"The territory below is managed by another station. You'll have to make your way there on your own!"

The man stopped the carriage and woke the passengers.

"Thanks a lot!" Qi Li rubbed her eyes and called to Su Xuan and Lu Dongshan to get off. The man then simply drove the carriage away.

After getting out of the carriage, Su Xuan stood atop the mountain ridge. He didn't gaze at the clear, brilliant Milky Way in the night sky, but instead closed his eyes and inhaled the mountain's extraordinarily fresh air. He noticed that the air here was completely different from back home.

Taking a single breath is like drinking a bowl of revitalizing soup. If I lived in an environment like this long-term, living to be a hundred would be no problem at all!

"Su Xuan, have you learned the introductory mental technique I left you?" Qi Li suddenly asked.

"I have," Su Xuan replied honestly. "It's definitely an introductory one. Quite simple."

"Alright then!" Qi Li took a deep breath, unable to suppress the shock in her heart.

I consider myself quite intelligent, yet it took me a full three years to master the introductory mental technique. And I only gave it to Su Xuan a few days ago?

Lu Dongshan had the same thought, completely unable to fathom how Su Xuan had learned it so proficiently. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed it! With such an astonishing learning speed, Su Xuan truly ought to be a person of the mountains!

"Then try circulating the mental technique and see what happens," Qi Li said to Su Xuan.

"Is there anything special about it?"

Puzzled, Su Xuan activated the Floating Cloud Sect's mental technique, and his expression grew even stranger. The refreshing essence in the surrounding air seeped into his pores like divine nectar. It not only invigorated his mind but also caused the power within his body to grow rapidly, making him feel energized!

"Let's go!" Qi Li interrupted Su Xuan, smiling. "We've only just entered the mountains. There are many more benefits deeper in!"

WHEW!

Su Xuan exhaled and followed Qi Li. Lu Dongshan, still carrying their lead senior brother, trailed behind them.

"Qi Li, back at Pig's Trotter Mountain, why did they stop the lowlanders from entering the mountains?" Su Xuan asked.

"The reason is simple," Qi Li explained. "For a lowlander to enter the mountains is like a sheep entering a wolf pack; they would have a very hard time surviving. The mountains aren't as orderly as the lowlands, nor do they... protect the weak. At the same time, there's also the fear that lowlanders would spread the secrets of the mountains, causing a massive influx of people. The consequences would be terrible."

"Su Xuan, look over there!" Qi Li suddenly pointed toward the base of the mountain. "There's a small town down there. We'll enter the next station from there."

Su Xuan focused his gaze downward and saw a spread of rooftops under the moonlight.

"But it's too late now. I'm afraid the people at the station won't receive us, so we'll have to find an inn and rest until morning before we continue," Qi Li said, a hint of helplessness in her eyes.

"What if we bypass the station and just continue on our own?" Su Xuan asked.

"We can't do that," Qi Li said, shaking her head. "It would be like taking the subway in your world without going through a security check. It's a transgression."

"Is there a penalty?" Su Xuan asked.

"There is," Lu Dongshan said with a grin. "You get caught and frisked. They're particularly thorough, and they don't care if you're a man or a woman. Every place on your body where you could hide something..."

"Senior Brother!" Qi Li shot Lu Dongshan a glare.

"Hehe, my lips are sealed," Lu Dongshan quickly shut his mouth and hurried along.

The small town at the foot of the mountain didn't look far, but the rugged, difficult path made the journey quite an ordeal. On top of that, the weather was incredibly fickle. One moment the night sky was resplendent with stars, and the next, a dark cloud drifted in from nowhere and raindrops began to fall.

"Damn it, where are you taking me?" their lead senior brother suddenly yelled from inside the sack. "If you don't release me this instant, you'll be responsible for the consequences!"

Lu Dongshan said nothing, simply landing a punch on the sack. The voice immediately went silent. Before they set out, Zhong Huilan had actually administered a high-concentration anesthetic to their captive, which was why he had been so docile. Now, the drug had clearly worn off.

SPLAT! SPLAT!

Large raindrops pelted the rocks on the ground.

Far from being bothered by the downpour, Su Xuan wore a playful expression. It's been a long time since I've been this close to nature. I might as well treat this trip as a real scenic excursion!

Qi Li's pace, however, slowed as she clutched her old wound. It hadn't fully healed, and as the rainwater soaked into it, it felt like ants were taking tiny little bites. To make matters worse, her clothes clung tightly to her body, accentuating her beautiful curves and making her feel embarrassed in front of two men.

Su Xuan, with his exceptional eyesight, took in Qi Li's figure. An old saying inexplicably came to mind: wide hips are good for childbearing. Qi Li would certainly be a fertile woman.

Su Xuan immediately pulled off his jacket and handed it to Qi Li. "Put this on."

Qi Li was about to refuse—her wound was already wet, so it seemed pointless—but then she heard Su Xuan add, "I'm not sure what this jacket is made of, but it's waterproof."

With that, he draped the jacket over her shoulders.

Qi Li's eyes widened in surprise. The inside of Su Xuan's jacket was indeed dry and warm, not soaked by the rain at all. Moreover, it carried a faint, pleasant scent that was definitely not laundry detergent. The moment she smelled it, she felt her heart flutter, and her face grew even redder.

Lu Dongshan had also wanted to offer Qi Li his jacket, but he could only abandon the thought now, feeling envious that Su Xuan's jacket was better than his.

「Forty-some minutes later.」

They finally arrived at the small town. The streets had been washed clean by the rain. The three of them walked slowly along the pristine roads until, after a while, they reached the entrance of an inn. Lights shone from within, adding a touch of warmth to the chilly night.

Qi Li entered first, chatted briefly with the old innkeeper behind the counter, and booked three rooms. The three of them then went to their respective rooms.

"Ha, how quaint!" As soon as Su Xuan entered his room, his eyes widened.

The room's decor was old-fashioned, with a wooden bed and chairs, and the walls were adorned with vintage oil paintings of beautiful women. There was even a television—an old-fashioned cathode-ray tube model, not an LCD—with a DVD player sitting on top of it. The sight made Su Xuan feel as if he had traveled back twenty years.

CLICK!

Curious, Su Xuan found the TV's power button and turned it on. The screen was pure static; not a single channel was watchable. He turned it off and went to check the bathroom, which was surprisingly clean. He ran the tap and found there was hot water, much to his relief. I'm in dire need of a hot bath.

TAP, TAP, TAP!

Just as he was bathing, footsteps sounded from outside the door. To be precise, they're right outside my bathroom door—clearly, someone has broken into my room!

Su Xuan called out, "Who's there?"

A raspy voice answered from the doorway, "It's me..."

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