"What letter?"
Mulin asked angrily.
"Don't you have a little too much time on your hands to worry about these things?"
"Seven Grandmasters were dispatched. I bet Lu Yurong came too. Now that one of their Grandmasters is dead, they're definitely not going to give up. We only have this small company of people, we're losing for sure. In fact, this is a great opportunity to kill Lu Yurong."
Chu Li said.
Mulin checked Chu Li's wrist and scoffed.
"Seems like you're still brimming with energy!"
He never thought that the effect of the drug would be this profound. Even though he had consumed quite a few spirit drugs at one go, it still logically should not have made someone who was one step away from death rejuvenate this quickly.
Siao Shi furrowed her brows and muttered as she lightly nodded.
"Hai Qingshan, you shall make a 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.
"Elder Zhao Qingshan can't leave! We won't know when Lu Yurong will come!"
Chu Li urged her.
"What about you?"
Siao Shi asked.
Chu Li thought for a moment and shook his head.
"I cannot leave either."
"Oh--?"
Siao Shi showed an interested expression.
"They have a deep hatred rooted with me. As soon as I leave Lady's side, they'll destroy me immediately!"
Chu Li said.
Siao Shi smiled.
"They wanted to kill you more than they do me?"
"I'm afraid so."
Chu Li helplessly nodded.
Siao Shi smirked.
"Seems like even you're afraid of death."
"I'm afraid of dying without a good reason!"
Chu Li said.
"At least I'd have all the elders with me if I'm with Lady Siao Shi, but as soon as I leave the protection of these elders, Lu Yurong will kill me for sure!"
"Why's there a grudge between you and Lu Yurong?"
Mulin asked out of curiosity.
Chu Li bitterly smiled.
Zhao Qingshan smiled as he shook his head.
"Zhao Qingshan, do you know?"
Mulin stared at him angrily.
"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. Did you think that Lu Yurong wouldn't want to kill him?"
"She'd hate not being able to tear him apart!"
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 contributions."
Siao Shi smiled.
"Alright, you'll come along with me. What do you think, Elder Mulin?"
"Hmm...he should actually be following us so I can monitor his health and nurse him back to shape."
Mulin scoffed.
"He's hurt too badly!"
Siao Shi turned.
"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 worriedly asked.
Lady Siao Shi needed someone to serve her. The six elder and Elder Mulin were all not material that served people. And then there was Chu Li, who needed the extra attention. Without Hai Qingshan, who knows what would happen to them!
"Just go!"
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 fist saluted as he answered. He then looked at Chu Li.
Chu Li forced himself to wave his hand.
Hai Qingshan curiously got closer.
"Don't go too fast, you might get caught."
Chu Li lowered his voice.
"It'll be fine for me."
Hai Qingshan said.
He levitated and left, making his way through the woods.
This journey was not going to be easy. He needed to defend himself from being sniped by Hu Ren Public House. He would have had a large target on his head if he rode on a horse. It would have been easily cracked. 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 Mulin, can Chu Li move?"
"We'll have to go slower."
Mulin said.
"It's unfortunate this young man here destroyed our carriage!"
Chu Li smiled in embarrassment.
Mulin stared at him and turned.
"Zhao Qingshan, rush the carriage here!"
Zhao Qingshan turned and flew away. He brought the carriage really quickly. He also brought the other horses and made the eight horses run in eight different directions, potentially confusing the enemy.
Chu Li gasped in admiration. He was indeed a veteran of the martial art world. Zhao Qingshan has had many experiences.
The carriage had lost its wagon. It had become a 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 bright eyes.
She was sitting to the left of Chu Li, closing her eyes in meditation.
Chu Li nodded.
Mulin was sitting to his right. He furrowed his brows.
"How do you know?"
He asked.
"I sensed it."
Siao Shi tilted her head and looked at him.
"Elder Zhao Qingshan, is someone coming?"
Mulin asked.
Zhao Qingshan gently nodded.
"We need to find somewhere to hide!"
With Lady Siao Shi there, their only choice was to stand and force a fight if they were unable to escape. It was unfortunate that Hai Qingshan was not returning soon. It was going to be a harsh fight, but they luckily had gotten rid of a Grandmaster beforehand. If they had not, they would have stood no chance.
"There's a cave over there!"
Chu Li pointed at the peak off to the side.
"Brother Mulin, you bring Lady Siao Shi and Young Chu 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!"
Mulin nodded helplessly.
Chu Li did not want to come out with any ideas easily to prevent the others from developing a bad impression of him trying to act smart, but he actually could not have taken it any longer. Even though Zhao Qingshan was a Grandmaster, he was not gifted to deal with emergency situations.
He lightly coughed.
"Elder Zhao Qingshan, once they realized that a few people are missing, they'll definitely get people to look around. They'll then find us very easily."
"That's true."
Zhao Qingshan furrowed his brows.
After being pointed out by Chu Li, he knew his decisions were not suitable. The three of them had no fighting ability to speak of. The moment they were found would be the moment they would be killed. It was better if he followed them, where he would be able to protect them well.
"We'll go together."
Chu Li said.
"Hmm….you're right, very right!"
Zhao Qingshan quickly nodded.
"We'll move together!"
Mulin shook his head.
"Elder Zhao Qingshan, you're way dumber!"
"You aren't any better! Let's not go around calling the kettle black, alright?"
Zhao Qingshan angrily replied.
Siao Shi looked at Chu Li.
"Let us go uphill then."
She gently said.
The entourage increased their speed. When the carriage reached the bottom of the hill, Mulin carried Chu Li on his back and held onto Siao Shi. They climbed halfway through the hill really quickly. They looked around but did not see any caves.
Chu Li pointed at a direction while on Mulin's back.
"There."
Mulin widened his eyes to look around.
"What cave!? By the way young man, have you ever come 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 dense and concentrated ivy covered the stone. They could barely even see the color of the stone.
He pulled the concentrated and thick ivy. He suddenly stopped.
"Hehe, there actually is a cave! I shall quickly scout it!"
He rushed into the opening. He squeezed into the cave and showed his head after a momentary wait. He waved to the entourage.
Mulin laughed.
"Well done Young Chu, there actually is a cave!"
Mulin supported Siao Shi with his hand. Her fair and clean forehead had a layer of tears. 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 walked into the cave about ten meters in and was stopped by a dead end. They all found a place to take a seat.
"Young Chu, we're all going to die if they find us!"
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!"
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 by following the tracks left by the carriage. They did not stop.
Chu Li let out a breath to himself. He could only have made a bet in this situation. If they were found, they would most probably be at the figurative dead end of their journey.
After some a short moment, Chu Li furrowed his brows.
"They've found us!"