"Taoist Priest! The one up ahead! Please wait a moment!"
The escort team's convoy caught up, and that Lin, the leader of the escorts, called out with a relatively polite tone, "Excuse me... Taoist Priest, please wait!!!"
Fan Wu paused his steps.
He turned around to look.
He saw the leading escort master bow to him slightly and say, "My surname is Lin. I'm the head of the Tiger Valor Escort Agency!"
"What's the matter?" Fan Wu replied indifferently, without any emotion mixed in.
Lin, the Escort Master, felt slightly awkward.
The burly Taoist Priest in front of him seemed to possess a vibe of keeping strangers at bay.
He didn't quite know what to say for a moment.
Just then,
the curtain of the carriage was pulled aside again, and a rather pleasant voice resonated, "The copious vitality you exude, fellow Taoist, is indeed astonishing. I hadn't expected to encounter a cultivator in such a place."
"I am a Little Banner Officer of the Heavenly Enforcers. Since my youth, I have been raised by the Heavenly Enforcers; my teachings are therefore from the same. My main practices are in slaying demons and exorcising devils."
The speaker revealed some personal information as if unconcerned about speaking to a stranger.
In fact, without the other's self-introduction,
Fan Wu would already know his identity.
And know some information about him.
[Little Banner Officer of the Heavenly Enforcers—Life: 299—Power: 7.7—Techniques: Divine Path Hundred Kills, Demon Suppressing Seven Seals, Sixteenth Edition of the Heavenly Enforcers' Basic Talisman Compendium]
The other party did not lie, indeed he was a Little Banner Officer of the Heavenly Enforcers who specialized in killing demons and exorcising devils.
Furthermore, his attribute values were quite high.
Among the living people Fan Wu had seen, this man's Life and Power attributes were second only to Xuan Shizi, who was possessed by The Great Revered One!
"An ordinary Taoist Priest, apprentice to the Old Blue Ox of Qiulong Temple," Fan Wu invoked his swindler master as a shield.
His swindler master, who had been long gone...
Perhaps had this bit of use left.
"Qiulong Temple?"
The other party obviously had not heard of the name Qiulong Temple.
After all... Qiulong Temple was at best only known within Qiulong County. Outside of it, it was an unknown and destitute Taoist temple.
And indeed, it truly was a destitute Taoist temple, without a single genuine Taoist Priest in the entire temple.
"Fellow Taoist, you must be headed to Bai He County, correct?" the other party asked again.
Fan Wu nodded slightly.
"Ha! What a coincidence, we happen to be going the same way." The person spoke in a pleasant voice, saying something that made Fan Wu's mouth twitch.
Fan Wu had no desire to entangle himself with someone from the Heavenly Enforcers for too long.
Based on his superficial understanding of the Heavenly Enforcers, the people there were somewhat like a special group of constables...
Or rather, they resembled the historical Jinyiwei from a previous era.
Becoming entangled with such people would undoubtedly attract endless trouble.
Moreover, speaking to a man whose voice sounded so much like a woman's...
Fan Wu always felt it bizarre.
Especially since he noticed that the Little Banner Officer of the Heavenly Enforcers seemed to be looking at him with a curious gaze.
This made Fan Wu extremely uncomfortable.
Damn!!!
Fan Wu remembered that the Magistrate of Qiulong County had once briefed him... that the Heavenly Enforcers were comprised of a bunch of peculiar individuals.
Now, he truly had broadened his experience.
At least, the individual before him seemed very odd in Fan Wu's eyes!
He didn't continue the conversation with this individual. Whatever it was that the other party was transporting, he couldn't be bothered to ask.
After turning back,
Fan Wu led the Old Green Ox and walked on his own.
The Little Banner Officer of the Heavenly Enforcers didn't take it to heart, seemingly accustomed to being treated this way. He drew the carriage curtain after speaking, and then remained silent.
The convoy had started to move.
"Escort Master, why isn't the Taoist paying any attention to the official from the Heavenly Master's Office?" Next to Lin Escort Master, a young escort, in a hushed tone, quietly asked, "Doesn't he know what the Heavenly Master's Office represents? And it seems the official doesn't mind the Taoist ignoring him either—what's going on here?"
Lin Escort Master glanced at him and said, "You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? Maybe the Taoist is quite capable, confident enough to face an official from the Heavenly Master's Office without concern."
"Kid, don't think too much. Since the official from the Heavenly Master's Office is so polite to him, it shows that the Taoist is far from ordinary!"
"We, who are out here escorting, need not only skilled hands and courage but also the ability to read people and situations!"
"..."
...
The sky...
Quickly darkened.
The escorts of Tiger's Prestige Escort Agency had traveled hard for most of the day—though they were riding and not walking, the jostling for the better half of the day had taken its toll on them!
Even Lin Escort Master, a seasoned traveler in the escort world, felt a hint of fatigue.
But unfortunately... there was no suitable place to stop nearby.
They could only light their torches and prepare to continue traveling in the dark.
Lin Escort Master looked at Fan Wu, who was leading a cow at the front, and couldn't help but be astonished: 'This somewhat odd Taoist, who had walked for most of the day on his two legs, wasn't he tired at all?'
The most absurd thing was that Fan Wu, walking on two legs, had somehow kept pace with the speed of the convoy!
This shocked Lin Escort Master even more... Could this person be made of iron?
Time ticked away, second by second.
Night fell quietly!
A group of weary escorts, carrying torches, hurried along, their expressions even more tense than during the day, and they all imperceptibly drew closer to the carriage of the Heavenly Master's Office Little Banner Officer.
It seemed that only by staying near the official, who had the power to slay demons and devils, could they feel a bit of safety.
After all, in this world full of mystery and danger, walking at night through desolate wilderness...
Was extremely perilous!
If they encountered any demons or monsters, it would be game over for them!
"Moo~"
In this high-tension state, the call of Old Green Ox startled the escorts quite a bit.
Before they had time to calm their "thumping" hearts... they noticed some lights not far ahead.
"Escort Master! There seems to be an inn ahead!" an escort hastily said: "We could stop there for a rest!"
"Hold on... something's not right," Lin Escort Master said with a deep frown. "How could there be an inn in this place?"
It wasn't his first time taking this route—as an experienced escort master, why would he risk an unfamiliar path?
"I escorted cargo along this road just a few months ago, and back then, I saw no sign of any inns!" Lin Escort Master cautioned, "And this road isn't heavily traveled by merchants, who would open a shop here? Isn't that a sure loss?"
His words woke everyone up.
Right!
Who would open a shop in such a godforsaken place?
In such a location, you might not see ten people pass by in an entire day.
Which fool would choose such a place for a shop?
Something was terribly amiss!
Lin Escort Master was uncertain; he turned back, addressing the official inside the carriage, "My lord, there is something abnormal up ahead, should we... Eh?!"
At that moment, Lin Escort Master's eyes widened.
His gaze passed over the carriage, the escorts, the transported goods...
And looked towards the rear.
Lin Escort Master swallowed hard.
A chilling coldness crept up his spine, sending shivers through his entire body!!
"My lord, the road we came by has disappeared!!"
Lin Escort Master exclaimed in alarm.
...
...