Chapter 760
by fanqienovelChapter 760: On the Way
"Let’s rest here for a while."
Shi Yan was undoubtedly an excellent travel companion. He was well-traveled and knowledgeable, familiar with the Sacred Ancestor Path, and quick-witted with a silver tongue.
Following him, Wang Chen never felt lonely or bored during the journey.
From Shi Yan, Wang Chen learned a great deal about Chibi City, which gave him a clear understanding of his next destination.
However, the calamity that Shi Yan had faced three years ago still brought him considerable trouble.
His physical strength and endurance were far inferior to Wang Chen’s.
The two took a break in a cavern by the side of the path, eating some food and drinking fresh water.
Every so often along the Sacred Ancestor Path, there were one or two cavern-like shelters that could accommodate twenty to thirty people for rest.
They were quite spacious.
Shi Yan explained to Wang Chen that these caverns were mostly dug out by traveling merchants and passersby.
Some were even used as toilets.
If one didn’t know the tricks, it would be easy to step into a mess.
Of course, Shi Yan wouldn’t make such a mistake; the cavern he found was clean and dry, even equipped with an earthen stove and a small pile of black stones.
"Fuel stones!"
Seeing these stones, Shi Yan’s face lit up with joy. “We can have a hot meal now.”
Wang Chen bent down and picked up a piece of black stone.
It was coal!
He recognized it immediately.
So, this world had coal after all, though he wasn’t sure if oil and natural gas existed here!
During his time in Little Stone Village, Wang Chen had always used dried sweet potato stems, leaves, and branches to cook.
This was the first time he had seen fuel stones, or coal.
Shi Yan grinned, “It must have been left by a merchant caravan. Too bad they didn’t come to our village.”
The number of traveling merchants and caravans on the Sacred Ancestor Path was quite large. It was because of their presence that there was a smooth exchange of goods between different cities and villages.
However, not every village was visited by caravans.
Little Stone Village was located in a remote area, so very few caravans came to trade.
Most of the time, the villagers organized themselves to travel to nearby villages to barter for the things they needed.
Shi Yan took out his fire-starting tools from his bag, skillfully lit the stove, and then placed a pot that could only be described as “crude” on top.
He poured some fresh water from a gourd into it, then added fresh sweet potato slices and smoked jerky.
Before long, a steaming pot of sweet potato meat soup was ready.
Shi Yan took out two bowls and chopsticks, sharing today’s lunch with Wang Chen.
“It smells amazing!”
Just as the two were about to dig in, a rough voice suddenly echoed from outside the cavern.
In the next moment, a group of about ten people stormed into the cavern.
They were dressed in gray tunics or leather armor, each armed with knives and bows, exuding an intimidating aura.
Seeing these unexpected intruders, Shi Yan nearly jumped to his feet.
He quickly leaned over and whispered to Wang Chen, “They’re hunters from New Field Village. There are too many of them; let’s avoid trouble if we can!”
New Field Village was considered a neighbor of Little Stone Village, though it was quite distant, and the two villages rarely interacted.
However, there had always been bad blood between Little Stone Village and New Field Village. The exact origin of their feud was long forgotten, but conflicts between their hunters had erupted many times.
At one point, it had even led to deaths!
Seeing the sheer number of opponents, Shi Yan inwardly cursed his luck.
He spoke rapidly and urgently to Wang Chen, fearing that Wang Chen might act impulsively and provoke a clash with the hunters from New Field Village.
A wise man knows when to retreat!
No sooner had Shi Yan finished speaking than a muscular man with a thick beard recognized him and barked, “Shi Yan, what are you doing here?”
Hearing the bearded man’s voice, the others turned their attention toward them.
Some sneered, some jeered, and others seemed to relish the situation.
Shi Yan quickly stood up and replied, “Brother Zhuzi, I brought the clan’s children to see the excitement in Chibi.”
“Hmm?”
The bearded man’s gaze swept over them and landed on Wang Chen. “What’s your name?” he demanded.
Wang Chen answered calmly, without a trace of emotion, “I am Wang Chen. Is there something you need?”
The bearded man was momentarily speechless.
He hadn’t expected Wang Chen to respond with such composure, neither submissive nor defiant.
The bearded man felt an unexpected weight of pressure settle over him.
“Get lost!”
Regaining his composure, the bearded man suddenly erupted in anger, pointing at Wang Chen and shouting, “You little brat, who do you think you are? Drop your things and get out of here!”
Not only did he intend to seize Wang Chen and Shi Yan’s temporary residence, but he also planned to take all their food.
What a tyrant!
Shi Yan shot Wang Chen urgent glances, signaling him to leave quickly.
Wang Chen hesitated for a moment, then set down his bowl of meat soup.
Just as he stood up, the bearded man barked again, “Leave the bag behind! You’re not taking it with you!”
Wang Chen’s brow furrowed, and his expression darkened.
That bag contained a number of important items, including local specialties from Little Stone Village, over a hundred ancient coins, and some valuable materials from fierce beasts.
If the opponent were to take it, the loss would be immense, and it would disrupt the plans ahead!
Thus, he had no intention of leaving now.
He wanted to stir up trouble!
Though Shi Yan had limited understanding of Wang Chen’s circumstances, he was adept at reading expressions and quickly sensed that Wang Chen was on the verge of losing his temper.
If a fight were to break out…
Shi Yan almost burst into tears.
If anything happened to Wang Chen, even if he managed to return alive to Little Stone Village, how could he face Old Shi Wu?
The village chief had repeatedly emphasized the importance of ensuring Wang Chen’s safe arrival in Chibi.
This "safety" wasn’t just about Shi Yan himself but also about the various individuals they might encounter on their journey!
Old Shi Wu was well aware of Wang Chen’s combat prowess.
Shi Yan, however, wasn’t entirely clear about it; he just had a sinking feeling that disaster was imminent!
“Leave the bag?”
Wang Chen tossed his backpack to the ground and sneered, “I think it would be better if you left your life behind instead!”
He had already tried his best to be patient, but to his surprise, the other party mistook his restraint for weakness and took advantage of it.
They were becoming increasingly brazen!
As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Chen threw a punch.
Boom!
From a distance of several steps, Wang Chen struck out with his fist toward the bearded man, and a deep, resonant sound erupted.
The bearded man was initially baffled, instinctively wanting to mock, but suddenly a dreadful sense of impending doom washed over him.
Thud!
The punch carried an astonishing force, and though it seemed calm upon impact, it was as if the bearded man had been struck by a heavy hammer, causing his head to snap back violently.
His nose, cheekbone, and teeth were mercilessly shattered by the power of the Vajra Fist.
The destructive power of this punch was on par with the lowest-level spells!
The bearded man had never encountered such a "deceptive" martial arts technique. Within seconds of being hit, he collapsed into unconsciousness.
This plunged the scene into utter chaos.