nyslfriends Chapter 39, 7 Li County
Chapter 39, 7 Li County
The martial arts instructors and their companions around.
They all frequently travel to neighboring counties.
I've seen demons in other counties, but I wasn't too alarmed.
Everyone lined up on both sides of the convoy.
The men gripped their spears tightly, while the martial artists, armed with swords and shields, stood in front of them.
Although the wolf demon leader was holding a hard bow.
But Liu Sheng noticed that the Yan family father and son were at the very front of the caravan, making them more conspicuous as long-range targets.
So he calmly activated his spiritual eyes first.
When I opened my eyes, I saw that the wolf demon leader was surrounded by a light orange glow.
"This wolf clan leader occupies the only high ground nearby, which is very disadvantageous for us," Liu Sheng thought warily.
The other wolf soldiers, some green and some white, numbered over twenty together and were also a formidable fighting force.
Looking around and seeing no red targets or other ambushes, Liu Sheng breathed a sigh of relief.
He jumped off the camel cart and stood with the shield-bearing warriors, guarding the unarmed men in front of them.
Seeing this, Wang and Li also moved closer to Liu Sheng.
Everyone waited for Master Yan to give the order.
On the sand dunes, the lead wolf demon looked down at the convoy that was waiting in full battle array.
It began to emit a low, hoarse laugh, and then spoke in human language:
"What's the rush? Why start fighting the moment we meet? My men and I are here, maintaining the trade routes and guarding the statues of your human heroes, working tirelessly day and night. Is it too much to ask for some compensation for our hard work?"
It extended three sharp claws: "Three hundred taels of silver, and I'll let you pass."
After saying that, he took the arrow with his right claw.
The wolf demons behind him raised their weapons, as if cheering for their leader.
Yan Zhan, young and impetuous, turned red-faced upon hearing these blatant lies and black-and-white extortionate remarks, and the veins on his sword-wielding hand bulged.
He stepped forward, glared at the crowd above, and was about to berate the group of chaotic demon soldiers.
A hand reached out and pressed on his shoulder. When he looked up, he saw his father, Third Master Yan, pinning him firmly to the ground, signaling him not to speak.
Master Yan's face was originally ashen.
After making the gesture, he looked up at the sand dunes.
A humble smile even appeared on his face:
"General Wolf, 300 taels is no small sum. Our Yan family is a small, insignificant household with a modest business; we cannot afford it. My surname is Yan, and my given name is Yong. Since this is our first meeting, let's consider it a friendly exchange. Here are 200 taels of silver. Please have a drink with the general and your brothers, how about it?"
He turned his head and winked at a martial artist from the Yan family who had entered the first rank.
The warrior understood and immediately took out a heavy cloth bag from his body and threw it forcefully upwards onto the sand dune.
One of the wolf demons stepped forward, took the cloth bag, opened it, and presented it to the leader of the wolf demons.
The wolf demon leader stared at the bag of silver.
The green eyes flickered a few times, as if weighing their options.
After a brief silence, the wolf demon leader finally grinned and laughed:
"Master Yan is a sensible man. Since that's the case, we'll make him our friend and let him pass!"
With a flick of its claws, the wolf demons on the dunes lowered their weapons, indicating that they could pass.
Master Yan mounted his horse, cupped his hands, and said, "Thank you, General!"
Then, without turning around, he waved behind him and announced, "The convoy is setting off."
It was obvious that he was on guard, and seeing this, the others quickly sprang into action, some getting on the bus and others following along.
The martial artists on both sides, still holding their shields towards the wolf demon, dared not slacken their vigilance.
After the caravan had traveled another mile, Master Yan bowed to the demon leader again before spurring his horse to catch up with the caravan.
The atmosphere in the convoy was even more somber than before. Although everyone was unwilling to accept that Master Yan had handed over the silver, they were mostly relieved that a bloody battle had been avoided.
Yan Zhan was even angrier when he saw how spineless everyone was.
He couldn't help but say to his father:
"Father! They're just a dozen or so defeated soldiers. We have far more men than them. If it really comes down to a fight, we might not lose! How much can we earn from a single trade trip? They're getting all the profits!"
After observing the reactions of the crowd, Master Yan glanced at his son and said calmly, "Profits can be earned again, but if people are gone, everything is gone."
"But……"
"How can you be so sure that all of us martial artists combined can defeat the border troops on the other side? Are they really just these twenty-odd wolf demons, with no other ambushes nearby?" Master Yan continued to ask rhetorically.
Liu Sheng and the other two nodded in agreement. This Third Master Yan, as expected of someone who had been a merchant for many years, was very thoughtful.
Seeing his son's dejected look and lack of further words, Master Yan paused for a moment.
Looking far ahead, I see the vast sea of sand:
"Once a fight breaks out, we rank-up martial artists can fight our way out, but these unranked martial artists and their assistants will be in dire straits. They also have families, and their compensation will cost money. If you really want to vent your anger, wait until we get back to our residence and then gather your uncles and other relatives. That's the right way."
Yan Zhan opened his mouth, but ultimately did not refute it, and just lowered his head in a sullen voice.
Clearly, he had taken some of his father's words to heart, but the youthful spirit couldn't be calmed down so quickly.
Liu Sheng listened and wholeheartedly agreed.
He saw the disciplined and unified spirit of this group of wolf demon border troops; they were truly forged on the battlefield.
The caravan is disorganized; if a fight breaks out, they might not be a match for them.
The convoy traveled in silence, accelerating forward.
After traveling another halfway, the outline of Qili County finally appeared on the horizon.
Compared to Crescent Moon County, the city walls of Seven Mile County appear lower and more dilapidated, and the soldiers guarding the city gates are clearly demons.
As they approached the city gate, Master Yan ordered everyone to return their weapons and left some men to guard the area outside the city.
Then he reined in his horse, turned around, and solemnly said:
"Gentlemen, Qili County is not like Yueya County. The county government, garrison, and even the constables here are mostly held by demons. After entering the city, be vigilant. If you encounter demon soldiers, be sure to lower your head and give way. Remember, never look them directly in the eye! According to the Great Barbarian Law, it is a great disrespect for a human to look directly at a demon. Do you all understand?"
Everyone felt a chill run down their spines and readily agreed.
Liu Sheng saw Master Yan take out a copper token from his waist and show it to the dog demon guarding the gate. Upon seeing the token, the dog demon impatiently waved his hand and let him pass.
After everyone bowed their heads and entered the city, Liu Sheng asked Li Ying if he knew what it was.
Li Ying explained to Liu Sheng in a low voice: "Third Master's bronze token is the identity token bestowed by the imperial court upon Wu Xiucai. It grants him special privileges as a demon, and he can be exempt from kneeling before officials and enjoy tax reductions."
Liu Sheng then remembered that his eldest brother, third brother, and Fatty Cao all seemed to have worn similar bronze tokens on their belts.
He felt a sudden sense of displeasure, as if everyone else had it but he didn't.
Wang Zheng chimed in, "In Qili County, the magistrate forbids humans from setting up martial arts schools. So, Brother Li and I can only go to Yueya County to learn from masters and hope to pass the martial arts exam so that our families can have an easier life when we return."
Upon hearing this, Liu Sheng suddenly realized why his senior brothers and sisters had advised him to take the martial arts exam. It turned out that not every county had a martial arts school like Crescent Moon County.
My birthplace really does have a huge advantage.
Within Qili County, the streets were narrow, and the air was thick with the stench of decay. Most of the pedestrians looked malnourished and hurried along.
When people saw the demons dressed with their hair tied on the left side and braided, they avoided them from a distance and lowered their heads.
After the caravan arrived at the agreed-upon courtyard, Master Yan arranged the exchange of goods and addressed the numerous martial artists and masters:
"You will have one hour to rest after exchanging goods. You are free to do as you please, buy some food, but please remember not to cause trouble. Meet here at 5:00 PM (5:00 PM). Latecomers will not be waited for!"
At Li Ying's invitation, Liu Sheng and Wang Zheng went to his home as guests.
Wang Zheng joked that Li Ying's family was much richer than his. If he went to his own house, there wouldn't even be a place to sit; he would have to squat at the door to eat.
As everyone was chatting and laughing.
A group of demon servants approached from the opposite direction.
Each of them held an iron ruler and charged around recklessly.
Seeing that Wang Zheng and Li Ying subconsciously lowered their heads and turned to the side.
Although Liu Sheng was somewhat unaccustomed to it, he had no choice but to do as the Romans do.
He quickly lowered his head, stepped back to the side of the road, and listened to the arrogant and grating laughter of the constables as they passed by.
In an instant, he thought of many things and felt that humans should not live such a wretched existence. He clenched his fist, then relaxed it.
In the end, all I could do was glance at the panel:
[Internal Training Method: Skin Polishing Realm - Earth (Mastery 2%)]
"Make money hard, practice martial arts diligently, and after passing the martial arts examination, join the righteous army!"