In the mountain pass, a sprawling estate of green-tiled, blue-brick buildings stretched out for hundreds of meters.

Anyone who could build such a manor in a secluded, picturesque spot like this must surely be extraordinary.

A straight path connected the manor’s main gate to the official road, with mountains behind and water in front. Such an excellent feng shui location clearly indicated the owner’s great power and wealth.

Take a detour and approach from the other side of the mountain.

Bzzz!

A pigeon soared from the manor, its breed and color resembling those that Lin Miao had shot down with steel needles earlier, likely from the same batch.

It seems I’ve found the right direction.

He didn’t bother the pigeon, letting it fly away, as he needed to infiltrate the manor as secretly as possible.

If he alarmed the people inside, all his efforts would be in vain.

The mountain was filled with traps and pits for capturing large beasts, clearly mechanisms to prevent intruders from entering the manor from behind.

But for someone who had been collecting herbs in the mountains since childhood, this posed little difficulty. In a way, he was half a hunter himself.

Finding a relatively elevated spot, he pulled out a homemade "telescope" from his self-made travel pack. After Si Miaoxue crafted transparent glass, he had selected two of the clearest pieces and meticulously ground them into lenses to create it.

This was for personal use and could not be mass-produced at the moment.

He believed in having things in hand, just in case.

Though it was a first-generation telescope, the clarity was decent, allowing him to see clearly within three to five miles when the light was good.

The manor’s grounds were considerable and tidy, with no signs of wear on the roof tiles, indicating a constant presence and maintenance. Otherwise, such a huge place would have fallen into disrepair in just a few months.

Through the telescope, he saw no weeds in the inner courtyard. The front court was vast, with a large space resembling a martial arts training ground, and the main gate had two watchtowers with a broad view.

There were several yards and pavilions at the back, with rockeries and ponds, altogether spanning at least twenty or thirty acres.

Even if the land was cheap, building such a manor required a substantial amount of silver.

Being so far from any residential area was quite unsafe, but building and living here suggested the owner had the capability to safeguard the manor.

Wealth and ample martial power clearly indicated the manor’s owner was of exceptional ability.

In Dongshan City, few had such power.

With excellent feng shui that captured wind and gathered water, this manor was undoubtedly frequently occupied; if it were left vacant, it would be a waste. Unfortunately, he didn’t know who owned the manor, otherwise he might determine who was behind his current predicament.

He needed to confirm if those who captured Mr. Xie were inside the manor; the most direct clue was to find the stables!

Lin Miao searched around and finally found the stables. It was impressive, with at least three rows of houses accommodating over a hundred horses, and even a small racetrack.

He had seen horse droppings, so finding horses naturally led to finding people.

Unable to confirm Mr. Xie’s situation, Lin Miao decided to wait further. Infiltrating in broad daylight was too risky as he saw that several vantage points within the manor were guarded.

The guards carried bows and arrows, standard longbows used by the military, with greater range than ordinary hunters. The arrows were forged with fine steel, specially made with barbs, making it incredibly difficult to treat once injured.

They were identical to the broken arrow he found on the road, which further confirmed Mr. Xie was inside one of the manor’s rooms.

This time, he came prepared with weaponry: the short sword Bluefish gifted by an old prison guard at Tang Family Castle and a custom-made steel saber forged by a blacksmith he sought out. It wasn’t a masterpiece, but it was better than being empty-handed.

The steel saber was crafted by the blacksmith who treated him for heatstroke using the best steel and the blacksmith’s highest skills, taking half a month to complete.

Though the blacksmith initially charged nothing, Lin Miao still paid, as taking something for free made no sense.

This saber had been in Lin Miao’s possession for only a short time.

Outsiders knew of his proficiency in staff skills, but in truth, his saber skills were equally commendable, though he’d never showcased them openly.

Especially the Green Blade Sect’s "Thirteen Wind-Cutting Sabers;" after obtaining the manuals, he studied and contemplated them, adding his own insights and understanding, even modifying them to create the "Lin Clan Thirteen Sabers."

He was keen to find someone to test his sabers against!

In the city, he always restrained his moves, even in the Shang Family courtyard, fearing he might accidentally kill someone and have to explain to the authorities, which would be a hassle.

As a doctor, killing someone would inevitably harm his reputation.

But out here in the wilderness, there were fewer concerns.

Killing someone, provided there were no witnesses or irrefutable evidence, would not lead to conviction before the authorities.

Hence, most vendettas and bandit robberies occurred outside the city, unnoticed and reliant on skills, with survival hinging on fate.

Of course, ordinary people uninvolved in martial disputes remained safe, suffering at most financial losses. Wreaking havoc would trigger public outrage, attracting not only righteous martial artists but also the authorities who would heavily reward capturing the culprit, enticing blade-wielders eager to earn the bounty.

Maintaining a balance was essential; breaking it led to trouble, plain and simple.

Now there was just one word: wait.

Wait for nightfall.

With numerous people inside the manor, infiltrating now would result in a fierce battle if discovered. Only after dark, using the cover of night, could he sneak in, reducing the chance of detection.

The main objective of the infiltration was to rescue someone.

Lin Miao fed his horse, hid it well, adjusted the bit in its mouth, and gave it a sedative, ensuring it would remain silent for several hours, avoiding unwanted attention.

Then he found a tree, climbed up and lay on a branch, enjoying a good sleep. He only opened his eyes when he started feeling a bit cold.

By this time, night had fallen. In the mountains, darkness comes earlier; the estate at the foot of the mountain had already started lighting up, and even the scent of food could be detected in the air.

When the lights come on, it’s easier to see which houses are occupied and which are not, saving him the trouble of searching one by one...

Lin Miao changed into his night travel clothes and thin-soled black boots. These are essential equipment for travelers in the martial world, allowing one to blend into the night and avoid leaving obvious traces.

Of course, there was also the face covering.

The advantage of a face covering is not only to hide one’s identity and avoid being recognized, but also to prevent poison smoke attacks from the opponent.

Ordinary veils are not enough, but Lin Miao added a layer of specially made cotton gauze beneath the veil, which made a difference.

The area with the most people should be where "Mr. Xie" is being held, which he had already...

Carefully observing the location and direction, Lin Miao pulled his veil tight and, like a nimble swallow, dashed toward the estate.

He had already found the best spot to sneak into the estate; it was a blind spot, even the archers at the vantage points couldn’t see it.

With a flip, Lin Miao gently vaulted over the courtyard wall.

During the day, he had memorized the layout and positions of the buildings within the estate. By remembering certain specific building features, like the plants in the courtyard, stone benches, or pavilions, he made sure not to get lost.

From afar, the estate might not seem large, but once inside, the perception changes entirely. However, the owner appeared to be absent at the moment, and many courtyards were in complete darkness, unoccupied.

This made Lin Miao’s operation easier.

He stealthily moved forward.

Hearing footsteps and seeing someone carrying food along a corridor towards a courtyard, Lin Miao followed behind them. From the beams of the corridor above, he moved like a cat; unless someone looked up, they wouldn’t detect his presence.

The main hall’s doors were wide open, and a group was eating and drinking, the aroma of food wafting over, along with loud voices of clinking glasses and conversation, enjoying themselves thoroughly.

People delivering food split into two groups, one heading to the main hall, the other to another room. This second room had an ajar door with a guard outside, indicating the identity of the diners inside was not ordinary.

Voices drifted from the slightly opened door.

"Mr. Ye, you’ve been interrogating Mr. Xie for a whole day and night, hasn’t he spoken yet?"

"I didn’t expect him to be such a tough nut to crack; I broke his legs, and he still didn’t utter a word..."

"Don’t kill him; if he dies, how can we lure that Lin kid here?"

"Oh, by the way, Mr. Ye, any news from the city yet?"

...

Lin Miao could roughly make out three people talking, one of whom had a somewhat familiar voice, a Mr. Ye, he remembered.

It was Ye Mi Yuan, one among those who abducted Mr. Xie, surprisingly involved this fellow.

The other two, however, he couldn’t recognize, uncertain of who they were. But since they were addressing Ye Mi Yuan as a brother, they were likely not ordinary people.

After listening for a while and gaining no particularly useful information, Lin Miao decided to leave and rescue Mr. Xie first.

Mr. Xie had his legs broken, with no chance to escape, so Ye Mi Yuan ordered him to be lowered from the beams.

They momentarily didn’t intend to kill him; Mr. Xie being alive served as a card. If he died, there would be no effect of any kind.

They gave him a bowl of water and two cold, hard-to-swallow buns.

By the time Lin Miao found him, Mr. Xie was already tortured to the brink of death, drinking only half a bowl of water, the rest spilled on the ground, and taking only a single bite of the buns. He was feverish, muttering deliriously...

Of course, Lin Miao was furious, but now was not the time. He took out a medicine bottle from his chest, fed him a healing pill, and then roughly assessed the injuries. They were severe: both calves were broken, making walking impossible, and his body was covered with serious wounds, without a single spot untouched.

Especially on the inner side of the left thigh, where it was black, bloody, and scorched in some areas, obviously from torture by branding!

Lin Miao suppressed his overwhelming fury, first bandaging Mr. Xie’s most severe wounds.

Just as he was about to squat down and carry the unconscious Mr. Xie to leave, footsteps resonated from outside the door.

"Ah Xiang, Ah Xiang, where the hell are you; are you really afraid a crippled man would run away..."

Lin Miao glanced at the man on the ground whose neck he had snapped. This person outside probably was called to guard him.

In sudden inspiration, Lin Miao cried, "M-Mr. Xie seems to be in bad shape..." This was a quick-thinking move; if the opponent discovered the slain body inside, his rescue attempt would be thwarted.

"What, let me take a look..." The person outside heard the voice and immediately pushed open the door, without distinguishing the situation.

Then, Lin Miao swiftly struck him down with a deadly hand chop.

He dressed Mr. Xie in the guard’s clothes and himself in the other person’s, then dragged him out.

Lin Miao, now wearing the enemy’s attire and carrying someone clad similarly, boldly walked out.

Even if someone questioned him, he’d simply say: "Drunk" and pass through.

The person who came looking for "Ah Xiang" was in an alcoholic stupor and wore clothes now donned by Mr. Xie. In poor lighting, distinguishing them was impossible.

As if walking into an unoccupied realm.

Over the wall, Lin Miao carried Mr. Xie and sprinted away!

This revenge must be exacted, but he first ensured Mr. Xie’s safety; otherwise, even if he slew every person in the estate, Mr. Xie’s death would render it meaningless.