The cruise ship wasn't fast, taking two full days to reach the final stop in Yu City. Since their destination was Lezhou, they would have to transfer to another boat there. However, by this point, Zhang Yang and Long Feng had completely lost any desire to travel by water. A few continuous days on the boat was enough novelty; frankly, life on the water was far less comfortable than on land, and once the novelty wore off, it just became tedious.

Even the two little ones, Lightning and Shadowless, refused to board another vessel.

“Parting after a thousand-mile journey, Brother Zhang, Brother Long, no need to see me off!”

At the highway interchange of Yu City, Li Changfeng said to Zhang Yang and Long Feng with a smile. This was already their second day in the city; they had all enjoyed a good drink together the day they disembarked.

Zhang Yang and Long Feng planned to travel overland to Leshan, whereas Li Changfeng was heading straight toward Qingcheng Mountain. Their paths were diverging.

“We’re not seeing you off; we’re reminding you not to forget the Monkey Wine you lost!”

Zhang Yang chuckled. A few days ago, during their mountain race, Li Changfeng had lost two jars of this superior Monkey Wine to each of them. Zhang Yang and Long Feng both remembered well; the deliciousness of Monkey Wine was something you never forgot after one taste.

“Don't worry, Brother Zhang, I will surely deliver them to your hands someday!”

Li Changfeng replied with a hint of a bitter smile. He had lost badly this time, not only forfeiting his current stock but also having to find two more jars somehow. He suspected he would pay quite a price for those two jars of Monkey Wine.

“Just remember it, let’s go!”

Long Feng added with a smile. Li Changfeng said no more and got directly into his vehicle.

His ride was a Wrangler Jeep, which looked quite large. The vehicle had been waiting for him in Yu City; someone had delivered it to him right after they got off the ship.

Once Li Changfeng departed, Zhang Yang and Long Cheng returned to their hotel.

Their farewell was indicative of how well the three of them had gotten along over the past few days; they had become much more familiar with each other than before. Li Changfeng was sophisticated and very skilled with words. While not violating his family's regulations, he still shared much useful knowledge regarding cultivation that greatly enlightened both Zhang Yang and Long Feng. Neither Zhang Yang nor Long Feng were difficult people to get along with, so their relationship naturally grew much closer over the days.

Long Cheng had not joined them to see Li Changfeng off. He had realized long ago that Li Changfeng viewed Zhang Yang and Long Feng differently, while treating him as merely adequate. He was also self-aware; with his current level of cultivation, there was a significant gap between him and the others—they weren't in the same league. Thus, Long Cheng had deliberately kept his distance these past two days.

Zhang Yang noticed this and felt a touch helpless about it. Every place had its social stratification, and internal energy cultivators were no exception; this was a realm where hierarchy was clearly defined. Someone like Zhang Yang, who could be friends with anyone, was the anomaly. Internal energy cultivators had always subscribed to the principle of respecting the strong above all else.

“We’ll rest another day, then set off for Leshan tomorrow!”

In the hotel room, Long Feng made the new decision. Yu City was one of the few major cities in the Southwest, a municipality directly under the central government, much like Shanghai. Yu City’s scenery was quite pleasant, and they had only been traveling for about a week. With plenty of time left, there was no need to rush their journey.

Long Feng had always managed the travel arrangements. Zhang Yang and Long Cheng would never object to his decisions. Resting an extra day in Yu City was fine; after all, it was a metropolis. Zhang Yang hadn't visited much in his previous life, so this was a perfect chance to see it properly.

Yu City also had another name: Mountain City, implying it was built upon mountains. The name was quite fitting; stepping out onto the streets, looking up revealed numerous buildings constructed into the slopes, creating a distinct sense of layering.

Yu City hotpot was famous nationwide. That evening, following directions they had gathered, the three found the best hotpot restaurant, preparing to savor the local delicacies.

“Zhang Yang, what is it?”

Just as they got out of the car at the entrance to the restaurant, Zhang Yang suddenly turned his head back, a sharp light flickering intensely in his eyes. On the first day of their journey, Zhang Yang had a feeling of being watched, but at that time, he couldn't detect anything. The feeling had since vanished, so he’d let it go. But just now, the very instant they stepped out of the car, that sensation returned. It was exactly the same feeling as before.

The one who asked was Long Feng, noticing Zhang Yang’s unusual behavior and couldn't help but inquire.

“It’s nothing, let’s go inside first!”

After staring outside for a moment, Zhang Yang gently shook his head and followed Long Feng into the room. Shadowless quietly slipped off Zhang Yang’s body again. Being small, it was difficult to attract attention, and its natural camouflage offered further concealment. Zhang Yang left it outside to observe whether they were actually being followed, and if so, by whom.

Five minutes later, Shadowless darted back into the restaurant. Its speed was astonishing, ensuring no one noticed a small creature scampering across the floor.

“Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!”

Climbing onto Zhang Yang’s body, Shadowless chirped incessantly, relaying the results of its search outside. It had found nothing; it had investigated many people but discovered no supposed tail. Shadowless even seemed to be teasing Zhang Yang for overreacting, suggesting he must have sensed incorrectly.

Shadowless’s report somewhat eased Zhang Yang’s mind, but only slightly; his vigilance never dropped.

“Clever little fellow, so perceptive he even noticed me. And he deliberately left that Treasure Rat behind! Heh, luckily, this old man is smart enough not to fall for his trick. Still, with that boy’s senses being so keen, I really need to keep my distance. If he ever discovers me, I’ll be thoroughly embarrassed!”

At a roadside stall not far from the restaurant, an old man peered toward the establishment, muttering to himself. Soon, he walked over to a nearby stall and ordered a bowl of Rundun.

“You’re enjoying a grand feast, while this old man has to eat Rundun here. This world, unfair, so unfair!”

Muttering, the old man ate quickly, finishing two bowls before wiping his mouth with satisfaction and paying. Then, he strolled leisurely along the roadside, humming an unrecognizable old tune.

The hotpot in Yu City was truly delicious, making Long Feng consider staying another day just to fully enjoy the cuisine. However, staying was out of the question. The three of them purchased quite a few good things there. Long Cheng was astute; since their Jeep couldn't hold everything, he promptly rented a large, high-horsepower van to follow them, solely for hauling cargo. With the truck accompanying them, they didn't need to worry about how much they bought.

Long Cheng also bought many precious gifts. Inspired by Long Feng, he placed great importance on this; a guest is never unwelcome when bearing gifts, and to maintain good relations, one must prepare many tokens—he even bought toys for the children.

Leshan was the next planned stop. The Leshan Giant Buddha was quite famous. Long Feng wasn't devout, but he’d heard people mention the place when he first came down the mountain long ago and had never visited. Taking the opportunity of returning home, he decided to detour here for a proper look.

Humans are strange creatures; they sometimes become singularly focused on something, famous or obscure, and once they set their minds on seeing it, they must. It’s like hearing someone mention a great movie or delicious food at some point, embedding it deeply in memory, resolving to check it out when the chance arises. Long Feng was human, just a slightly stronger one, possessing all the emotions common to humanity, especially now that he cultivated the Supreme True Canon, a paramount heart method requiring integration with the mortal world.

Long Cheng drove, while Zhang Yang and Long Feng sat in the back meditating and cultivating. Time spent in a vehicle was inherently dull; the initial novelty of being on the road had long evaporated. It was better to use this time to practice; both were in the late stages of cultivation and could afford no slackening, as a breakthrough opportunity might arise at any moment.

“Hiss!”

Long Cheng slammed on the brakes suddenly. The van following behind also braked hard, narrowly avoiding a collision because it had maintained a safe distance. The sudden stop jolted Zhang Yang and Long Feng awake from their cultivation.

Zhang Yang didn't ask Long Cheng what happened; he immediately looked forward. He knew Long Cheng was a steady driver and wouldn't stop like that without a significant reason. Indeed, ahead was a curve, where two cars had rear-ended each other, causing a traffic jam. Such curves were prone to accidents, and quite a few people had already gathered there.

“I’ll get out to check; please wait for me!”

After a quick assessment, Zhang Yang opened his door and stepped out. Car accidents often resulted in injuries, and Zhang Yang intended to see if anyone needed his help. If assistance was required, he would certainly step in. He was accompanying Long Feng on this trip partly with the intention of practicing medicine in the field; if an opportunity arose, he wouldn't hesitate.

There were many people gathered ahead, with a large truck at the very back. The vehicles involved in the accident directly in front of the truck were a Santana. Those two cars were relatively fortunate; it was a standard rear-end collision, causing only minor deformation to the Santana’s rear bumper. No one seemed injured.

The situation several meters ahead of the Santana looked much worse, where several vehicles had piled up, resulting in a severe crash. The Santana had apparently spotted the wreckage ahead while navigating the curve, leading to its emergency braking and subsequent rear-ending by the truck—making them the victims of the second accident in sequence.

“Help, please help him…”

Before Zhang Yang even reached the scene, he heard a tragic cry. Hearing that sound, he involuntarily quickened his pace. Long Feng and Long Cheng also alighted from their vehicle and followed Zhang Yang.

Ahead lay a four-car collision. The most mangled was a Jetta caught in the middle; the three-box sedan had been crushed into a hatchback shape and was lying on its side, with large pools of blood staining the ground. The crying person was a woman, appearing to be in her mid-thirties, her face covered in blood, her clothes slightly torn, as she knelt weeping.

Several people stood beside the wrecked Jetta. From the outside, they could see someone slumped in the driver’s seat. The group was currently discussing how to extricate the occupant. The person inside was currently unconscious, but judging by the scene, their condition was dire, made worse by being trapped within the wreckage.

Seeing this, Zhang Yang hesitated no longer and strode forward, moving directly to the Jetta's driver’s side, carefully observing the trapped individual. The victim was a man around thirty years old, also bleeding from his face, but he still had a breath in his chest—this offered Zhang Yang a small measure of relief. (To be continued)