Attacked Late at Night

Half a day later.

The escort agency's caravan.

Inside a gently swaying carriage, Qin Ming lowered his head and carefully spread the venom extracted from the giant centipede's Poison Sac evenly over his bamboo arrowheads.

Although the centipede had not fully matured into a spiritual creature, its venom was not to be underestimated. It was highly corrosive and paralytic. Once struck by an arrow, even a Perfected Skin-Refining Realm expert would suffer as the venom spread. Even if they survived, their fighting strength would be severely affected.

He soon finished coating all several dozen bamboo arrows, using up every drop of venom. Qin Ming instinctively touched the Inner Armor beneath his clothes and felt somewhat reassured.

With the Centipede Inner Armor and several dozen poisoned arrows as trump cards, and Li Shengnan's father, Li Kui, personally leading the escort this time, safety should not be a problem.

Qin Ming had heard Senior Brother Lu Liu mention Li Kui before. He was at Skin-Refining Realm Perfection and was proficient in two martial techniques, one of which was the ninth-grade Horizontal Training Martial Arts, Savage Bull Strength.

Li Shengnan's imposing build and astonishing strength came from cultivating this very Horizontal Training Martial Arts.

"Junior Brother."

Li Shengnan lifted the curtain and squeezed inside. The carriage, which had been fairly roomy, visibly grew cramped.

Qin Ming broke into an embarrassed sweat.

This muscle-bound Barbie of a senior sister really did have an imposing build. In the entire caravan, probably only her father, Li Kui, could tower over her. Yet though Li Shengnan was sturdy, her figure was exceptionally well-proportioned, a textbook pear shape, with plenty of flesh everywhere it should be. In all of Qingyang County, there was probably no second backside bigger than a millstone like hers.

"So, how is it? Are you getting used to your first escort job?"

Li Shengnan handed Qin Ming a washed pear.

"Not bad."

Qin Ming took the pear and bit into it.

It was fresh and juicy.

"Senior Sister, what cargo are we escorting this time?"

Qin Ming asked casually.

Li Shengnan's expression changed slightly, and her tone immediately grew more serious. "Junior Brother, this is your first escort job, so there are many rules you don't understand. I don't blame you, but from now on, remember this: the first rule of escorting is not to ask about the cargo. Whether it's a person or an object, we only escort it to its destination. Everything else is none of our concern."

"Got it, Senior Sister."

Qin Ming was slightly taken aback, but nodded.

He really had not known the rules of the escort business.

"All right, don't be nervous. I won't blame you. Neither I nor my father knows what we're escorting this time. All we know is that it's bound for Qingyang County, and the client is the Li Lineage from town."

Qin Ming nodded inwardly.

The Li Lineage.

They were a prominent lineage in Qingshan Town, with a thousand mu of fertile farmland and considerable business holdings in Qingyang County as well. He had heard they had recently begun venturing into the medicinal herb trade, and their shop in town had already started selling Qi-Blood Soup.

For this job, the Weiyuan Escort Agency had sent seven martial artist escorts and another twenty-three skilled fighters who cultivated external arts, thirty people in all. They were fully armed, with sabers, swords, bows, and arrows, clearly escorting no ordinary cargo.

Qin Ming did some calculations in his head.

Hiring so many escorts would cost at least several dozen taels of silver. Just what was the Li Lineage escorting?

A person or cargo?

Qin Ming stuck his head out and looked ahead.

A large, luxurious carriage was traveling in the middle of the procession. The cargo they were escorting was inside.

Qin Ming glanced at its wheels. The tracks were shallow, so whatever was inside clearly was not heavy.

More than twenty well-equipped guards surrounded the carriage. They were all members of the Li Lineage's own entourage, and five of them were martial artists.

Three were martial artists affiliated with the Li Lineage, all inner-court disciples of the Tiger Martial Arts Academy.

Two were at the Mid-Stage Skin-Refining Realm and one at the Late Skin-Refining Realm.

The other two were guest elders of the Li Lineage, both at the Late Skin-Refining Realm.

They drew monthly stipends from the Li Lineage and worked on its behalf.

The Weiyuan Escort Agency's team was divided into two groups. Li Kui led the way at the front, while Li Shengnan and Qin Ming traveled at the rear.

Before they knew it, the sky was gradually darkening.

A dense forest lay ahead.

"Brother Li, we've traveled all day and are tired. Let's rest in the woods ahead tonight."

One of the Li Lineage's guest elders spoke up.

His name was Zhu Qing.

The other guest elder was named Lin Jing.

"That works."

Li Kui nodded.

After traveling all day, even if the people could endure it, the horses needed rest.

They lit fires on the spot and ate some of the dry rations they had brought.

After the meal, Li Shengnan stood on one leg atop a tree stump and assumed a peculiar posture in the woods. As she breathed, two streams of white vapor shot from her nostrils like long dragons, lingering for several breaths before slowly dispersing. A deep sound followed from her nose, bellowing like a bull.

"Senior Sister, is this the Savage Bull Strength passed down through your Li Lineage?"

Qin Ming asked from the side when Li Shengnan finished cultivating.

"That's right." Li Shengnan nodded. Seeing Qin Ming's eyes light up, she found it a little funny. "What, do you want to learn it too?"

Li Shengnan rolled up her sleeve, exposing an arm thicker than Qin Ming's thigh and covered in knots of muscle. "Unfortunately, my Li Lineage's Savage Bull Strength is never taught to outsiders—unless you marry me and take me home."

Qin Ming's expression stiffened.

Seeing Qin Ming's reaction, Li Shengnan could not help laughing. "All right, I'm teasing you."

"Savage Bull Strength? If you ask me, it's nothing special. It's far inferior to our Tiger Martial Arts Academy's Tiger Fist!"

An ill-timed voice rang out. It came from one of the three inner-court disciples of the Tiger Martial Arts Academy.

The speaker was Chen Yue, the only one of the three at the Late Skin-Refining Realm and one of the Tiger Martial Arts Academy master's personal disciples.

"Chen Yue!"

Li Shengnan's expression quickly turned cold when she saw them. "Stop spouting bullshit! You're in no position to judge my Li Lineage's martial arts!"

"I'll judge them if I want. What are you going to do about it? And look at your Weiyuan Escort Agency, bringing a new inner-court disciple on an escort job. Have you fallen so low you can't find anyone else?"

Chen Yue chuckled. "What a pity. Back when Senior Brother Li Feng was around, the Weiyuan Escort Agency was so glorious. But who told him to go courting death?"

"Shut up!"

Li Shengnan instantly flew into a rage, her face red and her muscles tensed like a lioness on the verge of going berserk.

Li Feng had once been the senior-most brother of the Tiger Martial Arts Academy and had rendered it many services. He had been gravely injured in an accident while away, and the Tiger Martial Arts Academy had abandoned him. In the end, his injuries proved incurable, and he died.

That was also why Li Shengnan had later enrolled at the Eight Trigrams Martial Arts Academy.

"You ungrateful wretches aren't fit to mention my brother, especially you, Chen Yue! If my brother hadn't guided you back then, could you have even entered the inner court?!"

"Shengnan, don't be rash!"

Li Kui strode over.

He stood nearly two meters tall, his body bulging with muscle. He carried a savage bearing as he walked, like a wild bull charging straight at them.

"The client places great importance on this job. Don't fight among ourselves."

Li Kui patted Li Shengnan on the shoulder, then turned to Chen Yue and the other two and spat out a single word coldly:

"Scram!"

The pressure of the Perfected Skin-Refining Realm left the three of them somewhat short of breath. Li Kui's towering frame made them even more apprehensive, but Chen Yue quickly recovered.

His master was the academy master, whose cultivation was at the Mid-Stage Flesh-Refining Realm. Li Kui was only at the Perfected Skin-Refining Realm, and his escort agency was down on its luck. What could he do to Chen Yue?

"Li Shengnan, the Two-Academy Showdown is on the seventh day of the first lunar month. I'll be waiting for you on the stage. You'd better not be too scared to step up!"

Chen Yue sneered.

"Don't worry. I'll see it through to the end!"

Li Shengnan spoke each word distinctly.

Both were personal disciples of their respective academy masters, so they were bound to fight at the Two-Academy Showdown.

Chen Yue pointed a finger at Li Shengnan and Qin Ming from a distance, then drew it across his throat before swaggering away.

Qin Ming remained expressionless, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

Were all the people from the Tiger Martial Arts Academy this arrogant?

"All right, get some rest early tonight. We still have to travel tomorrow morning."

Li Kui clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly before finally calming down.

Late into the night, the temperature plummeted, and a thin mist had drifted into the forest at some unknown point.

"Mist!"

Qin Ming, who was dozing while standing in a stake stance on a tree, abruptly opened his eyes.

After his Eight Trigrams Stake Skill reached minor mastery, he had gradually grown accustomed to holding the stance for long periods. Unlike others, his cultivation could continuously improve as long as he held the stance. With the added threat of Yan Yue-Ren, he even dozed in the stance at night rather than waste a moment, drinking Qi-Blood Soup when he grew tired or sleepy.

Qin Ming had spent almost all his silver and could not afford Qi-Blood Powder, so he had to settle for the next best thing. But Qi-Blood Soup was used to build a foundation before becoming a martial artist, and it did little to improve him now.

Qin Ming planned to buy another packet of Qi-Blood Powder with the five taels of silver when he returned from this trip, then make a trip into the mountains. Now that his strength had improved, he could venture deep into the mountains. He had found that Lingzhi in their depths last time. Though there was danger deep inside, opportunities came with risks, and he now had no choice.

After glancing at the mist, Qin Ming closed his eyes and continued holding the stance.

Something's wrong!

His eyes snapped open again.

The mist around them was growing thicker, especially in the distance, where a great mass of dense fog was rapidly rolling toward the escort team.

Standing high up, Qin Ming could clearly see that this was the only great mass of dense fog in the surrounding woods, and it was heading straight for them!

Was it a coincidence, or was someone behind it?

Qin Ming swiftly ended his practice and climbed down the tree.

"Senior Sister!"

Without stopping, Qin Ming hurried to the carriage and lifted the curtain.

Li Shengnan was resting in this carriage tonight.

Unexpectedly, he had barely lifted a corner of the curtain when a palm suddenly struck out. Qin Ming hurriedly blocked it, but was forced back more than ten steps, both arms tingling slightly.

By the firelight, Qin Ming had caught a glimpse through that opening of a red bellyband,

and...

Qin Ming's face burned. He had not expected Senior Sister to have taken off her outer clothes to sleep in the carriage. He had been rash.

The rustle of someone getting dressed came from inside the carriage.

"What is it?!"

Li Shengnan's voice carried a trace of irritation.

"Something's wrong."

Qin Ming quickly told her what he had just seen.

Before he had finished speaking, Li Shengnan had already rushed out of the carriage. "Wait here. I'll go tell my father!"

Though Li Shengnan was imposing in build, she ran no slower for it. There was even a lightness to her movements.

Two martial artists from the escort agency were patrolling the area on watch and had paid no mind to the little bit of mist in the woods.

"Young Miss."

Seeing Li Shengnan, the two cupped their fists in greeting.

"Where's my father?"

"Over there."

The two pointed to a spot beside a fire, where Li Kui was resting half-reclined against a tree. Hearing the commotion, he immediately opened his eyes.

"What is it, Shengnan?"

Li Kui quickly got up, grabbing his saber as he rose.

"Father, something's wrong!"

Li Shengnan relayed what Qin Ming had just discovered.

Li Kui's expression grew grave. He quickly climbed to the treetop and came back down a few breaths later.

"Notify everyone at once. Tell them to be careful!"

"What is it?"

The Li Lineage's two guest elders had been sleeping soundly. Roused from their sleep, they frowned deeply.

The escort agency handled the night watch, so their own people had gone to sleep early.

The rest of the Li Lineage's people were also woken one after another.

"Elders, something seems to be amiss."

Li Kui cupped his fists and told them what Qin Ming and he had discovered.

"Brother Li, aren't you making a mountain out of a molehill?"

Zhu Qing looked somewhat displeased.

"Exactly." Zhu Jing frowned deeply, looking impatient as he said angrily from the side, "Isn't fog common in the woods? Escort Master Li, this isn't your first escort job. How have you grown more and more timid? Was something this minor worth disturbing our rest?"

Hearing that Qin Ming had discovered it, Chen Yue yawned.

"So after all that, it's that brat stirring up trouble. Is your Weiyuan Escort Agency so idle you have to go looking for trouble? You've made such a fuss over a little fog. Can't you handle it yourselves?"

At Chen Yue's words, the Li Lineage's people all looked somewhat displeased.

"I just took a look. There really is something wrong with this fog. It looks like it's coming for us."

Li Kui's voice was grave.

"Fine, I'll take a look."

Zhu Qing quickly climbed to the treetop and swept his gaze around. Fog was gathering from every direction.

"This is it?"

Zhu Qing was so angry he laughed.

Though the fog was moving somewhat too quickly, wasn't it just ordinary fog?

"Enough. I can't be bothered arguing with you. Don't disturb this elder's sleep."

Zhu Qing turned around and lay down to sleep.

Seeing this, the rest of the Li Lineage's people dispersed and lay down where they were.

"You can believe that wet-behind-the-ears brat and keep wasting time here. Don't sleep tonight, either. I'm not playing along."

Chen Yue turned around and lay down to sleep.

"Dad, what do we do now?"

"Post more people to stand guard around us, and send some others to patrol."

Li Kui was an old hand in the martial world. The fog had come too suddenly, too quickly. When things went awry, demons were sure to be at work; he couldn't afford to be careless!

Before long, fog had shrouded the surroundings, and visibility dropped rapidly.

A thought stirred in Qin Ming's mind. He climbed up into the canopy and looked around in every direction.

Fog churned endlessly through the forest, like an earth dragon rolling over. It was so thick that he couldn't see a thing.

"Aah!!"

A piercing scream suddenly rang out below.

In the silent forest, it was no less startling than a thunderclap.

It was Zhu Qing!