Eternal Life: I Rely on Fortune Points for Improvement-Chapter 244 - 162: Heading South, Divine Sect’s Protection_2
"What kind of cultivation technique is the Super Celestial Extreme? Even though my cultivation has reached the True Essence Realm, I still cannot look directly at its contents."
The dark-skinned young man sighed inwardly.
He was none other than Jiang Feng, who had left Dragon Capital and was heading for Chishui County to join the Divine Sect for refuge. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
Disguised as a wandering adventurer, he mingled with the caravan and headed south with the merchants.
After all, traveling alone would attract too much attention.
By becoming an escort, he could alleviate loneliness and gather various rumors. Jiang Feng was always closely monitoring the movements of the Demon Sect and Yun Gui Sect.
He hoped Yun Gui Sect could eliminate the Demon Sect, at least kill Old Demon Child. Although the Second Prince already knew his identity, the threat from Old Demon Child would be gone, reducing his danger considerably.
Conversely, if Yun Gui Sect failed and the arrogant Demon Sect dominated Chishui County, Jiang Feng would have to change his strategy; the Divine Sect was still his goal, but he would have to find another path.
Overall, following the caravan would only pose a danger if encountered by bandits along the way.
Ordinary thieves posed no threat to him.
In the event of encountering someone formidable, running away was his specialty.
"Uncle Xiao Yang, my dad asked me to bring you some water."
At this moment, a thirteen-year-old girl handed Jiang Feng a kettle.
"I’m not thirsty."
Jiang Feng responded casually, lying directly on the wooden cart and closing his eyes to rest.
"Hmph!"
The girl named Huang Li snorted coldly upon seeing Jiang Feng’s attitude and turned to her father, returning the kettle, and said, "He doesn’t care, so why should we bother?"
"We’re all adventurers, looking out for each other. If he doesn’t drink, let it be."
Old Huang said.
He was a seasoned traveler; his left hand’s tendon was severed by someone when he was young, leaving him weak and shaky. Nonetheless, he trained diligently and mastered the One-Armed Saber with a Fifth Grade Blood Refining Realm cultivation.
He was a Middle Third Grade Martial Artist.
In the caravan, he was considered a skilled hand.
The father and daughter had lived in Dragon Capital for seven or eight years. Yearning for his hometown, Old Huang decided to travel south with his daughter. Discovering Jiang Feng had temporarily joined as an escort like himself for some extra income, Old Huang intended to befriend him for mutual assistance along the journey.
Seeing Jiang Feng struggle to swallow his flatbread with a pained expression, he let his daughter offer Jiang Feng water, only to receive a cold rejection.
Old Huang had encountered such people before.
He didn’t mind.
He wisely chose not to disturb Jiang Feng further.
Jiang Feng understood Old Huang’s goodwill as he lay on the wooden cart.
But his journey was for seeking refuge, not leisure; his safety was not yet guaranteed. What was the use of making friends? Moreover, in this perilous journey, if they encountered formidable bandits after befriending Old Huang and his daughter, should he choose to save them or not?
People with unpredictable factors who easily invited trouble were the ones Jiang Feng wouldn’t bother with.
The caravan rested for only a quarter of an hour.
Quickly setting off again, heading south.
With recent turmoil at the National Gate and southern rebellion, the official road was bustling with caravans heading north for supplies or south to deliver goods.
Occasionally, large military contingents rushed past.
These rapid marches covered a hundred or more miles daily, grand in scale. Every caravan along the way would proactively make way, sometimes with officials coming down to "ask for directions."
The caravan leader would wisely put a map in a bundle to hand over to the official.
This situation happened frequently.
The caravan leader felt both sad and happy.
Worried about the depletion of silver taels, yet glad for the officials clearing the way, avoiding encounters with petty thieves along the route. But the officials’ demands grew larger, sometimes costing more than bandit encounters.
One must understand, while bandits seemed to rob, they rarely wanted any bloodshed. A wise caravan leader would offer flattering words and some silver taels, resolving the matter.
At least there was reason to negotiate.
But when confronted by officials.
No matter how many silver taels, when they spoke, it was like an unyielding decree in your face; you had to pay whether you liked it or not.
Over the journey, Jiang Feng had seen the warmth and coldness of human nature and understood just how dark the world was.
Only the strong, invincible can see the clear sky.
In the blink of an eye, seven days passed.
With horses and carriages hauling the caravan’s cargo, two Tiger Demons guarding the forefront, and caravan staff patrolling all sides, temporary escorts like Jiang Feng could sit on the carts or board the wagons, sparing everyone from walking.
Thus, the pace was quite brisk.
Covering a hundred or more miles daily compared favorably to rapid military marches. If the journey went smoothly, without bandits or officials obstructing, they could even exceed two hundred miles a day.
Seven consecutive days passed.
Jiang Feng was already far from Dragon Capital, over a thousand miles away.
But he hadn’t yet reached the southern border.
During these days, they encountered three groups of petty thieves and one group of bandits. The caravan leader resolved them without a fight; seeing the escort staff were all Grade-Entering Martial Artists, augmented by the two vigilant Tiger Demons, the thieves merely sought easy pickings and left.
As for the bandit group encountered at noon today, led by three Upper Third-Grade Martial Artists with fifty to sixty men, blocking the path, the caravan leader successfully dealt with them by handing over a small pouch of silver taels.
