Journeying

At the border between Duke Kading's Territory and Duke Darut's Territory.

A caravan gradually approached. It was an ordinary small caravan that traveled between the two ducal territories, earning a certain profit from the difference in prices of their local specialties.

However, this caravan was a little different today.

At the rear of the caravan was a handsome man with long black hair hanging loose over his shoulders. He wore a dark blue warrior's outfit, but his feet were bare.

On anyone else, this would probably have given off a sloppy, dissolute impression.

Yet on him, it only conveyed an air of carefree elegance.

Of course, passing travelers showed no strange reactions. After all, around Duke Darut's Territory, renowned for producing warriors, powerful warriors cultivating in the wilderness often dressed even more strangely.

Moreover, judging by the wary glances and expressions the caravan members occasionally cast his way, he was most likely a powerful warrior as well.

Jie Ning felt the solid sensation of his feet stepping on the earth, and joy stirred in his heart. Everyone's path of cultivation is different. I've tried cultivating the way Linley did, but I haven't sensed the pulse of the earth. Still, it hasn't been completely fruitless. My feeling of merging with the earth is becoming clearer and clearer.

This should count as gaining some insight into the Earth-walking Technique, right?

Three months earlier, the day before his departure, Jie Ning looked at his Uncle Maki and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. After all, seeing a "panda" in a foreign land still made him feel rather close to home.

Maki noticed Jie Ning's barely concealed smile. With two black eyes that had only just begun to fade, he said irritably, "If you want to laugh, then laugh. After all these years, I never expected Melinda's temper to still be so explosive. Hiss..."

As he spoke, Maki sucked in another sharp breath.

Jie Ning did not kick him while he was down. He shifted his gaze away from Maki's face and said faintly, "Uncle Maki, I should remind you that we're currently in Mother's favorite garden."

At those words, Maki instinctively looked around. Only after confirming that Melinda was nowhere in sight did he let out a sigh of relief.

"Don't go scaring people like that, brat."

Watching Maki's nervous appearance, Jie Ning shook his head helplessly.

Who could blame him? His mother could be considered the strongest person in their family at present.

The strongest combatants in his family and his uncle's family were two Level 9 Warriors. One was Jie Ning's grandfather, who had gone traveling in search of an opportunity to break through into the Saint Realm after passing his title on to Jie Ning's father, Chris.

The other was Jie Ning's mother—Ms. Melinda.

As for the unfortunate Baron Chris and Lord Maki, who had yet to inherit his title, they were only Level 8 Warriors even now.

Ever since childhood, Maki had practically grown up under the shadow of his younger sister. It was said that Ms. Melinda had possessed an even fiercer temper before marriage.

Sometimes, Jie Ning even suspected that if she had not given birth to him and his younger brother Haba, Ms. Melinda might have attempted to become a Saint Realm expert in recent years.

"Ahem, Jie Ning, what do you think about setting off for Duke Kading's Territory tomorrow?" Maki clearly sensed the pity in his nephew's gaze and asked as though he had noticed nothing.

This was already Maki's fourth day at Baron Chris's estate.

As for why he had not left yet, perhaps it had something to do with his distinctive eye makeup over the past few days.

Jie Ning had no objection. "I don't have a problem with that, but..."

"Then I'll have Kadiqi pack our luggage right away. We'll leave tomorrow." Maki abruptly interrupted, looking impatient to leave. My dear Melinda, goodbye! Hahaha!

Jie Ning hurriedly grabbed Maki's arm as he tried to slip away, then added helplessly, "...Uncle Maki, let's meet up in Kading City instead."

Although Count Lewis had his own territory, he was fond of enjoying himself and spent most of his time in Kading City, the main city of Duke Kading's Territory.

Maki looked at Jie Ning in surprise. "What, you're not coming with me?"

Jie Ning replied casually, "It's rare for me to travel far from home. I want to take the opportunity to train by myself for a while."

Before Maki could say anything, Baron Chris, who had appeared at some point, looked at Jie Ning happily and laughed. "As expected of my son. To become a true warrior, one absolutely cannot do without training."

"Where did you pop out from?" Maki mercilessly mocked Chris, then turned back to Jie Ning. "Are you sure you want to train alone? It may not be what you imagine."

"Traveling there by carriage is much more comfortable than walking there yourself," Maki advised.

"And once you leave the towns and enter the wilderness, it won't be as safe as the cities. The strength of a Level 7 Warrior isn't particularly safe."

Jie Ning said nothing more and began circulating his Battle Qi.

As Maki and Chris sensed Jie Ning's Momentum, their eyes widened in identical fashion.

"Level 8!" Two shocked faces.

Baron Chris looked at his son in delighted surprise. "When did you break through?"

"Just within the past few months. I got lucky and broke through," Jie Ning said modestly.

"You really are a monster, kid. An eighteen-year-old Level 8 Warrior." Maki stared at Jie Ning as though he were some rare curiosity. "Now it seems you really do have a great chance of becoming a powerful Saint Domain Warrior."

"I told you long ago that Jie Ning would definitely become a Saint Domain Warrior in the future." Chris showed off to Maki.

Maki rolled his eyes.

Ignoring the antics of his two elders, Jie Ning said seriously, "I believe that as long as I'm careful on the road, there won't be any problems."

Maki still wanted to say something, but Melinda walked over just then.

"Fine. Then meet your uncle in Kading City." Melinda settled the matter the moment she arrived.

Seeing Melinda speak, Maki promptly shut his mouth.

And so, after agreeing with Maki on a time to meet in Kading City and bidding farewell to his parents, Jie Ning set out on his journey.

Since he was unfamiliar with the route, Jie Ning found a caravan that traveled between the two ducal territories and successfully joined it as a guard.

Along the way, Jie Ning also dealt with some trouble for the caravan. After all, bandits were still rather rampant on the trade roads outside the cities.

Over the past few months, aside from the time he spent cultivating Battle Qi, Jie Ning had followed Linley's method and walked barefoot the entire way, hoping to grasp some of the mysteries of the earth.

Perhaps because he had never come into contact with magic, Jie Ning had felt nothing throughout the journey. Only his Battle Qi level had steadily broken through to Level 9.

Until this morning, when Jie Ning suddenly gained a faint feeling for the earth.

I seem to feel that I should be even closer to the earth.

Recalling that morning's sensation, Jie Ning continued following at the rear of the caravan barefoot as always. Every step he took seemed slow and leisurely, yet he maintained a fixed distance from the caravan.

Suddenly, an arrow shot swiftly toward Jie Ning from the forest on the left side of the road.

This arrow was unexpectedly fast. In the urgent moment, Jie Ning only had time to rapidly unleash his Battle Qi. His powerful Battle Qi caused the arrow's speed to plummet.

Jie Ning caught the arrow in one hand, then flicked his wrist and hurled it back along its original path.

In an instant, the arrow flew back along the trajectory it had come from.

"Hmph..." A muffled groan came from the forest.

The archer in brown clothing clutched his right ear. Jie Ning's arrow had separated his ear from his body.

However, relying on his excellent instincts, the archer only let out that muffled groan at the moment of injury before immediately changing positions.

After throwing the arrow, Jie Ning drew the heavy sword from his back and charged into the forest.

However, when Jie Ning reached the spot from which the arrow had been fired, there were only a few bloodstains on the ground and an ear lying not far away.

Jie Ning watched his surroundings warily.

Suddenly, another arrow shot toward Jie Ning from his right, aimed directly at his temple. Prepared in advance, Jie Ning swung his hand and cleaved the arrow in two.

The archer hid in the distant shade of the trees. After seeing that he had failed again, he hurriedly changed positions once more.

Jie Ning charged toward the arrow's direction again. An afterimage even appeared where he had stood for an instant, but he still failed to catch his opponent.

"Whoosh—" Arrow after arrow shot out from the forest.

Jie Ning dodged each one.

Jie Ning's mind was utterly focused. Suddenly, he seemed to sense something.

The earth is telling me that he's over there...

The next instant, Jie Ning appeared behind the archer as though he had teleported. Amid the man's terrified expression, he brought his sword down.

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