Zhenyuan Escort Bureau.
Lei Zhan had already left, and the old horse leaned against a stone pillar with a sad expression.
"Young master, this is three thousand taels of silver! How could you agree? No matter how much your father spoils you, he will ruin your life when he returns."
Jiang Yuan sighed and replied, "Uncle Ma, do you really think our father will come back? For decades, we've been paying 100 taels of silver to Heifeng Village every year. Did they ever object? But now..."
Jiang Yuan paused and continued, "Now they have the audacity to ask for three thousand taels of silver. Can't you see what's happening?"
The old horse felt a heavy blow from those words, his eyes becoming dull.
Jiang Yuan shook his head, feeling bitter in his heart. Initially, he was worried about Jiang Zhenyuan's return. His disguise might not hold up, considering Jiang Yuan was his only heir. Jiang Zhenyuan knew all of his mannerisms and gestures. Even with all the memories, there would be subtle differences. After walking the rivers and lakes for years, Jiang Zhenyuan wouldn't fail to notice those changes.
But now, it seemed his worries were unnecessary.
However, a bigger problem loomed over them now.
The rumors from outside were likely true, and Jiang Zhenyuan's mission might have actually failed. If something happened to him, the Zhenyuan Escort Bureau would be in danger. After years of hard work, the bureau had amassed considerable wealth. Yet, the only remaining skilled member was the severely injured Lao Ma, who was only at the sixth level of physical training. The other masters had accompanied Jiang Zhenyuan on his journey. This situation was like a child holding gold in a bustling city. And this world was far from safe compared to his previous life. Once news of Jiang Zhenyuan's misfortune spread, it would surely attract opportunists eager to take advantage.
Lei Zhan's visit today was a clear indication that he knew more than Jiang Yuan did. Pondering this, Jiang Yuan's expression turned serious as he fell into deep thought.
At that moment, the old horse's voice came from behind him.
"Young Master, if we give Heifeng Village the three thousand taels of silver, could it help us through this crisis?"
Jiang Yuan shook his head, replying, "No, it was just a ploy to stall them. We can't give them a single cent of the three thousand taels of silver. If we show weakness now, everyone will know that something happened to our father, and we'll become prey to those opportunists."
"Your words are wise!" a low voice suddenly spoke from the wall.
Startled, the old horse turned around.
Jiang Yuan also looked in that direction, his eyes freezing.
A thin young man in his twenties stood on the wall, wearing a rough linen shirt and covered in blood as if he had emerged from a battle.
What struck Jiang Yuan the most was that this young man appeared different from others. He radiated a golden aura, an aggregation of golden light.
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[Thirteen strands of luck power detected. Absorb it?]
Jiang Yuan saw a prompt in front of his eyes the moment he laid eyes on the young man. He quickly suppressed his astonishment and mentally commanded, "Absorb."
Instantly, strands of golden energy were stripped from the young man's body and flowed into Jiang Yuan.
He then opened his panel to check.
[Name: Gumo]
[Realm: Seventh level of physical training (exchanging blood)]
[Innate Fortune: Sword God’s Talent (Purple), Divine Soul (Green), Rough Swordsmanship (White)]
[Sword God's Talent]: Exceptionally skilled in swordsmanship, a prodigy among mortals, quickly mastering any sword technique.
[Natural Spirituality]: Born with a divine soul, possesses keen senses and formidable mental power.
[Rough knowledge of knife skills]: Talented in knife skills.
Jiang Yuan's pupils contracted. The young man possessed a purple-level innate fortune!
Meanwhile, the old horse exclaimed with joy upon seeing him, "Gu Mo, it's you!"
Despite his excitement, he coughed violently, suppressing it before urgently asking, "Where is the boss? How is he?"
Gu Mo shook his head and leaped off the wall, holding a saber in his hand. Upon landing, he stumbled, his mouth twitching slightly.
"What's wrong, Gu Mo?" the old horse inquired.
He shook his head, replying, "Just a minor injury."
Then, he turned to Jiang Yuan and apologized, "Young master, I'm sorry for failing to protect the boss."
The old horse's eyes immediately reddened at those words, his voice trembling as he said, "What are you saying? The boss..."
Gu Mo raised his head and calmly continued, "Twenty miles away from Heifeng Mountain, we were ambushed by the leader of Heifeng Village and a mysterious eighth-level master of physical training."
"The boss fell in battle, and the other twenty-odd brothers also perished. I'm the only one who managed to escape."
The master of Heifeng Village and a mysterious eighth-level master? Jiang Yuan's eyes turned grave. He was both shocked and horrified. Why would such experts team up to ambush Jiang Zhenyuan? He sighed softly, realizing his worries were not unfounded.
Then, patting Gu Mo's shoulder, Jiang Yuan said, "It's not your fault, Gu Mo. What parting words did my father leave?"
"Indeed," Gu Mo nodded, taking out a brocade box from his pocket. "Young master, this is the actual purpose of the dart mission. I suspect that their target was the dart our master wagered."
"The master told me that the Zhenyuan Escorts can be lost, but the darts must not be lost. I hope you can deliver this item to its rightful owner in the future."
Jiang Yuan looked at the small brocade box in his hand and couldn't help but feel touched. Such unwavering determination was something he had only heard of in stories from his previous life. It was no wonder the Zhenyuan Escort Bureau had grown under Jiang Zhenyuan's leadership.
Meanwhile, the old horse stood there in silence. Having followed Jiang Zhenyuan since childhood, he had received immense kindness. From a young boy to his twilight years, he had spent most of his life with him. The depth of his emotions was beyond comprehension. Silence, at this moment, conveyed the weight of his grief.
After a long pause, Jiang Yuan broke the silence.
"Uncle Ma, Gu Mo, go and rest for now. We'll discuss everything tomorrow, and please take care not to aggravate your injuries."
"Yes, young master!" Gu Mo nodded, assisting the old horse as they slowly departed.
In the courtyard, Jiang Yuan looked at his panel.
[Name: Jiang Yuan]
[Realm: Fourth level of physical training]
[Innate Fortune: Exceptional Understanding (Green), Strong Physique (White, upgradeable)]
[Luck Power: 13 strands]
His eyes lit up as he read his panel. There was a change! But why did Gu Mo have luck power gathered around him? Contemplating the purple-level innate fortune on his panel, Jiang Yuan pondered deeply at that moment.
Suddenly, he dismissed the distracting thoughts, refocusing his mind, and returned his gaze to his panel. With determination, he allowed the wisps of luck power to flow into his white innate fortune.
After a brief moment, a notification appeared.
[Successfully consumed 10 strands of luck power. Strong Physique (White) has evolved into Extraordinary Physique (Green).]
[Extraordinary Physique]: Your inherent physical strength is exceptional and extraordinary. You possess remarkable talent in physical training and excel on the path of body forging.