Volume 2 Chapter 28: The Journey - Martial God

Chapter 28: The Journey After leaving the Xie Family, He Yiming didn't take the mountain path but rather opted for the official road leading towards Tianluo Country. Upon his departure, He declined all gifts, yet he accepted a North Country renowned steed gifted by the Luo Family. This horse, named "Hong Ling", was merely two years old, a rare red horse, notable because its coat had not a speck of blemish. Its load-bearing ability was exceptional, carrying both He and his hefty three-hundred-sixty-pound great guandao effortlessly. Even an idiot could recognize the precious and extraordinary nature of this horse. Precisely because of this, He accepted it. Riding this horse, it took merely five days to leave the borders of Fire Crow Country and reach Jinlin Country. With Hong Ling's top speed, five days would not have been needed. However, as this was He’s first time traveling alone, unlike his previous carefree journey through dense forests, he was cautious not to take a wrong path, so he restrained the steed's speed. In the northwest, apart from the illustrious Three Great Powers, other countries typically had no more than five provinces, some merely a single province or a lone county. Jinlin Country had only two provinces, ranking low among nations. At this point, He was eager to return home and had no intention of lingering here, urging his horse onward to hasten his journey back. Turning a mountain path, He pulled back on the reins, scanning the ground, a look of surprise on his face. Across the road lay over a dozen bodies, sprawled in disarray, bloodstains marked their bodies, clearly victims of blades and soldiers. Such sights were not novel to He. Whether the night the Cheng Family was robbed or the day they ambushed the Red Scarf Thieves, the casualties far exceeded what lay before him now. Thus, He did not panic but observed with a frown. Scattered around the deceased were numerous weapons. It seemed the battle had been over for a while, yet, inexplicably unaddressed. He hesitated momentarily, his gaze lingering on the scattered weapons below, then an idea occurred to him. Ting Shiguang once mentioned that ordinary weapons cannot withstand the infusion of innate true qi, a notion which He had yet to test. Seated on horseback, He motioned with his hand, and a refined steel sabre suddenly leapt up from the ground, arriving instantly in his grasp. He swung it lightly. Though he could not discern the quality of weaponry, he sensed this sabre was undoubtedly the best amongst the scattered arms. He’s "Blazing Fire Technique" activated instantly, channeling powerful qi from his arm's meridians into the blade. Infusing weaponry with internal strength to enhance its power is not extraordinary. However, innate true qi is evidently quite distinct from internal strength. Initially, it seemed nothing happened to the blade, but within minutes, it began to turn red. Through his hand, He could feel the sabre's interior starting to crack. He sighed and dropped the sabre, which shattered upon impact with the ground. Shaking his head slightly, He gazed at his hand, feeling a surge of gratitude towards Ting Shiguang. The refined steel magnetic mother Ting gifted him, regardless of its value, was a timely treasure that solved a pressing need. He pledged internally to repay this favor in the future. With a thought, He opened the pack on his horse, retrieving the head of his guandao's first section. Compared to the other two bare sections, this meter-long guandao's head seemed to possess an altered hue. He believed that even Grandfather, seeing this blade, might hesitate to recognize it with certainty. After all, with the integration of refined steel magnetic mother, the head of this weapon had undergone some changes, making it impossible to exactly mirror its original appearance. He cautiously infused pure innate true qi into the guandao, mindful of Ting Shiguang's assurance that the refined steel magnetic mother would prevent any issues. Yet, should the guandao fail under the innate true qi's strain and be destroyed, it would truly be a devastating loss for He. As qi continuously flowed into the guandao, it emitted a red aura. Unlike the mediocre red of the previous sabre, this hue was almost sentient, pulsating with the qi's rhythm. He’s eyes welled with joyous relief; the blade indeed withstood the infusion of innate true qi without fracturing. Moreover, it transmitted the qi, manifesting a blade aura in a specific range. He wielded the blade towards the ground; with a flicker of blade aura, it left a deep gash, slicing through as if the earth was mere tofu, without any resistance. He’s heart danced with joy. As his thoughts shifted, a crimson lightsaber slowly emerged from his left palm. This saber lacked physical form, relying solely on his innate true qi and some external energy to manifest. He brought the enormous guandao to gently tap the lightsaber. Instantly, the lightsaber in He’s hand dissolved, whereas the guandao remained unmarred. Sighing inwardly, He understood. Although innate true qi could form a lightsaber, its power was severely limited, frighteningly fragile even. Against ordinary obstacles like mud or trees, it might boast some flair. Faced with a weapon wielded by an equally powerful innate expert, though, its weakness would be glaring. Trusting in a lightsaber against such an adversary might lead to swift demise. As he pondered this, the distant clatter of hooves drew nearer. Gathering himself, He stowed his guandao back into its sheath, gently prodding his horse forward. As for the bodies behind him, tidying them was of no interest to him. Just as he rounded a corner, seven or eight horses galloped past. The knights seated atop were rugged, their expressions stern, devoid of any hint of a smile. As they brushed past He, they cast glances tinged with icy sharpness his way. Yet He remained unfazed by their prowess, continuing his leisurely pace, unconcerned by their presence. The steed's speed, under his control, was so deliberately slow it barely outpaced an old mule from his hometown. Soon after, hooves thundered from behind once more as the knights returned, overtaking him and shooting him hostile glares. However, they didn't stop, continuing on their way. Yet He had noticed among them, three knights bore a corpse each on horseback. Observing the attire similar to the others, He quickly deduced that among the deceased over there, three were companions of these knights. These knights came and left in haste, merely retrieving the three bodies. They were, in truth, loyal comrades. He lightly squeezed the horse's flanks, prompting a slight increase in Hong Ling’s pace. Since the knights didn’t trouble him, he felt no need to linger. The bodies behind could await official handling. Hours later, the sun dipped westward, as commotion arose ahead — not of conflict, but bustling voices and neighing. Listening carefully, He realized it was not a skirmish but rather a group gathering noisily. Spurred on, Hong Ling quickly picked up pace, revealing ahead a camp being set up. The northwest was vast and unbounded. Although dotted with numerous nations, the region remained sparsely populated. Traveling through, one often found desolate stretches without a roadside inn or village in sight. Travelers and merchant caravans often found themselves camping as night fell. Encountering a group pitching camp in the wilderness was hardly uncommon. In just a few days, He had already encountered this twice. This, however, was his third time, and unlike earlier small camps, this one was home to at least a hundred people. Before He reached the camp, five knights rode out to meet him, adeptly maneuvering their mounts. As they drew close, He noticed a slight change in their expressions, having recognized these knights instantly from previous encounters. One, a knight in his forties or fifties, riding close, clasped his fists and spoke: “Friend, you seem to have tracked us. What business might you have?” Though their expressions were stern, none acted rashly — perhaps influenced by He's youthful appearance. He Yiming responded with surprise, "Uncle, you must be joking. I was simply traveling my way, not tracking anyone." The knight scrutinized He Yiming intently, and after a moment, his expression softened slightly. "That's a fine horse," a loud voice sounded from the back of the troop. Following this, over ten riders galloped swiftly towards He Yiming. He glanced up to see a group of robust men, all clad in the same attire, surrounding a young, dashing nobleman. This young man's gaze was fixed on the horse, Hong Ling, his eyes gleaming with an unusual light. He slightly furrowed his brow, sensing impending trouble. Although he wasn’t afraid of trouble, he certainly disliked it. If possible, he preferred avoiding conflicts with others. "Fan Qi, what's going on? Who is this man?" the young nobleman pointed his riding whip at He Yiming and asked coldly. The leading middle-aged man respectfully replied from his horse, "Second Young Master, as we were setting up camp, this gentleman came from behind, so we approached to inquire." "What did you find out?" the young nobleman's eyes gleamed as he asked. Fan Qi shook his head slightly, "Second Young Master, this gentleman is merely a traveler passing by." He then turned to He Yiming and said, "Friend, this is Second Young Master Fan Haoyue of the Jinlin Fan Family. You should come and pay your respects." He Yiming felt a wave of curiosity, glancing at Fan Qi. It seemed as if the middle-aged man was covering for him. Despite not knowing the strength of the Jinlin Fan Family, Fan Qi’s tone was undoubtedly kind. Yet, He and Fan Qi had no prior acquaintance, so He was puzzled by his motives. One of Fan Haoyue’s attendants suddenly scrutinized He Yiming, whispered a few words, which revitalized Fan Haoyue's interest. He declared, "Fan Qi, so this person also came from the mountain path. Why didn't you mention that?" He Yiming recalled that the attendant beside Fan Haoyue was among those riding by earlier. Fan Qi managed a wry smile, "Second Young Master, though this gentleman came from that path, it doesn't mean he’s a remnant of the Hu Family." Fan Haoyue snorted, "Fan Qi, it's not your place to judge whether he's a Hu Family remnant." Turning to He Yiming, he remarked, "You, dismount immediately and surrender for questioning." He Yiming smirked, pointing to himself, "Are you talking to me?" Fan Haoyue's expression turned frosty, and as he raised his head, two riders darted forward. Despite being an innate expert, He Yiming's youthful looks misled these men about his capability. The two knights, eager to prove themselves, only had internal energy levels of around the sixth tier. This might suffice against an average youth, but today they had met their match. Glancing at Fan Haoyue, He Yiming erupted in laughter, pressing his legs against Hong Ling to sprint forth. In an instant, the riders intersected paths with He, exclaiming in shock as they were hurled into the air, not by choice but by He's swift hands lifting them effortlessly. Fan Qi and others initially stood back, yet He's effortless maneuver spurred them into exclamation. Without hesitation, Fan Qi leaped up, using the ground like a spring to pursue He with velocity surpassing that of galloping horses. Unfazed by the commotion behind him, He on Hong Ling charged at Fan Haoyue like a red streak. The knights, alarmed, spurred their horses forward. These knights, with their highest reaching only the seventh-tier internal energy, were no match for He. To him, they felt like insignificant ants. Casually lifting, he threw them aside like ragdolls. Fortunately, He refrained from lethal force, sparing any fatal outcome. But these men wouldn’t be combat-ready for months after falling heavily to the ground. Fan Haoyue's face turned pale with realization; He was beyond his capability. Attempting to flee, Fan Haoyue rein his horse, but Hong Ling dashed like lightning, intercepting instantly. He's laughter echoed, as he seized Fan Haoyue’s arm with a grip like an unstoppable force. Fan Qi shouted, "Please stay your hand, sir. We intended no harm." He released Fan Haoyue, who soared skywards before Hong Ling sped away, maneuvering past the camp like a lightning bolt. Fan Qi lunged to catch Fan Haoyue as he descended, kneeling and steadying the now-dizzy second young master. The swift escalation left onlookers astounded, the knights reacting only after He Yiming vanished in the distance, their faces etched with shock. Their skills matched those of the second young master's retinue; seeing them beaten so decisively meant they, too, were vulnerable. More riders, led by an individual who shared a striking resemblance to Fan Haoyue, though slightly older, arrived from the camp. His stern gaze induced a chill to anyone it met. Upon arrival, he scanned the area, demanding, "Fan Qi, what happened?" Fan Qi bowed respectfully, "Young Master, the second young master had an encounter with a passing traveler, leading to..." The Young Master's brow furrowed, insisting, "What encounter? Detail everything without omission." Fan Qi recounted everything with a rueful smile, without embellishment, concluding, "Young Master, though that person is young, his horse is remarkable, and I could not discern his skill level. I tried to stop the second young master, but..." Pausing, he added, "Fortunately, he showed mercy." The Young Master's face darkened with rage, "That troublesome wretch! If he sabotages my affairs, I won't spare him." By now, Fan Haoyue had come to, immediately shedding any cockiness in the presence of his older brother, whom he clearly feared. The Young Master glared at him, asking, "Haoyue, what did he do to provoke you into such recklessness? You should learn from Fan Qi. If you can’t even assess a situation, better stay home." Fan Haoyue meekly nodded, his earlier temperament subdued. With a snort, the Young Master rode off, followed by Fan Qi. Only after their departure did Haoyue glance at He Yiming's departure in the distance, eyes filled with resentment.