Arriving at Kading City

Back at the caravan, it had also been attacked by some bandits, and the guards were struggling to hold them off.

Clearly, targeting Jie Ning was a diversion, but they underestimated his strength.

Jie Ning didn't hesitate and instantly joined the fray.

Fortunately, aside from the archer who had attacked him earlier—a seventh-rank fighter—the strongest of the remaining bandits were only ordinary fifth-rank warriors.

Like slicing through melons and vegetables, except for a few thieves who sensed trouble and fled early, the rest became corpses lying on the ground.

Jie Ning stood in the center of a pile of bodies, his eyes slightly vacant, clearly lost in thought.

The caravan leader didn't dare disturb him and directed everyone to rest on the spot while cleaning up the battlefield.

After a while, Jie Ning snapped out of it.

Only then did the caravan leader cautiously approach and respectfully probe, "Sir, may we set out?"

Jie Ning suppressed the joy in his heart. "Mm, let's continue the journey."

The caravan leader breathed a sigh of relief—every day delayed on the road was a huge loss to him—but he dared not offend a powerful warrior.

The rest of the trip went much smoother, and that day the group arrived smoothly at the border between two dukedoms.

Jie Ning maintained his own pace as he walked. When he killed that archer, for a moment he had merged into the earth, appearing beside the enemy as if by teleportation. But afterward, it felt like something was missing—he still couldn't smoothly achieve that kind of integration again.

Still, with his feet touching the ground, Jie Ning wasn't discouraged. 'I can feel that sensation growing clearer—this feeling of being one with the earth.'

'But it seems what's holding me back isn't a lack of understanding, but rather that my own hardware doesn't support it.'

Realizing that his inability to easily use 'Terrain Teleportation' was due to his own strength, Jie Ning let out a relieved breath.

Knowing the cause meant there was a solution. Based on his current feeling, 'If I reach the Saint Realm, I'll be able to use it without any difficulty.'

'No rush. At my current pace, I should step into the Saint Realm within two years.' Feeling the Battle Qi inside him, Jie Ning was full of confidence.

But he also looked forward even more to becoming a Saint.

"Sir Jie Ning, my father asked me to bring you this meat soup." That night, after the caravan set up camp, a golden-haired girl held a bowl of meat soup, gazing at Jie Ning with admiration.

Jie Ning nodded and reached out to take the soup. "Musha, thank the leader for me." Musha was the daughter of this small caravan's leader.

Seeing Jie Ning's calm expression, Musha blushed, bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, then gathered her courage. "Sir Jie Ning, do you have someone you like?"

Jie Ning looked at Musha's nervous face, shook his head, set down the soup, and tapped her on the head with one finger.

"Mm~" Musha covered her small head.

Jie Ning said helplessly, "How old are you? What are you daydreaming about?"

Musha pouted. "I'm already fifteen. My mother was my age when she had me."

"Sir Jie Ning, just tell me?" She started to act coy, a little shy.

Jie Ning couldn't help but laugh and had to explain, "Little Musha, you'll be disappointed. I'm going to Kading City to meet my fiancée."

Though he hadn't met that count's daughter yet, Jie Ning didn't mind using her to nip a minor's premature romantic notions in the bud.

"Ah, Sir Jie Ning already has a fiancée." Musha's face visibly dimmed.

Watching her dejected retreat, Jie Ning could only sigh at his own overwhelming charm.

Whether on his own territory or out traveling, there were always so many girls smitten with him.

After a moment of reflection, Jie Ning finished his dinner with the meat soup.

The caravan leader, Kane, walked over and apologized, "I'm sorry, Sir Jie Ning. Musha is spoiled by me. Please don't mind her rudeness."

Jie Ning naturally didn't care. He waved a hand. "It's nothing—just a child's innocent thoughts."

"But I do have something I'd like to ask."

Kane said respectfully, "Please ask, sir."

"No need to be so formal. I just want to know how long until we reach Kading City." Jie Ning asked.

Kane relaxed a little but still spoke respectfully. "From our current position, it'll take about another month to reach Kading City."

"A month? That's enough time." Jie Ning had agreed with Maki on six months, and only three had passed.

"Then I'll trouble you. Go ahead with your work."

"I won't disturb your rest, sir."

A month later, the caravan arrived at Kading City.

Jie Ning bid them farewell. "Alright, my task is done. We'll part ways here."

"Yes, sir." Kane replied, then pulled out a pouch of gold coins. "Sir, this is the remaining payment."

Jie Ning took the pouch, weighed it with some surprise, and seeing Kane's nervous expression, understood.

He opened the pouch, counted out a portion, and tossed the pouch back to Kane.

Kane caught it flusteredly. "Sir..."

Jie Ning just smiled indifferently. "What's due is due."

With that, he turned and walked into the city.

The members of the merchant caravan were left standing where they were, exchanging bewildered glances.

A moment later.

"Lord Jie Ning will surely become a truly remarkable figure one day," Kane couldn't help but sigh as he looked at the money pouch in his hand.

Musha wrinkled her nose. "Hmph, Lord Jie Ning is already a remarkable figure."

Meanwhile, the remarkable figure everyone was talking about, Jie Ning, had just entered the city when he suddenly found himself at a loss.

He had arrived in Kading City two months early, and his uncle was probably still on the road. What was he supposed to do with these two extra months?

"Hm?" Just as Jie Ning was hesitating, he suddenly sensed someone approaching from behind.

Thinking it might be a pickpocket, he turned around—only to find a familiar face before him.

"Uncle Maki?" Jie Ning looked at Maki in surprise. How had he also arrived in Kading City two months early?

"Why are you in Kading City?"

A hint of smugness tugged at the corner of Maki's mouth. "I've been to Kading City more times than I can count. Since you chose to travel with the caravan, and there are only so many routes they take, it wasn't hard to guess roughly when you'd arrive."

Jie Ning's expression cleared in understanding.

"I just had to time it right and come over," Maki said, clearly enjoying showing off a little in front of his talented nephew. "I specifically had someone keep watch at the city gate. The moment you and the caravan stopped there, someone had already notified me of your arrival."

"Come on, let's find a place to get you cleaned up properly." With that, Maki cast a somewhat disdainful glance at Jie Ning's rather disheveled attire.

"Alright." Jie Ning nodded obediently. He knew full well that his current appearance was a bit unkempt.

"Count Lewis has been quite curious about you. He told me long ago that once you arrived, I should bring you to meet him."

"As it happens, I invited the Count to dinner tonight. You'll come along too."

"Alright, Uncle."

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