CHAPTER 70: CHAPTER 69: JOURNEY, PART 2

"Let’s go!"

Early in the morning, just as the sky had a hint of light, Lu Yang and Liu Yuan set off with the carriage.

Inside the carriage sat a maid in pink and an ugly old man wrapped in cotton bandages over his injuries. He was the only survivor from that battle.

The maid held a sleeping infant in her arms, her worried gaze looking out the carriage.

There, Su Shi and Lou Yi were each riding a horse, traveling side by side.

Su Shi had given the other seat in the carriage to the seriously injured old servant, earning a newfound respect and affection from Lou Yi.

"This journey might not be peaceful, we will have to bother you, Brother Lou, for care." Su Shi’s soft voice sounded like a gentle breeze over a river, comforting to hear.

"I will do my best," said Lou Yi.

As for the matter of Lou Yi being younger, both tacitly avoided mentioning it.

"Master, I know a path to the main city, an old rural road, though a bit roundabout," Lu Yang suggested actively. "There might be beasts along the way, but no untamable monsters should appear."

This world holds great horrors in unexplored territories.

However, as for the beasts Lu Yang mentioned, Lou Yi showed no fear and agreed promptly.

Throughout the journey, they never set foot on the main road, only lodging in private rural homes out of fear of being tracked by Su Shi’s enemies.

Most of the time traveling through the wilderness, the group was attacked once by wolves, once by a black bear, and once by a swarm of venomous bees.

If not for Lou Yi’s current power, comparable to a Two-Blood Warrior, not one of them would’ve survived.

Despite that, Lu Yang and Liu Yuan were stung by bees, their bodies swollen as they lay weakly on the horses, leaving Lou Yi to drive the carriage.

"The wilderness is too dangerous," Lou Yi thought to himself.

Though he wasn’t injured, it was only because others had drawn the attention.

Were he alone, it might not have gone so well.

This was still within the outer city limits. If they ventured into true wilds, the danger would multiply exponentially.

"Warriors, hang in there for two more days until we reach Tai City, I assure you my gratitude will be substantial," Su Shi said from atop the only intact red horse in the group.

She wore a blue ruqun with her hair in a feitian bun, exuding a gentle yet lively young maiden’s charm.

"Madam Tian, you’re too courteous," Lou Yi replied.

Hearing the term ’Madam Tian’.

Perhaps it was a misunderstanding, but Lou Yi always felt a hint of reproach in her gaze.

Over this period of traveling together, Lou Yi became quite familiar with Su Shi, who is also Tian Su, and learned the real reason she rushed back to Tai City.

As the legitimate daughter of Tai City’s Su family’s patriarch, her marriage partner was naturally not an ordinary man, but the eldest son of Jiang City’s Tian family, another prominent family.

Unfortunately, the eldest son of the Tian family suddenly died, leaving Tian Su to hurriedly return with her son to her parental home.

As for why there were attempts on their lives.

It likely involves those clichéd conspiracies of inheritance battles and asset fights.

However, all of this had nothing to do with Lou Yi.

His only focus now was obtaining a complete breathing technique, to see if it could increase his lifespan, freeing him from the torment of age fifty-five.

"Madam Tian, previously you mentioned that breathing techniques are divided into upper, middle, and lower grades. What exactly are the differences?" Lou Yi asked Su Shi whenever he had the chance, trying to fill gaps in his knowledge.

Tian Su explained to Lou Yi:

"Lower-grade breathing techniques are often found with rural gentry or lone wanderers who had fortuitous encounters, they are often discarded or defective items from major sects, incomplete cultivation techniques.

Though they can be used to ascend to martial artist status, every step beyond that becomes incredibly difficult.

Very few break through to become Three Blood Small Cycle Martial Artists, let alone achieve the Five Blood Great Cycle."

"Only middle-grade or higher breathing techniques truly teach how to mobilize Secret Blood without aftereffects and offer hope of breaking through to the Minor or Great Circulation."

"Rest assured, the Extreme Fist Sect’s breathing technique I recommend to you, though it has faded somewhat in recent years,

is still among the upper-middle tier across the martial arts world, sure to help Brother Lou soar."

"Ha, I know my own limits, soaring to great heights is not something I dare imagine."

"Brother Lou, you’re from the wilderness, lacking formal training but gifted, being able to rival martial artists without practicing a breathing technique.

Opening the Xuan Gate would make your achievements limitless, maybe even comparable to the talents of great sects and noble families," Tian Su reassured Lou Yi warmly.

Hearing her praise, though knowing it was flattery, Lou Yi couldn’t help feeling pleased.

Of course, this also had much to do with her appearance and status.

Lou Yi then continued to ask, "Should I prepare any gift for them?"

"Certainly unnecessary." The old servant in the carriage suddenly spoke, "That Extreme Fist Sect’s Manager Yu would have been beaten to death if not for Missy pleading for him.

Now, just to place someone there, how would he dare ask for anything in return?"

"Uncle Qin is right," Lou Yi nodded.

The cloth-clad old servant, surnamed Qin, had been faithfully accompanying Tian Su, and there was no worry of leaked information.

"However, you bear a criminal charge, and although Missy can pull strings to rescind the imperial wanted order,

you should still act discreetly daily, avoid inviting trouble," Uncle Qin warned Lou Yi lightly.

"Uncle Qin is right." Lou Yi replied emotionlessly.

Uncle Qin: ...

Elders often love to lecture young people, a common trait it seems, even in another world Lou Yi frequently encountered this.

For such individuals, resorting to force is not feasible, nor is scolding; he has his own methods of nonchalant response.

Uncle Qin, finding no fun, fell silent thereafter, bringing peace back to the world.

In the following days, Lou Yi seized any moment to bombard Tian Su with questions.

Gradually figuring out the distribution of forces in Tai City’s main city and points to watch out for.

Nearing Tai City, Lou Yi, Lu Yang, and Liu Yuan halted while Tian Su took the maid and old servant ahead.

She needed to enter the main city first to resolve some of his issues.

Lou Yi waited outside the city for four days before Liu Yuan and Lu Yang excitedly returned.

"Master, your wanted notice was rescinded!"

"We confirmed this in several nearby villages."

"That young lady truly wields considerable influence."

Lou Yi touched the Spirit Breath Jade at his chest, which constantly emitted a gentle warmth, finally easing his worried heart.

The next morning, they returned to a wide white stone main road, enough to allow five or six carriages to travel side by side.

An imposing city stood ahead.

The city wall, towering four or five tens of feet, was composed of massive stones the size of houses, giving off an indestructible aura.

The stones were mostly gray-white, engraved with deep and shallow grooves, evidence of both the erosion of time and significant external forces that have caused large dents, a testament to the intensity and brutality of past battles.

Every four or five tens of feet, there were seven or eight crenellations built on the wall, with some armored soldiers standing guard.

Below, an archway in the shape of an inverted U allowed the public to enter and exit.

About a dozen sword-wielding soldiers guarded each side, with cold expressions infused with fierce malevolence, questioning any suspicious individuals rigorously.

As Lou Yi and the others neared the gate, three soldiers approached.

...