Chapter 124: Chapter 114: The Road Beneath Your Feet

In Yanzhou City, Du Chengfeng was still searching everywhere for any trace of Xiang Rong.

It made no sense, it made absolutely no sense that Xiang Rong could escape like this, turning into a monster and then supposedly having a way to turn back—Du Chengfeng once thought he understood this world well enough, but now it seemed that his understanding of this outrageous world was still somewhat lacking.

"How could he have simply escaped?"

At this moment, Du Chengfeng could only blame himself for not being meticulous enough. If, back then, he hadn’t chosen to throw his halberd but instead opted to close in for hand-to-hand combat, perhaps Xiang Rong wouldn’t have had the chance to fake death and escape.

Yet, under this damned information asymmetry, he confidently threw the halberd, and Xiang Rong managed to escape alive.

"Luckily, he didn’t take my halberd with him..."

Holding the halberd in his hand, Du Chengfeng couldn’t help but feel a wave of post-fear, realizing that when Xiang Rong was faking his death, he was closest to this halberd. If Xiang Rong had really taken his halberd, he would have suffered a big loss.

Fortunately, Xiang Rong seemed to be in a hurry to escape and didn’t concern himself with anything else, so his halberd was not lost.

This might count as one of the few good things, considering this was a treasure he had painstakingly obtained.

"So what are you doing here?"

Seeing the dejected Cui Yuan appear from a distance, Du Chengfeng couldn’t help but raise his head.

"Weren’t you supposed to be leaving with the rest of the group? Why come back... Well, since you’re here, take a look at my halberd."

As he spoke, Du Chengfeng displayed his halberd. Its exaggerated design and fierce aura immediately marked it as a masterpiece among battle halberds.

But Cui Yuan showed no interest in the halberd, still maintaining that lost expression.

After a brief exchange, Du Chengfeng learned that Cui Yuan had been sent out by the evacuation team—when it was known that Du Chengfeng didn’t choose to evacuate but stayed in the dangerous Yanzhou, Liu Bolun was sought by Li the carpenter and fellow villagers to bring Du Chengfeng back. However, by then, Yanzhou had already become a battlefield, and returning was not an option for the villagers.

After some discussion, they pooled some money together and asked Cui Yuan, the most skilled among them at the time, to head to Yanzhou City to check on Du Chengfeng’s situation.

However, on the way, Cui Yuan was delayed a bit because he had to bury his master.

It was at this point that Du Chengfeng understood the source of Cui Yuan’s depression.

"Your master died?"

Upon hearing the reason for Cui Yuan’s state, Du Chengfeng couldn’t help but scratch his head.

This... he didn’t expect this outcome. Strictly speaking, it was him who had instigated Cui Yuan to ambush his master, yet his master was a formidable figure far superior to Cui Yuan. How could Cui Yuan have possibly succeeded in a sneak attack?

But who would have thought that Cui Yuan could actually kill his master with a single sword strike?

What kind of incompetent lunatic of a master could they have been?

"Well, actually, it’s not such a big deal, right? Birth, aging, sickness, and death are part of life."

Thinking it over, Du Chengfeng decided to say something comforting to guide him a bit.

"You see, my teacher died too, and I’m perfectly fine... Oh no, that’s not what I meant."

Seeing Cui Yuan’s face begin to overheat, Du Chengfeng realized his words were far too outlandish and quickly tried to remedy what he had said.

"I mean, my teacher also died, but I didn’t drown in grief... Let me put it this way: with your master’s skills, do you really think he couldn’t dodge your sword strike?"

"...No way."

Cui Yuan immediately shook his head repeatedly.

Impossible, absolutely impossible.

His master was unrivaled in skill, how could he fail to evade Cui Yuan’s sword?

"So, with his ability to easily evade or deflect it, why didn’t he do so, do you think?"

Saying this, Du Chengfeng tapped his own head.

"Think carefully, why didn’t he?"

"This..."

Cui Yuan’s brows furrowed slowly.

"Could it be, that he had an ulterior motive?"

"Yes! Exactly! That’s it!"

Du Chengfeng nodded repeatedly.

"He must have had a deeper meaning behind it, otherwise how could he have failed to dodge your sword?"

"Wha..."

Cui Yuan’s eyes widened immediately.

At this moment, it was as if he realized something.

"So that’s it, that’s it... But why, why did he have to do it this way?"

"Maybe, that was the only way he could do it."

Du Chengfeng couldn’t help but sigh.

At this moment, he thought of that old man Ruan.

Indeed, although he was only a nominal student and hadn’t learned a single word from the old man Ruan, outside the classroom, after Ruan’s death, he had nonetheless learned so much.

While most knowledge could be passed down through teaching, there were always crucial aspects that required both words and deeds to convey.

It was precisely because of Ruan’s verbal and personal instruction that Du Chengfeng realized the need for the courage to challenge fate itself, the fortitude to turn ideas into reality, and, when faced with adversity, to avoid hesitation or regretful withdrawal.

Instead, one must take up the sword.

This was what old man Ruan had taught him and was also Yanzhou’s renowned Ruan Shantao’s final tutelage and personal instruction.

"So your master was probably the same."

As they conversed, Du Chengfeng concluded.

"It’s just that what exactly your master wanted to teach you, you might need to figure out yourself, as you’re the one who knew him best."

"So that’s it."

Cui Yuan nodded slowly.

"This was a lesson..."

"Alright, stop overthinking and head back."

Seeing Cui Yuan sinking into contemplation again, Du Chengfeng hurriedly interrupted. With Cui Yuan’s current state, he feared Cui Yuan would only distress himself more by dwelling on it, better to find something for this melancholic soul to do.

But just as Du Chengfeng was about to leave, he noticed Cui Yuan hadn’t moved.

"Aren’t you going to go back too?"

"I..."

Cui Yuan shook his head with a wry smile.

He had no idea where to go.

Although the former him could maintain a resolute will, practicing the sword three thousand times a day for over ten years, that was because he knew that all his actions and efforts were meant to stand by his master’s side.

But now, his master had died.

Where should he go now?

"How should I know...?"

Hearing Cui Yuan’s question, Du Chengfeng also fell into confusion.

He was no longer the newcomer he once was, utterly resourceless and with no choice, when he first arrived, so he chose to stay at Yang’s Fort to develop gradually. Now, with his current capabilities, he could go anywhere in the world. Perhaps he didn’t need to stay with the villagers of Yang’s Fort anymore; perhaps he could wander wherever he pleased, or even fulfill his dream to settle in a picturesque and hospitable place, building a small dwelling to live out his days.

If Cui Yuan had lost his master’s guidance, then he had never been given any direction in this vast world; where should he go?

No, perhaps someone had shown him the way before.

"I should go back and assure them of my safety first, then look for a scenic and livable place."

Following his intuitive thought process, Du Chengfeng casually laid out his plan.

"As for the path ahead, I don’t know what to say, but I believe, as long as you keep moving forward, you’ll eventually forge your own path."

Saying this, Du Chengfeng extended his hand to Cui Yuan. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"You won’t find the road just by thinking about it, better to start walking. The road is beneath your feet."

"The road is... beneath my feet?"

Cui Yuan pondered, then grasped Du Chengfeng’s hand.

Indeed, if he didn’t know where to go, why not just keep walking and see?

Maybe as he walked, he’d find the path ahead?

"So where are you headed?"

Seeing Du Chengfeng turning back toward Yanzhou City, Cui Yuan was puzzled.

"Isn’t the road beneath your feet? Why are you going back?"

"Are you silly? Did you actually think it’s literal?"

Hearing Cui Yuan’s question, Du Chengfeng shook his head repeatedly.

The idea of the road being beneath your feet was just to invigorate the spirit.

When it’s truly about traveling, of course, he would go ride a horse.