Martial Arts Immortal Saint: Starting from Feeding Horses and Escorting Goods

"Okay, Brother Lu."

Song Huan nodded. He and Lu Chuan had known each other for a long time. They were both apprentices in the escort agency, but Lu Chuan was a year older and always called him "Big Brother".

Lu Chuan returned to the post station, and after the food was served, the group wolfed it down.

After dinner, it was already dark.

After traveling for more than a day, everyone was exhausted and rested early, their minds highly focused.

Lu Chuan was equally exhausted; it was his first time acting as a setter, and it had taken a toll on him.

Before going to sleep, keep the knife by your bedside so you can grab it immediately if there's any movement.

The night passed quickly.

Everything was normal, and nothing strange happened.

As dawn broke, Lu Chuan got up and stretched his limbs.

"Was I overthinking it before?"

He shook his head.

Hopefully, nothing will happen on this trip, and we can make it back safely.

The group set off again, and it wasn't until around noon that they entered Qing Shi Town.

In Qingshi Town, the streets are bustling with people, and there are many vendors hawking their wares along the way.

The medicinal herbs being transported this time were stored in a pharmacy in the town.

Upon entering the town, Lu Chuan relaxed considerably.

Upon arriving at the door of an inn, He Laoliu said, "Delivering the medicinal herbs will take a long time to count, so we can't go back tonight. We'll stay here for the night."

"Gong Tie, you're still injured. You and Lu Chuan, go to the inn and get a room."

"The rest of you, come with me to the pharmacy."

"yes!"

Everyone readily accepted the order.

Gong Tie and Lu Chuan separated from the group and dismounted at the entrance of the inn.

"Hey! You two gentlemen!"

The waiter at the door immediately stood up enthusiastically and came to greet them.

After entering the inn and checking into his room, Lu Chuan sat down cross-legged to prepare for practicing his internal energy cultivation.

But just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Lu Chuan, why are you locking yourself in your room? Have you been cooped up in your room all this time since we got to the inn?"

Gong Tie called out from outside and banged on the door.

Lu Chuan had no choice but to get up, open the door, and welcome Gong Tie in.

"Master Gong, this is my first time escorting goods, and I'm a bit tired, so I want to rest more."

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

The two sat at the table, and Lu Chuan poured Gong Tie a cup of tea.

Upon hearing this, Gong Tie grinned and said, "You kid, I knew you must be tired, that's why I came to tell you to go out and relax."

"Relax?" Lu Chuan asked, slightly surprised.

He looked at Gong Tie's dark skin and his yellow teeth when he smiled; he looked sleazy no matter how you looked at him.

Gong Tie's eyes turned somewhat lewd as he said, "Although Qing Shi Town can't compare to Cang Lan Prefecture, there's a brothel called Chun Hong in town. I know there are a few nice girls there..."

"When you were an apprentice, we completely ignored you, but now that you're a skilled fighter, don't say Master Gong doesn't take care of you. Come on, I'll take you to loosen up your muscles!"

Lu Chuan was speechless, feeling both amused and exasperated.

He ran his hand around his mouth, then finally laughed and said, "Forget it, Mr. Gong, you go and relax. I'll just rest for a bit."

"I'm introverted and shy, I can't go to places like that."

"Why aren't you going, you little brat!"

Gong Tie glared at Lu Chuan, knowing full well that the kid was deliberately making excuses.

"Chunhong Courtyard is on the east side of town. You can find out by asking around. Come find me anytime you want."

After Gong Tie finished speaking, he got up and left.

Lu Chuan smiled and shook his head. This Gong Tie really has a big lust for women. His hand is still injured and he still wants to go to Chunhong Courtyard on his way to escort goods.

After watching Gong Tie leave, Lu Chuan got up and closed the door.

Now that he's all alone, he can finally practice his skills properly.

He sat cross-legged on the bed and began to circulate his qi according to the Changchun Gong exercise routine.

He didn't open his eyes until it got dark, and then he got up and went to check on the other rooms.

"Master He hasn't returned yet, and Master Gong is probably too drunk from whoring."

Lu Chuan had no choice but to call Song Huan and go downstairs to get something to eat.

In the evening, the streets of Qingshi Town were almost deserted, with every household keeping their doors closed and only a few people scattered around.

Song Huan looked around the street, then looked away and whispered, "Brother Lu, I've heard that Qing Shi Town is a bit strange."

Lu Chuan chewed on his beef and asked, "What's strange?"

Song Huan said in a low voice, "I wandered around the town this afternoon when I had nothing to do. I heard that most of the people who come here to escort goods have a fever, and some even become so weak that they are exhausted for a long time."

"The people in the town are fine, but there are a lot of problems with the martial arts escorts."

"Really?" Lu Chuan's heart skipped a beat.

Old Wei had mentioned that he had a fever several times while escorting goods, and he suspected that there might be a problem in Qing Shi Town, so he had been very cautious.

But listening to what Song Huan said, it seemed that this strange thing was more targeting martial artists from other places.

He had some doubts, but he could only say slowly, "After you finish eating, go back to your room and close the door. Don't cause any trouble. Get some sleep and you can go back tomorrow morning."

"Okay." Song Huan nodded.

After they finished their meal, they each went back to their rooms.

Lu Chuan sat cross-legged on the bed and continued to practice the Everlasting Spring Technique, circulating his internal energy throughout his body.

His skin turned a faint red during his training, which looked quite astonishing, and gradually he became stronger.

……

It was late at night, and all was quiet.

"Bang!"

A loud banging on the door startled Lu Chuan awake.

"Little Red, drink up, oh my, your little hands are so smooth and soft..."

Outside the door, Gong Tie's drunken voice could be heard.

Lu Chuan was speechless.

"Who locked my door? I left it open when I left!"

Helpless, Lu Chuan could only get up, open the door, and pull the drunken Gong Tie back to his room.

"Can you even do *that* after drinking so much?"

Looking at Gong Tie, who was fast asleep on the bed, Lu Chuan shook his head and turned to go back to his own room.

The drowsiness from practicing martial arts washed over him, and he yawned, lying down to rest.

"Ugh... hissing..."

Just as he lay down, a faint sound reached his ears, causing Lu Chuan to open his eyes instantly.

Having fed the horse for over two years, he could instantly recognize the sound it made when it was panicked and agitated.

Lu Chuan was instantly wide awake, his expression solemn. He turned over and went to the window, opening a crack to look down.

Following his gaze, one could see the stables in the left courtyard of the inn.

There were more than a dozen horses, all of them pacing around restlessly, trying to break free of their reins. Some of them were even trembling slightly and shaking their heads.

Lu Chuan's heart sank. This state was very similar to the ghost he had encountered in the deserted village, only milder.

"Is a monster really coming after us?"

He frowned, recalling what Song Huan had said, and felt puzzled.

Why does the monster specifically target martial artists from other places, and why does it seem to be able to find them on the same night, as if it has a precise location?

He knew this wasn't the time to think about these things, so he scanned the street outside, trying to spot the strange figure.

After all, if what the townspeople said was true, then this monster was coming for them, and they couldn't escape it by hiding.

But after scanning around, they found nothing.

"No?"

Lu Chuan was puzzled.

But the next moment, he vaguely saw a figure slowly walking towards him through the darkness.