Chapter 14: The Outer Town of Hengshan

On the surging, roaring Sirius River, a swift boat shot downstream with the current.

Inside a private cabin—

"Brother Feng, my mouth really jinxed us!" Little Blade pinched his own lips in frustration.

Chu Feng patted him on the shoulder and said, "Actually, the night Xinlian and I escaped from the Gate of Terror, we parted ways very soon after. I took the mountain path, but she went by water."

"By water? Brother Feng, that can't be! There are no water routes out of the Gate of Terror. Did you two discover a secret way during your escape?" Little Blade asked in surprise.

A month before planning his escape, Chu Feng had taken advantage of a delivery trip into the mountains to discover a hidden underground waterway. He had scouted it out in secret—the location was concealed, the water clear and flowing, with no signs of wild beasts. It was perfect as a secret route for a desperate flight.

On the night they fled, Chu Feng and Chu Xinlian split up. He took the mountain path, while Xinlian headed for the secret waterway.

The siblings had made an agreement: whoever escaped first would leave a mark on a large boulder at the foot of the mountain—a mark only the two of them would understand—so the other would know their situation.

Along the way, Chu Feng had already seen three marks left by his sister, indicating she was unharmed, still had silver on her, and planned to wait for him in the outskirts of Hengshan Town.

"So that's how it is? Brother Feng, now I'm relieved! So, when we reach the outskirts of Hengshan Town, we'll definitely see Sister Xinlian?" Little Blade asked, brimming with excitement.

"That's right! Xinlian will certainly leave marks for me in a prominent spot in Hengshan Town. Following them, I'll be sure to find her!"

Chu Feng naturally understood his sister's character well. Though young, Xinlian was extremely clever and quick-witted. In such times, she knew how to protect herself—at least until she could meet her brother again.

"By the way, Brother Feng, I almost forgot to ask—you've improved so much in just these ten days! You even managed to kill Bear Gang and Bear Meng. Which level of the Body Tempering stage are you at now? Did you have some kind of incredible encounter? Come on, tell me!" Little Blade asked curiously.

Chu Feng smiled and nodded. In front of the Bear family back at the Gate of Terror, Little Blade was like an unyielding hero, but with him, he was still the ever-curious child, eager to know everything.

"These last ten days have been quite the story..." Chu Feng couldn't help but stand up as he spoke.

With the boat flying downriver, Chu Feng recounted his adventures to Little Blade. He told of the wild mountain, where wildcats and wolves fought each other, and how he used a trap to crush a leopard to death in a pit—all to Little Blade's delighted applause. He spoke of crossing the Sirius River, buying beast meat at the market on the far bank, and even finding the corpse of a golden python for free, which made Little Blade overjoyed for him.

As for the secret of the storage pouch and the killer weapon he had pulled from the python's belly, Chu Feng said nothing. Not because he wanted to keep it secret, but because knowing wouldn't help Little Blade at all.

"Right, after killing Bear Gang and Bear Meng, I forgot to check their storage pouches. Who knows what treasures they might have!" The thought struck Chu Feng, and he immediately took out the two brothers' pouches.

He opened Bear Gang's pouch first. There was nothing inside but a silvery-white soft armor. As for Bear Meng's, it contained only a pair of crimson boots!

"Brother Feng, are they any good?" Little Blade asked.

"Heh, these are Crimson Gale Boots. Once worn, they greatly boost a warrior's speed, both in running and in combat maneuvers. These are Grade Four gear, worth about two hundred gold."

Chu Feng had seen Bear Meng wearing these before at the Gate of Terror and had heard enough to know their value.

A warrior’s equipment is collectively called "gear." Just as the Body Tempering stage has ten levels, so too does gear, with the first grade matching the first level of Body Tempering.

Chu Feng was only at the peak of the second level, barely touching the threshold of the third, so being able to use third-grade gear was already impressive. Yet these Crimson Gale Boots were fourth-grade—worth far more than their price to him.

"This is a piece of protective soft armor. I never saw Bear Gang wear it before, so he must have acquired it recently. I'll try it on and see how it feels."

As he spoke, Chu Feng donned the silver-white soft armor. It felt light and finely made, fitting him as if it had been tailor-made.

"Bear Gang always had an eye for good gear. Nothing he touched was ever ordinary. This soft armor is at least Grade Four, maybe even Grade Five!"

Thinking this, Chu Feng struck his own chest. To his delight, the armor absorbed and bounced his blow back, with almost no force reaching his body.

"Brother Feng, so both the boots and the armor are treasures?" Little Blade asked excitedly.

"Exactly. They're just what I need," Chu Feng nodded. "Little Blade, for now, I'll wear these. Once you've recovered and improved your strength, when you reach my current level, these will be yours."

He spoke plainly. Little Blade had no strength at present, so it was natural for Chu Feng to use them himself. When Little Blade reached the second stage of Body Tempering, it would be time enough to pass them on.

"Brother Feng, don't say that! I'm not interested in martial training or gear. Just save me some good food and drink, that's all I ask. You keep the gear, no matter how valuable it is," Little Blade replied.

"Very well, we'll talk when you've recovered," Chu Feng said, not insisting, though he had his own plans in mind.

—

Good news always lifts the spirits.

Since meeting up with Chu Feng, Little Blade's battered body and mind recovered swiftly. Three days later, as dawn broke, the boat left the waterways of the Nine Mountains and Eighteen Ridges, docking at the wharf outside Hengshan Town. Little Blade was well enough to walk freely.

Hengshan Town sprawled far and wide, with a population of several million—perhaps even ten million. Even this outer district was bustling, lined with shops, filled with the noise of the marketplace, and warriors with swords at their waists everywhere.

"Little Blade, look! That's Xinlian's mark—she really is here!"

Chu Feng, his eyes fixed on a stone pillar several yards away, spoke to Little Blade, excitement in his voice.