I'm here in the martial arts world just to find love.

Jiang Chao's earlier statement about "riding on the same horse" naturally did not mean that the two people were riding on horseback at the same time.

Regardless of whether his little red could handle it, even if she could, Jiang Chao had no intention of doing so.

After all, he saw through what the other party thought was a flawless disguise and knew that under that straw hat was a pretty young girl who had run away from home.

However, this does not mean that the other party knows that he has seen through her disguise as a man.

In this way, for two grown men to ride together on one horse, without being chased or their lives in danger, would indeed be somewhat immoral, even in the all-encompassing and unconventional world of martial arts.

What he really meant by those words was to change horses.

Since we've decided to travel together, we've at least established a certain level of trust between us.

It wouldn't be unreasonable for the two of them to take turns riding horses to travel.

One person rides a horse while the other follows on foot, taking turns to save time and effort.

Unexpectedly, this Miss Chu misunderstood him.

  

He probably thought he was going to ride the same horse as her...

Jiang Chao even patiently explained the situation, but to his surprise, the young lady from Chu remained adamant and insisted on traveling on foot.

I told him I wouldn't fall too far behind him, to put his mind at ease.

What can Jiang Chao, who has good intentions, do?

We can only let her suffer a little.

Let this female knight-errant of Chu know that when you're out and about, you should never be polite to others when you need to be.

You can't force yourself to endure hardship if you don't want to.

Therefore, Jiang Chao did not deliberately slow down his horse's speed along the way.

He spurred his horse and displayed excellent horsemanship.

Who knew that this female knight-errant from Chu was indeed quite skilled.

His exceptional lightness skill and endurance impressed him greatly.

Following behind him, they ran wildly for sixty or seventy miles along the mountain road before showing signs of fatigue.

Beneath the straw hat, sweat dripped down her face, and the makeup on her sallow complexion was somewhat smudged.

Jiang Chao then slowed down his horse and suggested that they find a place to rest for a while.

Chu Ning immediately agreed.

If this continues, she'll be exhausted to death!

Moreover, her makeup was almost completely ruined!

If we keep rushing like this, we might be exposed!

The two men and one horse descended from a side road and soon arrived at the foot of the mountain.

The surrounding area was deserted and overgrown with weeds, with a clear spring flowing from the rocks in the mountain stream, making a tinkling sound.

Jiang Chao dismounted and, looking impatient, rushed to the mountain spring, scooped up the water and drank it, giving Miss Chu, who was also panting from exhaustion, a chance to touch up her makeup.

After Jiang Chao finished drinking the clear spring water and washed his face with it, he looked back and saw that the straw-hatted man, who looked thin but had a straight back, seemed to have already adjusted his state.

"Brother Chu, wouldn't you like a bite or two?"

Jiang Chao asked with a smile.

Chu Ning shook his head and said in a muffled voice:

"No need, I'm not thirsty."

Jiang Chao raised an eyebrow, not forcing the issue, and continued to tentatively ask:

"Shall we continue on our way?"

Under the bamboo hat, Chu Ning secretly pursed his lips, feeling bitter inside.

You ride a horse all the way, so of course you don't feel tired.

After dismounting and drinking a couple of sips of spring water, one can continue on their journey.

I, on the other hand, used all my lightness skills to chase after them, and I am now completely exhausted.

It's only been a short rest, how can I possibly recover?

My internal energy is depleted, and my limbs feel weak and sore...

If I hadn't been holding on by sheer willpower, I probably would have collapsed long ago!

Thinking of this, Chu Ning felt a pang of regret.

If she had known this would happen, she should have shamelessly agreed when they were outside the inn.

We're riding together, not the other way around, not sharing a horse with this clueless, taciturn fool who doesn't know how to take care of others!

But it's too late to regret it now.

She had refused so decisively back then that she now felt awkward bringing up the matter of traveling together again...

Seeing that the other party did not answer for a long time, Jiang Chao naturally knew that the other party probably had not recovered yet, and was probably just putting on a brave face.

Jiang Chao chuckled inwardly, stretched, and said understandingly:

"Brother Chu, why don't you ride a horse? I've been traveling all this way, and the jostling on horseback is making me uncomfortable. I'd like to get off and walk around."

Seeing that the other party still didn't answer, it seemed like they were sulking.

Jiang Chao wasn't annoyed. He led the horse to the other person and, ignoring the other person's resistance, shoved the reins into their hands.

Then, the boy turned his neck and suddenly let out a hearty laugh.

"Brother Chu previously demonstrated his exceptional lightness skill to me while traveling, which I greatly admire."

"But it is impolite not to reciprocate."

"Brother Chu, we can't let you be the only one getting the limelight, nor can we let only Jiang admire you. Next, I, Jiang, would also like to earn your admiration."

As soon as he finished speaking, the boy leaped into the air, his figure flashing out like lightning.

In the blink of an eye, it had vanished.

Chu Ning: "..."

This person...

Hmph! You're smart enough to forgive me this time since you're so sensible!

A slight smile curved Chu Ning's lips. He no longer stood on ceremony, gently stroking the chestnut horse, which seemed slightly uneasy due to its master's sudden departure, and softly comforting it:

"Don't worry, my little horse, I will definitely not treat you badly. Once we find a place to stay, I will reward you handsomely."

Seemingly understanding her words, Little Red shook its head and let out a hiss, indicating its agreement.

Chu Ning dared not delay. He mounted his horse, squeezed its flanks with his legs, and the chestnut horse galloped off towards the mountain road.

……

As the sun sets, the sky is filled with the glow of sunset, which spills over a small town.

The town is small, built against the mountain and situated by the water.

Houses with green tiles and blue bricks, and upturned eaves, are arranged in a pleasing, staggered manner, nestled among green trees and bamboo.

From Chu Ning's current position, looking into the distance, wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys of every household in that small town.

It presented a peaceful and serene scene.

It truly lives up to its reputation as the most prosperous place in the world. It is just a small town on the edge of Yunzhou, yet it is so wealthy and peaceful.

Following closely behind the river tide, Chu Ning, exhausted from the long journey, suddenly felt a surge of energy.

Jiang Chao had been waiting for a long time on a stone bridge outside the town called Qingxi.

Just then, seeing the straw-hatted man sitting on horseback, lost in thought, atop the earthen slope in the distance, Jiang Chao waved and shouted:

"Brother Chu, over here!"

Chu Ning dismounted and led the horse over.

"Brother Jiang, thank you very much..."

After riding for a while, Chu Ning finally understood that this young swordsman named Jiang Lang might not really have any ill intentions towards her.

Otherwise, there would be no way they would treat her like this.

She was just a bit more outgoing, much more enthusiastic than the other江湖人 (jianghu people) she had ever met.

She cannot be prejudiced against them simply because she has encountered so many malicious people who schemed and deceived her along the way.

This is so unfair to him!

Seeing that the other party treated him very well, Jiang Chao also felt happy.

That's more like it!

Since we've all decided to leave home and venture into the world of martial arts, we shouldn't always be prejudiced against people from that world.

It should be understood that just as there are bad people in this world, there are also good people.

Although Jiang Chao wasn't exactly a good person, he was definitely not a major villain either.

There's no need to be on guard against him all the time.

"Let's go. Qingxi Town in Yunzhou looks quite prosperous. Let's go into the town and take a look. Maybe we can meet other fellow martial artists who are also going to Yunzhou City to participate in the martial arts tournament."

Jiang Chao took the reins and led the way towards Qingxi Town across the stone bridge.