After leaving the familiar wilds of Tiger Mountain, Xiao Wei stepped onto the open road leading toward Kin City. The towering peaks of the mountain range faded slowly behind him, replaced by the broad, untamed landscape that stretched out before him.
Kin City is the second largest city under the Fu State's rule. Unlike the modest Mo City, Kin City was a bustling hub of commerce, cultivation, and influence. Kin City was nearly 200 miles away from Mo City, but Xiao Wei didn't rush. He walked at a calm, steady pace, not using his Water Flow Steps or any other Movement Technique.
Ten days passed.
It was evening now. The sky blazed in hues of orange and red as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows through the tall trees of a dense forest.
Distant clattering of wheels and murmurs broke the silence as a small convoy creaked its way down the road. At the front of the group was a wooden cart fade up of special wood pulled by two horses, driven by a bald, elderly man with a gruff expression.
"Move faster! We need to reach Kin City today, or you won't get any wages!"the bald man barked urging on the small caravan of workers trailing behind.
Upon hearing the threat of unpaid wages, the workers groaned but obeyed and hastily increased their pace.
Inside the main cart, behind the canvas drape, came a soft but firm voice.
"Old Ti, how long until we reach Kin City?"
It was a mature woman's voice, calm yet filled with quiet authority.
The bald man, Old Ti, straightened up and turned his head slightly.
"Matriarch, if all goes well, we will arrive by tomorrow morning. We are only a few miles away."Old Ti replied respectfully.
"Very well."the female said from inside the cart.
As night descended, the caravan came to a gradual halt in a wide clearing by a small stream.
"Everyone! We'll rest here for the night and will move out early in the morning"Old Ti said as he climbed down from the cart.
The workers exhaled in relief and collapsed to the ground.
Grateful murmurs followed his announcement as the workers went about setting up temporary shelters and cooking fires.
It was then that a soft, curious voice emerged once again from the cart.
"Old Ti, who is that young boy in front of us?"
Old Ti turned, as he looked at the boy.
A few dozen feet away, on the edge of the firelight, a lone young boy in a white robe sat cross-legged by a small bonfire. He had a slab of cooked monster meat skewered on a wooden stick, which he was chewing slowly. His long hair was tied behind his head in a simple knot, and though his robe was dusty, he sat with the calm grace of someone accustomed to hardship.
"Young lady, do you want me to chase him away?"Old Ti asked.
"No need. He's only a Martial Apprentice Cultivator. Just ask him who he is and what he's doing here."the female voice come from inside the cart.
Old Ti nodded and began making his way toward the youth.
The moment he reached a few steps from the young man's fire, he called out sternly,
"Boy, what's your name and what are you doing here?"Old Ti asked.
The young boy who was roasting meat slowly turned his head, lifting his gaze from the fire to meet the Old Ti eyes.
This young boy was none another than Xiao Wei.
The fire crackled softly as Xiao Wei sat cross legged, calmly roasting a skewer of monster meat over the flames. The aroma of cooked flesh wafted through the clearing, mixing with the earthy scent of the forest night. He took a slow, deliberate bite, chewing without hurry.
Across from him, Old Ti stood with furrowed brows, his expression wavering between irritation and anger.
Just as Old Ti opened his mouth to repeat his question, Xiao Wei spoke first, his tone calm but cutting.
"Old man, if you want someone to tell you something, you must first introduce yourself."Xiao Wei said.
The words were not loud, but they rang clear in the night air like the sharp clang of metal. Around the convoy's camp, several workers froze, their hands pausing mid-motion as they prepared food or stacked firewood.
A few looked toward the youth by the fire, startled expressions on their faces.
"Did you hear that? He dared to lecture Old Ti?"one of the workers whispered.
"This kid has guts. He's just a Martial Apprentice, but courage is far above his Realm."another muttered.
Old Ti's face twitched. For a moment, his pride as an elder flared, and he clenched his jaw. No young brat had spoken to him like that in a long time. His eyes flicked toward the curtained carriage, where the clan matriarch waited. He knew she would be listening carefully.
A long silence followed.
Then, to everyone's surprise, Old Ti let out a sigh and smiled—though the smile didn't reach his eyes.
"You're not wrong, boy. I'm called Old Ti. We're from the Dan Clan of Kin City. We're on our way home after finishing some business."Old Ti said with a low chuckle
Xiao Wei glanced at the older man, then shifted his gaze briefly to the rest of the convoy. The workers had resumed their tasks, but a few still looked his way curiously. His eyes finally settled on the heavily fortified carriage, the one covered on all four sides with thick wooden panels and adorned with silver etchings that glinted under moonlight.
That was the core of the group—the person of importance was clearly inside.
Xiao Wei smiled faintly as he took another bite from his roasted meat and then looked back at Old Ti.
Suddenly, a calm yet firm voice echoed in his mind.
'All of the workers are in the Martial Apprentice Realm. But if I am not wrong than that Old Ti… he's in the Ninth Layer of the Martial Grandmaster Realm.'
It was Shadow Ming, speaking from within Xiao Wei's shadow.
Xiao Wei's brows twitched slightly, his expression unchanged, but his heart stirred. He had assumed Old Ti might be around the Martial Master Realm—strong, but not alarmingly so. But a Ninth Layer Grandmaster? That was a power far beyond what Xiao Wei could currently contend with.
Still, he remained composed.
With his face bathed in firelight, he took another deliberate bite of the monster meat. After chewing for a moment, he glanced up at the older man and finally spoke.
"You can call me Xiao Wei. I'm headed to Kin City."Xiao Wei said.
Old Ti, who had been standing with arms behind his back, narrowed his eyes.
"Kin City? Why are you going there, boy?"Old Ti said, curiosity flickering in his voice.
But Xiao Wei didn't respond. Instead, his gaze shifted calmly toward the carriage—the heavy, locked vehicle adorned with subtle but refined ornamentation. It was clear someone important—someone valuable—was inside.
The silence stretched between them, tension heavy in the air.
Old Ti's fists clenched at his side. He opened his mouth, perhaps ready to bark another question, but then he stopped himself. His gaze flicked again to the carriage. After a brief internal struggle, he turned on his heel with a grunt and walked away without another word.
Midnight draped the forest camp in stillness. The flickering embers of the dying bonfires cast long, flickering shadows across the resting figures of the caravan members. All around, the night was quiet, save for the occasional chirping of insects and the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze.
Most of the workers had succumbed to exhaustion, sprawled in rough bedrolls or slumped against tree trunks. Even the horses, still harnessed to the wagons, stood silently with lowered heads. Yet two figures remained awake in the silence of the night—Old Ti, who patrolled the perimeter like a silent wraith, and Xiao Wei, seated cross-legged near the fading firelight.
Xiao Wei's robes fluttered slightly with each breath as he circulated his Spiritual Energy.
But Xiao Wei wasn't Cultivating in complete silence.
Shadow Ming voice echoed through his consciousness, breaking the meditative quiet.
'Brat, listen carefully. Except for me, no one else in this world is qualified to be your master. From today, I'll start teaching you the path of Array Formation. Hmph but I was once a Tier 2 Array Master. My arrays once protected sects, sealed monsters, and even trapped a Martial King.'
'Brat, why don't you accept me as your master already? I don't mean to brag, but back when I was alive, I was a poweful Tier 2 Array Master!'
Shadow Ming's tone was arrogant and proud, as always.
Xiao Wei, however, merely smiled faintly without opening his eyes.
"Shadow Ming, I didn't want to brag either, but I've taught myself Alchemy. Without a master, without any formal training… and I've already reached Tier 1 Alchemist."Xiao Wei whispered under his breath, barely louder than the breeze.
"I'm also very close to becoming a Tier 2 Alchemist."Xiao Wei added.