Two days later.

Ba Yin once again held a grand banquet to treat Yuan Ming and his group. He couldn't stop praising the newly drawn hanging portrait, and the surrounding people were also marveling at it.

After responding with a smile, Yuan Ming discussed the details of their return journey with Fu Qing and the others.

Ba Yin also pitched in, suggesting the most optimal route for them.

Later, Yuan Ming made another trip to Ming En Building to meet with Hu Tu.

The Lord Mansion had already sent someone previously to reveal Yuan Ming's identity and, in light of the prior misunderstanding, had compensated Hu Tu with a substantial sum.

This put the uneasy Hu Tu at ease, and that day, he waived the bill for all the diners in the restaurant.

It was nothing, just sheer happiness.

No one knew what Yuan Ming and Hu Tu discussed, but the next day, Ming En Building closed its doors.

The neighbors assumed that Shopkeeper Hu Tu's luck had taken a turn for the better, having connected with the powerful and gone to enjoy his good fortune.

Another two days later, escorted by a contingent of the Lord Mansion's trusted aides, the group from the Central Plains left Iron Tiger Town in a grand procession and headed back to Da Jin.

In the carriage surrounded by escorts, Hu Tu asked excitedly, "Am I really able to go to Da Jin?"

"That's how the Young Master has arranged it," Fu Qing, sitting opposite him, nodded and replied.

However, Yuan Ming himself was not actually part of this party.

Fu Qing had initially been firmly opposed to such an arrangement, but after a spar with Yuan Ming upon his insistence, he was soundly defeated and consequently had no choice but to agree to split up.

As for taking the Southern Border man with them, that too was Yuan Ming's plan.

In addition, Yuan Ming had given him a mission, which was to take the chronicle, "Young Master Sheng's Southern Journey," he had written, back to the Emperor.

The book would also be published through Tianming Book Society and distributed throughout the Central Plains and the Southern Border.

Moreover, Yuan Ming also wrote a secret letter and a map of the Southern Border territory charted based on Southern Border classics and his own travels, marking the locations and brief details of various clans and sects such as the Kasi Clan and Biluo Cave.

"The Young Master said he could take you to the borders of Da Jin, but he couldn't take you to the Capital," Fu Qing, aware of the special relationship between Hu Tu and Yuan Ming, treated him quite politely.

"This Yuan Ming… Young Master Yuan told me about it, I know," Hu Tu said somewhat constrainedly.

He had asked Yuan Ming the reason, and Yuan Ming only said "the Capital is unsafe" without further explanation.

Hu Tu naturally didn't mind; as long as he could leave the Southern Border and go to the longed-for Central Plains, that was all he cared about. As for the rest, it was naturally up to him to strive and fight for.

...

On the other side, Yuan Ming left Iron Tiger Town from another direction.

But Yuan Ming had barely left the town when he suddenly frowned, moving forward without a sound while a hair-thin Black Needle Magical Artifact shot silently from his sleeve and disappeared into the nearby jungle.

Immediately after, Yuan Ming turned around and said slowly, "The three of you, having followed me for so long, why not come out and meet?"

"Hehe, Young Master Yuan has such sharp Spiritual Sense, detecting us so quickly," a light sound followed as three figures stepped forward.

All three had the appearance of Central Plains people; the leader was an old man with a goat beard, with sunken cheeks making him look gaunt, but his eyes were exceptionally bright and piercing.

Behind him was a pair of young men and women; the woman was stout with a tall figure and dark skin. As for her looks, although not ugly, there was no gentleness typical of a woman, and she carried a small green bag at her waist, apparently a Spiritual Beast Bag.

As for the young man, he was handsome but with a touch of effeminacy.

The eyes of the young couple met from time to time, clearly indicating a deep relationship.

All three were dressed in the style of Da Jin and exuded Mana fluctuations.

Quietly extending his Divine Sense, Yuan Ming ascertained that the goat-bearded old man had a robust aura, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, while the two behind him were at the peak of Qi Refinement Realm.

"Who are you three, and why follow me?" he asked.

"Young Master Yuan, please don't be alarmed; we mean you no harm. We are members of the Guangli Scatter Alliance of the Da Jin Cultivation World, entrusted by Emperor Jin himself to bring you home," the goat-bearded old man spoke.

"The Emperor sent you? Then why do you skulk around so?" Yuan Ming pictured the Emperor in his mind and asked.

"Emperor Jin is aware of the previous assassination attempt on the envoy group and also that General Yuan had sent people to the Southern Border. However, fearing that the enemy harbors persistent ill intentions and to ensure absolute safety, he instructed us to act clandestinely to safeguard your return to Da Jin without fail. If Young Master Yuan does not believe, please verify this item; this is a letter the Emperor has written to you," the old man with a goat beard took out an envelope sealed with wax and handed it over.

Yuan Ming used an Exorcism Technique, and the envelope floated towards him, hovering in midair.

Without touching the envelope, Yuan Ming flicked his fingers slightly, and it opened on its own, revealing a letter inside.

"Young Master Yuan's Exorcism Technique is so exquisitely used; even I am ashamed to admit inferiority," the goat-bearded old man praised.

"You flatter me," Yuan Ming responded modestly as he looked at the letter.

The handwriting on the letter was indeed that of the Emperor, and the content matched what the goat-bearded old man had said.

The letter also introduced the names of the three people: the goat-bearded old man was named Xu Changqing, the strong woman with dark skin was Liu Su, and the handsome young man was Lin Liumu.

"So it's Senior Xu, Fellow Daoist Lin, Fellow Daoist Liu. Recently, I have faced multiple dangers and had to be cautious, so my earlier offense was unintentional, please do not take it to heart," Yuan Ming bowed and said.

"It's only human nature, no harm done. What are your plans going forward, Young Master Yuan? Before his departure, Emperor Jin instructed that we three are to cooperate with you in your actions," Xu Changqing returned the gesture and asked.

"Since the three of you were tasked with bringing me back to Da Jin, you must have already considered strategies for our return. I would like to hear your opinions first," Yuan Ming pondered and replied with a question.

"Although it's still unclear who intended to harm you before, the enemy remains hidden, and we must be cautious. We have prepared two methods for returning to Da Jin, one is to use my Flying Artifact, which will take us directly back to Da Jin. Not to boast, but my artifact moves without a trace, and even Foundation Establishment Cultivators rarely catch up to it," Xu Changqing spoke confidently, as a glimmer of white light in his palm revealed a foot-long white Jade Shuttle, emitting wisps of white shimmering light.

"And the second method?" Yuan Ming looked at the Jade Shuttle and asked noncommittally.

"The second method involves blending into a merchant caravan. Fifty li east from here, in Green Cloud Town, there's a caravan from Da Jin preparing to return. I have some connections with the merchants traveling to and from Jin Country, and we can join them without anyone noticing. Under the cover of the caravan's numbers, we can return to Da Jin," Xu Changqing explained, looking towards the east.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming fell silent in contemplation.

"Young Master Yuan can take his time to consider, but it would be best for us to leave this place sooner rather than later. We cannot guarantee that there aren't any of the enemy's spies in Iron Tiger Town," Xu Changqing reminded.

At this moment, the four of them stood not far outside the town and indeed stood out with their Central Plains features.

"Very well, let's head toward Green Cloud Town for now. I'll carefully consider it on the way," Yuan Ming said.

Xu Changqing and the others had no objections.

The group of four set off towards the east and soon left Iron Tiger Town behind, with a range of rolling hills coming into view.

There were no paths here, but as cultivators, clambering over hills was nothing to them.

A brook flowed from upstream, its water exceptionally clear, seemingly from a mountain spring.

"This brook looks good. I'm a bit thirsty; let's get some water," Yuan Ming's eyes brightened as he stopped and said.

"Liu Su, you fetch the water," Xu Changqing told the muscular, dark-skinned woman.

Liu Su agreed and took a water bag towards the brook.

"I need to relieve myself," Yuan Ming added.

"Young Master Yuan, please feel free," Xu Changqing said with a restrained smile.

Yuan Ming stood up and walked towards the nearby woods, followed by Lin Liumu, who said, "I need to go too, let's go together."

Yuan Ming didn't refuse, and the two of them entered a clump of trees not too far away.

Yuan Ming looked up at the sky without unfastening his clothes.

"Aren't you going to relieve yourself, Young Master Yuan?" Lin Liumu asked, puzzled by his actions.

"That's not urgent. Since you're here to kill me, we are now far away from Iron Tiger Town, so it's about time you make your move," Yuan Ming suddenly said.

"What do you mean by that, Young Master Yuan?" Lin Liumu's face shifted slightly as he asked.

Yuan Ming just gazed at Lin Liumu, without saying a word.

Lin Liumu looked confused, clearly not understanding the implication of Yuan Ming's words.

At that moment, a rustling noise came from behind Lin Liumu, as if someone had stepped into the thicket.

"You! Why are you here?" Yuan Ming looked beyond Lin Liumu, his face dramatically altering as if he had seen an unbelievable person.

Startled, Lin Liumu involuntarily turned to look back, but the place was empty, with not even a shadow in sight.

Realizing the trick, he immediately turned around, only to find that Yuan Ming, who had just been standing there, had vanished without a trace. The dense shrubbery nearby quivered slightly.

Lin Liumu's expression drastically changed as he hurriedly pursued, but there was no sign of Yuan Ming anywhere to be seen, his presence completely gone.

"Yuan Ming has escaped!" Lin Liumu bellowed.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Xu Changqing and Liu Su swiftly arrived.

"Where did he flee to? Can't even keep track of one person, what uselessness!" Liu Su glared at Lin Liumu, speaking irritably.

Lin Liumu's face flushed red, but he did not retort.

"A Qi Refining Stage cultivator can't escape my grasp. Let's search separately," Xu Changqing commanded sharply, his Divine Sense spreading out, but he could not sense Yuan Ming's whereabouts.

Liu Su and Lin Liumu also began scouring the forest, wielding their Magic Artifacts to sweep and slash around.

Bushes and grass were chopped and sent flying; the undergrowth was quickly destroyed by nearly half, yet Yuan Ming seemed to have truly disappeared, with no sign of movement.

Under a clump of low bushes, not too far away, Yuan Ming lay quietly in hiding, draped in a grey cloak gifted by Xi Ying, blending seamlessly with the surrounding greenery.

Xu Changqing's Spiritual Sense passed by several times without detecting anything amiss.

Yuan Ming's eyes flickered; a simple test had revealed the true intent of these three people.

Though the handwriting of the letter seemed authentic, he had been corresponding with the little Emperor since their youth. For fun, they established a code known only to the two of them: in the last sentence of a letter, randomly omit a stroke from one character. However, this letter contained none.

He knew then that there was something wrong with the three of them, but he pretended to be unaware, all to draw out their true motive.

Seeing how Xu Changqing and his team mercilessly upended the ground to find him, it was clear they were likely not there to escort him back to Da Jin but perhaps to kill and eliminate any trace of him.

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