"Here, proceed east for ten miles and you will reach Lincheng. Brother Chen, if we speed up, we can arrive tonight."
Pei Jiangnan, who had been speeding all the way from the imperial capital, pointed to the east far away, his eyes showing a bit of urgency. The people of Lincheng were in imminent danger. He tried his best to hurry along, but since he had to wait for Chen Mo and his group, he could only keep slowing down.
However, the energetic Pei Jiangnan still wanted to continue on the journey, but the people behind him were starting to feel a bit exhausted. Although Gao Tianlang, Ning Xin, and Li Yueyue were still okay, just a bit out of breath, with fine sweat on their faces and forehead, but Qian Qipe and the other two couldn't take it. The two of them lay on the ground, exhausted like dead dogs.
"Can't do it anymore. I can't handle it. It's too tiring, and if I don't get some rest soon, I'll die here."
Sun Qian took a deep, heavy breath, looking as though he would absolutely not continue on the journey.
"That's right, even hanging yourself should give us some time to catch our breath. If I collapse from exhaustion, who will treat you?"
Su Kekan and Sun Qian had fallen to the ground, collapsed from fatigue, and were immobile.
Pei Jiangnan raised an eyebrow, his expression looking rather unpleasant. "In my opinion, you guys didn't need to come along at all. It's much better to stay in the imperial capital; no need to go through the trouble of traveling."
"That's not an option."
Sun Qian sat up directly, "You go do things that might offend powerful people and leave us in the imperial capital. What if that so-called Great Sage of the Grand Country comes to settle the score with us?"
Pei Jiangnan's mouth twitched, wanting to argue further, but he saw Chen Mo let out a deep breath and then say, "Sun Qian and the rest are right. We have indeed been tired from the journey. Brother Pei, we're going to Lincheng to deal with the Great Sage's underlings. Moreover, we might even encounter assassins who are lying in wait along the way. It might not be wise to face them in our current state. Gathering our strength is not a bad idea, after all; sharpening the blade doesn't hinder the cutting of firewood."
Chen Mo's words made sense. Although Pei Jiangnan believed that his strength alone was sufficient enough to contend with the entire Tianlong Empire, having learned about the power of the Shadow Pavilion and Tengu Punishment, he ultimately chose to take things slow.
"There's an inn not far ahead. We'll take a rest there for the night. What do you think?"
Pei Jiangnan suggested.
Chen Mo nodded slightly, indicating that he was agreeable. As long as they had time and a place to rest and recuperate, he was more than happy; and naturally, the two who had followed him from afar, Ning Xin and Li Yueyue, had no objections either.
After some discussion among the five of them, they accelerated their pace and set out. The Qian Qipe duo was left floundering in the wind.
"Wait a minute, hey, why didn't you wait for us? What if those assassins come looking for trouble?"
Sun Qian, agitated, immediately jumped up and shouted.
"Stop yelling. They're in a hurry to leave. How can they spare the time to pay us any attention?"
Su Kekan let out a wry smile, sat up from the ground, and then grabbed Sun Qian's clothes with one hand. "Sun Qian, I can't walk anymore. You have to carry me."
"You think it's so great? Why should it be me carrying you?"
"But I'm a girl, you know."
Su Kekan spoke in a delicate, coquettish tone, but Sun Qian paid no heed and instead mimicked her tone, saying, "I'm a boy too, why don't you carry me?"
Su Kekan clenched her teeth and gave Sun Qian a big, disdainful look. "Sun Qian, we've been working together for years. Can't you let me have this one?" she angrily said.
"Let you? Absolutely. In return for money."
Sun Qian held out his right hand, looking down at Su Kekan who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, and said with a smug smile.
"Offer money, but no. Offer people, there are plenty."
"Phh, I don't want your people. They're not worth anything."
"What did you say?"
Su Kekan's phoenix eyes widened, and she immediately jumped up from the ground, wrapping her arms around Sun Qian's neck and biting him fiercely on the shoulder.
"Ouch——"
Sun Qian sucked in a breath and hopped about in pain, "Su Kekan, get off me."
"I'm not coming down until you carry me, unless you do it yourself."
"You bit me and now you expect me to carry you? Su Kekan, if you don't get down right now, I'll have it out with you."
Chen Mo and the others walked for a quarter of an hour before finally arriving at a secluded inn.
The inn wasn't large, and from the entrance, the entire lobby could be seen at a glance. There were about five or six tables arranged in a square shape, with neatly placed long benches. The old staircase led directly to the second floor, and there was a middle-aged woman standing at the front desk, 'click-clicking' away on her abacus, looking like the owner of the inn.
There was only one servant in the shop, but it was an old man. His hair and beard were all white, and his face was full of wrinkles. At seventy or eighty years old, he looked like he had one foot in the coffin already but was still busy cleaning up and down the inn.
Upon seeing Chen Mo and the others, he immediately forced a chrysanthemum-like smile on his face, "Gentlemen, are you here for a meal or looking to stay the night?"
Pei Jiangnan casually scanned the surroundings, his eyes locking onto the old man for a moment, and then he spoke in a low tone, "We'll be staying for the night."
"All right, guests, please follow me to the second floor."
Although the old man looked very old, his voice wasn't at all feeble. It was as loud and resounding as a bell, echoing throughout the inn.
"No, no need to rush. Since we have the chance to rest at the inn, we should definitely have a good meal. Old man, bring us some good wine and meat."
Chen Mo gently waved his hand, picked a seat at random, and sat down. He scanned the surroundings with his eyes and then settled on a young man in the corner.
The young man was dressed in a moon-white scholar's robe and a hat, with handsome features, but there was a trace of evilness in his demeanor. He held an old and antique long-necked instrument in his hands, which was covered in dust. As he lightly brushed the strings with his long fingers, he looked as if he were in a trance.
Chen Mo continued to glance at the middle-aged woman standing at the front desk. She was fat and plump, giving off an impression of an ordinary wealthy family. However, the way she moved her fingers on the abacus had a touch of abnormality. She appeared to be fully focused on the ledger in her hands, yet her eyes frequently scanned their group.
Pei Jiangnan sat down beside Chen Mo, smiled slightly, and said, "Brother Chen seems quite interested. Have you discovered something?"
"Brother Pei is also a man of understanding. I don't have to say much."
Chen Mo chuckled lightly, and casually waved his hand. The old man, with a smile on his face, hurried over, "What can I do for you, sir?"
Chen Mo carefully inspected the old man from top to bottom. The familiar appearance made him couldn't help but secretly laugh. It seemed that after three hundred years, the old man had forgotten him. However, he was curious how the old man had ended up in this state.
"I'm hungry. Bring me some meat to eat."
"Meat? What kind of meat would you like, sir? Beef, pork, or perhaps a mythical beast..."
"Dragon meat? Do you have any?"
"Gentleman, you joked. How could I possibly find such meat for you?"
The old man was clearly taken aback by Chen Mo's abrupt question. True dragons had never been seen in the world, but there were many beastial creatures named after dragons.
"You have dragons here, don't you? The Iron Finger Flying Dragon."
Chen Mo chuckled, his voice trailing off, and the old man's face turned pale. His eyes were filled with cold murderous intent.
