Chapter 72: Chapter 71: Cold Hill Mountain Ahead, Never Look Back

A fine, gentle snow fell, carrying a slight chill as it bid farewell to those embarking on a long journey.

Those who had to leave, eventually departed. Some who were unwilling to go stood at the city gates, crying.

Song Ciwan sat in her carriage, listening to the rumbling of the wheels and the countless voices of the world’s countless people.

"Little brother, you go on to the County. I’ll stay here in Su Yang. Even though we’re splitting the household, we’re not splitting the family. This just gives us another path. I’ll take care of Mom and Dad here..."

"Eldest son, you’re a heartless one. If you insist on going, then go! I’m an old man. I’m staying in Su Yang. My roots are here!"

"Zhao Lang, I can’t abandon my parents. I’m returning this Jade Hairpin to you. After today, we go our separate ways. I wish you all the best..."

"..."

"Sigh... let’s go, let’s go! If we don’t get a move on, we’ll be late. We won’t make it to the next city before dark!"

The Situong Escort Agency’s convoy led the procession, their Escort Flag held high as they guided the way.

Following them were the wealthy families of the city, with their retinues of servants, guards, and baggage. Of course, these families were mostly the second echelon; the truly top-tier families, the first echelon, had already departed the day before.

A situation like the Xu Family’s was, in fact, quite rare.

Smaller households, like Aunt Jin Hua’s family, traveled in the latter part of the procession. At the very back were families with no carts at all, who could only rely on their own two feet.

In fact, these people made up the majority of the group. Regarding this, a man from the Situong Escort Agency announced:

"Everyone who can keep up, keep up! If you can’t, don’t blame our Escort Agency for not waiting. Our Chief Leader is willing to lead the way out of the kindness of his heart. If any of you lag behind or stir up trouble, you’d best go your own way. Don’t get in the way of the main group, understand?"

Some people clamorously shouted their agreement, while others called back with fawning remarks.

But no one noticed that, at the very rear of the procession, a party of three had quietly joined them at some point.

There was an elderly woman, a beautiful young girl, and a third person of exceptionally short stature—only three feet tall—who was completely wrapped in a heavy Black Cloak. This person carried a strange-looking staff and followed the young girl’s every move, seeming to be both a guard and a follower.

The young girl called this person "Ah Gua."

As they passed through the city gate, the young girl stumbled, and Ah Gua immediately rushed forward to steady her.

Though short, Ah Gua was surprisingly strong and easily steadied the young girl. The trio successfully left the city and fell in with the Situong Escort Agency’s procession.

The advantage of having the Escort Agency lead was that no one had to worry about which road to take at a fork.

The Escort Masters were all living maps, their rich experience telling them which roads were the shortest and which were the safest.

They also had a principle: Go around mountains and cross bridges over water.

In short, they would never take a mountain path, nor would they travel by boat or wade through rivers.

Song Ciwan followed along silently in the procession. ’I’m learning a lot,’ she thought.

When they stopped for the midday meal, the fine snow had long since ceased. The Escort Masters chose an open clearing by a river.

Before making camp, they first had to burn three sticks of incense by the riverbank and throw offerings of three types of cooked meat into the water. Only after this ritual was complete was everyone permitted to set up their pots and cook.

Of course, not many people actually started fires to cook.

It was winter, so food kept well. They had only just left the city, so everyone still had plenty of rations. Unless absolutely necessary, most people didn’t want to go through the extra hassle.

Aunt Jin Hua didn’t want the bother either. She took out some flatbreads from her cart and handed them to Yu Lin, Ah Chan, and Song Ciwan.

Song Ciwan didn’t refuse. After accepting the flatbread, she immediately took four boiled eggs from her basket and shared them with Aunt Jin Hua’s family of three.

Aunt Jin Hua’s face, which had been downcast for the entire journey, broke into a chiding smile. "You silly girl. What, are you afraid I’ll sell you off if you eat one of my flatbreads?"

Song Ciwan laughed. "I’m not afraid. You can’t sell me, Auntie. I have Big White to protect me!"

The Big White Goose stood next to Song Ciwan, raising its head to let out a loud "HONK HONK!" As it honked, it puffed its chest out proudly. After this display, it lowered its head and used its powerful beak to jab at the grass on the ground. PECK, PECK, PECK.

After a few bites, a small insect suddenly leaped out of the grass.

The Big White Goose opened its beak and snatched the insect. With a few quick movements of its bill, the insect was crunched up—CRUNCH, CRUNCH—and swallowed.

Its proud, lively display drew quite a bit of attention.

Aunt Jin Hua remarked in admiration, "You’ve really raised this goose well. No wonder you insisted on carrying it out of the city."

Ah Chan also sized up the Big White Goose with a shy, curious gaze. Her hand twitched at her side, as if she longed to pet the goose but was too timid to approach.

At that moment, a thought struck Song Ciwan. ’So the Big White Goose loves eating insects!’

Before, when she raised the Big White Goose at home, she had always fed it various grains. Later, when Chi Hua Fairy reminded her that she could give the goose meat, she had only started feeding it some cooked fish. She had never considered feeding it insects.

’I really am inexperienced. I’ve been ignoring its natural instincts as a bird.’

’Geese aren’t strictly herbivores; they eat fish, and they eat insects!’

And the number of insects collected in Song Ciwan’s Five Poison Jar was practically innumerable.

’Isn’t this the perfect private pantry for the Big White Goose?’

With a flicker of her thought, Song Ciwan summoned the weakest insect from her Five Poison Jar. Using the low grass for cover, she quietly released it by her side.

The tiny insect had been battered and scarred from the constant fighting inside the Five Poison Jar. The moment it reached the outside world, it gave a sudden leap.

Song Ciwan had her Qi Absorption Technique ready at her fingertips, prepared to snatch the insect back, but the instant it leaped, the Big White Goose flapped its wings, shot its head forward, and deftly caught the bug in its beak.

"HONK!" As the insect went down its gullet, the Big White Goose suddenly grew excited.

It seemed to absolutely love the taste of the little creature. After eating just one, it flapped its wings and spun around in excitement.

Song Ciwan didn’t let it down. She released five more insects in a row. Seeing the Big White Goose gobble them up one by one, never missing a catch, she rewarded it with a bowl of bean mash.

But after eating the insects, the Big White Goose surprisingly showed no interest in the bean mash.

It took one bite of the mash, then glanced around, clearly still yearning for the insects from before!

But Song Ciwan wasn’t planning to feed it any more. ’The insects from the Xu Family Beast Garden have an unusual ferocity,’ she thought. ’Even if I’m using them to trigger Big White’s Transformation, I have to do it gradually. I can’t be impatient.’

The carriages continued on in the afternoon, the atmosphere of the convoy now much more relaxed than it had been before.

People all throughout the procession began to chat idly. This continued until the carriages, having traveled all day, passed by a mountain as evening fell.

An Escort Master at the head of the group shouted back, "That’s Cold Hill Mountain up ahead! Everyone, stick close to the group and keep moving straight ahead. Don’t look back, and don’t say a word. No matter who calls out to you, ignore them. And under no circumstances are you to enter the mountain. We have to push through the road at its base without stopping. Once we’re past this stretch, Huailing City isn’t far. Understood?"

"Don’t answer, even if you understand! Don’t even nod. Just keep it in your minds."

"Okay, from this moment on, nobody speaks. We’re starting now. Let’s move!"

The Escort Flag led the way as the convoy rumbled on, but the sky ahead suddenly grew dark.