On the muddy mountain path, the wheels of the carriage rolled over the earth, leaving two deep ruts, and the carriage creaked. A light drizzle fell from the sky, the air was humid, carrying the fresh scent of grass and trees.
The convoy consisted of eight people. Leading them was Lei Hu, the chief guard, a renowned expert in the Ma Kingdom. It was said that he could single-handedly cut down a dozen horse bandits without breaking a sweat.
The deputy guard, Li Fei, was an excellent archer, never missing a shot. Along with three skilled escorts from the security agency and three hired martial artists, they were jointly escorting this batch of goods.
The goods were packed in boxes, covered with a thick cloth, heavy and occasionally emitting the sound of metal clashing. No one knew what was inside.
Xu Hei was one of the three hired martial artists.
It was a coincidence; he was just walking along the road when he took down two reckless horse bandits. Lei Hu happened to witness it and decided to hire him, and since Xu Hei was heading in the same direction, they traveled together.
"Hey, Brother Xu, where did you get that snake? It doesn't bite people, how peculiar!" A young escort traveling with them asked curiously, looking at the small snake on Xu Hei's shoulder.
The little black snake raised its head, staring at the person, flicking its tongue.
"Picked it up on the road, just got it used to people. Even fierce beasts like lions and tigers won't bite if raised from young," Xu Hei replied with a smile.
"Uninformed," snorted a sword-wielding woman beside them. Her name was Zeng Ting, quite alluring and young, exuding a faint Sword Qi, also a skilled expert. "In the Southern Kingdom, there are plenty who raise snakes, insects, rats, and ants, but they're all like sewer rats."
Her words were somewhat sharp, but Xu Hei paid no mind. Throughout the journey, she had been this foul-mouthed, not just to him but to others as well.
"Brother A Long, by the way, what are these goods you're transporting? Can you reveal a bit?" Xu Hei asked curiously, looking at the boxes on the carriage.
The escort named A Long smiled wryly and said, "Brother Xu, actually, by the rules, since you've been hired, we should give you a heads-up. However, this matter is of great importance. I can only tell you that these are items belonging to the Immortal family. We mortals are better off not prying."
Xu Hei's interest was piqued.
He hadn't used his Divine Sense to probe. Over the past two years of wandering, his cultivation had completely faded, and he had fully integrated into the mortal world.
Divine Sense and spells were things Xu Hei naturally wouldn't touch.
Along the way, the Feihu Escort Agency encountered two groups of bandits, but the chief guard was evidently a figure of some standing. They exchanged glances and secret signals, and the matter was resolved, at most costing some silver.
After traversing mountains and rivers, a week quickly passed.
The convoy reached the border of the Ma Kingdom. They just needed to cross the Ma River Bridge ahead and reach the town of Sanli on the other side to complete the delivery.
After seven days of travel, everyone was a bit weary, but the thought of enjoying themselves in town filled them with excitement.
"Brother Xu, let me tell you, the girls in Sanli Town are quite flirtatious. This place is at the junction of three kingdoms, so you can experience the charms of different regions and try all sorts of things. As long as you have silver, I guarantee you won't want to leave once you get there," A Long said enthusiastically to Xu Hei.
In the past, Xu Hei would have ignored such talk, but now he joined in, "Oh? Is it really that fun?"
"Haha! When have I ever lied to you? This time I'll make sure you have your fill of fun. Oh, by the way!" A Long noticed Xu Hei's curious look, his eyes flashed, and he lowered his voice with a sly grin, "Brother Xu, could it be that you're still a virgin?"
Though A Long was young, he had traveled far and wide, dealing with all sorts of people. From their seven days of interaction, he vaguely sensed that Xu Hei was clueless about matters between men and women.
The crude jokes and suggestive talk they usually shared, Xu Hei didn't understand a word of it.
He wasn't pretending; he genuinely didn't understand.
"What is a virgin?" Xu Hei frowned and asked.
"Well..." A Long was now completely convinced that Xu Hei was indeed a virgin.
Zeng Ting, on the other hand, cast a disdainful glance and sneered, "At your age, still pretending, who would believe it?"
A Long glanced at Zeng Ting and mocked, "Zeng Ting, don't think everyone is as promiscuous as you. What's wrong with Brother Xu not having experienced it? Isn't that normal? And don't think I don't know, you hinted to Brother Xu several times before, but he didn't catch on, so you're upset, right?"
Zeng Ting's temper flared instantly, pointing at A Long, she said, "If you dare spout nonsense again, believe it or not, I'll tear your mouth apart!"
As the only woman in the group, Zeng Ting was also fiery-tempered, and she drew her long sword with a swish.
Seeing the situation turning sour, A Long pulled Xu Hei back to avoid trouble.
Suddenly, the chief guard, Lei Hu, raised his hand, signaling everyone to be silent.
The carriage came to a halt, and the deputy guard, Li Fei, gripped the longbow on his back, his face serious. The other escorts and two martial artists also tensed up, weapons in hand, brows furrowed, ready for anything.
Zeng Ting quickly turned around, looking towards the bridge ahead.
That was the Ma River Bridge, their only way across the river.
A Long tightened his grip on his sword, the playful expression on his face vanished, instantly switching to combat mode.
Lei Hu stepped forward and shouted towards the direction of the Ma River Bridge, "This is the Feihu Escort Agency, Lei Hu. May I know which expert is present? Please show yourself."
As soon as he finished speaking, water splashed up from both sides of the bridge, and two black-clothed figures emerged, standing at the bridge's edge. Both had their faces covered, only their dark eyes visible.
"Oh? So it's Chief Lei, my apologies!" The black-clothed figure cupped his hands and said, "In these troubled times, my brother and I are merely seeking a living, with no intention of offending. If Chief Lei could spare some silver, we will leave immediately."
Lei Hu sized them up, his brows slightly furrowed.
Just these two dared to rob them? Didn't they know the reputation of the Feihu Escort Agency?
In the past, these two small-time bandits would have been cut down directly. Li Fei even had an arrow ready to shoot at any moment. However, with their destination so close, Lei Hu didn't want any complications. He took out a bag of silver and tossed it over.
The black-clothed person caught the silver, weighed it, and cupped his hands, "Thank you, Chief Lei. May your martial fortunes prosper! Until we meet again!"
With that, the two figures leaped away towards the distant mountains, disappearing from sight.
"Quick hands!" Li Fei muttered under his breath.
Lei Hu said nothing, sending someone to check the bridge. A Long also dove into the water to investigate. After confirming there were no issues, he nodded, and the convoy continued on.
However, Xu Hei frowned deeply. Though he had lost his Divine Sense, his sense of danger far surpassed that of ordinary people, and he sensed something amiss ahead!