After accepting the mercenary's invitation, Shiheng followed him to the mercenary squad's gathering point and set off with the mercenaries on the road to the Principality of Klan.
The party moved slowly onward. Shiheng swung onto a magnificent, agile Gale Horse with a tawny coat and quietly rode alongside the group. Gale Horses were first-rank magical beasts commonly found on the Yulan Continent. Gentle and easily tamed, they did not need to form soul contracts with their owners and were sent to markets everywhere for sale after being trained. Swift and blessed with excellent endurance, they had always been the favorite mounts of warriors traveling across the continent.
Shiheng sat upright in the saddle, his body relaxed, letting the Gale Horse carry him onward at a steady pace. Lush trees lined both sides of the road, and a gentle spring breeze drifted through the woods, carrying the fresh scent of vegetation and lightly stirring his hair. He closed his eyes and immersed himself completely in the presence of nature, carefully sensing the faint energy flowing between heaven and earth. Through this, he tempered his state of mind and consolidated his strength at the peak of an eighth-level warrior.
Besides the traveling mercenaries and their mounts, the party also guarded an exquisitely decorated wooden carriage at its center. Its heavy curtains remained tightly shut throughout the journey, lending it an air of mystery.
Along the way, many of the mercenaries spoke quietly among themselves, occasionally casting curious glances at the carriage. Shiheng's hearing far surpassed that of ordinary people, and even from some distance away, he could clearly hear their whispers.
"Did you know? There's a noble young lady with quite a powerful background riding in that carriage. She's the main person we're escorting this time."
"Really? I haven't seen her show her face once this whole journey. She's stayed inside that carriage without coming out."
"I've seen her! When we first left Feng Lai City, I saw her get into the carriage with my own eyes. Her looks were simply incredible! Her skin was fair and clear, with a delicate sheen, and she wore a pure white gown. Just standing there, she looked like an angel descended to earth, so far above us. She was in a completely different world from rough fellows like us!"
Several mercenaries discussed her in hushed voices, their tones full of wonder and curiosity. After hearing them, Shiheng merely glanced indifferently at the carriage before looking away.
His purpose on this journey was to return to the Principality of Klan and rejoin his unit while honing his strength along the way. He had no interest whatsoever in some noble young lady. No matter how distinguished her status or outstanding her beauty, neither had anything to do with him. He only wanted to travel safely, reach his destination soon, and consolidate his strength during the journey to lay a solid foundation for breaking through to become a Warrior of the Ninth Rank.
The party traveled at speed for an entire day. The sun gradually sank westward, and dusk settled over the forested mountains. The mercenary captain immediately gave the order to stop in a flat clearing backed by dense woods. Everyone dismounted and began setting up tents and gathering dry firewood, preparing to light fires, cook, and rest there for the night.
The campfire crackled, casting a red glow over everyone's faces. After they had eaten a simple meal of dry rations to fill their stomachs, night quietly enveloped the land. The darkness hid the outlines of the forested mountains, leaving only the campfire and scattered points of light in the sky for company. Most of the mercenaries were exhausted after traveling all day. After a brief changing of the guard, many crawled into their tents and fell fast asleep. Snores rose and fell throughout the camp, breaking the stillness of the night.
Just as the camp fell quiet, Shiheng, who sat cross-legged beside the fire with his eyes closed in repose, suddenly twitched his ears. A sharp glint flashed through his previously calm gaze. He instantly detected faint movements approaching the camp through the distant woods, accompanied by a jumble of auras thick with malice.
He immediately rose and walked over to the friendly mercenary who had warmly invited him to join the party that day. Lowering his voice, he said, "In a quarter of an hour, forty-eight people will attack the camp. They mean us harm, and they're most likely after the noble young lady in the carriage."
The friendly mercenary's eyes instantly widened at his words, his face filled with shock and his heart with disbelief. But seeing Shiheng's certain gaze and the complete absence of any hint of a joke, he knew all too well that danger lurked everywhere on the road. With matters like this, it was always better to believe a threat existed than to assume it did not. Not daring to delay in the slightest, he hurriedly pulled Shiheng over to the mercenary captain, leaned close to the captain's ear, and repeated Shiheng's words without changing a single one.
The mercenary captain's expression changed abruptly. The vigilance he had developed over years on the road would not let him take this lightly. He immediately signaled his trusted men nearby to wake every sleeping mercenary at once. The previously relaxed camp instantly grew tense. All the mercenaries grabbed their weapons and watched the surrounding woods warily, their entire bodies taut as they braced for battle.
Only moments later, a rapid, pounding clatter of hooves indeed sounded outside the camp, accompanied by neighing horses and a jumble of footsteps, all racing toward them!
"Quick! Form a defensive circle! Protect the carriage in the center!" At the mercenary captain's command, all the mercenaries sprang into action. Weapons in hand, they closed ranks and swiftly formed a tight defensive circle around the carriage, guarding the exquisitely decorated vehicle with grim determination. Every one of them was on edge as they faced the powerful enemies about to arrive.
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