Chapter 205: Traveling Together

Inside the carriage, Lady Murong Xiaoya and Shen Anran, having settled the Lady Murong family's affairs, sat on one side, while on the other side a large black cat had commandeered Shen Anran's spot, lying beside Li Musheng.

After learning the cause and effect of last night's events, Shen Anran, who had previously held a grudge against Lady Murong Xiaoya for attacking Li Musheng, had now forgiven her, and the two remained good sisters.

"This Zhu Que bone is actually so powerful, able to continuously devour others' essence and blood to constantly improve its own strength?"

"Does that mean that as long as it keeps devouring essence and blood, Xiaoya's strength can increase infinitely, until eventually no one in the entire Jianghu is her match?"

Shen Anran gazed at Lady Murong Xiaoya's left chest, then looked across at Li Musheng with a surprised expression.

Li Musheng pondered slightly for a moment, but shook his head and said:

"Putting aside the fact that her capacity is limited, even if there were no limits, she would still need to devour how much essence and blood just to barely reach the threshold where the number one under heaven would have to take her slightly seriously."

Upon hearing this, Shen Anran's expression froze slightly; she exchanged a glance with Lady Murong Xiaoya beside her, and both saw the shock in each other's eyes.

Especially Lady Murong Xiaoya; she naturally understood how terrifying her own strength was, but when she faced Li Musheng before, she was utterly unable to harm him in the slightest, and when he acted, she had not a shred of power to resist.

It seemed the gap between them was so vast it was nearly impossible to cross.

"Your Highness, are you truly the number one under heaven?"

At this moment, Lady Murong Xiaoya suddenly spoke up and asked.

She had asked a similar question before, but now she could not help asking it again.

However, before Li Musheng could reply, the big black cat beside him suddenly meowed, its green eyes sweeping disdainfully over Lady Murong Xiaoya and Shen Anran, as if confirming Li Musheng's status on his behalf.

As for whether the big black cat truly confirmed Li Musheng as the number one under heaven, that remained unclear.

Anyway, since last night at the Mei Manor, this big cat had become increasingly attentive to Li Musheng, following him wherever he went.

On the surface, it looked like a large cat, but to those who didn't know, one might think it was a sycophant.

"You may not be clear yet, since you just arrived, but this cat is very unusual..."

Shen Anran narrowed her eyes as she stared at the big cat, then whispered quietly to Lady Murong Xiaoya beside her.

Next, after leaving Shengzhou's provincial capital, Li Musheng and his party spent two days traveling out of the Shengzhou region, then arrived in Lanzhou, where the Falling Spirit Peak was located.

Upon entering Lanzhou, the Jianghu atmosphere visible at a glance was completely different from Shengzhou; at first glance, it felt as if they had arrived in Jingzhou.

Jianghu practitioners were everywhere in Lanzhou, but there were rarely any chaotic fights or killings; order was maintained everywhere, and everyone was very rule-abiding.

However, the rules here were neither the customary codes of the Jianghu nor the laws of the Great Li court governing Jianghu sects.

The rules here were the rules of Falling Spirit Peak.

Besides the priority given to Falling Spirit Peak disciples as seen in Shengzhou, in Lanzhou, Falling Spirit Peak had become the true local emperor, with almost the entire Lanzhou region under its actual "rule."

Moreover, unlike other provinces, nearly a hundred Jianghu sects and factions of all sizes in Lanzhou were, without exception, all subsidiaries of Falling Spirit Peak.

Jianghu sects unwilling to become subsidiaries were almost impossible to exist in Lanzhou; as early as when the Great Qi dynasty fell a hundred years ago, those disobedient Jianghu sects were either uprooted by Falling Spirit Peak or relocated their sects to flee to other regions.

"Everyone be careful; this is the birthday gift for the 'Seven Sages' peak seats of Falling Spirit Peak. If there is even the slightest mishap, both our lives will be in danger."

On the dusty official road, several carriages carrying objects sealed in oilcloth had fallen into a collapsed road pit, while a group of sword-wielding sect disciples in uniform green robes were pushing the carriage together with all their strength.

Behind the disciples, a scar-faced man of about forty years old shouted sternly.

The man's face was rough and sharp, a goose-feather blade hung at his waist, his green robe was covered in dust, and he clearly carried an air of anger, but more so tension and worry, fearing the items they were escorting would go wrong.

Just then, an old man in coarse hemp clothes led a mule, walking slowly past the group against the wind-blown dust.

The scar-faced man's gaze immediately shifted, looking warily at the hemp-clad old man.

However, upon seeing a little girl in pink clothes riding on the mule, and the little girl was currently dozing off like a bird pecking at rice, he was momentarily reassured.

At this moment, the hemp-clad old man seemed to notice the scar-faced man's gaze, suddenly stopped, then slowly turned his head and asked:

"May this old one lend a hand?"

Hearing this, the scar-faced man frowned slightly and merely shook his head, saying:

"Thank you for your kindness, old sir, but it is not needed."

However, the hemp-clad old man had no intention of leaving, but slowly spoke:

"No need to refuse; it is merely a small effort."

At the same moment his words fell, he lightly raised his hand and waved; instantly, a strong wind suddenly rose from the flat ground, blowing past the several carriages stuck in the pit.

The disciples who had been pushing with all their strength suddenly felt their hands lighten; the next moment, the carriages stuck in the pit were lifted into the air and pulled out of the pit.

Seeing this, the scar-faced man's expression immediately changed; he instinctively hurried away from the old man, moving closer to the horses and cargo, his face full of caution.

However, after calming his mind slightly and seeing the hemp-clad old man had no intention of acting again, he finally forced himself to cup his hands and say:

"Thank you, senior, for lending your hand."

Hearing this, the hemp-clad old man narrowed his eyes slightly and said:

"No need for thanks; do any of you have dry rations on you? Give some to my little granddaughter?"

Upon hearing this, the little girl in pink clothes who had been dozing on the mule's back suddenly opened her eyes groggily, as if not fully awake, and said:

"Is there anything to eat? I'm so hungry I'm sleepy..."

The scar-faced man nearby's expression shifted for a moment, but finally nodded to the hemp-clad old man:

"Please wait a moment, senior."

Then, he instructed his sect disciples to take a packet of steamed buns and braised beef from the carriage and respectfully hand them to the hemp-clad old man.

"Thank you."

The hemp-clad old man said a word of thanks, then handed the package to the little girl.

Seeing this, the scar-faced man quickly cupped his hands and spoke:

"We still have to travel ahead, so we will not disturb you further, senior."

Having said this, he prepared to instruct his disciples to leave, clearly unwilling to stay with the other party any longer.

However, at this moment, the hemp-clad old man suddenly spoke:

"Your journey is presumably to Falling Spirit Peak to celebrate the birthday, is it not? Coincidentally, this old one is going as well; why not travel together from now on, so we can look out for each other?"

(End of this chapter)