Chapter 21

Racing along the road, Zhao Ying kept looking back.

She couldn't help but want to go back and check if the twenty burlap bags were still there, and if someone else might have taken them. But seeing Chu Li's stern face and his silence, she knew that talking more would be futile and wouldn't change his mind.

She shook her head inwardly. Master Brother Chu is really calm. It would be better to secretly check from the side, to put her mind at ease. Otherwise, leaving like this really felt uneasy, as if something would go wrong.

At noon, the sun was scorching. Chu Li entered the woods, gave the horses some water, and rested for a while, as the weather was not suitable for traveling.

Sitting under the shade of a pine tree, Chu Li shook his head and said, "Little Sister, you're not cut out to be a bodyguard."

"Why not?" Zhao Ying sat opposite him, gently waving a branch. "Is my martial arts too weak?"

Chu Li shook his head. "You're too curious!... As a bodyguard, you need to be deaf and mute. If you can't do that, it's very dangerous."

Zhao Ying frowned. "You need to know the details to prevent problems in advance, right?"

"Bodyguards need to be vigilant all the time, regardless of whether there's danger or not." Chu Li shook his head. "You, being too curious, will affect your judgment and distract you!"

"I just wanted to see who would take the Immortal Beard."

"What difference does it make whether you know or not?" Chu Li laughed. "The Immortal Beard is for the horses. Think about it, who would take it?"

"The people from the mansion, of course."

Chu Li laughed.

Zhao Ying glared at him and huffed, "Isn't that right?"

"Would the third miss do such a superficial thing?"

"Then who would?"

"Where would the Immortal Beard be most useful?"

Zhao Ying tilted her head and thought for a moment. "If the young masters race horses, of course they want the best horses."

Chu Li looked at her helplessly and sighed, "The army, the cavalry!"

"Ah!" Zhao Ying gasped, realizing she hadn't thought of that!

Chu Li said, "Only in the army, in the cavalry, would the Immortal Beard be most effective!"

"Brother, are you saying these Immortal Beards will be sent to the army?" Zhao Ying's face paled, and she turned to look around, lowering her voice. "Will we be killed to keep us quiet?"

"Hey!"

"Since it involves the army, it's a major secret. The mansion can't be involved with the army!... If we know, won't we be in danger?" Zhao Ying's face tightened, and she spoke in a low, tense voice.

The mansion is not allowed to have dealings with the military, as per the imperial decree, just like princes are not allowed to associate with ministers. If caught, it would be a major disaster.

"It's not that serious." Chu Li smiled. "Just don't say anything."

Zhao Ying breathed a sigh of relief and then blushed.

Only now did she understand why Chu Li insisted on leaving. She had been foolish. If they had really gone to check and been exposed, it would have been truly dangerous, forcing the other side to silence them!

Thinking of this, she got up and practiced the Flying Swallow Sword Technique.

Chu Li sat under the tree, lazily giving a few pointers. An hour later, the sun wasn't as scorching, and the two mounted their horses and continued on their journey.

By evening, the sun was setting, and the birds were returning to their nests.

Chu Li looked at the sunset and suddenly reined in his horse. Zhao Ying also stopped, looking around alertly, her hand on her sword. "Brother?"

"There's an ambush." Chu Li frowned and sighed.

"More bandits?" Zhao Ying said angrily. "That Tiger Mountain Gang!"

They had entered the territory of Tiger Mountain again. She had been worried about bandits, but they couldn't escape.

Chu Li thought for a moment and turned his horse around. Zhao Ying hurriedly followed. "Brother?"

"We can't go that way." Chu Li shook his head.

"It's just a bunch of robbers, we can fight through them!" Zhao Ying was eager to try.

She was no longer the inexperienced girl she once was. Her sword technique was powerful, her internal strength deep, almost reaching the peak of the Later Heaven stage. As long as they didn't encounter a Tiger Mountain Gang expert at the Innate stage, they would be fine. Experts at the Innate stage generally wouldn't come down the mountain to rob.

Chu Li shook his head.

His Great Round Mirror Wisdom gave him a strong sixth sense, guiding him to avoid danger. It was warning him of great danger ahead, and it was not advisable to proceed.

"Can't we just go around?" Zhao Ying said unwillingly.

Chu Li said, "Let's wait."

"Wait until when?"

"They'll have to return to the mountain eventually."

"What if they take turns on watch?"

"Then we'll wait for the experts to leave." Chu Li frowned. "There should be experts at the Innate stage!"

Zhao Ying's eyes widened, her mouth opened and closed, but she nodded. "We can't be too careful, but for experts at the Innate stage to rob, that's really shameless!"

Chu Li spurred his horse into the woods, tied the horses, and sat on the dry leaves. "We'll go through at midnight!"

Zhao Ying nodded.

The two sat in meditation, conserving their energy.

At midnight, the moon was high in the sky, and the moonlight was bright.

Chu Li opened his eyes. "Let's go!... Leave the horses behind!"

"Not ride the horses?"

"Too much noise. We'll use our lightness skills."

Zhao Ying looked at the horses with reluctance. She had grown attached to them, and it was hard to let them go.

"The old horses know the way back."

"Really?"

"The horses in the mansion are specially trained to find their way back."

The mansion had excellent horse trainers who had trained the horses to be very smart, allowing only their owners to approach them, and they could find their way back on their own, making it impossible for others to catch them.

"Alright then." Zhao Ying patted the horses reluctantly.

She loosened the reins and took some food from the saddles, but Chu Li stopped her. They needed to travel light, and even a bag of dried meat would be a burden in a critical moment.

The two used their lightness skills and traveled about ten miles. Suddenly, they saw a bonfire, with two trees burning brightly in the middle of the road, illuminating the faces of about a dozen people sitting around the fire, silent.

Zhao Ying looked at Chu Li, who signaled to be careful. They silently moved through the woods, avoiding the group.

In the woods, he suddenly stopped, then moved quickly, stopping and starting. At first, Zhao Ying found it strange, but then she realized he was avoiding traps.

The woods were filled with traps, and encountering one would alert the group. She also noticed that there were people lurking in the woods, silent and unseen.

She thought it was a close call. Were they lying in wait specifically for the two of them?

Had they killed too many people and angered the Tiger Mountain Gang, so they were waiting specifically for them?

Thinking of this, Zhao Ying broke out in a cold sweat. If so, they must have sent experts at the Innate stage, which would be extremely dangerous!

Chu Li led her, avoiding all the traps and the ambushers. They left without incident, entering a new patch of woods. His speed suddenly increased, and Zhao Ying had to use her lightness skills to keep up.

They ran for about ten miles before Chu Li finally breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against a tree.