Starting from Tianlong, Wudu Tianxia

"Gao Yuan, you've finally arrived."

The man was Ma Wude, a tea merchant from southern Yunnan.

"When we first arrived in the prefecture, you insisted on staying at some shabby inn by yourself. Now you're finally willing to come looking for your older brother?"

Gao Yuan looked embarrassed and clasped his hands in a fist salute to him: "Brother Ma, please forgive me. I had my reasons for refusing your kind offer and did not mean to spoil your fun."

Ma Wude was truly a good friend; if he hadn't wanted to avoid any complications, he would have wanted to travel with him as well.

"Tell me your troubles and I'll give you a piece of my mind. Don't worry if you get into trouble. I have some influence in the martial arts world. Even some famous knights and heroes have to call me Brother Ma."

Ma Wude slapped his broad palms against his large pectoral muscles with a resounding thud.

Gao Yuan's expression was moved.

He might not believe other people's guarantees, but Old Ma had Mr. Jin's endorsement.

The book says that he was mediocre in martial arts, but he was calm in the face of others’ disdain for his skills and treated those who were down on their luck with sincerity, so he was very popular.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have tried so hard to protect Duan Yu when Zuo Zimu made things difficult for him, which shows his kindness and righteousness.

Having personally experienced his warm hospitality, Gao Yuan exclaimed, "He truly has the spirit of Mengchang!"

Ma Wude led Gao Yuan, and the two walked together toward the teahouse.

Laughter and chatter drifted from the inner room, accompanied by the waiter's calls: "Freshly brewed dragon soup—gentlemen, please have a private room!"

"To be honest, Brother Ma, I was reluctant to travel with you earlier because I was afraid of implicating you."

Ma Wude looked thoughtful: "Brother, have you offended someone you shouldn't mess with?"

Gao Yuan nodded.

"Who?"

"Zoroastrianism."

Gao Yuan brought up the Zoroastrianism to argue his case and concealed the matter of Penglai, mainly because he was afraid of scaring Lao Ma.

Ma Wude breathed a sigh of relief. He was afraid that Gao Yuan had offended some famous and powerful gangs in the martial arts world. Although he had some influence, they might not necessarily give him face.

The Zoroastrian sect is different. Although it is no less powerful than other famous sects, it is still known as a demonic sect and is despised by everyone in the martial arts world. Anyone who dares to show their face can be beaten up.

In Ma Wude's view, the notorious Zoroastrian cult was much easier to deal with than people with legitimate identities in the underworld.

Following up on Gao Yuan's words, Ma Wude continued to press:

"What is the reason?"

After thinking for a moment, Gao Yuan briefly recounted to Lao Ma how he had run into Ye Hanbing and his group in Xuzhou.

Of course, some facts were omitted, including his deception of Ye Hanbing into calling him "father" and his impersonation of the Murong family.

After hearing this, Ma Wude praised, "Brother's chivalry is evident." Then he lamented, "It's a pity about Chief Wu, who was harmed by treacherous people."

They walked out of the teahouse hall and from the inner room into the main hall of the neighboring house.

During the chat, Gao Yuan mentioned Quan Guanqing's rebellion, and Lao Ma was once again filled with righteous indignation, saying that there was no other evidence, otherwise he would definitely go to the Beggars' Sect to report him.

At this moment, Lao Ma knew that Gao Yuan was traveling differently from him and was afraid of implicating him, so he naturally thought more highly of him.

At such a young age, he already possesses such a chivalrous spirit.

Besides, who exactly is Ye Hanbing?

Ma Wude had heard of him before; he was no pushover, and Gao Yuan had somehow managed to escape right under his nose.

It seems his younger brother's martial arts skills are even higher than he imagined!

"Come in and have a cup of hot tea. If it's Zoroastrianism, I'm not afraid, and I can be of some help. But it depends on what you're thinking right now."

When Lao Ma asked, Gao Yuan told him his plan to infiltrate the tea caravan and go to Yunnan with Ma Wude to seek refuge.

He changed his mind at the last minute and decided not to go to Fengxiang Prefecture, mainly because he suddenly remembered that Lingjiu Palace was quite good in Western Xia.

But... damn it, he doesn't seem to know the exact location. If he goes there, he'll be completely lost. He might as well change his plans and try his luck in Yunnan.

The Shennong Gang's headquarters were located in Yunnan.

If Sikong Xuan has already been recruited by Granny, then finding Sikong Xuan will naturally allow him to make contact with the secluded Lingjiu Palace.

If Sikong Xuan hadn't been recruited by Granny, it's estimated that the time when Lingjiu Palace would have come knocking on his door wouldn't have been too far off.

It's better than running off to Western Xia and wandering around like a headless fly.

"You've thought of everything. We're not afraid of the Zoroastrians, but they only use underhanded tactics like sneak attacks and sabotage. It's better to avoid them."

"Wait two days before you go back. On your journey, once you reach Yunnan, in my territory, they won't be able to touch you in the slightest."

"Speaking of which, a few days ago I invited you to visit Yunnan, but you were stubborn and wouldn't listen to reason. I never thought you'd have to go even if you didn't want to, haha."

Upon hearing Ma Wude's words, Gao Yuan gave a wry smile, feeling genuinely embarrassed to have refused Old Ma's kindness so many times.

Just as he was about to put on a smiling face and say some nice things, Ma Wude grabbed him and patted him on the back.

"Hechunlou".

"What?"

Gao Yuan was completely bewildered by Lao Ma's inexplicable words.

"Hey kid, stop pretending. I heard that Hechunlou recently got a batch of pretty young women, top-notch in looks and talent. You're new to Jingzhao, let me take you there to experience the good life."

"As the saying goes, a beautiful face blushes and smiles, but you don't know that the 'slender horses' of the capital are completely different from those of other places."

He smacked his lips twice: "Sizzle, the taste is indescribable, simply wonderful!"

"in addition..."

Before Ma Wude could continue speaking, Gao Yuan, who was sitting opposite him, had already stood up.

"Brother Ma, I twisted my back while riding a horse yesterday, so I'll take my leave now."

Good guy.

I know you're generous, so I thought providing food and lodging would be enough. But it turns out you're a one-stop shop for everyone. You can't be a jerk if you want!

Although such activities were legal in the Northern Song Dynasty, he was a reborn individual and could not yet approve of Lao Ma's daily entertainment activities.

"You're not a virgin, are you?"

"Screw you, I'm not kidding."

Gao Yuan shook his sleeves, thinking to himself that he might be a virgin physically, but not mentally; he had quite a few girlfriends in his past life.

"really?"

His expression was a bit strange; Gao Yuan didn't look like he had twisted his back.

Ma Wude's thick eyebrows and darting eyes scanned Gao Yuan, making him feel uncomfortable.

"You're not just a show-off, are you?"

"Depend on……"

"It's not a personal problem."

Ma Wude patted him on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Don't push yourself too hard, kid. I know a miracle doctor who specializes in treating impotence."

"Just a few packets of medicine, along with a nourishing diet, and I guarantee you'll still be able to hold your erection in half a week."

"..."

After explaining the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Gao Yuan thanked Ma Wude and left the teahouse with a complex expression of anger and absurdity.

A short while after he left, a young man in a long robe walked out from behind the screen in the main hall.

"father."

The young man was Ma Wude's son, Ma Yuanlin, and he looked suspicious.

He called out, and seeing Ma Wude nod, he immediately asked, "Father, are you really going to help him?"

"certainly."

The young man was taken aback.

"He has offended the Zoroastrians, and it seems he is hiding something, refusing to reveal his origins. Things may be far more complicated than we think."

Ma Wude patted his clothes:

"The news of the Zoroastrian assassination attempt on the prefect of Xuzhou has already spread. Judging from the timing and corroborating his words, he was probably telling the truth."

"but……"

Ma Yuanlin was about to speak.

Ma Wude shook his head to stop him, and pointed out to his son: "It's easy to add flowers to brocade, but difficult to provide charcoal in the snow. Everyone has secrets. You won't make friends if you dig too deep."