Luo Feng and Liu Tao stepped forward to register their task at the counter.

Upon completing the registration, Liu Tao looked at Luo Feng with a smile. "I never would have thought you were so strong, to actually kill the Great Power Demon Ape barehanded."

Luo Feng glanced back at Liu Tao with a meaningful look. "The same could be said for you."

Captain Fang walked up to them. "We will meet at the North City Gate first thing tomorrow. Get some good rest tonight."

Liu Tao, still smiling, asked, "What's the rush, Captain Fang? What are we escorting this time?"

Captain Fang's brow furrowed slightly. "As escorts, we never ask about the cargo. This consignment is for the Lin Family in Green Wood City."

Liu Tao nodded and said no more, but a hidden glint flashed in his eyes, gone in an instant.

"Alright, we still have much to prepare. Let's part ways for now. Don't be late tomorrow."

After uttering this last piece of advice, Captain Fang and Yao Qing left the Martial Artist hall.

Liu Tao watched their departing figures, clicked his tongue, and grinned. "She has quite a fiery temper, but that just adds to her charm. Don't you think?"

Liu Tao turned towards Luo Feng, but he was already about ten meters away.

"I have some things to attend to. See you at the North Gate tomorrow." Luo Feng waved his hand and stepped away.

Liu Tao watched Luo Feng walk away, the smile on his face gradually fading. He snorted coldly and disappeared into the crowd.

Luo Feng left the Martial Artist hall and took a stroll around Blood Jade City.

The streets were packed with aggressive-looking Martial Artists, alluring young women, and elegant young masters with gently swaying jade fans, a never-ending stream of people. The shops lining both sides of the street overflowed with every imaginable type of merchandise, clearly displaying the city's prosperity.

Blood Jade City truly is flourishing; even the number of beauties exceeds that of other cities.

Walking along the street, casually observing his surroundings, Luo Feng suddenly thought of Yao Qing, the beautiful escort leader he had met earlier, and couldn't help but shake his head with a resigned smile.

The mission hasn't even started, and I've already offended the client. This journey probably won't be peaceful.

After taking in the sights, Luo Feng found an inn to begin his cultivation.

The night deepened, and the moon hung high.

Inside the inn, Luo Feng sat cross-legged. He entered an ethereal state of Self-Forgetfulness, constantly circulating his Yuan Qi to form a Grand Circulation within his body.

RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!

If someone else were in the room at this moment, they would hear dull rumbles emanating from within Luo Feng's body, like a great river flowing or thunder roaring, possessing an unstoppable momentum.

This was the sound of Yuan Qi surging through his meridians, a cultivation state that all Martial Artists dreamed of.

HUMMM!

After an unknown amount of time, ripples spread out from within Luo Feng's Dantian.

The tables, chairs, bowls, and dishes in the room seemed to be affected by an invisible force, all floating in midair.

At this moment, in Luo Feng's perception, the world was incredibly distinct; he could even see each individual speck of dust in the air.

As the first ray of morning sun appeared, Luo Feng awoke from his trance. With a wave of his hand, all the floating items in the room fell back to their original positions.

WHOOSH!

He exhaled a long breath of turbid air. It was like fog, like a sword, sharp as a knife's edge, seeming to cut the air in the room in half.

Luo Feng stood up and circulated the Yuan Qi within his body slightly. He immediately felt an immense power condensing, seemingly ready to burst forth.

Not bad. My realm has finally stabilized at the late-stage Essence Storage Realm.

Feeling the changes within his body, a joyful smile bloomed on Luo Feng's face.

His internal Yuan Qi was no longer insubstantial like when he had just broken through; instead, it felt incredibly solid. His realm was completely stabilized.

Previously, as a late-stage Heavenly Court Realm Martial Artist, Luo Feng could only exert about seventy percent of his strength. Now, he could exert a full one hundred percent.

Walking to the window, Luo Feng glanced at the sky. Noticing that the sun had risen, he gasped. I really overslept!

After a quick wash, Luo Feng didn't even have time to get a refund for his remaining room fee. He leaped out of the window, executed his Teng Dragon's Step, and rushed towards the North City Gate.

Approaching the North Gate, he saw a long line of wagons stopped in an open area.

Each carriage bore a flag with the characters 'Shangfeng.' Burly Martial Artists bustled about, and Captain Fang, Yao Qing, and Liu Tao were among them.

Luo Feng walked over and said to Captain Fang, "Captain Fang, I'm sorry. I was cultivating late into the night and almost lost track of time."

Yao Qing saw Luo Feng and let out a small snort. "If you were any later, we would have already set off."

Liu Tao, standing nearby, winked at Luo Feng, clearly enjoying his misfortune.

Captain Fang gave Luo Feng a resigned smile. "Alright, everyone is here now. Prepare to set off."

Finishing his words, Captain Fang turned and shouted, "Escort, move out!"

"AYE!"

Brawny voices echoed through the North City Gate. Amidst creaking sounds, the escort team began their journey westward.

On the road, Liu Tao ambled over to Luo Feng with a grin. "You've got guts. The escort leader is already pretty hot-tempered, and yet you dared to be late. Admirable!"

Each escort wagon was guarded by four Martial Artists. The middle-aged escort walking beside Luo Feng overheard their conversation, turned, and chuckled.

"Miss Yao Qing is actually very nice; you'll know once you get to know her. It's just that something happened recently, and she hasn't been in the best of moods."

Having said this, the middle-aged escort glanced over at Yao Qing and sighed.

Luo Feng gave a slight nod, remaining silent.

The sky was a clear blue, as pristine as freshly washed silk. Only a few white clouds drifted by, painted gold by the intense sun.

In the Blood Roar Plains, the air was baked scorching hot by the fierce sun. Each breath felt like swallowing a wave of heat that seared the throat.

Moreover, there was the fresh scent of blood.

"HEH HEH, these Demon Beasts really don't know their place, daring to attack our Shangfeng Escort Agency," a Martial Artist beside Luo Feng said with a grin, wiping fresh blood from his sword.

Luo Feng looked around. In the clearing around the convoy, an area more than a hundred feet across, lay the corpses of forty to fifty Demon Beasts.

Some of these Demon Beast corpses were riddled with arrows; others had been hacked into several pieces by blades. Fresh blood dyed the ground crimson.

Just a short while ago, a pack of Level Three Blood Flame Wolves had attacked the convoy. However, under Captain Fang's command, the escort team had met the attack with composure, slaughtering all the Blood Flame Wolves in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

To prevent the Demon Beasts from returning, Captain Fang had even ordered all the slain Blood Flame Wolves to be dismembered.

Luo Feng secretly admired this.

Blood Flame Wolves were Demon Beasts known for their extreme vengefulness. If even one escaped, they would face endless retaliation.

Once, a merchant caravan had let a single Blood Flame Wolf escape. That very night, the beast returned with hundreds of others, slaughtering the entire caravan, leaving no survivors.

"It seems these Blood Flame Wolves had been starving for some time; they must have seen us as food."

"HEH HEH, with Captain Fang and Miss Yao Qing around, it's more like they became our food."

The surrounding escorts chattered amongst themselves, their voices filled with conviction when they spoke of Captain Fang and Yao Qing.

Luo Feng looked at the two of them and also nodded slightly in approval.

Captain Fang was not only extremely powerful and experienced in combat, but he also remained unflustered in the face of danger. He had quickly organized counterattacks when the Blood Flame Wolves appeared.

And Yao Qing, despite her seemingly delicate appearance, had fearlessly charged into battle against the Blood Flame Wolves. Her valor, reminiscent of a warrior maiden who outshines men, naturally commanded everyone's respect.

"Luo Feng, this is your first time out in the world. To witness such a bloody scene without any discomfort is truly admirable," Liu Tao said, approaching Luo Feng with a half-smile.

Luo Feng glanced at Liu Tao and calmly said, "You're no different."

Liu Tao chuckled. "Let's go. That Miss Yao is hurrying us again. Honestly, we just survived such a bloodbath, and she won't even let us rest. What a demanding leader."

Luo Feng's gaze was calm as he followed the convoy, continuing their journey.

Demon Beasts roamed wild in the Blood Roar Plains, so the convoy was constantly under attack. However, they were mostly Level Two or Three Demon Beasts and didn't pose a significant threat. Under Captain Fang's organization, they weathered every attack with minimal casualties.

To leave the Blood Roar Plains as quickly as possible, the convoy hardly rested for the next few days, traveling at full speed.

「Three days later,」

The convoy finally reached the edge of the Blood Roar Plains.

Under the setting sun, the convoy moved slowly like a winding snake. The western evening clouds painted the earth in magnificent golden hues, a spectacular and beautiful sight.

"Stop!"

A crisp cry rang out. Yao Qing reined in her horse and turned to announce, "We'll camp here tonight!"

At her words, a cheer erupted from the convoy.

After three days and nights of rapid travel, even these Martial Artists were starting to feel exhausted.

Liu Tao plopped onto the ground with a grunt and complained, "Finally, a break! Is this girl made of iron?"

Luo Feng glanced at Yao Qing ahead, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Just as Liu Tao said, Yao Qing is pushing us too hard. It feels less like an escort mission and more like we're just rushing to get somewhere.

Shaking his head, Luo Feng also sat down cross-legged, took out a pill, and consumed it to restore his Yuan Qi.

「As dusk fell and the moon began to rise,」

A dozen or so escort wagons were arranged in a circle. In the center, a leaping campfire and the faint murmur of voices brought a touch of vitality to the otherwise silent night of the Blood Roar Plains.

Luo Feng sat by the campfire, mentally practicing various Martial Arts, slowly comprehending their intent realm.

"Feng Luo, come have some roasted meat. This is from the Blood Flame Wolves we killed today; it can help a Martial Artist recover their stamina quickly," said a middle-aged Martial Artist, walking over. He was Uncle Lu, who guarded the same wagon as Luo Feng.

Luo Feng opened his eyes, accepted the roasted meat, and said, "Thank you, Uncle Lu."

Nearby, Liu Tao tore off a piece of roasted meat and stuffed it into his mouth, his small eyes crinkling as he grinned. "This roasted Blood Flame Wolf meat is good stuff. It can make a man vigorous enough to fight all night until morning without a problem."

Luo Feng was already accustomed to Liu Tao's loose tongue and paid him no mind.

Uncle Lu sat down beside Luo Feng and chuckled. "I didn't expect you to start venturing out at such a young age. My boy is about your age, still studying at an academy. He wouldn't dare come with me on an escort mission. When I get back, I'll have to teach that brat a good lesson."

Luo Feng smiled. Uncle Lu was a kind and honest man and had taken care of him in many ways on the journey.

Uncle Lu seemed to recall something and asked, "Feng Luo, I heard Captain Fang say that you killed a Great Power Demon Ape with your bare hands. Is that true?"

Luo Feng touched his nose. "Mm, it was a fluke."

Uncle Lu's eyes shone with admiration. He gave Luo Feng a thumbs-up. "Amazing."

Just as Luo Feng was about to speak, his ears twitched, and his sharp gaze pierced the distant darkness. He said in a low voice, "Someone's coming!"

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