Chapter 90

On a day with clear blue skies, Lu Buqi finally walked out of the vast mountains.

Looking back, he gazed at the mountains that still lay quietly before him, like sleeping lions and tigers, and the experiences of the past month and more flashed through his mind.

No one disturbed Lu Buqi; everyone could more or less understand his feelings. Even the members of the Eagle Guard, who had only been in the mountains for less than ten days, couldn't help but shed their gloomy mental burdens when they finally emerged, feeling refreshed and slightly relieved of the sorrow over their fallen comrades.

Crossing the Great Hong Mountain was an absolute feat for a martial artist. Even Lu Puxin and Lu Shaohui wouldn't dare to attempt it lightly. The Great Hong Mountain was too dangerous, and the losses of the Blue Eagle Team were a clear indication.

If Lu Puxin and Lu Shaohui knew that Lu Buqi had entered the Great Hong Mountain alone at the time, they would be even more astonished and impressed.

"Old Wang, Shuangqiao... I made it!" Lu Buqi's eyes narrowed. "And my gains are beyond your imagination. Don't worry, it won't be long before I return to see you!"

Indeed, thinking about his current self and comparing it to when he first entered the Great Hong Mountain, Lu Buqi still felt a sense of unreality...

When he first stepped into the Great Hong Mountain, his cultivation was only at the ninth level of Courage, carrying a tattered bag and wearing clothes from a dead person for the first time in his life...

But now, he had reached the seventh level of Bone Resonance, and his combat power rivaled that of a martial artist at the second level of Fiery Blood. He had also befriended a first-level Fiery Blood treasure hunter and acquired a female spirit beast slave with combat power comparable to a Xuan Tong cultivator, along with the Jie Ring, Qi Technique, and numerous medicinal pills. As for heart cores and materials, they were insignificant.

In less than two months, Lu Buqi had made significant progress in his own strength, wealth, and connections. As the saying goes, a dragon leaping from a shallow stream into the river and sea is unstoppable. One day, just like Bu Hui who crossed the tribulation in the rain to transform into a chi, Lu Buqi would also have his day of flying high.

"I've been wanting to find a good opportunity to give you this cloak!" Long Buli's voice startled Lu Buqi from his thoughts. He noticed a cloak draped over his shoulders, familiar in color and style, and suddenly remembered the scene of Bu Hui falling, his heart warming.

Yes, the bright red cloak that Long Buli now gave to Lu Buqi was the same one that had covered Bu Hui's body that day. At the time, Lu Buqi's mind and eyes were completely focused on Bu Hui, and he hadn't paid attention to the cloak. But now, as he put it on, he realized that this was no ordinary cloak.

Without even mentioning the feel and craftsmanship, just the fact that it didn't feel stuffy in the heat but rather cool, as if it could summon a breeze, indicated that it was no ordinary item.

"This is something I collected in the past. It's a magical artifact that keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer, and can defend against arrows and spirit techniques on its own. I call it 'Sui Xin.' It's a bit too large and more suitable for men, so it's a good fit for you." Long Buli's voice was cheerful, and her actions were generous, without any of the coquettishness one might expect from a woman. To others, it just looked like a sister putting a cloak on her brother.

Lu Buqi looked at Long Buli deeply, feeling a warm sensation in his heart. "Thank you!"

"Why are you being so formal?" Long Buli laughed lightly. "At most, you can accompany me to find some treasure and give me something nice in return."

Lu Buqi pinched his nose. "We'll see..."

"Hmph, miser!" Long Buli pouted and lightly slapped him. "Let's go, everyone has been watching you for a while... Bu Hui isn't as attached to this desolate mountain as you are, it's like it's your home."

Looking at Bu Hui, he saw that she was still gazing at him with a bright look. Lu Buqi felt a warm sense of intimacy and couldn't resist affectionately rubbing the back of her neck. "Let's go, or Sister Buli will get angry again."

When the group reached the main road, soldiers were already waiting with fifteen fine horses. Seeing Lu Buqi's confusion, Lu Puxin explained, "When we decided to return, we would send a message to the nearest private army camp using a messenger eagle. They would bring the horses we had left there. Of course, now that we have one more person, I asked them to bring an extra horse."

Lu Buqi understood. With horses, the journey to the county city would take much less time, unlike his previous journey from the northwest corner to the east, which had nearly worn out his legs.

What surprised Lu Buqi was that Bu Hui could ride a horse very well. As if she knew he would be puzzled, Bu Hui rode up beside him and whispered, "Spirit beasts have absolute control over these lower-level animals. Horses are much more sensitive than humans. I just released a bit of my aura, and it became obedient."

"Then let's go!" Lu Buqi felt relieved and spurred his horse forward, the Sui Xin cloak flapping in the wind, creating a refreshing breeze that invigorated him.

Riding with a whip in hand and the red cloak billowing, Lu Buqi had a bit of a knightly air. However, if he changed his tattered leather jacket, he would look even more imposing.

Hongshan County, part of Longyuan Prefecture, is located in the northern part of Yunze Kingdom. It has sixteen towns under its jurisdiction and is larger in area, population, and resources than Yangze County. Moreover, the Lu family of Hongshan County has been the ruling family for two to three hundred years, with much deeper roots than the Wang family in Yangze County.

The place where Lu Buqi and his group emerged from the Great Hong Mountain was not too far from Hongshan County City. It would take two days of fast riding to get there, but the group didn't rush, so they only entered the city on the third night.

Since it was already night, Lu Buqi didn't pay much attention to the size of Hongshan County City. However, a glimpse before sunset revealed that it was larger than Yangze County City, with a clearly defined city wall and towering fortifications, giving it a much more substantial feel.

Entering the city, Lu Buqi felt as if he had returned to the Sui and Tang dynasties of ancient China. The tall city walls, arched city gates, and cobblestone streets were like stepping into an ancient painting, stirring his heart. Moreover, the city had an inner city, with walls twice as high as the outer walls, reaching over forty feet.

What surprised Lu Buqi even more was that there was an inner fortress within the inner city, where the Wang family's main branch and the Eagle Guard lived.

As Lu Buqi's main introducer, Lu Puxin warmly arranged for Lu Buqi and his two companions to stay at a high-end inn closest to the inner fortress, preparing two suites.

When arranging the rooms, Lu Yi and Lu Ruisi seemed quite nervous. When Lu Buqi requested two suites, they were greatly relieved, exchanging a knowing smile, which undoubtedly confirmed their belief that Lu Buqi and the two women, Buli and Bu Hui, were indeed siblings.

"You must treat them well; they are my esteemed guests!" Lu Yi loudly instructed the innkeeper and couldn't help but smile obsequiously at Lu Buqi, his fear of Lu Buqi having diminished over the past few days, but his respect for him had grown.

The innkeeper, a shrewd man, seeing that the respected Young Master Yi was so respectful, naturally didn't dare to underestimate the rustic-looking Lu Buqi. Moreover, the two women behind Lu Buqi, with their extraordinary beauty, undoubtedly added luster to his inn, so he knew to treat them well.

When the attendant led them to their rooms, Lu Buqi was genuinely surprised. "In ancient China, most high-end rooms in inns would have at most an extra table, but this one has carved beams and painted pillars, silk curtains hanging, and even ice vats, making it comparable to the bedrooms of wealthy families."

The ice vats were cylindrical metal containers with carvings, looking like decorative items, but they were actually filled with ice to absorb the heat inside the room, creating an effect similar to air conditioning.

There were even two such ice vats in one high-end room, a luxury considering the enormous cost of ice storage in such hot weather.

However, after months of fatigue, having such a comfortable place to stay undoubtedly made Lu Buqi very happy, and he felt grateful to Lu Puxin and Lu Yi.

What surprised Lu Buqi even more was that when he expressed a desire to take a bath, a wooden tub, water, and toiletries were promptly provided, along with a young and beautiful servant to attend to him, making it more comfortable than any five-star hotel in the modern world.

Lu Buqi, not one to let a woman bathe him, sent the servant away and did it himself. When he stepped into the tub and his body submerged in the cool water, the feeling of his pores opening and his fatigue melting away was incredibly refreshing.

Fully relaxed, this was the first time in his life that Lu Buqi had felt completely at ease, and he fell asleep without realizing it.