Chapter 21: Chapter 21

They sped through their entire journey home. Zhao Ying could not resist turning back every once in a while.

She had the urge to return to the ravine to confirm the security of the twenty sacks, just so she could find out if someone has discovered them. However, she noticed that Chu Li continued to remain silent. Deep down, she immediately knew that there was no longer any meaning in debating his decision. Nothing and no one was going to change his mind.

She shook her head. Brother Chu Li was such a relaxed person, the least she could do was to be reassured of it. If she was unable to do that, not only would she feel insecure, she might even think that something was going to go horribly wrong.

…

A scorching hot sun blazed high above in the afternoon. Chu Li’s party entered the forest to find some cover. He fed the horses some water there while the party recuperated from the arduous journey. Such weather was not suitable for any extended trips.

Positioned under a pine tree’s shade, Chu Li shook his head. “Sister, you’re unsuitable as a Protector…”

“How so?” Zhao Ying was seated facing Chu Li, gently fanning herself with a branch of leaves.

“Are my martial arts skills inadequate?”

Chu Li shook his head. “You’re too curious! Protectors need to shut themselves. Be deaf and mute. It’s too dangerous otherwise!”

Zhao Ying furrowed her brows. “Should we not try to get to the roots of any incident in order to prevent accidents from happening?”

“Being a Protector in name alone requires you to be alert at all times, even in the absence of danger!” Chu Li shook his head again. “You and your curiosity might spell the death of you when it affects your judgement and distracts you from concentrating!”

“I was just trying to see if anyone retrieved the Deity’s Beard…”

“What’s the point of having that information?” Chu Li scoffed. “The Deity’s Beard is for the horses! Who do you think will go and take them?”

“The people from the Public House.”

Chu Li gave Zhao Ying a tired smile.

Zhao Ying rolled her eyes and asked, “Am I wrong?”

“Do you honestly believe that Lady Xiao would execute such unsubstantial and flashy operations?”

“Then who would?”

“Where do you think the Deity’s Beard could be utilized to bring the most benefit?”

Zhao Ying tilted her head and began thinking. “The nobility that gambles around with horse racing? The stronger their steed, the better it would be!”

Chu Li helplessly looked at her. “The army, the cavalry!”

“Ah!” Zhao Ying was surprised. She had never thought about the army!

“Only in the army’s calvary will the Deity’s Beard display its power at its fullest!” Chu Li said.

“You mean that the Deity’s Beards will be delivered to the army?” Zhao Ying’s expression changed. She turned and whispered, “Will we be killed?”

“Ha!”

Zhao Ying’s expression stiffened.

“If it involves the army, then that’s a confidential issue! We’re not allowed to have any connection with the army in the Public House! Are we not in danger if we know about all this?” She lowered her voice and said nervously.

The Public House was not allowed to have any connection with the army. It was a decree from the Imperial Court itself. It is of the same concept as a prince not being allowed to be associated with the chancellor or they might risk facing severe consequences.

“It’s not that serious.” Chu Li smiled. “Just don’t tell anyone about it.”

Zhao Ying sighed and slightly blushed right after.

Now she finally understood why Chu Li wanted to leave as soon as possible. She was so foolish! If she had actually went back to investigate and was accidentally caught, then she would have actually been in the danger of forcing the army to silence her!

Arriving at this conclusion, she stood up and practised her Swallow Reversal.

Chu Li sat under the shade and lazily guided her. About two hours later, when the sun felt less intimidating, the two of them hopped onto their horses and continued their journey.

The sun began to set in the horizon in the late afternoon as the birds flitted back into the woods.

Chu Li gazed at the sunset. He suddenly reined in his horse and Zhao Ying imitated him, cautiously checking the environment together. She held onto her sword. “Chu Li…?”

Chu Li furrowed his brows and sighed. “There’s an ambush ahead.”

“More robbers?” Zhao Ying frustratingly muttered, “Not the Raging Tiger again!”

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They had stepped into their territory once more. She was already worried that they might be robbed again, but it seemed like there wasn’t any escaping from this troupe.

Chu Li was deep in thought, readjusting the direction of his horse as he rode away. Zhao Ying hastily followed along.

“Brother?”

“We cannot traverse the road ahead.” Chu Li shook his head as he said.

“It’s just a group of robbers, we’ll just eliminate them!” Zhao Ying was excited.

At that moment, Zhao Ying felt that she was no longer someone who had no knowledge or skills. She had undergone a huge transformation with her swordsmanship growing fiercer and her inner strength becoming stronger. She was extremely close to completing her acquired masteries. As long as she did not run into an Innate Master from Raging Tiger then it should be fine. More importantly, there had never been reports of Innate Masters descending to the foot of the hill to rob commoners.

Chu Li shook his head.

His Omniscient Mirror had a very strong sixth sense that was used to seek fortune and avoid calamity. Since it had already issued a warning, a warning that there was calamity ahead, it would be wise to steer clear of said path.

“But it’s impossible for us to turn back now!” Zhao Ying unwillingly said.

“We’ll wait for a while,” said Chu Li.

“Until when?”

“They’ll have to return to the mountain anyway.”

“What if they take turns to stand guard?”

“Then we’ll wait for the masters to go back.” Chu Li furrowed his brows.

“They should be Innate Masters!” Zhao Ying widened her eyes. She wanted to speak but decided to shut her mouth and nodded in response. “We should probably avoid that, but isn’t it too humiliating for an Innate Master to waylay travellers?!”

They rushed into the woods and tethered their horses to a tree. Chu Li settled down on some dried leaves before declaring, “Let’s rush home midnight!”

Zhao Ying nodded.

The two of them sat with their legs crossed, meditating.

Midnight, when the moon was at its peak and the moonlight was bright.

Chu Li opened his eyes. “Let’s go!… Leave the horses here!”

“Are we not taking the horses?”

“It makes too much noise, we’ll have to use Light-body Technique to move.”

Zhao Ying reluctantly looked at the two horses. She had already bonded with them and was unwilling release them.

“These old horses know the way, they will find their way back.”

“Really?”

“Horses in the Public Houses are specially trained to return by themselves.”

The horse trainers in the Public Houses were professionals. They had trained the horses to be very intelligent. Only their masters could approach them. They were even capable of recognizing roads! They should be able to find their way back on their own without getting caught.

“Fine then,” said Zhao Ying unwillingly as she patted the two horses.

She released the reins and was about to retrieve some food from the saddle when Chu Li stopped her. If the two of them had to move quietly, even a bag of dried meat would be a burden.

Two of them bolted for approximately ten miles by Light-body Technique when they suddenly noticed a bonfire. Two felled trees in the middle of the road were burning, illuminating the faces around them. There were more than ten people sitting around the bonfire being completely silent.

Zhao Ying glanced at Chu Li as he gestured for her to be careful. They quietly passed through the woods, avoiding detection.

Chu Li suddenly stopped every now and then in the woods. Zhao Ying initially found it to be very strange, but she later realized that he was avoiding traps.

There were a lot of traps placed by the people in the woods. It was almost impossible to avoid all of them. A casual touch of any one of those traps would trigger an alarm that would alert the entire gang of bandits. She had even discovered another band of people preparing an ambush in the woods, merely awaiting a signal.

She sighed at the fortunate stroke of serendipity. They had set up such an elaborate ambush here for such a long time just so they could catch the both of them?

Had they killed too many men and angered the people of the Raging Tiger? Were they really here just for the both of them?

Zhao Ying began to sweat as she thought of all possibilities. If that was the case, they had definitely dispatched the Innate Masters. It was far too perilous.

Chu Li escorted her stealthily, evading all the traps and those who were planning to ambush them as well as keeping all possible forms of detection at arm’s length. They escaped into another forest. Chu Li began to pick up speed. Though Zhao Ying had used Light-body Technique to aid her mobility, she was still being towed around.

They ran far more than ten mile.s in a single breath before Chu Li let out a sigh, only coming to a halt at a tree in the vicinity.