He didn’t choose to ride a horse, nor did he take a boat. Zhang Lie used the Teleportation Array and arrived directly at Hai Xia.

The inspections here were already extremely strict. Numerous soldiers stood guard outside the Teleportation Array, and a massive notice wall was plastered with portraits—all of them the faces of those who, during the "Jingxi" operation, caught wind of the second wave of arrests and managed to flee in advance. Still, with a sea-wide arrest warrant out, it would only be a matter of time before these people were caught no matter how well they hid.

But, even with such strict checks, they wouldn’t go so far as to open a cultivator’s Storage Bag and check inside. Such an invasion of a cultivator’s vested interests—no matter how powerful the Jingjiu Dynasty was—they didn’t dare risk that.

So when Zhang Lie stepped out of the Array, at most he received a few scrutinizing glances from the soldiers, but no one stopped him for a check.

He found a nearby carriage and horse shop, paid a deposit, and rented a horse as his means of travel. Without lingering in Hai Xia, Zhang Lie immediately left the city and took the official road south toward Beach Stone.

Beach Stone, being part of a fortress cluster, didn’t have a public Teleportation Array, only arrays reserved for the military. Zhang Lie had no choice but to go by horse.

There were numerous checkpoints along the official road from Hai Xia to Beach Stone—some guarded by the Xuanqing Guard, others by the Border Army. For someone traveling alone like Zhang Lie, they always checked, but once he presented a "Hunting Document," the guards lost all interest.

The Hunting Document was issued by a brokerage—it was a permit for hunting Barbarian Race outside the border, and also served as a legal document for leaving the country and bringing back barbarians. Large slave caravans had their own version of the Hunting Document, just slightly different. What Zhang Lie carried was the kind issued to private hunters.

Any cultivator daring to venture into the Barbarian lands alone was not someone to provoke. The checkpoint guards didn’t want to make trouble.

All of this had been prepared for Zhang Lie after he’d accepted the mission, with Shen Hao’s instructions. Not only these documents, but also dozens of rendezvous points along the way had been arranged.

Soon after leaving the city, he saw several carriages parked outside a roadside tea house. Inside, people sat drinking tea and resting; a large sign hung at the entrance, its prominent "Tea" character obvious, and a stylized wild goose motif for decoration.

Wild Goose... The Yanji Saber was forged to mimic the curve of this bird’s back. To the Xuanqing Guard, it had a special symbolic meaning. Zhang Lie knew full well this teahouse must be a Xuanqing Guard drop point.

But Zhang Lie didn’t stop—he sped by in a blur.

He galloped all the way until afternoon. By then, his horse’s lips were turning pale-white; it could run no farther. Zhang Lie dismounted and found a small tavern by the roadside to rest, asking the staff to water and feed his horse. The tavern’s door rings were fashioned into a pair of brass wild geese—quite festive to look at.

When he left, Zhang Lie didn’t reveal his identity. It was as if he’d forgotten his mission and Shen Hao’s repeated instructions.

By dusk, Zhang Lie left his horse tethered in the woodland beside the road, planning to spend the night there instead of checking into an inn.

He lit a campfire and took out the rations he’d packed at the tavern that afternoon, warming them up before eating.

He’d just taken a few bites when Zhang Lie set his cake aside, staring into the dark at his flank and demanded coldly, "Who’s there? Come out!"

His words dripped with killing intent; a heatwave seemed to swell around him, especially as his palms began to glow faintly red—like heated metal.

"Heh, easy, Younger Brother Zhang—it’s me." A man stepped out from the darkness. It was Ma San.

"Oh? It’s you?" Zhang Lie’s expression didn’t change, but the redness faded from his hands. Still, he mocked inwardly. From the moment he left the Hai Lower Teleportation Array, he’d sensed someone tailing him. The stalker was highly skilled at concealment, but a professionally trained operative like Zhang Lie could still pick him out.

He’d been followed the entire way, making Zhang Lie too cautious to reveal himself at any rendezvous points along the route, and now, at night, not daring to stay at an inn—he’d simply been waiting for the tail to show himself. He’d expected someone from Ma San’s crew, but didn’t think Ma San would come in person.

"Why not check in at an inn, Younger Brother Zhang? It’s not easy roughing it out here in the wild."

"Heh, traveling with cargo, I avoid crowds if I can. Too many variables on the road—who knows if a familiar face really means a trustworthy heart? Better to be vigilant than sorry." Zhang Lie didn’t try to make nice with Ma San—a man who didn’t even give his real name wasn’t worth trusting. Even if Ma San didn’t know Zhang Lie was a Xuanqing Guard secret agent, that didn’t mean his intentions could be trusted.

Double-crosses weren’t unheard of; claiming the goods never arrived and telling Flying Dragon to refund the silver was always an option.

"You really are cautious, Younger Brother Zhang. Entrusting this shipment to you puts my mind at ease. But traveling further south, we’ll soon reach Xiaochuan Territory—a chaotic place crawling with mounted bandits, some quite formidable, always hunting for fat sheep on the road. Younger Brother Zhang, though strong, is still alone. Perhaps I’ll accompany you a while."

"So you’re saying I look like a fat sheep, huh?"

"Don’t take it the wrong way, Younger Brother Zhang—just a precaution." Ma San kept his distance, sitting himself against a tree some twenty paces away, obviously preparing to pass the night with Zhang Lie.

Zhang Lie said nothing more. He could act cold but wouldn’t respond with open hostility to Ma San’s actions. After all, the cargo he carried had been paid for by Ma San—it was Ma San’s property. True, Ma San required the Flying Dragon brokerage to transport it, and the transaction wasn’t complete yet.

Withdrawing his gaze, Zhang Lie simply kept Ma San under constant observation with his perception. Outwardly wary of a stranger, inwardly he scrutinized this mysterious man who, just that morning, had landed himself on the Black Banner Battalion blacklist.

His cultivation was likely in the Gathering Spirit Realm, Third to Fourth Layer. True age was hard to guess, but likely under fifty. He carried no visible weapons—maybe they were in his Storage Bag. Unremarkable appearance; his most noticeable feature: when he smiled, his face wrinkled up in a peculiar way.

And as the night deepened, Zhang Lie noticed the chill emanating from Ma San grew stronger. Could it be this Ma San was cultivating a Water Attribute, ice-based skill?

At dawn, Zhang Lie saddled up and headed further south. The destination was still somewhere near Xiaochuan, but Ma San insisted he’d only reveal the exact location once they arrived. So the two of them rode on, one behind the other.

Noon.

"Well, would you look at that, a sesame flatbread stall! What luck. Younger Brother Zhang, let’s stop for a bite before we continue." Zhang Lie had eaten rations last night and hadn’t spared Ma San even half a piece. Now, Ma San couldn’t hold out against hunger any longer.

Zhang Lie glanced at the wild goose embroidered on the stall owner’s apron and couldn’t help his eyelid from twitching several times. The Xuanqing Guard certainly had their share of talents.

Each had three flatbreads and filled a jug with water before mounting up to ride south. Xiaochuan lay just ahead.

As soon as the two left, the stall owner picked up the broken silver Zhang Lie had tossed, weighed it a few times—something wasn’t right—took out a knife, cut it open, and found a wooden slip inside. On the slip, someone had scratched the character "Guard" with their fingernail.