Chapter 167 - 164: Zhu Daoren

Mo Qianqian’s expression changed. He instantly grew cautious, ready to strike at any moment.

The slightly chubby youth in plain clothes smiled at Mo Qianqian. "Where are you headed, my friend?"

"What is it?" Mo Qianqian frowned.

"Nothing much. There’s no need to be so on guard, brother. I see that you have an extraordinary constitution and an uncommon countenance. You are bound to achieve great things in the future. I just wanted to form a good connection with you," the chubby youth said with a smile.

Mo Qianqian was surprised. He actually had such an ability?

"Our destination on this trip is Black Dragon City in the Realm of Chaos. Ahead lies the Yunduan Mountain Range, which is teeming with fierce beasts. It’ll be very dangerous for you to travel alone, brother. If we travel together, it’ll be much safer.

"Since we’re heading the same way anyway, there’s no need to be polite.

"How about this? I’ll give you a discount. I’ll only charge you an escort fee of ten bottles of Chaos Qi. What do you say?"

Mo Qianqian was rendered speechless.

He wondered what the other party was up to. It turned out he was running an escort business! He had thought the youth was just offering him a free ride since they were going the same way. In the end, he wanted to charge a fee?

"Zhu Daoren, what are you doing? You already accepted the mission to escort us! How can you take on someone else?" a woman in her mid-twenties, wearing a pale green dress and standing in the middle of the group, scolded him.

"Exactly. When you took the mission, we agreed that you would put all your effort into escorting us to Black Dragon City," a young man in gray clothes next to the woman chimed in.

"It’s on the way, so it’s no trouble at all. If we encounter danger, we still have to fight it off regardless. If it really comes down to a stalemate, you two will definitely be our top priority for protection," the youth named Zhu Daoren said with a chuckle. "This is called catching a ride on a Shunfeng Steed. Besides, saving a life brings greater merit than building a seven-tiered pagoda. How can I turn a blind eye to something that only takes a lifting of a finger?

"This brother looks extraordinary. By lending him a hand and forming a good connection, we might reap some benefits in the future. Don’t you think so?"

"What is this Chaos Qi?" Mo Qianqian couldn’t help but ask. The youth made it sound so grand, but wasn’t he just trying to make money off him? Shunfeng Steed? He certainly knew how to make it sound nice.

As soon as Mo Qianqian said this, the entire group was taken aback.

"You don’t know?" Zhu Daoren was surprised.

"No," Mo Qianqian shook his head.

"It’s a local specialty of the Realm of Chaos. It seems you’ve never been there before, brother," Zhu Daoren said. "This stuff is similar to medicinal pills, used to improve one’s cultivation. It’s considered hard currency over there, a bit more precious than regular pills.

"How about this? If you don’t have Chaos Qi, pills will do just fine.

"To escort you across this mountain range, it’ll be ten Third-Grade Lower-Level Tongyou Pills. To the Realm of Chaos, forty Third-Grade Lower-Level Tongyou Pills.

"To Black Dragon City, Cyan Cloud Mountain, or the territory of the Imperial Alliance, fifty Third-Grade Lower-Level Tongyou Pills."

Hearing this, Mo Qianqian was instantly left speechless. "Why don’t you just go rob someone?"

Ten Third-Grade Lower-Level Tongyou Pills just to escort him through this area? The guy really had the nerve to ask. Besides, it was uncertain who would be escorting whom along the way.

"Our Eternal Commerce Association does business. How could we possibly do something like robbing people?" Zhu Daoren said with a straight face.

"One Third-Grade Lower-Level Tongyou Pill for an escort to Black Dragon City, and I’ll consider it," Mo Qianqian said.

These Spiritual Steeds were faster than he was. Having one would allow him to reach Black Dragon City much sooner. Traveling with a group would also help him conceal his identity and avoid attracting too much attention.

"One? The escort fee is fifty Third-Grade Lower-Level Tongyou Pills, and you’re only offering one?! Why don’t you go rob someone?!" Zhu Daoren’s eyes widened in shock.

Mo Qianqian was equally exasperated. Did the guy think he was an idiot for trying to charge such a high escort fee?

"Thirty pills. Thirty pills to escort you to Black Dragon City, and not a single pill less," Zhu Daoren haggled.

"Two." Mo Qianqian held up two fingers.

"Ten pills. I’m only giving you such a cheap price because you’re catching a ride on a Shunfeng Steed. When we escort someone, we’re putting our lives on the line," Zhu Daoren argued.

"A Shunfeng Steed just means you’re going the same way. If anything happens, your priority is to protect those two. I’m just hitching a ride on one of your Spiritual Steeds. Two pills, nothing more," Mo Qianqian retorted.

"Two pills aren’t even enough to feed the Spiritual Steed!" Zhu Daoren complained. "Ten pills, and that’s my final offer."

"Then just go," Mo Qianqian shook his head.

"Fine, two it is. Deal. But we won’t guarantee your safety along the way," Zhu Daoren compromised upon seeing Mo Qianqian’s resolute expression.

Mo Qianqian was silent.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was somehow being scammed. Still, if he were to travel alone from here to Black Dragon City, it would take him at least twenty days to a month. With a Spiritual Steed, he could cut that time down to less than half a month. The region leading up to Black Dragon City within the Realm of Chaos was likely to be very chaotic. Traveling with a group would help him avoid quite a bit of trouble, even if he didn’t have to lift a finger. For him, two Third-Grade Lower-Level Tongyou Pills were still worth it.

"Young Master, we don’t have any spare Spiritual Steeds left," a middle-aged man standing nearby pointed out.

"Who says we don’t? You go share one with him," Zhu Daoren said, pointing at another person sitting on a nearby Spiritual Steed.

The middle-aged man was struck dumb.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and go!" Zhu Daoren scolded.

"Yes, sir!" The middle-aged man had no choice but to leap onto the back of the other man’s Spiritual Steed. The thought of two grown men sharing a single mount was awkward enough, but he couldn’t exactly disobey his young master’s orders.

"I don’t have the funds right now. Put it on my tab," Mo Qianqian said.

Zhu Daoren’s face darkened. "Are you messing with me, brother?"

"Take the deal if you trust me. If you don’t, there’s nothing I can do," Mo Qianqian said, spreading his hands.

"Better to earn something than nothing... Ahem, of course I trust you. Why wouldn’t I?" Zhu Daoren began to smile again. "I’m a businessman, and businessmen are all about making friends and forming good connections. I just want to build a good relationship with you, brother. The money doesn’t matter."

The young man and woman nearby couldn’t stand it anymore. This Zhu Daoren was simply too shameless. On top of that, he was incredibly greedy. He had already accepted the mission to escort them, yet he was still trying to make a quick buck off a random stranger they met on the road.

Mo Qianqian didn’t waste any more words. Exerting force with his legs, he leaped onto the Spiritual Steed.

"Zhu Daoren, can we go now?" the woman’s displeased voice rang out.

"Let’s move out!" Zhu Daoren shouted. The Spiritual Steeds sprang into action, moving as swiftly as roaring thunder and kicking up a cloud of dirt.

Mo Qianqian held the reins as the Spiritual Steed carried him rapidly forward.

"Heading to Black Dragon City all by yourself... You’re truly brave, brother," Zhu Daoren marveled as they galloped.

Mo Qianqian said nothing.

"Brother, are you heading to the Realm of Chaos because you can’t survive around here anymore?" Zhu Daoren acted overly familiar, continuing to ask questions even though Mo Qianqian hadn’t replied.

"Something like that," Mo Qianqian answered.

"Most people who go to the Realm of Chaos are the same. Take them for example..." Zhu Daoren glanced at the man and woman sharing the nearby Spiritual Steed. Seeing their furious glares, he immediately shut his mouth.

"The Realm of Chaos is a place where the sky is high enough for birds to fly freely, and the ocean is wide enough for fish to swim at will! If you ever have any business in the future, brother, just look for our Eternal Commerce Association. You can’t go wrong coming to me, Zhu Daoren," he continued enthusiastically.

"By the way, what’s your name, brother?" Zhu Daoren asked.

Mo Qianqian almost didn’t want to respond, but he eventually said, "Call me Old Mo." He still didn’t want to reveal his true name.

"That’s not very genuine of you, brother. Not even telling us your name. It seems you still don’t trust us enough."

"You’re right about that," Mo Qianqian interrupted.

Zhu Daoren was rendered speechless. Just as he was about to say something else, a massive boulder suddenly rolled down the adjacent hillside and blocked the road ahead.

Immediately afterward, a little boy leaped out from the side of the road. Standing right in the middle, he faced Mo Qianqian’s group and shouted loudly in a childish voice, "I opened this mountain! I planted these trees! If you want to pass, leave your toll behind!"