Chapter 113: Sky-Reaching Guard

“Brother Mu Feng, have you heard of the Five Heroes of Jiannan before?”

Lifting the curtain and looking back at the First Rank Studio fading into the distance, Jing Wushuang asked Mu Feng, who sat opposite her.

As she spoke, she opened the delicate lid of the Plum Blossom Powder. Immediately, a faint fragrance spread to every corner of the carriage, seeping into their hearts. She used her fingernail to take a little and applied it to her skin. A cool, moisturizing sensation quickly spread. It was still unclear how effective it was for detoxification, but for healing wounds and regenerating flesh, it definitely far surpassed ordinary Golden Sore Medicine.

It seemed that Fourth Lady Mei, one of the Five Heroes of Jiannan, not only retained her charm but was also an extraordinary alchemist.

“I haven’t heard of them, but they all seem like true characters. Especially Flying Sky Bat, the leader. Although his temper is a bit fierce, he is definitely not a bad person with ill intentions!”

Mu Feng’s tone was firm as he recalled Flying Sky Bat’s appearance, and he sighed. He was sure that this one-legged old man not only knew his father but also knew many inside stories. It was a pity the other party was unwilling to say more; he could only wait until he broke through to the Elite Realm to ask his mother directly. “This waist token of his is definitely not simple, Shuang’er. You must keep it with you at all times!”

“Yes, Shuang’er understands!”

Jing Wushuang nodded and responded softly.

One was a lame man with astonishing speed but only one leg; one was a master who was both skilled in literature and martial arts, with unfathomable strength, yet lived in seclusion in the wild; one was an unremarkable-looking divine thief whose hands were more nimble than a green snake’s; plus a charming and mysterious beautiful woman… The four members of the Five Heroes of Jiannan who had appeared were all extraordinary.

Although she did not know their exact strength, Jing Wushuang was sure they were all masters among masters, even more formidable than the likes of the North Flow Twin Ghosts who followed Chief Transmission Disciple Mu Tie!

“South of Jianshui, the land is rich and the people talented. The first, second, third, and fourth heroes are all so outstanding. What kind of person is the fifth hero, who has yet to appear? What kind of conflict does he have with Flying Sky Bat, the leader who hates evil?”

Mu Feng’s thoughts ran wild, and he couldn’t help but feel curious about the fifth hero of the Five Heroes of Jiannan, who had never shown himself.

After pondering for a while, he placed the cool Jade Green Xiao horizontally on his knees and opened the music score given by Tranquil Recluse.

Strictly speaking, this music score could be divided into two parts. The first half described the basic knowledge and techniques of playing the xiao, while the second half was the actual music score. On the cover were a few elegant ancient characters—”Bamboo Sea Tide Sound Melody.” Under each line of notes were dense annotations explaining how to channel energy at each part and how to mobilize the Spiritual Power within the body.

“Is this the melody Tranquil Recluse was playing earlier?”

Mu Feng was startled, then became extremely excited.

A great gift!

The transcendent and unfathomable Tranquil Recluse had given him an unimaginably great gift!

The Jade Green Xiao, intricately carved from ancient jade, was extremely valuable, but compared to the “Bamboo Sea Tide Sound Melody” music score, it was far inferior. This was no ordinary melody but a killing sound that could kill without a trace. The few pages of notes essentially condensed the essence of Tranquil Recluse’s cultivation method, containing the profound Path of Tranquility.

First-class mindset, first-class cultivation, first-class demeanor!

Mu Feng felt deep respect. Looking at this great gift in his hand, he understood that it would take who knew how long for him to cultivate the same mindset as Tranquil Recluse.

Cultivation, to some extent, was actually cultivating the heart.

Brute force alone was not enough to reach higher levels. Only when both body and mind were fully developed would breaking through to the next realm come naturally. Some people, despite their great strength, remained stuck at a bottleneck for thousands of years without breaking through. Why? Because although their bodies were strong, their hearts were not strong enough!

Reflecting on this and examining the shortcomings in his own cultivation, Mu Feng sat cross-legged quietly in the carriage. This time, he did not meditate but followed the music score, playing the Jade Green Xiao in his hand. At first, he couldn’t produce any sound at all. Then, sounds came out, but they were either sharp and piercing or hoarse and unpleasant. After practicing for several hours, the sounds began to resemble proper notes.

While he repeatedly played the Jade Green Xiao, Jing Wushuang sat quietly in a corner of the carriage.

Sometimes she gently handed him a clean handkerchief so Mu Feng could wipe the sweat from his face; other times she sat in the corner quietly reading a book. She wasn’t like a book boy but more like an understanding maid, knowing when to appear and when to stand aside quietly. Occasionally, when Mu Feng wasn’t paying attention, she looked at his profile with secret sadness.

Each step closer to the Hengling Mountain Range west of Jianshui City meant they were one step closer to the day they would part!

Sometimes, she really wished the carriage would suddenly break down so they could walk slowly together.

After leaving the village where the First Rank Studio was located, the sturdy carriage sped along the main road until dusk fell, when it finally stopped at a simple roadside inn.

This was a remote small town. Above the inn’s entrance, the words “Maguan Inn” were written in sloppy, blurry characters. Standing at the inn’s doorway, one could vaguely see a shabby street.

Although the inn was humble, because it was near the main road, many people stayed there, mostly traveling merchants and bodyguards. The tables in the main hall were almost all occupied. People were drinking, playing finger-guessing games, and arm wrestling, having a great time, with bursts of enthusiastic cheers from time to time. Many were covered in dust, looking travel-worn from their long journeys.

“Honored guests, this way please!”

Led by the waiter, Mu Feng and Jing Wushuang sat at a corner table in the main hall. Soon, several plates of hot meals were placed before them. The carriage driver had disappeared in the blink of an eye, having gone to park the carriage and find his own lodging. Perhaps due to his nature, he hardly spoke a word along the journey and was seldom seen. Mu Feng had no choice but to let him be.

“Old Man Li, I heard the Northern Frontier is going to war again. You’ve traveled all the way from the Capital City; have you heard any news about this?” A hoarse voice suddenly came from the next table. A sturdy man was asking an old man seated opposite him.

“War? I haven’t heard about that, but indeed, many things have happened in the Capital City recently.”

The old man, named Old Man Li, was thin and spirited, with a goatee. Perhaps due to years of traveling, he was very talkative. He paused, took a swig of strong liquor, and continued, “The General Guarding the North was suddenly summoned to the Capital City. But as soon as he arrived, he was arrested and executed at the marketplace on charges of treason.”

“What? Treason?”

“A great general commanding a million troops, just executed like that? Could it be the Sky-Reaching Guard again…”

…

People started discussing loudly. But when someone mentioned the words “Sky-Reaching Guard,” the noisy inn suddenly fell silent, and everyone looked over.

“Don’t discuss state affairs. Let’s not talk about this. Everyone should discuss how to pass through Green Kill Pass tomorrow. It’s a notorious death pass around here.” Old Man Li broke the silence in a low voice, looking around anxiously. He added, “We’ve been waiting here for three days already. We really can’t delay any longer. Now that enough people have gathered, it’s time to set off together.”

“Yes, with seven or eight merchant teams of all sizes, plus some ordinary travelers, we have over a hundred people. It’s time to go!”

“Not only are there bandits at Green Kill Pass, but it’s also very eerie. I’ve heard lonely ghosts often wander there. Should we wait a bit longer?”

…

When the topic shifted to Green Kill Pass, the tense and uneasy people gradually relaxed and began discussing the next day’s plans.

“Sky-Reaching Guard, Green Kill Pass…”

Mu Feng remained silent, memorizing these two pieces of information.

After waiting a while and hearing nothing more useful, he and Jing Wushuang got up to leave. Unexpectedly, just as they were about to go upstairs to their room, a figure suddenly blocked their path.