The Strength of Muscle and Tendon, Night Encounter with Demons

Shen He plastered a fake smile on his face as he chatted with the escorts in front of him.

On the surface, the Chief Escort's star disciple appeared generous, approachable, and seemed to have blended in with the escorts.

But if one could pry open his skull and read his inner thoughts, even an archer as skilled as Ge Yingyang would only find the word "impatient."

Before the escort mission had even begun, Shen He was already feeling weary.

Or rather, he had never wanted to come on an escort mission, but he had no choice.

What was called an escort mission meant waking up early and going to bed late with a group of crude men, eating and sleeping in the open.

There were no beautiful maids to serve him, no fine wine or delicacies, and he had to endure the snoring and sweat odor of these middle-aged men.

How could he, the esteemed young master of the Shen family, who had grown up with a silver spoon in his mouth, be satisfied with such a life?

Only some greenhorn like Ye Chengxiao would harbor illusions about the so-called Jianghu life!

But if he was unwilling, why did he come?

Shen He sighed inwardly, then thought of the conversation at last night's banquet, of Xiao Mei and Ye Chengxiao, and of the three great families.

The Xiao and Ye families had sent their collateral branches to the Flying Tiger Escort Agency, but Jiang Qi and Shen He were undeniably direct descendants of their families.

'This is the gap in family heritage.'

Shen He maintained his fake smile, suppressing his inner impatience. He walked past the escorts until he approached Li Cunxiao, at which point his smile gained a touch of sincerity.

It wasn't goodwill, but rather amusement at the man's appearance.

As Zhang Lishi's star disciple, the unmarried female relatives in his household were naturally the people he would be close to.

Not to mention, Third Lady Zhang Yuelu, who was not yet nineteen, also had a chance to break through to the Muscle Realm. The Shen family had always intended to form a marriage alliance.

Unfortunately, Zhang Lishi was a doting father. It was said that he had recently even rejected Murong Bai's proposal, so they had to put it aside for now.

As for Fourth Mistress Zhang Que'er, although she was only ten years old, in five or six years she would be of marriageable age, and the families in the Inner City were all paying attention.

Therefore, when a handsome young man suddenly appeared beside them, Shen He was startled and sent people to inquire everywhere.

To his surprise, it turned out to be just a pageboy Zhang Lishi had casually taken in, whose elder brother had also entered the escort agency.

"Li Sanlang? I've heard of you."

Shen He sized up the tall young man in front of him and said with great interest:

"I've seen your brother at Master Zhang's residence. He can be described as having a jade-like face and a square mouth; his eyes are like bright stars, and his bones are refined and clear."

"He truly captivated that little girl Que'er to the point of being utterly infatuated."

"How is it that you, his elder brother, are born with a leopard's head and ring eyes? Fierce. Majestic, yes, but also a bit ferocious."

Li Cunxiao was a little nervous at first when the other man said he knew him, but when it turned out he was just there to tease him about his appearance, he felt a bit speechless.

"Mucha's appearance is indeed more handsome than mine. My wife and the ladies of the household have taken good care of us, and I am deeply grateful, Cunxiao."

Li Cunxiao knew he was not strong enough at the moment and did not want to deal with these young masters from the Inner City. He tried to politely dismiss the man, but Shen He became even more interested.

He had seen plenty of people trying to curry favor with him, but someone who kept their distance like this was rare.

Moreover, he had heard that this Li Sanlang was only from a restaurant, and by rights, he should be a crude commoner.

No matter if this teasing caused embarrassment or anger, the other party, however, could speak formally and even express gratitude.

With such social skills, it was no wonder he could please Master Zhang for a while and be granted an Internal Cultivation Method.

Thinking of this, Shen He couldn't help but feel a mischievous impulse, and he teased:

"Breaking through two realms in a month, Filial and Righteous Li Sanlang, I think you're quite talented."

"Your treatment in this escort agency is naturally good, but escort missions mean eating and sleeping in the open, which is not as good as being a guard in a large clan."

"You'll have no shortage of food and clothing, and it's also respectable. Perhaps you'll even be appreciated by a noble and soar to great heights."

He had to admit that with that imposing appearance, even if his martial arts were lacking, he would be good to have around to save face.

'What does he mean? Poaching?'

Li Cunxiao couldn't figure out the other man's intentions, nor could he betray Zhang Lishi, his true benefactor. He could only answer cautiously:

"Escort Leader Shen is joking. My brother and I were previously without enough clothes to cover ourselves or food to fill our stomachs. We owe everything to the Chief Escort's kindness."

"Escort missions naturally involve eating and sleeping in the open, but it's also a case of 'you reap what you sow.' I am already very content to live a stable life."

Shen He chuckled upon hearing this, not particularly disappointed. After all, he was just looking for some amusement.

Whether Li Sanlang agreed or not was a trivial matter of no consequence.

This Li Sanlang didn't know how to seize opportunities, but he wouldn't be annoyed about it. Rather, the other man, when he encountered insurmountable obstacles in the future and was stuck in the Blood Qi Realm, might greatly regret not seizing the opportunity back then.

Shen He smiled and patted Li Cunxiao's shoulder before turning to leave.

"How strange."

Li Cunxiao glanced at the retreating figure and then began to organize his equipment.

This escort mission had come on suddenly. When he received the news yesterday, he was still short of chainmail. Li Cunxiao had to rush to the blacksmith's shop and add another five taels of silver.

The blacksmiths, motivated by the money, worked all night, thus rushing the job and allowing Li Cunxiao to put on this chainmail.

The chainmail hauberk, reaching his buttocks and only weighing a little over ten jin, was worn by Li Cunxiao beneath his leather armor.

After his Blood Essence had reached great completion, his strength and endurance had also seen significant improvements. He could fully withstand this weight and move freely in combat.

If swords or blades were to strike, they would first have to break through the leather armor, then the chainmail. With two layers of protection, his safety was greatly enhanced.

Before long, the escort mission convoy was ready and set off directly.

This time, Mucha was not seen among those who saw them off. After all, it was just an ordinary escort mission, and Li Cunxiao didn't want his brother to have to ask Que'er for favors every time.

Qin Yu, however, was in the crowd, waving enthusiastically at Li Cunxiao. According to Qin Yu, he had gained a feel for manipulating Blood Essence these past few days. It was possible he might achieve Controlling Qi after this escort mission, and who knew?

The convoy left the city, with Shen He riding a tall horse at the very front. Behind him were four carts pulled by two draft horses, and on either side of the escort carts were twelve escorts.

Draft horses, also known as mares, lacked explosive power but had strong endurance.

The fine horse Shen He was riding did not belong to the escort agency; it was his own. It was pure white with a single patch of black on its forehead, clearly a good horse at first glance.

Song Prefecture was located in the heartland of the Central Plains. It had vast cultivated land but few grasslands, unlike Longyou, which produced many fine horses.

A horse like this would likely cost a hundred taels of silver to purchase, and its daily upkeep required feeding it with fine fodder, eating better than ordinary folk.

It was no exaggeration to say that a good horse was like a luxury car in ancient times. It was expensive to buy and even more expensive to maintain.

Riding such a fine horse, Shen He's aloofness became even more apparent.

At first, he occasionally joined in the conversations when everyone was chatting and laughing. But after traveling more than ten li, as the surrounding population gradually thinned out, Shen He's expression grew fewer and fewer, and the escorts gradually fell silent.

This escort mission was not a long one, taking three days for a one-way trip, making it six days round trip, covering a distance of two hundred li.

However, the veteran escorts had arranged the route, stops, and rest points clearly, even knowing the exact locations of the streams where they could draw water.

With such thorough preparation, the first day's journey was calm and uneventful. Before nightfall, the group settled into a familiar manor and rested early.

The escort leader had his own room, while the escorts shared rooms in pairs. Li Cunxiao shared a room with Qian Laosan.

Before sleeping, Qian Laosan couldn't help but gossip. He first commented on Shen He's arrogance, then talked about the decadent life in the inner city, and finally mused about whether his son could be accepted as a disciple by the Chief Escort when he grew up.

A night passed, and as dawn broke, the escort agency's group set off again. Li Cunxiao was quite used to it and felt no discomfort. However, Shen He, riding his horse, seemed somewhat agitated.

The journey for this escort mission could actually be completed in two days for the escorts' usual pace.

But the escort agency operated with utmost caution, and the delivery date was never set for the bare minimum time.

Shen He had praised the steady pace to Zhang Lishi, but now, on the road, he felt it was too slow, a waste of his time.

When they stopped for lunch to eat dry rations, Shen He finally couldn't hold back and proposed to speed up the pace, seeing the mush made from dried meat and dried wheat rice in his bowl.

Several veteran escorts in the convoy had reservations about this, but out of respect for his status, they eventually agreed.

After all, although this was not the usual practice, it was a route they had traveled several times before, and the escort agency's reputation was well-established, making it unlikely for any major problems to arise.

Li Cunxiao was rather supportive of this. Firstly, he couldn't object, and secondly, when escorting missions, there were many eyes and ears. He couldn't eat Demon Meat freely, and the efficiency of accumulating Malevolent Qi was more than halved compared to normal. Being able to return sooner was naturally a good thing.

Everyone then quickened their pace, and in the afternoon, they passed the village originally planned for their rest, accelerating towards the next stop.

"Anping Station is just ahead. Once we reach here, we will only need half a day tomorrow to reach our destination, and we can start our return journey in the afternoon."

As dusk approached, Qian Laosan spotted the station's sign from afar and turned to explain to Li Cunxiao.

The other escorts in the convoy also unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the station.

After a day of rushing, everyone wanted to rest as soon as possible.

Shen He rode his horse, and it was a fine steed. Forty-odd li was nothing to him.

While everyone else was exhausted, he and his horse were still full of energy.

Shen He, as usual, rode ahead. However, when he was about a hundred paces from the station, he squinted his eyes, as if he had seen something.

And when they were still fifty paces from the station, the inn's attendant noticed the convoy and eagerly came forward.

"Esteemed guest..."

"Stop," the veteran escort in the convoy said, his expression turning serious as he also noticed something amiss.

"Where is your proprietress? Have her come out."

The attendant, hearing this, didn't notice anything unusual and just smiled, rubbing his hands. "She's busy in the kitchen right now."

"Please, guests, follow me quickly. The hot water is ready. Come in quickly and wash off the dust."

Hearing this, some of the younger escorts in the convoy showed signs of eagerness, but Li Cunxiao only looked at the leading veteran escorts.

"Escort Leader, something's not right."

The veteran escort leaned closer to Shen He and whispered, "We've been to this station several times. The owner, Baldy Lai, is a widower. Where would he get a proprietress?"

"Moreover, I don't recognize this attendant at all. I fear..."

Another escort stepped forward. "Escort Leader, as the saying goes when escorting missions, 'Never stay where you aren't welcome, and never leave what you shouldn't.'"

"The origins of these people are unknown, and we don't know how many there are or their strength. Rather than stepping into a trap, it's better to turn back."

"I just saw an abandoned village nearby. It's convenient for getting water, and we have enough people to take turns keeping watch. We can get through the night safely."

The saying 'two not leaving' means the blade never leaves the body, and the escort never leaves the person. 'Three not staying' means not staying in newly opened inns, not staying in inns that have changed owners, and not staying in inns run by prostitutes.

Newly opened inns are places where the wickedness of human hearts cannot be fully understood, and inns run by prostitutes involve entanglement between men and women. If one is tricked and loses their escort mission, the escorts dare not take risks lightly.

As for inns that have changed owners, it's possible that robbers who killed for goods have disguised themselves and opened a den of thieves, which is the same reason as not staying in newly opened inns.

This very station is an inn that has changed owners.

"What you all have said are words of experience."

Shen He's initial words brought everyone a sigh of relief, but then the tone shifted:

"However, looking at the map, there are no major cities around this station, so naturally, there are no prominent powers."

"What kind of threat can a few stray petty thieves pose?"

The old escort immediately became anxious, his words laced with sarcasm:

"Escort Leader, you are peerless in martial arts, but the strength of us brothers is not even a fraction of yours."

You are in the Muscle Realm, so of course you are not afraid, but are we at the same level of strength as you?

The brothers all have families to support. If their fathers or husbands die, can you, a young master from the Inner City, bring them back to life?

Li Cunxiao felt a sense of foreboding as a division arose before any enemies had even appeared.

Fortunately, Shen He didn't let him worry.

Seeing the reluctance of the old escorts, he didn't force them, merely smiled:

"Brothers, you must be tired from the journey today. Please wait while I clean up your lodgings. I'll be back shortly."

With that, he gently squeezed his thighs around the horse's belly. The white steed whinnied and shot forward like the wind, startling the inn's attendant, whose eyes gleamed fiercely. He drew a short knife from his waist and opened his mouth to shout.

But the opponent's speed was too great. In the blink of an eye, only a cold glint remained. The next moment, the world spun.

A head rolled, and blood traced a winding path before stopping in front of the escort cart.

Everyone was stunned at first, then shocked. Some of the younger escorts were still shouting about the Escort Leader's might, while the older escorts had already grabbed their swords and shields and were urging the horses forward quickly.

As Li Cunxiao passed the head, he only glanced at it, his heart tightening.

Human bones are far harder than most people imagine. Executioners who behead with a single stroke on television are, in reality, all highly skilled decapitation masters.

To behead someone with a single stroke requires not only precise angle of the blade but also sufficient force.

And the severed surface of that attendant's head, though not perfectly smooth, had separated from the body in an instant. It was clear that the force of Shen He's casual strike had reached a terrifying level.

The group approached the inn with heightened spirits, but the expected attack did not come. Instead, screams echoed from all sides.

The wails were so loud and piercing, as if their owners were undergoing a brutal slaughter—

And indeed, that was the case.

When the escort agency members entered the inn, they saw scattered corpses. On the wall in front of the inn, there were two or three more bodies, holding bows and arrows, their chests and abdomens pierced by swords.

Shen He stood with his back to the group. On the ground before him was a woman dressed as a young lady. She struggled, her voice a mix of threat and plea:

"I... I am from Iron Horn Mountain. You can't kill me."

"Iron Horn Mountain?"

Shen He tilted his head and thought for a moment, then realized with a chuckle, "So you're one of the bandit king's men. Hahahaha, eight bandits dare to call themselves kings? Eight Kings Bandits? What did your leader send you out for? To open a brothel?"

He used his sword to cut open the woman's clothes, revealing her exposed skin.

The young lady, having lost many brothers, felt both hatred and fear. But seeing a glimmer of hope for survival, she forced a smile:

"If you don't mind, I can warm your bed."

Shen He seemed tempted for a moment, but upon closer inspection, he immediately lost interest. He thrust his sword forward, silencing the young lady's surprised gasp.

Wiping the blood from his sword with her clothes with a look of disdain, he said:

"Forget it, you're not worthy."

"Brothers," Shen He turned to face the group, his smile now carrying a hint of post-release satisfaction, as if even his sincerity had increased, "The lodgings have been cleaned up. Please, come in?"

The group was stunned for more than ten breaths. It wasn't until the old escorts stepped forward that they snapped back to reality and began praising Shen He's valor.

Li Cunxiao, mingling with the crowd, looked at the dozen or so corpses and then at Shen He, who was enjoying the praise, his white robes unstained. His heart was filled with both shock and eagerness.

Among the corpses on the ground, many had blood sprayed far and their muscles bulging, clearly having been in a state of Blood Essence outburst. Their strength was at least at the Great Accomplishment of the Blood Qi Realm.

Yet Shen He had easily killed them one by one, without even a trace of resistance.

Was the gap in strength between the Muscle Realm and the Blood Qi Realm truly this vast?

This shock did not dissipate even at night. It was the same for Li Cunxiao and everyone else.

Therefore, when Shen He proposed a martial arts competition to liven things up during the night, the old escorts, though feeling it was inappropriate, could only acquiesce.

In the inn's courtyard, the corpses had already been disposed of.

The bonfire emanated warmth, and figures flickered in the dancing light. Some shouted encouragement, while others placed bets.

After several rounds, those who won silver were overjoyed, while those who lost left in anger.

Shen He sat by the bonfire, and at some point, he had started drinking. He spotted Li Cunxiao hiding in the crowd from afar and felt a surge of interest.

"Li Sanlang, you haven't competed yet, have you? Come forward!"

The surrounding escorts immediately started to jeer. Among the younger ones, one even showed a hint of malice, approaching with a provocative smile.

Not everyone was convinced by Li Cunxiao, who had fortunately received the Chief Escort's teachings.

Li Cunxiao looked at everything before him and secretly frowned.

According to custom, they did not drink alcohol during escort missions, fearing it could lead to mistakes when intoxicated.

Escorts typically did not set stakes when competing; it was merely for warming up and playing.

But Shen He, only concerned with his own enjoyment, had offered stakes of five or ten taels of silver, which was almost equivalent to an escort's monthly salary. With such stakes, some people couldn't hold back, not only getting heated but also wasting their strength.

His thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. Just as Li Cunxiao was about to speak, a whistling sound suddenly came from near the courtyard wall, followed by a scream.

"It's demons!"