Republic of China Era: Entering the Dao through Divine Strike.

Li Xin could tell what he was thinking just by looking at his eyes, and laughed, "Don't we have money? We're not far from the capital, what can't we buy then?"

Li Cheng suddenly realized and quickly nodded: "Yes, you can buy anything."

He looked up and glanced in the direction of the capital, then sighed again. "I wonder if my uncle is still on Zhengyang Street? We received a letter from him three years ago. We heard that his clinic was doing well, but I'm afraid he's not doing well."

"There's always a way out, don't worry, we won't go hungry." Li Xin didn't think that far ahead.

As far as I can remember, my second uncle had already separated from the family and gone to Beijing to make his way in the world.

He inherited the medical skills of the Li family of Sanhe, and it is said that he received his grandfather's true teachings. Compared to his own family, who farmed the land while hunting and practicing martial arts...

The situation is much better for this branch of the family in Beijing.

Instead of worrying about his uncle, he should worry about himself.

"Alas, misfortunes never come singly..." Li Cheng shook his head.

Thinking of the disaster in my hometown, and then of how my grandfather passed away, my father died while hunting, and my mother fell ill and we had no money for treatment...

The group fell silent as they talked, then lowered their heads and began to devour the wolf meat.

The early spring wind is cold.

After eating the meat, roll up the wolf skin, then rub salt on the two pieces of hind leg meat and wrap them up.

The three of them huddled around the fire, dozing off as they waited for dawn.

Li Xin wasn't very sleepy; he just wanted to close his eyes and rest.

Li Cheng and Li Xiaoyue were so sleepy that they started snoring while hugging their knees.

Until the east turned white.

"Are you going out?"

Li Cheng asked in a low voice, hiding behind the earthen slope with half his head showing, watching the early risers on the official road.

"Wait a little longer, the three of us are a bit conspicuous. I just saw two groups of foreigners and three groups of constables from the yamen, it seems like they were searching for something, better safe than sorry."

Li Xin, however, did not agree with taking risks.

……

Chapter Six: Shunyuan's Female Tiger, Wanted at the City Gate

"Gogo!"

Dust rose in the distance, and the sounds of people and horses could be heard.

This time, not only Li Cheng, but also Li Xin and Li Xiaoyue peeked out to look at the main road down the slope.

"It looks like a security escort agency. Can you make out what's embroidered on the flag?"

Li Cheng couldn't contain himself any longer. He rubbed his eyes and looked closely. Suddenly, he jumped up with joy and said, "It's a Wang (王) flag. See the water-shaped pattern on the carriage? It should be the Shunyuan Escort Agency. Didn't you say you'd sneak in when the main group passed by? This escort team should be able to."

"Wang Family Shunyuan Escort Agency?" Li Xin finally understood which family this long escort team belonged to.

"You mean Wang Wu, the Great Swordsman?"

"It's Wang Zhengyi. He's a generous and righteous man who helps those in distress. Moreover, he has a great reputation in the martial arts world. When he encounters fellow practitioners who are down on their luck, he would rather not make any money than not lend a hand."

Li Cheng patted his chest, as if he were that down-on-his-luck fellow traveler.

"Alright, let's go out. Xiaoyue, you stay in the basket and don't show your face for now."

"Ah."

Li Xiaoyue obediently climbed into the basket on her back, not minding the pungent smell of wolf skin and wolf legs inside. She only peeked out with half her head sticking out as her older brother carried her.

Li Xin, on the other hand, went downhill first, getting closer to the official road.

He looks and has the build of an eight or nine-year-old child, posing no threat whatsoever.

Besides, Li Cheng is fine in front of his own people, but he's tongue-tied in front of outsiders. If you ask him to deal with people, he might cause trouble.

"Who goes there? We're a security escort. Don't come any closer."

With a clang, several burly men drew their swords. In the distance, on the carriage shafts, several large bows were drawn halfway, aimed at Li Xin and his siblings.

"Don't misunderstand, we're on our way to the capital to visit relatives. We encountered wolves on the way and are worried about our safety, so we'd like to travel together."

Li Xin smiled and took a hind leg and wolf skin from his elder brother, then half-raised them.

"He's just a child, Uncle Ming, look how nervous you all are..."

A clear and melodious voice rang out, the curtain of the car in front was pulled back, and a girl stepped out of the door.

Let's just call her a girl for now.

Even Li Xin, with his extensive experience and knowledge, was slightly disturbed.

In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a hero.

When the girl got off the carriage, the carriage creaked and groaned, and her feet left two shallow dents on the ground.

He was about 1.8 meters tall, with broad shoulders, a thick waist, and bulging muscles; at first glance, he exuded a powerful and intimidating aura.

But the head on this person's neck was exquisitely beautiful, with a touch of gentleness amidst its heroic spirit. Its laughter was hearty and generous, yet also carried a girlish charm.

Judging by her face alone, she is definitely a great beauty.

Li Xin maintained a polite smile, trying to keep his eyes focused on the other person's nose, and never giving her a second glance at her bulging chest and arm muscles.

Seeing the other person approach, he casually handed over the wolf's hind leg and wolf skin.

"This is for you, young lady."

"Oh my, what a good little brother. He's so handsome and polite."

The girl chuckled, her gaze sweeping over Li Xin's tattered clothes before softening her expression. "Keep the leg for yourselves; the wolfskin will spoil if it's not aired out. Uncle Ming, here's the money."

"The skin was peeled off very neatly, young man. Did you use the knife? Not bad, not bad."

A middle-aged man carrying a knife slowly stepped forward and patted Li Xin on the shoulder.

Li Xin's eyes flickered slightly.

He noticed that the middle-aged man walked without shaking his head or moving his shoulders, and his steps were so light that they didn't disturb the dust.

Although he wasn't particularly burly, he was still smaller than the girl beside him.

It felt like a small mountain had been moved across the landscape.

Moreover, as this person spoke, he patted his own shoulder with his palm at varying speeds, giving the impression that he didn't know where he was pressing.

Li Xin took a half step back, tilted his shoulder slightly, dodged the other person's hand, and laughed, "How can I take money? We're already extremely grateful to have you join the caravan and travel a short distance. Here you go."

As he spoke, the wolf skin was already stuffed into the middle-aged man's outstretched palm.

The middle-aged man was slightly taken aback. After a moment of silence, his gaze became much more cautious. He took out a piece of silver, about two or three taels, from his waist pouch and handed it over, saying sincerely, "To be honest, young brother, we in Shunyuan have our own rules. We can't take your things for free. Traveling together for a while is no big deal. Meeting is fate, so let's look after each other."

Thank you.

Seeing that his expression didn't seem fake, Li Xin readily accepted the silver.

They probably gave too much, but we're all dressed in rags, so it's kind of them to give us a little extra. We'll just accept it.

"Come on, follow the lead car. You're not familiar with the capital, so let me tell you about it."

The girl seemed very enthusiastic and unguarded, leading Li Xin and the others closer to the lead vehicle. It was unclear what was being carried on the vehicle, but the wheels were creaking and groaning, indicating that it was struggling to move.

"Miss," a thin young man next to him called out, winking and making faces.

A burst of laughter erupted from the side.

"Go away, you monkey, what are you doing?"

The girl's face hardened, and with a whoosh, she reached out and grabbed the thin young man by the back of the neck. Without any visible movement, she shifted three meters to the side, lifting him up like a kitten.

With a casual flick of the wrist, it flew four or five meters away.

The skinny young man rolled twice on the grass, hunched his shoulders, and sheepishly disappeared into the crowd.

Another burst of laughter erupted from all around.

Clearly, they all knew that the girl was not to be trifled with, and they were happy to see the skinny young man make a fool of himself.

"What incredible strength!" Li Cheng was dumbfounded.

Li Xin noticed that when the girl made her move, it was so casual and fluid, as natural as breathing.

It looked like she was grabbing someone with her arms and throwing them, but Li Xin felt like she was using her feet to push...

The upper body remained mostly still, but the trousers on the right leg rippled, and the ground sank slightly.

The force originates from the ground and reaches the extremities of the limbs.

This person is also a master.

Even in my previous life in the professional boxing ring, I rarely saw such a powerful boxer who could easily mobilize the subtle forces of his entire body with every move.

Judging from her age, she's probably seventeen or eighteen, definitely no older than twenty.

How did you train?

Then look at Li Cheng next to him, this silly guy's eyes are practically popping out of their sockets.

They clearly know their stuff.

The convoy proceeded without committing any offenses along the way.

Occasionally, they would encounter some foreign cavalrymen and government constables, but they did not search the long caravan at all.

Some of the constables would even greet the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) Gu Changming warmly.

Li Xin followed silently, occasionally whispering a few words to the little girl in the basket, and his mood finally calmed down.

However, a closer look at his face revealed a slightly somber expression.

the reason is simple.

Li Xin's senses are now extremely sharp, and he doesn't even need to listen too carefully to hear the whispers behind the three cars clearly.

"Wang Erya, I told you not to go, so don't go. Be careful when you get home and tell your father."

It was the middle-aged man's voice, filled with doting affection, but also tinged with a sense of helplessness.

"Uncle Ming, call me Jingya. This 'Er Ya' thing is awful." The girl's voice came from behind. "They're just a few kids. Look, the oldest is a few years younger than me. There's another one who's eight or nine, and another one who's three or four. You're treating them like thieves. Aren't you a little coward?"

"Trust me, the little girl aside, the two older ones have a murderous aura about them."

"Killing intent? How is that possible?"

"How should I put it? It's that feeling where if you have even the slightest bad thought about them, you feel a chill run down your spine, a very dangerous feeling. You haven't reached that level of skill, so you wouldn't understand even if I explained it to you."

Er Ya, remember this. When you're out in the world, there are a few types of people you shouldn't mess with, and it's best not to talk to them. You can't tell if they're human or ghost..."

"Is it really that exaggerated? The little boy is so thin and cute," the girl said unhappily.

"That's just the surface, you know?" Uncle Ming, the middle-aged man, began to sigh. "Even renowned masters in the martial arts world might not be able to dodge my Hundred-Bend Capture Hand so cleanly and neatly."

But he saw through my seven subsequent changes at a glance, simply shrugged his shoulders, and dodged them. Was it a coincidence? I didn't believe it.

Also, don't you think that child's eyes are very bright? Have you ever seen such bright eyes?

"So he looks great, just a little thin. His parents are really willing to let him go hungry."

The girl's voice carried a hint of resentment.

"Fine, fine, whatever you want. Just be more careful." Uncle Ming had nothing more to say.

Li Xin found it amusing, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

"So, the pat on my shoulder earlier was just a test, and it was some kind of 'Hundred Twists Grappling Technique.' No wonder it was so unpredictable and seemed so dangerous."

If my mental state hadn't reached level 20 and my senses hadn't been so sharp, I'm not sure if I could have dodged it. Being exposed is fine; it's good to be wary, to avoid any unforeseen complications.

Overall, this security escort agency is quite upright.

I didn't play any tricks, and I didn't ask any random questions.

Furthermore, Li Xin had previously given the false name "Tang He," and his elder brother's name was "Tang Shan," without revealing his uncle's name. Even if the other party did something inappropriate afterward, it wouldn't matter.

When the sun was high in the sky, the caravan made its way through the bustling crowds to the city gate.

Taking advantage of the moment when Uncle Ming and the others rode forward and spoke with the gatekeepers about their travel permits and cargo documents, Li Xin gently tugged at his elder brother Li Cheng's sleeve. He then slipped into the crowd and entered the capital.