Chapter 21: Encountering the Tiger Escort Agency, The Imperial Observatory Appears for the First Time_1

Fan Wu, who had left Qiulong Temple, was still wearing a Daoist robe.

He wasn't particular about what he wore, and besides, he had no other clothes. Except for the undergarment he wore inside, all his clothes were Daoist robes, so he simply wore one for his journey.

After all, one could say he was a "Taoist."

Although he couldn't recite a proper Daoist scripture in its entirety, he had, after all, come from a Taoist Temple.

Since he came from a Taoist Temple... what else could he be if not a Taoist?

It was entirely reasonable to travel in a Daoist robe!

"It seems that Qiulong County really is inauspicious for me," Fan Wu sighed.

He had left Qiulong County late at night.

In this world full of mysterious and supernatural elements, traveling at night was extremely dangerous, as one could easily encounter some dirty and impure beings.

But Fan Wu hadn't encountered anything the previous night.

This pleased him greatly.

Behind Fan Wu followed a large Old Blue Ox, and together, man and ox had walked from the depths of the night until noon the next day.

Fan Wu wasn't tired at all.

However, when he looked back at the Old Blue Ox, he decided to stop and rest for a bit. After all, if they continued to march on, the ox might drop dead from exhaustion!

At this moment.

He was on a dirt road overgrown with weeds.

This road didn't seem to be frequently traveled, but the weeds did show some traces of cart wheels.

They were now far from Qiulong County.

Fan Wu took a step that was almost equal to two steps of an ordinary person, and without resting for even a moment last night, he had covered a hundred miles.

Just as Fan Wu took out some dry food and hadn't had much of a bite, he paused.

He turned his head and looked across the dirt road.

His keen hearing allowed him to discern the distant sound of horse hooves hitting the ground, and the noise of wheels rolling over weeds and against the road surface.

Someone was coming.

However, Fan Wu didn't pay much attention, as it wasn't unusual to encounter passing vehicles and horses on such roads.

He took a bite of bean cake and a bite of dried meat.

In no time.

He had eaten half of the dry food he had brought along.

"My appetite has grown," Fan Wu sighed. "If I continue to increase my [Power] attribute, I'm afraid I could eat a whole sheep in one meal, without even spitting out the bones, and still not be full."

Fan Wu gave a mental thumbs up to his decision to bring extra provisions.

Although obtaining these provisions had been a bit of a hassle.

At least he wouldn't starve halfway through the journey.

Just as Fan Wu washed down his food with a few sips of water, the sound of the approaching carriage became audible even to an ordinary person.

One could see...

A convoy was approaching from this direction.

...

"Stay alert! Don't think the danger is past just because night has ended. At night, we might encounter demons and devils. But during the day, if we meet highway robbers, it is just as deadly!"

Many people in the convoy were armed with weapons.

Some carried long knives on their backs, while others had longbows hanging beside their saddles.

There were also those who wore longswords at their waists.

The middle-aged man leading them rode a tall horse, and while holding the reins in one hand, he reminded the group behind him, "We are only two days away from reaching Bai He County! The cargo we're transporting this time is very special, and we cannot afford any mishaps!"

"Although we have an official from the Imperial Heaven Administration with us on this transport, we must not let our guard down. If something goes wrong, the reputation of our Huwei Escort Agency will be ruined!"

His words had the effect of instantly jolting the escort masters from Huwei Escort Bureau to heightened alert.

Especially the three words "Heavenly Inspectorate"...

They simply could not afford to ignore them.

Glancing back and seeing the seriousness in his fellow escort masters, the leading middle-aged man nodded in satisfaction.

Then, taking the reins, he steered his horse next to a carriage and spoke respectfully, "My lord, in at most two more days, we will arrive at Bai He County. Please rest assured, our Huwei Escort Bureau has cooperated with the Heavenly Inspectorate for many years without a single mishap."

The curtain on one side of the carriage was pulled aside from within, revealing half of a face slowly.

The person sitting inside the carriage lightly parted their lips.

They responded in a soft, gentle tone, "I hope it is as Escort Master Lin says."

The sultry, tender voice almost made Escort Master Lin lose control of his tall steed, sending a shiver through his entire body!

He was inwardly astounded.

Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly heard other escort masters in the caravan urgently shouting, "Escort Master! Escort Master! There's an ox on the side of the road... no, a person!!"

"What's this about an ox and a person?" Escort Master Lin was jolted awake by the shouting. He looked ahead with dissatisfaction, and then he was taken aback, "There indeed is an ox, and there indeed is a person... "

"Hmm? Wait! Halt! Everyone stop! This person has a weapon in their hands!" Escort Master Lin immediately became vigilant, "It's highly possible that the other party is a highwayman intent on robbing us!!"

Escort Master Lin's nervousness stemmed from noticing a large tree by the roadside ahead, beside which stood a Green Ox with a strange wooden box on its back.

Someone was leaning against the tree, and beside that person, there was a ridiculously long longsword!

The length of that longsword alone made Escort Master Lin think it was taller than him by a whole foot!

As he finished speaking.

The caravan immediately came to a stop.

Each escort master either drew the sword they were carrying or took down the bow and arrow hanging by their saddle.

All of them looked tense and highly vigilant.

At that moment, everyone's eyes were tightly fixed on the one person by the roadside ahead.

Under their gaze.

That person stood up.

"Hiss!" The robust build and towering stature, straight as a pine, took even the well-seasoned Escort Master Lin's breath away as he sucked in a cool breath, finally understanding why the sword by the stranger's side was so long.

With such an incredible height, using an ordinary sword would appear no different from wielding a dagger.

"Who are you?!" Escort Master Lin didn't initiate a confrontation but chose to test the waters with a loud inquiry.

Then, he found that the robust man in front of him completely ignored his shouting!

The stranger led the Green Ox away, paying them no heed!

"Escort Master... are we certain this is a road robber?" An escort behind him spoke weakly, "He seems to be uninterested in us. And his clothes, they seem to be a Daoist Robe!"

"Daoist Robe?" Escort Master Lin was taken aback, staring at the retreating figure, he muttered in wonder, "Is that a Taoist?!"

So was this merely a clever misunderstanding?

"What's going on? What happened ahead? Should I take action?" A pleasant voice from within the carriage reached Escort Master Lin again.

Escort Master Lin hastily replied, "My lord, there was a Taoist ahead just now, and I mistook him for a highwayman. Now it seems that's not the case. Of course, there's also a possibility that this is a trap."

"A Taoist?" The person inside the carriage spoke with a hint of surprise, "Is he traveling the same way as us?"

"It seems to be the case now," Escort Master Lin responded promptly.

"A Taoist, eh? Follow him and have a look."

"Ah?" Escort Master Lin hesitated, saying with some reluctance, "My lord, if this turns out to be a trap..."

"Follow him and have a look."

"...Yes!"

...

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