A long queue snaked outside the North Gate of Tiger Leaping Commandery in Qingzhou. The search was painstakingly thorough, ensuring the process moved at a crawl.

By the city gate, Teng Qingshan was being closely scrutinized by one of the guards. Teng Qingshan grunted, summoning immense strength in both arms to heave two crates off his horse’s back.

With a loud clatter! and another clatter!, he set them on the ground.

Teng Qingshan managed a wry smile. “These crates of mine are excessively heavy.” As he spoke, he pried open the lid of one crate, revealing neatly stacked bricks of tea within.

“Hmm?” The guard frowned upon seeing the tea bricks. “These are all tea bricks, brother.

Unpacking them is a hassle, and repacking them is even worse. Help a fellow out; I’m just trying to earn a living,” Teng Qingshan pleaded.

The guard glanced toward the supervising figures standing in the distance, then hardened his resolve. “Quiet!” the guard barked at Teng Qingshan.

“Hurry up and dump both crates out for me!” “Dump them all out?” Teng Qingshan’s eyes widened. The guard’s face was icy.

“The surface of your crates shows tea bricks, but who knows what you have underneath? Hurry, dump it all out.

Otherwise, I suggest you spend a few days cooling your heels in the jailhouse.” “I’ll dump, I’ll dump.” Teng Qingshan swiftly lifted one crate and, with a whoosh, inverted it toward the ground, ensuring the crate's mouth rested flush with the earth. He murmured, “Brother, if I dump this all out, it won't just take time.

So many tea bricks—I’m afraid quite a few will shatter,” saying this, Teng Qingshan began shaking the crate cautiously, slowly emptying all the tea bricks. Clang!

The empty crate was set aside. The guard immediately inspected the empty crate and the pile of tea bricks, shouting, “Hurry up with the other one!” “Right, right.” Teng Qingshan opened the second crate.

Inside this box, alongside the tea, was a trunk for clothes. Others didn't know, but Teng Qingshan was acutely aware...

the things that could cost him his life were inside that clothing trunk! Both the Samsara Spear and the Mountain-Splitting Divine Axe were items he absolutely had to keep with him.

He hoisted that box with one arm. Swish-swish~ A cascade of tea bricks and the clothing trunk tumbled out together.

Teng Qingshan industriously opened the trunk, revealing only some clothes and sundry items inside. The guard glanced over, pushing the stacked tea bricks aside, fearing the Mountain-Splitting Divine Axe or the Samsara Spear might be hidden beneath them.

As for the clothing trunk, he merely poked at it with his weapon, failing to detect anything unusual. “You woman, the large bundle on your back, bring it here,” the guard suddenly commanded, turning his attention to ‘Madam Tan.’ Madam Tan, who had been holding young Tan He’s hand, started in surprise.

“Me?” “Every single person must be inspected,” the guard snapped coldly. Madam Tan could only resign herself and unfasten the bundle from her back.

“Brother, can you put my tea bricks back now?” Teng Qingshan asked with a pained expression. The guard felt a measure of sympathy for the merchant’s predicament; repacking that many tea bricks was certainly bothersome.

He gave Madam Tan’s bundle a cursory inspection while saying, “Yes, hurry up and repack the tea bricks properly. Get going sooner rather than later.

Don't block the city gate.” After the inspection, the guard moved on to check others, leaving Teng Qingshan alone to laboriously refill the two crates with tea bricks. “Uncle Qin, let me help you.” Young Tan He also pitched in with the packing, and Madam Tan quickly rushed over as well.

Eight hundred tea bricks—although Teng Qingshan had emptied them carefully, over a dozen had broken. These scattered bricks could still be used to brew tea, after all.

The three of them worked together, and in a short while, both crates were fully packed again. Teng Qingshan placed the clothing trunk back into one of the large crates.

He hoisted the two crates onto his Scarlet Fire Horse. “Let’s go,” Teng Qingshan led Madam Tan and her son toward the gate, and this time, no one stopped them.

The distance from inside the gate to outside spanned scarcely more than ten zhang, yet it brought Teng Qingshan immense relief. “Finally out,” a smile touched Teng Qingshan’s lips.

“If they had discovered anything just now... I would have had to immediately take the clothing trunk and flee with Young Tan He and his mother.” With Teng Qingshan’s strength, carrying the mother and son posed no hindrance.

Given the strength of the city gate guards, Teng Qingshan could have easily fought his way out. But to fight would incur severe consequences.

First, his identity would be exposed; second, Madam Tan and her son might suffer undeserved disaster. “Uncle Zhou!” Teng Qingshan spotted the merchant caravan ahead and called out with a smile.

“Ah, Brother Qin Wei!” The stout elder leading the caravan, dressed in a thick leather robe and wearing a fur cap, greeted him enthusiastically. “Today, the Carefree Palace is hunting someone down, so the entire city is being searched.

Even leaving the city is this difficult. Merchants like us have suffered, Brother Qin Wei, haven’t we?” “Tell me about it?” Teng Qingshan shook his head helplessly.

“Both crates of goods had to be completely emptied. When it came time to repack, we had to do it ourselves.” “You’re lucky it was just two crates.

Our Hu Clan Merchant Guild alone had ten full carts of goods. Those guards were iron-willed and wouldn't give anyone face, forcing us to unload all ten carts.

This caravan leader, Old Zhou, sounded quite indignant. So many guards, so many merchants—it took us quite a while to repack everything.” Old Zhou suddenly noticed other merchants approaching the city gate.

“Brother Qin Wei, I can’t chat with you now; I need to go greet the others.” “You keep busy, Old Zhou.” Teng Qingshan brought his group over and joined the caravan. This caravan was primarily organized by the Hu Clan Merchant Guild, supplemented by numerous independent merchants.

Many of these independent traders also brought their own escorts. By pooling resources and hiring an additional mercenary team for a fee, the caravan became significantly more formidable, boasting a substantial number of guards.

Nearly half an hour passed until all the merchants had gathered. “Alright, everyone is here.

This caravan’s final destination this trip is the Royal City of Yuzhou—Yu City. Now, let’s depart!” As the caravan leader shouted the command, the entire convoy set off in a grand procession.

This caravan consisted of nearly three hundred merchants, supported by over five hundred escorts. A caravan of eight hundred people!

It was significantly larger than the last one Teng Qingshan had joined. ...

Drip. Drip.

Teng Qingshan’s Scarlet Fire Horse ambled along leisurely. Because of the presence of heavy cargo carts, the caravan’s pace was necessarily slow.

During the morning hours, patches of unmelted snow still clung to the official road, keeping the temperature quite low. “Carefree Mountain!” Teng Qingshan gazed toward the mountain range before him.

Carefree Mountain lay just a few li outside the North Gate of Tiger Leaping Commandery, clearly visible as soon as they exited the city. The area covered by Carefree Mountain was slightly smaller than Great Yan Mountain, perhaps twenty to thirty li in circumference.

However, due to its pristine beauty, it had been chosen by the Founding Ancestor of the Carefree Palace as the site for establishing their sect. Advancing steadily, about half an hour later.

“Ma Jin-xiao did say, ten li after exiting the city gate,” Teng Qingshan scanned his surroundings carefully. “I’ve traveled about ten li since leaving the city.” Madam Tan and her son, seated in the cargo cart as arranged by Teng Qingshan, were also watching the surroundings intently.

In a moment— Teng Qingshan’s gaze locked onto a farmer squatting by the edge of the official road, on the embankment of a field. The man wore a padded cotton jacket and a ragged hat that largely obscured his face, with eyes peering toward them occasionally from beneath the scattered hair.

“Little He, Madam Tan, come here,” Teng Qingshan immediately spurred his horse toward the side of the road. Tan He and Madam Tan were also suspicious of this ragged farmer, knowing Ma Jin-xiao would be waiting about ten li out.

Upon hearing Teng Qingshan call, they hurried over. “Brother Qin Wei,” nearby merchants called out, “Is something wrong?” “A small matter.

Don’t wait for me; I’ll catch up shortly,” Teng Qingshan called back. The merchants noticed Teng Qingshan’s mount was a ‘Scarlet Fire Horse,’ which could easily outpace the caravan.

Thus, the caravan did not stop specifically for him but continued its progress. Whoosh!

The farmer squatting on the embankment stood up and walked over. “Master!” Young Tan He instantly recognized the approaching figure and rushed toward him excitedly.

Ma Jin-xiao smiled and lifted the boy into a hug. Ma Jin-xiao approached, holding the child, and looked at Teng Qingshan with a smile.

“Brother Qin Wei, truly, thank you so much for this.” “With you dressed like this, I almost didn’t recognize you,” Teng Qingshan remarked with admiration. “Haha, I am fundamentally a mountain dweller,” Ma Jin-xiao laughed.

“Did you run into any trouble leaving the city?” Teng Qingshan shook his head. “No major trouble, just that the city was searching for a certain individual.

Guards were stationed on every street, and they were searching thoroughly at the city gate.” Young Tan He, held by Ma Jin-xiao, chimed in, “Yes, Uncle Qin’s cargo crates were all forced to be overturned by the guards.” “It seems the search was quite stringent,” Ma Jin-xiao thought, a flicker of worry crossing his mind. “Did you see the portrait of the person the Carefree Palace is after?” Ma Jin-xiao pressed Teng Qingshan.

“I did,” Teng Qingshan smiled. “Brother Ma, you left in such a rush last night; I thought you were in deep trouble, being hunted by the Carefree Palace.

But when I saw the portrait, it didn’t look like you at all. It seems my guess was wrong.” Ma Jin-xiao revealed a slight smile.

“I did cause some trouble yesterday, which is why I left under the cover of night. However...

I wouldn't go so far as to provoke the Carefree Palace.” Ma Jin-xiao noticed that his apprentice, young Tan He, and Madam Tan showed no signs of surprise, meaning... the portrait definitely didn't resemble him.

Ma Jin-xiao secretly let out a long sigh of relief. “Brother Ma, what are your plans now?” Teng Qingshan inquired.

“Me?” Ma Jin-xiao surveyed the surrounding mountains and fields, then shook his head and laughed. “I plan to take Little He back to my ancestral home, Ma Family Village!

I can also teach the younger members of my Ma Clan. If nothing unexpected happens, I intend to spend the greater part of my remaining life residing in Ma Family Village.” Ma Jin-xiao sounded somewhat wistful.

“I’ve been away for too long... I don’t wish to wander far anymore.” “Brother Qin Wei, Ma Family Village is about thirty li north of here.

You can easily find it with an inquiry there. If you ever want to find me, or see Little He, feel free to visit,” Ma Jin-xiao said warmly.

“Uncle Qin, you must visit us!” Young Tan He pleaded. Teng Qingshan smiled, ruffling Young Tan He’s hair, and nodded.

“Don’t worry. Once I wrap up my own affairs, if I have the chance, I will certainly come.” “Then Brother Qin Wei, you should be on your way.

I will take Little He and Madam Tan back to Ma Family Village now.” Ma Jin-xiao bid farewell to Teng Qingshan and led the mother and son down the country path. Watching the retreating figures of Ma Jin-xiao and the two others, a smile touched Teng Qingshan’s face.

‘Spend the greater part of his life in Ma Family Village? A Xiantian expert, not yet forty years old, content to settle down in his homeland?

To instruct his clansmen, protect his people, and live a peaceful, secure life.’ Teng Qingshan felt a profound stirring in his heart at Ma Jin-xiao’s decision—peace truly was a blessing! If he could live quietly with his family, he too would be content.

“However, my path is different from Ma Jin-xiao’s!” “One of us, either me or Green Lake Island, is destined to fall,” Teng Qingshan leaped onto the Scarlet Fire Horse. “Giddy up!” The Scarlet Fire Horse immediately spread its hooves and bolted forward to chase after the merchant caravan ahead.