Chapter 2312 - 2268: Joining the Caravan

Chapter 2312: Chapter 2268: Joining the Caravan

"Hehe, Brother Chen Yang, your mind is really sharp, this speeds things up a lot." Tu Qi chuckled and said.

Chen Yang smiled without saying a word and went to the back of the caravan to lend a hand.

The caravan indeed had a lot of goods, with a total of six carriages, each brimming with items.

The specific contents packed in burlap bags were unclear.

Initially, including the boss, the caravan only had ten people, and the distribution was quite uneven.

However, with Chen Yang and Tu Qi joining, the distribution became more balanced.

Each carriage had two people guarding it.

Chen Yang and Tu Qi, hired by the boss, were assigned by the leader of the guards, a burly man at the mid-stage Condensation, to the fourth carriage.

That leader looked fierce, with bulging muscles, not someone easy to mess with.

But he was actually a nice person.

Noticing Chen Yang and Tu Qi were young and had good skin, it was clear they weren’t used to this kind of work.

So, he took special care of them by placing them in the middle.

Usually, newcomers are assigned to the last carriages.

And being at the back is the most dangerous.

If highway robbers or small rogue factions attack, those at the back are at greater risk.

The front just needs to break through the encirclement fiercely.

But even if those at the back break through, they’ll become targets and be pursued, which is much more dangerous.

Although Chen Yang didn’t need this special treatment, they appreciated the leader’s kindness.

Chen Yang and Tu Qi mingled with the group and quickly passed through the city gates, exiting Du Lan Pass.

Beyond Du Lan Pass lay a plain, with sparse trees scattered evenly, creating a pleasant scenery.

A winding road stretched into the distance.

After traveling a bit, Chen Yang looked back and found that many of the surrounding caravans had already parted ways.

Clearly, their destinations were other cities in the Dajing Dynasty, not the Capital.

The Dajing Dynasty is vast, with extensive trade relations with Cangnan Academy.

Merchants conducting business can be found everywhere.

"Hey, brother, how long have you been in this line of work? How long will it take us to reach the Capital?" Tu Qi casually struck up a conversation with the guy in the front carriage.

The escort of the front carriage consisted of two brothers.

The elder had cultivation at the Early-stage Condensation, while the younger was at the Late-stage Gathering Spirit.

Both were in their forties, and reaching these realms was quite commendable.

They were considered among the best in the escort business.

If they advanced further to become mid-stage Condensation experts, they could start their own business as a leader.

In Cangnan Academy, Condensation Pill disciples might be common.

But outside Cangnan Academy, conditions for cultivation aren’t as good.

For most ordinary people like Chen Yang at his age, having mid-stage Gathering Spirit strength is already impressive.

Generally, most are in the Qi Refinement Realm.

"If all goes well, it’ll take three days. Our pace isn’t slow, traveling overnight and sleeping on the carriages." The two brothers in the front were friendly, not taking advantage of their familiarity to bully others, and answered Tu Qi’s question enthusiastically.

"Huh? Even traveling overnight, it still takes three days?" Tu Qi was surprised by the answer.

It seemed too slow.

If they flew, they could reach the Capital in just a day.

Tu Qi turned to Chen Yang.

His expression seemed to ask Chen Yang whether they should make a run for it.

Since they had already left Du Lan Pass, leaving now wouldn’t affect anything, and they could simply forgo the boss’s payment.

However, Chen Yang shook his head with a smile, rejecting the idea.

Chen Yang didn’t want to leave.

Because he felt that three days wasn’t that long, and he could experience the local customs of the Mystic Realm along the way.

Additionally, he had an intuitive sense that something, hidden from sight, had its eyes on him.

This uneasy feeling made him hesitant to act rashly.

Following the caravan seemed the safest course of action.

That’s what he thought.

Tu Qi didn’t have any specific thoughts; he just wanted to accompany Chen Yang on an adventure. Since Chen Yang wasn’t in a hurry, he wasn’t either.

He pulled a piece of meat from his pocket and gnawed on it while traveling with the caravan.

...

Time flew by, and before they knew it, the morning had passed.

Under the scorching midday sun, a majestic city appeared not far ahead.

The city’s scale was at least twice that of Du Lan Pass.

According to the guys in front, this was Zhen Nan Pass of the Dajing Dynasty.

Only upon reaching here would they formally enter the lands of the Dajing Dynasty.

"Dajing Dynasty..." Chen Yang looked up at the towering city wall, then quietly followed the caravan into Zhen Nan Pass.

Zhen Nan Pass was vast; circumventing it would prolong their journey significantly, so the boss chose to spend some Spirit Stones to pass through the city.

And this plan perfectly matched Chen Yang’s expectations.

He wanted to experience the local culture; how could he do so without entering the city?

As they entered Zhen Nan Pass, Chen Yang was surprised to find that the Dajing Dynasty differed greatly from Cangnan Academy’s territories.

The Dajing Dynasty was far more prosperous.

The laws were clear, there were many systems, and the records were strictly maintained.

To Chen Yang, it looked like the ancient times depicted in history books.

Commoners, military, officials, nobility... all were present.

Of course, these insights were shared with Chen Yang by the two brothers from the front carriage.

They were veteran caravan escorts and knew Zhen Nan Pass well.

It was a necessary route for every delivery, traveled dozens to hundreds of times; how could they not know?

Seeing that Chen Yang and Tu Qi didn’t understand much, they eagerly explained Zhen Nan Pass’s situation.

"By the way, you two brothers, you’re not from Du Lan Pass, are you? What made you decide to escort a caravan?" After much discussion, the elder brother remembered they hadn’t asked about Chen Yang yet, so he curiously inquired.

Chen Yang had already prepared his response: "Indeed, we’re not from Du Lan Pass. We came from Lingxi Town, and upon reaching Du Lan Pass, heard the road ahead was dangerous, so we thought of joining a caravan."

"This way, it’s not only safer, but we can also earn some Spirit Stones on the side."

Chen Yang’s response was flawless.

And the man, hearing this, had no doubts: "Oh, so that’s it. You’re quite smart; traveling with a caravan is definitely safer."

"Don’t let Zhen Nan Pass’s prosperity and order fool you; beyond it lies over a hundred kilometers of Hilly Mountain Range."

"Demon beasts roam these mountains, bandits are numerous, even forming small factions. It’s tough for the average person to get through."

Hearing this news, Chen Yang finally understood why these caravans hired escorts.