Chapter 108: Taking Cover
“What letter?” Guo Mulin questioned with anger.
“Don’t you have a little too much time on your hands to worry about these things?”
“Seven Grandmasters were dispatched and I bet you that Lu Yurong was present there too. Now that one of their Grandmasters’ is dead, they’re definitely not going to let this go. We only have this small company of people and we’ll lose for sure. However, this is a great opportunity to kill Lu Yurong,” Chu Li said.
Guo Mulin checked Chu Li’s pulse and scoffed, “Seems like you’re still brimming with energy!”
He never thought that the effect of the drug could be this profound. Even though he had consumed quite a few spirit drugs at one go, it still should not have made a man at the edge of death rejuvenate back this quickly.
Siao Shi furrowed her brows. She muttered and then proceeded to give a light nod, “Hai Qingshan, you shall make the journey.”
“Understood, Lady!” Hai Qingshan fist saluted and replied.
“Lady, let me do it!” Zhao Qingshan said. “I’ll send Chu Li back while I’m at it.”
“…That’s great too.” Siao Shi looked at Chu Li.
“Lady!” Chu Li quickly called out.
Siao Shi quietly looked at him.
Chu Li urged her, “Elder Zhao Qingshan can’t leave! We won’t know when Lu Yurong will arrive!”
“What about you?” Siao Shi asked.
Chu Li thought for a moment and shook his head, “I can’t leave either.”
“Oh–?” Siao Shi showed an interested expression.
“They have a deep hatred towards me. As soon as I leave Lady’s side, they’ll destroy me immediately!” Chu Li said.
Siao Shi smiled, “They want to eliminate you more than me?”
“I’m afraid so,” Chu Li gave out a helpless nod.
Siao Shi smirked, “Seems like you are afraid of death.”
“I’m afraid of dying without a good cause!” Chu Li exclaimed.
“At least I’d have all the elders with me if I’m with Lady Siao Shi. Nonetheless, as soon as I leave the protection of these elders, Lu Yurong will kill me for sure!”
“Why? What is this grudge between you and Lu Yurong?” Guo Mulin asked out of curiosity.
Chu Li bitterly smiled.
Zhao Qingshan smiled too, as he shook his head.
“Zhao Qingshan, do you know?” Guo Mulin stared at him with anger. “Say it, quickly!”
Zhao Qingshan smiled, “We tarnished the Hu Ren Public House’s prestige not long ago, remember?”
“The White Stone Town!” Hai Qingshan called out uncontrollably.
Zhao Qingshan looked at Chu Li and smiled, “The White Stone Town incident had twenty-four of their innate masters killed, and it was Young Chu who performed the deed. Don’t you think that Lu Yurong would want to kill him?”
“She’d hate not being able to tear him apart!” Guo Mulin nodded.
“If he was caught by Lu Yurong, I feel that he won’t even die in peace. They’ll definitely torture him beforehand!”
Chu Li nodded.
“Seem like you’re someone with some good benefits on reports,” Siao Shi smiled.
“Alright, you’ll come along with me. What do you think, Elder Guo Mulin?”
“Hmm… He should actually be following us so I can monitor his health. Besides that, I can nurse him back to his original shape,” Guo Mulin scoffed. “He’s hurt too badly!”
Siao Shi turned around and said, “Hai Qingshan, you go back and tell everything to big brother. Listen to what he has to say about this.”
“What about the entourage after I leave?” Hai Qingshan asked worriedly.
Lady Siao Shi needed someone to serve her. The six elder and Elder Guo Mulin were all not qualified to serve people. And then there was Chu Li, who needed the extra attention for his health. Without Hai Qingshan, who knows what could happen to them!
“Just go!” Guo Mulin scoffed.
“Are we going to die of hunger if we left without you?” Hai Qingshan looked at Siao Shi.
Siao Shi smiled, “Go on. Come back as soon as possible.”
“…Understood.” Hai Qingshan answered as he fist saluted. He then looked towards Chu Li.
Chu Li forced himself to wave a goodbye.
Hai Qingshan curiously got closer.
Chu Li lowered his voice, “Don’t go too fast, you might get caught.”
“I will be fine,” Hai Qingshan said.
He levitated and left, making his way through the woods.
This journey was not an easy one. He needed to defend himself from being assassinated from the Hu Ren Public House. He would have a large bounty on his head if he rode on a horse. He needed to quickly pass the news and get reinforcements. If the Public House ambushed the entourage again, the Second Lady will be in danger!
“My Lady, we need to change our location as well,” Zhao Qingshan said.
Siao Shi slowly nodded, “Elder Guo Mulin, can Chu Li move?”
“We’ll have to go slower,” Guo Mulin said. “It’s unfortunate that this young man here destroyed our carriage!”
Chu Li smiled in embarrassment.
Guo Mulin stared at him and turned away, “Zhao Qingshan, rush the carriage here!”
Zhao Qingshan turned and flew. He brought the carriage over really quickly. He also brought the other horses and made eight of them run in eight different directions; potentially confusing the enemy.
Chu Li gasped in admiration. He was indeed a veteran of the martial arts world. Zhao Qingshan is highly experienced.
The carriage had lost its wagon and looked like flat paneled handcart. Chu Li was lying on the soft blanket, closing his eyes while absorbing the spiritual energy from his surroundings in an attempt to nourish his body. With the heat coming up from his lower abdomen, his body was recovering rapidly.
The handcart was shaking and moving for about an hour until Chu Li suddenly said, “Lady, they’re coming for us again!”
“The Hu Ren Public House?” Siao Shi opened her brilliant, bright eyes.
She was sitting next to Chu Li on his left. She closed her eyes for meditation.
Chu Li nodded.
Guo Mulin was sitting to his right. He furrowed his brows and asked, “How do you know?”
“I sensed it.”
Siao Shi tilted her head and looked at him.
“Elder Zhao Qingshan, is someone coming?” Guo Mulin asked.
Zhao Qingshan gently nodded, “We need to find somewhere to hide!”
With Lady Siao Shi here, there was no other choice but to hold their stand and fight. They were unable to escape. It was unfortunate that Hai Qingshan won’t be returning soon. It was going to be a harsh fight. However, they luckily have gotten rid of a Grandmaster beforehand. If they had not, they would not have stood chance.
“There’s a cave over there!” Chu Li pointed towards the peak off to the side.
“Brother Guo Mulin, you bring Lady Siao Shi and Young Chu Li there. I shall distract them!” Zhao Qingshan turned and said. Since it had come to this point, his only choice was to trust Chu Li.
“… Okay!” Guo Mulin nodded helplessly.
Chu Li did not want to come out with any ideas to prevent others from developing a bad impression of him in trying to act smart. Yet, he could not take it any longer. Even though Zhao Qingshan was a Grandmaster, he was not gifted in dealing with quick wit with situations like this.
He lightly coughed, “Elder Zhao Qingshan, once they realize that a few members of our group are missing, they’ll definitely scout out to find them. Then they’ll find us very easily.”
“That’s true,” Zhao Qingshan furrowed his brows.
After Chu Li pointed it out, he knew his decisions were not the best. The three of them had no fighting ability to speak of. The minute they were found, it would be their demise. It was better if he followed them, where he would be able to protect them as well.
“We’ll go together,” Chu Li said.
“Hmm….you’re right, very right!” Zhao Qingshan quickly nodded. “We’ll move together!”
Guo Mulin shook his head, “Elder Zhao Qingshan, you’re way dumber than you look!”
“You aren’t any better! Let’s not go around calling the kettle black, alright?” Zhao Qingshan replied angrily.
Siao Shi looked at Chu Li and said, “Let us go uphill then.”
The entourage increased their speed. When the carriage reached the bottom of the hill, Guo Mulin carried Chu Li on his back and held onto Siao Shi. They climbed halfway through the hill rather quickly. They looked around but did not find any caves.
Chu Li pointed at a direction while on Guo Mulin’s back. “There.”
Guo Mulin widened his eyes to look around, “What cave!? By the way young man, have you ever came here before?”
“You’ll see it when you push the ivy aside!” Chu Li said.
Zhao Qingshan walked to the front of the stone wall where Chu Li pointed. The entrance was covered with thick foliage. They could barely even see the color of the stone.
He pulled away from the thick ivy creepers aside. He suddenly stopped and laughed, “Hehe, there actually is a cave! I shall quickly scout it!”
He rushed into the opening. He squeezed into the cave and popped his head out after few moments. He waved to the entourage.
Guo Mulin laughed, “Well done Young Chu Li, there actually is a cave!”
Guo Mulin supported Siao Shi with his hand. Her forehead had a layer of sweat and her face was pale. It looked lovely and it enticed people to care about her.
Zhao Qingshan rearranged the ivy to cover the cave. The entourage inside for about ten meters before they were stopped by a dead end. They all found a place to take a seat.
“Young Chu Li, we’re all going to die if they find us!” Guo Mulin turned his head and sized up the place. He shook his head, “We are asking them to catch the turtle from the pottery!”
“They can’t find us here,” Chu Li said.
“Maybe not!” Guo Mulin scoffed.
Zhao Qingshan quickly waved off his hand, hinting them to be silent.
Chu Li saw fourteen people at the foothill with Omniscient Mirror. There were six Grandmasters and eight innate masters.
They had tailed them using the tracks left by the carriage. They did not stop.
Chu Li let out a breath. He could hope for this situation. If they were found, they would most probably be the end of their journey.
After a while, Chu Li furrowed his brows. “They’ve found us!”
Comments