After lunch, the group set out, all heading south. Linghu Chong suggested they travel together for the time being. Yue Lingshan had changed into Heroine Attire and was afraid riding would dirty it, so she stayed inside the carriage with Xiaoxiao and Ping'er. Jiang Hao sat outside as the driver.
Linghu Chong rode beside the carriage, and the two chatted on and off. "Brother Linghu, what do you plan to do after leaving the martial world?"
"I have no plans. First, I'll find a secluded place to settle down and live a peaceful life. As for the future, who knows?" Linghu Chong said quietly.
"Don't you think it's a pity to leave the martial world?"
"The martial world is full of bloodshed, schemes, and deceit. One careless step, and you might remain frozen in that moment forever. What meaning is there in all that fighting? I only want to leave now, live properly as an ordinary man. I've wandered the martial world, and I'll have no regrets leaving it behind," Linghu Chong said.
Yue Buqun's affairs had dealt Linghu Chong quite a blow, making him feel as though he had seen through the ways of the world.
After the carriage had traveled several dozen li, Jiang Hao's expression shifted. He looked toward a tree several dozen meters ahead by the roadside. Someone was hiding there. Before he could do anything, the person jumped down and waved hard in their direction.
"Hey, Senior Disciple Brother, it's me!"
Joy appeared on Linghu Chong's face. "It's my junior brother, Lu Dayou."
Once they met, Linghu Chong asked, "Where are the others?"
"They're resting nearby. They had me wait by the road because they were afraid we'd miss you," Lu Dayou said with a smile.
Before long, the Hua Shan Disciples arrived and gathered