Druid Fairy

Chapter 58 Do Not Enter the Black Forest
Fang Lin is one of the four chief镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) of Zhao's Weiyuan镖局 (escort agency). He travels all over the country and commands respect without even being angry.

The boys became reserved, their initial elation at venturing out into the world gradually subsiding as they listened to Fang, the镖头 (bodyguard), give them instructions.

"As always, the old rules apply. One veteran will mentor one newcomer. If the escort mission is to go smoothly, the newcomer must always obey the veteran."

Don't panic in case of an emergency. Just do what the older people do!
This escort mission is not far, taking about ten days round trip, with its destination Longquan Town. All participants are strictly prohibited from withdrawing midway or revealing any information to any passerby; violators will be severely punished!

……

It must be said that this head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) was quite responsible. Even though the teenagers were just "seeing the world" and dabbling in escorting goods, he treated them strictly as professional escorts.

It's not the strictness that's the problem, it's the laxity.

Li Pingcan was surrounded by tall young men, listening intently to the rules of the escort agency.

The seemingly strange rules in every industry are warnings learned at a bloody price.

This convoy wasn't difficult to traverse; it mostly followed official roads, and the goods weren't rare or exotic treasures—just a fleet of cargo from a merchant caravan, nothing particularly eye-catching.

However, it's not without danger; there may be ferocious beasts lurking in the dark forests.

Fang, the镖头 (bodyguard), explained things in a simple and concise way, and all the boys understood. They then searched for their "escort master" who had guided them along the way, chatting and getting to know each other better.

"Li Pingfu and Li Pingcan, you two brothers, you can come with me."

Fang Lin abandoned his previous stern and aloof demeanor, looking at Li Pingfu with a gentle and friendly attitude.

Zhao Huafeng, the chief镖头 (bodyguard/escort) of Weiyuan Escort Agency, thought highly of this young man. Following his example, Fang Lin also treated him with great respect.

Moreover, Li Pingfu is only twenty years old, yet his martial arts level has already caught up with mine, so his future is promising.

Rumor has it that the Bee Alliance, which previously seemed to have clashed with these teenagers, has also disappeared... They are truly promising young talents, a force to be reckoned with!

"I've heard that our Pantao Town has produced a young prodigy. If you don't mind, please call me Uncle Fang."

Li Pingfu cupped his hands in thanks and said, "Uncle Fang, I'm grateful for your help during this escort mission."

Li Pingcan looked up, there was nothing he could do, everyone here was taller than him, "Thank you, Uncle Fang."

He wasn't too worried and had made many preparations.

Little Black is equipped with killer bees as his standard scouting equipment. He listens to the earth's veins along the way and carries antidotes, animal-repelling medicine, and the unique Seven-Leaf Purple Gold Treasure Medicine purchased from the black market.

It is not weak in close combat, and it has the Oak Staff Technique to turn tree branches into sharp blades, as well as the Primal Brutal Strike.

With ranged attacks, the combination skill of the Thorn Slingshot technique, which he had practiced diligently for a long time, has also been honed to perfection, and can even hold off small beast hordes for a while.

He can choose not to use these methods, but he cannot do without them.

Everything was for the sake of seeking a connection with the immortals.

Departure, destination: Longquan Lake.

…………

The Weiyuan Escort Agency's setup for this mission consisted of five horses and two carriages, with a group of escorts following around them.

The lead horse was a beautiful brown horse, muscular and tall, clearly expensive, and Fang Lin's mount.

Riding on horseback allows for a wider field of vision, enabling the team to detect dangerous situations immediately and notify the troops.

The official road near the village was flat, but after traveling twenty or thirty li, the vegetation on both sides of the road became noticeably lush and vibrant, and the population sparse.

"Bah! Bah!"

The brown horse suddenly neighed and swung its tail from side to side in dissatisfaction.

As Li Pingcan walked, he listened to the horse's grumbling. It felt it should be galloping across the grassland, not shuffling along like an old man pushing a cart, and was therefore quite unhappy.

"Feihong is probably hungry. I'll give you some top-quality fodder later," Fang Lin reassured the brown horse.

Li Pingcan shook his head inwardly. The master and servant, one on horseback, had absolutely no chemistry whatsoever.

He looked at the group. The boy named Xie Xiaodao had lost his hyperactivity of constantly spinning his throwing knives and was now walking forward as straight as a pine tree. Fang, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort), wasn't good at training horses, but he was very good at training new recruits, using experienced veterans to mentor newcomers. The boys, who had been so proud of defeating the Bee Alliance, calmly integrated into the镖局 (escort agency) team, no longer displaying their previous restlessness.

'The eldest brother must have noticed their problems, which is why he decided to hold this training camp.'

You can't learn by being taught, but you can learn by experiencing. Personal experience is the best teacher.

He kept thinking to himself, listening intently to his elder brother and Chief镖师 Fang chatting.

"The benefits of escorting goods are high, the monthly salary is generous, yet many people are unwilling to do it," Fang Lin sighed. "Do you know why?"

“Escort missions usually involve long distances, sometimes lasting half a month or a month, during which time the person cannot go home, is often separated from their family, and is quite dangerous.”

Li Pingfu put himself in others' shoes and thought of this point. This time, the escort mission was relatively short. If it were a long escort mission that took more than a month, he would not have wanted to do it either.

In these peaceful times, there is no war, and natural disasters are managed by celestial officials. As long as one is willing to endure hardship, one can survive by doing anything. However, escorting goods is a life-or-death endeavor.

"Do you know where the dangers of escorting goods lie?"

"There are robbers, ferocious beasts and magical creatures."

"Haha, you're right. Besides that, there are also the local bullies in the mountains."

Fang Lin pointed to the distant mountain range and said, "Once you cross the border of Peach Blossom South Mountain, you'll reach the border between Yunshui County and Qingshan County. Escorting goods within Yunshui County is very safe. But once you leave this area, you'll be in Qingshan County, where 'Dragon Tiger Stronghold' is located. If you want to pass through, you either need to be incredibly tough and ruthless, or you need to pay money to smooth things over."

"Dragon Tiger Stronghold? A bandit stronghold?" Li Pingfu asked curiously, "Don't the celestial officials care?"

Fang Lin did not answer, but only showed a meaningful smile, "Actually, there are similar villages in Yunshui County, which are known as 'One Martial, Two Villages, and Three Gangs' along with other forces."

He explained slowly.

The so-called "One Martial Alliance" is a massive force formed by the alliance of various martial arts schools. No one below the Divine Fiend Realm can join. It has some cooperation with the government, has the widest network of connections, and is well-informed.

Erzhai was originally a bandit stronghold, which evolved from mountain people and occupied the wilderness.

The three gangs are the largest and most numerous groups, usually engaged in illegal and disorderly activities. They are considered "troublemakers" by both chivalrous figures in the martial arts world and the government.

Therefore, it is worth pondering why the gangs have not been eradicated.

Where there are people, there will be conflict.

Li Pingcan seemed to be thinking about something. According to Fang Biaotou, their family opening a martial arts school was the right path.

Li Pingfu, equally impressed, cupped his hands in thanks and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Uncle Fang."

Without a systematic approach, it would be difficult for a young man from a farming background to see through the intricate relationships.

"When it comes to the dangers of escorting goods, the most dangerous thing is actually not 'people'."

Fang Lin's expression suddenly turned serious: "Remember, if you see a dark forest, never enter! If you hear a strange voice calling your name, do not answer!"

"Why?"

"That's an evil spirit!"

Fang Lin took a deep breath, his eyes still showing lingering shock from the memory. "If someone is possessed by evil spirits, it could implicate the entire family. I once had a brother who was possessed by an evil spirit. He killed his whole family and then attacked people with a knife. In the end, it was only thanks to the intervention of an immortal that he was subdued."

Li Pingfu nodded solemnly.

Li Pingcan also looked solemn.

Evil spirits!
This kind of thing, which is clearly associated with terror and mystery, is something that ordinary people would avoid at all costs!

Even if he were a druid, it would be difficult for him to deal with this supernatural and mysterious power.

Li Pingcan suddenly remembered the "soul-summoning talisman" that King Li had obtained from the celestial official five years ago.

Since it can "summon the soul of evil spirits", it must also have the immortal's means to "ward off evil spirits and dispel evil spirits"!

(End of this chapter)