Immortals? Demons? Teletubbies?

Over the past few days on the road to Springwatch City, Duan Yun had found everything fresh and wonderful.

Even though the road was choked with wild grass and untamed trees, with not a soul in sight for half a day at a time, leaving him with the lonely feeling that the wilderness might swallow him whole at any moment; even though he had missed the town again the next day and had to spend another night in the wilds, living on wind and dew, he had no complaints at all.

Because he felt that this world's desolation, viewed from another angle, meant limitless potential—just like himself, with a promising future ahead.

For example, he was currently riding his donkey, eating grapes and humming a tune, looking utterly content—when the donkey suddenly brayed and went lame.

Duan Yun hurriedly climbed down from its back, only then noticing that the muddy road was filled with small holes.

He had no idea what had dug them. They were roughly the size of bowls and bottomless to the eye; some were covered by wild grass and exceptionally hard to spot.

His gray donkey had stepped into one by mistake and injured its leg.

The gray donkey had cost sixteen taels of silver, nearly a third of his entire fortune, yet its leg had gone lame less than five days into the journey.

It was like finally buying a new car in his previous life, only to get into a huge accident before he had even properly driven it. He could only call himself unlucky.

Duan Yun knew that if a horse went lame and could not be cured, its value could drop to a third of what it had been.

And a donkey?

If he did not nurse this donkey back to health and it truly became lame, its price might plummet just the same.

In that case, it might as well become donkey-meat flatbread.

Duan Yun examined it and found that the bone did not appear to be injured, so he led the donkey forward slowly.

Over the past few days, the gray donkey had carried him and his baggage with all its heart, and he had grown used to the rhythm of riding it. Naturally, he could not bear to turn it into donkey-meat flatbread.

He only hoped that this sturdy gray donkey would gradually recover.

Beyond this point, aside from those treacherous little holes in the road, both sides were filled with wild grass as tall as a person. Whenever the wind blew, it seemed as though countless terrifying things were hiding within.

Since the lame donkey could not move quickly, there had even been a scene in which gynecologist Duan Yun carried the donkey and jogged. Even so, man and donkey still could not make it to the next resting place.

There was no village before them and no inn behind them. Apart from the occasional strange, neglected idol by the roadside, there was not the slightest trace of human habitation.

Seeing the sky gradually darken, Duan Yun knew he would have to sleep in the wilderness again tonight.

But he no longer resisted the idea of sleeping outdoors, because he had put it to the test in actual combat two days ago. His Body-Breaking Sword Qi had become increasingly proficient, and he no longer feared the ferocity of wild mosquitoes.

After passing through that road overgrown with wild grass, the terrain ahead became much more open.

Duan Yun led the gray donkey to the top of a hill, letting it graze while he gathered branches and the like to make a fire.

Before long, he discovered that other people were resting below the slope as well.

Since it was already quite dark, he could only vaguely make out two carriages and several figures beside a campfire.

They looked like merchants transporting goods, though for some reason they too had stopped here to spend the night.

Only after their fire was lit did those people notice him.

Duan Yun wondered whether he ought to go over and say hello. After all, when traveling abroad, exchanging pleasantries was standard practice—like jianghu folk constantly clasping their fists and saying, "Brother, you're awesome."

But he was also a little socially anxious. This was his first long journey, after all, and he did not know what to say.

If he did not want to talk, then he would not.

Yes, he was no longer that corporate drone who had to consider every last thing. He could live a little more freely and as he pleased.

If he had transmigrated only to keep living like a corporate drone, would that not mean he had transmigrated for nothing?

What he wanted was freedom and ease!

At that thought, Duan Yun could not help feeling lighthearted and delighted again.

After killing everyone in the Black Bear Gang, he now felt as light as a bird.

With the gray donkey carrying his luggage, Duan Yun had far more tools for making dinner than before.

He took out water from his waterskin and poured it into an iron pot. Once it boiled, he added slices of meat and tomatoes.

With the flames roaring beneath it, a small pot of tomato meat soup was ready.

Duan Yun took out the white flatbread he had bought the day before yesterday. A sip of meat soup, a bite of flatbread—he felt as though both body and soul were being nourished.

Yes, in a place like this, being able to drink a mouthful of hot soup and eat a bite of flatbread and meat was truly a rare pleasure for a traveler.

Duan Yun had not gone over to greet them, but someone from the merchant caravan came to him instead.

The three men who came all wore sabers at their waists and looked like they had trained in martial arts.

Seeing the sword by Duan Yun's side, the leader clasped his fists and said, "I am Huang Li. Where is this young hero headed?"

Duan Yun answered truthfully, "Springwatch City. My donkey injured its leg, so it delayed my journey."

Seeing that the gray donkey was indeed limping, the visitor said, "Then we have troubled you. Meeting is fate. This is a local specialty from our employer's hometown—a small token of goodwill. I hope the young hero will not dislike it."

As he spoke, he handed over a small paper packet of tea leaves.

Duan Yun accepted the gift and said, "You are far too courteous."

After that, the three men left.

Duan Yun actually understood what they meant. They had merely sent people over to probe his background. For all he knew, they might have suspected him of scouting the area for some bandit den.

But they called him "young hero" at every turn and even gave him a meeting gift. How could he possibly be angry?

This was the second time someone had called Duan Yun a young hero, and at last he felt a little like someone walking the jianghu.

Seeing clearly that Duan Yun had not lied, both sides remained at peace. Before long, the wilderness fell silent.

Unlike the night when he had encountered the red-clothed female ghost, there were at least other people around tonight, greatly easing the loneliness and fear of being in the wilds.

When all was said and done, people were social creatures. Sometimes one might despise the human world for being too noisy, but if he were truly asked to live apart from the world, Duan Yun knew he could not do it.

As before, after eating and drinking his fill, Duan Yun practiced his stance training for a while, then leaned against a tree to rest.

Naturally, he would not sleep too deeply, but his sea of consciousness was empty and relaxed.

Two mosquitoes, lacking all tact, flew near his chin. Two wisps of exceedingly fine Sword Qi immediately emerged from his chin and cut them down.

Through his unceasing cultivation during this time, the Body-Breaking Sword Qi had gradually fused into his bodily instincts.

Sometimes, Duan Yun even wondered: if Sword Qi were bursting out all over his body, would that make him a sword person?

Rumble! A clap of thunder crashed down.

Duan Yun opened his eyes.

Was it going to rain?

When sleeping in the wilderness, rainy weather was probably the most hated thing of all.

Below, the merchant caravan had already begun moving at the sound of thunder. Those getting into carriages got into carriages, and those taking umbrellas took umbrellas.

Rumble! Another bolt of lightning fell, illuminating the surrounding area as bright as snow.

Someone in the merchant caravan suddenly let out a strange cry—"Who's there?!"

Duan Yun looked in the direction of the voice and could not help feeling his scalp tingle.

Five middle-aged men with thinning hair stood amid the wild grass. The leader wore a vivid red robe, and the top of his head was covered in more than ten pitch-black holes. Two of those holes held two thin, long metal flutes, making him look especially sinister.

They pointed the flutes atop their heads toward the sky and muttered incantations. It sounded both like furtive whispers and like sacrificial prayers.

"What the hell is that?"

"Immortals? Demons? Teletubbies?"

Even now, Duan Yun was completely dumbfounded.

He knew that this absurd jianghu was about to become absurd again.