13: Mu Huaqing

Late at night, a bored Chen Heng suddenly remembered something.

The orbs left behind when those zombies melted.

These small orbs were distinctly different; the Purple Zombie's orb was purple, while the White Zombie's was translucent.

However, Chen Heng studied them for a long time without understanding them, so he simply put them away for now.

"How do I use this thing?" After putting away the orbs, Chen Heng took out the 'soul suppressing bell' that Cool Daoist had used earlier.

He shook it casually, but the soul suppressing bell didn't even make a sound.

"When others defeat a BOSS, they get all sorts of rewards; I just got a few glass beads and a broken bell."

Chen Heng was a bit depressed, but he couldn't do anything about it.

If he couldn't use it, he couldn't use it. He couldn't do anything even if it killed him.

"Later, when the Optimization count refreshes, I'll optimize the heavy saber in my hand first."

Chen Heng gently stroked the heavy saber in his hand.

Continuously slaying six Purple Zombies and one White Zombie had left some small scratches on the heavy saber.

Although it could still be used for a while, it certainly wouldn't last long.

The heavy saber itself had a good foundation, so the Optimization should yield something decent.

The night passed quickly, and Chen Heng and his group were very lucky; they didn't encounter any wandering demons or ghosts.

Early the next morning, the group continued their journey.

Qiyang City was about six hundred li from Fulai County, and at their current speed, they should arrive in about three or four days.

"Father, can you tell me about your acquaintance in Qiyang City now?" Chen Heng and Chen Fugui sat in front of the carriage, driving it.

"That..." Chen Fugui stammered a bit whenever this topic came up.

"Never mind, even if you don't say anything, I'll find out when we get there anyway." Chen Heng wasn't in a hurry; he'd figure it out sooner or later.

To the sound of hoofbeats, the sun had already reached the center of the sky.

Under the direct sunlight, the temperature rose sharply.

The already corpulent Chen Fugui was already drenched in sweat, looking like he had just been pulled out of water.

"Son, why don't we find a place to rest for a bit?" Chen Fugui wiped his sweat and turned to look at Chen Heng, who was only wearing a short tunic.

"Alright, I'm hungry too."

Chen Heng nodded and found a cool spot to stop.

Since the day he became an External Force Martial Artist, his appetite had increased exponentially.

Chen Heng could eat as much in one meal as twelve or thirteen ordinary strong men.

An average family would have been eaten out of house and home long ago.

Only a wealthy landlord like Chen Fugui could afford to feed him.

Moving out the large pot with a diameter of 1.2 meters, Chen Heng started a fire to cook.

"Son, isn't it dangerous to start a fire and cook in these desolate mountains and wilderness?"

Although Chen Fugui was also very hungry, his years of experience as a traveling merchant told him that making a fire in the wilderness would very likely attract wild beasts.

And fierce beasts at that.

"It's fine, I'm here." Chen Heng said as he washed the rice clean.

For Chen Heng, ordinary fierce beasts were no longer a threat at all.

Even if a brown bear and a tiger attacked together, they wouldn't be his match.

At most, they'd be an extra meal for Chen Heng.

"Young Master, let's have claypot rice with cured sausage for lunch." Xiao He looked eagerly at Chen Heng, who was busy, holding four or five cured sausages in her hand.

"Okay." Chen Heng took the cured sausages from Xiao He's hand.

Chen Fugui and Xiao He sat to the side, waiting for the claypot rice with cured sausage to be ready.

"Xiao He, you should learn to cook too." Chen Fugui remembered something and turned to say.

"After you and Heng'er get married, you can't always let him, a man, do the cooking."

"Mhm, I'm learning." Xiao He nodded, her small face turning rosy after hearing about marriage.

"Next year you'll be of marriageable age, and I'll arrange it for you two then."

Chen Fugui patted Xiao He's head, his eyes filled with undisguised affection.

When all the Household Servants and Maidservants had fled, only Xiao He, a Maidservant, remained.

Even the concubines he had taken had disappeared without a trace, never to be heard from again.

Therefore, in Chen Fugui's eyes, this Maidservant Xiao He was almost like his own daughter.

An hour later, steaming hot claypot rice with cured sausage was ready.

"So fragrant!" Xiao He and Chen Fugui crowded around, each holding a bowl.

"One bowl per person, take more if you're still hungry." Chen Heng had prepared enough rice for twenty people this time.

Even if he ate twelve portions himself, there would still be enough for Xiao He and Chen Fugui.

Just as Chen Heng scooped a mouthful of rice into his mouth, a sound came from the official road about ten meters away.

Chen Heng frowned; the sound seemed to be from a caravan.

Their direction... was towards them!

An alarm bell rang in Chen Heng's heart; he held his rice bowl with one hand and reached for the heavy saber beside him with the other.

A few seconds later, a clamoring sound approached.

"Young Miss, it's best we find another place. The cooking smoke from over there means someone is already there."

Chen Heng looked into the distance; a two-box carriage led the way, followed by over a dozen cargo carts.

A young girl sat in the driver's seat of the lead carriage, driving towards Chen Heng's direction.

"Someone being there is a good thing; it just proves that the place is safe." The young girl completely ignored the advice of the person beside her, still doing as she pleased.

"Stop, don't come any closer." Chen Heng put down his claypot rice with cured sausage, picked up his heavy saber, and blocked the front of the caravan.

"This Young Master, my name is Mu Huaqing, and I wish to borrow this precious land..."

Clang!

Before Mu Huaqing could finish speaking, a sharp Saber Qi grazed past her ear.

Behind Mu Huaqing, a large tree, thick enough for a man to embrace, snapped in two.

"Young Miss, step back! This is an Internal Force expert!" The Escorts responsible for protecting the Mu Family caravan all stepped forward, separating Mu Huaqing and Chen Heng.

"Don't come any closer. If you wish to rest, then rest, but do not disturb us." Chen Heng pointed his heavy saber directly at Mu Huaqing, his tone devoid of any emotion.

Saying that, Chen Heng drew a horizontal line on the ground.

"Those who dare to cross the line, do not blame me for being merciless."

After he finished speaking, Chen Heng picked up his rice bowl and returned to Chen Fugui and Xiao He to continue eating.

"You!" Mu Huaqing's eyes widened.

She had never seen such an unreasonable person, who immediately resorted to violence.

If that saber strike had hit her head-on, her head would have been gone by now.

"Qing'er, don't be rude!"

The fuming Mu Huaqing immediately deflated upon hearing this voice and obediently returned to the carriage.

"Excuse me, brother. We will definitely not cross the line." A middle-aged man walked out of the crowd and cupped his hands towards Chen Heng, who was eating.

Seeing that Chen Heng ignored him, the man said nothing more and instructed the Escorts to start a fire and cook.

"Uncle Liang, that person is so rude!" Inside the carriage, Mu Huaqing glared angrily at the middle-aged man.

"Qing'er, your father sent me to take you out on business to broaden your horizons."

"Not for you to die out here." Liang Ben looked at Mu Huaqing very seriously.

"That young man just now is at least an Internal Force Martial Artist, and possibly even a Transformation Force expert!"

"Transformation Force!?" Mu Huaqing's expression changed; the strongest Guest Elder in their family was also a Transformation Force expert.

"Furthermore, that young man is no older than sixteen or seventeen. Such a naturally gifted Martial Dao talent must never be offended."

"If possible, you must build a good relationship with him. Who knows, he might be able to help you someday."