Wan Lihan left the towering stone gates of the border city behind, slipping back onto the dirt road to continue his journey.
His two years of isolated alchemy practice had not been in vain. With the pouch of twenty-five gold coins resting against his chest and his fresh black robes keeping his stride smooth, he felt a level of security he hadn't known in years.Suddenly, the thick bushes lining the path rustled violently.
Five men erupted from the tree line, wielding rusted daggers and iron clubs. They were standard mortal highwaymen, eyes gleaming with greed as they targeted the solitary traveler. But to a cultivator, their clumsy movements looked as slow as molasses.Lihan didn't even draw his iron blade. Channeling a thin thread of Qi into his limbs to enhance his physical agility, he moved like a shadow.
Whoosh.
He sidestepped the first club swing, drove a brutal palm strike into the attacker's ribs, and seamlessly pivoted. One by one, the mortal bandits were violently knocked down, crashing into the dirt with groans of agony.Lihan stepped on the chest of the last standing leader, his blank eyes locking onto the man's terrified face.
"Give me your money."
The trembling bandit didn't hesitate, frantically handing over every coin pouch they had. Lihan stripped them clean, pocketing a sizeable hoard of extra gold and silver coins before leaving the groaning men in the dirt.An hour later, Lihan arrived at a bustling roadside restaurant pavilion nestled near a mountain pass.
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He sat at a quiet corner table, ordering a hot pot of tea and a heavy plate of roasted meat to keep his core cultivation nourished.As he ate, the urgent whispers of two traveling merchants at a nearby table caught his attention. They were gossiping about a hidden, mysterious cultivation sect nestled deep in the crags exactly two miles away.Finishing his meal, Lihan casually stood up and walked over to the man who had spoken. His voice was flat and neutral.
"Where exactly is this place located?"
The man turned around, blinking in surprise at Lihan's tall, six-foot frame and pristine black robes. A friendly smile crossed his face. "Are you also a cultivator seeking to join?
My name is Shu Fan.""My name is Wan Lihan.""Well, Lihan, the path through the mountains is treacherous," Shu Fan replied warmly, standing up.
"Why don't we travel there together?"
Behind Lihan's expressionless mask, his hyper-cautious survival instincts instantly flared.
A stranger offering a partnership out of nowhere? he calculated silently. This might be an ambush. I will play along with it for now and see what he is hiding."Why not,
" Lihan replied smoothly. "Let's go."
They left the pavilion on foot, setting a brisk pace through the rugged wilderness. Hour after hour, they navigated steep mountain paths, rocky ridges, dense valley fog, and narrow stone canyons. Lihan kept his hand loose near his hilt, his mind constantly scanning the high ledges for hidden archers or rogue cultivators.But as the sun began to dip below the horizon, the path cleared. No enemies rushed them.Hmm... perhaps I am just overthinking it, Lihan realized flatly.
There was actually no ambush.
Emerging from the final canyon pass, both seventeen-year-old travelers halted their steps. Standing right before them, carved directly into the living rock of the massive peaks, was the grand stone entrance leading into the hidden mountain sect.