Imperial Palace? Who are you? How could you possess such a thing?"

"How could a living Buddha have a palace tablet?" Upon hearing this, the villagers also began to discuss it in surprise.

"Hmph, my identity is not something you wicked bandits and robbers are worthy of knowing. Now get your tails between your legs and get out of my way!" the old woman shouted at him from her superior position.

Unexpectedly, the leader slowly straightened up with his hands behind his back, grinned, and laughed wildly, "Hahahaha..."

"What are you laughing at?" the old woman asked, puzzled.

"Hmph... So what if it's the Western Qin Imperial Palace? What does it have to do with my Xiaolong Society? I, your grandfather, have nothing to fear." The leader immediately turned around with a gloomy expression and raised his hand to the villagers, shouting.

"'Xiaolong Society'?" the old woman repeated, puzzled.

"What? Never heard of her? Grandpa will let you learn about her slowly. Men, tie her up. It seems you won't be able to get those two accomplices out today without some tricks."

"Lawless, inhuman, you..." The old woman finally panicked when she saw the hands of the two burly men who had come up to her already on her arms.

Just then, Huan'er, who had been hiding behind a big tree, could no longer contain herself and ran towards them, saying, "Let them go! The person you're looking for is here."

"Huan'er, you..." The old woman was stunned when she saw Huan'er finally rush out.

"Madam, I'm sorry, Huan'er has done her best, but Huan'er just can't bear to watch you go to your death."

Just then, the leader shook his head and clicked his tongue, then moved closer to Huan'er, lifted her chin, and said, "Tsk tsk tsk... Who said the people here are honest and kind? It seems that none of you are honest. Oh, this little girl is not bad looking!"

Huan'er shook him forcefully, breaking free from his fingers. She glared at him and spat, saying, "Pah, get your filthy hands off me."

"Oh, oh, oh, I didn't realize you had such a fiery temper! You're really asking for trouble, aren't you?" The man's voice suddenly changed from gentle to furious.

Then, he turned around and looked around, ordering, "Men, it seems the weather isn't suitable for Grandpa to have fun today. Kill all the old people in this crowd, and take the young, strong, and women back to be dealt with at your leisure."

Just as those men, each wielding a gleaming broadsword, were about to strike the trembling old scholar kneeling on the ground, a sudden clattering sound of galloping hooves rang out.

Upon hearing this, everyone simultaneously looked up in the direction of the voice, and saw a woman in flowing red robes hidden under a black veil. Her red robes contrasted beautifully with the peach blossoms along the roadside, making her appear like a fairy descending from heaven. She was riding her horse and shouting, "Stop! Who gave you such audacity to kill innocent people and harm the common folk indiscriminately?"

Upon seeing the newcomer, the leader waved his hand, and all the large ringed swords fell to the ground. He muttered contemptuously, "Another one who's not afraid of death has arrived."

"What are you trying to do?" the woman in red asked the leader as soon as she dismounted.

Upon hearing the sound, Huan'er was immediately puzzled: "Judging from that voice, it seems to be..."

Before the leader could even figure out what was going on, Huan'er, supporting the weak girl, jumped up with joy and shouted, "Ruoxi, it's Ruoxi! Ruoxi is back! Ruoxi is finally back!"

"Ruoxi?" The old woman beside her was stunned, seemingly still not having reacted.

The woodcutter beside the old woman and the young girl beside Huan'er exclaimed in unison, "It's Miss Ruoxi!"

At this moment, the woman in red also turned her gaze to Huan'er in the cheering crowd. Why did that voice sound so familiar?

So, wanting to see Huan'er more clearly—the one with whom she had spent countless days and nights, the one who had given her encouragement and all her help during her most lonely, helpless, and desperate time when she was blind and amnesiac—she took off her long veil as she walked, and gently called out to the woman in the crowd who smiled the most beautifully, the happiest, and the only one who smiled through her tears: "You are... Huan'er?"

Huan'er suddenly rushed towards her, wrapped her arms around her neck, hugged her tightly, and nodded excitedly, saying, "I am Huan'er, I am your eyes, your crutch, your Huan'er. Ruoxi, you are finally back, that's wonderful, that's wonderful."

After a long while, Huan'er finally came to her senses, suddenly loosened her arms, and instead tightly grasped Ruoxi's hand, asking in surprise, "Ruoxi, your eyes?"

Ruoxi smiled and nodded: "My eyes have fully recovered."

Upon hearing this, the two women were overjoyed!

Then, she turned her gaze to the old woman beside Huan'er who looked extraordinary, and immediately knelt down and kowtowed deeply: "Ruoxi thanks the old lady for saving her life."

The situation was critical, and the old woman had no time for sentimentality. She quickly bent down and placed the resurrection pill in the girl's hand, instructing her, "Ruoxi, go quickly. Don't worry about us. Even if everyone in the village dies, you must live on. There's no time to explain everything. Just remember, you are the hope of this land of Western Qin. Go to the City God Temple in the south of the city and find Master Xuankong. She will tell you everything. You must take this resurrection pill. You must know who you are."

However, Ruoxi smiled and said, "Don't worry, Madam, I have my own way of ensuring that no one here will lose a single hair."

At this moment, Huan'er also anxiously advised, "Ruoxi, these people are ruthless and merciless. You'd better leave quickly, or it might be too late."

Ruoxi calmly smiled as she stood up, turned around, and stood alone in front of all the villagers. She slowly took out a gold medal from her sleeve and showed it to them, saying loudly, "Open your dog eyes and see what this is!"

"Dragon-themed token? Who are you? How do you possess the supreme Golden Dragon Token of my Valiant Dragon Society?"

The leader was immediately stunned upon seeing it.

Just as all the burly men in red were about to kneel before him, someone stepped forward and whispered something in the leader's ear...