A Century Early in the Battle of Dou Qi

Hearing Zhao Li say that everything was up to him and then disappear again, Zhao Yannian felt a bit lost for a moment.

Back in the Zhao Family, he always wanted to get out, but now that he could, he had no destination and didn't know where to go.

He sighed and walked down the mountain.

Having spent time together recently, he knew that once Zhao Li made a decision, he wouldn't easily change it. Since everything was left for him to decide, there would definitely be no further interference.

Since there was no particular destination, he might as well start with what he had always wished for. He decided to change his appearance, then ride a fine horse in fancy clothes, wandering the world with a sword.

In Danyuan City, Zhao Yannian bought a horse-type Magical Beast. It was fast, had strong endurance, and most importantly, it wasn't picky about food and was easy to raise.

Looking at his wallet, which was now more than half empty, Zhao Yannian felt a pang of reluctance. Then he looked at the several identical wallets still in his Storage Ring and muttered to himself:

"Good thing This Young Master was prepared early, otherwise I really wouldn't have been willing. Great Qian, This Young Master is coming."

Zhao Yannian's eyes lit up. He puffed out his chest and looked into the distance, his gaze seemingly piercing through the mountains one after another.

He reached out and gently stroked the horse's head. Then, with a light tap of his toes, he vaulted onto the horse's back. He reached forward and tossed the front of his robe to the side. With a gentle squeeze of his legs against the horse's belly, the horse began to move, from a walk, to a trot, and then to a gallop!

Zhao Yannian rode away in a cloud of dust, passing through the gates of Danyuan City. At that moment, the setting sun was a fiery red, sinking behind the mountaintops, casting its light on the departing figure of the young man until he disappeared at the end of the road.

Watching Zhao Yannian's receding figure, Zhao Li couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.

The ancient road, the setting sun, the horse's hooves kicking up yellow sand – this journey was both the Jianghu path of a young man venturing out for the first time and Zhao Li's extraordinary path of Spreading the Dao.

"Let's see if you and I can stir up some trouble in this world."

After a brief moment of thought, Zhao Li followed.

Zhao Li felt that, barring any accidents, it would take at least twenty years to break through. During this time, he wouldn't waste it. It was also time to begin 'Spreading the Dao' throughout the land, quietly waiting for the fruits to ripen and the world to change.

...

Zhao Yannian wore a white robe, a long sword strapped to his back, and rode a galloping steed. The night grew darker, and even on the official road, there were few travelers or carriages, only the occasional startled birds from the dense forest nearby.

At this moment, he had one leg hooked over the horse's neck, leaning back slightly, supporting himself with his hand. Even on the galloping horse, he was perfectly steady, without the slightest sway. His gaze was fixed on the distance, where a light flickered.

Although he didn't know where he was going, he knew that at this moment, he had stepped into the 'Jianghu' he longed for. Everything he saw and felt was his own choice.

Half an hour later, his horse, with its Magical Beast physique, had already covered a hundred li. For the first time, a fork in the road appeared before Zhao Yannian.

"Making choices is the most annoying thing. Forget it, let it go on its own."

Looking at the two similar roads, Zhao Yannian muttered to himself. Then he closed his eyes and slapped the horse's rump.

Feeling the wind whistling in his ears, Zhao Yannian knew the horse hadn't stopped. Two minutes later, he opened his eyes, looking at the gradually unfamiliar scenery around him. He lightly tugged the reins, slowing the horse down.

The further he went, the darker the sky became. Along the way, Zhao Yannian ambled along slowly, looking at the yellow leaves and red flowers beside him. A sense of loneliness actually arose in his heart. For a moment, he felt himself slowly shrinking, the sky infinitely high and distant, and he was merely a drop in the ocean:

"Heaven's will has always been difficult to fathom."

But he was still a young man, full of vigor and spirit. He quickly cast aside the feeling of insignificance in his heart. Looking at the road that led nowhere, his heart was full of anticipation:

"I wonder where this will lead. If I'm incredibly lucky and discover a Secret Realm, that would be awesome."

In the hearts of young people, even when facing the heavens, there is an indomitable fighting spirit, a desire to defy fate. It's only after being severely beaten down that they slowly become more worldly, gradually losing their edge, and gradually no longer being themselves.

Zhao Li saw the light in Zhao Yannian's eyes, and an impulse arose in his heart. He also wanted to experience the Mortal World.

No sooner said than done, his form shifted, and he had changed his face, also appearing as a young man. Then, with a thought, he reappeared several li away.

He took out a wine gourd from his Storage Ring, hung it on his waist, and walked slowly forward. Though he seemed slow, each step covered nearly a zhang.

A few minutes later, Zhao Yannian appeared behind him. Hearing the movement, he turned his head, glanced at Zhao Yannian, then withdrew his gaze and paid him no further attention. He grabbed the wine gourd from his waist, took a drink, and continued walking forward on his own.

When Zhao Yannian saw the young man on the small road, he only glanced at him and didn't do anything else. Naturally, it was impossible for him to recognize that the person before him was Zhao Li.

But soon, Zhao Yannian discovered something different about Zhao Li. Although his steps were slow, his speed was not. Every movement was harmonious and fluid.

"He's a master."

A thought arose in Zhao Yannian's mind. Then he urged his horse forward, and before his brain could react, his mouth had already greeted:

"May I ask where you are heading, brother? Would you like to travel together? We can look out for each other on the road."

Before he finished speaking, a feeling of abruptness arose in his heart, and he muttered to himself:

"Zhao Yannian! Do you know if he's a good person or a bad person? You just go up and ask. It seems I really need to change this habit."

Zhao Li wasn't too surprised by this. The personality Zhao Yannian had developed since he could remember wouldn't change easily.

He showed a look of surprise, as if he hadn't expected Zhao Yannian to be so enthusiastic despite them being mere strangers.

Of course, he still nodded in agreement. In this identity, he was meant to interact with Zhao Yannian.

Seeing that the matter was settled, Zhao Yannian sighed in his heart. He dismounted, leading his horse, and walked beside Zhao Li. Zhao Li naturally also began walking normally, no longer showing off, and started chatting, asking:

"Little brother, may I ask where you are from and where you are going?"

"My name is Zhao Li, I'm from Danyuan City, and I don't know where I'm going."

Zhao Yannian hesitated for a moment, then blurted it out without any burden. He also knew that when traveling outside, it was necessary to have an alias.

Zhao Li nodded upon hearing this, indicating he understood, but he secretly decided in his heart:

"Good kid, you even know to use an alias. But, using Master's name just like that, tsk~ Fine, I'll let you use it for now. If you embarrass me, you'll be in for a world of pain."

He decided to give Zhao Yannian a chance to perform first. If he didn't do well, then he couldn't be blamed. He would have to properly discipline Zhao Yannian.

Zhao Yannian's familiar habit started up again, and he chattered on endlessly. Of course, everything he said was just stories he'd heard, whether they were true or not.

Zhao Li listened silently, but the constant noise in his ears made him regret coming here to suffer. He really didn't understand why he had put himself through this.

After a long while, Zhao Yannian finally stopped talking. It was as if he had just realized he knew absolutely nothing about Zhao Li, so he started asking questions left and right:

"Brother, what's your name? What do you do? Where are you from?..."

Zhao Yannian's barrage of questions left Zhao Li a bit speechless. So, after rambling on for half the day, almost revealing everything about himself, he finally thought to ask about the other person's background? He thought to himself:

This kid really shouldn't go out alone. Otherwise, if he gets sold, he'll probably even help count the money.

Of course, despite the internal complaining, Zhao Li also knew that Zhao Yannian only seemed a bit foolish; in reality, he was quite clever. Most people would be lucky not to get sold by him.

While complaining, various thoughts arose in Zhao Li's mind, and he casually made up an identity:

"This One, Ye, is merely a wandering recluse, nothing compared to your family's great wealth and business, little brother."

No more today.

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