The Hidden One

"Grandfather, someone outside is watching us."

A clear, graceful voice sounded within the carriage. It belonged to a young woman dressed in plain clothes, her eyes sly and lively, her bearing brimming with absolute confidence.

And seated opposite her was none other than Zong Wencheng, a retainer of the Special Capture Division in Jiujiang Commandery!

Zong Wencheng was sitting cross-legged in meditation. He slowly opened his eyes. "Ignore him. Zong Lin, where have we reached?"

"We have entered Changdu territory. We have not yet covered half the journey."

The blazing sun hung high overhead; it was noon already, yet they had not even completed half the journey.

They certainly would not reach Changgan County before nightfall. This was hardly good news, yet Retainer Zong showed no sign of anxiety. Instead, he nodded in satisfaction.

Zong Wencheng stroked his long beard and said slowly, "Zong Lin, although your talent is exceptional and you are the most gifted Spirit Master in the clan, you must not slack off."

Zong Lin possessed extraordinary talent. At such a young age, her strength had already surpassed that of many younger members of the Zong Family. Even some of the elders in the family were no match for her now, and the entire clan had placed great hopes upon her.

That was why Zong Wencheng had brought Zong Lin along on this journey. It was always good for young people to gain more experience.

"Continue meditating and tempering your spiritual power. No slacking off!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the woman named Zong Lin pulled a bitter face and said awkwardly,

"I've already practiced for half the day..."

Zong Wencheng glared. Zong Lin did not dare say another word and could only close her eyes in a huff, resuming her meditation and tempering her spiritual power.

Two extremely powerful Spirit Masters were hiding inside the carriage without revealing their identities. That was clearly abnormal, yet not a single martial artist escorting the convoy knew about it.

Zong Wencheng and Zong Lin spoke within the carriage, but those outside did not hear the slightest sound. That was because a Silence Talisman had been affixed inside.

This was also one of a Spirit Master's methods—they could create all kinds of talismans.

Because of the Silence Talisman, even though the people in the carriage were not speaking quietly, not a trace of sound escaped outside.

Li Yuan cast the carriage a puzzled glance. It was far too quiet.

His five senses were keen, yet he had not heard the slightest movement from either of the two carriages, as though everyone inside had fallen asleep.

But what sort of person would sleep for so long? It was already noon.

Seriously injured and unconscious?

Gravely ill and bedridden, paralyzed?

But did people like that truly need to travel all the way to Changgan County?

Though Li Yuan's heart was full of doubts, no one could answer them for him, so he could only suppress them.

He chewed through his dry rations in large bites, then drank several mouthfuls of water to wash them down. Lunch was settled.

After resting for about a quarter of an hour, everyone rose one after another and continued onward.

The horses pulling the carriages had also eaten and drunk their fill. They once more dragged the heavy carriages forward, but no matter how fiercely the convoy stewards whipped them, their speed simply would not increase.

To reach Changgan County, they still had to pass through Changdu County. The convoy was currently within Changdu territory, where mountains were plentiful and the terrain rugged.

Even on the official road, the carriages could not move quickly. Climbing the slopes was painfully difficult.

If a wheel sank into a rut, the martial artists had to help push the carriage back out.

After entering Changdu territory, the convoy's pace had not increased—it had slowed considerably instead.

Wu Si'an had just gone to push a carriage. A faint sheen of sweat appeared on his brow, and there was a touch more irritation in his voice.

"At this rate, we'll never reach Changgan County before dark."

Li Yuan, walking beside him, nodded. It was not only him—many people had noticed the problem.

Wu Si'an took a deep breath. "Li Yuan, be prepared."

"If we haven't entered the city by nightfall, we may have to fight the Evil Creatures in these wild mountains."

Night in this world was no joke. It was like a hundred ghosts roaming the night, and Li Yuan had experienced this world's darkness before. It had been a near-death ordeal.

"Understood."

Li Yuan nodded gravely.

Wu Si'an continued with a few more instructions. "Watch your stamina. Don't leave yourself without strength when the time comes."

More and more people noticed the problem. No one was in the mood to chat anymore, and the convoy's atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive, as though a stone weighed upon every heart.

Yan Nian, at the True Qi Realm, was the strongest martial artist among the escorts. Someone approached him and suggested that this great expert have the convoy find a nearby town to settle down and rest.

If the strongest martial artist agreed, then the matter would be easy to handle.

But Yan Nian's face was as still as an ancient well, and he directly rejected the suggestion.

The person who had proposed it refused to give up and went to find the convoy steward, repeating the same words. Yet the steward also refused to stop, merely urging the martial artists to hurry onward.

Neither path led anywhere. Though they were unwilling, they could only retreat helplessly.

Time passed second by second. The red sun slanted westward, and only a smear of afterglow remained on the horizon.

Night was almost upon them.

They were still more than a hundred li from Changgan County. The two stewards were growing anxious as well, but even whipping the horses' rumps until they blossomed would not help.

It was already too late.

At last, everyone watched helplessly as the last streak of afterglow on the horizon gradually vanished and darkness slowly swallowed the land.

The martial artists' hearts sank. It was coming.

A faint breeze drifted past, carrying a trace of icy chill that made their hearts tighten involuntarily.

"Everyone, stay alert and watch the surroundings. Report anything unusual to me at once."

Yan Nian shouted loudly. The martial artists heightened their vigilance to the utmost, watching every rustle of wind and blade of grass around them.

The night deepened. Even the chirping of insects and calls of birds had vanished. A trace of deathly stillness hung over the surroundings; only the clattering rumble of wheels rolling over the ground could be heard.

Whenever a mountain wind passed, the swaying leaves in the forest rustled, instantly drawing the martial artists' nerves taut. It seemed as though terrifying Evil Creatures might burst from the dense woods at any moment!

Everyone's nerves had been stretched to their limit!

As the night grew darker, the road became difficult to see. To keep carriages from plunging off the mountain cliffs, the convoy lit torches. Two torches were fixed atop every carriage, their bright flames illuminating the road ahead.

Yet this long string of firelight was especially conspicuous in the darkness. Even from ten li away, it could be seen clearly.

If something deadly in these vast mountain wilds truly intended to attack the convoy, they were simply living targets.

What a dangerous and awkward predicament!

Li Yuan cursed every relative of the convoy steward in his heart, but there was nothing he could do. He could only guard the surroundings even more carefully, ready to respond at any moment.

A martial artist near the outer edge of the convoy cautiously swept his gaze over the nearby woods. Finding nothing unusual, he let out a slight breath of relief.

Just as he prepared to move closer to the center of the convoy for a little more security, disaster struck!

A pitch-black figure leaped from the nearby grass and lunged at him.

"Zombie!"

The nearby martial artists cried out in alarm.