Chapter 10: Chongzhou

"However, before that last emperor could open the Apocalypse Treasury, the Great Qi fell, and the seven keys in his possession vanished without a trace."

Speaking of this, Cang Yinyue’s eyes turned cold as she said

"So, stop bothering me. A single wooden box alone is not enough to open the Apocalypse Treasury!"

Hearing this, Li Musheng let out a deep sigh and said

"Sigh, I knew things wouldn't be that simple."

He tucked the wooden box into his robes, stood up, and walked over to Cang Yinyue, saying

"Still, Miss Cang, you know quite a lot. If there’s anything I don’t understand in the future, I’ll just ask you."

With that, he reached out with his fingers, preparing to unseal her acupoints.

However, halfway there, he suddenly stopped

"You aren't planning on knocking me out again, are you?"

"No."

Cang Yinyue replied calmly and quickly.

Li Musheng chuckled

"I doubt even you believe that."

Cang Yinyue snorted coldly

"As long as I don't let you get close, I don't believe you'll be able to strike my acupoints again."

Li Musheng shook his head; this young lady was truly stubborn.

After a moment of thought, he suddenly said

"Miss Cang, actually, I have a way to remove the branded characters on your face."

Upon hearing this, Cang Yinyue’s expression flickered imperceptibly, but she quickly returned to normal and said coldly

"I don't believe you."

Li Musheng looked at her without speaking.

Cang Yinyue’s gaze gradually dimmed, and she continued to herself

"The person who branded my face had mastered the 'Bone-Eroding Yin Wind Finger' to perfection. What you see are just the characters on the surface, but in reality, they have been carved into the facial bone. Like maggots eating away at the bone, it is impossible to remove them in this lifetime."

Hearing this, Li Musheng flicked his finger, instantly unsealing Cang Yinyue’s acupoints, and said leisurely

"Miss Cang, if you don't try, how do you know it's impossible?"

Sensing her acupoints were free, Cang Yinyue moved her hand, and in the next instant, she vanished from where she stood, retreating like a ghost.

Soon, she stopped in front of the old tree where she had been standing earlier, confronting Li Musheng from a distance.

However, Li Musheng simply crossed his arms and said

"Don't forget, I am the Seventh Prince living among the commoners. Every move you make is an act of insubordination. Once I regain my status, even the head of your Hidden Spy Bureau won't be able to protect you!"

Cang Yinyue was silent for a moment. Then, she straightened her posture and slowly leaned back against the old tree, saying

"If you can truly remove the character on my face, then when you face a life-or-death crisis, I will risk my life to save you!"

"That won't be necessary."

Li Musheng smiled and shook his head. He held up one finger, thought for a moment, added two more, and said

"Miss Cang just needs to promise to grant me three favors."

Cang Yinyue’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly

"No problem!"

Hearing this, Li Musheng’s expression changed

"That was quick. Aren't you afraid I might ask for something excessive?"

Cang Yinyue gave a cold smile

"If it is something I am unwilling to do, I would rather die than comply."

"You have backbone."

Li Musheng gave a thumbs-up in praise, then turned and sat down by the campfire.

However, his mind was on the Apocalypse Treasury. It was a lead in his pursuit of martial arts transcendence, but the thought of gathering all seven keys gave him a headache.

"How will you remove the characters on my face?"

At this moment, Cang Yinyue, standing not far away, spoke up.

"Let's wait until we reach Shangyang City."

Hearing this, Cang Yinyue stared at Li Musheng for a long while before finally saying a single word: "Fine." She then leaned against the tree, closed her eyes to rest, and said nothing more.

……

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, the two, well-rested, continued their journey on horseback toward the Great Li capital, Shangyang City.

At first, Li Musheng was in no hurry. He rode leisurely, enjoying the mountain scenery along the way, finding it quite interesting.

Cang Yinyue did not urge him on. She sat on her horse as if on flat ground, practicing her breathing techniques while maintaining the same pace as Li Musheng.

After a few days of this, Li Musheng grew tired of the scenery.

After all, mountain paths are not famous landmarks; there was very little worth seeing, and most of what they encountered were trees, grass, and dust.

Thus, he finally abandoned his slow pace and picked up speed.

"Miss Cang, how many more days until we reach our destination?"

Li Musheng didn't know the way; all the routes and maps were in Cang Yinyue’s head.

"If we travel day and night, we can reach Jingzhou in ten days, and then another day to reach the capital. At a normal pace, it will take twenty days."

Cang Yinyue replied expressionlessly, then added teasingly

"Actually, you don't need to be in such a rush. After all, the true prince is always the last to make an entrance."

This was the excuse Li Musheng had used earlier to justify traveling slowly, and now it was being returned to him word for word.

Li Musheng could only shrug his shoulders and continue on his way, feeling a bit sheepish.

Several more days passed, and the two riders, covered in dust, arrived in the territory of Chongzhou.

The journey had been somewhat dull, though they had encountered a group of highwaymen. However, as soon as the bandits appeared, they were instantly dispatched by Cang Yinyue.

Other than that, there were no ripples.

According to Cang Yinyue, the bandits were an anomaly. The routes she chose were specifically vetted by the Hidden Spy Bureau.

They were designed to bypass dangerous areas and places with complex martial arts factions, making them the safest paths to avoid unnecessary trouble.

That was why the journey had been so smooth.

However, upon entering Chongzhou, Cang Yinyue became noticeably more cautious. She stopped practicing her breathing techniques and spent her time constantly monitoring their surroundings.

Although Li Musheng understood there must be a reason, he didn't know what it was, so he asked his living map and human encyclopedia of Great Li.

"Miss Cang, what is so special about Chongzhou? You seem a bit too tense."

Cang Yinyue did not treat Li Musheng with much warmth. Throughout the journey, no matter how big or small the matter, if he didn't understand something, he would ask her.

To be honest, she was starting to find Li Musheng a bit tiresome.

However, she eventually explained

"Chongzhou is not peaceful lately. According to secret reports from the Hidden Spy Bureau, the largest martial arts factions in the province seem to be on the verge of war."

"Where we are now is within the territory of a faction called the Bloodbath Alliance. Under these circumstances, they will certainly be guarding all the major intersections."

"But this faction is neither strictly righteous nor evil, and they are not easy to deal with. It is better to avoid trouble than to invite it. It is best to be cautious and try not to cross paths with them."