"So, what's the matter? Why is it best not to go to Liang Family Town and Qilian Mountain?"

Hearing Chu Ge ask again, the driver hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded, "Okay, well... I'll tell you."

After speaking, the driver glanced around again, looking guilty like a thief, which made Chu Ge both curious and amused. There were only the two of them in the car, what was there for the driver to look at?

"Actually... it's like this. Just the day before yesterday, I took my wife and kids to Qilian Mountain, and then... then..."

At this point, the driver hesitated again, his eyes showing sheer terror, cold sweat seeping out visibly from his forehead, and his hands on the steering wheel began to tremble uncontrollably.

Seeing the driver like this, Chu Ge knew he must have seen something dreadful. He couldn't help but become more serious. The day before yesterday... wasn't that the day Chen Zhihao called him?

After waiting for a few seconds, Chu Ge raised his hand and patted the driver's shoulder, smiling slightly, "What happened then?"

The driver was obviously startled by Chu Ge again. Thinking back on that day's events, it all seemed absurd, yet he was sure it was no dream; that terrifying scene had truly unfolded right before his eyes.

Over the past two days, he had kept this matter bottled up, hardly able to breathe from the pressure, always wanting to share it with someone. But he knew that even if he did, people would laugh at him, or worse, think he was crazy.

But now he truly couldn't hold it in any longer, the urge to talk growing stronger. After all, this person was just a passenger who happened to get into his car; they probably wouldn't have any interaction after today. So he might as well say it!

"In the end, I don't know if I saw an Immortal or a monster, it almost scared me to death! Really, I'm not lying, honestly!"

The driver's expression became very agitated, breathing heavily, his trembling hands tightly clenched together. After speaking, he hurriedly covered his mouth, again casting frightened glances around.

Chu Ge was slightly taken aback, then gently patted the driver's shoulder, smiling at him calmly, "I believe you, don't be nervous, take your time to speak."

"You, you believe me?" The driver abruptly turned his head, staring intently into Chu Ge's eyes, then quickly gave a self-deprecating smile, "Forget it, how could you believe me? But thank you, you're a good person, at least you didn't laugh at me even if you think I'm crazy."

The driver took a sip from a bottle of mineral water, appearing much calmer. Although he spoke a bit incoherently, Chu Ge understood everything through his narration.

It turned out that the day before yesterday, the driver took his wife and kids to climb Qilian Mountain and had a stomach upset. Looking for a secluded place to relieve himself, he inadvertently saw an old man from afar.

The old man was furious, frenzied, yelling and attacking everything around him manically, where his fists and feet landed, rocks splattered everywhere, trees crashed down, utterly unstoppable.

"Buddy, you have no idea what it was like. Those tree trunks and rocks seemed made of tofu, I was so scared my legs went weak. I really suspected that old man wasn't human, either a monster or an Immortal!"

Hearing this, Chu Ge pondered.

If he guessed right, the monster the driver mentioned should be someone from the Liang Family, and someone very close to Liang Chen, or else he wouldn't have been so angry as to need such a mad outburst.

The driver sighed, leaning his head against the car seat, staring blankly at the car roof.

"I'm not exaggerating at all. When he hit the cliff wall, even though I was far away, I felt the ground beneath me tremble. I even thought if he saw me, he'd tear me to pieces. Only after he had left for a long time did I sneak over to take a look. That hard rock wall had a pit with each of his punches, and the deepest one was this deep!"

The driver gave a wry smile, turning to gesture to Chu Ge, indicating a depth of about six or seven centimeters, implying the old man's fist nearly pierced into the rock wall.

"Oh... so, buddy, I'd advise you better not to go. If you're unlucky enough to encounter such a creature, your life will surely be at stake, wouldn't it be my fault then? It's a sin!"

"Driving you there is easy, but the problem is I'd never know in my lifetime if you were still alive. I'm afraid I'd be haunted by this thought forever, I can't take this fare!"

Chu Ge smiled, patting the driver's shoulder, "Thanks, driver. Since you say so, I won't go."

The driver let out a long breath, "Ah, that's good. Talking to you cleared my mind quite a bit. If I hadn't spoken these words, I'd really fear being suffocated."

Just as he was about to turn the car around, he noticed Chu Ge had already gotten off, unexpectedly leaving two hundred yuan on the passenger seat.

"Buddy, what's this..."

"I happen to have something to do nearby anyway, so I won't trouble you to take me back. Please keep the fare, driver. You're a good person, consider it my thanks for reminding me about these things."

Chu Ge finished speaking, smiled at the driver again, waved his hand, and then started walking.

The driver hesitated for a moment before finally accepting the two hundred yuan, though he had no idea that after he left, the young man he just warned got into another taxi, still heading for Liang Family Town.

There are some things Chu Ge had no choice but to do, he just didn't want to disregard the driver's goodwill; a stranger's kindness at first meeting is most heartwarming.

Even if that old man really is some kind of immortal or monster, and the road ahead is full of dangers, he has to go and face whatever comes today.

It took a full hour and a half for the taxi Chu Ge transferred to reach the outskirts of Jiangyun City, at the foot of Qilian Mountain in Liang Family Town.

As the taxi got closer, a large brick-red and jade-greeb gate supported by eight stone pillars came into view. At the center was a square plaque with the three gilded words "Liang Family Town" artistically inscribed, each stroke sharp and solid, exuding a sense of historical grandeur and simplicity.

Getting out of the car at the main entrance, Chu Ge gazed into the distance. The town wasn't very large, and from where he stood, he could see all the way to the end. The town was bustling, with cars coming and going, and buildings neatly arranged in rows. Though not as noisy as the city, it wasn't particularly serene either.

It's no wonder, with the support of Chen Zhihao's Marriott Group, it would indeed be strange if the place were barren and desolate, like a mere village.

The times are advancing. Even a well-known Buddhist Master carries a laptop everywhere and has even said that "Buddha should keep up with the times." Anyone who thinks that ancient martial families are still like those depicted in kung fu dramas would be sorely mistaken.

Furthermore, in a large and thriving family with so many people, not everyone born into such an environment is willing to devote all their time and energy to the martial arts.

After all, studying martial arts is an incredibly tedious and endless endeavor. The world is full of temptations, and there are many paths to success. Why choose just one and stumble blindly into darkness?

Of course, the condition of ancient martial families shouldn't be oversimplified; each situation requires a specific analysis.

Chu Ge leisurely strolled along the streets of Liang Family Town, his expression calm and natural, looking just like an ordinary tourist.

"Beep beep"

Two honks sounded from behind Chu Ge, followed by a champagne-black Bentley Mulsanne driving by. The window rolled down, and a middle-aged man in the driver's seat turned his head, locking gazes with Chu Ge, his deep-set eyes sharp as a hawk's.

"Seems like I can save on call expenses."

Chu Ge stopped, gave a faint smile at the middle-aged man in the Bentley, opened the passenger-side door, and sat down, not even glancing at the man in the back seat, as he lazily leaned back against the seat, the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

"Mr. Chen Zhihao personally came to pick me up; I'm truly flattered."

Chen Zhihao watched Chu Ge for a few seconds, nodded slightly, "Not a bad opening line. Indeed... you're braver than I expected."

Chu Ge gave a slight smile, neither confirming nor denying, casually glancing around, "Nice car, 2012 model, 6.8T, EIC special edition; quite impressive."

"Didn't expect you to know about cars as well." Chen Zhihao slightly curled his lips, opened the small wine cabinet in the car, revealing two exquisite wine glasses and a bottle of red wine, "Before we get down to business, would you care for a good drink?"

"I really appreciate Mr. Chen's kind offer. Romanée-Conti, according to Robert Parker, is a wine for millionaires, but only billionaires can actually drink it. This wine might not be much to Mr. Chen, but to a pauper like myself, it's quite an honor."

Chen Zhihao's right hand holding the wine bottle paused slightly, then he chuckled lightly, "Seems you not only know cars but wine as well, just that..."

The "just that" was left unfinished by Chen Zhihao, ending with a soft laugh through his nose, then he turned his eyes back to the wine.

However, just as he was about to open the bottle, Chu Ge reached out, blocking his right hand and the bottle.

"Just that, let's have the wine after we finish our business."

Chu Ge also said "just that," but what he meant contrasted sharply with the unfinished words of Chen Zhihao.

Chen Zhihao stared at Chu Ge for a few seconds, slightly tilted his head, lowered his eyelids, pressed his left thumb to his temple, and gently rubbed his forehead with his index finger, suddenly breaking into loud laughter.

The man in the back seat, however, frowned.

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