Ah Huai directly grabbed a knife and blocked the door, saying to Song Yan, "Uncle Li, don't be afraid!"

Xiao Huan quietly slipped out through the back door.

The fight quickly broke out, and Ah Huai defended the door with the fierce energy of a mad dog, surprisingly keeping those third-rate Jianghu people at bay for a moment.

Seeing Ah Huai getting beaten black and blue, covered in bruises, Xiao Huan's figure appeared at the distant alley entrance.

And behind Xiao Huan was a group of beggars.

The beggars rushed forward, and those third-rate Jianghu martial artists, who usually relied on fancy fist techniques and bragging, quickly retreated when outnumbered, then fled.

Several days later...

The servant of Madam Qin San went into a frenzy, killed Madam San, and was then killed himself under the siege of the Qin family warriors.

After an investigation, the government concluded it as a "crime of passion" and did not pursue it further.

Song Yan, the small boss of Changchun Hall, was seen as having "some connection with the lower echelons of Jianghu," but... that's all. In the "pyramid of status" in Chu Imperial City's top tier, dominated by Thousand Crane Sect cultivators, Song Yan was only in the middle-lower tier, and no one paid any attention.

...

...

The battles among cultivators in Chu Imperial City grew ever fiercer.

Initially, the Thousand Crane Sect considered the civilians, but gradually they also ignored them.

Many people in Chu Imperial City began to relocate, fleeing from the city.

Song Yan, calm and collected, used the Qi Observation Pearl to watch the Qi above the Imperial City.

As long as the red cloud didn't leave the city, everything would be fine.

Chu Imperial City, sitting atop a Profound Vein and being the Thousand Crane Sect's millennial foundation, faced with the Fox Wolf siege, could it easily be abandoned?

With the outcome yet to be decided, how could a Thousand Crane Sect elder not rush back, and how could a Crimson Palace cultivator flee?

If anyone were to flee, it might just be Tang Fan.

From this bystander's perspective of the battles, Song Yan also saw many things. Particularly eye-catching was the "Array Dao" of the Thousand Crane Sect.

The Thousand Crane Sect differed from the Nanwu Sword Sect.

The arrays of the Nanwu Sword Sect were mostly "traditional Defense Shields" and Sword Arrays jointly displayed by the disciples of the Sword Sect.

But the Thousand Crane Sect could, to a certain extent, utilize Array Flags to mobilize the "Wood Profound."

Wind belongs to wood, and once the Wood Profound condenses, the speed of the Thousand Crane Sect increases significantly. This is also one reason the Fox and Wolf Races, "waiting in vain for the Purple Mansion not to arrive, dogs jumped over the wall," could not conquer the Thousand Crane Sect.

Song Yan was cultivating the "Ghost Infant Scripture," a cultivation technique whose power could increase by one or two levels in the Evil Land, so he was quite interested in arrays that "mobilized special Profound Qi," because if he could change his combat environment to the Evil Land, it would give him an extra one or two points of advantage against his enemies.

Besides, he was still filled with deep longing for the ancient teleportation array at the extreme south of the Three Kingdoms, wondering if with a greater understanding of Array Dao, he might one day visit that ancient teleportation array again?

Various thoughts flashed through, and Song Yan came to his senses.

It had been over half a year since he adopted the five children.

At this moment, he was leading these five children to the government to handle household registration.

Household registration in Chu Imperial City used to be extremely difficult to obtain, but with so many people fleeing, the government, perhaps prompted by some influential yet reckless decision, issued a strict order: Anyone leaving the Imperial City would have their registration canceled and would not be allowed to return, while those who stayed and had some economic foundation and a stable residence could apply for registration.

So, Song Yan brought the five children to register.

Though it was the lowest class of registration, after Song Yan slipped a little silver, it was still a good registration.

After completing the registration, he took the five children to the wonton shop to celebrate.

Business at the Red Fragrance Tower wasn't good, and even when there were customers, they only went for the courtesan, not for Shuang Yun's business. Shuang Yun, being idle, was looking down from the second floor, and upon seeing Song Yan and Ah Huai walking by, she waved. Learning that "the five beggar children had obtained registration," she was very happy and ran down to join them for wontons.

More than half a year later, the seven of them sat together again in front of the wonton shop.

Ah Huai had changed a lot, with a steadier look in his eyes, which Song Yan often joked was like that of a "Jianghu big shot." Indeed, Ah Huai was heading in that direction, getting up before the rooster crowed to practice his knife skills a thousand times, then going to work, cleaning Changchun Hall spotless, and helping his younger siblings entertain guests. Under his busy efforts, Changchun Hall was actually developing for the better.

In addition, he secretly gathered the scattered beggars around the Imperial City, giving small benefits and gathering many beggars. Being bold and righteous, he had already been nicknamed "Brother Huai" outside in just half a year's time.

Ah Huai and his four siblings wanted to recognize Song Yan as their father, but were repeatedly refused. He had since stopped mentioning it, but silently regarded the benefactor as family. He thought that when this family member grew old, he would take care of him well.

"Uncle Li, take your time eating." Ah Huai handed over a bowl to Song Yan, then prepared his chopsticks, and went to help his siblings with wontons.

Shuang Yun smiled prettily, looked at Song Yan, took a deep breath, feeling a bit inexplicably nervous, and joked in a seemingly relaxed manner, "Doctor Li, with five little burdens, aren't you planning to marry?"

Song Yan also smiled but didn't answer because he had already seen deep expectation, intense inferiority, and a certain fear in the eyes of this young woman.

How should he answer?

And today, although Shuang Yun seemed ordinary, she was dressed with great care. The fragrance she exuded was neither gaudy nor cheap, a refreshing scent of white plum.

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