Chapter Ninety-Four: Pavilion Overlooking the River

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Near the exit within the inner city of Tianluo Village, several caravans had gathered, along with a number of scattered merchants and warriors. Before them stood a majestic fortress gate, leading directly to the kingdom’s inland territories.

The caravan from the Wuzang Kingdom, led by Ren Tang, had also arrived, positioned at the far right. Following prior instructions, Hu San stayed close to Ren Tang, situated in the middle of the group, ready to provide support at any moment.

Surveying the dense crowd of dark heads around him and glancing at the imposing, grim fortress gate ahead, Hu San couldn’t help but inhale deeply. “What a magnificent stronghold, what a mighty city. Passing through in such haste today, I wonder when we might return again. Not having taken the time to truly appreciate the inner city of Tianluo Village is indeed a great regret.”

“Ha ha, Brother Hu, you are gifted beyond the ordinary. I imagine you will quickly ascend to become a top expert at the Kingdom Academy. When that time comes, Tianluo Village will be but a trivial matter for you,” Ren Tang smiled faintly. His eyes scanned the crowd before settling into a more serious expression. In a low voice, he said, “What impresses me less is the fortress itself, but rather the people leaving the city today. If I’m not mistaken, the other three caravans all have kingdom affiliations, which likely means they are on the same mission as us.”

“Hmm, it seems they’ve all received news about the monster activity within Tianluo Village. Otherwise, none would be setting out tonight. And these scattered individuals—they’re probably all here for the same reason,” Hu San nodded, though a strange feeling was growing within him. Combining this with his prior observations, tonight’s situation seemed somewhat unusual.

“Forget about the others for now. What remains uncertain is whether the city gate will open tonight. If it doesn’t, then our efforts might be in vain,” Ren Tang said with concern. His worry was not about the convergence of caravans, which he found reasonable since it was the season for caravans returning to their kingdoms. What truly troubled him was whether the gate would open tonight, because if it didn’t, the travel permits arranged through their connections might no longer be valid tomorrow, which would spell serious trouble.

“Brother Ren, rest assured. With so many people gathered here, I’m sure the Tianluo Village authorities won’t just turn a blind eye,” Hu San replied with a smile, though his gaze continued to roam the crowd, noting that among the merchants were clearly many skilled fighters.

“Then I shall take your word for it, Brother Hu,” Ren Tang nodded, no longer speaking further. At this point, all they could do was their best and leave the rest to fate. They had done all they could; if things turned out badly, there was nothing to be done.

After about half an hour, the crowd finally settled, and it seemed that everyone expected to arrive tonight was present, though it was hard to say if there were any hidden among them.

Just as the impatience grew, the sound of grinding gears echoed through the air. The heavy gates of Tianluo Village, as massive as a mountain, slowly opened, revealing a broad road dozens of feet wide.

Several squads of soldiers, led by a captain, emerged from the battlements and swiftly stationed themselves before the gate, lifting the blockade and beginning to check the qualifications of those wishing to leave the city.

“Well, it seems our luck is good tonight,” Ren Tang finally breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Hu San before directing the caravan forward to arrange the departure.

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The city guards only briefly inspected the permits for leaving the city and did not cause any other trouble, allowing everyone to pass through easily. Once past the enormous gate, Hu San noticed that the broad road lasted only a few hundred feet before splitting at the foot of a mountain.

The grand road divided into twelve winding paths, twisting and turning down to the mountain base, each leading toward different human kingdoms.

“This is the path to the Thirty-six Connected Cities, the final barrier between the human kingdoms and the Qilian Mountains. Each route leads to three cities. Our destination is the Wusuqi Connected Cities, and we will take the Konghai Road,” Ren Tang explained to Hu San as he organized the caravan’s departure.

Hu San nodded, noticing that the other three caravans set out on different roads, indicating their routes back to the kingdom differed from that of the Wuzang caravan.

The large group completely dispersed at this junction, and the scattered individuals also split into four groups, following behind the four caravans, seemingly intent on accompanying them all the way.

Hu San observed and predicted that these people likely feared attacks from monsters along the way or that the twelve paths were not as safe as they appeared, necessitating travel in large groups for protection.

Among those following the Wuzang caravan were three groups: one a small caravan, smaller than Wuzang’s but still guarded by several warriors and carrying substantial goods. Its leader was a bald elder, apparently well acquainted with Ren Tang and the others, who came forward to greet them upon leaving the city.

Another group consisted of women clad in red robes, each holding a long sword, their faces solemn. Their cloaks fluttered in the cold wind, exuding the air of chivalrous heroines. It was unclear which martial arts sect they belonged to or what business they had in the Qilian Mountains.

The last group was purely composed of scattered warriors or lone merchants, numbering about thirty. Among them, sixteen or seventeen carried swords or knives; the rest were ordinary-looking women and traders carrying large bundles.

The three groups were positioned near the Wuzang caravan in order: the small caravan closest, then the female warriors, and finally the scattered individuals.

With a horn sounded from within the Wuzang caravan, the entire group began to move, fully entering the Konghai Road.

As they traveled, Hu San felt the fog around the road thicken gradually. Soon, aside from the few dozen feet of road ahead, all that was visible was a vast whiteness.

At this point, Ren Tang’s voice echoed through the group: “Everyone, we have officially entered Konghai Road. I won’t waste words; you are all experienced. You know the dangers here. I must say this upfront: on this road, everyone is on their own. If anything happens, blame no one but yourself.”

“I must also set a rule: anyone who dares to attack the Wuzang caravan will find no mercy from me, Captain Ren,” he added sternly.

At his words, a loud voice responded from the crowd, “Captain Ren, rest assured. We know the rules. As long as you don’t abandon us, we won’t do anything reckless.”

“Good. Everyone, pay attention: do not let your gaze stray more than six feet from the person ahead. If you lose your way here in the mist, the only outcome is falling off a cliff to your death.”

With that, Ren Tang fell silent. Zi Xing, the vanguard, immediately led the way. The entire group moved slowly but steadily, gradually disappearing into the darkness and thick fog.

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After traveling for over an hour, a large hill gradually appeared before them. Atop the hill was a massive platform, and at the center stood a small pavilion.

Under the moonlight, the pavilion emitted dazzling rays of light, though the material it was made from was unknown.

Upon seeing the glowing pavilion, Hu San noticed that everyone in the group, whether from the Wuzang caravan or others, visibly relaxed, including Ren Tang, who sat beside him.

The journey had been silent and disorienting, punctuated only by occasional screams from those who had fallen off cliffs, as if they were traversing another world. It was no wonder everyone was so relieved upon sighting the pavilion.

“Finally, we’ve reached Wangjiang Pavilion. From here on, the road will be much easier,” Ren Tang wiped the sweat from his face and smiled wryly. “Traveling Konghai Road at night is like an old man eating poison—seeking death! Fortunately, our caravan’s losses weren’t too severe.”

“Heh, the others behind us probably suffered heavier casualties,” Hu San chuckled, glancing back. With the pavilion’s light illuminating the area, he saw that the scattered group of over thirty had been reduced to just over twenty.

“Anyone who dares to travel this road at night should be well prepared,” Ren Tang shook his head. “Come on, Brother Hu. Let’s rest here at Wangjiang Pavilion for a while. Having come this far, we’ve likely escaped the dangers of Tianluo Village. Perhaps we can wait until dawn before continuing. With sunlight, the road is still dangerous but not as deadly as now.”

“Brother Ren is right. I wonder who carved this path,” Hu San said, looking at the cliffs hidden in the thick fog. These roads wound through the clouds, spanning countless precipices, reaching the other side of the mountains. Truly a masterpiece of nature and craftsmanship.

“As for the history of this road, it’s very long. When you enter the Kingdom Academy, Brother Hu, you can research it thoroughly—there should be detailed information there. I, a mere rough man, know nothing about it,” Ren Tang said as they walked.

After a moment, they, along with the Wuzang caravan, ascended the platform.

However, they did not enter the pavilion itself, for inside sat a lone figure—a young nobleman dressed in brocade, quietly drinking wine.