Lan Ruo Ting walked towards the vegetable patch and happened to see Shu Qing planting vegetables in the field alongside the monks, conversing with them. It seemed she was learning how to plant vegetables.
Shu Qing soon noticed him as well and stepped out of the field. As soon as she approached him, she immediately asked:
— Sir Lan, is there something?
— We've received news from Lord Dao again. — Lan Ruo Ting said with a smile, pulling out a secret message and handing it over with both hands.
Shu Qing took it and, opening it, began to read. A glint appeared in Lan Ruo Ting's eyes. He seemed eager to observe Shu Qing's reaction.
Upon seeing the secret message, Shu Qing understood that Niu You Dao was requesting for someone to be sent to the capital to establish contact with Cheng Gui Shuo.
In that case, it seemed Niu You Dao had no intention of abandoning them.
She raised her head and noticed Lan Ruo Ting staring at her strangely. She couldn't help but ask:
— Sir, what are you looking at? — She raised a hand and touched her face. Perhaps she had gotten dirty while planting vegetables?
Lan Ruo Ting hastily said:
— Nothing, I was just observing the princess learning to plant. It's a bit unusual.
Shu Qing smiled coquettishly, though it wasn't a pretty sight from her.
— I've found that with their planting method, the vegetables grow much faster and better.
— Ah, so that's it! — Lan Ruo Ting nodded his head with delight.
...
Not far from Qingzhou city, there was a mountain forest. Niu You Dao and Yuan Fang carried a basket on a shoulder pole. Inside the basket were various items, including a wrapped sword and knife. The two had disguised themselves as peasants.
Not far from them, a man was leading two horses. As soon as he recognized the two, he handed them the horses. The duo immediately mounted them and galloped away from the mountain.
Regarding Chao Zong and Hai Ru Yue, the Heavenly Jade Sect and Wandong Heavenly Palace had agreed to their matter. As soon as Niu You Dao learned this, he immediately set off to fulfill his promise to Hai Ru Yue.
They rode for some distance, then turned to look at the vast, fortified city.
— Lord Dao, are we really going to help that woman search for the Red Yang Fruit? — Yuan Fang tentatively asked.
Niu You Dao frowned and said:
— Bear, do you think I'm not a man of my word?!
— No, no, no. Lord Dao, that's not what I meant. — Yuan Fang immediately scratched the back of his head and said with a smile:
— I was just thinking, if you've already discussed everything with her, and if everything is, so to speak, settled... and furthermore, if the princess herself can't acquire this fruit, how could we possibly get it? Why then should we even go there? — Yuan Fang was implying that perhaps they shouldn't go.
Niu You Dao: "Whether we can or cannot is one thing; whether to go or not is another. Military operations will soon begin in Qingshan County, and the prince must win there. However, I am not skilled in military strategy. And since you follow me, I am responsible for you. Therefore, I must devise escape routes for us, just in case."
Yuan Fang understood him. It turned out Lord Dao had long decided to use Qingzhou as an escape route. He suddenly said:
— If military operations commence in Qingshan County, will my monks be safe?
Niu You Dao: "I told you, if you follow me, I will be responsible for you. Don't worry, I've already arranged everything well. As long as they remain in the monastery, nothing should happen to them. If something does happen, you remember they still have a secret passage in the monastery. They can be led out if necessary."
— Ah! — Yuan Fang calmly sighed. It was good that Niu You Dao had found escape routes. Lord Dao had no intention of tying his fate to Chao Zong's. This made Yuan Fang curious, and he asked:
— Lord Dao, is it really necessary to do all this? Why not just say it directly and leave?
Niu You Dao: "Do you think I haven't thought that? If you'd agree to abandon the idea of building a temple, then everything would be fine. Wouldn't we have left freely then? And that Monkey, he has a fiery heart. He says everything must be done according to justice. If it weren't for him, we would have left them long ago. In these troubled times, we would be living quite peacefully somewhere in the mountains. And you, you're just a strange bear. What good is a big temple to you? What's so fun about it?"
Yuan Fang said in a weak voice:
— Nothing fun, but I made a promise to the abbot before his death.
Niu You Dao smirked: "Oh? You want to build a temple. Fine, but you build a temple, and then what? In this troubled age, how long will it stand without powerful backing? Believe it or not, even if you manage to build a temple, it won't be a year before you'll have to close it again! Otherwise, you might simply be killed. How will you then uphold your faith?"
Yuan Fang seemed to understand and said:
— Lord Dao, then perhaps we should find some sphere of influence? Find some support?
— Find some sphere of influence? Have you ever seen anyone just take someone in for no reason? Would anyone simply help you, and you still remain a free man? Ah, it's useless talking to you. I advise you... you'd do better to follow me. We'll see this world. You'll broaden your horizons. See the world. Let's go! — As soon as Niu You Dao finished speaking, he immediately spurred his horse and galloped off.
Yuan Fang also gave chase.
As soon as the two reached the main road, they immediately bypassed it. They took a small road around it. For now, it was better to avoid main roads, just in case enemies were tracking them. And as soon as they had bypassed the main road, they returned to it.
Their destination was the northern part of the Da Xue Shan mountains, in the Han Kingdom: the Ice and Snow Palace!
In another mountainous, forested area, two horses grazed.
Not far from them, a bare-chested Yuan Gang stood with his dragon-like back. Wei Duo walked around him, striking him with a stick. At the end of the training, Yuan Gang immediately rushed into a nearby pond to wash himself.
Throughout their journey, they stopped for an hour to train. Yuan Gang now had to devote an hour to training every day.
The two had already reached Qingzhou, and the provincial city was close by...
Twilight, Kuangai County Governor's residence.
In the study of the library, the household steward Shou Nian presented a secret message:
— Master, news from the Heavenly Jade Sect.
Feng Lin Bo, sitting at his desk, put down his brush and began to read the message. The more he read, the more he furrowed his brows.
After a while, Peng Yu Lan arrived, bringing a cup of hot soup. Seeing Feng Lin Bo's state, she immediately asked:
— What is it?
Feng Lin Bo handed her the note.
Peng Yu Lan took the note with a skeptical look, read it, and then said through gritted teeth:
— Within half a month, we need to transfer 50,000 soldiers to Chao Zong? Why so many soldiers for a tiny Cang Wu County? And to supply them with provisions? Will Qingshan County even let so many people in?
She turned and, looking at Shou Nian, asked:
— Is there any news from Ru Nan? Is there any movement in Cang Wu County?
Shou Nian shook his head and replied:
— No. Besides Niu You Dao being exiled, there's no other news.
Feng Lin Bo muttered discontentedly:
— Could something have happened to Niu You Dao in Qingzhou?
Peng Yu Lan looked at the secret message again:
— No need to guess. I'll ask my father immediately. — After all, Peng Yu Lan's father was the current head of the Heavenly Jade Sect...
The high wall of Qingzhou provincial city loomed before Yuan Gang. He and Wei Duo rode inside. Yuan Gang had never seen such high walls in this life.
They rode along the street, not wishing to visit luxurious eateries. The main thing was to fill their stomachs.
Stopping their horses, they immediately pulled up to an eatery and sat down to eat.
At that moment, a luxurious carriage drove down the road, and everyone dispersed before it.
People scattered, but the eatery owner and his wife suddenly cried out in fright:
— Daughter!
A little girl had just gone for steamed buns. And at that moment, as everyone scattered, the girl, who was running for the buns, likely froze in the middle of the road out of fear. She couldn't move.
Yuan Gang instantly darted into the middle of the street and shielded the girl.
The rider leading the carriage was also surprised. He immediately reined in his horses, causing them to whinny. At the same time, the rider swung his whip towards Yuan Gang:
— Quickly, make way!
Yuan Gang grabbed the whip and, pulling it, flung it onto the roof of the neighboring house.
Yuan Gang paid no heed, as if nothing had happened. He immediately turned to go back. The owners came to meet them with joy.
However, the rider grew enraged and rode directly towards Yuan Gang.
As soon as the relieved parents saw the rider intending to harm Yuan Gang, they immediately began to shout angrily.
Wei Duo also stood up, intending to protect Yuan Gang. But he only saw Yuan Gang turn and strike with his fist.
Thud!
He fiercely punched the rider's horse in the face.
— Neighhh — The warhorse neighed and even toppled over with its rider.
Such an incident drew the attention of all the people. How strong must one be to overturn a horse with a single punch? Not only ordinary folk, but even Wei Duo was secretly astonished by Yuan Gang's mighty strength. It seemed he had powerful bones.
Inside the carriage, Hai Ru Yue pulled back the curtain and looked at what was happening outside.
Cultivators immediately flashed into view at the sides of the carriage. However, Hai Ru Yue, sitting inside, calmly said:
— Stop.
Immediately outside the carriage, someone relayed her command.
The cultivators cast cold glances at Yuan Gang and Wei Duo, who had appeared beside him. Then they returned.
The carriage moved on. The little girl cried in her parents' arms.
Yuan Gang, with a stone-like face, picked up the dropped steamed bun, blew off the dust, tore off some dirty parts, and then offered it to the girl. The girl stopped sobbing and, with tears in her eyes, began to eat the bun.
Yuan Gang patted the now calm girl on the head, completely ignoring the departing carriage.
However, Hai Ru Yue, on the other hand, had been observing everything from beginning to end. She watched Yuan Gang until he disappeared from sight.