Starting from Tianlong, Wudu Tianxia

Gao Yuan unfolded the letter and examined it carefully.

"Grandma Yu, please take note: I have been ordered to check the six caves and three islands of Chiyan Cave in Lingnan. The list of offerings and the names of all the pearls and silks have been checked, but one ingredient, medicinal horn, is missing."

"The six caves and three islands are in a state of panic, and they are ordering their men to search for them."

"Unexpectedly, four days ago, the six caves and three islands gathered in Quanzhou. Without your orders, they led their troops to launch a surprise attack on Guiyunzi of Penglai."

"They did not report to Lingjiu Palace, but started a dispute privately, and have already killed dozens of Penglai disciples. Guixuzi was seriously injured and escaped."

When questioned about the reason, the people said that they had heard that Penglai had bullied the young master, and they were dissatisfied and wanted to take revenge.

"Fearing the situation might escalate and disturb Your Majesty's peaceful cultivation, this servant has urgently sent a letter to inform Mother-in-law..."

Gao Yuan looked at it twice more.

The letter describes the details very thoroughly.

The handwriting suggests that the maid was also confused by the people from the Crimson Flame Cave when she delivered the message.

Or, to put it another way.

This matter involves Gao Yuan, and she doesn't know whether she should punish the Chi Yan Cave and others for their unauthorized actions.

Jian Zhong bluntly stated that Penglai might take action against the Chiyan Cave organization in response to this matter.

Gao Yuan carefully analyzed the simplified Chinese text and was somewhat speechless.

It was obvious that the six caves and three islands of the Crimson Flame Cave could not gather enough offerings, so they used his name to seek bad luck in Penglai, hoping to avoid being punished by the Granny.

Privately initiate disputes.

Given Grandma's temperament, it's hard to say whether they'll even receive the antidote for the Life and Death Talisman when they go up the mountain to make offerings.

But the priority now is to clean up the mess they've made.

The Six Caves and Three Islands are, after all, under the jurisdiction of Lingjiu Palace.

Punishing them is one thing, but we can't just stand by and watch our underlings be purged by Penglai.

Grandma's meaning was clear: it involved the boy, and she intended to let him make his own arrangements.

Whether to go or not is entirely up to you.

Of course, it was probably also a test for him.

......

The weather was warm in the dead of winter, almost like the beginning of spring.

Since entering the Lingnan region, although it was New Year's Day, the chill had gradually faded, and instead, a warm and humid atmosphere was felt.

It's no joke that Lingnan has no winter.

At this time, the Central Plains should be shrouded in "yellow clouds and gloomy sun," with withered grass covering the fields, but here the wilderness is still adorned with purple-red petals, the tall reeds are tinged with green and yellow, and wildflowers are interspersed among them.

The wilderness of Rongzhou.

A figure in white was rapidly cutting through the weeds, his toes barely touching the ground.

With a light touch on the grass, stepping on the tips of the blades, her clothes fluttered as she flew away.

Startled, the bulbuls took flight, and he emerged from the bird netting, his feet lightly treading the path.

Looking back, the startled sparrows flew about, chirping, before landing back in the grass.

Gao Yuan took a slight breath, tore off the foot-long sleeve of his clothes that had been torn by dry branches, and threw it on the road.

"No, it seems there's a significant gap between my lightness skill and that of my senior sister."

I was running wildly across the open field with light-footed steps, which was incredibly exhilarating, but my sleeves were pierced by dry branches in the forest, leaving me slightly disheveled.

Looking back towards the northwest, Gao Yuan's lips curled into a smile.

He didn't bring the Xuantian Division with him.

The matter of the Crimson Flame Cave does not require the Lingjiu Palace personnel to personally attend.

Grandma gave him a lot of authority, and he could mobilize all the caves and islands under his command if needed.

This time, descending the mountain, my feelings were completely different from when I was wandering the world.

He deeply understands the changes in mindset.

He currently possesses several unique skills, and he is not afraid of anyone who is not as skilled as Murong Laoer.

Moreover, even if you encounter such a situation, as long as you are careful, you should be able to protect yourself.

The further you go from Lingjiu Palace, the more you see along the way, and the more you realize how difficult it is to make a living in the martial world.

There are far too many cases of gangs fighting over territory, killing each other at the gate, and bloodshed on the streets over trivial matters.

Just yesterday, outside Beiliu Prefecture, two gangs clashed, with hundreds of people mixed together, resulting in many deaths on both sides.

Gao Yuan didn't pay attention to who they were and immediately avoided them.

The goal of this trip is the Quanzhou area; there's no need to get involved in other people's江湖恩怨 (jianghu grievances).

As dusk fell, he passed a clear stream and walked another eight or nine miles.

Gao Yuan parted a clump of tree branches and looked ahead.

At this moment, I let out a long sigh of relief and relaxed my mind. I saw dusk pressing down on the mountains, and villages were faintly visible at the foot of the mountains.

It seems we won't need to sleep outdoors anymore.

I estimate it will take only a few days to reach Rongzhou.

Gao Yuan headed towards the village, where he heard the sounds of chickens and dogs along the way, and old farmers leaning on their hoes and sipping water.

The village is small, with only a dozen or so households.

They found a house at the village entrance and knocked on the door.

The person who opened the door was a short, stocky, middle-aged man.

"Brother, excuse me. I'm just passing through and would like to ask for lodging for the night, and also for a hot meal and some water. Is that alright?"

After saying that, he took out a small piece of silver.

"It's a small matter," the middle-aged man said, pointing to a dilapidated low table in the courtyard.

"Please have a seat."

Gao Yuan looked around. The yard wasn't big, and two children were playing in it.

Although her clothes were old, they were washed very clean, and her little face was round and chubby.

At the entrance to the kitchen, there was a middle-aged woman with a gentle appearance. She greeted the arriving guests with a smile.

The middle-aged man soon brought out bowls and plates from the kitchen, containing only pickled vegetables in a clear broth, along with a small dish of cured meat.

Gao Yuan placed the loose silver on the table, but the middle-aged man did not immediately accept it.

"In this humble farmhouse, we have nothing of value to offer to distinguished guests."

"Is the young master heading to Rongzhou?"

Gao Yuan, unsure of what he meant, replied, "Yes, elder brother."

"The young master is dressed in fine clothes, and he is all alone."

The middle-aged man frowned slightly as he spoke.

"The road to Rongzhou is not safe. You're likely to get into trouble looking like this."

Gao Yuan blew on the hot water the hostess handed him and asked, "Are there bandits on the road?"

The middle-aged man nodded repeatedly: "Exactly."

"I had a son, a few years older than you. Last year, on his way to Rongzhou, he ran into bandits. By the time the villagers found him, he was already gone, clutching only half a wheat cake I had baked for him..."

Upon hearing this, the woman's body stiffened slightly.

"Is the government not going to do anything?"

The middle-aged man forced a smile and added a spoonful of hot soup to Gao Yuan's bowl.

"They are highly skilled in martial arts. When the authorities arrive, they run away; when the authorities leave, they go back. All I can say is... sigh!"

Gao Yuan continued eating: "Thank you for your advice, Brother."

After he finished his meal, the middle-aged man gave him another bowl.

"Young master, please eat more. Young people are growing, and my eldest son used to be like that..."

The middle-aged man spoke with pride, but as he continued, his spirits dimmed.

"Alright, enough of what I'm saying that will spoil your mood, young master. Eat up. Tomorrow I'll take you to Rongzhou via a side road. It's a bit further, but it'll keep you away from bandits."

After he finished his second bowl, the middle-aged man offered to give him more rice.

Seeing Gao Yuan shake his head, the middle-aged man picked up the loose silver on the table and stuffed it into Gao Yuan's palm.

"My family is poor, but we dare not accept too much money. A few dozen coins from you would be enough."

Gao Yuan held the broken silver in his palm and looked at him again.

"Brother, please accept this; I don't have any money."

The middle-aged man suddenly chuckled and said, "It's alright, it's alright if we don't have any. We'll never lack a meal at home."

Gao Yuan remained silent. After the middle-aged man finished speaking, he picked up the bowl and headed towards the kitchen.

At night, he slept in the thatched hut diagonally opposite the door.

The house was kept clean and tidy, so it must have been the residence of the man's deceased eldest son.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking.

Gao Yuan got up early, didn't let the middle-aged man lead the way, left some silver on the bedside table and left.

They continued downhill, but did not encounter the bandits the middle-aged man had mentioned.

Could it be that I'm just lucky?

On the third day at 9:00 AM, Gao Yuan arrived outside Rongzhou.

Enjoy the morning breeze and admire the scenery along the way.

The stream was shrouded in a bluish-gray mist, with rolling green hills behind it, creating a picturesque scene.

In this situation, he was particularly struck by the thought.

"Boats and boats have stopped at the shore, roadside inns are without lights, maple leaves are spilled from the sandy shore, and the marks left by last year's mooring of the boats are visible."

High above the shore, boats occasionally appear on the stream.

The curtain was slightly lifted, and two girls glanced at him from time to time.

He was handsome, acted naturally, and seemed completely unconcerned.

If she were a forthright female knight-errant, she might have already stepped forward with wine to strike up a conversation.

......