Complete one practice method every day

Chapter 95 Extraordinary Talent

Chen Yue listened quietly to the three's conversation, his gaze fixed on the caravan in the distance. He said, "Won't following them like this cause even greater misunderstandings and hostility? If they discover us, they might think we have ulterior motives?"

Shen Dujiang pondered for a moment and said, "As Brother Hu said, we should not get too close and should keep a sufficient distance, using the cart tracks and hoofprints they left behind as a reference."

This is an official road, meant for human use. There's no reason why they should be allowed to use it while we're not. We just happened to be going the same way.

Hu Shaoyu quickly nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, Boss Shen is right. There are only four of us. Even if they are wary, they won't be too nervous about us."

After listening to their analysis and glancing at the exhausted Lin Quan, Chen Yue finally nodded: "Alright. Let's do as you say, keep our distance and follow from afar."

Having made their decision, the four of them found a shady spot by the roadside to rest for a while.

About an incense stick's time later, after estimating that the caravan had traveled more than a mile, they resumed their journey, following the fresh wheel tracks at a leisurely pace.

The four walked silently forward, their eyes constantly watching the movement of the road ahead and the rustling of grass in the wilderness on both sides.

The caravan members were all seasoned veterans of the martial world, and they quickly realized that the tail behind them had not left, but instead followed at a subtle distance.

A guard responsible for rear guard reached the middle of the convoy and reported to his supervisor, Qiu Jin: "Steward Qiu, those four men at the back haven't left; they've been following us at a distance of about a mile. Should we—send someone to drive them away, or warn them to stay away?"

Upon hearing this, Qiu Jin immediately frowned, his already capable face becoming even more somber.

He stroked his two mustaches, not making a decision immediately, but turning to walk towards an inconspicuous blue-canopied carriage in the caravan. Through the curtain, he whispered, "Mr. Yan, those four tails are still following behind. What do you think—" Qiu Jin's tone was respectful, as if seeking instructions.

After a moment of silence inside the carriage, a slightly hoarse male voice came through: "What are the cultivation levels of those four? Did the guards find out?"

Qiu Jin looked at the guard who had brought the news, and the guard quickly bowed and replied, "Reporting to Mr. Yan, from a distance, I observed their aura and gait. Two of them were roughly at the Flesh Refining Realm, and one should be at the Skin Refining Realm."

Another person was weak and unsteady on his feet, clearly unskilled in martial arts. Judging from their clothes and belongings, they certainly looked like refugees.

Yan Li's voice rang out again, unhurried and calm: "Steward Qiu, in your opinion, are there any oddities in the appearances and mannerisms of those four men? Could they be bandits from the nearby mountains in disguise, or do they have some other motive?"

Qiu Jin carefully recalled the appearances and demeanor of Chen Yue and the other three, and pondered, "At first glance, one of them has the air of a merchant, the middle-aged man has the air of a江湖 (jianghu, a world of martial arts and chivalry), the young one is quiet and reserved, and the other old one looks more like an ordinary person."

It's not immediately clear whether they're bandits in disguise, but in this day and age, you can't judge a book by its cover, so I can't guarantee anything.

There was a moment of silence in the carriage before Yan Li's voice came again: "Since that's the case, there's no need to drive them away for now. This is an official road, and anyone can travel on it. We have no evidence, and forcibly driving them away would only make us enemies."

However, additional personnel need to be deployed to closely monitor their every move. Extra vigilance is required, especially when camping at night. Any unusual activity, such as attempts to approach and spy on the convoy, should be reported immediately.

"Yes! I understand!"

The guard bowed and accepted the order, then retreated to relay Yan Li's instructions. At the same time, he arranged for several guards with good eyesight to take turns monitoring the rear.

After the guards left, Yan Li lowered his voice and said only to Qiu Jin beside the carriage, "Manager Qiu, you did the right thing by not letting them get close. Caution is never a bad thing."

However, this place has just experienced a catastrophic solar eclipse, and those who managed to escape from the various cities are all quite capable. As long as they don't cause trouble, we should observe the situation and remain calm in the face of change.

Qiu Jin nodded, his expression softening slightly, and said in a low voice, "Mr. Yan's consideration is thorough. We also bear the important responsibility of escorting that item on this trip, so it is indeed not advisable to cause any unforeseen complications. It would be a great blessing if we could arrive in Tianzhou Prefecture safely."

Chen Yue and his companions were unaware of the negotiations, but they could sense that the caravan had not sent anyone to drive them away or warn them. They only noticed that there seemed to be a few more eyes watching from ahead.

A tacit balance has been reached between the two sides: neither side will offend the other, and they will walk the same path together.

And so, the two groups walked peacefully along the desolate dirt road for a whole day, one after the other.

The caravan wasn't traveling fast because it had to take care of the carriages, horses, women, and children, but it had the advantage of a clear route and a large number of people, which paved the way for Chen Yue and his three companions who followed behind.

For Chen Yue and his group, this was the ideal condition for traveling.

As evening approached, the afterglow of the setting sun tinged the clouds on the horizon with a dark gold hue.

The caravan stopped in an open area nestled against low hills and near a stream, where they set up camp and prepared to spend the night.

Shadows moved about, and the sounds of shouts, horses' hooves, and the clanging of wood could be faintly heard, as the aroma of cooking began to rise.

Chen Yue and his three companions stopped behind a small earthen mound about two hundred feet away from the caravan camp. The view from this spot was decent; they could vaguely see the campfires of the caravan camp while maintaining a safe distance, and the earthen mound provided some cover.

I was lucky today. Although I didn't find any rabbits, I managed to kill a half-grown wild boar that was drinking water by the stream with a pebble.

This desolate place is sparsely populated but rich in wild animals.

Hu Shaoyu skillfully skinned, gutted, and butchered the wild boar. The pork, with its alternating layers of fat and lean meat, was roasted over the campfire, the fat dripping into the fire and crackling.

The rich aroma of meat, mixed with a sprinkle of coarse salt from Hu Shaoyu, instantly filled the small campsite, making everyone's mouths water.

Compared to the caravan's mostly dry rations and cold food, Chen Yue and his group had a sumptuous dinner.

After the meal, Chen Yue did not sit and chat like Shen Dujiang and Hu Shaoyu, nor did he wrap himself up and prepare to go to sleep early like Lin Quan.

He got up and walked to a relatively flat open space, got into a fighting stance, and slowly began to practice the Vajra Palm technique.

His palm strikes were steady and his moves were simple and ancient. Although he did not unleash his inner energy, every movement exuded extraordinary power, and he appeared exceptionally focused in the deepening twilight.

Throughout the day, whenever the caravan stopped to rest, Chen Yue would seize the time to practice various martial arts techniques.

Whether it's the Vajra Palm to hone palm power, the Tiger Roar Golden Bell Cover to temper muscles, bones, and blood, the Vast and Firm Essence Formula to nourish internal energy, or the Mind Nourishing Formula to purify the mind.

While traveling, he did not waste any time, often taking out secret manuals or elixirs from his bosom and studying them as he went.

With a caravan leading the way and providing warnings, Chen Yue still needed to spare some attention to perceive his surroundings, but he no longer needed to be as constantly on edge as when traveling alone. He could devote more energy to his own cultivation and accumulation.

Hu Shaoyu and Shen Dujiang sat around the campfire, poking at the embers with branches while watching Chen Yue, who was meditating in the twilight not far away.

Although this wasn't the first time they had seen Chen Yue cultivate so diligently, the two still couldn't help but show their admiration and respect.

"To possess such unfathomable cultivation and combat power at such a young age—"

Shen Dujiang lowered his voice and sighed to Hu Shaoyu, "It's definitely not just luck. This kind of mentality and diligence already surpasses 99% of the martial artists in the world. They really don't want to waste a single moment."

Hu Shaoyu nodded in agreement, gazing at Chen Yue's calm and focused profile, and said in a low voice, "There may be those who are exceptionally talented, but those who can bring their talents to their fullest potential are all people with great perseverance and determination. Along the way, whenever Brother Chen had free time, he was either practicing martial arts or reading. I am ashamed to admit that I am not as diligent as him."

On the other side, Lin Quan, wrapped in the thin blanket given to him by Shen Dujiang, leaned against the earthen slope, his gaze somewhat complicated as he looked at Chen Yue, who was practicing his martial arts.

The firelight danced on Chen Yue's young yet resolute face. His calm demeanor and fluid palm techniques gradually overlapped with, and then separated from, the somewhat silent apprentice figure in Huichuntang in his memory.

Lin Quan was filled with confusion and a sense of awe. How could someone who had just casually taught a few things at the pharmacy have become such a terrifying being in such a short time?

What exactly happened?

However, having lived most of his life, Lin Quan knew that some things could be asked, while others had to be kept to himself.

Chen Yue saved his life and helped him escape danger; that's enough.

As for Chen Yue's secrets, that's not something he should investigate. All he can do is keep his eyes and mouth shut and not cause Chen Yue any trouble.

As night deepened, the campfire crackled.

Chen Yue withdrew his palms and stood up, slowly exhaling a breath of turbid air, his eyes shining brightly.

The day's journey and cultivation did not make him feel tired. On the contrary, the operation of the Haoran Guyuan Technique and proper cultivation brought him to his best condition.

He walked back to the campfire and nodded to Shen Dujiang and Hu Shaoyu: "I'll keep watch for the first half of the night. Boss Shen, you'll have to work hard for the second half."

"Alright, Brother Chen, you can rest assured," Shen Dujiang replied.

Chen Yue smiled slightly. After finishing a set of Vajra Palm techniques, his blood and qi were slightly boiling, and his muscles and bones felt relaxed.

Without pausing, he swayed and left a faint afterimage in his original position. His true form floated several feet away like a wisp of smoke, and on the limited open space around the earthen slope, he unleashed the Cloud-Soaring Thousand-Layer Step.

Her footwork was light and agile, sometimes like willow catkins drifting in the wind, sometimes like swallows skimming the water, moving and turning in a small space without any hesitation, as if she had become one with the surrounding environment.

Chen Yue focused intently, carefully experiencing the subtle connection between the force, angle, and breath transition of each step he took.

Recently, Chen Yue has put a lot of effort into his movement techniques. This is not only because the experience bar for the Cloud Thousand Steps has reached its limit (5983/6023), but also because Chen Yue has realized how important it is to have excellent escape skills in a world full of dangers!

Sometimes, if you can't beat your opponent, at least you should be able to outrun them!

Movement techniques are not only an extension of offense, but also the primary task for survival!