You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

Miss Fan?

Lu Zuoxin became wary. Could this woman be Fan Qinghui?

According to the original text, Song Que had a romantic relationship with this woman when he was young. They even traveled together and almost got married.

They broke up because of differences in their beliefs, and they didn't see each other again until the end of the original story.

If it really is her…

Was it for an assassination attempt?

Or was it just a chance encounter?

Regardless of the reason, since Cihang Jingzhai has already submitted to the Northern Sui, it is now an opponent of the Chen Kingdom and their own enemy!

During this time, Lu Zuo's strength has grown rapidly. Not only has his internal strength become more profound and his physical body more powerful, but he has also mastered the Misty Step and the third level of the Thousand Blade Flowing Slash Technique.

Although he has not yet achieved complete mastery, among the younger generation of martial arts masters, no one can kill him now.

Even Zhu Yuyan was able to escape after exchanging more than thirty moves with him.

Firstly, Lu Zuo possesses profound internal strength and a powerful physique.

Secondly, this ethereal step is too powerful.

Back then, Lu Shiyu was only at the Acquired Realm, yet he was able to use this footwork to enter and leave the small courtyard where Shen Luoyan lived without being noticed by Innate Realm experts like Chen Wu.

The uniqueness of his footwork can be seen from this.

"I am Jiang Che, Chief Escort of the Ironclad Escort Agency from Nantong County. I pay my respects to Young Master Lu and Young Master Song."

As they pondered, the burly man walked over and bowed to the two of them in gratitude.

Along with him came a tall, handsome man with fair skin, around thirty years old, holding a paper fan.

He also cupped his hands in thanks and bowed deeply, saying, "I am Su Yelai, the deputy chief镖师 (bodyguard/escort) of the Ironclad Escort Agency. I thank you both for saving my life."

A镖局 (bodyguard agency) in Nantong?

Exactly...

You can ask them about the situation in Nantong.

Lu Zuobian waved his hand and said there was no need for that, while glancing at the woman surnamed Fan out of the corner of his eye.

I have to say, the more I look at him, the more he resembles someone from Cihang Jingzhai...

She was dressed in pure white, with an ethereal air and clear, bright eyes. At first glance, she seemed to be surrounded by a holy aura, and her eyes and brows also contained a sense of compassion.

It's as if...

The woman's gaze upon all things was filled with compassion.

Judging solely from her appearance and demeanor, it would not be an exaggeration to describe her as an ethereal fairy or a holy goddess.

"Young Master Lu is exceptionally skilled; he must be from a prestigious family, right?" Jiang Che asked.

Lu Dan smiled and said, "I am a nobody. I just found a martial arts manual in my early years, practiced it haphazardly, and after achieving some success, I came to wander the martial arts world."

He was neither from a prominent family nor a prestigious clan, yet he managed to learn superb martial arts skills.

It's not easy...

Ordinary people have almost no resources or opportunities to learn martial arts.

Only those from aristocratic families and those from humble backgrounds have access to family martial arts training, enough to eat, and enough physical strength to practice martial arts.

Of course, ordinary people are not without any chance. If they can join a famous martial arts sect such as Cihang Jingzhai, Zhisheng Buddhist Temple, or Jingnian Zen Temple, they can learn martial arts and cultivate themselves to change their destiny.

"Chief Escort Jiang, I've heard that Nantong suffered a major disaster. What's the current situation?"

"well……"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Che's face darkened, and he sighed softly, "One word: tragic!"

"Especially after Prefect Shen An had his incident in the capital, officials at all levels in Nantong, as well as large and small powerful families, began to exploit the people even more than before."

"Even our escort agencies, which rely on transporting goods, are repeatedly extorted by them."

"Don't laugh at me, Brother Lu, but my Ironclad Escort Agency is almost starving these days."

Is this a ploy to raise military funds, a prelude to a rebellion?

Lu Zuo thought to himself and continued to ask the others about matters in Nantong.

As a native of Nantong, Jiang Che knew more about the situation than Shen An.

Lu Zuo obtained a lot of useful information from him, such as how many experts the Nantong family had, what their cultivation levels were, and how strong their generals were.

……

About two more hours later, it was dawn.

The morning light spread across the open fields, carpeting the ground with a thin layer of scattered gold.

More than a hundred corpses lay scattered among the grass and earthen slopes. Some wounds had long since dried and turned black, while others were still slowly oozing dark red blood, silently seeping into the soil beneath the grass roots, spreading out in patches of deep brown.

The uninjured or lightly injured镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) were picking up the scattered goods, repairing the damaged carriages, and dealing with the weapons.

Why didn't you thank Young Master Lu just now?

Just as Lin Yue bent down to pick up a decent longsword, Jiang Che's slightly hoarse voice came from behind her.

She froze, looked at Lu Zuo who was sitting cross-legged in the distance, and shook her head: "I forgot."

"Besides, he's just a..."

Jiang Che waved his hand to interrupt her: "Although he comes from a commoner background and is not from a prestigious family, he still saved your life."

"I'll find a proper opportunity to thank you on the way."

Lin Yue nodded without saying anything.

.......

Another half hour passed.

The镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) collected the scattered goods, repaired the damaged carriages, and gathered all the usable weapons so they could make up for the losses when they returned.

Since this place was not far from Nantong, and Lu Zuo wanted to find out information about Nantong from them, they set off together.

For some unknown reason, Song Que and Fan Qinghui also brought their luxuriously decorated carriage and went to Nantong with everyone.

"Young Master Lu."

After walking a short distance, Lin Yue caught up with Lu Zuo in a few steps, her red lips parted slightly as she was about to express her gratitude.

"Miss Lin."

Before he could speak, Song Que's voice came from not far away: "Could you please come over here for a moment?"

"Hey, here I am."

Upon seeing Song Que, Lin Yue beamed with joy, abandoning Lu Zuo and rushing forward to ask, "What does Young Master Song need me for?"

"oh."

Song Que glanced at the carriage beside him: "Miss Fan invited you."

Lin Yue nodded with a smile, jumped onto the carriage, and crawled into the carriage.

That's a bit snobbish...

Lu Zuo glanced at Lin Yue, thinking to himself that he had saved her life last night, yet he hadn't even said thank you...

Although he didn't take it to heart, he was still somewhat disgusted by this woman.

Shaking his head, he was about to go find Jiang Che to ask about the situation in Nantong again when he suddenly felt something strange under his feet.

Looking down, a white jade porcelain bottle came into view.

A row of gold lettering floats above it.

[Second talent triggered, obtained Qi and Blood Pill, from the martial arts world.]

"Finally triggered..."

Lu Zuo's heart stirred slightly. He quickly bent down to pick it up and threw it into his personal space, planning to find a quiet place to check the effects of the Qi and Blood Pill again.

After a while...

Lin Yue jumped down from Fan Qinghui's carriage.

She glanced at Lu Zuo with a slightly strange expression, wondering to herself, "Why would Miss Fan inquire about the situation of someone from a commoner background?"

"Could it be that I like him...?"

"That shouldn't be the case."

"Judging from Song Que's attitude towards her, this woman must come from an extraordinary background. Even if she is not from a noble family, she must be from a prestigious one."

"Why would she fall for a commoner?"

Shaking her head, she stopped dwelling on the matter and looked at Song Que beside her, saying softly, "Young Master Song, what do you think of Lu Zuo? (Chapter 71: Saintess, are you here to feed the demon with your body? Updated! Read now!)"

Song Que pondered for a moment: "At such a young age, to possess such extraordinary cultivation, one is a rare talent."

"In that case," Lin Yue's eyes lit up slightly, "would it be alright for you to take him under your command, young master?"

Song Que glanced at Lu Zuo, who was walking slowly in the distance, and said, "To be honest, Miss Lin, I do have this intention."

"But I wonder what Young Master Lu's thoughts are?"

Lin Yue smiled and said, "He comes from a poor background and is not from a prestigious family."

"If he could recognize Young Master Song as his master and become a disciple of the Song family of Lingnan, it would be an immense stroke of luck for him."

"He's overjoyed, how could he possibly refuse?"

"If you don't mind, young master, I'll help you arrange this later."

Song Que thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Then I'll leave it to Miss Lin."

……

At noon, the convoy stopped to rest, and the group lit several campfires by the roadside to roast the cold, hard rations.

"So it turns out that Miss Lin comes from the Lin family of Qingyun."

Song Que, Fan Qinghui, Lin Yue, Lu Zuo, Jiang Che, and Su Yelai sat together, eating and chatting.

After the conversation turned to their backgrounds, Song Que casually asked a question and learned that Jiang Che, Su Yelai, and Lin Yue all came from declining aristocratic families and could be considered as poor.

Lin Yue nodded and looked at Fan Qinghui: "By the way, I never knew Miss Fan's name and background."

"My name is Fan Qinghui, a disciple of Qingheng Dreamland."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Che and the other two's expressions changed, and a hint of respect appeared in their eyes: "Qingheng Dreamland?"

Lin Yue murmured softly, "Among all the female Buddhist cultivators in the world, apart from Cihang Jingzhai, Qingheng Dreamland is the best."

"I never imagined that Miss Fan came from such a noble background?"

It really is her...

Lu Zuo had different thoughts in his heart, and at the same time he was secretly on guard, gripping the Demonic Thousand Blades tightly with one hand.

This woman's strength and intentions are unknown.

However, as the Holy Maiden of Cihang Jingzhai, she has always been on par with Zhu Yuyan and Zhang Lihua, neither being equal in ability.

He couldn't kill her himself, so he'd wait until they got to Nantong and met Gu Han and the others before deciding...

"Young Master Lu."

Lin Yue's voice interrupted Lu Zuo's thoughts: "You are exceptionally talented and promising at a young age, but your background is somewhat lacking."

"If I were to become a disciple of Young Master Song, I believe I would surely achieve great things in the future."

"Now that the opportunity is right in front of us, we mustn't miss it."

Lu Zuo was taken aback, then chuckled and shook his head: "I'm used to being free and easy, and have no intention of relying on a wealthy family."

"If you don't join a prestigious family, what future do you have?"

She instigated this matter mainly to please Song Que, but when she saw that he didn't appreciate it, her tone suddenly became a little impatient.

"Besides, you already possess martial arts skills; no prestigious school would accept you."

"Wouldn't it be a waste of your talent and cultivation not to join a high-ranking family?"

"Do you intend to spend your entire life wandering the martial world?"

"Even if you open a security escort agency or form a small gang, you still need to rely on powerful families to survive!"

The shortcut to a bright future is right in front of you, why not take it?

Lin Yue was both impatient and somewhat confused.

I'm doing this for your own good!

You still don't appreciate it?

"Alright." Seeing that Lu Zuo was getting impatient, Jiang Che changed the subject: "Everyone has their own ambitions. How Brother Lu chooses his future is his own business."

Then, he chuckled and said, "Brother Lu, Lin Yue was only grateful for your life-saving grace and wanted to repay you in some way, which is why she did her best to make it happen."

Please don't take offense.

Lu Zuo waved his hand without saying a word.

However, he felt quite disgusted with this woman named Lin Yue.

The matter was dropped, and after everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, they continued their journey.

In an instant, a strong medicinal aroma mixed with a faint fragrance wafted over.

He glanced down and saw that the bottle was full of small brown pills, about a hundred of them.

"Let's see how effective the medicine is..."

Lu Zuo poured out a pill, threw it into his mouth, and a bitter, astringent taste immediately filled his throat.

Immediately afterwards, the bitterness transformed into a warm current that flowed into the stomach, and then spread throughout the body along the meridians like a hot spring.

Immediately, the warm current transformed into intense heat, seeping into the acupoints, muscles, bones, and blood through the meridians.

Rumble...

Lu Zuo's blood and qi surged and roared, with a sound like thunder resounding from his blood vessels!

soon……

The thunder ceased, the boiling blood and qi returned to calm, as if nothing had happened...

"Strengthen the foundation and nourish the vital energy, enhance qi and blood."

Lu Zuo silently sensed the changes within his body, then clenched his fist: "My physical strength has also been slightly enhanced."

"not bad……"

As he spoke, he took more than a dozen pills in succession until the effects of the medicine wore off completely. Only then did he throw the Qi and Blood Pills back into his spatial storage and stand there pondering to himself.

"If we could find more Qi and Blood Pills, the process of cultivating armed forces among the people could be significantly shortened..."

"Who?"

suddenly!

His eyes narrowed, and he drew his Demon Blade Thousand Blades with a clang, the blade pointing directly at a large tree not far away!

"it's me."

A graceful figure slowly emerged from behind the tree.

Fan Qinghui?

Lu Zuo's eyes grew even more wary. He took a half step back with his right leg, secretly tensing and gathering his strength, and said in a deep voice, "Why has Miss Fan come here?"

Is he wary of me?

Fan Qinghui narrowed her eyes slightly. Could it be that he already knew my identity?

Qingheng Dreamland is a Buddhist force in the Southern Chen Dynasty. I had spoken with him a few times during the day, expressing goodwill.

If this foolish emperor hadn't known that I was a disciple of Cihang Jingzhai, why would he be so wary and suspicious?

But that's impossible...

Very few people know my true identity...

Did Shen Wuhua and Yun Yanyue leak it?

impossible!

If that were the case, he would have already sent people to search for me in the capital.

Surely you can't know someone's identity just by hearing their name, right?

Fan Qinghui's mind raced, and she quickly concluded that Lu Zuo was overreacting and didn't know that she was the Holy Maiden of Jingzhai.

She smiled sweetly, "Why is Young Master Lu so nervous? Qinghui doesn't eat people."

"Qinghui just came here out of curiosity because she saw that you were alone."

Lu Zuo sheathed his sword, but his vigilance only intensified, and he never relaxed his grip on the blade.

"Ha, what is there for me to be curious about?"

"It's nothing, it's just that when I first met you, I felt a connection with you."

As she spoke, Fan Qinghui looked at him with captivating charm, her eyes sparkling, while she thought to herself, "He's wary of me; I can't take things slowly..."

"Since the emperor is a tyrant and lustful, I must take the initiative and first try to get together with him, and then use Buddhist teachings to influence and transform him."

That look in his eyes...

Was she here to kill me? Or to seduce me?

and many more!

Could she be like Shen Wuhua, coming here to feed the demon with her body?