Chapter 42 - Pursuing The Alternative Route
"Madam, I just despise those who intend to take advantage but don't even bother a 'thank you'".
The young maid, seeing changes in the ways people look at her, immediately gains confidence.
"You!"
Zhang Ji is immediately infuriated. That maid can trash himself all she wants, but not his brother.
But even before he can make a rebuttal, he's stopped by Chen Chen.
"Zhang Ji, why argue with a maid? You are degrading yourself."
The little maid's confidence, just pumped up, was immediately flattened by Chen Chen, but she can't even give a sound rebuttal.
After all, she's not officially a practitioner of the Tianyun Clan, and indeed a maid.
"You… you'd better pray that you aren't going to the Tianyun Clan, otherwise, expect misery from me!"
The little maid speaks angrily.
Meanwhile, in her brain, she pictures various means of tortune, including but not limited to washing toilets, washing bowls, etc.
Chen Chen makes no rebuttals to her words; he only makes a smile, one without clear references.
...
Some time later, the crowd disperses for rest in their rooms, while Chen Chen and Zhang Ji continue to slowly eat.
At this time, a handsome gentleman walks close by, quietly persuading: "Brother, please be sure to refrain from acting without thorough thought. When departing tomorrow, it's best to follow far behind Ms. Murong."
Chen Chen's eyebrows raise upon seeing this gentleman; this is the very gentleman verified by the System as the "most handsome".
"Brother, you may not know that the diabolism of the State of Zhou do have active spies within the region of Ji; cutting of sources of practitioners of the Tianyun Clan is their favorite activity."
"Sometimes, should they encounter those with good qualifications, they would go on so much as to take them back themselves."
"Were it not for true fear, how would we be so appeasive to Ms. Murong?"
"Alas, in such a world, saving fame is a true risk."
The handsome gentleman's face is filled with melancholy, as if having suffered from wrongdoing.
"Brother, you are a good man, thanks for the reminder!" Chen Chen patted the gentleman's shoulder, giving him a standard praise.
This folk is quite like Murong Yunlan, a good-looking, good-hearted man.
Chen Chen decides that this lad should be admitted as his follower after arriving at the Tianyun Clan.
Someone even more handsome than him deserves this treatment.
"Brother, you are kidding. I may not be a good man, I just don't want you to lose your lives in vain."
"How should I call my brother? I am Chen Chen, and I will have a drink with you later after arriving at the Tianyun Clan."
"I am Li Wuwei, from Feihu State."
...
After Li Wuwei leaves, Zhang Ji looks into Chen Chen, somewhat worried.
"Brother, are we traveling with Ms. Murong on the main route? They are the diabolics, we aren't sure if we can fight against them."
Chen Chen shakes his head as he hears this.
"Will any diabolics ever mobilize skilled fighters against minor targets like us? It's not worth it."
"Given the publicity of Murong Yunlan, he is most likely their prime target, so following him is in fact more risky."
"Should major fighting really break out, their practitioners will of course prioritize their defense for Murong Yunlan; why would they care for others?"
"Brother, your statements are so… thorough." The more Zhang Ji ponders on the statement, the more agreeable he finds the statement to be.
That's about what the saying "the most dangerous place is also the safest place" means.
But then, Chen Chen speaks again.
"Should we really be up to such bad luck that we encounter those from the diabolics and can't fight against them, we will immediately beg for mercy. Given our qualifications, they likely won't kill us."
"Didn't that young gentleman just say that? The diabolics take people back----the worst case is we follow them back."
"Huh?" Zhang Ji's brain has yet to make the turn.
Remember, diabolism is strictly prohibited in the entirety of the State of Jing.
"All the practices that work are good practices. Tianyun Clan never gives us any significant perks, why do we have to be devoted to it? Zhang Ji, I can assure you that, as long as you follow me, you won't lose out."
Chen Chen is confident. With the System, any practices work, since he staunchly practices the "dose-taking path".
...
Meanwhile, in a village near an official road to the State of Ji, a group of men in ordinary wears discuss affairs in a house made of adobe.
"Have we gotten good information? Who's the one next to Murong Yunlan?"
"We have good information, it's the father of the Military Supervisor of the State of Cangming, qi level 9."
"Qi level 9, well, we aren't out of chances with good arrangements."
"Murong Yunlan's a Body of the Born Yin. Should we bring her back to the Defender of the Law as a Ding Furnace, we may even be awarded Foundation-building Elixir."
"What's the Body of the Born Yin?" Someone asked curiously.
"A form of post-born character, extremely suited for practicing Yin crafts and theories. Were it not for the fact that the main craft of the Tianyun Clan is Yang, I think Murong Yunlan would be accompanied by an elder sent from them."
"Those with special characters are so enviable. Look at us, any attempts to make breakthroughs on the status of cultivation risk lives."
"Alas, some things are just born with. It's rumored that the establisher of our Black Devil's Clan, Lao Zu, was born as a Body of Dark Ghost, making practitioning as easy and eating and drinking."
"What can others do beyond envy?"
After some chit-chating, they start to arrange traps.
Since they have spent much time in advance projecting for the capture of Murong Yunlan, they have made ample preparations.
They have even sent some people into Murong Yunlan's team, supplying intelligence to them at all times.
...
Before long, a new day begins. The parking lot at the Chunfeng Hall starts to fill with activities, as all the distinguished ladies and gentlemen either board wagons or ride up the horses.
At this point, all their attention is on Murong Yunlan, riding a white hall.
They have made their decisions that, regardless of how shameless they would look like, they would closely follow behind.
Chen Chen, sitting in a bedroom in 4th floor, yawns as he looks at the scene
"Alas, they just think they are so important. Should the diabolics have any plot, they won't even target these skirmishes."
"They are just devoid of businesses and just can't stay away from the source of trouble."
"You're the only good one, you're the only one that's not a skirmish!"
The vixen, being tied, yelled in anger.
For the sake of a good night's sleep, he tied her for an entire night; to this point, she still feels weak all around.
"Were I to be a normal man, would you be tied like this by me?"
The vixen wasn't able to make a rebuttal, and could do nothing but to shut her eyes in hate.
Below, Murong Yunlan seems to have noticed Chen Chen's sight, raising her head to ask: "Gentleman, are you sure you'd not like to go with us?"
"No, practice good caution, and we'll see you at the State of Ji." Chen Chen says, waving his hands.
Murong Yunlan says no more upon hearing this; for an unknown passer-by, one good-hearted reminder is the maximum she would do.
Meanwhile, the little maid was much stunned by the fact that Chen Chen really doesn't intend to follow them.
In her view, that's nearly suicidal.
"Let's go."
Murong Yunlan makes a call and starts riding her horse towards the outside of the city.
Upon her move, all the wagons in the parking lot start moving.
Chen Chen can only praise the spectacular scene above the Chunfeng Hall.
But, that's not the end. As soon as the wagons of Chunfeng Hall start moving, all the wagons from other restaurants in the city start moving.
Soon, a stream of traffic made of hundreds of wagons form in Lanfeng City----quite like an expedition by an army.
More magnificent than even fan-chasing in the last life Chen Chen experienced.