As the caravan passed through a valley, it slowly came to a stop.
"Miss, it's getting late. There are many unknown dangers in the Dragon Ridge Mountains. Why don't we camp here for the night?" Uncle Cheng asked.
"Alright, I’ll leave it to you to decide," said the woman in the green dress inside the carriage.
The group found a relatively open spot and began setting up camp.
Some guards cleaned the beasts they had killed earlier and started a fire to cook dinner.
Xu Zimo lay on the back of the Darksky Tiger. He hadn’t closed his eyes all day, instead using the time to practice his Heaven-Shattering God-Scripture inside the God World.
Since crossing the Dragon Ridge Mountains wasn’t going to be quick, he decided to make good use of the time.
Before long, the rich smell of cooked meat filled the air.
Two guards brought a bowl of meat soup to the woman in the green dress first.
She looked at the soup silently for a moment, then walked over to Xu Zimo.
“Here, this is for you.”
Xu Zimo slowly opened his eyes, glanced at the soup, and smiled. “Aren’t you afraid I’m a bad person?”
“I want to ask you for a favor,” the woman said, squatting down slightly and looking at him with a pleading gaze.
“In that case, I better not drink this soup,” Xu Zimo chuckled.
“My name is Cai Yue,” she introduced herself. “To be honest, I let you join us and gave you soup because my instincts told me, you’re not ordinary.”
“And?” Xu Zimo asked.
“Our Cai Clan was once the most respected in the Westgold Prefecture. A year ago, my father obtained a ‘Breaking-Through Pill.’ As the name suggests, it's a pill that helps a cultivator open their sixth meridian gate and break through to the Imperial Meridian Realm."
Cai Yue spoke seriously. “After getting the pill, our family was dragged into a conflict. Eventually, six months ago, the entire family was wiped out. Luckily, my father hid the pill ahead of time. I was captured and tortured for its location. Just a few days ago, my father’s loyal steward, Uncle Fu, rescued me. Now, we’re fleeing and heading to the Ninelands Region.”
“You’re already out. Why tell me all this?” Xu Zimo asked.
“Because I suspect Uncle Fu. I think he’s the one who betrayed my father and leaked the news about the pill,” she replied.
“I don’t know who else to trust. If he’s innocent, great. But if it’s really him, I hope you’ll help escort me to Ninelands. I’m willing to give the pill to you.”
“You’d rather give it to me than them?” Xu Zimo asked with a grin.
“They’re my enemies,” Cai Yue said calmly.
“I’m not really interested in the pill, and I don’t care about killing your enemies. But if I’m in the mood, I might help,” said Xu Zimo.
“What do you want, then?” Cai Yue asked.
“Well, in this heavy rain, shouldn’t you at least invite me into your carriage to stay dry?” Xu Zimo smiled.
“You’re welcome to join me, if you want,” Cai Yue replied directly.
Just then, Uncle Fu noticed them talking and quickly came over.
“Miss, best to stay away from strangers like him,” he said.
“Thank you, Uncle Fu,” Cai Yue smiled and glanced at Xu Zimo, then walked back to her carriage.
“Kid, don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Uncle Fu said coldly. “We’re being hunted. If you don’t want to die, leave.”
“What a coincidence, I love being in the middle of the action,” Xu Zimo replied, smiling.
Uncle Fu glared at him and left without another word.
A young guard walked over to Xu Zimo and threatened him.
“You better stay away from our lady, or I won’t be polite.”
“Got a crush?” Xu Zimo teased.
“None of your business. Just keep your distance,” the young man snapped.
“Well, I’ve eaten and drank enough. Time to sleep,” Xu Zimo said casually.
He set down his bowl and walked toward the carriage.
“What are you doing?” the guards shouted, stepping in front of him with Uncle Fu.
“Let him in,” Cai Yue’s voice came from inside the carriage.
“Miss, this is not proper. We don’t even know where he’s from!” one of the guards protested.
“I said let him in. That’s final,” Cai Yue said calmly.
“Uncle Fu,” the guards looked to him.
Cai Yue was young and beautiful, the dream girl of every man in the group. They naturally didn’t want to see this happen.
“You didn’t hear the lady?” Uncle Fu said coldly after a pause. “Step aside.”
The guards had no choice but to watch as Xu Zimo entered the carriage.
…
The inside of the carriage was decorated in light red. The maid Little Lian had to leave.
There was a faint fragrance in the air, and the space was surprisingly roomy. A table with a few tea pots sat at the front, and there was a resting area in the back.
“If you need anything, just ask,” Cai Yue said.
“Tomorrow, I’ll pretend to go retrieve the pill. Then we’ll know the truth,” Xu Zimo replied. “And don’t get the wrong idea, I’m just sleeping,” he said as he lay down on the bed, yawned, and added, “Wake me up when we arrive.”
The guards camped outside through the night. At dawn, the rain had lessened.
Though it was still misty and gray, the caravan resumed their journey.
When they passed a shallow valley, Cai Yue suddenly stopped the carriage.
“Uncle Fu, I need to go fetch something. Wait here for me,” she said softly.
“Miss, it’s dangerous to go alone. Let me come with you,” Uncle Fu offered.
“No need. I’ll be quick,” she smiled and shook her head.
Though not strong, Cai Yue had some cultivation. She moved quickly into the valley.
Soon after, she returned, looking anxious.
“Did you find what you needed, Miss?” Uncle Fu asked.
She nodded. “Let’s leave quickly.”
“I heard the family head once had a Breaking-Through Pill. Do you remember that, Miss?” Uncle Fu asked with a smile.
“Never heard of it,” Cai Yue replied calmly.
“Then what did you just go get?” Uncle Fu continued, smiling oddly.
“You seem very interested in this,” Cai Yue said, frowning.
“No, not at all. It’s just that keeping something like that on you isn’t safe. Maybe I should hold it for you,” Uncle Fu said, his smile turning sinister.