I'm Feng Aotian—And I’m Running Away from My Wedding - Chapter 13

The first rays of sunlight emerged from the clouds, piercing through layers of leaves and scattering along the forest path.

Li Baiying stretched lazily and casually drew the carriage curtain aside. “You rest for a while. I’ll take over the driving.”

As the patient, she had been forced by Qin Yixiao to rest last night. Though she complied superficially, she had slept fitfully, her heart fluttering with excitement for the journey ahead.

“Alright.” The young girl silently dismounted from the driver’s seat and yielded the spot to her.

“Ah, wait!” Li Baiying suddenly remembered something and retrieved provisions from her backpack. “I haven’t seen you eat anything since last night. You’re the physician, you can’t afford to fall ill.”

“What’s this?”

Qin Yixiao stared at the rice ball in her hand, her brow slightly furrowed. “You didn’t purchase supplies within the town, did you?”

“How did you know?” Li Baiying blurted out. Then, she proceeded to recount the scene in detail. “It looked fresh, something I’d never seen on Taichu Mountain, so I bought some to try.”

“…”

“It doesn’t have any side effects, does it?” Noting the girl’s reluctance to elaborate, she pressed further.

“Side effects? None. But if you had walked just a few steps farther, you’d have found that outside the city, one copper coin could buy a whole bag of these, mostly used as horse feed.”

Unable to evade the questioning, Qin Yixiao had no choice but to plainly state the fact: “You’ve been swindled.”

“Well, as long as there are no side effects.” Li Baiying waved her hand dismissively. “It’s perfect for the horse anyway, we didn’t bring feed. Here, I have other things. You can make do with these.”

Seeing her so nonchalant, Qin Yixiao said nothing more and began nibbling quietly on the provisions.

Soon, another package appeared before her. She looked up to find the other staring at her expectantly, giving her the strange illusion of being fed.

“Aren’t you supposed to be driving the carriage?” Qin Yixiao snapped back to reality and coldly shooed her away.

…

The journey from Taichu Mountain to Bijian Pond spanned several hundred li.

If traveling by qinggong, Li Baiying was confident she could arrive within a week. But now, riding in a carriage, while comfort had increased significantly, their pace had slowed considerably.

She estimated that, barring any unexpected incidents along the way, they would likely reach their destination in about a month.

In the forest, gentle breezes rustled, and the chirping of birds filtered through the gaps in the leaves, mingling with the sunlight that reached their ears.

Li Baiying held the reins in her right hand while studying a map with her left. Lately, in her spare time, she had meticulously examined routes across the entire Cambrian Continent, including those overseas.

But no matter how much she looked, most treasure-marked spots on the map were widely known among martial artists. Even if they visited each one, they would likely face competition from countless sects and families, with slim chances of success.

“Ah, right!”

Her eyes lit up, and she ducked into the carriage. “Did you bring that treasure-seeking spirit fox?”

“Mm.” Qin Yixiao knew exactly what she was thinking. “You want me to release her now?”

“Let’s give it a try. We might find something. The feng shui in this forest seems promising.”

After a brief hesitation, the girl tapped the embroidered pouch at her waist, and a fox with fiery red fur leaped out, settling gracefully on her lap.

“Fei Yun, don’t wander too far from the carriage.”

She spoke softly. But before her words had fully faded, the fox’s fur bristled, its pitch-black eyes fixed intently on Li Baiying as it emitted a low, incomprehensible growl.

“Hey, are you going to eat or not?” The latter paid no mind to the fox’s hostility, holding out a handful of dried provisions as if feeding a small animal. “Last time, I spoke out of turn, I apologize. Do you think we can find any treasures in this forest?”

The fox let out a chirping sound, its fluffy tail sweeping unceremoniously across her cheek. Before Li Baiying could react and demand an explanation, it leaped away, vanishing into the woods.

“Wait for me!” She was about to give chase when she felt a slight tug at her sleeve.

“Don’t waste your energy. It’s just gone out to frolic and will be back soon.”

Qin Yixiao noticed her staring resentfully in the direction where the red dot had disappeared, a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips. “If you’re truly anxious, you’d be better off calming your mind and meditating to heal your injuries. Don’t forget, your wounds haven’t fully recovered yet.”

At the mention of “injuries,” Li Baiying deflated like a punctured balloon, accepting the medicinal herbs handed to her with a look of utter despair. “These are so bitter. Can I take less?”

“Then you might as well forget about entering the secret realm. With your current condition, forget about challenging those above your level, you might not even stand a chance against someone of the same seventh level of innate cultivation.”

Beating her head lightly in frustration, Li Baiying gritted her teeth and swallowed the herbs. Then, she closed her eyes and sat cross-legged, beginning to meditate and absorb the medicinal energy.

In an instant, a faint red light gathered around her, swirling like a roaming dragon. Wherever it passed, the air seemed to crackle with a scorching heat.

“A natural Dao body…” Qin Yixiao murmured, staring at the wisp of red mist, lost in thought. Suddenly, she felt an intense gaze fixed on her face, impossible to ignore.

“Finished cultivating?”

“No, I just remembered something.” Li Baiying took out a small vial containing residual poison and whistled. Within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a pitch-black bird with dark feathers circled and descended.

“Go, take this to my mother.”

Li Baiying placed a handful of grains in her palm. The large bird devoured them in a whirlwind, then, satisfied, flapped its wings and soared into the sky.

“I hope we find out who ambushed me soon.” She clenched her fist, a sharp glint flashing in her heroic eyes. “I won’t let them off lightly!”

“We’ve been traveling for over a week now and haven’t encountered anyone in black cloaks. They probably didn’t follow us.”

“Hard to say.” Li Baiying shook her head, analyzing the situation logically. “If it were me, after a failed ambush, I’d lie low and wait for the right moment. The best strategy is to let the prey relax, thinking they’re safe, and then strike when they least expect it. Otherwise, their guard will only grow stronger.”

“So, I suspect they’re still plotting in the shadows.”

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice the fleeting, peculiar look in the young woman’s eyes.

“Rustle…”

From a nearby thicket, a sudden noise erupted, and a fiery red furball shot out like lightning, blocking the path of the carriage.

The fox’s ears were perked, its tail flicking restlessly, its crimson fur bristling imperceptibly.

“It seems to have noticed something.” Qin Yixiao stood up and took a couple of cautious steps forward. “Fei Yun, what did you see?”

The fox anxiously clawed at the grass with its paws, whimpering and howling as if urging them on or giving some kind of hint.

“Take us to see,” Li Baiying decisively leaped down from the carriage.

The spirit fox seemed to understand her words, and for now, it set aside their previous grievances. With a swift turn, it dashed toward the forest like an arrow.

She followed closely behind.

Yet the further they went, the more distinct the faint scent of blood in the air became.