Luo Zheng nodded.
"Come to my pharmacy tomorrow at the hour of the Rabbit. My uncle will tell you the details then."
"Understood."
After seeing Luo Zheng off, Li Chuan practiced in the shop for another hour or so.
It was not until late at night that he went to bed.
The next day.
Li Chuan arrived at the Luo Family Pharmacy on time.
"Uncle Luo, good morning." Li Chuan stepped forward to greet him.
Luo Houping smiled.
"A-Chuan, you're here. A-Zheng should have already told you the general situation."
Li Chuan replied.
"He said we're delivering a batch of Tiger Heart Grass along a route different from last time. It'll be a little more dangerous."
Luo Houping patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry. It won't be that dangerous. In fact, we rarely run into trouble delivering medicine. Besides, even if the sky falls, I'll hold it up."
"Thank you, Uncle Luo." Li Chuan cupped his fists.
A little while later, everyone had arrived.
Standing beside Luo Houping, Li Chuan looked down and saw that there were many more people than last time.
There were fifteen Bright Force practitioners alone, and the number of other skilled fighters had reached thirty.
With nine horse-drawn carts, the procession looked imposing, filling the entire street.
This batch of precious medicine really is extraordinary. Usually, a shipment of herbs needs no more than a few Bright Force practitioners, Li Chuan thought.
"This medicine delivery is no small matter. Everyone will follow the rules. Anyone who doesn't needn't come next time!" Luo Houping called everyone together and sternly reminded them.
This batch of Tiger Heart Grass was worth four hundred taels. If anything went wrong, it would be no small matter!
After speaking, Luo Houping lowered his voice and said to Li Chuan, "A-Chuan, A-Zheng specifically asked me to give you more time to practice martial arts. I've thought it over. You can walk outside for two hours, then practice in the cart for an hour. How does that sound?"
Li Chuan felt warmth spread through his heart.
Luo Houping had no need to ask his opinion. After all, he was being paid as if he were on duty the whole time.
That extra hour was entirely a gift from Luo Zheng.
So Li Chuan cupped his fists and said, "I'll leave it to you, Uncle Luo."
Luo Houping smiled. "Go on back. Wang Youfang is there too."
Back with the group, Li Chuan heard a round-faced man with a full beard call out to him.
"A-Chuan, over here!"
"You came too?"
Wang Youfang glared at him.
"I'm one of the best at delivering medicine. How could they leave me out?
"Look around. This time, unlike the first, we're not dealing with a bunch of good-for-nothings. These are all elite!"
Li Chuan looked around and saw that everyone seemed calm and composed.
That put his mind at ease.
After all, the stronger the group was overall, the safer he would be.
"This time, we need to move fast, not slow. The plan is to reach Huangshi County in three days. The longer we spend on the road, the more dangerous it gets!
"You're all veterans at delivering medicine, so I won't say much else. I'll stress just one thing: follow orders, don't act recklessly, and report anything suspicious to me immediately!
"Move out!"
Luo Houping swept his hand through the air, and the group set off in a mighty procession through the city gates.
"A-Chuan, let me tell you something." Luo Houping called Li Chuan over.
"What is it, Uncle Luo?"
"After what happened with those young refugees last time, I sent people to look for them. I found out they were the ones who'd been controlling the wolves."
Li Chuan's eyes narrowed. Something was wrong.
Those people weren't even martial artists who had knocked on the gates, yet they had managed to control a pack of wolves?
Luo Houping's expression turned grave.
"Afterward, I had people question them about where they got that ability. The only name they gave us was 'the Rebirth Sect.'
"This sect seems to have only risen recently. They specifically gather refugees, teach them heretical arts, and incite them to plunder everywhere.
"That's all we know for now. Anyway, be careful."
Li Chuan pondered this and glanced around.
As they left the area around Anning County, the number of refugees increased.
There seemed to be even more of them than when he had left the city last time.
The world really is in turmoil... Li Chuan sighed inwardly.
The Rebirth Sect didn't sound like any legitimate organization. It seemed more like the White Lotus Sect, a cult that incited ignorant people.
Only by becoming strong can I make a place for myself in this world. Relying on others is useless!
Li Chuan stood in the cart and practiced the stance. An hour later, he returned to the group.
That was precisely why so many people had started looking at him strangely.
They were all being paid the same. Why should he get to slack off?
Li Chuan paid them no mind and simply did his own work.
Ever since the refugees had taken people hostage last time, the Luo Family had withdrawn a cart that had been used to provide relief to refugees and repurposed it to carry herbs.
Perhaps because they were so numerous and traveled in such an imposing procession, the refugees scattered wherever they went.
Even the wild beasts in the mountains vanished the moment they heard the wheels.
So the journey passed peacefully, and three days flew by.
[Skill: Mountain-Holding Stance (Minor Mastery)] [Proficiency: 1550/2000] [Skill: Through-Arm Fist (Minor Mastery)] [Proficiency: 1452/2000]
Li Chuan shook his head to himself. As expected, his proficiency increased very slowly when he ate donkey meat.
"The Jia Family Pharmacy is just up ahead. Keep your eyes peeled and watch out for suspicious people nearby!" Luo Houping called out.
The carts rumbled onward, then stopped outside the Jia Family Pharmacy.
The pharmacy owner called over a dozen skilled men to unload the goods. The eight cartloads were unloaded quickly.
Once the goods were off, a great many herbs were brought out and loaded into the carts.
"Ah! Someone's been killed!" a woman suddenly cried out in terror.
A man clutched a kitchen knife, looking utterly deranged.
"Give me money! I want to get into the city! This place isn't fit for people to live in!"
The city patrol arrived quickly and cut him down with a single stroke.
"What refugee snuck in here? How dare you cause trouble in the city?"
Blood and gore splattered everywhere, frightening the passersby into scattering.
Li Chuan's heart sank.
He hadn't expected refugees to be able to sneak into the city. It seemed there was a problem with the city guards too.
Luo Houping narrowed his eyes and waved his hand.
"It's still early. Hurry up and leave the city for our first rest stop!"
Clearly, the incident had made him feel a little uneasy too.
Everyone on this delivery was a veteran. They moved out as soon as he gave the order, without the slightest delay.
The group led the carts quickly out of the city.
"Rebirth in ultimate bliss, rebirth in ultimate bliss." Many refugees wandered outside the city, endlessly muttering the words.
Their strange pupils stared at the Luo Family Pharmacy until it disappeared into the distance.
Once they had gone farther, Wang Youfang breathed a sigh of relief.
"Damn it, did you see their eyes? Creepy as hell, like they were possessed!"
Li Chuan's gaze flickered.
"Good thing nothing happened back in Anning County."
Wang Youfang patted his chest.
"It'd be terrible if it had. I just got married. I can't let someone else take my wife!"
Li Chuan laughed and scolded him.
"Can't you think of anything proper?"
Wang Youfang chuckled.
"What's improper about that? Oh, right, A-Chuan, did you take care of that matter at your place last time?"
Li Chuan answered calmly.
"That person left."
"Good. As long as everything's all right."
After their brief conversation, silence fell over the caravan again.
The wheels rolled over the muddy ground, and the wind rustled through the leaves.
Nobody noticed.
The bushes not far away swayed strangely.
Before you continue