Practice begins with immortality

A few days later, in the inner room of the martial arts hall.

"Junior Brother Wang, have you achieved a breakthrough to the Great Accomplishment of External Refining?!"

"I just broke through yesterday."

"I originally thought you would need a few more days to polish it, but I didn't expect it to be so fast!" Huang Li exclaimed.

"I wonder why Senior Brother asked me to come here?"

"I have something I would like to ask you to do, and it goes like this..."

After hearing what Huang Li said, Wang Bai finally understood that there had always been bandits entrenched in Xuanqing Mountain near Qingcheng. These bandits usually only robbed passers-by or the surrounding villages. However, in recent years, for some unknown reason, they dared to attack the Qingcheng caravans, and they succeeded repeatedly. The government had gone up the mountain to suppress them many times, but all without success. Recently, a batch of urgent goods needed to be transported to Yuncheng. Without sufficient military protection, they might be robbed by the bandits. Therefore, the government decided to ask several warriors to escort the goods to ensure their safety.

"Originally I was going to go, but I have to go into seclusion to make a breakthrough recently, so I can only trouble you, Junior Brother."

"It's nothing, just a small matter, but I want to congratulate you in advance on becoming an inner cultivator."

"Then I will accept your good words. This matter is settled. In five days, you can go to the city gate with this letter."

……

Five days later, at the gate of Qingcheng City.

"Wow, this is Young Master Wang Bo, he is truly a handsome man!"

"I am the manager of this caravan. My last name is Sun. You can just call me Manager Sun."

"Those two are warriors hired by the caravan. They are both disciples of the Qingfeng Martial Arts School. One has reached the Great Accomplishment of External Refining, and the other has reached the Minor Accomplishment of External Refining..."

"With three externally trained warriors, plus Chief Zhu who has made some progress in external training, and a dozen or so bodyguards with accomplished martial arts skills, there shouldn't be any problem." Manager Sun thought, and then gave the order to set off.

……

As night fell, the sky was filled with stars and silence. The caravan slowly stopped and began to look for a suitable place to set up camp for the night.

"It's so boring!" complained a young woman. "We've been walking all day, and we haven't encountered even a petty thief, let alone the legendary Xuanqing Bandit. I shouldn't have taken this job from you, brother." Her name was Li He, and she was one of the two disciples of Qingfeng Martial Arts School invited by the merchant team.

"As long as I can be safe and sound, I don't want to get into any trouble," said the man next to him. His name was Shi Mi, and he was Li He's senior apprentice.

"What are you afraid of?" Li He said nonchalantly, "Among the bandits on Xuanqing Mountain, there are at most a few leaders who have reached the beginner or minor level of external forging. With your strength, plus another martial artist who has reached the major level of external forging, killing them will be as easy as chopping melons and vegetables. Besides, I can use them to practice Qingfeng Sword Technique and let me cut down a few people and see blood."

"Okay, Junior Sister, if you want to practice swordsmanship, wait until this is over. I will personally catch some ruffians to give you swordsmanship training. You can go and rest first." Shi Mi smiled helplessly and comforted.

Li He nodded, but she still felt a little reluctant. She felt that this trip was all about experience, and that encountering danger was the only way to grow. But since her senior brother had said so, she could only obey and rest.

The night was as dark as ink, deep and silent, and a hushed stillness permeated the camp. Two escorts, one old and one young, were patrolling the perimeter of the camp. The moonlight cast a faint glow, illuminating their vigilant figures.

As the young escort walked, he muttered, "Master Li, I think that Mao Wu must be deliberately targeting us. He always makes us go out on patrol in the middle of the night. When I have mastered my martial arts, I will definitely settle the score with him and teach him a lesson!"

The old escort surnamed Li frowned and scolded in a low voice, "Alright, stop nagging! You're a young man, and yet you're even more talkative than an old man like me. Watch carefully. The closer you get to the end of a night shift, the more likely it is to go wrong."

The young escort nodded in agreement. "Alright, Master Li, I understand. Hey, I suddenly feel sick to my stomach, so I need to go to the bushes nearby to relieve myself."

"Go quickly and come back soon." The escort named Li waved his hand, signaling him to come back as soon as possible.

However, time passed, and the young escort still hadn't returned. Escort Li felt a surge of unease, muttering to himself, "What's going on? Why hasn't Xiao Sun returned in such a long time? Has he run into some danger? No, I have to get back to camp and get help looking for him!"

With this thought, Li turned and bolted towards the camp. Just then, a flash of cold light suddenly flashed through the bushes behind him. Then, with a whoosh, a sharp arrow shot towards him, piercing Li's back with pinpoint accuracy. His eyes widened, a face filled with shock and pain, as he slowly collapsed to the ground.

In a pool of blood, the life of the escort named Li gradually faded away.