Jun was seated in the designated room in the carriage placed in the middle. This had been specially arranged with one of the subordinates of Blade Fang because of a lack of trust.
Jun did not mind the action and started cultivation. Time was essence, and Jun dislike wasting time. At this moment, his cultivation speed was breathtaking. The element of gold and wood were both properties of life force, thereby allowing the cultivation speed to increase significantly. Adding that he had the Time and Space elements, his cultivation speed had already surpassed the normal cultivation speed and was at least fivefold higher.
While Jun cultivated, none visited him, and someone only knocked when dusk arrived.
"Kiddo, the leader said you can come if you're hungry. It's dinner," said the person on the other side.
"Wait a minute. I'll be there real quick," Jun replied, finishing his cultivation, and opened the door, "Alright, let's go."
The person nodded and led Jun in the way. Jun was attracted by the clothes of this guy. His armor was colored in light brown and there was a blade symbol on the chest. The durability seemed to be sturdy, too.
"Our mercenary group is called Earthen Blade Mercenary, and we're a 2-star faction," the guy bragged seeing Jun admiring his armor, "this armor is forged with the feather of a third-level earth elemental beast, hence its name Wing Earth Armor. You can only buy the materials in the Divine Firmament Chamber, isn't it cool?"
"The defense is good?" Jun asked.
"It can defend against an attack of peak Martial Veteran. Tell me, is it good?"
"Not bad," Jun commented. He didn't think much of it. If it couldn't block an attack of a Martial Master, it's only a piece of common equipment. His body was even sturdier than such an armor.
"Hmph. Anyway, you better not try something funny, or you'll end up no good," the guy sneered, seeing a lack of reaction.
Jun was dumbfounded and stopped in his tracks, "What's your name?"
"Cui Tong. Remember that!"
The guy parted ways with him as soon as they reached the destination. He seemed to find Jun an unlikeable person.
Jun wasn't feeling indignant with the rudeness and scanned around him.
The area was packed with people. There were bonfires around the place, and groups gathered about, laughing and talking with one another.
Jun also found Blade Fang and Peng Liu sitting together, talking amongst themselves.
At that moment, Blade Fang noticed him and waved his hand.
Jun smiled and approached them.
"So how's cultivation? Any improvement?" asked Blade Fang casually.
"A little bit," Jun sat beside him and picked up a steak. The food was the poor beast that died in the hands of Blade Fang.
"It's good to be hardworking. As long as one has perseverance and talent, you can become like me."
Blade Fang didn't think much and continued on his talk, "Lord Peng, with the current speed, we'll arrive in three days at max."
"No hurry, no hurry. You guys also need to rest. Our journey has been tough all this time. I'll make sure to compensate you once we return," Lord Peng laughed.
"You're too kind, Lord Peng."
While he said, Blade Fang's eyes glinted.
"You guys deserve it." The fatty gulped the food and said, "There are devils out there, and you guys save my life from bandits three times. It is only my responsibility to compensate."
"Speaking of which, I wonder if Goddess Bing is found," Peng Liu sighed, "She had been missing for months now. The reward is quite enticing, I must say."
"That's true. That's true. It would be a pity if we lose the youngest Martial Master in our state," said Blade Fang.
'They're talking about her," Jun's eyes glinted. He said, "Two sirs, may I ask some matter?"
"Hmm?" Blade Fang looked at the young man, and Peng Liu also did the same; only that he was gulping the food down rapidly. "Ok, go ahead."
"I've also heard about the disappearance of Goddess Bing," sighed Jun, "I'm a great admirer of Goddess Bing and thus I'm quite well informed about her. However, I have just come out of seclusion, so I'm quite outdated of the news. My point is how's Goddess Bing's grandmother? Is she not worried about her granddaughter, at all?"
"Oh that," Lord Peng was first to answer, "The Grand Elder of Sacred Ice Palace was deeply worried. If not, how could there be a bountiful reward to find her? The last time I've heard was her attacking the fort of the Spear Devil Master."
"A battle?" Jun cannot help but be worried, "So what happened?"
"It was devastating," Blade Fang replied him instead, "The surrounding area was completely wrecked. You can't simply imagine a battle between two True Element Masters. I've heard many people had died from that battle. Both sides suffer casualties, and the two were heavily injured."
Jun breathed relief. Thank goodness she wasn't dead. He couldn't imagine what would happen to Bing Xiumei if she heard such devastating news.
"Oh right, you said that there's a reward. What's that all about?" Jun asked.
Blade Fang looked at him and replied, "The Sacred Ice Palace has issued a mission in the adventurer guild a month ago. Many adventurers have accepted the mission and there are already search parties running around. Unfortunately, there is still no result."
"The adventurer guild?" Jun's eyes shone.
"You want to participate too?" Lord Peng was done eating and casually said, "Well, it's no surprise. You're a fan, after all."
"Yes, yes."
Jun didn't talk more and lowered his head. With this information, relaying the message should be quite easy now. The only thing that left was to earn some bucks.
Meanwhile, on the other campfire, five men were looking at Jun, before talking among themselves.
"That kid said not bad? How arrogant. He doesn't even have a piece of equipment!"
Cui Tong nodded, "Right! If you saw his expression, bros you won't be able to resist punching his face. I don't understand why Leader allowed this kid to tag along."
He was the subordinate with the most trust issue of Jun. He also was the one that suggested that Jun should be placed in the middle carriage so that they could guard against him.
"This kid is freeloading. Look at that face! One look and you could tell he's a typical bumpkin."
At this moment, Jun was asking questions and showing some shocked faces.
"Che, I bet this punk won't be able to survive without protection."
The five of them gossiped quietly, but Jun was rolling his eyes. His life element had different usage. As long as one has life, he could capture even the tiniest sound within a certain radius. Humans are living beings, so Jun naturally could hear these people talking. Furthermore, their feet were touching the ground, and the vibration they radiated naturally was transmitted to Jun, thereby aiding his sense of hearing.
Jun ignored them and listened to the conversation between the people around him, aiming to eavesdropped on vital information from them.
Cui Tong's friends were still talking, and a robust man excused himself and stood up. He said, "Boys, let me empty first."
"I'll go with you," one of his friends, a thin-looking man, said.
"Alright."
The robust man and his friend went to the forest and peed.
"Hey, I want to tell you something," The thin man suddenly said.
"What is it?"
"Listen. That punk has fine skin. He seems to come from a wealthy family. Don't you think it's better to... you know," he licked his lips.
"Kill and Plunder?" The robust man's eyes glinted but then shook his head. "No. It's too risky."
"Relax. We'll act after we arrive at the city. This is a chance for us to get rich, my guy."
The robust man's greed overtaken his hesitation. Just thinking of earning easy cash made him feel excited, "Alright. Let—"
He turned his head to his partner, however, before he could continue, he saw that the thin man was laying in the ground, blood oozing out on his neck.
"Ahh!" The robust man screamed. He fled in the scene without hesitation. However, a sharp light glinted and moved very fast.
"No!"
Puchi!
A dagger was stabbed to the robust man's neck. He fell flat on the ground. Dead.
On the other side, Jun, Blade Fang, Peng Liu, and the members of Earthen Blade Mercenary have sobered from that scream in the forest.
"What happened?" Blade Fang muttered.
"I'm afraid they're dead," Jun commented. With the aid of his life element, he had felt the life aura of the two people in that forest vanish.
"Dead? How's that possible?!"
Blade Fang shook his head. However, the aura of darkness suddenly appeared, slowly creeping towards them.
Blade Fang's eyes sank. He stood up and unsheathed his blade.
"It's the devils! Everyone, don't panic and take position!"