Chapter 57: Ambush

Dusk approached.

Li Hao and his companions galloped along the main road, encountering tea stalls and small vendors set up by the roadside—refuges for weary travelers. Along the way, they passed a convoy guarded by a security team, a group of martial wanderers riding with spirited resolve toward the wilderness to slay Spirit Beasts, and farmers tilling the fields with quiet diligence, their small villages nestled beside the road.

On either side, emerald cypress trees stood tall and straight, stretching toward the endless sky, their green tops brushing the clouds.

They stopped at a roadside tea stall, where the steam rising from steaming buns filled the air with a mouthwatering aroma. The scent was enough to make even the most determined riders pull back on their reins.

“Shall we rest for a bit?” Yu Wei asked cheerfully.

Li Hao heard Li Yuanzhao’s stomach growl—clearly, hunger had gotten the better of him. He smiled. “Let’s eat something first.”

“But it’s getting dark,” Du Qiuyue said, her voice tinged with concern. “Won’t it be unsafe out here?”

The tea stall’s old owner, sharp-eared and quick-witted, chuckled at her words. “Don’t worry, young masters and mistresses. With the Four Divine Generals’ residences guarding the border, there are no Spirit Beasts within Emperor Yu’s realm. I, an old man, don’t fear them—why should you?”

The group turned to look at Li Hao and Li Yuanzhao. Li Hao tilted his head slightly, then asked, “The Divine General’s Residence is said to be five in number. Why do you speak of only four?”

The old man smiled. “Ah, one of them doesn’t guard the frontier. Probably stationed in the capital, to protect the Imperial City.”

Du Qiuyue murmured under her breath, “Thank the heavens Wang Han isn’t here. He’d be furious if he heard that.”

Yu Wei nodded. “Heavenly Zhao’s Divine General’s Residence guards the Mei River, sacrificing countless lives. Yet the world doesn’t even know. And many don’t even realize your Li Clan defends the border, slaying Spirit Beasts. All they know is the name ‘Divine General’s Residence’—but they never bother to ask which one it is.”

He sighed, a quiet breath heavy with unspoken respect—almost a compliment, wrapped in melancholy.

Li Hao didn’t react with anger. He simply nodded. “The common folk live hard lives. Every day, they count their copper coins, heads down, barely lifting their eyes. It’s no wonder they don’t know. Even if they did, would it change anything? Our clan guards the border not for praise or gratitude, but because the border needs us. Because the people need us.”

His words struck the air like a bell.

Yu Wei, who had been subtly flattering, froze mid-breath. Du Qiuyue turned to look at Li Hao—her eyes wide, searching, then slowly softening with surprise and something deeper: respect.

Once, they’d seen Li Hao as nothing more than a carefree scoundrel. But this… this was different. His words cracked the illusion, and with them, the reverence they’d once held for the Divine General’s Residences grew not from fear of authority, but from genuine admiration.

Beside them, Ren Qianqian—her sword cradled in her arms—lifted her gaze to Li Hao. Her eyes lingered on his pale, handsome face for a moment, her expression softening with warmth.

“You’re right, Hao Ge,” Li Yuanzhao said, his earlier annoyance melting into excitement.

Li Hao smiled, clapping Yuanzhao on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s go inside. I’ll treat you all.”

“No way!” Yu Wei quickly interjected, seizing the chance. “You’re the guest of honor—we’re on a mission to Qizhou to slay Spirit Beasts, and this is my home turf. I should be thanking you for helping the people here. I’ll cover all travel costs!”

He stepped into the tea house, calling out to the owner for tea, snacks, and small dishes.

“Old man,” Du Qiuyue said, pouring herself a cup, “you really aren’t worried about Spirit Beasts, even though it’s nearly dark?”

She didn’t drink right away. Instead, she withdrew a silver needle, testing the tea carefully. Only after confirming it was free of poison did she rinse the cups for everyone.

“Not on this road,” the old man said with a grin. “I’ve run this stall for decades—never once had a Spirit Beast trouble me.”

“Your Qi circulation is truly impressive,” Li Hao remarked, unreserved in his admiration.

Spirit Beast attacks within Emperor Yu’s realm were rare, but they did happen—especially among those who dealt with such creatures. News of them spread quickly through the martial circles. But the common people? They lived in isolation. Information moved like a slow river. Unless it was a major incident, small-scale Spirit Beast attacks went unnoticed.

And then there were the Demon-Subduing Bureaus—local authorities who deliberately suppressed reports to prevent panic.

After all, a stable, peaceful populace was the foundation of a prosperous empire. If rumors of Spirit Beasts spread like wildfire, people would stop trading, refuse to travel, and even their farming would suffer.

Soon, food and drinks arrived. The steamed buns were exquisite—Li Hao devoured two, praising their flavor, then began discussing the recipe with the old man, detailing techniques like kneading with warm water, fermentation, and how to deodorize and enrich the meat filling.

The others stared, dumbfounded.

Li Yuanzhao, used to Li Hao’s eccentricities, barely blinked. But he turned to Ren Qianqian with curiosity. “Why do you keep holding that sword? Doesn’t it get in the way when you eat?”

Du Qiuyue and Yu Wei also looked at the young woman—her sword cradled in one arm, chopsticks in the other, eating with perfect ease.

Ren Qianqian frowned slightly, then glanced at Li Yuanzhao. After a pause, she replied, “The sword has become part of my body. I don’t even feel its presence.”

Du Qiuyue sighed wistfully. “I’ve heard that to master Sword Heart, one must stay with their weapon constantly. I tried it—couldn’t make it work.”

“You have to truly love it first,” Ren Qianqian said seriously.

Du Qiuyue laughed bitterly. “I do love it.”

Ren Qianqian studied her for a moment, then said nothing more.

For love—true love—wasn’t something the mind could always explain. The heart knew. That was why it was called Entering the Heart.

The meal ended. Li Hao and the old man were still deep in conversation, the elder now slightly dazed from the depth of knowledge the young man displayed—so much so that he almost forgot to guard his secrets.

“Ah, young master… you’ve had enough, haven’t you?” the old man said, forcing a smile. He didn’t want to spill his family’s recipe.

Li Hao noticed the resistance. He was still eager, about to bid farewell—when his eyes narrowed.

His palm shot up, snatching a dark streak of light from the air.

The ground beneath his feet cracked, sinking in by several inches from the impact.

He opened his hand. A small, oval-triangular scale lay in his palm.

Instantly, his Spirit Soul burst free—golden light blazing from the crown of his head, visible only to those in the Divine Travel Realm. It surged through the heavens, scanning the world.

A moment later, he saw it—fifteen li away, a Spirit Beast woman with a seductive face, her jaw lined with scales, perched atop a tree branch. Her expression was stunned, her eyes fixed on him.

The dark light… it matched the scale on her cheek.

Li Hao’s eyes hardened. Spirit Beast.

On the tree, the black-scaled beauty blinked in disbelief. My Dragon Scale Projection—fifteen li away—should have killed that human child. How… how did he catch it so easily?

“I have something to attend to,” Li Hao said calmly, stepping out of the tea house, holding the scale. “I’ll be back soon. Wait here.”

Without another word, he took one step—and vanished from sight.

Yu Wei, mid-sip and mid-swallow, spat his tea across the table.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end