Chapter 188: On the Road

Chapter 188 On the Road

Listening to the old man's boastful display, Li Huowang gradually came to understand the life story of that young gong-beater.

It was quite an inspiring tale; the Hou family had not always been so wealthy, once so destitute it was almost poetic.

The few mu of poor fields at home truly could not support the entire family, so he had no choice but to go out and beg for food.

Yet regarding the so-called general in his mouth, Li Huowang remained somewhat suspicious, for in the other's words, anyone who was an officer in the camp was a general.

"Ai, where was there such prosperity before? There was no food or drink at home, even trousers were only one pair, whoever went out wore them."

Hearing the other speak with sighs, Li Huo casually echoed him.

After chatting for a while, the old man, whose sense of pride had been greatly satisfied, walked with hands behind his back and bent waist toward the distance, toward the courtyard with two stone lions.

Watching the figure of his departure, Li Huowang breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave.

Having learned so much, Li Huowang's vigilance toward that gong-beating Hou the Second had lessened considerably.

It was not because of his identity, but because he had truly left; no matter what other thoughts he held toward himself in his heart, it was no longer important.

Just at this moment, Li Huowang happened to see Gouwa, who went to buy grain, had returned, so he went to meet him.

"Senior Brother Li! Look quickly at what I bought! A map made of leather!"

That night still nothing happened, after sleeping until dawn, they, having restored their energy, started out anew.

As the cart wheels rolled slowly on the ground, the surrounding Gobi gradually disappeared, the ground began to undulate, gradually replaced by various jagged stone mountains.

To speak of the only benefit, it was that because of the stone mountains' shelter, there was no longer such great wind and sand as on the Gobi, and some brown short grass appeared by the roadside.

"Go here.... then go here......" Li Huowang's finger traced across the worn leather, finally stopping on a city wall pattern.

"If we haven't gone wrong, this is Jicheng; once we arrive here, besides delivering the escort goods, we will have reached halfway through Later Shu; speaking of which, this place seems smaller than the previous two countries, it is a small nation."

Just as Li Huowang was considering these things, he felt someone tug his sleeve. "Senior Brother Li, look, there are people ahead."

He had just looked up when he saw figures walking by the roadside in the distance.

When they drew nearer, he discovered the other was an old man resembling a scholar, leaning on a bamboo pole.

Although he looked quite aged, his body was very agile, a square bamboo basket on his back, without any sense of fatigue.

The sound of hooves made Jin Shanzhao turn his head; when he saw that group of people wearing black gauze hats behind him, he hurriedly moved his legs to the side, clearing the road.

"Why are these people dressed so? Especially that young Daoist in red robes, actually hanging a string of copper coins on his face to cover his mouth and chin, looks hard to provoke, I better avoid them." Jin Shanzhao thought secretly.

He had originally thought to slow down first, let this group pass first, but who would have thought that young Daoist would actually open his mouth to converse with him.

"This old sir, may I borrow your map to view? I wish to see if my map is correct."

Jin Shanzhao pondered carefully for a moment, then reached into the bamboo basket behind him and took out a paper map.

"This map was drawn by this old man himself; this old man has traveled south and north for so many years, not to boast, this map is drawn without a hair's breadth of error, if the Daoist Priest wishes to take it, simply take it."

"Many thanks, but no need, I only wish to collate the map. After checking, I will immediately return it to the old sir."

Seeing this young Daoist's tone was kind, and so easy to talk to, Jin Shanzhao's heart felt slightly more at ease.

"Where is the Daoist Priest going? Oh, this old man asks casually, perhaps we are on the same road."

"Escorting goods, to Jicheng."

Hearing this answer, Jin Shanzhao simply did not believe it; where is there an escort guard unfamiliar with the escort route, it was obviously fabricated.

"Oh? The Daoist Priest also escorts goods? This is quite worldly."

"The Daoist Priest also needs to eat, must find a way to earn travel expenses. In these wild mountains and ridges, old sir, alone, where are you going?"

Jin Shanzhao heard the other's probing, chuckled, and just as he was pondering what lie to use to dodge the other, suddenly on the mountain beside them huge rocks rolled, a large stone fell from above, accompanying a roaring sound it landed squarely in the center of the road.

Immediately following, the sound of hooves behind suddenly rang out.

Looking back to see those masked horsemen, Jin Shanzhao's heart suddenly skipped a beat. "Oh no, caught like a turtle in a jar by the bandits!"

Subconsciously, he turned his head to look at the young Daoist beside him, but discovered the other had no reaction, quietly staying by the cart.

"This person is so fearless, comparatively must have a method to deal with it."

Pondering for a while, taking advantage of the time while the bandits arrived, Jin Shanzhao's body leaned slightly toward the young Daoist.

"Da da da" accompanying the sound of hooves and dust, a group of overbearing bandits full of pressure arrived before them.

"Brothers, I am not an outsider, shall we open the Spring Code?"

"En?" Jin Shanzhao looked unexpectedly at the Daoist Priest beside him who spoke these words, this person actually knows the Jianghu slang, his background is not ordinary.

Just as Jin Shanzhao thought the other bandits were preparing to respond, the one-eyed bandit at the very front actually directly lifted his knife. "Attack! Brothers! Stab him!!"

The sound of hooves rang out instantly, this scene was something no one expected, the herd of horses surged again, charging toward Li Huowang and the others.

Not caring what exactly happened, Jin Shanzhao directly crawled toward the huge stone behind, attempting to flee first while they were engaged in battle.

Climbing with great effort for a long while, when he finally managed to climb onto the huge stone, he heard the sound of hooves and fighting behind him grow quieter.

When he turned to look, he actually saw those bandits had been defeated!

On the ground lay many corpses of bandits and horses haphazardly, and on this young Daoist's side, except for the cart being somewhat dented, not a single person was injured.

"En? What happened? Did I miss something just now?"

Li Huowang at this moment did not care what the old man on the same road behind thought, he placed his blood-dripping long sword across the neck of a one-armed bandit.

"Are the bandits here all so without rules? Even the slang is incorrect?"

However facing Li Huowang's threat, that bandit appeared very tough, actually directly threatening Li Huowang.

"Ox Nose!! You dare kill my brothers, I tell you, you are finished!"

"Shua" sound, that bandit's one ear was cut off.

This scene made Jin Shanzhao behind twitch at the corner of his eye.

"It nearly cost me my life, the agreeable appearance before was all fake, this Daoist is also a killer who doesn't blink at killing!"

(End of Chapter)