“Good to know. However, Adrian! Give the order. We commence our march, once more.”

“Yes, Captain!--- We march! Formation!! And onwards!!!”

Once again, the guards began to ride the horses in a long file, although, as the road was far broader, there were more or less five riders in a single line side by side.

Ans yet, as per the usual construction, Rowen and old Wan, alongside, Adrian, Hubert, and Levis were situated in the middle of the long line, while Zuger, Square, and the two other scouts, were behind them, closely monitored by the guards.

Although, what changed on their journey this time around, was the number of villages and towns on the road, as on the first day they passed quite a number of them, evidently from the presence of Rud city, which was not too far away behind their backs.

“Are we lost?”

“No.”

Even so, the ever-present forest, brought the same monotone feeling in Levis, as he was starting to believe, that they were lost again.

Although, what happened after the first night of the journey, could be said to be a big event, for Hubert that was, as he could be said to have crossed a big threshold as a ranked cultivator, reaching rank 4, after using both of his breaking rank elixirs.

“Hah-aha, my time has come, rank 4. My luck seems to be on a roll. Do you see, stone head, you are not the only one, who can still advance forward.”

“This is a good moment, but this is just the beginning, right? Or are you going to stop after this?”

“Eh—, you sure are throwing cold water over me, evidently it is not the end. Till I can achieve the good life I want, I will push even harder. And I will prove to all that have doubted me, that I, Hubert, am not a waste.”

“Then I await for you, to reach rank five.”

“Aha- do not get too carried away Hubert.”

“What did you say?”

“It will be your treat at the next town.”

“Since you asked so politely, I will treat you with the finest water I will find, from the first river we come across.”

“You dumb cheap bastard!”

“What!!! Who are you calling cheap bastard, you bastard!”

“Aha-aha.”

“Congratulation, Hubert”

“I give you my congratulations, young Hubert.”

“Captain, senior Wan. I thank you.”

“There is nothing for you, to be thanking me for, for this, is your own accomplishment.”

However, as they were riding, while Hubert and the rest of the guards were having their backs and forwards of insults and jokes, Levis was looking with a raised eyebrow at the scene in confusion and puzzlement, as he seemed to be in doubt of something.

[Is this such a big thing? He just reached rank 4. I did it some time ago, and now I am closing on Adrian’s rank 5 but this—, I understand, that this is a good moment for him, but.]

[Disciple, disciple----, well I thought the white hair boy would begin to explain to you more about the cultivation and cultivators--, but it seems it falls onto me now. Ahaammm---, do you remember the cultivators in the city?]

[Yes, why?]

[Anyting in particular, that might have caught your attention?]

[Aaaa—, no.]

[--- alright I will refresh your memory. What ranks have you sensed the most?]

[Rank 3 and below—, wait for rank four and above seemed to decrease drastically.]

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

[Exactly, rank 3 and below are the most common and abundant. Why? You might be asking that. Well, that is because, between the rank 3 and 4, there is a minor barrier that needs to be overcome. For you, who do not know the concepts of blocks or barriers, it might be hard to understand, but the dantian has a process of growth, expansion, and transformation. That is why you have seen fewer ranks 4 and above. You probably have not even felt any difference, as you have moved from a relative rank 3 to 4, as the barriers between rank do not exist for you, although even the stone head is not sure of your future, as you are already a kind of transcendent existence that break the natural order, or maybe you are the natural order, the absolute and paramount existence. Although that is yet to be determined by your fate, so do not worry, as I am here to guide you and to reform you, if you might have need.]

[----ahh–, yes-, I—, understand.]

[Good.]

[ [You sure have become more talkative. Although, like always, the kid has probably retained less than half of what we say.] ]

[ [Just for a moment, nothing more. He needs to be reminded of the current way of cultivation, so as to have the knowledge to act well when needed.] ]

[ [Thoughtfull of you, for once at least. Hmmm—.] ]

With most of the congratulation done, the group advance forward on the second day, while the mid of the day arrived, as the sun was already above everyone's head.

However, as they were continuing the march, the old Wan who was as always close to Rowen, made a slight frown, as his eyes looked in the north direction, while not moving his head or body at all, but the frown deepened for a second longer, only for his face to return to normal an instant later.

[What is this?]

Although someone else was not so covert, as Levis turned his head with a mild surprise. As he was sensing something coming north, to their location, though he was unsure of what it was, as this was the first time that he had sensed something similar.

[Energy fluctuations, someone must be fighting, quite a few of them.]

[Energy—. Eh. what!? Somebody is fighting? But all I feel are some weak breezes-like sensations on my skin, how does this tell me that someone is fighting? ]

[Well—, when you release high amounts of energy, it is akin to throwing a rock in a small lake. It will create ripples that will propagate. Although, in this case, in the surrounding energy that exists in the air, but if you release a truly high amount of it, it will be your own energy that will be propagated faster than the ripples.]

[This is similar to me absorbing energy?]

[Ummm—yes, though in your case, people will know that the energy is proceeding toward you, as it is the complete opposite.]

[Got it!]

[Alright—, if you do, then prepare for anything that might happen.]

[Ummm!]]

Armed with new knowledge, Levis became more and more focused, as the north side of the road the deep endless forest, became the focal point which he viewed most of the time, as he was moving his gaze left and right, so as to not attract too much attention.

Although his lousy behavior did not go unnoticed, as Square who had rarely taken his eyes off his back, made notice of the time he was Spendidn looking at the left side of the forest. As, in the end, Zuger came to be aware as well, of Square's numerous signs, and indications.

[Young master, please stay calm and listen. There is a high probability we will be attacked in the next hour or day, as of this moment, I sense a disturbance north from our location, the distance---, I would proximate twenty kilometers. I do not know what exactly is going to happen, however, in case we are attacked, regroup with the guards and assemble a full turtle formation. I will take care of the enemies alone. In case the enemy is too strong for me to take alone, make use of the defense formation item given by the master. Do not alarm the guards, though, as we are right now I can probably cover everyone, if I give all I have.]

Though, just like Levis, Rowen who had a very limited sense of energy fluctuations needed to be averted by the old man next to him, who had no real change in his attitude or facial expression.

With old Wan’s words resounding in his head, Rowen turned his head in Adrian's direction with a placid face, and with no words, as he raised his right hand while bringing his thumb, close to his middle and ring finger, in the most silent and relaxed way he could.

At his action, Adrian broke away from his position next to Rowen and Hubert, as he moved to the utmost front of the ridings guards, and began to give instructions in a calm and restrained voice, from the first to the last in the long file, as once he was done, the gaps in the long file were to a minimum, while they were at the limit that it could be considered a good distance for safe riding.

Seeing the actions of the guards, old Wan nodded, though looking at no one in particular.

However, old Wan, Levis, and Rowen were not the only ones to have a change in their mindsets. As Adrian was the first out of everyone, who could pick up the strange air that was surrounding them, because of the instructions that were highly uncharacteristic of Rowen's usual method.

The same thing was happening to Hubert, and as well of the other rank 4 guards and below, for there seemed to be a shift in the air, as a kind of dread, was given birth from their actions, that appeared to suggest, a preemptive preparation, for a physical encounter with a possible enemy.

[Huuu? What is going on? Adrian seems to have---, they moved the guards closer together--, and this silence-, is strange.]

[You are not the only one to pick up the unusual situation. You might be among the first ones, but just a moment behind you, there was everyone else, who had received the same information, one way or another.]

[So—, do we fight?]

[That is up to whatever is going to happen next, how am I to know? Just be ready and prepared for anything.]

[Alright, ready for anything.]

But as they continued to move, nothing happened even as an hour passed by.

With the hour gone, Levis was starting to lose all the tension and eagerness, as were the guards that were returning to their normal mental state despite their close march.

Just as Rowen was starting to lose his alertness, believing it of being just a worrisome and paranoid thought of the old man, that had not a single change in his countenance, since the moment he had first received the information of a possible attack, a change occurred, to the said old man.

But just as everyone, was starting to unravel any nervousness, the eyes of old Wan and of Levis widened, as both of them looked at the south part of the road as noises of the movement were clearly coming from the said direction.

“Together! Abandon the horses!! Turtle formation!!!”

At the sudden action, made by the old man, Rowen did not wait for anything, as he immediately made his orders directly and straightforwardly.

Once ordered, all the guards were thrown in a small confusion, but immediately did as ordered, jumping off their horses, while taking only the necessary gear with them, and beginning to assemble with Rowen as the center of the whole formation.

But because they were within the road, and the road that was quite tight, their formation was stretched thinner near the trees, as the big shields and spears were taken out, for the encounter that was supposed to happen.

While as for the horse, which were in a disarray, from all the men having abandoned them, they began to walk the road slowly on both ends of it.

However, no one could care for the horses, as the tension was trow the roof, while the eyes of all the guards were bloodshot, from the waiting, to see who it was that was coming for them.

"They are coming to kill you, so get ready!”

Though, the last voice to order everyone was that of non-other than the old man that had long disappeared from Rowen and the center of the formation.

“Haha—, do it fast, kill them all---, leave no survivors!”

“Die!!!”

“Circle them, leave them no escape!”