In the forest by the official road, a shadow flashed by.
Even if passing travelers noticed, they would only think it was a trick of the eye.
Because the speed was simply too fast.
After rushing for over two hours, Zhao Ya finally slowed down and stopped by a small river.
"Let’s get down and move around a bit." Saying that, Zhao Ya lifted the cloak.
Then Zui’Er, who was lying on his back, peeked around with big curious eyes.
It turned out that since leaving the city, Zhao Ya had been carrying Zui’Er on his journey.
"Ya, where are we now?"
"We’re over a hundred miles from the city," Zhao Ya replied.
Zui’Er jumped off Zhao Ya, freshened up, and hesitantly said,
"Ya, how about I run with you later? Otherwise, making you always carry me like this makes me feel really bad."
"What’s there to feel bad about?" Zhao Ya laughed.
"I feel like a burden, and you must be really tired carrying me like this," Zui’Er said softly.
Zhao Ya chuckled and ruffled her hair, "Alright, at just over ninety pounds, you’re nothing to me."
The reason Zhao Ya brought Zui’Er with him this time was partly because he felt uneasy leaving her in the capital city alone.
After all, this girl is too simple-minded compared to Shang Luoluo; if anything happened, he’d regret it deeply.
Secondly, it was because she wanted to see the old acquaintances from Wuxiang City.
So Zhao Ya set off with her.
"But..."
"There’s no but about it. If you want to run with me, at your speed, we’d arrive in Wanshou County around the New Year."
"Besides, you needn’t worry about me. Carrying you while sprinting trains my endurance, it’s another form of cultivation."
Zhao Ya wasn’t lying about that.
In training lightweight body techniques, binding weights to the body is common, like the iron and tin stele Zhao Ya crafted before.
Now, carrying Zui’Er achieved the same effect.
Since Zhao Ya said so, Zui’Er didn’t insist further.
After a brief rest, Zui’Er climbed back onto Zhao Ya, pulling on the windproof cloak.
"Hold on tight!"
Zhao Ya urged before pushing off with his toes, darting out like an arrow.
With Zhao Ya’s current skill and speed, he ran as fast as a galloping horse, even through the forest.
Backed by strong organ talents, Zhao Ya’s endurance meant he could maintain this speed for hours.
He was like a human armored vehicle, astonishing to behold.
Running for a whole day, by nightfall, Zhao Ya and company
had covered more than five hundred miles.
At this rate, it would take about seven or eight days to reach Wanshou County, much less than ten.
After dark, they didn’t worry about startling common folk with their speed, so Zhao Ya moved onto the official road from the forest.
After running another half an hour, they finally saw a village and town ahead.
Although Zhao Ya could run with little rest through the night, considering Zui’Er’s capacity, he decided to find an inn for the night, continuing at dawn.
Before entering the village, Zhao Ya set Zui’Er down and had her don the cloak, then entered the town store.
It wasn’t fear of encountering thieves, for thieves should fear encountering Zhao Ya now.
But sometimes, sneaky looks are more unpleasant than open hostility.
This was a very small town store, with only a few roadside shops and a row of houses behind.
One used bamboo poles to hang a sign with three words, "Big Bowl Noodles."
The sign was simple and direct.
Zhao Ya and Zui’Er walked in to find a few tables occupied.
These patrons wore typical Jianghu attire, weathered faces, eyes alert.
When Zhao Ya entered, a few immediately glanced over.
But with their eyes, sizing up Zhao Ya’s true strength was impossible.
Conversely, Zhao Ya guessed their strength and identities with a glance.
The strongest seemed to be an elder by the wall, with Fourth Realm strength.
The young man opposite him had similar, maybe slightly lesser strength.
The rest were mostly Second or Third Realm.
Zhao Ya noted the young man’s strategic placement of a long package beside him—possibly a sword.
As for their identities:
Weapons, uniform clothing, high vigilance suggested an escort agency on rest.
Thinking this, Zhao Ya relaxed.
Chosen by escorts for meals, this little eatery was cheap and clean.
Zhao Ya cared less about cost but much about cleanliness.
He and Zui’Er chose a corner table to sit.
Seeing nothing unusual from them, the others relaxed too.
Especially that young man, his hand had just touched the bundle, ready to act at any moment.
Now, seeing Zhao Ya sit down and order two bowls of noodles, then slurp them down without any unusual Qi Blood fluctuations, he finally relaxed a bit and took his hand off the bundle.
Only the old man gave Zhao Ya a deep look, a trace of doubt flashing in his eyes.
Strange, this young man seems ordinary, but why do I feel a faint fear in my heart?
Meanwhile, Zhao Ya drank the last of the noodle soup, feeling much more relaxed.
In fact, the food in this rural inn was quite average, but it was cheap and plentiful.
After a day’s travel, a bowl of hot soup felt very comforting.
"Are you full?" Zhao Ya asked Zui’Er across from him.
"I want another bowl!" Zui’Er was apparently still hungry, a large bowl of noodles not being enough.
Zhao Ya smiled and called for the shopkeeper, "Two more bowls of noodles, please."
"All right, please wait a moment."
With that, the shopkeeper turned and went to the back.
A small shop like this couldn’t afford to hire staff; the shopkeeper handled everything from serving customers to cooking noodles alone.
However, the shopkeeper was very quick; it had taken just a short while to prepare the first two bowls.
This time, however, for some reason, it took a good fifteen minutes before the shopkeeper slowly came out with two bowls of noodles.
"Enjoy your meal!"
Zhao Ya glanced up at the shopkeeper and nodded slightly.
"You can go."
The shopkeeper wiped the sweat from his forehead and, with stiff steps, turned to the kitchen, then served complimentary noodle soup to several other tables.
"This is complimentary noodle soup prepared especially for our guests," the shopkeeper explained with a smile.
But his smile looked somewhat stiff.
The young man suspected nothing, reaching for the soup, when the old man suddenly stopped him and looked at the shopkeeper.
"No need, we’re full. Take these soups away."
"But..." The shopkeeper’s face showed a look of anxiety, with large drops of sweat falling from his face.
By now, even the young man sensed something amiss, raising an eyebrow.
"What’s going on? What’s in this soup?"
As soon as he finished speaking, several people at a neighboring table slumped to the ground.
These people hadn’t touched the soup at all.
This sudden change instantly tense the atmosphere in the room.
The young man flew into a rage, reaching for his sword, but just then, he felt a blur before his eyes, his movements slowed.
"The soup is poisoned, run!" the young man shouted.
But it was too late.
Figures appeared at the front and back doors and the windows.
A man stepped in leisurely, a satisfied smile on his face.
"Stop struggling. You’re all trapped by my Five Immortals Sect’s Exotic Insect Fragrance."
Upon hearing the name Five Immortals Sect, the young man’s eyes shot flames of fury, grinding his teeth.
"Five Poison Sect, it’s you again."
"I like the name Five Poison Sect too, but I hope in the future you call us the Five Immortals Sect,"
Xiang Gui laughed triumphantly, then looked at the old man sitting aside.
"Chief Lan, obediently hand over the Treasure Medicine you’re escorting this time! Otherwise, don’t blame us for being merciless."
The old man sighed, "After hunting geese all day, I’ve been pecked by one. I admit defeat."
"Grandfather!" the young man was startled.
The old man waved his hand, "Don’t say anything. They have the upper hand, using the steam from the soup to poison us. We’ve lost, just hope this friend will spare my grandson’s life."
"Stop talking nonsense. Hand over the thing now, and if you don’t make me work for it, maybe I’ll spare you a quick death."
Xiang Gui clearly had no intention of letting them go.
The Lan Family from Yongshun Escort Agency was well-known within a hundred miles. This was a grudge that needed settling—better to eliminate the threat than to suffer future consequences.
The old man’s face showed a flicker of rage.
Still, he calmly took a small box out of his robe.
Seeing the box, Xiang Gui’s eyes lit up.
"Put it on the table!"
Afraid of an unexpected attack, Xiang Gui didn’t dare take it directly from the old man, instructing him to leave it on the table.
At that moment, the old man suddenly mustered his strength and threw the wooden box outward, shouting,
"Shan’er, run!"
The young man knew the danger, wanted to turn and run, but his feet gave way, collapsing to the ground.
Simultaneously, Xiang Gui charged toward the wooden box, reaching to catch it.
But then, a hand reached out from the side, firmly grasping the box.
Everyone looked in that direction to find a young man holding the box.
The old man’s heart trembled but then showed a glimmer of hope.
In contrast, Xiang Gui was furious, "Where did this brat come from? Five Immortals Sect’s affairs, you...."
Before he could finish his threat, Zhao Ya merely flicked his finger lightly, and with a crack, Xiang Gui felt intense pain in his legs and fell to the ground.
Then Zhao Ya slowly stepped forward, looking down at Xiang Gui, "What did you just say?"