Chapter 95: Leaving the City – 74K Subscription Request – Second Update, Six O'Clock

"Wu Lang, what is this..."

The day before the Winter Solstice, Wang Lan was looking at her makeup in the mirror when Wang Wu walked to her dressing table and placed a box she had never seen on it.

Wang Lan stopped, looked at the box before her, and asked curiously.

"It's something that can let you cultivate true Qi," Wang Wu replied, then glanced at Wang Lan's face.

Wang Lan had never worn makeup before, but these past few days she had been breaking new ground by putting on makeup every day, all done with the help of a maid; she herself didn't know how.

"Is it… is it pretty?" Wang Lan noticed Wang Wu's gaze and shyly lowered her head to ask.

As for Wang Wu's remark about "something that can let her cultivate true Qi," its priority for her was clearly nowhere near Wang Wu's concern about whether she looked good.

"Pretty," Wang Wu nodded, "but you look even prettier without makeup." As he said so, he brushed his hand over the scar that the makeup had clearly dulled.

"If, Lan'er, you don't like it, once you become a True Realm Warrior the scar will naturally disappear. But to me, the scar hasn't made you ugly at all."

"I like it very much." After a gentle pat, Wang Wu pressed his lips to it.

That move clearly left Wang Lan stunned; she nearly fainted, her face flushing so much it seemed about to steam. Wang Lan couldn't handle that at all.

"Then, then I'll remove it now..." With her mind hazy, Wang Lan began to speak, and at that point she finally came to her senses.

She then stared sharply at the medicine box on the table, disbelief flashing in her eyes: "This, this..."

"Yes, after you eat this it will expand your true meridian, granting you the qualification to enter the True Realm," Wang Wu nodded.

The effect of this thing is certainly real, and it's excellent, because Wang Wu himself is taking it. His master bought him two boxes, saying he also needed to use it.

Because Wang Wu's cultivation speed was a bit slow, his master thought that as a demon, a demon's physical condition should be stronger than a human's, so his cultivation speed couldn't possibly be on the same level as an ordinary person.

So he mailed a portion over to Wang Wu as well.

Wang Wu started taking it the day before yesterday, originally with a try‑it‑out mindset, thinking that a box costing a little over fifty yuan couldn't be without benefit.

But what he didn't expect was that this fifty‑something‑yuan‑a‑box medicine gave him a huge surprise.

He could clearly feel his internal meridians widening, and the flow and circulation of true Qi sped up a great deal compared to before.

As for why this medicine works for both his demon self and the otherworldly human, the master's answer was also perfectly in line with their world's style:

【Bo Sheng Gui Bi Ni Ma Si Le: What nonsense are you talking about? Medicine is for people to eat; even if you're an animal you can take it. As long as an animal's medicine doesn't kill it, it's fine; a medicine no one has taken yet is even better.】

【Bo Sheng Gui Bi Ni Ma Si Le: Or maybe you're a Hajimi‑shaped demon, then you truly might not be able to eat it; eating it could kill you, so I'll give you a different medicine.】

【Bo Sheng Gui Bi Ni Ma Si Le: But your human friend can definitely eat it.】

【Bo Sheng Gui Bi Ni Ma Si Le: Oh right, if you want to fight other Hajimis for territory and mate rights, half a piece of Pulse General will do.】

【Shan Ding Dong Yao Guai:... Thank you, master】

【Bo Sheng Gui Bi Ni Ma Si Le: By the way, what kind of demon are you?】

【Shan Ding Dong Yao Guai:...】

Obviously his master Qin Xiang, also called Tian Xin, has some obscure abstract hobbies, but Wang Wu made no comment on that.

As for what kind of demon he was, Wang Wu thought for a long time and couldn't figure out how to answer; he couldn't just say human... ah no, demon‑human. So he replied with "Insect Demon."

The lie wasn't exposed by the master, because he didn't reply further.

Returning to reality, looking at Wang Lan before him, he saw her eyes all bloodshot, and then tears began to flow.

"What's wrong, why are you crying?" Wang Wu gently embraced her, kissing away the tears on her face.

"I—I—I..." Wang Lan buried her head in Wang Wu's chest, "Wu Lang, I..."

"Alright, alright, don't cry." Wang Wu lightly patted Wang Lan's back, and after a while her emotions finally steadied.

Wang Wu picked up the packaging box on the table, opened it, and took out the three tablets inside.

"One tablet a day, each taken with water. Until all three tablets are finished, a total of ninety days." While saying this, Wang Wu squeezed out a tablet, brought it to Wang Lan's lips: "Here."

After Wang Lan swallowed it, Wang Wu fetched her a glass of water and fed it to her.

"No need, just swallow it." Seeing Wang Lan try to cultivate to refine the medicine in her belly, Wang Wu laughed, "No need to deliberately refine it; just do whatever you need to do."

"Wu Lang, I..." Seeing Wang Lan's gaze, seeming to want to say something, Wang Wu smiled and cut her off: "Let's not talk about repayment or anything between us, okay?"

After speaking, his gaze dropped, then he teased: "But, actually, we could..."

Hearing that, Wang Lan shyly lowered her head, "Then, then I'll change clothes and shoes and go to the training ground to practice for a while..."

"It's fine." Wang Wu stepped forward, gently embraced her, "We have plenty of time today, we can also first..."

In the afternoon, Wang Wu prepared to go out to buy something; the street was empty, and on the road he happened to meet Li Yuan, whose expression carried a hint of melancholy.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Li Yuan invited Wang Wu to have dinner together. Wang Wu naturally wouldn't refuse such a treat, and they went straight to the regular restaurant Fang Yi Hall.

Cultivators really are wealthy, folks; Fang Yi Hall serves high‑end ingredients all day, and just the meal cost runs into several thousand, even up to ten thousand yuan.

Although the bill can't be calculated that way, since Fang Yi Hall's prices are already high. Normally, a cultivator's daily food expense is only a few hundred to a thousand yuan.

"I didn't expect that after such a short time apart, Brother Wang would already have entered the True Realm," Li Yuan said at the table, looking at Wang Wu with great envy.

"Haha, after all I'm a True Realm Warrior," Wang Wu chuckled, "By the way, Brother Li, have you found anyone to take over that sect mission?"

Hearing Wang Wu's words, Li Yuan gave him a glance, a wry smile appearing on his face.

Then he picked up a piece of meat, put it in his mouth, chewed, sighed, and shook his head: "I've been worrying about this these past few days."

Hearing that the entrusted mission still hadn't been taken by a trading firm, and thinking of the high reward, Wang Wu's heart flared: "Then... how about I take this job?"

Li Yuan set down his chopsticks, looked at Wang Wu: "Brother Wang, this..."

"If no one takes this order, I can," Wang Wu nodded.

"But that's a huge shipment, Brother Wang," Li Yuan hesitated, "and now it's already the Beginning of Winter; daylight hasn't even lasted half an hour..."

"No problem." Wang Wu raised his hand to cut him off, "You don't need to worry about me; since I dared to take it, I naturally have confidence."

"This..." In Li Yuan's eyes a clear intention could be seen, but he still hesitated, "But this is indeed too dangerous, and besides gold and silver in the mundane world, I have nothing else..."

"That's exactly what I want." Wang Wu interrupted again, "Brother Li, if you feel uneasy about it, you can give me more."

Li Yuan no longer refused; he looked at Wang Wu gratefully, clasped his hands, and performed a solemn bow to him:

"Brother Wang, you are righteous! If I have a chance in the future, I will surely repay you, Brother Wang!!"

"You'd better tell me how much my payment can be raised first," Wang Wu said with a smile.

After hearing that, Li Yuan smiled, then reached into his Qiankun sleeve and took out five emerald‑green gold ingots, placing them on the table: "This is fifteen gold, consider it an advance for Brother Wang."

"Whether it succeeds or not, this fifteen gold is Brother Wang's," he said solemnly.

"And if the goods are delivered successfully, I'll later pay Brother Wang another ten gold," Li Yuan continued, a look of shame on his face, "I am also ashamed; I, Li Yuan, come from a farming family and can't produce much worldly gold and silver…"

"Good brother!!"

But before Li Yuan could finish speaking, Wang Wu, moved, grasped his hand.

"Brother, no more words," Wang Wu said, "Let's finish eating quickly; this meal is on me. The delivery should be as fast as possible; we can't delay!"

Li Yuan looked at the excited Wang Wu, not knowing what to say, but still felt moved.

Then he nodded:

"Alright!"

Time quickly reached 8:30 p. m.

After some preparations, Wang Wu and Li Yuan arrived at the east gate of He Dong Xian, ready to load the goods into containers and set out for delivery.

"That's quite a lot," Wang Wu said, sighing as he looked at the ten horse‑drawn carts of goods before him.

Wang Wu didn't know what was inside, nor cared. By calculation, it's roughly the load of two heavy trucks back home.

Given the situation here, using cultivators would require over a dozen people; using a Qiankun ring would need a massive space ring that folds together nearly a million of his hometown's currency, and even one wouldn't be enough.

The destination of this shipment is the Qingping Sect outpost at Yuanqing Lake, where a large amount of supplement supplies must be delivered to the cultivators, and the route passes through Sanhe County, Yuchuan County, and Tianbin County, where new goods must also be loaded.

The Qingping Sect requires the goods to arrive before Xiao Han; after Xiao Han, a one‑day delay halves the reward, two days forfeits it entirely, and three days incurs a penalty.

When that time comes, the sect's debts will be impossible to repay.

"That's all?" Wang Wu turned his head toward Li Yuan, who nodded.

"That's all," he said, then urged Wang Wu:

"But there's no need to rush, right? Even though Brother Wang is a true‑realm master, traveling at night is risky; why not wait until tomorrow? Even daylight without sunshine is better than deep night…"

"No need to worry," Wang Wu said with a smile, patting Li Yuan's shoulder, then walked to the container unloaded from the carriage and placed his hand on it.

It was a large iron container, five meters long and one point five meters high, containing the goods Wang Wu was to deliver today.

Wang Wu sometimes wondered, this world is said to be advanced, and it certainly is—airborne battleships, fourth‑cosmic‑speed intercontinental missiles.

Considering the power of such an intercontinental missile, a single strike could easily wipe out He Dong Xian.

Not to mention the hordes of supersonic‑flying superhumans; the three cultivators he saw on Si Hun Shan that day left a deep impression.

A civilization of this level, even if it only transplanted the nation of Da Zhou here, would easily dominate his home planet.

Sometimes, especially now, looking at the combination of the carriage and iron container, Wang Wu felt a very strange sensation rise within him.

Not only now, but also in everyday life.

Lagging? Clearly not. Advanced? Clearly advanced. Strange? Indeed very strange.

Ten carriages, each with two iron containers. After loading everything into the spherical fortress's storage chamber, Wang Wu clapped his hands.

Indeed, the spherical fortress can directly transmit anything it contacts outside into its cargo hold, and the cargo hold's area is quite large.

About two hundred cubic meters—more than enough.

"All done." After everything was loaded into the fortress, Wang Wu clapped, mounted the fine steed the Wang Clan gave him for travel. It is Wang Lan's prized horse, said to be highly spirit‑linked.

He glanced at the map; the map was also a gift from the Wang Clan. Li Yuan also had a copy, though not as detailed as the Wang Clan's.

Wang Lan, like Li Yuan, had suggested Wang Wu postpone until tomorrow, but Wang Wu harshly suppressed the suggestion, leaving no room for a rebuttal.

The city gate opened slowly; Wang Wu folded the map, drew a jade tablet, and showed it to the guard.

The guard respectfully took the jade tablet, completed a brief procedure, returned it to Wang Wu, and then went to the gate to see him off.

"Brother Wang! Safe travels!!"

Li Yuan waved from behind, watching Wang Wu depart. Wang Wu didn't look back but waved his hand. He rode his horse slowly into the darkness beyond the city, when a clamor erupted from inside the gate behind him:

"We also have permission to leave the city! Sir! Look, this is the official seal of County Officer Zhang Fei…"

"Take it away, take it away!! Lord Situ has already said that, except for special cases, He Dong Xian has been entry‑only for several days. If you want to leave, go find Lord Situ of the Demon‑Suppression Army!" an impatient soldier shouted.

"Bu‑but… County Officer Zhang…"

"Damn it, do you want to die!! Back off! Let go!!"

A quarrel rose from behind; Wang Wu turned his head toward the city, recalling that the voice sounded familiar, though he couldn't place it.

So he looked back, and indeed.

It wasn't an acquaintance, but they had met once before.

The first time Wang Wu came to He Dong Xian, he had encountered a merchant caravan outside the city, seemingly from the Lei family trading house.

Among the caravan was a burly man who talked at length, apparently named Lei… Lei…

Wang Wu thought for a moment, then recalled the name: Lei Yuan.

At that moment, the man called Lei Yuan was clutching the soldier who had inspected his jade tablet, pleading desperately.

"Please, soldier!! This shipment, I really must deliver it to Lin Dong County by tomorrow, Sir!!! If we can't get it there, the Lei family will be finished!!!"

Lin Dong County is the nearest town after exiting He Dong Xian's east gate, only fifty kilometers away.

Opposite it lies the Wang Gu Lin, which contains many mines; many townsfolk earn their living there. That area is also where human traces are most frequently seen in the Wang Gu Lin.

Monsters don't go there because it's heavily defended, and the mine owners organize cultivators to sweep the area each year.

Wang Wu watched for a moment, then turned back, not intending to pay attention to what was happening behind him.

After Lin Dong County comes Sanhe County, the first destination of Wang Wu's delivery this time; he needs to pick up another batch there.

Continuing forward at a leisurely pace, his steed trudged slowly along the road.

Wang Wu wasn't in a hurry, as he was scrolling through his social feed in his mind.

Not long ago he switched to a new SIM card, keeping his old number, and now his internet runs smoothly most of the time.

A monthly data allowance is 15 GB, costing 50 yuan, and the free‑call plan is… uh, that's not important.

The money in the bank card keeps dwindling, and Wang Wu begins to wonder if there's any way to earn some cash? Or perhaps to recharge this world's silver into the card?

But for direct top‑up, Wang Wu can't find the corresponding button in his wallet. Yet if it's a bank deposit…

There's no such thing as a bank card here… wait.

Wang Wu suddenly recalls a type of commercial institution he saw while strolling in He Dong Xian.

'Money House'

Although its historical record isn't stellar, Wang Wu vaguely remembers… it seems ancient money houses were basically banks, right?

So if he deposits money in a money house and then enters the money house's transaction number into the bank card interface…

At the thought, Wang Wu's heart flares. He hurriedly urges his steed, the fine horse named 'Yin Zhi', which immediately breaks into a gallop on the Guan Dao.

Under the night's veil, the Great Zhou Dynasty's Guan Dao also emits a faint glow, though not as bright as the main road in Si Hun Shan.

Its light is dimmer, perhaps its effect is weaker as well.

Yet even so, it's enough to keep certain things lingering by the Guan Dao from approaching.

He pushes the speed to sixty; Wang Wu rides his horse, galloping on the Guan Dao. He doesn't intend to run long, just to make a show—about an hour later he'll return to the Spherical Fortress with his horse.

But at that moment, from behind Wang Wu, a series of hoofbeats arrives.

Wang Wu turns his head and finds, surprisingly, Lei Yuan—the one who previously quarreled with the city‑gate soldiers.

A look of relief is on his face, yet a deep fear also lingers.

A group follows him, many of whom are cultivators. The cavalry has three wagons, each bearing a large chest; Wang Wu isn't sure what's inside.

"Someone's watching from above, Wu Lang."

The sound of a kite‑string whistles in his mind; Wang Wu keeps his posture, glancing back at the group, and spots five cultivators he doesn't recognize.

All are powerful; each matches the level of Yu Xin, who stands beside Si Tu Jin, and one far surpasses Yu Xin.

Wang Wu can't tell what realm that is; its aura differs markedly from the other four cultivators, yet it shares a faint similar breath.

Much like Si Tu Jin is to those true‑realm cultivators.

He turns back and continues forward, ignoring the group behind.

"Quick, catch up with the man ahead!"

While galloping, after locating Wang Wu a short distance ahead of the cavalry, Lei Yuan immediately sighs in relief and then orders the people behind him.

Lei Wu was already desperate at the city gate, and he regrets taking the job, let alone betting with that beast for his standing at home.

Now it seems he was simply lured into the opponent's trap.

He's already on a tiger he can't dismount; staying in the city would be worse than leaving. The other side clearly aims to kill him and his entire family.

The original bet concerned a contract after next spring, but due to inexplicable circumstances it was moved up to before tomorrow.

Even though Lei Yuan has spent the past few days brainstorming ways to cancel or postpone it, it's clearly futile.

He sighs, glances at the comrades behind him. Lei Yuan's mouth twitches, on the verge of tears.

These are good brothers who have followed him for over a decade; this outing is fraught with danger, yet they still willingly accompany this man who lost in his clan's internal strife to meet his end.

"Alas."

He turns back, sighs, and eyes the lone figure galloping ahead, a hint of hope flashing in his eyes.

He heard about this today, so he quickly hired men and horses to follow the man, hoping for a chance to fight.

The young man with a celestial‑human bearing, Lei Yuan, naturally remembers him; such looks are rare in a lifetime. Monsters are another matter.

When a delivery caravan meets another on the road, if the routes align they usually travel together; it's not a hidden rule, just common sense.

After all, more people mean stronger armed force, thus safer.

Of course, bandits may disguise themselves as delivery caravans, lying in wait, so the risk is inevitable.

Someone bold enough to leave the city alone at night must be a true‑realm warrior, exceptionally strong. Not to mention, this fellow surely possesses all sorts of magical treasures.

Thus, trailing behind them may be the only way out for this group.

As for approaching to ingratiate himself and see if they'll join his ranks, Lei Yuan wouldn't even dare to think of it.

The last time he dared to approach was because the other side clearly wasn't that strong and dressed plainly.

With that thought, Lei Yuan quickens his mount. Yet he and his cavalry keep several hundred meters from the man ahead.

Wang Wu doesn't mind; if they want to follow, they can. He originally planned to run a short while and return, but now he can keep going until the group reaches Lin Dong Xian.

Fifty kilometers—a journey of less than an hour.

Continuing at sixty‑five km/h, after ten‑odd minutes Wang Wu notices the wandering things on both sides of the Guan Dao seem to be gathering.

Wang Wu pays no mind, but suddenly whips his horse around, charging toward the line behind him.

At that moment, Lei Yuan, who had been closely watching the man ahead and the surroundings, sees the man suddenly charge toward him and his heart trembles.

The man rushes forward while raising his right hand to wave. Seeing the gesture, Lei Yuan immediately raises his hand and commands:

"Stop! Everyone stop!!"

The cavalry halts instantly, and the man arrives at the front of the convoy. He dismounts without acknowledging Lei Yuan's greeting and walks straight to the wagon.

Then he stops there, staring intently at the chest before him.

Lei Yuan rides over, about to speak again, but the man slams his hand onto the chest.

Boom—!

The iron chest bursts open, and a figure rushes out; flying iron shards, like bullets, instantly strike several unready warriors, knocking them from their horses.

Fortunately, because of their gear, neither the people nor the horses sustain serious injury.

"Heh, as expected!"

At that moment, a cold laugh echoes from the sky above the crowd.

Before anyone can look up, an immense pressure sweeps over everyone on the spot, crushing them so they can barely breathe.

The fleeing figure froze in an instant, fell from the sky, and crashed to the ground, unable to move.

Five figures slowly descended from the sky; the strongest cultivator stepped before Wang Wu, smiled, and bowed his hand, saying, "Sir, you truly are extraordinary. If my boy could have even half your ability, I think he'd be laughing awake even in his dreams."

"Heh." Wang Wu smiled, "Immortal Elder, you are overpraised, overpraised. With such formidable strength, your son must be a dragon among men, destined to become a great talent."

"Hahaha." The cultivator who had fully completed the Breaking Delusion realm clearly enjoyed Wang Wu's compliments, laughed and bowed again toward Wang Wu, saying, "May I ask whether you have discovered any irregularities within this caravan?"

As he spoke, his gaze swept over the group, and in an instant, the blood in everyone's bodies ceased to flow.

They are but one step away from death.

"Those several boxes are filled entirely with people," Wang Wu pointed at a few crates, "As for anything else, that remains to be asked."

Having finished, he looked at Lei Yuan, the man he had once met briefly.

"Very well."

The cultivator nodded, and the stunned expression on Lei Yuan's face before Wang Wu vanished instantly.

Immediately, his gaze shifted to Wang Wu, and he sprang from his horse, knelt before Wang Wu, and hammered his head frantically, like crushing garlic:

"Sir! Sir! This, this, this matter— I truly have no knowledge of it!! Sir!!!!"

While pleading, Lei Yuan's voice trembled with sobs, and tears streamed down his face. He struck his head forcefully against Wang Wu, his skull smashing into the hard stone road, drawing blood.

Wang Wu said nothing, merely watching him silently for a moment before speaking:

"I don't see you lying, but this matter cannot be resolved simply by you begging for mercy."

Having finished, Wang Wu turned to the cultivator in the later stage of the Breaking Delusion realm, tilted his head, and said, "Aside from the people hidden in those boxes, as for those present here…"

He scanned the area, "I don't see anything amiss, this Lei… Lei Yuan, right?" Wang Wu looked again at the man on the ground.

The latter's head pounded even louder, the flesh on his forehead worn smooth, revealing the stark white bone beneath.

If he were not a martial artist, he would have already passed out by now.

"Lei Yuan's words don't seem false," Wang Wu said, "My suggestion is to take them back for investigation— all members of their family, and everyone who handled this shipment."

"Mm." The cultivator nodded.

"I have other matters to attend to, so I shall take my leave," Wang Wu bowed his hand in farewell, gave one last glance at Lei Yuan on the ground, tossed a final remark, and then turned and departed.

"Whether the Lei family is innocent will be known when the investigation is complete. Kneeling here, even if you beat yourself to death, what meaning does that have?"

He remounted his horse, turned, and continued forward, never looking back along the road.

"Sir, this cavalry unit..."

【186】 After Wang Wu departed, a cultivator approached the later‑stage Breaking Delusion cultivator and asked.

After Wang Wu left, a cultivator came before the late‑stage Broken Delusion cultivator and asked.

"Take them back, investigate. As Wang Wu said, check each location one by one," the man replied, preparing to leave, but after glancing at Lei Yuan still kneeling on the ground, he added:

"Tell him to stop kneeling."

"Understood."

(End of Chapter)