As Lei Zhan made his exit, Old Ma leaned heavily against a nearby stone pillar, his face marked with distress.
"Young Master, three thousand taels of silver! How could you consent to such a demand? Regardless of how indulgent the Master might be upon his return, he'll undoubtedly be furious," Old Ma protested.
Jiang Yuan expelled a deep sigh. "Uncle Ma, are you genuinely convinced that my father will return? For years on end, we at the Zhenyuan Escort Agency have offered the Blackwind Stockade an annual tribute of one hundred taels of silver. Did they ever raise a dispute? But now?"
He paused for a brief moment before proceeding, "Now, they dare to extort three thousand taels of silver. Can't you comprehend the implications?"
Old Ma was dumbstruck by these words, his eyes clouding with concern.
Jiang Yuan shook his head, an embittered smile surfacing in his heart.
Initially, his concern lay in maintaining his disguise upon Jiang Zhenyuan's return. After all, Jiang Yuan was his sole child, and Jiang Zhenyuan was well-acquainted with his every action and mannerism. Even armed with all his memories, the slight nuances would inevitably betray them as different individuals. Given Jiang Zhenyuan's worldliness, it was impossible for him not to discern these alterations.
Yet, it appeared that such anxiety was baseless.
Now, a more pressing concern hovered over him. The circulating rumors could hold truth—Jiang Zhenyuan might indeed be in danger on this escort mission. If any misfortune befell him, the Zhenyuan Escort Agency would face a dire threat.
Years of struggle had allowed the agency to amass some wealth. However, currently, the most formidable among them was Old Ma, who was severely injured and only at the sixth stage of Body Forging. The others capable had all departed to escort Jiang Zhenyuan.
Their present predicament was comparable to a child flaunting gold in a teeming marketplace. Furthermore, their world was far more perilous than their former one. Once the news of Jiang Zhenyuan's mishap spread, it would assuredly attract predators eager to capitalize on the situation. Lei Zhan's earlier visit served as a clear indication that he was privy to more information than Jiang Yuan.
Harboring these thoughts, Jiang Yuan assumed a serious expression and lapsed into deep contemplation.
Suddenly, Old Ma's voice disrupted the silence from behind.
"Young Master, are you suggesting that by granting Blackwind Stockade three thousand taels of silver, we can diffuse our current crisis?"
Jiang Yuan shook his head. "No, it was merely a strategy for buying time. We can't afford to give them a single penny of those three thousand taels of silver. Once we show vulnerability, it will be known that my father has met with tragedy, and we will surely be preyed upon."
"Well spoken, young master!" A deep voice echoed from the wall.
"Who's there?" Old Ma swiftly pivoted to look.
Jiang Yuan also shifted his attention, suddenly intrigued.
Standing atop the wall was a slender man in his twenties. His blood-stained coarse hemp shirt gave the impression that he had crawled out from a mound of corpses and a sea of blood. However, what intrigued Jiang Yuan most was the unique aura that radiated from him.
He seemed enveloped in a golden radiance, strands of golden mist swirling around him.
[Detected thirteen strands of Destiny Power. Would you like to absorb them?]
The moment Jiang Yuan set his sights on the young man, a prompt appeared before him.
Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, he silently commanded, "Absorb."
Instantly, the strands of golden mist separated from the young man's body and flowed into Jiang Yuan's.
He then opened his panel to inspect the changes.
[Name]: Gu Mo
[Realm]: Seventh Stage of Body Forging (Blood Transformation)
[Innate Destiny]: Potential of Sword God (Purple), Perfect Divine Soul (Green), Basic Understanding of Saber (White)
[Potential of Sword God]: Extraordinarily skilled in swordsmanship, surpassing ordinary individuals, quick progression in all sword techniques.
[Perfect Divine Soul]: Possesses a divine soul from birth, enhanced senses, and formidable mental power.
[Understanding of Saber Techniques (White)]: Displays a robust aptitude for the art of saber techniques.
Jiang Yuan's pupils constricted.
It was a purple-level Innate Destiny!
Simultaneously, Old Ma, upon recognizing Gu Mo, cried out joyfully, "Gu Mo, it's you!"
His exuberance triggered a violent bout of coughing.
Suppressing his coughs, he quickly questioned, "How is the boss? What transpired?"
Gu Mo gently shook his head and descended from the wall, gripping his sword.
Upon landing, he wobbled, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.
"Gu Mo, what happened to you?" Jiang Yuan inquired.
He shook his head. "Just a minor wound."
Then, he turned to Jiang Yuan and apologized, "Young Master, I failed to safeguard the Master."
Hearing this, Old Ma's eyes welled up, and his voice quivered. "What... what did you say? The boss... he..."
Gu Mo raised his head, his tone even. "Twenty miles from Blackwind Mountain, we were ambushed by the Blackwind Stockade's chief and a mysterious eighth-stage Body Forging expert."
"The Master fell there. Over twenty of us went together, and I am the sole survivor."
Upon hearing about the eighth-stage Body Forging expert leading the Blackwind Stockade, Jiang Yuan's eyes darkened. Why would such a formidable figure ambush Jiang Zhenyuan? What was their objective?
He released a soft sigh, then clapped Gu Mo's shoulder, saying, "This isn't your fault. Did my father leave any instructions?"
"Yes!" Gu Mo nodded and produced a brocade box from his pocket.
"Young master, this is the actual item we were safeguarding. I suspect that the ambush was staged to seize the item Master was protecting."
"Master instructed that even if the people from Zhenyuan Escort Agency were lost, the item must be preserved. He hoped you would deliver it to its rightful owner eventually."
Jiang Yuan looked at the palm-sized brocade box in his hand, his expression deeply moved.
Such nobility was typically found only in legends.
There was a reason why the Zhenyuan Escort Agency thrived.
At that moment, Old Ma, standing at the side, remained silent.
Having served Jiang Zhenyuan since he was a youth, Old Ma was immensely indebted to him. He had devoted the majority of his life to following him, from his adolescence to his present old age. The intensity of his emotions was incomprehensible to anyone.
At this moment, the silence conveyed the deepest lament.
After a lengthy silence, Jiang Yuan finally spoke.
"Uncle Ma, Gu Mo, return and attend to your injuries first! We'll address everything else tomorrow. Don't exacerbate your wounds."
"Yes, young master!" Gu Mo nodded, then assisted Old Ma in exiting the courtyard slowly.
Within the courtyard...
[Name]: Jiang Yuan
[Realm]: Fourth Stage of Body Forging (Bone Training)
[Innate Destiny]: Remarkable Comprehension (Green), Robust and Sturdy (White, upgradeable)
[Destiny Power]: 13 strands
After reviewing his panel, Jiang Yuan's eyes gleamed.
There had been a change!
But why was Destiny Power accumulating on Gu Mo?
Ruminating over the purple-level Innate Destiny displayed on his panel, Jiang Yuan's mind swarmed with thoughts.
However, he promptly banished his distractions, refocused his mind, and returned his attention to his panel.
With a singular thought, strands of destiny gradually poured into the white innate destiny.
A few moments later...
[Successfully consumed 10 strands of Destiny Power. Robust and Sturdy (White) has evolved into Exceptional Physique (Green).]
[Exceptional Physique]: Your inherent physique is incredibly resilient and already outstanding. You and your body demonstrate greater potential, especially on the path of body forging, where your aptitude is exceptional.