Lanzhou, Entrusted Task

After coming out of Rebirth Temple, Lu Li quickly made his way back through the darkness to the outside of the rented inn.

"Hm? What's going on?"

Lu Li's eyes narrowed as he looked up and saw that the wooden window of the room he had booked had been smashed to pieces.

"Did an accident happen?"

His heart tightened. Without time to overthink, he stepped on the surrounding wall and vaulted in through the broken window.

The moment he stepped into the room, he caught a strong stench of blood.

Lu Li glanced over and saw a headless corpse scattered on the floor, fresh blood spattered everywhere. From the clothing on the corpse, he quickly recognized it.

Tian Wang!

Meanwhile, inside the room, Liu Yueling and Madam Peng sat together. A giant black monstrous bird stood at the head of the bed, tilting its head as it sized up him, the uninvited guest.

Lu Li froze on the spot. Seeing that Liu Yueling was unharmed, he finally asked:

"What is going on here?"

The moment she saw Lu Li, Liu Yueling's tense heartstrings seemed to completely relax. She immediately threw herself into Lu Li's arms and began to cry bitterly.

Lu Li felt somewhat at a loss. He held Liu Yueling, gently patting her back to comfort her, while looking at Madam Peng. The latter immediately gnashed her teeth in bitter hatred, casting a disgusted glance at Tian Wang's corpse:

"I already asked for you. This carriage driver of yours was afraid that your offense against the Huang Household would implicate him, so he actually wanted to abduct this little girl to sell her into the Huang Household in exchange for a way out!"

Madam Peng clearly hated human traffickers of this sort to the bone. Her lingering anger had not subsided:

"I already killed this kind of beast for you, so it wouldn't dirty your hands!"

Lu Li silently listened to the whole story from beginning to end. He dazed slightly, staring at Tian Wang's corpse, and remained wordless for a long time.

"What? Does your heart ache for him?"

Madam Peng frowned slightly.

"No."

Lu Li shook his head and sighed: "I just didn't expect that people's hearts could change so quickly."

"Humph!"

Upon hearing this, Madam Peng first glanced at the ground owl and then said:

"If not for this bird, the little girl would inevitably have been hurt."

"In the future when you walk the pugilistic world, keep your eyes open and be more vigilant, or there will come a time when you regret it too late."

"Indeed..."

Hearing this, Lu Li nodded in deep agreement and glanced at Tian Wang's corpse:

"If I had been able to sense in advance that this person's character was wavering and killed him earlier, Yueling wouldn't have been frightened."

"Ah?"

Madam Peng was startled. Not knowing what she thought of, she cast a somewhat complicated glance at Lu Li and said no more.

It was still the deep of night. Lu Li comforted Liu Yueling, and the little girl quickly fell soundly asleep again.

Gently placing Liu Yueling on the bed, Lu Li turned his attention to the ground owl by the bed-head.

Ground owls were similar to the owls of his past life, but ordinary ground owls were not this large—they were practically no different from fiend-demons, with the only difference being that their bodies were not rotting.

Lu Li was not surprised by the appearance of this ground owl. According to the game's introduction, Liu Yueling indeed possessed the ability to control flying birds.

He had previously thought it was an innate divine anomaly, but now it seemed it must be the ability bestowed by the Emerald Jade.

Just now, Lu Li could clearly sense that the Emerald Jade was burning slightly.

Walking to the window, Lu Li stood with his hands behind his back, overlooking the street scene under the night. The encounters of the past two days left him with deep emotions.

Affairs in the pugilistic world were not just about the gallantry of upholding justice and fighting for the chivalrous; there were also bloody massacres and the ugliness hidden in the shadows.

Since stepping out of Cloud Province City, storms had followed one after another along the way. Lu Li had deeply experienced the cruelty of this era.

"My strength is not strong enough. If one day I am invincible in the world, then as far as the eye can see, within arm's reach, the world will surely be a scene of peace and tranquility."

Lu Li's eyes grew absent, his thoughts firming in his mind:

"Because those who dare to play tricks on me will surely have already been smashed to pieces and reduced to ashes, with the grass on their graves three zhang high."

Just as his thoughts were drifting, Madam Peng stepped forward at this moment, breaking the quiet:

"Kid, what plans do you have next?"

Hearing this, Lu Li came back to his senses. He glanced at Liu Yueling:

"I was entrusted by someone to escort Yueling to the Miao Poison Sect in the Southern Wasteland, but... now that the carriage driver is dead, I'm afraid I still need to find a map."

The territory of the Jing Dynasty was vast. Even though he knew the general direction in his heart, he truly had no idea about the specific route.

Madam Peng waved her hand:

"A map is a simple matter. I can resolve it for you."

"Then many thanks, Elder Sister."

Lu Li cupped his fists slightly in gratitude while taking out his purse: "I have received many favors from Elder Sister, but I cannot constantly trouble you. How much does this map cost..."

Before he could finish his words, Madam Peng abruptly raised a hand to interrupt him:

"You can forget about the money. However, I have a favor to ask, though it won't put you in a difficult position."

Lu Li nodded upon hearing this and did not refuse:

"Elder Sister, speak your mind without hesitation."

Madam Peng fell silent for a fleeting moment, then slowly stated:

"In order to find a way to survive, my former husband sold my child to the Xue Household and subsequently became a lackey of the Xue Household. Now moving about in Lanzhou, he styles himself the One-eyed Tiger. If you encounter him in the future and have the opportunity to take his life, I hope you can bring his head to the Peng Household..."

"Of course, just do your best. If your strength falls short, there is no need to force it."

Lu Li could sense the hatred in Madam Peng's words. He listened attentively, learning that the One-eyed Tiger possessed the cultivation base of the great perfection of Meridian Opening twelfth-tier.

As for Lanzhou, it was a province city under Nanliu Prefecture.

"Elder Sister, rest assured, I will naturally do my utmost."

Lu Li nodded slightly and agreed. Hearing this, Madam Peng handed over a peculiar wooden hairpin and said:

* * * "I am familiar with the road conditions of Qingzhou City. Later, I will draw a map for you. As for the road to the Southern Wasteland, you can take this token to Peng's Blacksmith Shop in the city. That is where my sixth sister is located, and she will help you."

"You killed the Huang Brothers today, so leave quickly. I will handle the aftermath of the matters in White Crow Town for you."

Lu Li accepted the wooden hairpin and cupped his fists in thanks:

"Thank you, take care."

With the carriage driver dead, if he wanted to set off again, he would have to waste time going to the agency to pay the deposit fees. As for going to Qingzhou, it was also what he desired in his heart.

Lu Li also prepared to stay in the prefecture city for a good period of time to purchase blazing poison to cultivate his Poison Astral Body, as well as to raise his cultivation base.

Madam Peng moved very quickly. After leaving briefly, she returned and handed Lu Li a sheepskin map with the ink still wet.

Inside the carriage, Lu Li had changed into brand-new clothes and accepted the map, while Liu Yueling lay sleeping to the side.

However, that ground owl had landed on the carriage frame and refused to leave.

Lu Li did not drive the ground owl away either. This bird possessed night-vision capabilities and spiritual intelligence, making it an exceptionally good scout.

"Have a safe journey."

Madam Peng, leading a group of disfigured children, saw them off for the final stretch.

Lu Li nodded gently, then as if thinking of something, said:

"In the future, if you have the opportunity, you can go to a place called Gourd Village beneath Liaoling Mountain. There is a Ghost Doctor living in seclusion there whose medical skills are extraordinary; skin-shifting and bone-grafting are mere trivial arts to him. Although his personality is eccentric, he has a kind heart. Perhaps he can restore these children to normal."

Hearing this, Madam Peng's expression shook, and then she was overjoyed:

"Thank you for letting me know. I will go and try."

Lu Li waved his hand, drove the carriage, and with a flick of the horse whip, slowly merged into the dimness before dawn.