Chapter 205: Traveling Together

Inside the carriage, Murong Xiaoya and Shen Anran sat on one side, while on the other side, the black cat had claimed Shen Anran’s spot, lying beside Li Muxian.

After learning the full story of what had happened last night, Shen Anran, who had previously harbored resentment toward Murong Xiaoya for attacking Li Muxian, now forgave her, and the two remained close sisters.

“This Zhu Que bone is so powerful—it can keep devouring others’ essence blood and continuously strengthen itself?”

“Does that mean, if it keeps devouring essence blood, Murong Xiaoya’s strength could grow infinitely, until no one in the entire martial world could match her?”

Shen Anran stared at Murong Xiaoya’s left chest, then turned with astonishment to look at Li Muxian across from her.

Li Muxian paused briefly, then shook his head and said:

“Never mind whether her capacity has limits—even if it didn’t, she’d still need to devour countless essence bloods just to reach the threshold where the Number One in the world might deign to take her seriously.”

At these words, Shen Anran froze slightly, exchanged a glance with Murong Xiaoya beside her, and both saw shock reflected in each other’s eyes.

Especially Murong Xiaoya—she knew full well how terrifying her own strength had become, yet when facing Li Muxian before, she had been utterly powerless against him, unable to resist even a single move he made.

It was as if the gap between them was insurmountable.

“Your Highness, are you truly the Number One in the world?”

At that moment, Murong Xiaoya suddenly asked.

She had asked this before, but now she couldn’t help asking again.

Yet before Li Muxian could answer, the black cat beside him suddenly meowed, its emerald eyes glancing at Murong Xiaoya and Shen Anran with disdain—as if affirming Li Muxian’s status on his behalf.

Whether the cat truly confirmed Li Muxian as the Number One remained unclear.

Since the night at Mei Mansion, however, the cat had grown increasingly affectionate toward Li Muxian, following him everywhere he went.

To the untrained eye, it looked like a giant cat—some might even mistake it for a sycophant.

“You’ve only just arrived—you probably don’t know, but this cat is very strange…”

Shen Anran squinted at the cat, then whispered quietly to Murong Xiaoya beside her.

…

After leaving Shengzhouzhoucheng, Li Muxian’s group spent two days crossing Shengzhou’s territory and arrived in Lanzhou, where Luoshen Peak stood.

Upon entering Lanzhou, the martial atmosphere was utterly unlike that of Shengzhou—it felt at once like stepping into Jingzhou.

Lanzhou was filled with martial artists, yet violent conflicts were rare; all moved in orderly fashion, and each strictly adhered to rules.

But these rules were neither the customary codes of the martial world nor the laws imposed by the Da Li court to govern sects.

These were the rules of Luoshen Peak.

Beyond the Shengzhou custom of giving precedence to Luoshen Peak disciples, in Lanzhou, Luoshen Peak had become a true local emperor, effectively ruling nearly the entire province.

And unlike other provinces, nearly a hundred martial sects and factions in Lanzhou, big and small, were all subordinate to Luoshen Peak.

Sects unwilling to submit had long since vanished from Lanzhou—centuries ago, during the fall of Da Qi, those who defied Luoshen Peak were either eradicated root and branch or fled to other regions.

“Watch yourselves carefully—these are gifts for the birthday of Luoshen Peak’s Seven Saints’ Peak Masters. Any mishap, and we’re all dead.”

On a dusty official road, several carts laden with oil-cloth-wrapped goods were stuck in a collapsed road pit, while a group of disciples in blue uniform robes pushed together, swords at their sides.

Behind them stood a scar-faced man in his forties, barking orders in a deep voice.

His face was rugged and sharp, a wild goose-feather saber hung at his waist, his blue robe caked in dust, his whole demeanor tense with anger—but more so with dread, terrified something might go wrong with the cargo.

At that moment, an old man in coarse hemp clothing led a mule past them, slowly walking through the wind-blown dust.

The scar-faced man immediately turned his gaze toward the hemp-clad elder.

But upon seeing the mule carried a little girl in pink, her head nodding sleepily like a pecking chicken, he relaxed slightly.

The hemp-clad elder seemed to sense the man’s stare, then suddenly stopped and turned slowly to ask:

“Would you need an old man’s help?”

Hearing this, the scar-faced man frowned slightly but shook his head:

“Thank you for your kindness, but no need.”

Yet the hemp-clad elder made no move to leave; instead, he spoke slowly:

“No need to refuse—it’s merely a small favor.”

As he spoke, he lifted his hand lightly—and instantly, a gust of wind surged from nowhere, sweeping over the carts stuck in the pit.

The disciples, who had been straining to push, suddenly felt their effort ease; the next moment, the carts rose into the air and lifted cleanly from the pit.

Seeing this, the scar-faced man’s expression changed instantly—he instinctively stepped back from the elder and moved closer to the carts and horses, his face filled with suspicion.

But after steadying himself, seeing the hemp-clad elder make no further move, he finally forced himself to bow:

“Thank you, Elder, for your assistance.”

The hemp-clad elder narrowed his eyes slightly and said:

“No thanks needed. Do any of you have dried rations? Could you spare some for my granddaughter?”

At these words, the little girl in pink, who had been dozing on the mule, suddenly opened her eyes half-asleep and mumbled:

“Where’s the food? I’m starving and sleepy…”

The scar-faced man’s expression flickered, but finally he nodded to the elder:

“Please wait a moment.”

He then ordered his disciples to fetch a bundle of steamed buns and braised beef from the cart and respectfully handed them to the hemp-clad elder.

“Thank you.”

The elder said, then passed the bundle to the girl.

Seeing this, the scar-faced man quickly bowed again and said:

“We still have a long journey ahead—we won’t trouble you further, Elder.”

Saying this, he prepared to order his disciples to leave, clearly wishing to end the encounter as soon as possible.

But then the hemp-clad elder suddenly spoke again:

“You’re heading to Luoshen Peak to pay respects for the birthday, aren’t you? So am I. Why not travel together? We can look out for each other.”

(End of Chapter)