This empty conversation left both Li Yi and Gong Wushuang feeling somewhat peculiar, but being pursued by two Emperors and seven Kings was indeed a fact. However, putting other things aside, the fact that Li Yi and Gong Wushuang had provoked such a large-scale pursuit by the peak forces of Tianfeng Empire had already made them quite notorious. The subsequent journey was uneventful, and amidst the bumps of the carriage, both of them focused on their breathing and meditation, hoping to recover most of their strength before arriving at Yunshui City. Li Yi, besides channeling Fighter Qi into the Yunhuang Ring, was continuously refining the Tiankun Diqian Orb, making his connection with it even tighter. In subsequent tests, he found that he could now maintain the Qi garment for a quarter of an hour. In a sense, this meant that Li Yi already possessed the ability to protect himself. After all, a Warrior was already considered extremely powerful in general circumstances, and many people would never meet a King or an Emperor in their lifetime. Li Yi was somewhat confident that even without borrowing The Serpent Venerable's power, he might not be able to deal with an Emperor, but now, he might even stand a chance against a King!
The carriage finally stopped after its continuous shaking. The quiet convoy then began to stir with activity, indicating that they had reached a settlement and would be staying overnight there. Li Yi and Gong Wushuang exchanged a glance, both ceasing their cultivation in tacit understanding. Gong Wushuang, who had looked somewhat better, purposely stimulated her Qi to appear more frail and pitiable in order not to reveal any flaws.
Soft footsteps approached, followed by a gentle knock. Han Zhu's faint smiling voice came through, "Young friends... We have arrived at the last gathering place outside Yunshui City. Our caravan will rest here tonight, and if we hurry tomorrow, we should be able to reach Yunshui City by evening. If you find it stuffy in the carriage, feel free to come out for some fresh air..."
Li Yi frowned slightly, then touched his nose and slowly opened the carriage door. He looked at Han Zhu's smiling face and replied with a slight bow, "Thank you for your concern, sir, but..."
Han Zhu waved his hand, "Rest assured, this settlement is the only peaceful area within hundreds of miles. Most caravans choose to gather here. In case of danger, everyone cooperates to fight against it, so just relax... Hehe, I have some caravan matters to attend to. Feel free to come out and relax, staying in the carriage all the time might be too suffocating." After speaking, Han Zhu nodded slightly and walked away towards the caravan.
Soon, sounds of setting up camp echoed from afar, indicating that the whole caravan was busy. Li Yi and Gong Wushuang understood that they shouldn't appear too special or too conspicuous, as it might raise suspicions and lead to trouble, although the likelihood of such trouble was minimal.
Helping the still apparently weak Gong Wushuang, Li Yi slowly stepped out of the carriage and saw that the large convoy of carriages had already dispersed, forming a circular formation. The horses that had been pulling the carriages were unharnessed and tied nearby. Inside the circle formed by the carriages, people from the caravan and mercenaries were busy setting up tents. In the camp, fires were lit everywhere, and the aroma of food and drink wafted through the air.
This scene was somewhat heartwarming for Li Yi, who remembered similar situations from his military days in his previous life. He sighed softly and sat down with Gong Wushuang in a corner, observing the camp. The members of Han's caravan, aside from a dozen guards with Fighter-level strength, seemed mostly ordinary people. The members of the Iron Wing Mercenary Group, however, seemed quite capable, with a few exuding the aura of Warriors, and their strongest member, close to a seven or eight crystal Warrior's strength, made no effort to hide his presence. Looking towards a direction, Li Yi noticed a thin figure directing something, likely the leader of the Iron Wing Mercenary Group.
After sitting for about half an hour, the busy crowd settled down, and the campsite took on a different atmosphere. Mercenaries eating and drinking heartily were now mingling together. Many were on guard duty, but many were also in a slightly wild state. This was understandable as mercenaries lived life on the edge, and the journey escorting Han's caravan must have been no easy task, evident from the wounds on many of them. Being near Yunshui City, they probably felt safe enough to relax.
After a while, some mercenaries seemed to notice Li Yi and Gong Wushuang in the corner, their gazes carrying a mix of curiosity and fervor...
Li Yi's heart stirred slightly as he glanced again at Gong Wushuang, who showed almost no expression. Her charm and allure were enough to move even him, let alone these mercenaries who rarely encountered such beauties. However, the mercenaries only glanced at her from a distance, obviously receiving some hint not to cause trouble. Indeed, a beautiful woman often brought trouble. Li Yi acknowledged this internally. To these mercenaries, Gong Wushuang appeared as a beauty beyond their reach, but if she were to display her Emperor-level strength, these men would probably...
As this thought crossed Li Yi's mind, he saw a young man, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, approaching them with a smile. Dressed in a blue robe with a few strands of hair casually trailing behind him, the man's handsome face wore a deliberate smile. The man, Han Zhu, walked up to Li Yi and Gong Wushuang, greeted them with a smile, and said, "I'm Han Zhu from the Han family. You two look unfamiliar, so you must be the people General Manager Han mentioned saving on the road, right?"
Although Han Zhu appeared calm and collected, focusing his gaze on Li Yi, his occasional glances at Gong Wushuang revealed his true intentions. Li Yi almost laughed to himself, curious to see how Gong Wushuang would react. Still, he knew that they were in a delicate situation and needed to play along. Standing up, he slightly bowed and said, "Thank you for your concern, Han Zhu. My sister and I were indeed saved by General Manager Han on the road. Without him, we might have perished in the wild tonight... We are deeply grateful for the kindness of General Manager Han and the Han caravan... Isn't that right, sister?"
With the word "sister," Li Yi's eyes playfully fell on Gong Wushuang. At this point, she couldn't maintain her aloof demeanor and forced a weak smile, as if trying to stand and salute but staggered and sat back down. "Thank you, Han Zhu. Without your help, we really wouldn't know what to do," she said weakly.
Her frail appearance made Han Zhu's eyes flash with a peculiar interest, but as a person of status, he coughed lightly and said, "If Miss Du Xue is feeling weak, please remain seated... I've traveled extensively and have some knowledge of medicine. I heard from General Manager Han that Miss Du Xue caught a cold. Perhaps I could help you with your ailment?"
With her strong personality, Gong Wushuang would not let Han Zhu touch her under normal circumstances. However, she couldn't rebuff him outright and lightly replied, "You jest, Han Zhu. We've already imposed too much by joining your caravan; we couldn't possibly trouble you further... Please don't worry about us. We'll manage once we reach Yunshui City."
Li Yi barely held back his laughter, seeing Han Zhu's obvious excuse to get close to Gong Wushuang. He knew well that these young masters of influential families were unlikely to have any real medical knowledge. Seeing Gong Wushuang's growing irritation, he quickly waved his hand and stepped aside, "Han Zhu, my sister has been ill for a long time. Many doctors have said it can't be cured quickly, so we don't want to trouble you further..."
"That so?" Han Zhu appeared relieved but his gaze on Gong Wushuang became more brazen. "If Miss Du Xue truly needs rest, I'll arrange something in Yunshui City... Don't worry, though the Han family may not have much influence in Yunshui City, arranging accommodation for a few people is easily done."
"We couldn't possibly..." Li Yi quickly interjected, "We've already troubled you enough; we can't continue to impose on you, Han Zhu. Please don't concern yourself with our affairs. We'll make our arrangements once we arrive in Yunshui City."
"Hehe, in that case, we'll see when the time comes," Han Zhu nodded slightly, his gaze fleetingly scanning Li Yi before continuing, "I have some matters to attend to and won't disturb Mr. Du Fei and Miss Du Xue any longer. The night is cold, and we have a long journey ahead tomorrow. You might want to rest early."
With that, Han Zhu bowed slightly and left with a hint of grace. Watching his retreating figure, Li Yi frowned slightly, "That Han Zhu is not simple..."
Gong Wushuang commented dryly, "What's so special about him? He's just another young master from a wealthy family."
Li Yi laughed, "Sister Gong, haven't you noticed? Or are you pretending not to? When Han Zhu came over, he used at least three methods to gauge our strength. Fortunately, you appear as an ordinary person right now, and my apparent strength is that of a Fighter, so we didn't arouse his suspicion..."
"Appearing to flirt with a beauty but discreetly assessing our strength to eliminate any perceived threat... This Han Zhu is indeed no ordinary character..."