Chapter 590 - 586: Encounter on the Road
Chapter 590: Chapter 586: Encounter on the Road
The White Tiger streaked across the official road like a bolt of white lightning.
Inside the carriage, Fang Han sat cross-legged. The Cyan Profound Technique circulated slowly within him as cyan-gold Inner Qi surged through his meridians, refining the Earth Spirit Pill he had just taken.
Luo Yuntian sat across from him, holding a yellowed Sword Manual. His gaze was focused, and he would occasionally lift a finger to trace patterns in the air, clearly practicing his Sword Techniques.
The two of them cultivated on their own. The only sounds in the carriage were their faint breaths and the rustling of pages being turned.
The scenery outside the window flew by: fields, hills, and villages flashed into view only to be quickly left behind.
Several days later, in the afternoon, the mountains flanking the official road gradually flattened out, and the view ahead opened up.
The Steward driving the White Tiger turned his head, and his voice carried through the carriage walls:
"True Inheritor Fang, True Inheritor Luo, we have now reached the border of Celestial Wind County."
Fang Han slowly ceased his cultivation and opened his eyes.
Celestial Wind County.
He remembered the name. It was separated from Qingyang County by one other county, and in terms of size and prosperity, it was quite similar to Qingyang County.
"How much longer until we reach the Imperial Capital?"
Fang Han asked.
"At the White Tiger Demon’s speed, it should take about twenty more days."
the Steward replied.
Fang Han nodded slightly and asked no more questions.
’Twenty or so days... at my current rate of cultivation, that’s enough time for my cultivation to improve significantly. Riding a mount to travel was indeed the right decision.’
The sun gradually began to set.
On the horizon ahead, the silhouette of a city gradually came into focus.
The city walls, built from gray-blue stone blocks, stood about forty or fifty feet high, with an imposing gatehouse.
Carriages and horses occasionally passed through the city gate, and pedestrians were sparse. Wisps of cooking smoke could be faintly seen rising from within the city.
The Steward slowed the White Tiger and said over his shoulder:
"True Inheritors, it’s getting dark. There’s a city ahead. Why don’t we enter the city, find an inn, and rest for the night? We can set out again early tomorrow morning."
"Alright."
Fang Han glanced at the sky.
’Night is falling. Finding an inn in the city for the night is indeed better than camping in the wild.’
Luo Yuntian also closed his Sword Manual and spoke.
"Spending the night in an inn would be for the best."
The Steward acknowledged, flicked the reins lightly, and guided the White Tiger along the official road toward the city gate.
When the White Tiger’s enormous form appeared near the city gate, it immediately caused a commotion.
The White Tiger was pure white from head to tail, nearly ten feet tall at the shoulder and over thirty feet long. Its limbs were as thick as pillars, and every step was heavy and powerful.
A pair of amber, vertical pupils opened, and the ferocious aura of a First-Grade Demon spread out like an invisible tide.
"Wh-what is that?!"
At the city gate, a peddler carrying a shoulder pole was the first to spot it. His pole fell to the ground with a CLATTER.
The mountain goods in his baskets tumbled to the ground, but he didn’t even notice, simply staring blankly at the approaching White Tiger Demon.
"A d-demon!"
A woman holding her child’s hand turned deathly pale. She instinctively pulled the child behind her and backed away repeatedly.
"Such a huge Tiger Demon! Run!"
Someone cried out in alarm, and chaos erupted near the city gate.
Pedestrians scrambled to get out of the way. Some hid in corners, others ducked into roadside shops, and the most timid simply turned and fled.
In an instant, a large open space cleared before the city gate. Everyone stared from a distance at the slowly approaching White Tiger, their eyes filled with terror and vigilance.
However, when some people saw the carriage on the White Tiger’s back, a hint of understanding gradually replaced the terror in their eyes.
"Wait... is that a carriage on the tiger’s back?"
"It is!"
"To be able to tame such a massive Demon as a mount, the person in that carriage must have an extraordinary background..."
"Gave me a scare. So it’s a tamed Demon."
Low murmurs rippled through the crowd. The pedestrians who had been about to flee now stopped in their tracks, curiously sizing up the pure-white behemoth.
Such a colossal Demon must possess terrifying strength. To be able to tame such a fearsome creature as a mount meant the person in the carriage was by no means simple.
The commotion at the city gate gradually subsided. Although the pedestrians still kept their distance, they were no longer panicked.
Some bold children even peeked out from behind the adults, curiously gazing at the majestic White Tiger.
The Steward guided the tiger through the city gate and proceeded slowly down the main street.
The street was lined with shops on both sides. Upon seeing the White Tiger, pedestrians quickly made way, murmuring in low voices.
The Steward’s gaze swept across both sides of the street. Spotting a general store by the roadside, he reined in the White Tiger, dismounted, and quickly walked into the shop.
A short while later, he came out and said to Fang Han and Luo Yuntian:
"True Inheritors, there’s an inn two streets ahead. It’s said to be reasonably clean."
"Good. Let’s go there."
Fang Han said.
The Steward leaped back onto the tiger’s back and steered it onto a cross-street.
A moment later, a two-story wooden building came into view.
Hanging above the door was a black sign with gold lettering. The two words "Zhaocai Inn" were written with powerful brushstrokes.
Behind the inn was a stable, spacious enough to accommodate the White Tiger.
The Steward dismounted first. He spoke a few quiet words to the attendant who came to greet them, pressed a piece of crushed silver into his hand, and the attendant immediately nodded and bowed, leading the Steward and the White Tiger to the stable to get settled.
Fang Han and Luo Yuntian leaped off the tiger’s back, picked up their bundles, and joined the Steward, who had already settled the White Tiger Demon, to step into the inn’s main hall.
The main hall was brightly lit with lamps and candles. Seven or eight tables were scattered about, with a few groups of guests conversing in low voices. The occasional clatter of bowls and chopsticks could be heard.
Behind the counter, an old Shopkeeper was hunched over, flicking the beads of an abacus.
Seeing customers enter, he lifted his eyelids to size them up, then plastered on a smile. "Three esteemed guests, will you be dining or staying?"
"Staying. Three superior rooms."
Fang Han said.
"Right away!"
The old Shopkeeper deftly made a few notes in his ledger.
"Three superior rooms. Two mace of silver per room per night, for a total of six mace of silver. How many nights will you be staying, esteemed guests?"
"One night will be enough. Also, prepare a table of food and wine."
Fang Han took a small silver ingot from his robes and placed it on the counter.
The old Shopkeeper took the silver and called over the attendant to lead the three of them to the second floor.
The three rooms were adjacent. Fang Han chose the one in the middle, put down his bundle, and quickly washed up.
Before long, Luo Yuntian and the Steward had also settled in. The three of them went down to the main hall, where the food and wine they had ordered was already prepared.
The attendant served a pot of warm wine, and the steaming hot dishes were placed on the table, their aroma filling the air.
Fang Han picked up his chopsticks and began to eat slowly.
Luo Yuntian also picked up his rice bowl, his movements unhurried.
The Steward sat across from them, his head bowed as he shoveled rice into his mouth.
The other guests in the main hall were chatting in low voices, discussing nothing more than family matters and local gossip. There was no news worth paying attention to.
About half an hour later, as the three were finishing their dinner, the door curtain to the main hall was suddenly thrown open.
A figure strode in.
Two more figures followed close behind.
Fang Han’s gaze swept over them, and the teacup he was raising paused slightly.
The leader of the group was tall and broad-shouldered, with the build of a bear. He wore a deep blue robe with a silver lightning pattern embroidered on the cuffs.
His features were rugged, and beneath thick brows, his eyes were as sharp as an eagle’s, glinting with a sharp light whenever he blinked.
Two people followed behind him.
One was a young man who looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, dressed in deep blue martial attire, his cuffs also embroidered with a silver lightning pattern.
He had regular features, but his expression held a touch of arrogance. A longsword hung at his waist in its scabbard, which was inlaid with several blue gemstones that glinted with a cold light under the lamps.
The other person was dressed as a Steward, around forty years old, with a medium build. He had a respectful expression and followed at the very back with his hands lowered.
’The Thunderlight Pavilion!’ Fang Han thought.
He recognized their attire—the deep blue robes and silver lightning pattern were the emblem of the Thunderlight Pavilion from Donglu County.
’As for the leader’s face, I have a vague impression of it... That must be Lei Zheng, a First-Grade Elder of the Thunderlight Pavilion. I’ve never met him in person, but I’ve seen a portrait of him.’
Luo Yuntian and the Qingxuan Sect Steward had clearly noticed as well.
The hand Luo Yuntian used to hold his rice bowl paused slightly. His gaze swept over Lei Zheng and his two companions before he lowered his eyes and continued eating as if nothing had happened.
But in the depths of his calm eyes, a minuscule ripple flickered and vanished.
The Qingxuan Sect Steward’s chopsticks also froze in mid-air for a moment. His pupils contracted slightly, but he quickly lowered his gaze and went back to shoveling rice into his mouth.
The relationship between the Qingxuan Sect and the Thunderlight Pavilion was not good. A First-Grade Elder and several Celestial Pride True Inheritors from the Thunderlight Pavilion had died at the hands of the Qingxuan Sect.
’I can’t believe we ran into people from the Thunderlight Pavilion here. Talk about a small world for enemies. Fortunately, we’re in plain clothes and probably won’t be recognized.’
Lei Zheng’s gaze swept across the main hall. Seeing three empty tables in a corner, he walked straight over and sat down at the one by the window.
The young disciple and the Steward sat down with him.
The attendant hurried over to greet them, wiping the table and setting out bowls and chopsticks.
"What can I get for you three esteemed guests?"
the attendant asked solicitously.
"Just bring a few of your house specialties and a pot of good wine."
Lei Zheng spoke, his voice deep and slightly hoarse.
"Right away!"
The attendant acknowledged and turned toward the kitchen.
Lei Zheng leaned back in his chair, his gaze sweeping aimlessly across the hall. It paused on Fang Han’s group for a second before moving on.
Apparently, he hadn’t recognized them.
After sitting down, the young disciple scanned the inn’s main hall with a slight frown, seeming disgusted by the somewhat crude surroundings, but he ultimately said nothing.
"Elder Lei, it’s still another twenty days to the Imperial Capital. This journey is just too long."
the young disciple said in a low voice, his tone laced with impatience.
"Don’t complain."
Lei Zheng picked up his teacup, took a sip, and admonished him with some displeasure.
"The Imperial Capital’s Martial Arts Assembly is held once every five years. Receiving an invitation is a great fortune for you. Focus on conserving your energy and recuperating. Don’t let anything go wrong."
During the expedition to the Ancient Ruins, the Thunderlight Pavilion had suffered grievous losses because they coveted the Qingxuan Sect’s gains. All the Celestial Pride List disciples they had brought were wiped out. Fortunately, one Celestial Pride List disciple had been injured and unable to go to the Ancient Ruins, thus escaping the disaster.
By pouring resources into his cultivation, the Thunderlight Pavilion had managed to force this disciple’s ranking on the Celestial Pride List up to tenth, allowing him to receive an invitation to the Martial Arts Assembly.
Knowing that Elder Lei’s temper was not good, the young disciple didn’t dare to argue and quickly shut his mouth.
Fang Han withdrew his gaze and continued eating, not at all flustered by the encounter with the people from the Thunderlight Pavilion.
’Few below the level of a Grandmaster can threaten me now. I have no fear even if my identity is discovered.’
’Of course, I won’t reveal my own identity or make a move against the three of them. When you’re away from home, it’s best to avoid trouble.’