Hello, Miss

The demise of Blood Wolf Hall quickly caused panic among the various powers in Black Stone City.

They quickly united to avoid being defeated one by one.

However, at this moment, the instigator was already twenty miles outside the city, standing on a sand dune atop a horse, gazing into the southeast.

The Vast Mountain Range lay across the land like a giant dragon.

Beyond the Vast Mountain Range was Southern Mangzhou, which was said to be a different landscape altogether.

The climate was hot and humid, with rolling hills, dense forests, treacherous mountains and rivers, shrouded in miasma, infested with wolves, insects, tigers, leopards, and rampant with venomous creatures, and even the occasional demonic beast.

"Li City!"

Xia Daoming gazed into the distance for a long time, then suddenly uttered two words. He then flicked his whip, spurred his horse, and galloped down the sand dune, heading straight for the southeast.

Li City was located in Southern Mangzhou and was a major city there.

It was rumored that the powers within the city were deeply entrenched, with a multitude of strong individuals, not only Great Martial Masters of the fifth rank and above, but even Martial Dao Grandmasters of the ninth rank and above.

Martial Masters were divided into twelve ranks. Ranks one through four were known as Junior Martial Masters, five through eight as Great Martial Masters, nine through eleven as Martial Dao Grandmasters, and the twelfth rank was separately called Grandmaster.

Qiu Zhiheng had learned the "Dragon Serpent Art" in Li City back then. However, his talent was limited; he was nearly thirty and still hadn't reached the threshold of a fifth-rank Martial Master. He had also offended a powerful individual, forcing him to flee to Black Stone City, where he opened a martial arts school to make a living.

Ranks five through eight were the Great Martial Master realm, with more profound methods for circulating internal energy.

Qiu Zhiheng was only a fourth-rank Martial Master and did not possess the circulation methods for the "Dragon Serpent Art" beyond the fourth rank.

Now, Xia Daoming was also a fourth-rank Martial Master, and his meridians had been strengthened to the ninth level. As long as he went to Li City, found the martial arts school where Qiu Zhiheng had studied, learned the subsequent cultivation techniques, and completed the ninth-level strengthening of his meridians, he would be able to step into the fifth-rank Great Martial Master realm.

However, it was several thousand miles to Li City. Not only was the journey long, but there were also many bandits along the way, as well as numerous venomous insects and fierce beasts.

Especially the section crossing the Vast Mountain Range, which was said to be extremely dangerous, with many traveling merchants not daring to go alone, needing to form groups at the foot of the Vast Mountain Range before they dared to enter.

But the most crucial factor wasn't any of these. The most crucial factor was that Xia Daoming had never been far from Black Stone City. Let alone Li City, thousands of miles away, he had never even been to many places hundreds of miles away, only hearing about them.

This further increased the difficulty and danger of his journey.

Fortunately, Xia Daoming was not what he used to be. Let alone a fourth-rank Martial Master, even a fifth-rank Martial Master, unless they were particularly formidable, he was confident he could defeat them with his powerful internal energy.

Moreover, after plundering Blood Wolf Hall, he had struck it rich. The bank notes and loose gold and silver he possessed totaled over five thousand taels, enough for his expenses along the way, as well as for settling down and finding a master upon arriving in Li City.

This was the source of Xia Daoming's confidence.

Thirty days later.

Under the scorching sun, Xia Daoming, with saddlebags slung over his shoulders and a leather water pouch tied to his waist, stood alone on a hill in the Gobi Desert, gazing into the distance.

The wind stirred the sand and dust of the Gobi Desert, creating shimmering heat haze in the sunlight, like a hazy, colorful veil covering the endless Gobi Desert.

Bones were scattered everywhere, stark white and piercingly chilling under the sun.

A few sparse, bare, leafless dwarf trees swayed powerlessly in the wind and sand.

Xia Daoming licked his slightly chapped lips, a wry smile appearing on his face.

He was lost.

By all rights, he should have reached his next resting point, Eya City, two days ago.

But he hadn't seen any sign of human habitation for two days.

Yesterday, it was one misfortune after another. The horse that had carried him for thirty days was suddenly attacked by a rattlesnake and died in the desert.

"I hope to see signs of civilization before dark, otherwise I'll have to spend another night in the desert," Xia Daoming glanced at the fiery red sun, which was gradually setting in the west, and continued to advance towards the southeast.

Both Li City and the Vast Mountain Range were located to the southeast.

Now that he was lost and couldn't navigate, he could only move in the general direction.

As soon as he stepped off the hill, Xia Daoming heard the sound of horseshoes from behind him.

Xia Daoming's spirits lifted, and he quickly turned around. He saw a woman riding a horse galloping down the hill.

"Hello, young lady!" Xia Daoming saw this and quickly waved and called out loudly.

The woman quickly discovered Xia Daoming, her expression changing drastically. She yanked the reins and, with a jolt, galloped off in another direction.

"Miss, please don't misunderstand, I just want to ask for directions," Xia Daoming shouted loudly, chasing after the woman as he shouted.

He had no choice. After being lost for two days, he had finally encountered someone, and he couldn't let her go so easily.

However, carrying his belongings, how could he outrun a four-legged horse?

Just as the person and horse were about to disappear into the dust, the horse suddenly stumbled, falling to the ground with a thud.

Fortunately, the woman was agile. She pressed a hand against the horse's back and leaped to the ground.

Looking back at the horse, it was foaming at the mouth, having apparently been overworked.

The woman's expression changed drastically, a hint of despair in her eyes. Xia Daoming, however, felt a surge of joy. He walked quickly towards the woman, shouting, "Miss, please don't misunderstand, I'm lost, I just wanted to ask you about..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xia Daoming's expression changed dramatically.

The ground trembled, and the sound of horseshoes approached rapidly.

Streams of dust rose into the sky like smoke signals.

On the dirt mound where Xia Daoming had been standing, a person and a horse now appeared.

The person on the horse was a gaunt, sallow-skinned old man in gray, looking as if he had just recovered from a severe illness.

Yet, despite his appearance, the old man's eyes were bright and sharp as swords.

At this moment, he was looking down at Xia Daoming and the woman from his vantage point, like a ferocious beast sizing up its prey.

Furthermore, five more people on horseback appeared behind and to the sides of Xia Daoming.

Unlike the old man, these individuals did not look down at Xia Daoming and the woman. Instead, they quickly dismounted and began to close in on the pair, forming a pincer movement.

"Elder Liao, your target is me, so please don't involve the innocent!" the woman said as she moved closer to Xia Daoming, addressing the old man still mounted on the dirt mound.

It was then that Xia Daoming noticed that the woman was a beautiful young lady with skin as white as snow, delicate features, and a striking figure.

A graceful lady is a gentleman's desire.

At another time, Xia Daoming would have taken a longer look, but now he had no inclination to appreciate her beauty. Instead, he secretly probed to assess the cultivation of the six individuals.

Based on the characteristics of the vital energy emanating from the five on foot, Xia Daoming quickly formed a judgment.

Of these five, one was a third-rank Martial Master, while the other four were fourth-rank Martial Masters.

However, Xia Daoming could not discern the cultivation of the old man on horseback on the mound, indicating he was at least a fifth-rank Great Martial Master.

"Tsk tsk, to still be thinking about the lives of the innocent at a time like this, Miss Ji is truly beautiful in heart as well as in appearance! However, as you know, our Liao family's actions in this matter cannot yet be brought to light, so I'm very sorry, but I cannot grant your request.

But rest assured, I will have someone give him a quick end! Of course, you'd best not think of escaping again or playing any tricks with threats of death.

As long as you obediently return with me, hand over the medicinal formula, and help us with the alchemy, I guarantee no one will touch a single hair on your head. Otherwise, even if you commit suicide, I will not let your corpse go.

You are a smart person; returning with me will not only preserve your purity but also offer some hope." Elder Liao said.

Ji Wenyue had indeed considered suicide, but upon hearing Elder Liao say that he wouldn't even spare her corpse, and thinking that her body would be defiled even after death, her limbs turned ice-cold, and her heart sank into an abyss.

"What's that old man's cultivation?" Just as Ji Wenyue was too afraid to even die, a man's voice sounded in her ear.

It turned out that as the five people pressed closer, the two had unknowingly moved nearer to each other.

"Fifth-rank Great Martial Master!" Ji Wenyue replied with a look of despair.

"Fifth-rank Great Martial Master!" Xia Daoming's eyes lit up, and his heart became active.

A fifth-rank Martial Master past his prime, no matter how powerful, would eventually see his vital energy and strength decline.

With proper tactical application, there was a chance to defeat him!

"That's right, a fifth-rank Great Martial Master, four fourth-ranks, and one third-rank. I'm basically doomed this time, but you weren't their target, and you're a fourth-rank Martial Master. Take this protective talisman, drip a drop of blood on it, and then we'll split up and charge out with all our might. Perhaps there's still hope of escaping," Ji Wenyue said with a wry smile.

Before Ji Wenyue finished speaking, Xia Daoming felt something being pressed into his hand. It felt somewhat like animal skin, yet also like paper.

"What is this..." Xia Daoming's gaze swept over it quickly, and he felt speechless.

Because Ji Wenyue had given him a talisman covered in strange runes.

In his previous world, such things were commonly known as deceptive "scribbles."

Now, at this critical juncture, Ji Wenyue had actually given him such a thing.

What was she playing at?

As Xia Daoming was silently grumbling, his eyes suddenly widened, as if he had seen a ghost in broad daylight. He even forgot that strong enemies were circling them.

He saw that Ji Wenyue, at some point, also had a "scribble" in her hand, and she had dripped a drop of blood onto it.

Then, the talisman spontaneously combusted without fire, transforming into a layer of light golden radiance that enveloped Ji Wenyue entirely.

"Kill!"

Ji Wenyue let out a sharp cry and charged towards a fourth-rank Martial Master who was rapidly approaching, like a tigress in a rage.

Before she even reached him, Ji Wenyue fiercely threw a punch.

Her fist, encased in the light golden barrier, shone brilliantly under the sunlight, exuding a unique aura.

"Holy crap, Pegasus Meteor Fist!"

Xia Daoming almost blurted out in shock.

PS: We've set off again. I hope new and old readers will enjoy it. Please help by collecting and sharing. During the public release period, there will generally be one chapter in the morning and one in the evening. Thank you.

Three chapters today. There will be no update tonight.