Lend a Hand

Chen Luo drove the donkey cart to the entrance of an escort agency. Tiger Might Escort Agency! Its gates were imposing, and even at night, the place remained bustling. Merchants came and went, constantly delivering goods inside, while large chests over two meters wide were piled high throughout the entire courtyard.

The escort agency had been founded by Crippled Ma's senior brother apprentice. Back when Chen Luo had been learning the fist art, Crippled Ma had told him about this senior brother apprentice of his.

When Chen Luo had first planned to come to White Dragon City, he had intended to seek out connections. That was also why he had gone to visit his master, Crippled Ma, before leaving.

Unfortunately, he had failed to meet him. Otherwise, with a letter of introduction in hand, he would not have had to deal with so much trouble.

"Who are you looking for?"

Seeing Chen Luo's donkey cart stop outside, the escort guard at the entrance assumed that he had come to deliver goods for the agency and asked a question.

"Please inform Master Ruan Jianglong that a disciple of an old acquaintance from Qingya County has come to visit."

After getting down from the cart, Chen Luo respectfully bowed to the escort agency disciple at the gate. Then he took out the token Crippled Ma had given him from his sleeve. Without a handwritten note, he could only use this item as a substitute for now. He could only hope that this Senior Martial Uncle of his still acknowledged their connection. Otherwise, things would become troublesome.

Trying to inquire about White Immortal Cave by himself was absolutely the worst possible approach. Although Nineteen Young Master had said that White Immortal Cave's whereabouts could be asked about anywhere, that rested on his status as a noble heir apparent. For an ordinary person to inquire about White Immortal Cave's location was far from simple. It was even possible that no amount of money would buy the answer. The information Chen Luo had purchased in Qingya County had only given him the general location of White Dragon City.

Information always circulated within certain classes while being completely blocked off from those below. The information about White Immortal Cave was no different.

"An old acquaintance from Qingya County?"

The escort guard took the token and gave it a puzzled look. He pocketed it, then said to Chen Luo,

"Go wait in the side hall. That place is meant for receiving guests anyway."

After saying that, he waved his hand. Very quickly, a disciple came over and helped Chen Luo lead away the donkey cart.

Chen Luo was not worried about losing the cart, so he followed the man into Tiger Might Escort Agency. Only after settling him in the Meeting Hall did that disciple hurry toward the backyard with the token in hand. He was presumably going to report to Chief Escort Ruan.

Chen Luo found a place to sit.

Besides him, there were two other guests in the Meeting Hall. Judging from their attire, however, they were genuine guests here to discuss business with Tiger Might Escort Agency. Chen Luo merely swept his gaze across them before no longer paying attention.

His gaze shifted to the rest of the room. Aside from the tables and chairs for receiving guests, there was a large flowerpot in one corner. A lush green plant grew within it. Chen Luo did not recognize the plant, though its leaves looked somewhat like gladiolus. It was probably not one, however. It was likely a prosperity plant unique to this world.

Businesspeople all believed in such things.

Apart from the plant, calligraphy and painting hung in other parts of the room, each bearing the seals of famous artists.

Chen Luo did not know any famous figures from this world, so he did not examine them closely. Yet when his gaze swept across one particular painting, he instinctively paused, because he saw a familiar name.

Wang Chengguan!

Chen Luo remembered that name with exceptional clarity.

When Qingya County had suffered the Calamity of War, many places had been burned to ruin, yet one residence had remained completely unharmed. Chen Luo had inspected it at the time and seen a piece of calligraphy on the desk. The name of its writer had been Wang Chengguan.

"Young brother, have you heard of Immortal Master Wang's reputation as well?"

The merchant sitting beside Chen Luo asked curiously when he saw this.

From the moment Chen Luo had entered, Shen Jiu had been observing him. Now that he saw Chen Luo notice the same calligraphy and painting as he had, he immediately felt as though he had found a kindred spirit.

"Immortal Master Wang?"

Chen Luo was also stunned. He had not expected Wang Chengguan to have such a background.

But before he could ask further, the escort guard who had delivered the token returned. Upon seeing him, the guard immediately said,

"The Chief Escort requests that you come in."

After saying this, the escort guard also apologized to Boss Shen and the other merchant.

"Please wait a moment, you two. I have already reported your requested escort guards to the Chief Escort. They should be on their way here now."

These two were both old clients of Tiger Might Escort Agency. Since they had specifically requested certain escort guards, they had remained here waiting.

"No hurry, no hurry."

The two men quickly rose to their feet as well and returned the escort guard's salute.

A large escort agency capable of establishing itself in the Prefecture City naturally represented vast connections behind the scenes. Though they had money, they understood the interests involved and did not dare put on airs in the slightest.

Chen Luo followed the escort guard leading the way through the Meeting Hall and into the backyard.

Tiger Might Escort Agency was indeed quite large.

After leaving the Meeting Hall, they passed through another two courtyards before reaching the place where the Chief Escort lived. Once there, the escort guard leading the way politely excused himself and turned to leave.

Chen Luo looked through the courtyard gate and saw that two people were seated inside.

One was a burly bald strongman, his muscles exposed all over his body. His black short shirt could not conceal the savage aura emanating from him. Merely sitting there, he resembled a fierce tiger hunting for prey, giving off a vicious feeling. As for the other person, he was actually Chen Luo's master, Crippled Ma!

"Master?!"

Chen Luo froze as well.

He had not expected Crippled Ma to be here. No wonder he had failed to find him when he had gone to visit earlier.

"Haha, you came at just the right time. Let me introduce you."

Seeing Chen Luo's shocked expression, Crippled Ma could not help bursting into laughter.

He had not expected to encounter Chen Luo here either. This disciple whom he had taught for only half a month had left an especially deep impression on him. There was a high chance that Chen Luo had influenced his decision to leave the mountains this time as well.

"This is your Senior Martial Uncle, Ruan Jianglong, the Chief Escort of Tiger Might Escort Agency. He is also the senior disciple brother of our Black Tiger Fist lineage, a Grandmaster who cultivated Black Tiger Fist to great mastery." Pride appeared on Crippled Ma's face as he spoke.

For a fist art to produce a peak-level expert worthy of guarding the mountain was indeed something to take pride in.

In truth, when he had come here and seen Ruan Jianglong this time, he himself had been greatly startled.

Before this, he had never even heard of a Grandmaster-level expert. No one from the Black Tiger Sect had ever managed to cultivate martial arts to such a level.

Black Tiger Fist at great mastery was at most comparable to the Early Bone Forging Stage.

Yet Senior Disciple Brother had forcibly relied on this single fist art to cultivate all the way to the Grandmaster level. It had truly opened Crippled Ma's eyes and let him formally learn of the realms beyond the Bone Forging Realm. Still, Crippled Ma knew that Senior Disciple Brother Ruan Jianglong must have had his own fortuitous encounters. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to cultivate Black Tiger Fist to such a degree.

Having risen to this point from the same school, he had already pulled far ahead of the other disciples.

But everyone had their own story. In his youth, Crippled Ma had once been an expert in his own right and had reached the Bone Forging Realm long ago. Had he not encountered misfortune, he might have become a Grandmaster by now as well.

"Greetings, Senior Martial Uncle Ruan."

Chen Luo respectfully gave Ruan Jianglong the salute of a junior.

"So this is the genius you spoke of? He does not seem like much."

Ruan Jianglong sized Chen Luo up from head to toe, his eyes full of doubt. Just like Crippled Ma when he had first met Chen Luo, he could see at a glance that Chen Luo's aptitude was poor. He would believe it if someone called such a person trash, but if they called him a genius, he would be the first to disbelieve it.

"My disciple is different. Back then, even I misjudged him." Crippled Ma naturally knew what his senior fellow disciple was thinking and offered a reminder.

"Whether he is truly a genius can be determined with one test. Come, lend a hand."

Ruan Jianglong still did not quite believe it, so he extended a hand, intending to gauge Chen Luo's true weight.