Chapter 463: Chapter 463: Roadside Encounter

The next day, Zhang Yuan and Mo Huai’an did not immediately leave Zhang Family Village.

By midday, a fast rider hurried into the village and stopped in front of the village chief’s house.

The newcomer was a rugged Martial Artist, with the emblem of Upper Scenic Celestial emblazoned on his armor.

Mo Huai’an, who had been prepared for this, led Xiao Huan out and handed the little girl over to him.

The previous night, this Young Mage had sent a Token to Upper Scenic Celestial, requesting the sect to send someone to guide this young girl with excellent cultivation aptitudes.

Otherwise, he would have to return to Upper Scenic Celestial, wasting time going back and forth.

For this reason, Mo Huai’an didn’t hesitate to use a precious long-distance Token.

Zhang Yuan could only remark that this Second Generation Cultivator was indeed extravagant!

It’s worth noting that the value of a Token depends on the communication distance, and even a one-hundred-mile Token requires a significant amount of Daoist Merit to exchange for.

As for a thousand-mile Token...

The exchange catalog of the Martial Pavilion Merit Hall doesn’t even list a thousand-mile Token!

If it were Zhang Yuan, he would rather make the effort to take another trip than be so lavishly wasteful.

Yet, since Mo Huai’an was willing, Zhang Yuan had little to say.

However, the long-distance Token was indeed worth its price; the emissary from Upper Scenic Celestial arrived remarkably fast.

"Papa, Mama~"

Uncomprehending, Xiao Huan was terrified and burst into tears, instinctively struggling fiercely.

Mo Huai’an immediately comforted her gently: "Don’t be afraid, this uncle will take you to a wonderful place."

Zhang Dashan and his wife, along with their son and daughter-in-law, also stepped forward to persuade Xiao Huan, even adopting a slightly threatening tone.

They were afraid Mo Huai’an would change his mind and the ten taels of gold would slip away.

The little girl finally stopped crying, sniffling and no longer resisting.

She had no idea her life was about to undergo a tremendous change!

The sect’s emissary came swiftly and left just as quickly, taking the little girl away like a whirlwind.

Mo Huai’an let out a sigh of relief, somewhat embarrassedly saying to Zhang Yuan, "Let’s go too."

Zhang Yuan naturally had no objections.

Ignoring the insincere attempts of the old village chief’s family to ask them to stay, the two of them rode out of the village.

"Taoist Priest!"

Before they reached the village entrance, a dense group of villagers appeared on the village road ahead.

More people gathered around.

Most of these villagers were leading one or two children, boys and girls ranging from a few years old to ten.

They blocked the road, kneeling and loudly begging.

"Merciful Taoist Priest, please test the Root Bone for the children!"

"Taoist Priest, my child is very smart, please take him as your disciple!"

"And mine too, mine is also very smart!"

"Taoist Priest..."

The adults begged, and the children clamored, completely blocking the way out of the village!

Mo Huai’an had never seen such a scene before,

completely taken aback.

The villagers’ desperate pleas were like a demonic chant, causing his previously serene Daoist heart to become extremely agitated.

The Young Mage’s gaze fell on faces filled with desire and greed.

Some were excited, some menacing, others distorted!

"You all!"

Mo Huai’an felt helpless.

He wanted to persuade the villagers, but they rushed forward, some even trying to cling to his legs.

"Get lost!"

At that moment, a thunderous shout suddenly rang out, instantly silencing all noise.

"Roar~"

The next moment, the roar of a Gray-toothed Lynx echoed in everyone’s ears.

The scene suddenly quieted down, then exploded into chaos.

The villagers blocking the road fled in all directions, scared out of their wits.

In the end, they left behind numerous straw sandals scattered on the ground.

Mo Huai’an: "..."

Zhang Yuan said calmly, "Let’s go."

With the imposing presence of the Gray-toothed Lynx leading the way, the two managed to leave Zhang Family Village smoothly.

Mo Huai’an smiled wryly, "Senior Brother Zhang, did I do something wrong?"

He was naturally referring to testing Xiao Huan’s Root Bone.

The Young Mage had no idea such a big mess would await him today.

There was no doubt Xiao Huan’s family had leaked the news!

Zhang Yuan chuckled, "You didn’t do anything wrong, just didn’t use the right method."

A precious gem found in the countryside, Mo Huai’an was delighted and wanted to recruit a future prodigy for the sect, a behavior that was understandable.

But he erred in not considering the local customs.

The right approach should have been to negotiate the price immediately after assessing the Root Bone.

If the other party is genuinely concerned for their child, then explain the opportunity,

Naturally, it would satisfy everyone.

Conversely, if the other party is blinded by the sight of money, then use gold and silver to break the ties instantly, avoiding future troubles.

It’s actually beneficial.

Mo Huai’an realized he had done a good deed that turned out wrong, and his mood on the ensuing journey was more subdued, filled with a few more thoughts of worry.

Zhang Yuan did not offer consolation, trusting that Mo Huai’an would gain insight on his own.

Many things must be personally experienced to understand the correct way to handle them.

In the following days, Zhang Yuan and Mo Huai’an visited several more villages.

One village indeed had some mysterious disturbances.

But this ominous presence was insignificant, dealt with effortlessly by Mo Huai’an with a Talisman.

Zhang Yuan didn’t even have a chance to intervene.

Time flew by, and before they knew it, the two had been traveling away from Upper Scenic Celestial for over half a month.

That night, they camped beside a highway in a wild field.

Mo Huai’an, on a whim, decided to visit an elder at a certain place.

But since neither he nor Zhang Yuan was familiar with the road, they specifically sought out a highway, intending to inquire with passing caravans.

Just as they set up their tent and lit a campfire, a light drizzle began to fall from the night sky.

The Gray-toothed Lynx brought back two wild rabbits.

Its hunting skills were exceptional, and with Zhang Yuan unable to use Storage Space ingredients, this large feline provided most of the fresh meat for the two of them.

Just as Zhang Yuan placed the marinated rabbit meat over the fire, he suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.

The Gray-toothed Lynx, which was resting nearby, suddenly stood up, its eyes bright as it looked towards the right.

From the direction of the highway shrouded in darkness, shouting faintly echoed through the air.

The noise was getting closer!

Zhang Yuan said to Mo Huai’an, "Be careful, someone’s coming."

His senses were incredibly sharp; he instantly knew from the sounds that trouble was brewing.

Although Zhang Yuan wasn’t afraid, he couldn’t afford to be careless.

After all, if it were just him, he could outrun danger if the fight got too tough. But adding Mo Huai’an to the equation changed things entirely.

Mo Huai’an nodded, gripping a Talisman in his hand.

Although their training trip had been short, Mo Huai’an had grown a lot from their experiences, shedding a touch of innocence.

Moments later, a figure dashed along the highway towards them.

The person glanced at Zhang Yuan and Mo Huai’an camping by the roadside, showing an expression of delight.

"Big Brother, Third Brother!"

Without thinking, he tossed the bundle he was carrying towards them, shouting loudly, "Run!"