After traversing several mountains, Qin Sang reached a broad area near the main road and halted his horse, waiting in silence.
According to the intelligence, the caravan of Dongyang Lady had camped in Kun City last night and departed in the early hours of the morning. Now, past 10 AM, they were approaching.
Qin Sang picked up his ironwood staff, a sturdy pole he had purchased at the dock. Made from ironwood with a hardness comparable to metal and excellent resilience, he had it fashioned into a reliable weapon.
The staff had a slot at one end where the Yan Luo Banner could be inserted. After wrapping the flag around and securing it with cloth strips, the result was an oddly makeshift spear.
Qin Sang had confirmed that although King Yan was not visible to the naked eye, he needed to be cautious and conceal his true intentions in public to avoid attracting the attention of immortal masters who might come to exorcize demons, leading to unnecessary trouble.
To the east of the City of Three Witches lay a range of towering mountains. The path, winding through these mountains and crossing several rivers, was arduous. Merchants preferred to take the northern route, which took an additional two days, rather than risking the challenging road, making the route sparsely populated.
Qin Sang kept a vigilant watch not only at the crossroads but also in all directions, yet he saw no signs of Jiangshan Tower's people.
As the sun approached its zenith, the afternoon heat was still fierce despite the onset of autumn. Qin Sang recited the Scripture of Tranquility and waited patiently until suddenly, his eyes glowed and stood straight up.
A convoy appeared at the end of the road.
The convoy consisted of several heavily covered cargo carts, followed by two passenger carriages and more than twenty mounted guards.
These guards, disguised as escorts, were well-equipped with swords and appeared highly alert. Shadows of more figures seemed to lurk in the surrounding woods.
Their formation was disciplined, maintaining perfect order as the convoy moved, ensuring they could respond quickly to any threat from all directions.
Upon closer inspection, Qin Sang noticed that their protection focused more on the occupants of the carriages rather than the cargo.
Even from a distance, Qin Sang could see clearly that Bai Jianglan was leading the convoy.
Water Monkey Zhou Ning was also among them.
Indeed, it's them.
Qin Sang immediately mounted his horse, urging it into a gallop. The steed burst forth from the forest and descended the hill with pounding hooves.
"Who goes there!"
"Stop!"
Before reaching the convoy, Qin Sang heard Bai Jianglan and the others shouting commands.
Bai Jianglan continued to stare at Qin Sang, then stepped back and whispered to the old woman.
The old woman's eyes gleamed, and she glanced at Qin Sang before saying, "Commander Bai, please search this young man first. I will return to inform the young lady."
The old woman turned and left.
Qin Sang allowed Bai Jianglan to search him. The Netherworld Scripture, Yan Luo Banner, and the ebony sword were all wrapped and left on his horse, and Bai Jianglan did not investigate further.
Moments later, the old woman’s voice rang out, "Everyone, dismount and rest."
Several individuals quietly dispersed into the woods, and soon the old woman appeared with a young woman disguised as a man.
This was Qin Sang's first time seeing the lady of Dongyang Commandery. She wore an exquisite melon-shaped hat adorned with pearls. Her refined features and tall, slender figure were accentuated by a silken garment with a tiny waist, a floral cloud-shaped waist sash, and a beautiful jade pendant. At first glance, she might have been mistaken for a noble young master.
Qin Sang bowed respectfully and said, "I pay my respects to the lady."
Qin Sang subtly observed the Dongyang Lady as she scrutinized him in return.
The Dongyang Lady nodded and smiled slightly. Addressing Bai Jianglan, she said, "Commander Bai, I didn’t expect the person you saved out of a momentary impulse would come to bear such a great favor."
Bai Jianglan’s expression remained calm. "Lady, you overpraise us. It was with your permission that I dared to rescue him. Brother Qin’s gratitude for your great kindness led to this act of loyalty."
The Dongyang Lady then turned her attention to Qin Sang and said to the old woman, "Granny Li[1], find a quiet place for this brave man to explain the situation in detail. I have only read about stories of deep gratitude repaid with great returns in books and have never witnessed it myself."
Granny Li looked around and pointed to a clearing in the forest. "Please follow me, young lady."
As Qin Sang followed Bai Jianglan and Granny Li into the woods, he kept his attention on the Dongyang Lady. Her calm demeanor despite the knowledge of an assassination attempt, with no sign of anxiety or fear, was impressive.
They took their time, and Qin Sang took his own time as well. Once they were in the dense forest, Qin Sang began to explain the situation in detail.
He had already prepared his speech on the way, deliberately omitting mention of the Netherworld Scripture and Yan Luo Banner.
As for how he, a mere novice in martial arts, could deal with Jiangshan Tower’s assassins...
It was simply a matter of innate talent.
1. It is common in Asian cultures to address an elderly as grandma or grandpa even if not related by blood. ☜