Chu Mansion.

Chu Ming had just finished his morning porridge and was about to return to his room when the Fifth Prince’s command arrived once again. The message was simple: he was to head to Jingyan County today.

Jingyan County is adjacent to Baiyuan County. With fast horses, it can be reached in a day and a night, but by carriage, it would take two to three days.

"Lord Chu, you should set off today."

The person delivering the command was still Merit Officer Lv Jinhui.

"Lord Shen, don’t look at me like that, I’m just here to deliver the message."

After speaking, Lv Jinhui gave Chu Ming a meaningful glance and turned to leave.

Shen Yu’s face looked unsightly, glaring at Lv Jinhui’s back as if wanting to beat him up to vent his anger.

"Chu Ming, I spoke with Old Xiao, I’ll accompany you this time. With Commander Meng there, you’ll be fine."

Shen Yu mused.

In fact, it wasn’t just Commander Meng; he also asked Xiao He to arrange for some escort personnel.

Accompanying him was partly because of his concern for Chu Ming, but also to ensure Xiao He took the matter seriously. Xiao He, for certain reasons, might weigh the pros and cons against Chu Ming, but he definitely wouldn’t let Shen Yu fall into danger.

"Brother Shen, there’s no need for you to go..." Chu Ming was moved.

Under the Sword Gourd Spirit, he had long sensed the ten-man team waiting at Chu Mansion’s gate, all of them formidable, strong bone realm martial artists, with the leader even at the early Refining Stage.

It wasn’t hard to guess that these people were brought by Shen Yu from County Magistrate Xiao He.

"That won’t do. To be honest, I haven’t been to Jingyan County in years, it’s a good chance to check it out."

Shen Yu couldn’t not go because the escort team at the gate was there to protect him, not Chu Ming. If he didn’t go, the escort team wouldn’t follow Chu Ming.

"Don’t worry, I’ve been practicing martial arts recently and my health has improved significantly. Furthermore, on the journey, I can also consult Commander Meng on some matters."

Chu Ming fell silent for a moment, feeling grateful.

Shen Yu’s temperament was such that once he made a decision, Chu Ming couldn’t persuade him otherwise.

Without further persuasion, the two returned to the courtyard.

At this point, Little Shan approached with several packages.

"Young Master, this contains a change of clothes."

"This is for writing and painting; brush, ink, and paper."

"And these are pastries and fruit brew made by Little Shan."

"..."

Little Shan spoke with a look of grievance, her voice lowering to a whisper by the end: "Young Master... Little Shan also wants to..."

"No." Chu Ming directly declined.

"Little girl, don’t follow along, Grandpa Shen will accompany your young master." Shen Yu advised from the side.

"Later, Old Xiao will send someone to pick you up. You can stay at Old Xiao’s house for a few days."

The trip to Jingyan County was not without danger, although not exactly a dragon’s pool or tiger’s den, it certainly carried various risks. Little Shan absolutely couldn’t be taken along.

Shen Yu quite liked Little Shan, and thus, to prevent any accident, he entrusted her to County Magistrate Xiao He.

"Don’t worry, it’s just around ten days." Shen Yu reassured her.

The Chief Clerk’s Office would only visit occasionally, not stay in Jingyan County. The round trip would take approximately ten days.

Little Shan finally lowered her head, reluctantly sending Chu Ming and Shen Yu to Chu Mansion’s gate.

At the gate, there was a carriage parked and several tall horses.

Commander Meng Zhen sat on one of the tallest horses.

The Blazing Fire Tiger Horse was intended for battle, even Meng Zhen couldn’t casually ride out with it.

Additionally, there were more than ten robust martial artists, arranged by Xiao He to protect Shen Yu.

Chu Ming cupped his hands towards Meng Zhen and then boarded the carriage with Shen Yu.

"Let’s set off."

...

The group left the County City, embarking on the official road to Jingyan County.

Dust rose in clouds; when they first set out, there were still many travelers accompanying them. By noon, only Chu Ming’s group remained, along with two escort agencies transporting goods.

One was Wind Traveling Escort Agency, the other Thousand Miles Escort.

"Wind Traveling Escort Agency..." Chu Ming looked out the window, while the Sword Gourd Spirit spread out simultaneously.

Once, he had killed an Escort Master from Wind Traveling Escort Agency, knowing it had associations with the Wan Family.

Would the Wan Family remain indifferent this time as they left town?

After riding for over two hours, to Chu Ming’s surprise, Wind Traveling Escort turned onto another path, leaving only Thousand Miles Escort following.

During a break, the Sword Gourd Spirit picked up the conversations of the Thousand Miles Escort Masters.

Thousand Miles Escort’s current mission required them to continue heading south, planning to stop at Baiyuan County. Seeing Chu Ming’s group were officials, with Meng Zhen at the forefront in armor, they kept a distance at the back, ensuring greater safety this way.

The journey from Xirong County City to Jingyan County was not peaceful. There were many bandits in the forests, and an official outing was certainly more intimidating than them as an escort agency.

"Captain Liu, who’s in the carriage up ahead?"

From the rear, an escort master asked curiously about the carriage ahead.

The one referred to as Captain Liu was the Chief Escort Master of Thousand Miles Escort, whose strength was already at the late-stage Strong Bone Realm.

"If I’m not mistaken, it should be that buzzing talk about the First Scholar by the County Governor lately, Chu Ming, Chu Chief Clerk’s Office."

"The Chief Clerk’s Office?" The one asking pondered: "Isn’t the Chief Clerk’s Office just a Senior Seventh Grade? How can there be so many guards?"

"The person in front, wearing armor, appears to be from Tiger Armor Army, right?"

"And the one holding a long spear, if I’m not mistaken, is Guard Captain Ye Hong from the Commandery Mansion, right?"

"Isn’t Guard Captain a Fifth-Grade Official? A Fifth-Grade Official escorting a Seventh-Grade Official?" Another escort master exclaimed in surprise.

"Guard Captain Ye is a Refining Organ Realm expert, isn’t he?"

"..."

Voices of discussion continued, and Chu Ming listened briefly, understanding the situation before withdrawing his attention and quietly inferring cultivation techniques.

As night approached, the teams arrived at a village.

The village was small, named Dahe Village. Seeing officials, the village chief personally came out to greet them.

Commander Meng Zhen glanced a few times but did not enter the village, instead leading his people to rest in a grove outside the village, intending to make do for the night there.

Thousand Miles Escort, seeing the officials not entering the village, hesitated several times but ultimately did not enter either, settling down not far away from them.

As the dusk fell and the sun set, fires flickered within the woods.

Dahe Village’s village chief watched for a long time at the village entrance, finally retreating back into the village with a worried expression.

In the deep of night, Chu Ming was deep in meditation inferring, when his eyebrows furrowed.

Under the Sword Gourd Spirit’s coverage, the village ahead appeared to be in trouble.

"Black Wind Stronghold, it’s Black Wind Stronghold!"

"Ah, don’t kill me, don’t kill me."

"Quick, run towards the grove at the village entrance!"

"Hurry, notify the officials!"

"..."

Dozens to over a hundred shadows crept into the village from the other side, taking advantage of the night to pillage and burn.

The villagers were mostly ordinary people, whereas many of the bandits were martial artists, including two strong bone realm ones.

Upon sensing, Chu Ming immediately wanted to act, but his identity...

Yet, at the same time, Commander Meng Zhen, with remarkable perception, seemed not to be deeply asleep, immediately sensing the village’s anomaly.

"Lord Ye, there’s an issue at River Water Village."

The County Mansion Guard Captain reacted slightly slower, leading several people rushing out of the woods, only to see River Water Village already engulfed in flames.

"Xiahou Zhen, take two men to check it out."

"Yes."

Ye Hong swiftly commanded, and three people charged towards the village.

"What’s the matter?" Such a commotion, Shen Yu naturally heard it as well.

"Lord Shen, there’s an incident at the village ahead, Dahe Village." Ye Hong reported.

Dahe Village was not far from where they were resting, so Ye Hong had to pay attention.

Furthermore, as a guard of Xirong County, he couldn’t stand by and do nothing.

On the other side.

As soon as Xiahou Zhen’s trio entered the village, they witnessed a scene of devastation.

The village, which should have been cloaked in night, was now ablaze, the sky reddened by flames, corpses scattered everywhere, with bright red fluid pooling on the ground.