Outside the martial hall.
Zhou Yun arrived in a snug-fitting outfit. At a glance, he spotted five or six cargo-laden carriages outside, belonging to Shen Qingxue, along with a dozen or so martial artists traveling with them.
The accompanying martial artists had steady auras, sturdy hands and feet, and calluses on their palms. They were clearly no mere dregs padding out the numbers.
"Junior Brother Zhou, we're setting out at once."
Shen Qingxue climbed into one of the carriages and called to Zhou Yun.
He followed her up. There were two other young men inside. One sat leaning against the carriage wall with a sword in his arms, his expression blank as he rested with his eyes closed.
The other wore luxurious clothes and clearly came from an extraordinary background. The moment he saw Zhou Yun, he couldn't help frowning, though he still wore a smile as he asked,
"Senior Sister Shen, who is this...?"
"This is Zhou Yun, an Inner Courtyard disciple of Black Stone Martial Hall. He's also one of the Bright Force experts accompanying us."
Shen Qingxue introduced him. "These two are both disciples of Sky Sea Martial Arts Hall. They're still some distance from Bright Force, but both have reached the Seven Apertures."
Zhou Yun nodded. The young man in fine clothes, however, looked incredulous.
"Bright Force? This brother looks about my age, yet he's already knocked through to Bright Force?"
The young man in fine clothes composed himself a little and cupped his hands. "I'm Liu Guyuan. My father is the current magistrate of Black Stone County. May I ask who you are, brother...?"
"I'm just a fisherman's son. Nothing worth mentioning."
Zhou Yun returned the greeting with cupped fists. Hearing Liu Guyuan's identity, he felt a little stirred.
The magistrate's son was helping Shen Qingxue escort goods. If word got out, wouldn't people think the county government ranked beneath the Sky Sea Escort Agency?
For years, rumors had circulated that the three great martial halls and the Sky Sea Escort Agency were vaguely outshining the county government. Still, they were only rumors. He hadn't expected to find them quietly corroborated today.
At the mention of Bright Force, the young man holding the sword opened his eyes too. But when he heard that Zhou Yun was a fisherman's son, he closed them again and went back to resting.
"A fisherman's son?"
Liu Guyuan raised his brows with an easy smile. "It can't have been easy for you to get where you are today, Brother Zhou."
Zhou Yun said nothing more. He simply leaned back against the carriage wall and closed his eyes to rest.
"Young Master Liu, enough."
Shen Qingxue frowned slightly. Zhou Yun was the only one in the carriage with strength equal to hers, both of them having reached Bright Force. Though she might be a little ahead of him in realm, his mastery of martial arts still had her beat.
In other words, when they ran into the Bright Force ambush ahead, she would have to ask Zhou Yun to deal with it. Naturally, she didn't want the magistrate's son causing trouble here.
"Senior Sister Shen, don't worry. I only thought Brother Zhou was quite formidable and wanted to make his acquaintance."
After speaking, Liu Guyuan didn't mention Zhou Yuan again. Instead, he steered the conversation back to Shen Qingxue.
"I heard Uncle Shen has been escorting goods lately. There are many veteran escorts in the agency who want to compete for the position of next Chief Escort Leader. Perhaps I could help you sort things out, Senior Sister."
Shen Qingxue's expression turned somewhat cold. She replied evenly, "That's a family matter. There's no need for you to handle it, Junior Brother."
"How can it be as simple as a family matter? The position of Chief Escort Leader at the Sky Sea Escort Agency will affect the course of half of Black Stone County. You should take it seriously, Senior Sister Shen."
Liu Guyuan seemed to have come with an agenda from the start. He hurriedly added,
"My father personally told me that if you want to become the next Chief Escort Leader, he's willing to support you in my name and help you attain the position within three years."
"Liu Guyuan, you're being far too noisy."
The young man with the sword frowned and opened his eyes. "You're just a magistrate's son. Do you really think you can turn Black Stone County upside down?"
"Shen Yichen, don't think you can run wild just because you're Senior Sister Shen's nephew!"
Liu Guyuan smiled without warmth, his expression turning dark.
"If it weren't for my sister, I'd have beaten you away eight hundred times over by now."
Shen Yichen sneered, drawing his sword halfway from its sheath.
Watching them, Zhou Yun couldn't help finding it amusing.
He hadn't expected that escorting a shipment would let him see two children fighting. It certainly added some fun to the road.
"That's enough."
Shen Qingxue's expression chilled. At her words, the two fell silent.
"Junior Brother Liu, once this escort job is done, you're welcome to come to the Shen Family and discuss this with me."
At that, Liu Guyuan turned his head away. He had originally wanted to make his offer to Shen Qingxue in private.
Ideally, she would see the influence the Liu Family wielded in Black Stone County, and the two families would move toward a marriage alliance.
If things backfired, then there was nothing more to say.
"As for Yichen, say another word and I'll have Second Uncle ground you at home for half a month."
Shen Qingxue's eyes shifted slightly, her gaze sharp.
"Got it."
Shen Yichen answered impatiently, then leaned back and closed his eyes.
The convoy's journey was fairly smooth and safe.
Black Stone County was over a hundred miles from Clear Water County. Most of the route was rugged mountain road, far from smooth going.
At the horses' current pace, with one night set aside to rest along the way, the trip would take at least two days.
Zhou Yun rested with his eyes closed throughout the journey, but his nerves never slackened much. He kept Shen Qingxue's warning in mind: they were certain to encounter a Bright Force expert lying in wait to kill them.
He wasn't worried that his perfected Black Ape Fist, with strength that could briefly match Dark Force, would be unable to contend with their opponent. Even so, he didn't dare be careless.
"Junior Brother Zhou, usually, our Escort Agency only assigns one or two escort jobs a month. If they go smoothly, we also give you some extra payment."
Knowing Zhou Yun's circumstances, Shen Qingxue said, "If this escort job goes smoothly, I'll personally give you three taels of silver."
"Then thank you, Senior Sister."
Zhou Yun cupped his hands in thanks. What he lacked most right now was silver—not to mention the nourishing supplements on the second floor of the Inner Courtyard dining hall.
If he could buy a few more Blood Coagulation Pills, then once he perfected his Black Ape Movement Technique, he would truly have the strength to contend with Dark Force.
Even if he couldn't win, he could still make a clean getaway.
"Since you've taken an honorary post with my Escort Agency, you shouldn't consider yourself an outsider..."
Shen Qingxue had just started to say something when the carriage suddenly lurched and stopped.
"Miss, someone's blocking the road."
The coachman's low voice came from outside the carriage.
"Let's get down and take a look."
Shen Qingxue's expression changed, but remembering that she had already made ample preparations, she still climbed down calmly.
At her words, Zhou Yun followed her off the carriage and saw the old woman blocking the road ahead.
The old woman wore a ragged hemp garment full of holes and leaned on a cane. She kowtowed before the carriage and said, "Kind officers passing by, please take me back to Clear Water County. I was seized by bandits in the mountains, but I escaped under cover of night..."
It was a very poor lie. Zhou Yun saw through it at a glance and silently watched the old woman.
Bandits did indeed roam the mountain road between Black Stone County and Clear Water County, but why would they rob an old woman who was of no use to them and leave behind all the gold and silver?
Shen Qingxue had clearly seen through it too. But this was a trial her father had assigned her. She knew that even if it was a trap, she had to step into it herself.
"If that's the case, then get in the carriage with us."
Shen Qingxue gave the order. If the information she'd received in advance was true, then rather than leave a suspicious old woman out on the road, it was better to keep her nearby and watch her personally.
"Thank you, thank you!"
The old woman knelt and kowtowed, then rose to her feet. A vicious glint flashed in her eyes.
A tiny flying needle shot from her tattered sleeve, darting rapidly toward Shen Qingxue's neck.
"Dark Force!"
Zhou Yun's heart jolted. He instantly grabbed Shen Qingxue's arm.
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