Chapter 287 - 41: Descending the Mountain with a Blade

Chapter 287: Chapter 41: Descending the Mountain with a Blade

Yuan Lan didn’t ask any more questions. He just gave Chen Ye a deep look and nodded.

"Alright. I wish you a safe journey."

To him, what Chen Ye was going to do or who he was going to kill didn’t matter.

The important thing was that Chen Ye had to untie this knot himself. Otherwise, the five-year agreement would be nothing but empty words, and his own hopes to Transform into a Dragon would be greatly diminished.

Chen Ye bowed once more, then turned and descended the mountain.

...

The morning mist in the Southern Wilderness Mountain Range was thick, and the air was filled with the damp scent of grass and trees. Dewdrops gathered on the tips of blades of grass, then dripped silently to the ground.

At the same time, Chen Ye was moving through the forest.

He moved with great speed, yet he didn’t cause the slightest ripple, not even disturbing the mist he passed through.

A Yin Ghost, coiled beneath the roots of an old tree, was greedily absorbing wisps of Yin Qi leaking from the earth’s veins. It was completely unaware of Chen Ye as he drifted past.

Only after Chen Ye’s figure had vanished into the distance did it belatedly twitch its shriveled body.

But before it could make a move, a biting, sharp aura struck it, shattering its form and scattering it into the morning mist.

This was the Chen Ye of today. His control over his Qi Mechanism was perfect, refined to its absolute peak.

If he chose not to reveal it, he was as unremarkable as the grass and trees by the roadside, blending in with his surroundings.

But with a mere flicker of his will, the sharpness he could unleash was enough to slay ghosts and annihilate gods.

Back when he fled from Qingzhou into the Southern Wilderness Mountain Range, it had taken Chen Ye two full days. He had spent the entire journey hiding and scurrying, a pathetic sight.

Now, however, leaving took him only half a day.

As his feet touched the official road outside the mountains, watching the caravans and crowds coming and going, listening to the clamor in his ears, Chen Ye felt as if he had stepped into another world.

Five years.

He hadn’t heard such a clamor of human voices for five whole years.

Although his years in the mountains had been peaceful and fulfilling, they had also created a slight rift between him and the mortal world.

But the feeling was fleeting. Chen Ye quickly adjusted his mindset.

He didn’t rush to continue his journey. Instead, he first found a secluded spot to make some changes to his appearance.

A moment later, a wandering Swordsman with a sallow complexion and slightly murky eyes appeared on the official road.

There were many people like him on the road: Swordsmen, traveling merchants, refugees fleeing disaster... People from All Walks of Life were present.

Therefore, Chen Ye blended in among them without drawing any attention. No one would ever discover that he was the very same Chen Ye who had caused a sensation five years ago, the one with a kill order on his head from the Celestial Sword Manor.

And so, with a saber on his back, Chen Ye walked unhurriedly toward Qingzhou City.

Chen Ye’s gait was steady, each step covering almost the exact same distance—a habit born from long years of arduous Cultivation.

At the same time, his eyes were half-lidded, making him appear listless, but in reality, he was taking in every detail of his surroundings.

He saw several farmers in a roadside teahouse, arguing until they were red in the face over some trivial matter.

He saw a lavish carriage race by. A corner of the curtain lifted to reveal the face of a pretty young girl, a Token for an Outer Disciple of the Celestial Sword Manor hanging from her waist.

He also saw an old, ragged beggar huddled by the road, holding out a withered hand to beg from passersby. But from time to time, a sharp glint flashed in the old man’s eyes.

This was the mundane. This was the world of mortals.

It was full of passions and desires, full of petty struggles for personal gain, and yet, it was also bursting with vibrant life.

Compared to the monotonous life in the mountains, which was so pure it consisted only of Cultivation and killing, this was a completely different world.

In that moment, it felt as though Chen Ye’s state of mind was gently stirred by this worldly atmosphere.

The aura around him, which had grown excessively sharp from years of harsh training, quietly retracted a little more, becoming smoother and more complete.

’Cultivation isn’t just about cultivating power,’ he thought, ’but also about one’s understanding of the world.’

’Blindly building a cart behind closed doors will only lead you further and further from the Dao.’

Having come to this realization, Chen Ye’s mood lightened.

He stopped deliberately observing his surroundings and instead, like a true traveler, let himself merge into the rolling tide of humanity.

After walking for about an hour, a sizable merchant caravan appeared ahead.

Dozens of large carts were piled high with goods, covered by thick, oiled cloths that obscured their contents.

The caravan was guarded by over a hundred men armed with various weapons. With their bulging temples and formidable auras, they were clearly all trained martial artists.

The leader was a middle-aged man on a tall horse. A Ring-Headed Saber hung at his waist, and his gaze was as sharp as an eagle’s as he scanned his surroundings vigilantly.

Looking at the caravan, an idea stirred in Chen Ye’s mind.

’I know nothing about how the outside world has changed over the past five years,’ he thought. ’It would be best to blend in with this caravan. It’s a good way to hide in plain sight and gather some information.’

Having made up his mind, he walked unhurriedly toward the caravan.

"Halt! What do you want?"

The moment Chen Ye got close, two guards at the rear of the caravan, responsible for covering the back, immediately grew wary. Their Steel Sabers were drawn half an inch from their scabbards as they blocked his path.

Chen Ye stopped, cupped his fist in a salute to the two men, and forced a simple, honest smile onto his face. In a slightly raspy voice, he said, "Don’t misunderstand, brothers. I’m just a lone Swordsman trying to make a living in Qingzhou City. Seeing as you’re heading to Qingzhou too, I was hoping I could travel with you. It’s always good to have company on the road."

He spoke very politely, and his posture was humble.

The two guards looked him up and down. Seeing his sallow face, unremarkable aura, and the saber on his back wrapped in a tattered cloth that hid its quality, he looked completely destitute. The wariness in their eyes lessened slightly.