Pingcheng's busiest streets.
People streamed by, coming and going without end.
Carriages, rarely seen on an ordinary day, were common sights here.
Perhaps a Young Lady from a Wealthy Family was sitting inside one, and a sound from outside caught her attention.
She would lift the curtain.
And peek out curiously.
The haggling of merchants, the tavern boys' cries, the clang of the blacksmith's hammer...
Even the suggestive sounds drifting from the brothels.
Together, they wove a unique melody of bustling city life.
Chen Feng glanced up without thinking.
Several scantily clad women leaned against a carved wooden railing, lightly waving their gauzy sleeves to beckon the passersby below who had stopped to watch.
It seemed they wore nothing but a single layer of sheer gauze.
Now and then, a glimpse of spring showed through.
[You discovered something good]
[Experience +91]
[Note: Trying something new for the first time can quickly increase your experience~]
Chen Feng: "...That's a little inappropriate."
He shook the unwholesome thoughts from his mind.
Chen Feng hurried away.
The Escort Mission had already been scheduled.
They would set out promptly at Mao hour tomorrow.
Before then, he needed to come to the market and make a few preparations.
For example, buying essentials like Bruise Medicine, Blood Stopping Powder, and Detoxifying Pills.
As for why he didn't buy them at the martial arts school, that was all thanks to Chen Feng's momentary impulse to max out the Five Elements Fist Technique.
The martial arts school didn't keep many pills in stock to begin with.
Then Chen Feng had gone and stirred things up.
The supplies were completely depleted.
The medicinal hall's manager was probably still extracting herbs and rolling pills even now.
Luckily, Second Senior Brother had brought him to explore the market once before.
He'd also made a round of it when he bought his apprenticeship gifts.
Chen Feng soon found a pharmacy.
"Tongrentang..."
The shop had ties to the martial arts school, so disciples got a discount on medicine here.
Chen Feng stepped inside, and a strong medicinal aroma hit him. A Physician was writing a prescription for someone, weighing herbs in his hands.
Seeing Chen Feng enter, he called out, "Buying medicine or here for a consultation?"
"Buying medicine," Chen Feng replied.
At the same time, he handed over his disciple token.
The Physician glanced at it. He couldn't make out the name engraved on it, but he spotted the pattern and said,
"Oh, you're from the martial arts school. Do you want Tonic Soup or pills? You get ten percent off."
As he spoke, the Physician wrapped up the herbs he'd measured and handed them to another customer.
"First, get me some medicine for injuries."
"Medicine for injuries is twenty percent off," the Physician said.
After thinking it over,
Chen Feng took some Bruise Medicine and Blood Stopping Powder.
The prices of these two medicines were transparent, and with the martial arts school's twenty-percent discount,
Chen Feng spent less than a hundred copper coins.
And got all he needed.
"Some Great Tonic Pills, too," Chen Feng said.
Great Tonic Pills were a superior alternative to Qi Blood Pills.
"Great Tonic Pills aren't cheap. Things have been rough Outside the City lately, so gathering herbs has gotten harder."
"Have bandits set up another stronghold?"
The Physician shook his head. "Demons."
Demons?
A glint of surprise flashed through Chen Feng's deep-set eyes.
The Physician continued,
"A lot of hunters have seen them. They don't dare go into the mountains, so Deer Antler's in short supply. These are trying times... Tsk, tsk."
Chen Feng asked, puzzled, "You're not surprised?"
"Heh, what's there to be surprised about, kid? When I was young, I went into the mountains to gather herbs. It's not like I never ran into one or two."
"I was scared half to death back then, afraid I'd lose my life. But now I'm in the city. What's there to fear from a few monsters?"
Chen Feng considered it. That made sense.
But what puzzled him was the old Physician's casual tone, as if he were talking about something perfectly ordinary.
It seemed the waters here ran deeper than he'd thought.
Demons and Monsters were already around.
Could there even be Immortals?
Chen Feng didn't dwell on it. Instead, he asked the price of Great Tonic Pills.
"One tael each. With the ten-percent discount, they're nine hundred copper coins apiece."
So expensive.
Chen Feng cried out inwardly.
After weighing it over again and again, he bought ten.
Great Tonic Pills wouldn't do him any harm.
Even if he didn't use them this time,
he could keep them as supplements for later.
They were even more effective than some kinds of Blood Food.
Either way, it was no loss.
Money was only an external possession. Strength was what mattered.
"Take care."
The next day, before Mao hour.
The sky had only just begun to lighten, the eastern horizon revealing a thin streak of pale fish belly.
It was the coolest time of day.
After returning to the martial arts school yesterday, Chen Feng had practiced several sets of forms, then turned in early to get plenty of rest.
Now he wore a short, fitted outfit, his trouser cuffs tightly bound and thick-soled boots on his feet. He also wore the Fine Iron Knuckle Duster his Senior Brother had given him.
His neat, practical attire made it clear he was ready.
At the entrance to the Changwei Escort Agency,
the two main gates were not yet fully open.
Through a narrow gap in the half-shut doors came the faint sounds of hooves striking the ground and wheels turning.
Several carriages inside were already loaded with goods and standing by. A few laborers held the horses at one side.
Others were preparing the carriages, tying down the loads, and checking the cargo.
The clink of bronze rings and the thumps of Wooden Boxes.
They rang especially clearly in the morning air.
"Chen Feng, this is your first Escort Mission. Once we're out of the city, stay by my side. Watch and learn, and don't go wandering off..."
As Zhang Biao Tou watched the laborers sort the cargo, he went over a few things Chen Feng needed to know.
Newcomers without experience were often restless and impatient. They couldn't keep still on the road and liked to look around here and there.
That was one of the biggest taboos in the trade.
Once you got separated, bandits could surround you. No matter how strong you were, two fists couldn't beat four hands.
They'd all come at you with swords, spears, and clubs.
They'd wear you down until you were dead.
Besides, Outside the City there weren't just people; there were wild beasts, too. If you ran into one without anyone to back you up, you'd be in trouble.
Chen Feng listened attentively.
He'd always believed that when it came to professional matters,
you should listen to the professionals.
An outsider's blind confidence only caused trouble.
Keeping a learner's mindset was the way to make endless progress, rather than relying on a little martial skill to do whatever you pleased.
Of course, there was one more thing...
[...Experience +88]
Chen Feng: Knowledge was power.
When the time came,
the convoy set off right on schedule.
Chen Feng took the reins from a laborer, put his foot in the stirrup, and swung himself onto the horse in one smooth motion.
[First time riding a horse]
[...Experience +100]
Though Chen Feng had never ridden before, he found it wasn't difficult to learn once he gave it a try.
Perhaps it was because his robust Blood Qi as a Martial Artist made the horse beneath him especially docile.
Chen Feng only needed to tug lightly on the reins.
The horse knew when to move and when to stop.
He only had to keep his balance in the saddle.
Zhang Biao Tou had seen Chen Feng sway when he first mounted. Yet in moments, he'd adapted completely and could even turn with ease.
A look of approval appeared on his face.
He truly was Master Zhou's star pupil. He learned everything quickly.
"Move out!"
At the head Escort Guard's command,
the Escort Banners rose above the carriages, red flags embroidered with the black characters "Changwei."
Bright and eye-catching.
Amid the clatter of hooves,
they moved farther and farther from the Escort Agency...
This Escort Mission was carrying expensive goods: jewelry, silk, and all sorts of rare treasures.
There were also several large boxes of furniture made from wood Chen Feng had never even heard of.
The Cheng Family truly deserved its place among Pingcheng's three great Noble Families.
According to Zhang Biao Tou, every Escort Guard would earn at least twenty taels of silver for the trip.
He wouldn't have to worry about money for quite a while afterward.
Their destination was Nanxun Town, northwest of Pingcheng.
The Cheng Family had specifically ordered that the cargo be delivered to the Xu Family in town. They had also sent an Attendant in the Bone Forging Realm along with them.
Two in the Bone Forging Realm and several in the Blood Refining Realm.
Even the coachmen were Martial Artists.
It was clear how much importance the Cheng Family placed on this shipment.
Before you continue