On the Road

A few days after taking up his appointment at Renhetang, Lu Chuan received a message from Zhao Xuanhe.

He didn't dare delay and hurried over to Renhetang.

When he entered, Zhao Xuanhe had already been waiting for him for a while. Seeing him arrive, he smiled and said:

"Finally here, Brother Lu. This time, I need you to go to nearby Qingyang County to procure a batch of medicinal herbs. It's a hundred and eighty li round trip. The other guards are already waiting in the backyard. You should head over too."

Lu Chuan nodded. "Alright."

The two of them crossed the front hall and made their way to the backyard.

Just as they turned a corner in the corridor, they ran into an elderly man dressed in luxurious clothes.

Zhao Xuanhe's expression turned a bit stiff. "Father."

Zhao's Father lifted his eyelids, but his gaze landed on Lu Chuan behind him.

After a brief glance, he said nothing and walked straight toward the front hall.

Lu Chuan was full of confusion. He looked at Zhao Xuanhe, about to say something.

But Zhao Xuanhe spoke first, a smile returning to his face. "Alright, alright, hurry on over. Don't keep them waiting."

Lu Chuan swallowed his words and followed him further into the backyard.

The backyard was quite large, with an empty horse-drawn cart parked there. Five people stood beside it.

At the head was a middle-aged man, a full two meters tall, with broad shoulders and a thick back. Standing there, he looked like half a wall.

Lu Chuan, at over 1.8 meters, suddenly felt short standing next to him.

What caught Lu Chuan's attention even more was that this man wasn't hiding his Qi and Blood fluctuations at all.

That oppressive pressure radiated out without restraint, like a crouching tiger—just lying there made people afraid to approach.

"Second Qi and Blood!"

Lu Chuan's heart tightened.

With his current strength, he feared no one within the First Qi and Blood realm.

Even someone like Wang Xiaochuan, a veteran at First Qi and Blood Complete, he'd dare to take on.

But Second Qi and Blood... that was a different level. He was still far from it.

Zhao Xuanhe led Lu Chuan over.

"Chief Fang, this is Lu Chuan, the one I mentioned to you. Please look after him on this escort mission."

Chief Fang looked down at Lu Chuan, his gaze casual.

"Alright, seems decent enough in strength. Once we're on the road, follow my orders."

Lu Chuan clasped his fists. "I am Lu Chuan. Greetings, Chief Fang."

Chief Fang gave a slight nod.

Zhao Xuanhe had delivered the man and didn't linger. He nodded to Lu Chuan. "Brother Lu, I'll be off now."

"Take care, Brother Zhao."

Once Zhao Xuanhe's figure disappeared through the courtyard gate, Chief Fang finally spoke.

His gaze swept over the people present:

"Alright, everyone's here. This time we're heading to Qingyang County to buy fifteen hundred taels' worth of Qi and Blood Pill ingredients. You've all got clean records and guarantors, but I still need to lay down the rules."

"The journey will take about five days. The route and rest stops are all set. No one is allowed to leave the group without permission, no private letters, and no talking to outsiders. Remember, if anything goes wrong with this shipment, not only will this trip be for nothing, but our reputations will be ruined."

He swept his gaze over them again, this time with a hint of warning.

"Stay sharp on the road."

The five of them answered in unison.

Lu Chuan nodded too.

Once the rules were stated, someone brought out several sets of gray-white long coats, one for each person, and then someone else carried over a few long blades, handing them out in turn.

Lu Chuan took the blade, gripping it in his hand to examine it carefully.

The blade was heavy, the tempering even, and the edge sharp.

It wasn't any divine weapon, but it was far better than the blades issued by ordinary Martial Arts Halls.

Code
[Weapon: Standard Steel Blade]
[Quality: Mortal Grade High-rank]
[Note: A long blade uniformly issued by Renhetang for escort guards. Solid materials, fine forging.]

No martial insights, no special effects, but just those four words—Mortal Grade High-rank—were worth a good amount of silver.

Lu Chuan estimated in his mind—this blade had to be at least twenty taels.

Renhetang really had money.

He slid the blade back into its sheath.

Everything was ready. The six of them hitched the horses to the cart and set out for Qingyang County.

The empty cart rolled light and fast along the official road toward Qingyang. After most of a day's travel, Lu Chuan began to pick up on things.

The guards chatted idly along the way, and from their talk, Lu Chuan gathered that he was the only newcomer.

The others were all veterans who'd made this trip several times. They knew each other well and spoke freely.

They didn't seem hostile toward Lu Chuan—after all, adding another person wouldn't cut their pay.

But no hostility didn't mean they'd leave him alone.

As dusk fell, the group stopped in front of an abandoned temple.

Fang the escort leader glanced at the sky and raised a hand to call a halt. "Alright, we'll camp here tonight."

The cart came to a stop, and the guards began unloading gear and setting up tents.

Lu Chuan had just tied off his horse when he heard someone call out behind him:

"Hey, new guy. Go find some water and gather firewood."

Lu Chuan turned around.

The speaker was a man in his twenties, stocky and strong, chin lifted, tone far from polite.

Lu Chuan looked at him and didn't move.

"Why?"

The temple they were camping at was desolate, with no sign of water for miles around. Fetching water was clearly a hard job.

The man paused, then grinned, glancing back at the other guards as if he'd just heard something hilarious.

"Oh ho, got some backbone, huh?"

He stepped forward, aggressive. "New guys work. That's the rule. What, don't know how to respect your seniors?"

Lu Chuan didn't answer. He glanced to the side. Fang the escort leader was leaning against the cart, acting like he hadn't heard a thing. The other guards were sitting around, wearing expressions that said they were enjoying the show.

So they were all just going to sit back and watch...

Lu Chuan finally looked at the man in front of him.

When the man saw Lu Chuan wasn't moving, the smile faded from his face.

"Fine. Then I'll teach you myself."

He didn't draw a blade. He just stepped in, swung his right fist in a full arc, and drove it straight at Lu Chuan.

But Lu Chuan simply raised a hand.

A dull thud. The man's fist was caught in Lu Chuan's palm.

Solid. Unmoving.

The man's face changed. He yanked hard, but couldn't pull free.

Lu Chuan looked at him and sized him up.

This guy was probably at the First Qi and Blood, Major Success level. His blood and qi were thick, his strength considerable. But compared to Lu Chuan, he still fell short.

Lu Chuan twisted his wrist, drove power from his waist and hips, and flung the man over his shoulder in a clean throw.

The man hit the ground hard, dust exploding around him.

He lay there, grimacing, unable to get up for a long moment.

"Ow... ow..." He sucked in air through his teeth, all the arrogance gone from his face. "I was wrong, I was wrong. I'll get the firewood. I'll find the water..."

Lu Chuan let go.

The man scrambled up, rubbing his shoulder, and slunk off toward the woods.

The other guards watched the scene, expressions shifting.

Someone chuckled. "Hey, this kid's got some real skill. Good thing I didn't step up."

Another chimed in. "Yeah, lucky. Otherwise I'd be the one on the ground right now."

Fang the escort leader leaned against the cart, glanced at Lu Chuan, and said nothing.

But there was clearly more approval in that look now.

Lu Chuan withdrew his hand and nodded to the guards.

They nodded back, a silent greeting.

Lu Chuan understood men like these well.

Reason didn't work. Politeness didn't work.

Fear authority, not virtue—that saying fit them perfectly.

If he'd been weak, he'd have been stuck with all the dirty work the whole trip, and taken abuse the whole way.

Now, at least, it was peaceful.

He found a clean rock, sat down, closed his eyes, and began to regulate his breathing.

Dusk deepened. A campfire crackled to life.

The guards went about their business, and no one called him to fetch wood or water again.