Chapter 30: Encounter on the Road

Chen Luo left most of the silver notes from his recent plunder in Chen Village, taking only a small portion with him.

With these silver notes as initial capital, the villagers’ future should be less arduous. Chen Luo trusted that Third Uncle, with his years of experience navigating city life, could find ways to safely utilize the funds.

The younger generation’s growth did not render the older generation obsolete. At least, Chen Luo didn’t believe so.

His third uncle remained as cunning as ever, ensuring no one would deceive the people of Chen Village. With Old Fourth Cai and the Sha Lake Gang’s support, Chen Luo felt completely reassured.

On a winding country road,

Chen Luo sat drowsily atop a cart pulled by oxen.

After leaving Chen Village, he had rented this ox cart. Initially, the old farmer was reluctant, but Chen Luo convinced him with an overly generous payment.

The jade booklet in his possession was now worn out from frequent use; he had memorized every word without missing a single line. However, comprehending its meaning proved elusive. The text contained obscure technical terms, which, despite drawing upon knowledge from both worlds, remained beyond his grasp.

The only benefit was that when he activated his royal intellect, he could glean some insights from the jade booklet’s contents, albeit just barely. However, understanding how to utilize it remained elusive.

His practice of Black Tiger Fist had also reached its limit, with diminishing returns on further improvement.

Even the effects of the medicinal formula were waning. Chen Luo felt as if he had hit a dead end, unable to progress despite harnessing over a hundred intellect overlays.

“Boss, Boss?”

In his sleep, Chen Luo was gently awakened by someone calling out.

It was the elderly driver who had stopped the ox cart, looking anxious as he nudged Chen Luo cautiously.

“What is it?” Chen Luo glanced at the old man.

Renting the ox cart was a deliberate decision. Firstly, it saved effort and allowed him to study the jade booklet during the journey. Secondly, it provided safety without drawing attention from prying eyes. After General Fan’s death, several individuals in Qingya County began harboring ulterior motives. Over the past three days, Chen Luo gathered intelligence indicating multiple clandestine groups inquiring about the mineral deposits, including Commandant Zhu, General Fan’s subordinate. Having inherited Fan’s influence, Zhu now held significant power in Qingya County.

“Up ahead, there’s a caravan. Should we join them for added safety?” the old man asked sheepishly.

Looking ahead, Chen Luo indeed spotted a large caravan illuminated by torches at night, casting light over a wide area. Around it, seven or eight armed guards stood watch, vigilant with weapons in hand.

The old man’s fear was evident.

While he had experience in this trade, his usual practice was to travel during the day and rest at night. The dangers of nighttime travel were too great. However, having accepted payment from Chen Luo, he felt compelled to follow through on the nocturnal journey as requested.

Unlike Chen Luo, who possessed formidable martial prowess, the old man felt vulnerable driving alone under the cover of darkness. He constantly feared that ferocious beasts might suddenly emerge from the pitch-black forest nearby.

“Do you think they’ll let us join?” Chen Luo sounded skeptical.

He didn’t particularly care whom they traveled with, as long as they headed in the right direction. However, caravans typically did not allow strangers to join them, especially at night. Those traveling merchants were highly cautious; approaching recklessly would likely result in immediate rejection, much less acceptance. Even offering money wouldn’t suffice. In mountainous regions, vigilance against unfamiliar faces was crucial, particularly seemingly innocent villagers. Many among them served as scouts for local bandits. Accepting such individuals into a caravan could invite imminent trouble from bandits.

“The head guard over there is my great nephew.”

The old farmer rubbed his hands sheepishly.

So they had encountered someone familiar.

“Fine, handle it as you see fit,” Chen Luo waved dismissively and continued recalling the contents of the jade booklet with closed eyes.

His purpose for this journey was straightforward: to obtain the ore from Qingya County’s mine!

A mineral that even Prince Ning found enticing must hold significant value; it might even aid his cultivation using the jade booklet. This plan was suggested by ‘General Fan’s Mind,’ which Chen Luo deemed reliable enough to adopt.

With Chen Luo’s approval, the old farmer promptly ran over to cozy up to the caravan guards.

“Who goes there!”

“I am Fifth Uncle of Tian Daniu. If you don’t believe me, just ask him.” The old farmer raised his hands immediately. Seeing his gesture and hearing a familiar name mentioned, the group relaxed somewhat but remained vigilant. Any suspicious move by the old farmer would trigger their deadly response.

In these remote wilderness areas, disposing of bodies after killing someone was commonplace, often going unnoticed by the imperial court.

“Fifth Uncle? What brought you to Yanzi Ridge?! Did something happen at home?”

Shortly after, the farmer’s nephew arrived, his face filled with concern as he questioned the old man, fearing some unforeseen trouble at home.

“Everything’s fine at home; it’s just that your Fifth Uncle took on some extra work,” the old farmer said, somewhat sheepishly.

He felt embarrassed for causing inconvenience to his nephew. If not for the substantial earnings this job promised, he wouldn’t have sought such help despite the humiliation.

“As long as everything is okay.” Tian Daniu sighed in relief. He was well aware that Fifth Uncle often accepted side jobs to make money, so this wasn’t surprising. Along the way, he glanced briefly at Chen Luo lying dazed on the ox cart. Convinced that the young man posed no threat, he paid him no further attention. With his experience traversing the jianghu, one look was enough to discern whether someone was a bandit or not.

‘Maybe he’s heading to visit relatives,’ thought Tian Daniu.

Recently, due to events unfolding in Qingya County, many people had left to seek refuge with their kin. They had encountered several groups like this already, making it quite commonplace.

“Fifth Uncle, please wait here for a moment. I’ll go talk to the boss. Don’t worry! With my endorsement, he’ll definitely agree to let you join us,” Tian Daniu assured, thumping his chest confidently.

Considering the treacherous wilderness, Tian Daniu couldn’t bear to let Fifth Uncle venture alone.

“Alright, alright,” Old Tian rubbed his hands and promptly took out some copper coins, urging Tian Daniu to treat his brothers to drinks.

Seeing Tian Daniu’s thoughtful gesture, the others lowered their guard as well, addressing him casually with terms like ‘Old Tian’ and ‘Fifth Uncle’.

Having someone vouch for them certainly made things easier.

Soon, the caravan boss agreed to Old Tian’s request but stipulated that they could only follow behind the caravan, without entering its center or approaching the area near the central carriage. Naturally, Tian Daniu readily accepted these conditions.

With such strong protection, there was no need to worry about the journey ahead, and their earnings were virtually secured. The thought of this trip’s potential gains brought immense joy to Old Tian’s heart.

By the campfire:

The caravan boss cautiously approached the lead carriage and relayed the situation to the esteemed individual inside.

In such caravans, everything operates strictly by rules and regulations. If the esteemed passenger had disagreed, they wouldn’t have risked going against his wishes for any favor.

“Must I be bothered with matters of ants?” A cold voice echoed from within the carriage, filled with indifference. It seemed as if everyone else were mere insects compared to him.

As the night wind blew, lifting the curtain slightly, it revealed the face of the noble inside.

A young man clad in azure robes, with a stern expression and long black hair draped over his shoulders. Resting on his crossed legs was a gleaming, precious sword. Had Chen Luo’s Third Uncle, Chen Laosan, been present, he would likely recognize this young man at once - he was none other than the mysterious figure who accompanied Wei-gonggong during their transaction, the one responsible for slaughtering the imperial entourage.

“My apologies for the intrusion.”

Seeing that the noble had no objections, the caravan boss let out a sigh of relief. Regardless of what happened next, he had now helped Tian Daniu, making it harder for him to continue threatening with matters involving Xiao Hong from the Maiden Flower Pavilion.