Chapter 31

The temperature in June wasn't high, but if one stayed on the road all the time, considering the ground temperature, it was hardly comfortable.

The Southern Song official roads had only one advantage: they were relatively wide, but they were just compacted dirt roads. Along the way, potholes were everywhere, far from as flat as later asphalt roads. As soon as a little wind blew, dust immediately flew up.

Wu Chengyu drove the carriage, jolting nonstop all the way. The carriage had no rubber tires, the wheels were wooden rings, and the carriage compartment had no suspension at all. With small pits everywhere and large pits visible at every turn on the road surface, it was truly a match made in heaven.

Wu Chengyu held the reins with one hand and rubbed his waist with the other. His buttocks were completely numb, no longer needing rubbing. A Ku shrank inside the carriage compartment, carsick all the way, vomiting many times. Now her little face was deathly pale, eyes closed, dozing off.

Driving a carriage required skill. Fortunately, Wu Chengyu managed to maintain it. After several li, the bamboo slips considered him to have gotten the hang of it, and only then gave him the Driving Manual. Afterwards, following the manual's guidance, Wu Chengyu gradually mastered the skill and could finally avoid those big pits.

However, such a user experience was truly terrible. Wu Chengyu silently cursed in his heart, regretting it deeply.

Before leaving Gushan County, naturally he had to say goodbye to Shopkeeper Wei and Lu Youjiao. Shopkeeper Wei's suggestion was that in a few days, a caravan would head to Hangzhou from Gushan County, with Beggar Sect disciples escorting along the way, letting Wu Chengyu and A Ku follow the caravan, then transfer to Gusu after reaching Hangzhou. Wu Chengyu was quite tempted.

But who could have thought that Lu Youjiao, who was naturally incompatible with Wu Chengyu, originally looked down on Wu Chengyu, feeling this kid was too scheming and smooth-tongued. That day he publicly accused Hong Qigong of losing face for the Beggar Sect. Later, perhaps hearing Hong Qigong say he once intended to recruit Wu Chengyu into the Beggar Sect, but was refused by Wu Chengyu.

In short, this old brat found Wu Chengyu displeasing no matter how he looked. Although Hong Qigong ordered him to take care of Wu Chengyu, at this moment he didn't know which nerve was wrong, and spoke mockingly.

"A Peach Blossom Island Disciple traveling needs Beggar Sect escort; saying it out loud isn't embarrassing. Besides, didn't you look down on the Beggar Sect? Chief Hong wanted to take you as a disciple, a huge blessing. Not being grateful is one thing, but you actually dared to refuse. Since you have such backbone, why bother asking my Beggar Sect for help?"

One couldn't reason with someone so straightforward and dense. Wu Chengyu was choked speechless by Lu Youjiao. He also understood that the previous matter indeed damaged the Beggar Sect's reputation, and refusing Hong Qigong likely made Beggar Sect disciples look at him coldly and disfavor him.

Wu Chengyu flattered himself that he wouldn't argue with a fool. Besides, Shopkeeper Wei was there to speak for him, and he had always kept a low bottom line. He was ready to soften and smooth things over. Anyway, following the caravan meant someone protected and someone led the way. Compared to that, being mocked a few times by Lu Youjiao was no big deal.

But sometimes, people just aren't compatible. For some reason, Wu Chengyu always felt he couldn't get along with Lu Youjiao. Suddenly mocked by Lu Youjiao, he clearly wanted to endure, but the next second the words he spoke turned into a sharp retort.

"Although I am a discarded disciple of Peach Blossom Island, I still have some backbone. With a great hero like Rudder Master Lu in the Beggar Sect, it's only natural to look down on Wu Mianfeng. Rudder Master Lu has a heroic bearing and is wise and discerning. I, Wu, am optimistic that you will one day become the Beggar Sect Chief. This is the Beggar Sect's fortune."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Wu Chengyu immediately regretted it. Unfortunately, it was too late. Softening up now would truly be shameless. The caravan matter had to be abandoned.

Shopkeeper Wei beside him still needed to curry favor with Lu Youjiao, so at this time it was inconvenient to say anything more. He could only shake his head secretly.

Only Lu Youjiao was somewhat confused. He really couldn't understand why, after mocking Wu Chengyu, Wu Chengyu still blessed him. He held back for a long time and then blurted out a sentence.

"Martial World Seniors saying a few words to you is for your own good. Young people should respect seniors."

Good grief, moral kidnapping had come out. This was what Wu Chengyu hated most all along.

"Right, right, right. You've drunk more water than I've pissed urine."

After saying this, Wu Chengyu immediately flicked his sleeves and left. The three people on the spot parted unhappily.

The next day, with Shopkeeper Wei's help, he hired a coachman and rented a carriage to send Wu Chengyu and A Ku to Qingyuan Prefecture, which is Ningbo of later generations. Wu Chengyu planned to change carriages and detour to Hangzhou after reaching Qingyuan Prefecture.

Perhaps it was because they didn't check the Almanac before leaving, destined for a rough journey. Perhaps it was because Shopkeeper Wei gave Wu Chengyu fifty taels of silver as journey money, seen by the coachman. Money moves people. Less than fifty li out of Gushan County, with no one around, and Wu Chengyu and A Ku being children, the coachman actually wanted to kill and rob.

The coachman had not practiced martial arts. Wu Chengyu was no longer the same. With a few Eagle Claw Grasping Techniques, he subdued the coachman. Wu Chengyu was unwilling to kill him, dislocated the joints of his hands and feet, and threw him into the woods. Since he had evil intent, whether he could survive depended on this coachman's luck.

So Wu Chengyu and A Ku became like this now. Wu Chengyu drove the carriage, almost rushing into the roadside ditch several times or getting lost and spinning in place in one spot. Until the bamboo slips manual took effect, did he finally get rid of the trouble.

A Ku was directly shaken faint during the process of Wu Chengyu personally driving the carriage. The poor little girl had now vomited out all her bile and really didn't want to speak.

Qingyuan Prefecture was over a hundred li from Gushan. Wu Chengyu spent a whole day, detouring, and had only covered half the distance. By now it was nearly dusk. The worst was that dark clouds covered the sky, and faintly a few raindrops, with the strong wind, slapped Wu Chengyu's face. A heavy rain was inevitable.

Looking into the distance, with Wu Chengyu's eyesight, he soon discovered a small mountain two li away. On the mountain was a temple. The temple was already abandoned. Estimated no old monk, but the roof was intact. It was a good place to shelter from rain.

Wu Chengyu looked back at A Ku still dozing in the carriage compartment. This rain was not small, and the wind was noisy. The carriage definitely couldn't shelter from rain. A Ku's current physical condition, if caught in the rain, would surely get sick. So tonight they must stay overnight at that broken temple.

The rain came quickly and poured harder and harder. Wu Chengyu drove the carriage urgently. When he reached the temple gate, it was already a torrential downpour, the sky extremely dark. The small carriage compartment couldn't block much wind and rain. The little girl's clothes were already wet. Wu Chengyu couldn't think too much. He drove the carriage to the mountain wall beside the broken temple, holding A Ku, and slipped into the broken temple.

Just as he stepped into the broken temple gate, Wu Chengyu's footsteps stopped immediately. There were already people inside the broken temple, and they had started a fire.

"The situation isn't right. These people in the broken temple don't look like good sorts." Wu Chengyu's expression was grave. But the wind and rain outside didn't allow him to take A Ku and leave.

Ten people surrounded the fire, nine men and one woman. All were burly with coarse features. Even the only woman belonged to the strong, powerful type—definitely a female warrior who could run horses on her arms. Most importantly, each of them carried a weapon.

Especially that female warrior. Beside her lay a pair of Four-Edged Copper Maces, each weighing at least twenty-plus jin. Since ancient times, wielders of whip maces cannot be matched by strength. Those who use steel whips and copper maces as weapons must have Innate Divine Strength. Wu Chengyu had not yet cultivated the Ox and Horse Stance. He could barely swing a single copper mace a few times.

But this wasn't what worried Wu Chengyu most. These people's weapons all carried a faint smell of blood. This couldn't escape Wu Chengyu's sense of smell.

Good grief, Wu Chengyu felt he had run into trouble again.

Thanks to Plan Not Approved, What I Miss, Book Friend 5530, Book Friend 0422, Gu Shen Fa Yi, Book Friend 1308, Book Friend 4293, Peach Blossom Buddha Li Qing Sihai, I am the only monthly vote.

Thanks to Finally Have Time, Li Yue Shuang Xue, Book Friend 4682, Book Friend 2846, Plan Not Approved, Gourd Sister, Great Sea Beast, A Melon-Eating Man, Book Friend 7998, Book Friend 5546, Book Friend 4018, Person from Afar, One Qi Opens the Universe Creating the Three Five Great Dao Monarch, Book Friend 0470, Strange Jiang Xiaobai, Feng Changhuan, Miao Sheng, Book Mountain Has Deer, Book Friend 0111, C Charlie, Fu Xian's recommendation tickets.

It feels really good that just writing thanks takes half a day. Thanks everyone.

Hope there really comes a day when there's completely no space to write, and I have to give up thanks.

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(Chapter End)