Chapter 56

Thank you: oLaogeo, Su Muyun for your support and moon tickets! Yes, Su Muyun, what a great name!

Thank you everyone for your red ticket support!

………………

At dawn, the Gobi desert was gone, replaced by a vast forest and undulating hills in the distance.

In a small grove by the road, a caravan of vehicles was resting.

The horses were drenched in sweat, clearly exhausted, and were now eating hay and snorting, enjoying the respite after their frantic run.

Jiaobao and Juan stood in front of the carriage, talking, and suddenly looked toward the distance.

Fushan and Fuqi had settled the horses and carriages, and turned to look back with Fuhong and Fuda.

Jiaolao and Ye Tianlong stood by the road, their alert expressions tinged with a hint of confusion.

At that moment, a figure suddenly appeared on the road about a hundred yards away, standing out prominently in the vast, empty landscape of the early morning. For the Jiao family's caravan, which had been running all night, this was a time when even the rustling of leaves could seem threatening. The sudden appearance of the figure made everyone both wary and surprised.

The figure grew clearer as it approached. He wore a half-length blue robe, leather boots, disheveled hair, and a face blackened with dirt. He was running and waving his hands as he came.

Jiaolao frowned slightly, his deep eyes flashing with a sharp light, and then he stepped forward without hesitation. The man, out of breath, was about to speak when Jiaolao raised his hand to stop him, saying, "Mr. Wu, hold on!"

Ye Tianlong held his precious sword in his arms and stepped closer, but remained silent, his face stern.

Fuqi and the others still stood by the large carriage.

Juan, unable to contain her curiosity, whispered, "Sister Baor, even though he's wearing clothes, he still looks strange. I remember he ran away, so why did he come back...?" She reached out to hold her sister's arm and added, "I'll tell you, sister, he was reading a book at night, in the dark, where he couldn't see anything. Despite pretending to be refined, it was quite amusing..."

The man hurriedly stopped, still out of breath, and stared in shock, "Who is Mr. Wu?"

Jiaolao said in a deep voice, "You, Wu Jiu, are a merchant who makes a living by trading. It is not inappropriate for me to address you as Mr. Wu."

The man, realizing it was Wu Jiu, nodded and said, "Those two siblings were just talking nonsense, I..." He originally wanted to say that it was all due to Yan Cheng and Shuang Cheng, that he was not a merchant but a scholar or a teacher. However, before he could finish, the other party interrupted, "After we set off last night, we have been running non-stop for three hundred miles. Since you were left behind, how did you catch up here? Please enlighten us, or else..."

"Three hundred miles?"

Wu Jiu was startled again. In just half a night, he had run three hundred miles. He had only been running casually, not even at full strength...

At the same time, a cold light flashed as a sharp sword was pressed against his neck, trembling slightly with Ye Tianlong's wrist. Though only two fingers away, the cold chill penetrated his skin, making his scalp tingle and his hair stand on end. The other party said coldly, "If you lie, your head will roll!"

Wu Jiu stood there, seemingly frightened, but then his breathing steadied, and he straightened up, glaring, "If you want to kill me, why don't you do it? I'm not afraid of a mere mortal's sword, I'm not even afraid of a cultivator's magical treasure!"

Ye Tianlong was taken aback and slightly withdrew the sword.

Jiaolao's eyes twitched, and he said coldly, "You are a spy for the Fengxiang clan, I see..."

Wu Jiu shook his head, unafraid, "I am not a spy, and I don't care about the grudges between the Fengxiang and Fu families. I am just a wandering... cultivator, yes, a cultivator..." He raised his voice and said, "You abandoned me without a second thought, and now you threaten me with swords. What is your logic? Fine, I will uphold my righteous spirit and spill my blood for the sky..."

He assumed a posture of being wronged and ready to be executed.

Ye Tianlong, holding the long sword, was at a loss, looking back at Jiaolao, who remained unmoved and continued to press, "Where does your courage come from?"

Courage? Jiaolao's sharp eyes were clear.

Wu Jiu patted the leather bag at his waist and answered without hesitation, "Two tigers, one dead, one injured. Someone cut out the dead tiger's gallbladder, which was then taken by the injured tiger and fell into my hands. Unexpectedly, the beast picked me up with its mouth and ran wildly, dying just before dawn. I barely escaped, and the journey was extremely dangerous, tsk tsk..."

"Where is the dead tiger?"

"About twenty miles away. It might have been found by the Fengxiang clan or eaten by wild animals. If you don't believe me, let's go back and look..."

"Fine! Are you really a cultivator?"

"Why would I lie? I've been practicing for years but haven't made any progress!"

"Hmph..."

Jiaolao said no more, grunted, and after a moment of silence, cast a suspicious glance and turned to leave.

Ye Tianlong sheathed his sword, stepped back, but his face remained cold, and he said through gritted teeth, "If you haven't made any progress, you're not a true cultivator. Don't think I can't kill you..."

In the past, a simple bow and a few humble words would have been enough to resolve the matter.

But Wu Jiu was different this time, and he said firmly, "Those who aspire to the path of immortality and put it into practice are all cultivators. There is no high or low, noble or humble. Don't bully me with your power. Try to strike me with your sword. Hmph, I am soft when treated kindly but hard when treated harshly..."

Ye Tianlong's wrist, gripping the sword scabbard, was tense, and his expressionless face showed a hint of a strange smile. It wasn't a real smile, but a sign that he had reached his limit.

Just as he was about to react, the figure in front of him vanished, and a voice came, "Sister Baor, thank you for your gift, but I'm used to wearing long robes, and these sleeves and pants are a bit too tight..."

Ye Tianlong turned sharply, and someone said, "I have my own plans!"

He was startled and quickly bowed in agreement.

Wu Jiu avoided Ye Tianlong and walked straight to the large carriage, feeling a sense of rebirth, and raised his hand, smiling, "Thank you, gentlemen, I'm back! Juan, why are you rolling your eyes? Is the wind too strong for you..."

Fuqi and his three companions turned away, and no one responded.

Jiaobao, who was a decent person, nodded slightly but only glanced at him, then hesitated and said nothing.

Juan was straightforward and spat, "Pah! What cultivator? I think you're just a fraud. Look at yourself in a mirror, do you look like someone who wears long robes? Sister gave you clothes to cover yourself, and you don't even show gratitude, instead you pick and choose, how unreasonable..."

As everyone knew, hunters, farmers, servants, and attendants, who either earn their own living or serve others, usually wear simple, short clothing for convenience. Long robes, on the other hand, were typically worn by Taoist priests, scholars, or officials, indicating a higher status.

Wu Jiu's expression remained unchanged, and he smiled, "When have I ever lied to you, girl?" His eyes swept over Jiaobao, and he said, "I just wanted a ride, but I was treated like a lowly person. The world is becoming more corrupt, and people are losing their integrity..." He shook his head, feeling melancholic, and walked straight to the large carriage.

Jiaobao felt a bit awkward and said apologetically, "Juan speaks without thinking..."

Juan pouted and defended herself, "He doesn't look like a cultivator at all, just a liar, and he's dirty and smelly..."

Wu Jiu walked to the large carriage, leaned against the wheel, and sat on the ground, catching his breath, and muttered to himself, "The land of the Xiong is still thousands of miles away, where are we now?" He then glared and retorted, "Stupid girl, you're the fool!"

He had been stepped on by a horse, looked down upon, and then abandoned, and he had been holding in his anger. His crazy behavior made people unsure of him, and he gained a moment of peace.

Everyone settled down, each busy resting. Not far away, a pile of dry wood was burning, and the scent of food wafted in the morning breeze.

However, Wu Jiu remained where he was, looking lonely and dejected after his outburst.

He had once been a person of high status, with a life full of glory. Now, in such a dire situation, he felt a deep sense of loss. But the end of prosperity does not mean the end of everything; the passage of time might lead to a return to nature. Yet, to be looked down upon by a girl was truly unbearable...

Wu Jiu glanced at Jiaolong and the others by the fire, and took out a bone plate from his chest, examining it closely. Why couldn't he recognize any of the characters on the bone plate?

"Traveling far from home, it's easy to make mistakes. If I have been impolite, please bear with me, Brother Wu."

With these pleasant words, Jiaobao and Juan came closer. Juan put down a clay pot and a piece of roasted meat, but her face showed reluctance.

Wu Jiu quickly put away the bone plate and bone ring, and looked up curiously.

Jiaobao, though young, was composed, kind, and generous, a remarkable young woman. He felt a stirring in his heart and drew a character on the ground, "Miss Baor, do you recognize this..."

Jiaobao, about to leave with Juan, looked down and was surprised, "This is the character 'wan,' an ancient character of our tribe. How do you know it, Brother Wu? It's quite unexpected!"

Wu Jiu's eyes lit up, and he stood up, raising his hand, "Please, teach me more!"

Jiaobao, not tall, had a delicate face framed by her hair, and as she looked around, the beads in her hair swayed slightly.

Jiaolao and Ye Tianlong, by the fire, looked over, their expressions attentive.

After a moment, Jiaobao seemed to have made a decision and nodded, "I didn't expect Brother Wu to be interested in our tribe's ancient characters. Why not discuss them further?"

Wu Jiu sat down eagerly, and with his dark fingers, drew two more characters in the sand, looking up for an answer.

Jiaobao, graceful and natural, squatted beside him, and in a clear voice, said, "These are the characters 'shou jue,' which together with the previous one form 'wan shou jue.' Is that correct?"

As she asked, her eyes sparkled with a clear smile...

...

Lingxia Mountain.

Yu Jing Peak, front mountain.

At the edge of a cliff on the front mountain of Yu Jing Peak, two men stood. One was Xuan Yu, with his hands behind his back, and the other was Mu Shen, standing respectfully.

Not far behind them, a large rock jutted out from the cliff. The cliff, like a roof, sheltered a circle of branches and a messy thatched hut. The hut was now in ruins, and its former owner was nowhere to be found.

Xuan Yu frowned slightly and said, "Who would have thought that after my two senior masters learned of it, they scolded me..." He turned, his face serious, "Tell me the truth, how could a mere mortal without a spiritual root have such iron bones, be impervious to magical treasures, and move as fast as the wind, and even kill two cultivators...?"

Mu Shen looked flustered and felt helpless.

After returning from the desert, he had reported the details of the journey. Xuan Yu then pursued with his sword, returned empty-handed, and became angry, no longer trusting him. It had been half a year, and he was still stuck on Yu Jing Peak, unable to leave. Even with his desperate pleas, he still faced doubts. How could anyone explain the strange events clearly?

"This is a serious matter, I dare not hide it."

Mu Shen hesitated for a moment, then said, "Wu Jiu possesses a mysterious treasure, which is why he is so extraordinary."

Xuan Yu's expression changed, and he asked sharply, "Where did the treasure come from, and what is so extraordinary about it?"

Mu Shen clenched his teeth and decided to take the risk, raising his head, "The treasure came from a senior cultivator who was in trouble and became a ghost cultivator..."