"Junior Brother Jiang, this is a letter from Senior Luoo Xiu to you."
As dawn broke, Qian Changgong handed a letter to Jiang Ming.
Jiang Ming did not shy away from Qian Changgong and opened the letter.
"Proceed to Anluo Mountain, collect three Bright Peak White Snow Flowers over a hundred years old... time limit within a month..."
Jiang Ming slowly read the contents, but his eyebrows furrowed.
Anluo Mountain is far from Evergreen City, and there is no official road around.
This means if you don't leave Anluo Mountain during the daytime, you'll be stuck there after dark.
The Bright Peak White Snow Flower is a specialty of Anluo Mountain, a precious auxiliary herb, but few go to Anluo Mountain to collect it, preferring Hanyi Mountain near Evergreen City, even though its herbs aren't as high quality.
Usually, only martial artists at the peak of a Martial Arts Instructor are willing to take the risk to go to Anluo Mountain, but the difficulty is very high.
"But this is just a wager..." Jiang Ming muttered with furrowed brows.
Qian Changgong beside him also widened his eyes, yet still said, "I suppose it's normal, joining an organization like Chaofeng Pavilion isn't easy, not to mention it's Senior Luoo Xiu, Renowned for Keeping Promises. Who doesn't know Senior Luoo Xiu, Junior Brother Jiang, as for fairness, you can be completely assured."
Jiang Ming nodded and went with Qian Changgong to explain the situation to Qian Feng.
After a simple preparation, he set off promptly.
In the early morning, the streets were already bustling with energy.
Stalls were set up, and Jiang Ming, feeling peckish, bought a bag of buns and set off, munching on one.
A voice came from behind him.
"Are you Jiang Ming?"
Jiang Ming paused and turned around, seeing a handsome young man wearing a jade crown, exuding an assertive and sharp demeanor.
"Yes, and you are?"
"Li Tan from the Li Family, your opponent this time, Jiang Ming. I hope you have some skills."
Li Tan looked disdainfully at the bun in Jiang Ming's hand.
"You could have one too."
"Hmph." Li Tan walked away directly.
Jiang Ming felt a bit baffled.
After leaving the city gates, caravans started arriving from afar.
Jiang Ming, with a long knife and a package on his back, walked towards Anluo Mountain...
.....................
Sunlight danced into the forest, casting countless speckles among the trees.
A small white deer with lively eyes surveyed its surroundings, ensuring safety before approaching a stream for a drink.
The deer suddenly became alert and dashed away in a particular direction.
"Li Gong, your Concealing Technique is getting worse; even a deer noticed you."
A mocking voice suddenly emanated from the trees.
Four black-clad figures with straw hats stood atop a large tree, their forms almost blending with the tree.
"Hmph."
The one known as Li Gong snorted coldly and replied, "The forest is full of exotic beasts. Isn't it quite normal? Rather, it's you all."
"Aren't you afraid of failing the family's task?"
"It's just a Martial Arts Instructor who managed to kill two of the Chang Family's first-class guards. Are first-class guards really that strong?"
One spoke disdainfully.
"I just have a bad feeling." Li Gong said.
Someone patted Li Gong's shoulder, comforting him, "Relax, even Martial Arts Hall Master level experts have perished under our blades. It's merely a young guy."
"Yes."
There was silence.
The individuals in the trees left without anyone noticing.
A little white deer peeked out from behind the trees, took two sips of water, sensed something, and lightly hopped away through the woods.
Meanwhile, Jiang Ming was racing through the forest.
Inner Strength surged through his legs, allowing him to maintain a high speed steadily.
The Wind Chasing Leg is not just a combat technique; it incorporates the advantages of various Lightweight Skills from the Jianghu.
This forest is a shortcut, and according to map calculations, his speed should lead him directly to the official road post beyond the forest.
Suddenly, Jiang Ming's body turned like an eagle flipping, soaring into the air.
"Whoosh!"
An arrow embedded itself firmly in the tree beside him.
From another side, a blade with a blue-green tint swiftly slashed towards Jiang Ming from the tree bark.
A black-clad figure appeared there, unnoticed.
"Hah!"
Jiang Ming's Inner Strength exploded, bursting out from opened body channels, swirling around him like a vortex.
In the next moment, the black-clad figure felt as if his blade had struck an invisible barrier.
Before he could react, a fierce gust hit him.
Jiang Ming's leg whipped mercilessly against him, sending the black-clad figure flying backward.
"Attack!"
Three shadows, silent as specters, rushed towards Jiang Ming.
Jiang Ming frowned.
His hand flicked, and the sheathed knife flew towards and embedded in a tree.
Jiang Ming wielded the long knife.
In the next second, blood sprayed.
Jiang Ming frowned, looking at the three corpses on the ground.
"The Li Family or the Chang Family."
These were the enemies Jiang Ming could guess.
He looked at the remaining person.
He discovered the man's eyes bulged, face purple and blue, dead not by Jiang Ming's hand but from poisoning himself.
Jiang Ming slightly furrowed his brows, searched the bodies but found no markings.
After fruitless searching, Jiang Ming continued his journey.
There was an official road before Anluo Mountain.
However, the post on the official road seemed somewhat abandoned.
Jiang Ming didn't dwell on the post's abandonment, only glanced at the perfect condition of the Bronze Vermilion Bird hanging below the post's sign, and then stayed there.
Jiang Ming now understood that the Bronze Vermilion Bird is the Great Lii Dynasty's symbol for suppressing Qi Fortune; every city and post has a Bronze Vermilion Bird.
Jiang Ming didn't know the details.
But where there is a Bronze Vermilion Bird is safeguarded by the Great Lii, ordinary evil spirits dare not approach.
"How long has it been since anyone came to Anluo Mountain..."
"The wild night's still too dangerous."
Jiang Ming rubbed his brow as he sat cross-legged, alone in the post.
"Who's there!"
Jiang Ming suddenly opened his eyes, looking toward the door.
The voice seemed to startle the other party, and a white shadow quickly retreated a few steps.
After a few breaths, the shadow cautiously emerged again.
A white deer?
Jiang Ming raised an eyebrow, glanced at the Bronze Vermilion Bird.
Seeing no reaction from the Bronze Vermilion Bird, implying it wasn't a threat.
Jiang Ming ignored it.
Unexpectedly, the white deer, seeing Jiang Ming's calm, entered the post, went to another corner, and sat opposite Jiang Ming.