Chapter 189: On the Road

Listening to the old man’s boasting, Li Huowang gradually learned about the life of the gong-beating youth. It was quite an inspiring story. The Hou family hadn't always been wealthy; in fact, they were once dirt poor. Their few acres of farmland couldn't support the large family, so he had to go out and beg for food. However, Li Huowang remained skeptical about the "generals" the old man mentioned, as in his telling, anyone with an official position in the camp was called a general.

"Ah, times weren't like this before. We had no food or drink, and only one pair of pants for the whole family – whoever went out wore them." Li Huowang casually echoed the old man's wistful words.

After chatting for a while, the old man, his pride immensely satisfied, walked away with his hands behind his back and a slight stoop, heading towards a courtyard with two stone lions in the distance. Watching him leave, Li Huowang breathed a sigh of relief and turned to depart.

Having learned so much, Li Huowang's wariness towards Hou Lao Er, the gong-beater, had significantly lessened. It wasn't because of his identity, but simply because he was truly gone. Whatever other thoughts he might have had about Li Huowang no longer mattered.

Just then, Li Huowang happened to see Gouwa, who had gone to buy grain, returning, so he went to meet him. "Senior Brother Li! Look what I bought! A map made of leather!"

Nothing happened that night. After a full night's sleep, they resumed their journey, fully refreshed.

As the wagon wheels slowly rolled along the ground, the surrounding Gobi Desert gradually disappeared. The terrain began to undulate, eventually replaced by various rugged, strangely shaped stone mountains. The only benefit was that, due to the obstruction of the stone mountains, there was no longer the heavy sandstorm typical of the Gobi. Some short brown grasses also began to appear by the roadside.

"Go this way... then this way..." Li Huowang's finger traced across the old leather map, finally stopping at a city wall icon. "If I'm not mistaken, this is Jicheng. Once we reach here, not only can we complete the escort mission, but we'll also be halfway to Later Shu. By the way, this place seems smaller than the previous two countries; it's a small kingdom."

As Li Huowang considered this, he felt a tug on his sleeve. "Senior Brother Li, look, there's someone up ahead." He looked up and saw a figure walking by the side of the road in the distance.

As they got closer, he realized it was an elderly scholar-like man, leaning on a bamboo staff. Although he appeared quite old, his movements were surprisingly agile. A square bamboo basket was strapped to his back, yet he showed no signs of fatigue.

The sound of hooves made Jin Shanzhao turn his head. When he saw the group of people behind him wearing black gauze hats, he quickly moved aside, shifting his legs to clear the road. "Why are these people dressed like this?" Jin Shanzhao thought to himself. "Especially that young Daoist in the red robe, with a string of copper coins hanging from his face, covering his mouth and chin. They look like trouble; I'd better keep my distance."

He had initially intended to slow down and let them pass, but to his surprise, the young Daoist actually struck up a conversation. "Elder, may I borrow your map for a moment? I'd like to check if my map is correct."

After pondering for a moment, Jin Shanzhao reached into the bamboo basket on his back and pulled out a paper map. "This map was drawn by this old man myself. I've traveled far and wide for many years, and I'm not boasting, but this map is absolutely accurate down to the last detail. True Master, you may take a look if you wish."

"Thank you, but there's no need to give it to me. I just want to cross-reference it with mine. I'll return it to you immediately after I'm done, Elder." Seeing the young Daoist's kind tone and agreeable nature, Jin Shanzhao felt a little more at ease.

"True Master, where are you headed? Oh, this old man is just asking out of curiosity; perhaps we're going the same way."

"Escorting a shipment to Jicheng."

Hearing this answer, Jin Shanzhao didn't believe it at all. What bodyguard wouldn't be familiar with their escort route? It clearly sounded made up. "Oh? True Master also escorts shipments? That's quite a worldly pursuit."

"True Masters also need to eat; they always have to find a way to earn travel expenses, don't they? In these wild mountains and remote areas, Elder, where are you going all alone?"

Jin Shanzhao chuckled, hearing the other party's probing question. Just as he was trying to figure out what lie to tell to deflect the inquiry, massive boulders suddenly began rolling down the nearby mountain. One large rock tumbled down with a roar, landing precisely in the middle of the road. Immediately after, the sound of hooves abruptly echoed from behind them. Turning around and seeing the masked riders, Jin Shanzhao's heart sank. "Damn it, we're trapped by bandits like turtles in a jar!"

Instinctively, he turned his head to look at the young Daoist beside him, only to find that the man showed no reaction, remaining calmly by the carriage. "This person is so fearless; he must have a way to deal with this." After a moment of thought, as the bandits approached, Jin Shanzhao subtly moved closer to the young Daoist.

"Clip-clop-clip-clop!" Accompanied by the sound of hooves and rising dust, a group of imposing bandits on horseback, radiating an air of superiority, arrived before them. "Comrade, I'm not an outsider. Shall we speak in code?"

"Huh?" Jin Shanzhao looked in surprise at the True Master who had spoken. This person actually knew the jargon of the jianghu; his background was clearly not ordinary. Just as Jin Shanzhao expected the bandits to reply, the one-eyed bandit at the front suddenly raised his saber. "Charge! Brothers! Skewer him!"

Hooves thundered instantly. This turn of events was completely unexpected. The horses charged forward again, rushing towards Li Huowang and his group. Ignoring what was happening, Jin Shanzhao immediately scrambled towards the large rock behind them, intending to escape while they were engaged in battle.

After a strenuous climb for a while, just as he finally managed to reach the top of the boulder, he heard the sounds of hooves and fighting behind him diminish. When he looked back, he was astonished to see that the bandits had been routed!

Many bandit bodies and horse carcasses lay scattered on the ground. Yet, on the young Daoist's side, apart from the carriage being slightly dented, no one was injured. "Huh? What? What did I just miss?"

Li Huowang, meanwhile, paid no mind to what the old man behind him was thinking. He held his blood-dripping longsword across the throat of a bandit with a severed arm. "Are all the bandits here so ill-mannered? You don't even use the proper jargon?"

However, facing Li Huowang's threat, the bandit appeared incredibly tough, even daring to threaten Li Huowang directly. "Daoist priest! You dare kill my brothers? I tell you, you're finished!"

With a "swish," one of the bandit's ears was cut off. Witnessing this scene, Jin Shanzhao's eyes twitched. "My goodness, his amiable demeanor earlier was all an act! This Daoist is also a ruthless killer!"