Having left Black Mountain City's territory, the official road gradually widened. Bluestone slabs paved its surface, and the tracks of carts and horses grew more numerous. Li Yuan continued at an unhurried pace. Inside him, the dark crimson gold Crimson Sun revolved slowly. With every step, his qi and blood stirred faintly, subtly tempering his muscles, bones, and skin according to the methods of the Crimson Sun True Scripture.
Up ahead was a fork in the road. One branch was the main road to Tianfeng Prefecture; the other veered southwest, and was said to lead to several towns rich in medicinal herbs and ore. A simple tea shed stood by the fork, with a few battered tables. Two or three passersby who looked like traveling merchants were resting and drinking tea.
Li Yuan had intended to walk straight past, but his gaze paused briefly on the corner of the tea shed.
A man sat there by himself. He wore a silk outfit suited for action, and a conspicuous jade-green ring adorned one finger. He looked completely out of place in the shabby tea shed. He sipped his tea leisurely, but his eyes were as cold as a viper's, occasionally sweeping over the official road and lingering especially on lone martial artists.
Li Yuan's appearance immediately caught his attention. That viper-like gaze swept over Li Yuan's youthful face, steady stride, and the martial arts school's short uniform, unable to conceal his robust air. The man's lips curled in an almost imperceptible sneer.
Li Yuan had no desire for trouble and headed straight for the main road.
"Hold on, young brother."
A cold voice sounded from behind him. The silk-clad man had somehow already risen and was blocking the way to the main road. Two more men emerged from the shadows of