Xu Erniu suddenly paused in her speech, turning her head to look at Zhang Chen: "Hey Zhang Chen, do you think I should change my name?"
"What do you mean?" Zhang Chen asked, puzzled.
"Think about it, if I become an Immortal and spread my name around, people would say: 'Immortal Xu Erniu'—how rustic that sounds, right? It doesn't match my Immortal identity at all!" Xu Erniu said very seriously.
Zhang Chen listened and mused: "You do have a point; this name is indeed too rustic. What name do you think would be good?"
"I can't think of one, you're the scholarly one, so think of one for me." Xu Erniu blinked at him.
"How about Xu Yan?" Zhang Chen asked.
Upon hearing this, Xu Erniu pondered slightly, then shook her head: "Not good, not good. Although this name isn't rustic, it's too ordinary, like any common girl, lacking the majesty of a female Immortal."
Zhang Chen looked at Xu Erniu, at her sun-tanned little face that resembled a little dark girl.
"Well... I truly don't know what name would befit your title as a female Immortal," said Zhang Chen.
"People often say 'May your fortune be as vast as the East Sea, and your life as long as South Mountain.' How about I call myself Xu Fu?" Xu Erniu suggested.
Zhang Chen was taken aback, staring blankly at Xu Erniu, thinking to himself: "That's quite a grand name!"
"Why are you spacing out?" Xu Erniu tugged at Zhang Chen's sleeve, seeing he wasn't responding.
Zhang Chen snapped back to reality: "It's a good name!"
"So from now on, I'll be called Xu Fu?" Xu Erniu stated.
Zhang Chen nodded upon hearing: "This name is indeed not bad. I think you're someone with good fortune; otherwise, how would you have encountered me?"
Xu Erniu's face lit up with joy, and as the carriage slowly approached the village entrance, they saw ten men holding horses waiting at the village head. The coachman, Xiu Liu, said to Zhang Chen: "Master, I thought about the long journey ahead and I might not be able to take care of everything, so I've specially assigned ten subordinates to assist and serve you on your travels."
Zhang Chen looked at the ten men, all of them Xiu Liu's Blood Puppets, trustworthy individuals, so he nodded, agreeing with Xiu Liu's arrangement.
Xiu Liu waved his hand, and the ten men mounted their horses to scout ahead, arranging clothes, food, and accommodation for Zhang Chen.
The carriage rattled along, and Xiu Liu carefully drove the carriage. As dusk fell, riders ahead had already prepared tents, even setting up wine and food.
"Master, we shall camp here today. Going further could hinder your rest as the night grows darker," Xiu Liu reined in the horse, speaking respectfully to Zhang Chen.
Zhang Chen smiled upon hearing this: "You make the arrangements."
He wasn't mistaken about Xiu Liu being a reliable hand.
The three of them had dinner at the camp, then Xu Erniu sat by the fire, holding a wooden Treasure Sword, filled with longing, lost in thought.
"What are you thinking about?" Zhang Chen walked over and sat next to Xu Fu, asking.
"I'm thinking about what kind of person my father is. He must be a peerless hero, a top-tier Immortal," Xu Erniu spoke with hopeful eyes.
Zhang Chen glanced at Xu Erniu and gently touched her head: "He surely must be!"
"When we reach Qingcheng Mountain, I'll make sure my father repays you by taking you as his Direct Disciple, teaching you the art of Turn Stone into Gold and Immortality," Xu Erniu proclaimed.
Zhang Chen chuckled upon hearing this: "I will count on you, then."
Xu Erniu continued to babble about her dreams for the future, before dozing off in Zhang Chen's arms, while Zhang Chen contemplated the transformation of Innate Yin Yang and Innate Five Elements by the campfire.
The next day, they resumed their journey at dawn.
The same on the third day.
By the fifth day, a rider returned from ahead, blocking the carriage, whispering in Xiu Liu's ear, who then turned to the carriage and said: "Master, it seems we have trouble. Two groups of bandits are fighting ahead, and one group is forcing people to join them. To pass safely, we would need to detour for three days to bypass the mountain."
"You take the Invisibility Rune and check it out. If we can win, show no mercy. If not, we'll take the detour," Zhang Chen instructed after some thought.
He didn't want to cause trouble; safely reaching Qingcheng Mountain was most important to him.
Xiu Liu rode off, leaving the puppets to drive the carriage.
Half a day later, Xiu Liu returned, exuding a chilling killing intent, his Qi Mechanism surging, struggling to be contained. Zhang Chen observed that his aura had reached the Fourth Tier.
"How many did you kill?" Zhang Chen was astonished.
Though the Blood Dao can grow stronger by continually absorbing blood, leaping from the First Tier to the Fourth Tier is no simple feat.
"Sixteen thousand!" Xiu Liu dismounted and stood in front of the carriage with a silly grin, his face showing no trace of ferocity, only a hint of a sycophantic smile.
Zhang Chen gave Xiu Liu a deep look: "Be careful not to progress your cultivation too fast, or you'll surely meet with disaster."
"I understand, master," Xiu Liu replied respectfully.
Zhang Chen nodded, unafraid of Xiu Liu's potential backlash—even if Xiu Liu reached the Twelfth Tier, he couldn't execute a coup.
Thinking to himself, Zhang Chen directed all the Yin Yang Qi within him to be captured by the Golden Scissors. Then, seizing the opportunity, he activated the Blood Control Technique, and from within the blood-red Crystal Core, in the boundless Sea of Blood, a Ninth-Grade Lotus flew out, taken by Zhang Chen and suppressed with a talisman to seal its Qi Mechanism.
As soon as the Ninth-Grade Lotus appeared, Xiu Liu felt his blood boil, an indescribable craving surging up, making him want to seize the blood-red lotus. But Xiu Liu dared not; he could only watch Zhang Chen holding the blood-red lotus longingly.
Zhang Chen handed the blood-red lotus to Xiu Liu: "Refine this lotus into the Blood God Child within you. Before Ninth Grade, this blood-red lotus can suppress your fate, purify your Blood God, and help remove impurities from the Blood God."
Upon hearing Zhang Chen's words, Xiu Liu trembled as he took the blood-red lotus, then knelt before Zhang Chen in gratitude: "Thank you, my lord."
Then Xiu Liu channeled his blood energy, and the blood-red lotus flew into his body. Instantly, Xiu Liu's entire Qi Mechanism circulated, the previously chaotic Qi Mechanism now suppressed and no longer displayed.
"Let's continue the journey!" Zhang Chen proclaimed.
Xiu Liu leapt onto the carriage, refining the blood-red lotus while driving on.
As they passed through the area of the bandit clash, Blood Puppets had already looted the mountain's wealth, with two large chests full of silver. Xiu Liu had to find another carriage specifically to carry it.
With silver in hand, Zhang Chen indulged in luxury along the way, refusing to compromise his comfort. In each city, he slept in the best inns, ate the finest meals, and enjoyed the best services.
However, Zhang Chen's actions did catch the attention of many, from Martial World rogues to bandits not yet up to par.
Yet, no matter who they were, all were mere mortals, all dealt with by Xiu Liu, becoming his nourishment.