Chapter 20: Pillar of Heaven

"Go on, get to work!"

Lu Gui shooed away the two helpers who were crowding around for a look, "Make sure all the pegs are well inserted, if a horse escapes again, your pay will be docked immediately."

"Come on, boss, we're doing our job meticulously," the thinner helper said with a face full of grievance, pointing at the Sky-Piercing Dragon, "This beast is too strong, even you can't hold it back, let alone us."

"Yeah, we don't have Rong's god-like strength. If we had that skill, even if the head escort offered several times the usual pay, he'd have to think twice."

The other tall helper wanted to chime in, but Lu Gui was getting annoyed.

He cracked his whip on the ground, and the two were even more afraid than the Sky-Piercing Dragon, not daring to make a peep as they scampered off.

Zhao Rong watched with a grin, finding the scene quite amusing.

Lu Gui gave him a few more scrutinizing glances, thinking that the one in front of him who had injured Wang wasn't so simple as to rely just on a sneak attack.

This Huang Biao horse was ill-tempered, and Lu Gui was clear on how troublesome it could be. Even if Mr. Lu returned and tried to tame it, it wouldn't be a quick task.

But the beast had one peculiar trait, it was smart.

When it came across something it genuinely feared, it would submit.

The more Lu Gui understood the nature of fierce horses, the more incredible he found it to be.

This proud and irritable Huang Biao horse, renowned throughout Xiliang, was so docile beside this youth.

Damn, beasts are so pragmatic!

He cursed inwardly, and as a horse tamer, he felt a diminutive sense of loss.

"In just a few days, Brother Rong's martial skills have improved again."

"Hehe, the older brothers share their insights with me every day, it's by listening and watching."

Zhao Rong gave him a graceful exit, and Lu Gui, satisfied, patted off the dust on himself and nudged him with his shoulder, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Want to ride it for a spin?"

"Isn't it..." Zhao Rong was tempted, "I just heard this is the prized horse Mr. Lu had someone bring in. In Hengyang, I've hardly seen such a strong Huangbiao horse."

"Easy to solve."

Lu Gui cleared his throat and called out loudly:

"Mr. Lu asked me to tame this beast. The southern courtyard is too small, no room to move. Brother Rong, join me out the north gate to the hills, right up to the Wangfeng Pavilion trail."

Zhao Rong's first reaction was to shake his head, preferring stability and wanting to refuse.

But as he glanced at the Sky-Piercing Dragon beside him, the itch in his heart prompted him to agree with a "Sure".

Even Qin Qiong would envy such a steed.

All his belongings combined, he couldn't afford this creature.

"Lu, can my riding skills handle it?"

Coming face to face with professional knowledge, Lu Gui scored a point, displaying an 'you-don't-understand-do-you' expression.

"You underestimate it and also don't get what a treasured steed is."

"Since it has submitted to you, there's no need for fancy riding skills—you'll move like the wind."

Zhao Rong's eyes lit up, and he stroked the mane of the Sky-Piercing Dragon again.

It was still docile, but as soon as its head glanced in Lu Gui's direction, it became alert.

Naturally, Lu Gui saw this and it irked him greatly.

At first, he cursed it as an ingrate dog, and then as an ingrate horse.

They led two horses out the southern courtyard, one after the other, and when Lu Shi passed by, he just asked a question and then told Zhao Rong to be careful about safety, also reminding Lu Gui to keep an eye out.

As they were passing the gate, they happened to meet people from the Prosperous Martial Arts School.

Ever since Long Ping learned about the Sanhe Sect, she'd been harboring resentment and had also been helping her cousin gather forces.

However, upon seeing Zhao Rong leading the horse, she put on a rare smile, much friendlier than usual.

Even Lu Shi couldn't earn such a look from her.

After exchanging greetings, Long Ping watched their departing figures for a moment, then turned to the side and asked, "That's the Liangzhou horse Mr. Lu had someone purchase, right?"

"Yes."

A man replied, "These Huang Biao horses aren't common, I heard from Mr. Lu that this horse is wild and hard to tame, and several previous owners failed to do so."

"I don't think so," someone disagreed, "It looks very docile to me."

"Maybe it encountered incompetent tamers before, and the stories got exaggerated."

Long Ping ignored their discussion and turned to enter the escort office.

She went straight to Lu Shi to inquire about the Huangbiao horse, leaving Lu quite baffled.

Mr. Long is indeed a heroine among women, yet she has always been aloof.

Why does she suddenly care about a horse now?

When he conveyed to Long Ping the condition of the yellow horse as reported by Lu Gui, she first appeared surprised, then suddenly smiled and said, "So that's how it is."

This left Lu quite puzzled, thinking to himself, "What's with this woman, is she under too much pressure?"

Elsewhere.

Zhao Rong and Lu Gui reached the north of the city, and as they moved through the streets and alleys, Lu Gui rode ahead at a controlled pace to avoid any trouble due to the heavy flow of pedestrians and vendors.

Zhao Rong followed behind.

At first he was cautious, holding the reins ready to exert force at any moment, wary that the fierce horse might suddenly go mad and hurt someone.

But after the time it took to drink a cup of tea, he realized his worries were unnecessary.

Thoroughbone followed leisurely behind Lu Gui, looking quite comfortable.

Its steps were well-timed and steady, showing off what it means to be a treasure horse from Xiliang to the person on its back.

Zhao Rong was filled with wonder, repeatedly exclaiming, "Good horse!"

Upon leaving the city.

Lu Gui called out ahead and flicked his whip to increase speed.

Thoroughbone easily kept pace.

With the wind whistling in his ears and the clip-clop of the horse's hooves on the ground, Zhao Rong's eyes lit up. His spirit freed, he shouted "Giddyup" and gave Thoroughbone a light tap.

This fellow was very smart.

Immediately, it exerted force in its four hooves, kicking up dust on the muddy road as it galloped wildly, creating a trail like a 'yellow dragon'.

"Hahaha!"

Zhao Rong laughed heartily, riding with abandon. Lu Gui also laughed out loud and kept shouting, "Brother Rong, this is not its limit!"

"Giddyup~!!"

Zhao Rong urged his horse on with the whip, the rider leaned forward, and Thoroughbone sped up again, swiftly overtaking Lu Gui in front.

Lu Gui whipped his horse as well.

Around the edge of a ditch, he made a turn, showcasing his skills.

But after another bend, he couldn't even catch the horse's tailwind and could only shout anxiously from behind, "Slower, slower!"

Like a swift dart at the tip of the grass, it makes even the wild hawk tumble in its wake!

Zhao Rong paid Lu Gui no mind, leaving behind only traces of laughter that echoed in his ears.

Because of Qu Feiyan's influence, he had brushed away many mists from the threshold of becoming a Martial Cultivator; he was now in a state of sudden enlightenment, feeling the world was vast and open.

Rivers divide into nine channels; the sea meets the horizon at a single point.

At this moment, galloping freely, he had the world at his heels.

It seemed as if there was no place he couldn't reach!

At the peak of the mountain trail stood a pavilion named Wangfeng Pavilion.

Zhao Rong stopped his horse and tied it to a pillar by the cliff nearest the pavilion, then let Thoroughbone graze on its own.

He mounted a large stone in front of the pavilion.

Gazing into the distance, he saw mist rising and peaks intermittently hidden.

Li Taibai once wrote: Mount Heng looms vast, rising into the purple void, down below one can see the South Pole Star. Wind gusts blow away the snow from the five peaks, frequently flowers fall onto Dongting Lake.

Zhao Rong could see five massive peaks, connected in a chain, towering majestically.

"Tap tap tap..."

"Neigh~~!"

At this moment, Lu Gui, who had caught up, dismounted and came to Zhao Rong's side.

"Brother Lu, do you see that, can you tell which peak is the closest to us?"

Zhao Rong didn't talk about the yellow horse; instead, he asked about the mountain.

Lu Gui looked in the direction indicated and gave an acknowledging grunt.

"Of course, I recognize it, that is Tianzhu Peak."

"It is said that the Hengshan Sect derived a superb set of swordsmanship from that peak called 'Tianzhu Cloud Qi'!"

...