Chương 52: Traveling Together

"Honored guest, this is a detached manor—two floors, a private courtyard, and a serene view. It is the quietest spot in the city. What do you think?" Reyn nodded, satisfied. After dismissing the attendant with a small tip, he stepped inside and closed the door. The interior was elegantly furnished with antique rosewood; verdant potted plants breathed life into the corners of the hall. While they were not rare spirit-flora, their lush greenery provided a refreshing atmosphere that calmed the mind.

Ever cautious, Reyn swept his Divine Sense across every inch of the room. Finding no hidden eyes or malicious arrays, he flicked a talisman from his storage bag onto the floor. It flared with a faint, ethereal shimmer before vanishing into the floorboards, sealing the room against prying ears. Only then did he allow himself a moment of respite, his eyes burning with anticipation. It was time to tally the spoils of his recent battles. He upended his storage bags, and a mountain of wealth cascaded onto the floor.

A symphony of clattering spirit stones, clinking artifacts, and rolling jade slips formed a glittering heap that would make even a Golden Core master pale with envy. Reyn couldn't help but feel a surge of pride; his current net worth likely surpassed many who had cultivated for centuries. Among the loot, the Spirit Tools were the most prized. Even a low-grade artifact fetched hundreds of spirit stones on the market; a mid-grade one cost thousands and was often unavailable at any price.

Reyn counted his haul: he had claimed over a dozen storage bags since his journey began, four of which belonged to Golden Core experts. He now possessed dozens of artifacts, including three top-grade Spirit Tools. He stowed the lower-tier items and focused on the three masterpieces. The first was a silk ribbon, a feminine treasure capable of binding enemy weapons with deceptive grace. Powerful, but ill-suited for his style. The second was a massive, blood-red saber.

Crimson light pulsed along its edge, accompanied by the faint, harrowing wails of ghosts. It was clearly a demonic tool. Reyn frowned; using such a weapon would invite unwanted scrutiny from the righteous sects. He set it aside. His gaze landed on the final item: a pitch-black ring. It looked utterly mundane, but when Reyn injected his True Essence, his eyes widened. The ring instantly converted the energy into a strand of Gengjin Sword Qi—sharp, lethal, and nearly invisible.

Reyn imagined a scenario where he landed a punch, only to have the Seventh Metal Sword Qi erupt from within his fist... It was the perfect tool for a lethal ambush. He slipped it onto his finger immediately. Though he lacked a new primary weapon, his current saber—the one taken from the Black Mountain Old Ghost—was at the peak of high-grade, rivaling many top-grade artifacts. He decided against further refinement for now. Next, he sorted the spirit stones.

He estimated eighteen thousand low-grade stones and over a thousand mid-grade ones. He also had two high-grade stones recovered from the golems. He secured these in a dedicated pouch. As for talismans, he sorted through dozens of high-grade charms, stowing them carefully. Then, a peculiar one caught his eye: a yellowed, ancient slip of paper with a simple, lifelike drawing of a small sword. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Familiar..." Reyn muttered. He pulled out a jade box containing a similar talisman—one with a flying needle he'd taken from the black-clad man near the Small Hillside Market. Both were devoid of spiritual ripples, simply drawn, and ancient. His intuition screamed that these were no ordinary charms. He stored them together with extreme care. The remaining pills and jade slips followed. He found over twenty techniques, some of which seemed promising, and stowed them in a jade box.

By the time he finished, even with his Foundation Establishment-level stamina, Reyn felt drained. He consumed several recovery pills and entered a meditative trance to refine the medicinal power. Suddenly, a faint ripple of spiritual energy disturbed the air. Reyn's Divine Sense surged out, covering a two-hundred-meter radius. With his 15th-level Qi Condensation base and the five-fold amplification of the Golden Seal, his perception rivaled a late Foundation Establishment cultivator.

He pinpointed the source and frowned.

"It's them? Are they all cultivators in disguise?" He shook his head, deciding not to interfere. He was leaving for the sect tomorrow anyway. He swallowed more pills, refining his spiritual energy to its absolute limit. At dawn, Reyn opened his eyes. A faint luminescence flickered across his face before his gaze returned to its usual, bottomless depth. He stepped outside. Though the mortal world was thin on spiritual energy, the morning dew and the awakening of nature brought a rare sense of peace.

In just one year, he had transformed from a village boy into a seeker of the Great Dao. A creak broke his reverie. Li Xiumei stood by the bamboo grove, looking at him with feigned surprise.

"Brother, what fine taste! Rising early to admire the dew—a true scholar, I see," she said, swaying her head with exaggerated bookishness. Reyn smiled thinly. Despite her flawless concealment technique, he could sense a trace of spiritual aura. She was a cultivator. But if she wanted to play a role, he wouldn't expose her.

"Good morning," Reyn replied.

"I am Li Xiumei, seventeen, from North Yue State," she chirped.

"Reyn." He hesitated, then gave his real name.

"Haha! Brother Reyn, I feel we are kindred spirits. Why don't we share breakfast and talk?" Reyn nodded, and they headed to the Immortal Greeting Pavilion. Over breakfast, Li Xiumei insisted on calling him "Big Brother."

"Where are you headed, Big Brother? I'm just a wandering scholar. Perhaps we can travel together?" Reyn sipped his tea.

"I'm going to Zhu City. It's a long journey. You might find the road too harsh."

"Zhu City? I've heard of it! Perfect. I'll join you," Li Xiumei agreed instantly. Reyn didn't object. Outside the city, a large caravan had gathered. An elder stood at the front, addressing the crowd.

"Listen up! Bandits and marauders have been active lately. We travel together for safety. Don't be cowards if trouble starts. Move out!" The caravan consisted of five merchant groups and various travelers—over three hundred people. Few bandits would dare strike such a force.

"Big Brother, look. Those people from yesterday are here too," Li Xiumei whispered. Wang Zihan was there, glaring at Reyn with undisguised hatred. Reyn sighed.

"Ignore him. There's no need to lower ourselves." They boarded a carriage. As the wheels began to turn, Reyn sat opposite Li Xiumei, settling in for the long journey ahead.