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墨書 Inktalez
However, no matter what, I cannot waste the precious time of the immortal.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Zhu Ji turned to the quietly standing Zhao An and made a request: "Zhao An, I have a favor to ask of you."
Upon hearing this, Zhao An let out a long sigh. Although he had a premonition of the task he was about to face, he decided that with Yun Xiaoyi's presence, he would persevere through the difficulties.
"So, you plan to take those who can still walk and leave first, right?" Zhao An asked.
Zhu Ji nodded in confirmation. "That's right. Anyone from my family who is capable of returning on their own will leave with Yun Xiaoyi." He then added, "As for those who are temporarily unable to rise, I kindly ask you to take care of them."
In gratitude for Zhao An's assistance, Zhu Ji continued, "Additionally, if you wouldn't mind some of the ancestral texts passed down in my family, you may take them to copy and keep."
Upon hearing this, a glimmer of excitement flashed in Zhao An's eyes. In truth, he did not have much desire for material wealth such as gold and jewels; in times of hardship, the value of food weighing the same as gold might far exceed that of treasures.
However, these scrolls filled with wisdom and knowledge were treasures he yearned for deeply. "Our Chu Family still has some ancestral texts. If the Zhao Family wouldn't mind, you are welcome to take them back and copy them."
Zhao An's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm at this offer. He had never placed much importance on gold and silver treasures. In times of disaster, even a chest full of gold and gems was less practical than an equal weight of food.
But books were different. Within books lay beauty like jade; within books lay golden houses. Books and treasures were not the same; they could be copied and studied countless times, passed down through generations.
In an era where knowledge was monopolized by powerful families, ordinary people had very few opportunities to access learning, which made the value of books even more pronounced.
"The more books, the better!" Zhao An immediately straightened his chest and promised:
"Rest assured, Clan Leader Chu, we will take good care of everyone," said Xiahou Xing, who quickly expressed his willingness to assist in looking after the people. He even promised to lend the Zhao Family the books stored in his home for copying.
As a branch of the Xiahou Family from Qiao County, the collection of books in Xinghua Village was no less impressive than that of the Chu Family, and perhaps even surpassed it.
Upon hearing this promise, Zhao Anxin's joy was evident on his face. Following an immortal truly felt like a great fortune. In the past, which wealthy family would easily allow others to transcribe their treasured books?
Soon after, Zhu Ji and Xiahou Lan each selected family members they deemed capable of walking from the crowd. The result was disheartening; only a handful could stand up on their own. Together, the two families could muster barely over twenty individuals who were able to return by themselves.
Looking at the hundreds of clan members sitting helplessly on the ground, both Zhu Ji and Xiahou Lan felt an overwhelming headache. The performance of these clan members was truly embarrassing! However, upon reflection, it was understandable. Anyone would be overwhelmed with excitement upon encountering an immortal capable of summoning thunder and lightning.
The ability to walk on their own was merely a testament to those whose nerves had withstood the shock.
"Immortal Sir, we are ready," Yun Xiao Yi said with a nod.
"Alright, let's set off. You lead the way, and I will follow closely behind."
Initially, Yun Xiao Yi had planned to head to Xinghua Village alone but reconsidered and decided to bring Zhao Yun, Zhao Yu, and Zhao Niang along for the journey. After all, having familiar faces in an unfamiliar place would make the trip much more enjoyable.
In the past, how could those noble families easily display their rare books for others to copy? Thus, Zhu Ji and Xiahou Lan selected from the gathered six hundred individuals those from their families who were able to walk back—only about twenty or thirty in total.
Faced with the remaining hundreds of fearful clan members whose legs were too weak to move, Zhu Ji and Xiahou Lan felt utterly helpless and sighed at their kin's limited courage. It was truly regrettable that they were so frightened by an immortal capable of calling forth thunder and lightning.
"Immortal Master, we are prepared," they said.
Hearing this, Yun Xiao Yi nodded gently. "Very well then, let’s depart. You lead the way."
This time, the traveler planned to act alone. However, considering that Xinghua Village was a new place for others, he invited the three siblings of Zhao Yun to join him, so they wouldn't have nothing to talk about during the journey.
Xinghua Village was more than ten miles away from Zhao Family Village, and one could reach it by heading east along the Hutuo River. The main roads were few, mostly consisting of narrow paths. The ground was almost entirely dirt, but fortunately, due to the ongoing drought in recent years, these paths had become hard as stone, able to withstand the blows of a hoe. Weeds struggled to grow; even if some did sprout, they were quickly picked to stave off hunger. Although they tasted terrible, in these times, any food was precious enough.
As the group made their way along the path, a powerful and robust man suddenly leaped out from behind a small dirt mound, blocking their way. This man wore a black scarf over his face and stood nearly nine feet tall. His broad shoulders and muscular build made him resemble a war god, and his taut muscles seemed ready to burst through his loose clothing.
In his hands, he wielded a pair of heavy Bin Iron Daggers, and at his waist hung over a dozen small yet fierce-looking short spears, giving him an exceptionally intimidating presence.
"This road is mine; these trees are mine! If you want to pass this way, leave some food behind first!" he bellowed, his voice like that of a roaring beast.
Seeing this scene, Yun Xiao Yi was momentarily stunned. Had they not checked the calendar for an auspicious day before leaving Zhao Family Village? They had barely set out when they encountered a highway robber. This bandit dared to challenge more than twenty people alone—was he overly confident? The members of the Chu Family and Xiahou Family were also taken aback, secretly lamenting how reckless this man truly was.
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