"Then it's settled!"
As night approached, the two finally arrived on the official road.
The official road was packed solidly with heavy objects, and the roadbed was well-built, as flat as the roads Jiang Ming remembered from his previous life.
The road was not wide, probably only about three meters.
Jiang Ming was in a good mood, glancing casually at Bai Liu, or more precisely at the Blood-red Jade Pendant on Bai Liu's neck, which made Bai Liu look more pleasing to the eye.
The two had agreed after some negotiation that this Blood-red Jade Pendant would be Jiang Ming's reward for escorting Bai Liu to Evergreen City, and also an apology for Jiang Ming accidentally injuring Bai Liu.
Of course, upon reaching Evergreen City, Jiang Ming could also choose to join the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall. With Bai Liu's introduction, Jiang Ming might find it easier to establish himself in Evergreen City.
The White Cloud Martial Arts Hall could be a better choice than the Lion Roar Martial Arts Hall.
Besides these, Jiang Ming didn't have a better place to go.
Very soon, the two reached a post station on the official road.
Though small, the post station was a simple building made of blue bricks, with few facilities inside. The most striking thing was the lifelike Bronze Vermilion Bird hanging under the sign outside, which seemed out of place with the simplicity of the post station.
Two other groups had already rested here.
Jiang Ming and Bai Liu didn't engage in conversation but exchanged a Martial Artist's salute with those present, keeping a respectful distance after.
The other groups returned the salutes with clasped fists and then ignored them.
Staying at a post station at night usually meant traveling with a Martial Artist, and this was the rule among Martial Artists: if you're not familiar with each other, it's best not to get overly friendly in the wilderness.
For the harm didn't only come from evil spirits but from people as well.
Jiang Ming and Bai Liu lit a campfire and sat down to rest.
"We can probably be back in Evergreen City before sunset tomorrow," Bai Liu said, hugging his knees and sitting by the fire.
Seeing Jiang Ming looking at his Jade Pendant again, he slightly raised his eyebrows and said, "Do you like my Jade Pendant that much?"
Jiang Ming smiled; how could he not like it?
Bai Liu took off the Jade Pendant, handed it to Jiang Ming, and sighed softly, "This was left by my father; I'll give it to you first..."
"Huh?"
Jiang Ming was slightly surprised.
Bai Liu, however, looked out into the night and, somewhat indifferently, said, "I lied to you before. My father is already dead, devoured by a bizarre creature. If not for that Divine Buddha leading the pursuit away, I would be dead too."
"You can have this Jade Pendant. You don't seem like the type to abandon me and run. The biggest inheritance my father left me is the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall. I must go back to inherit the Martial Arts Hall and carry forward my father's legacy."
Bai Liu's brow furrowed slightly, saying, "And I feel that this matter is not as simple as I thought..."
Bai Liu suddenly looked at Jiang Ming and, in not-so-fluent words, tempted,
"Jiang Ming, I can tell you're self-taught in cultivation. If you could have systematic training, you might even reach the level of a Martial Arts Hall Master in the future."
"The Lion Roar Martial Arts Hall isn't that large compared to my White Cloud Martial Arts Hall. If you join my hall, I can ensure the best benefits for you. My White Cloud Martial Arts Hall is in the top ten of the Evergreen Martial Arts Hall rankings. Are you interested in being my junior brother?"
Bai Liu's beautiful eyes shone with fiery brilliance.
Despite the brief acquaintance, Bai Liu noticed the thriving Qi-Blood in Jiang Ming.
Currently only seventeen, Jiang Ming had great potential with more resources like major medicines.
If Bai Liu wanted to revitalize the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall, accepting such a promising talent as Jiang Ming was undoubtedly the best choice.
At this moment, Jiang Ming hesitated. He sensed there might be some trouble with the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall.
Like the world he previously knew, it seemed to hold biases favoring men over women.
Now that Bai Changfeng is dead, can Bai Liu easily take over the Martial Arts Hall? Moreover, according to Bai Liu, the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall had considerable scale.
Bai Liu also had a sister eight years younger, while Bai Changfeng had brothers as well.
However, looking at the blood-colored Jade Pendant Bai Liu handed over,
and the heavenly prompt in his mind,
[Spirit Points +18.9]
Jiang Ming nodded; if he could start a simulation, what was there to fear?
"Alright."
Bai Liu's eyes instantly curved into crescent moons with a smile.
As night deepened, the three campfires burned at the post station, smoke drifting out through the windows.
Under the sign, the Bronze Vermilion Bird seemed to spread its wings and fly.
Even though it was night, and the post station had open windows on all sides, Jiang Ming didn't feel the slightest chill and fear he had known in the Jiang Family Village.
It wasn't just the flames within the post station and the Martial Artists' fiery Qi-Blood, but also...
Jiang Ming looked at the Bronze Vermilion Bird.
Coincidently or not, when Jiang Ming looked at it, the Bronze Vermilion Bird seemed to gaze back with its hollow eyes.
Jiang Ming rubbed his eyes and looked again; the Bronze Vermilion Bird had turned its gaze elsewhere.
The two of them did not sleep.
Bai Liu straightforwardly began teaching Jiang Ming common knowledge.
There wasn't a distinct hierarchy among Martial Artists—generally just divided into Martial Arts Hall apprentices, instructors, and hall masters.
According to Bai Liu's estimation, Jiang Ming's Qi-Blood and martial skill had just reached the level of a Martial Arts Instructor, akin to the backbone of various Martial Arts Halls.
Given Jiang Ming's age, he was considered a prime candidate, though his self-taught background might lower his evaluation slightly, but most martial halls wouldn't refuse him.
Bai Liu, a year younger than Jiang Ming, was considered talented and was near perfection in her Martial Arts apprenticeship but was slightly behind Jiang Ming in Qi and Blood cultivation.
With Bai Liu's descriptions of martial arts, Jiang Ming compared this world's martial arts to the mortal arts of the Jiuzhou World.
This world didn't have the concept of Inner Strength.
Inner Strength was refined essence energy from the Acquired Five Grains and Legumes and Blood and Flesh by a Martial Artist, not mastered in this world.
For only the fiery Attribute of Qi-Blood could harm evil spirits.
So the martial arts in this world developed around maximizing Qi-Blood flame power.
In contrast, Jiuzhou's mortal martial arts seemed more varied and diverse.
Then there was the distribution in Great Lii.
Bai Liu didn't know how many cities were in Great Lii, only the prosperity of the Thirty-Six Main Cities.
Bai Liu corrected a misunderstanding of Jiang Ming's.
Evergreen City, though a city, was small compared to Great Lii's standards, considered the lowest tier among cities.
Regarding evil spirits, Bai Liu listed several common ones near Evergreen City, teaching Jiang Ming their traits and weaknesses.
The evil spirits weren't as varied as Jiang Ming imagined, for Martial Artists could only encounter and resist a certain few.
As the night grew late, the two took turns resting.
In the Great Lii post station, no monsters dared act recklessly, and the night passed smoothly.
Dawn broke.
The two groups in the post station gradually departed.
Bai Liu continued to enthusiastically share Martial Dao knowledge.
"No wonder my senior brothers were so happy teaching me; teaching others feels like this."
"Jiang Ming, once you join, you'll have to call me senior sister."
Bai Liu's red attire swayed as she walked ahead on the official road.