He Mu was also a bit surprised that the system had sent Li Dashan over in this manner.
But as the tour guide and their leader, He Mu felt she needed to step up and say something at this moment, otherwise she would seem just as inexperienced as them.
He Mu smiled lightly and said in a relaxed tone, “Once you join our tour group, you can’t cancel midway. Old Li, welcome to the two-day tour of the ‘Yellow Emperor Tribe’.”
Zeng Keyu, Lu Lang, and Sheng Yang all widened their eyes in astonishment. Even the signature trick of the most top-tier domestic magician—making a person appear out of thin air—wasn’t performed like this.
Magic, when you get down to it, is just sleight of hand.
But Li Dashan’s sudden appearance was no sleight of hand; it was a genuine, tangible manifestation out of nowhere—a divine feat!
Not to mention the three of them, who were participating for the first time, even Lu Shiyan, who was on his second tour, was startled. He Mu was becoming more and more incredible. Next time, seeing her fly on a sword probably wouldn’t even be surprising.
As for the person involved, Li Dashan nearly wet his pants. He thought he was done for, so when he saw He Mu and realized he was safe, the stark contrast overwhelmed him, and he couldn’t help but curse.
“My goodness, Xiao Mu, my heart almost gave out!”
He Mu replied, “There was no other way. Since you couldn’t make it, we had to bring you here.”
Li Dashan anxiously rose from his seat. “Xiao Mu, I really don’t have time to spend two days touring with you. My wife’s family is coming to fight me for custody of the child. I have to go back.”
He Mu pressed Li Dashan back into his seat. “It won’t take much of your time. In real-time conversion, it’ll only be a minute or two.”
He Mu pointed to the time on her phone and added, “You can check the time now and again when you return. If it really delays your matters, I’ll take responsibility and compensate you.”
Li Dashan hesitated for a moment, then agreed.
He felt that since He Mu could bring him here, there was no need for her to lie to him.
Not only would it not interfere with his return to protect his child, but he could also travel through time with He Mu, this extraordinary person. He was quite looking forward to it.
After calming Li Dashan down, He Mu stood up and addressed everyone: “Everyone, we’re about to complete the Time Travel. Let me go over the precautions once more. First, this time we’ll be touring the Yellow Emperor Tribe for two days. By this time the day after tomorrow, you must be by my side for the return trip. Second, you must not lose the Traveler’s Pass in your hands. This document can protect your safety to a certain extent and prevent the local natives from actively attacking you. Third, I’ve prepared a backpack for each of you, containing daily necessities, practical tools, compressed biscuits, and a knife.”
Everyone listened attentively, even Sheng Yang, who pricked up his ears. His change in attitude was because he realized that He Mu truly couldn’t be judged by ordinary standards.
The next moment, a blinding white light appeared, growing increasingly intense.
He Mu said, “Hold on tight. The Time Travel passage is opening.”
Everyone gripped the seatbelts in front of them, while He Mu rushed toward Lu Lang, stabilizing his body together with Lu Shiyan to prevent the violent shaking from causing him discomfort.
Suddenly, the vehicle jolted sharply, piercing through the barrier of time and space.
The white light gradually faded, and what came into view was no longer the deserted highway but—
The azure sky blazed under a scorching sun, its dazzling rays spilling over the rammed-earth city walls below. High above, a great banner bearing a bear totem fluttered in the wind. Occasionally, patrolling soldiers strode along the narrow walkway atop the wall, the beast-bone plates on their armor clinking with crisp, clear sounds.
The wall followed the undulating contours of the mountain, its base over three zhang wide, tapering layer by layer as it rose. Its surface was rammed harder than solid rock, with crushed stones embedded in the crevices glinting coldly in the sunlight.
Outside the wall, a deep moat wound like a serpent, its shimmering waters reflecting an out-of-place minibus parked on the bank.
“Are we here?”
Sheng Yang pressed his face against the bus window, his tone still tinged with disbelief.
He Mu spoke up, “Everyone, we’ve arrived. This is the military fortress where the Yellow Emperor resides. See that bear banner? That’s the army flag.”
Lu Lang gazed out the window, murmuring to himself, “The Yellow Emperor’s surname is Ji, his given name Xuanyuan, named after the Xuanyuan Hill where he lived. Because he led the Youxiong clan, he was also known as Youxiong. He cultivated grains, planted mulberries, raised silkworms, and mastered medicine…”
Modern medicine had been powerless against his illness. What if the Yellow Emperor could treat him?
Before this, Lu Lang wouldn’t have dared to imagine it, but now—he was really here!
“Everyone, let’s get off the bus.”
He Mu’s voice pulled everyone back to their senses. Only then did they realize they weren’t just here to look—they could actually step out and experience it up close!
Sheng Yang and Li Dashan scrambled off the bus, laughing like a pair of foolish roe deer.
Lu Shiyan still carried Lu Lang on his back, while Zeng Keyu carried the wheelchair. The three of them disembarked together.
He Mu, carrying six backpacks, was the last to step off. “Old Li, Sheng Yang, don’t run off too far. Get your gear first.”
The two ran back to retrieve their backpacks. Sheng Yang was about to dash off again when Zeng Keyu pressed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t move. We’re being watched.”
Smoke now rose from the beacon tower on the city wall—a signal for an enemy attack, capable of quickly relaying the message to surrounding tribes and summoning allied reinforcements.
At least twenty or thirty people were hidden along the narrow walkway atop the wall, the bone-tipped arrows peeking over the edge gleaming with a stern, cold light.
Several groups of soldiers were closing in from all sides—reinforcements rushing to the scene.
The joy of their journey through time was abruptly replaced by a stark, sobering reality.
For the people living in this world, appearing so boldly before another’s military fortress was undoubtedly an act of provocation.
“Fasten your Traveler’s Passes to your chests.”
He Mu’s voice steadied them once more. They quickly pulled out their Traveler’s Passes and pinned them to their chests.
Due to his bone cancer, Lu Lang’s hands and feet were clumsy, and any movement caused pain. He fumbled several times, unable to fasten his pass.
After securing his own guide badge, He Mu immediately crouched down to help Lu Lang with his Traveler’s Pass.
By then, the reinforcements had already surrounded them, but the commanding officer made no move to execute them on the spot.
“Who are you?”
The captain of the western reinforcements was a woman dressed in cotton clothing. Her language was completely different from that of later eras, yet as if a translator were present, they all understood her.
The captains from the other three directions scanned them up and down before their gazes settled on He Mu. One of the men spoke to the western captain, “Nu Ba, these people are strange. There seems to be a gentle force about them that makes one feel inclined to draw closer—especially this woman.”
It turned out that these four captains were the children of the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan: Xuan Qi, Chang Yi, Nu Ba, and Cang Lin.
The one speaking to Nu Ba was the slightly younger Cang Lin.
The energy emitted by the Guide’s Pass far surpassed that of the Traveler’s Pass, making it more likely to draw attention.
He Mu stepped forward and said, “Esteemed leaders, we have come from a later era seeking treatment from the chief of the Youxiong Clan.”