Setting Out

The reward was not high, and the Points offered were not many either, but the task's saving grace was its simplicity.

Lu Qingshan had not come to the Monster Hunter Alliance to accept missions for the sake of earning rewards.

After killing Cry Soul True Person and seizing those two Storage Rings, Lu Qingshan's current wealth was roughly equal to the entire assets of a small cultivator Lineage.

The reason he had registered as a monster hunter was merely to find companions who could take him to Zhenjiang City.

Yes, Lu Qingshan was preparing to leave Yuanshan City.

Yuanshan City was, after all, merely a beginner village. To him, it was simply too small.

Besides, he had already reaped more than enough benefits from Yuanshan City.

If he did not leave now, then when would he?

He could not possibly become the Sword God of Ten Mile Slope, grinding in a beginner village until he reached max level before venturing out, could he?

His next destination was—Zhenjiang City.

That was right, the prefectural city of Zhenjiang Prefecture that would suffer the calamity of a citywide massacre five months from now.

However, the problem before Lu Qingshan was that Yuanshan City did not have a teleportation array.

Not only were teleportation arrays extremely costly to construct, but the spirit stones consumed by a single use were also beyond what ordinary cultivators could bear.

Therefore, human cities at the commandery-city level did not establish teleportation arrays.

—If a teleportation array were built in a commandery city, it might not be used more than a few times throughout the entire year. It had no practical value at all.

Yuanshan City and Zhenjiang City were separated by a full thousand li.

Getting to Zhenjiang City was naturally not as simple as shutting his eyes and walking straight out of the city.

Players had a world map to consult, could know their current coordinates at any moment, and could revive endlessly. Naturally, they could charge forward without fear.

Lu Qingshan did not have any of those supporting functions now, and he only had one life. He needed to be cautious about everything.

If he were a Foundation Establishment cultivator, things would be easier. He would not need to worry about the terrain and could simply ride his sword in a straight line to Zhenjiang City.

If someone could still get lost while traveling in a straight line, then there was nothing Lu Qingshan could do about it.

But he was only a Qi Refining cultivator now. He still had to rely on his own two legs to travel.

If he set out rashly, leaving aside the possibility of losing his way amid complicated terrain, even accidents along the road alone could cost him his life.

Thus, he needed to find a cultivator team or merchant caravan that was extremely familiar with the route between the two cities and follow them to Zhenjiang City.

At the very least, they could look after one another, and he would not suffer the awkward fate of accidentally walking straight into a demon beast den.

Lu Qingshan toyed with the mission Jade Slip in his hand for a while before finally deciding. "I'll take this mission."

"Alright, I'll register you right away. This mission is quite sought-after, and you happen to be the last available slot." The female cultivator receptionist lowered her head to record it, then looked up and reminded him, "The schedule is rather urgent. You must gather at the east city gate at noon tomorrow. Be sure not to be late."

Lu Qingshan nodded to show that he understood.

They would be setting off tomorrow afternoon?

The timing really was quite urgent.

Before leaving Yuanshan City, he still had some matters to attend to and some things to prepare.

After leaving the Monster Hunter Alliance, Lu Qingshan swiftly disappeared into the crowd.

When Lu Qingshan returned to the inn—

Great King West Rat was in the room, looking dazed and groggy, as if he had not woken up yet.

Ever since eating two Blood Spirit Beads, Great King West Rat had remained in this state.

Lu Qingshan knew that this was because the Blood Spirit Beads' effect of strengthening bloodline power had been triggered again.

—Great King West Rat's bloodline talent was far higher than he had imagined.

"I'm preparing to leave Yuanshan City," Lu Qingshan said bluntly to Great King West Rat.

"Where are you going?" Great King West Rat jolted awake and hurriedly asked.

"Zhenjiang City."

"Where's that?" A trace of confusion flashed through Great King West Rat's rat eyes.

"It's the prefectural city of Zhenjiang Prefecture, a very distant place, a thousand li away from Yuanshan City," Lu Qingshan explained.

"The prefectural city of Zhenjiang Prefecture." Great King West Rat's rat eyes lit up. "I want to go with you too. You can't leave me behind!"

"Are you sure you want to come with me? If you come with me, it may be very dangerous." Lu Qingshan was not trying to scare Great King West Rat.

What he intended to do in Zhenjiang City was indeed highly dangerous.

"Anyway, this rat wants to follow you. Lu Qingshan, you can't just abandon me like this! This rat fought alongside you to kill a Foundation Establishment cultivator. We're comrades who have faced life and death together!" Great King West Rat looked at Lu Qingshan with a face full of resentment, as though Lu Qingshan were some scoundrel about to abandon his wife and children.

Lu Qingshan looked at Great King West Rat with a half-smile. "That's true. In that case, you can set off with me when the time comes."

Seeing Lu Qingshan agree to let him travel alongside him, a trace of slyness flashed through Great King West Rat's perpetually muddled rat eyes.

Do you really think this Rat King is stupid? What kind of person are you, Lu Qingshan? I may not have understood before, but how could I still not understand now?

Would you really let yourself fall into danger?

And you're a Qi Refining cultivator who not only slew a Foundation Establishment True Person with a single sword, but could also speak calmly and eloquently before those two terrifying cultivators without changing expression.

What Qi Refining cultivator could be like you?

I may not know your background, but you're undoubtedly a thick thigh worth clinging to. Of course I need to hold on tight. Even if I can only rub off a few leg hairs, it'll still be good.

Besides, you have so many Blood Spirit Beads in your hands. If I don't find a way to get some, it'll torment my heart!

Great King West Rat felt smug inside.

Lu Qingshan naturally saw through Great King West Rat's little schemes.

The reason he did not expose him and simply let Great King West Rat perform was because Lu Qingshan had his eye on Great King West Rat as well.

Not only had he awakened Ghostly Stealth, but judging by this situation, if he consumed a few more Blood Spirit Beads, the Phantom Rat Bloodline within him would likely advance.

He was undoubtedly a promising prospect, and he was simple-minded too—very easy to fool.

Wasn't that exactly it? Lu Qingshan had sweet-talked him into going to Zhenjiang City, a tiger's den and wolf's lair, yet Great King West Rat still looked as though he had struck it rich.

Wasn't he the textbook example of helping count the money after being sold?

The next day.

After winding through several turns, Lu Qingshan arrived near Yuanshan City's east gate.

More than a dozen large carts were parked there, with quite a few people gathered around them.

There were cultivators from the Lin Family, as well as monster hunters who had accepted the Monster Hunter Alliance mission.

"You must be Lu Qingshan." A dark-faced middle-aged male cultivator came forward.

Lu Qingshan nodded and handed over the Spirit Seal representing his monster hunter identity.

The middle-aged male cultivator accepted the Spirit Seal. After examining it, he returned it to Lu Qingshan and introduced himself. "My name is Lin He. I'm in charge of this caravan. If you run into any problems along the way, you can come find me. For now, hurry and join the group. We're about to depart."

Lu Qingshan put away the Spirit Seal and blended into the crowd surrounding the caravan.

Elsewhere, atop one of the caravan's carriages.

Lin He stepped forward and spoke softly through the carriage curtain. "Miss, everyone has arrived."

"Then we must not delay any longer. Prepare to depart!" A voice carrying a faint note of seduction drifted out.