Zhenyuan Escort Agency.
Upon seeing Lei Zhan leaving thoroughly, Old Ma leaned against a stone pillar nearby, his face filled with worry and despair.
"Young Master, that's three thousand taels of silver! How could you agree to it! No matter how indulgement the Grand Old Master might have been, he would surely make you pay once he returns!"
Jiang Yuan sighed leisurely: "Uncle Ma, do you think my father can come back? For the past few decades, our Zhenyuan Escort Agency has been contributing a hundred taels of silver to the Black Wind Tribe every year, have they ever raised any objections? But what about now?"
Jiang Yuan paused for a moment and continued: "Now, they dare to come to our door asking for three thousand taels of silver. Can't you understand that?"
Upon hearing this, Old Ma was instantaneously struck dumb, his eyes blank and lifeless.
Jiang Yuan shook his head and could not help but laugh bitterly in his heart.
Originally, he was still worried about being exposed when Jiang Zhenyuan returned.
After all, Jiang Yuan is his only son.
Jiang Zhenyuan is too familiar with his every move; every gesture he makes, every step he takes.
Even though he's possessed all memories, he certainly differs in nuanced ways.
How could Jiang Zhenyuan, who has been wandering in the martial world for many years, fail to detect these subtle changes?
But now, it seems that such a worry is entirely unfounded.
Yet now, he's confronted with an even bigger problem.
The rumors outside might very well be true. Jiang Zhenyuan might have really lost his life this time while escorting the shipment.
If he's indeed in trouble, the Zhenyuan Escort Agency is in jeopardy!
Jiang Zhenyuan's painstaking efforts in the past decades has hoarded a good amount of wealth for the Zhenyuan Escort Agency.
But now, the strongest martial artist in the entire Zhenyuan Escort Agency is the severely injured Old Ma, who is only at the sixth stage of Body Forging Realm.
All the other good fighters have gone on this shipment run with Jiang Zhenyuan.
In such a situation, they are like a child who flaunts gold in the bustling market.
Moreover, this world is even less safe than his previous life.
Once news of Jiang Zhenyuan's mishap is confirmed, it will surely invite wolves to divide the spoils.
The fact that Lei Zhan came to their doorstep today is a clear indication. He definitely knows more than they do.
Thinking about this, Jiang Yuan fell into deep thought, his face grave.
At this moment.
Old Ma's voice suddenly came from behind him.
"Young Master, do you think we can temporarily resolve the current crisis by giving the Black Wind Tribe three thousand taels of silver?"
Jiang Yuan shook his head: "No, we can't. It was just a temporary ploy. We can't give them a single cent of those three thousand taels of silver. Once we show our weakness now, everyone will learn of my father's accident, then we will be devoured by a pack of wolves."
"Well said by the young master!"
A deep voice suddenly came from the top of the wall.
"Who?" Old Ma immediately turned around to look.
Jiang Yuan also followed the sound and looked over, eyes immediately focused.
He saw a lean young man in his twenties standing on the wall, dressed in coarse linen clothes, covered in blood, as if he had just crawled out from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
The key point was, in Jiang Yuan's eyes, he stood out from the others.
There was a golden glow around him, a radiance accumulated from strands of golden yin yun.
[Identified thirteen strands of Qi Yun Power. Do you wish to absorb them?]
The moment he saw this young man, a notice immediately popped up in front of Jiang Yuan.
He hurriedly suppressed the ripples in his heart.
He silently gave consent in his heart, absorb.
In an instant, strands of golden yin yun separated from the young man and constantly gathered into Jiang Yuan's body.
Later, Jiang Yuan opened his status panel to check on it.
[Name]: Gu Mo
[Realm]: Body Forging Realm, Stage Seven (Blood Changing)
[Innate Qi Luck]: Sword God's Talent (Purple), Naturally Gifted Divine Soul (Green), Roughly Understands Blade Technique (White)
[Sword God's Talent]: Exceptional talent in the path of swordsmanship and is considered divine among mortals. Cultivation in all sword techniques advances at a rapid pace.
[Naturally Gifted Divine Soul]: Born with a divine soul, excellent senses, and strong spiritual power.
[Roughly Understands Blade Technique]: Has decent talent in the art of blades.
He involuntarily drew in a sharp breath.
It is actually a purple-level Innate Qi Luck!
Meanwhile.
Upon seeing him, Old Ma was ecstatic, "Gu Mo, I can't believe it's you!"
His excitement led to a fit of violent coughing.
He suppressed the urge to cough and asked hastily, "Where is the Old Master? How is he?"
Gu Mo shook his head slightly, holding his horse-cutting blade, he leapt down the wall.
Upon landing, he stumbled slightly, the corner of his mouth twitching faintly.
"Gu Mo, what's wrong with you?"
He shook his head, "It's just a minor injury."
Then he said to Jiang Yuan, "Young Master, I apologize, I failed to protect the Old Master."
After saying this, he bowed his head in silence.
When Old Ma heard these words, his eyes welled up with tears, his voice shaky, "You...what did you say? The Grand Old Master he...he..."
Gu Mo raised his head, speaking calmly, "Twenty miles away from Black Wind Mountain, we were ambushed by the master of the Black Wind Tribe and a mysterious expert at the eighth level of Body Forging Realm."
"The Old Master fell there, over twenty of us went out together, and now I'm the only one who made it back."
The Master of the Black Wind Tribe, an eighth level Body Forging Realm expert! Jiang Yuan's gaze turned extremely serious.
He was somewhat horrified, why would such strong individuals ambush Jiang Zhenyuan, what was the reason?
Jiang Yuan sighed lightly, then patted Gu Mo on the shoulder, "It's not your fault. Did my father leave any words?"
"Yes!"
Gu Mo nodded, taking out a brocade box from his chest.
"Young Master, this is the actual item we escorted this time. I suspect their target was the item under the Old Master's protection."
"The Old Master told me, the people of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency may fall, but the item cannot be lost. He hoped that you could deliver the object to its original owner in the future."
Jiang Yuan looked at the palm-sized brocade box in his hand, his expression slightly moved.
He had only heard of such unwavering commitment in the stories of his previous life.
It was no surprise that he made the Zhenyuan Escort Agency grow bigger and bigger.
At this point.
Old Ma on the side was already silent.
He has followed Jiang Zhenyuan since his youth. He owed Old Ma a great debt, and had followed him for more than half of his life.
The depth of his feelings was beyond comprehension.
At this time, his silence was the loudest cry of sorrow.
After a long while, Jiang Yuan broke the silence.
"Uncle Ma, Gu Mo, both of you should go and rest. Let's talk about everything tomorrow. Don't let your injuries worsen!"
"Yes, Young Master!"
Gu Mo nodded, then helped Old Ma to walk away slowly.
...
In the courtyard.
[Name]: Jiang Yuan
[Realm]: Body Forging Realm, Fourth Layer
[Innate Fate]: Outstanding Comprehension (Green) Robust Physique (White, can upgrade)
[Qi Yun Power]: 13 strands
Having reviewed his status panel, Jiang Yuan's eyes suddenly lit up.
Something had changed!
But why could Gu Mo possess such accumulated Qi Yun Power?
Considering the majestic purple level Innate Qi on his status panel, Jiang Yuan was left pondering.
The next moment.
He cast aside these distracting thoughts, collected his mind, and refocused on his status panel.
With a thought, strands of Qi Yun power slowly flowed into his white Innate Qi.
After a few moments.
[Successfully consumed 10 strands of Qi Yun Power; Robust Physique (White) has evolved into Exceptional Physique (Green)]
[Exceptional Physique]: Your physical body is naturally exceptionally robust, already transcending worldliness. You are thus gifted in the Body Path. Your innate talent in the way of Body Forging is extraordinary.