53: Chapter 53 Escort

Zhou Peng and Yu Li stood dazed in their tracks, staring at the empty forest, unable to snap out of it for a long time.

The five corpses of the Rogue Cultivators on the ground were still slowly bleeding, a reminder of the narrow escape they had just experienced.

After a long while, Zhou Peng let out a long, heavy breath, steadying his wife, whose body was limp, his voice still trembling: "Wife, we… survived."

Yu Li leaned into his arms, tears finally falling uncontrollably; this time, they were tears of relief.

"We survived… Husband, we survived…"

Zhou Peng held Yu Li tightly, his expression becoming incomparably grave.

Upon returning, he had to find the true culprit.

The Old Ancestor was about to have a Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment, and someone could no longer wait to eliminate him, a direct Disciple.

This time, they were lucky to encounter a mysterious Cultivator who stepped in to save them.

But what about next time?

Zhou Peng clenched his fists, a flash of ruthlessness crossing his eyes.

He had to immediately take his wife back to the Zhou Family, tell the clan elders about this, and ferret out the traitor hiding in the shadows!

Otherwise, if they encountered an ambush again, they would not have such good Luck.

Taking this opportunity, Zhou Peng took out a Medicinal Pill to treat their injuries, rushing to recover; this was the Yunling Mountain Range, and accidents could happen at any moment!

However, just as the couple was treating their injuries, that Middle-aged Cultivator returned.

The couple immediately raised their guard.

"Fellow Daoist, do you have a map of the Yunling Mountain Range?"

Li Qing asked under the wary gazes of the two.

This middle-aged man was none other than Li Qing.

Li Qing had been wandering the Yunling Mountain Range for a month, and it was almost laughable to admit.

For this past month, he had been like a headless fly, stumbling around in the deep mountains and old forests.

If one said his Luck was bad, he had gathered quite a few Spiritual Plants this month, which he had transplanted into his Immortal Cave.

The Yao Beasts he encountered on the road were all small fries at the Early Stage; the Black Fish Yao swimming in the water and the Green-Striped Wolves running on the ground had only just gained a bit of intelligence and were very weak in combat.

Li Qing knocked them out with a few casual strikes and threw them into the fish pond and beast enclosure in his Immortal Cave to keep them, just to add a bit of life to his Immortal Cave.

But no matter how great the harvest, Li Qing was still not satisfied.

What he wanted most was not these Spiritual Plants or Yao Beasts, but a map of the Yunling Mountain Range.

In this month, he hadn't even met a single living person, let alone anyone to ask for directions, let alone finding a map.

It could be said that the heavens opened their eyes; today, as he was walking along a mountain stream, he suddenly heard the sounds of fighting and shouting not far away. Li Qing's heart stirred, and he immediately concealed his Qi and quietly crept over.

He happened to witness the scene of five masked Rogue Cultivators robbing the couple.

Rogue Cultivators—Rogue Cultivators were the thing Li Qing hated most in this life.

Back then, his parents had died at the hands of Rogue Cultivators. Seeing that the couple was about to lose their lives, Li Qing did not hesitate in the slightest and took action to eliminate these five Rogue Cultivators.

"A map? Yes!"

Zhou Peng had not expected that this savior before him was only asking for a map. He immediately breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly took out a piece of animal hide, handing it over.

Li Qing took the animal hide, looked at it carefully, and a look of disappointment immediately appeared on his face.

This was no map of the Yunling Mountain Range; at best, it was a small topographic map of the surrounding hundred miles. It marked a few mountain streams and paths, but larger mountain trends, the locations of markets, and dangerous areas were few and far between.

Holding this thing was no different from wandering around blindly on his own.

Just as he was preparing to return the animal hide, his gaze suddenly fixed on three words on the hide—Anping Market.

Li Qing was stunned on the spot.

After wandering around for more than a month, circling back and forth in the mountains, he had actually returned to Anping Market?

Zhou Peng was a person who knew how to read expressions, and he saw at a glance that Li Qing was dissatisfied, so he quickly said: "Fellow Daoist, this map of mine is incomplete; it's just a simple map I use when going out. However, our Zhou Family keeps a more comprehensive map of the Yunling Mountain Range, which basically marks the mountain terrain within the jurisdiction of the Houtu Sect. I wonder if you need it?"

Li Qing raised his eyes to look at him, understanding Zhou Peng's intention.

One does not receive rewards without merit; for no reason, they would not possibly give him such an important map.

Since Zhou Peng said this, he must be asking for his help.

Li Qing did not beat around the bush and asked directly: "What do you need me to do?"

A trace of embarrassment appeared on Zhou Peng's face, and he hurriedly cupped his hands: "By rights, since you saved our lives, this debt of gratitude is impossible to repay, and it is truly improper to make further requests."

"It's just… it's just that our couple just fought with the Rogue Cultivators and both suffered internal injuries; our circulation of Spiritual Qi is obstructed. This Yunling Mountain Range is full of Rogue Cultivators and Yao Beasts everywhere, and in our current state, we simply cannot make it back to the Zhou Family."

"So I would like to implore you, Fellow Daoist, to escort us back to the Zhou Family. As long as we arrive home safely, I will definitely present that comprehensive map with both hands. In addition, I have other generous rewards; I will never treat you unfairly!"

Upon hearing this, Li Qing understood.

So they wanted him to act as a bodyguard and protect them all the way home.

He hesitated for a moment.

He originally only wanted to get a map and did not want to meddle in other people's business, nor did he want to get involved with the Zhou Family.

But on second thought, a complete map of the Yunling Mountain Range was truly too important to him; with the map, he could escape the jurisdiction of the Houtu Sect.

Moreover, he was not afraid of the couple pulling any tricks; after all, their strength did not allow for it.

Thinking this through, Li Qing nodded and agreed straightforwardly: "Fine, I will escort you back to the Zhou Family."

Upon hearing this, the couple was overjoyed, thanking him repeatedly, feeling incredibly grateful.

The three rested briefly, and Zhou Peng's wife took a Medicinal Pill to treat her injuries, recovering a little strength.

Li Qing cleaned up the scene, disposing of the corpses of the Rogue Cultivators to avoid attracting other Yao Beasts or unobservant Cultivators.

The Zhou Family was about two hundred miles away, and they not only had to pass through two dense forests but also a valley.

Low-level Yao Beasts often frequented the dense forests and valleys, and in the couple's current state, it was indeed difficult to move even a single step.

The couple did not have a flying Magical Artifact, and Li Qing's iron wood boat could not carry others, so he could only accompany them as they walked slowly.

Even if it could carry people, Li Qing would not take it out; after all, this was Deacon Han Pei's flying Magical Artifact.

Along the way, Li Qing walked in the lead to clear the path, his gaze vigilant, constantly keeping an eye on the surroundings.

The couple followed behind, cautious all the way; with Li Qing there, they felt much more at ease.

Along the way, Zhou Peng kept trying to strike up a conversation with Li Qing, wanting to inquire about the background of his savior, his words even carrying an intent to recruit him.

Li Qing only told Zhou Peng that his name was Li Hu and that he was a Loose Cultivator.

On the way, they encountered a few foraging Early Stage Yao Beasts. Li Qing didn't even lift a finger; he simply released a trace of Spiritual Qi pressure, which scared the Yao Beasts into turning around and running away.

The journey was without incident, and Li Qing was a man of few words, steady, and reliable in his actions, which made the couple feel much more at ease.

Three days later, the three finally arrived at the Zhou Family!