Two days later.

Ba Yin once again hosted a banquet to entertain Yuan Ming and his party. The portrait he had redrawn of Yuan Ming was highly praised, and the surrounding people were amazed.

After responding with a smile, Yuan Ming discussed the return journey with Fu Qing and the others.

Ba Yin also helped to point out the best route.

Later, Yuan Ming went to Ming En Lou and met with Hu Tu.

The Lord’s Mansion had already sent someone to inform Hu Tu of Yuan Ming’s identity and, in light of the previous misunderstanding, provided Hu Tu with a large sum of compensation.

This finally put Hu Tu’s mind at ease, and that day, he offered free meals to all the guests at the restaurant.

It was nothing, just a gesture of happiness.

No one knew what Yuan Ming and Hu Tu talked about, but the next day, Ming En Lou closed its doors.

The neighbors thought that the shopkeeper, Hu Tu, had struck it rich and climbed the social ladder, enjoying a life of luxury.

Two days later, escorted by a team of guards from the Lord’s Mansion, a group of people from the Central Plains left Tiehu Town and returned to Da Jin.

On the carriage guarded by the people, Hu Tu asked excitedly, “Can I really go to Da Jin?”

“Young Master arranged it this way,” Fu Qing, sitting opposite him, nodded.

However, Yuan Ming himself was not actually in this group.

Originally, Fu Qing was firmly against this arrangement, but at Yuan Ming’s request, he and Yuan Ming had a showdown, and the result was an unsurprising defeat, which forced him to agree to separate.

As for bringing this person from the Southern Frontier, it was also arranged by Yuan Ming.

In addition, Yuan Ming also gave him a task, which was to take the newly written “Young Master Sheng’s Journey to the South” back to the Little Emperor.

The new book would also be published by Tianming Book Society and circulated in the Central Plains and even the Southern Frontier.

In addition, Yuan Ming also wrote a confidential letter and a map of the Southern Frontier, based on the Southern Frontier classics and his own travels, marking the locations of ethnic groups and sects such as the Kasi tribe and the Biluo Cave, as well as providing a brief overview.

“Young Master said that he can take you into the territory of Da Jin, but he cannot take you to the capital,” Fu Qing, knowing that Hu Tu’s relationship with Yuan Ming was not ordinary, treated him with great respect.

“This Yuan Ming… Young Master told me, I understand,” Hu Tu said somewhat awkwardly.

He had asked Yuan Ming for the reason, and Yuan Ming only said, “The capital is not safe,” without further explanation.

Hu Tu didn’t care, as long as he could leave the Southern Frontier and go to the Central Plains that he longed for, he would naturally have to rely on his own efforts and strive for it…

On the other hand, Yuan Ming left Tiehu Town from another direction.

As soon as Yuan Ming had left the town, not far away, his brow suddenly twitched. Without changing his expression, a slender black needle-like artifact flashed out from his sleeve and silently disappeared into the nearby jungle.

Then, Yuan Ming turned to look behind him and said slowly, “You three have been following me for so long, why not come out and meet me?”

“Hehe, Young Master Yuan is so perceptive, you noticed us so quickly,” accompanied by a light sound, three figures walked out.

All three of them were of Central Plains appearance. The leader was an old man with a goatee, sunken cheeks, and an exceptionally bright and piercing gaze.

The two behind him were a young man and woman. The woman was tall and strong, with dark skin and a somewhat masculine appearance. She had a green pouch hanging from her waist, which seemed to be a spirit beast pouch.

As for the young man, he had a handsome appearance, but with a hint of femininity.

The pair of men and women exchanged glances from time to time, obviously having a close relationship.

The clothing of the three people was in the style of Da Jin, and they all exuded a wave of spiritual power.

Yuan Ming quietly used his divine sense to probe. The old man with the goatee had a strong aura and was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, while the other two were at the peak of Qi Refinement.

“Who are you three? Why have you been following me?” he asked.

“Young Master Yuan, don’t be nervous. We three are not here to harm you. We are members of the Guangli Scattered Alliance of the Da Jin cultivation world, and we have been commissioned by the Emperor to escort you safely back home,” the goatee old man said.

“The Emperor sent you? Then why sneak around like this?” Yuan Ming thought of the image of the Little Emperor and asked.

“The Emperor already knows about the previous assassination attempt by the envoy and also knows that General Yuan sent people to the Southern Frontier. He is just worried that the other party is not dead yet. To ensure that everything is foolproof, he asked us to act in secret and ensure the safe escort of Young Master back to Da Jin. If Young Master Yuan doesn’t believe it, you can check this item. This is a personal letter written by the Emperor for you,” the old man with the goatee took out a sealed envelope and handed it over.

Yuan Ming used his technique to make the envelope fly over and hover in mid-air.

He did not touch the envelope, but with a slight movement of his finger, the envelope automatically opened, revealing a letter.

“Young Master Yuan’s technique is truly exquisite. I am ashamed in comparison,” the goatee old man praised.

“You flatter me,” Yuan Ming said modestly, looking at the letter.

The handwriting on the letter was indeed that of the Little Emperor, and the contents were the same as what the goatee old man had said.

The letter also introduced the names of the three people: the goatee old man was named Xu Changqing, the powerful dark-skinned woman was named Liu Su, and the handsome young man was named Lin Liumu.”Turns out it’s Senior Xu, Friend Lin, Friend Liu. I’ve recently encountered many dangers and have to be careful in my actions. I may have offended many people, please don’t take it to heart,” Yuan Ming said, cupping his hands in respect.

“It’s only natural for people to have their own concerns. Young Master Yuan, what are your plans for the future? Before Emperor Jin left, he instructed the three of us to cooperate with you,” Xu Changqing returned the courtesy and asked.

“Since the three of you were ordered to take me back to Da Jin, you must have already thought of a plan to return. I’d like to hear your opinions first,” Yuan Ming considered for a moment and asked in return.

“Currently, we are not clear on who was behind the attempt on Young Master’s life, but the enemy is lurking in the shadows. We need to be cautious. We have prepared two ways to return to Da Jin. The first is to ride on my flying artifact and fly directly back to Da Jin. I don’t mean to boast, but my artifact comes and goes without a trace. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators would find it difficult to catch up,” Xu Changqing spoke confidently, and a white jade shuttle about a foot long appeared in his hand, emitting a faint white light.

“What about the second method?” Yuan Ming looked at the shuttle and asked without expressing approval.

“The second method is to blend in with a merchant caravan. There is a Da Jin caravan fifty miles east of here in Green Cloud Town, which is about to return. I have some connections with caravans traveling to and from Da Jin and can easily blend in with them, returning to Da Jin under the protection of the caravan members,” Xu Changqing looked towards the east and said.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming fell silent.

“You can take your time to think, but we should leave first. There may be enemies watching in Tiehu Town,” Xu Changqing reminded.

The four of them were standing not far from the town, and they all had the appearance of people from the Central Plains, making them quite conspicuous.

“Alright, let’s head towards Green Cloud Town first, and I’ll consider it carefully on the way,” Yuan Ming said.

Xu Changqing and the others had no objections.

The four of them headed east and soon left Tiehu Town behind, with a range of low mountains appearing in the distance.

There were no paths here, but fortunately, all four of them were cultivators, so crossing the mountains was not a problem.

A small stream flowed down from upstream, its water exceptionally clear, seeming to be spring water.

“This water is good. I’m a little thirsty, so I’ll get some water,” Yuan Ming’s eyes lit up, and he stopped to say.

“Liu Su, go get some water,” Xu Changqing instructed the sturdy dark-skinned woman.

Liu Su agreed and took out a water bag, walking towards the stream.

“I’ll go take care of something,” Yuan Ming added.

“Please, Young Master Yuan,” Xu Changqing pursed his lips and smiled.

Yuan Ming walked towards the nearby woods, with Lin Liumu following him, saying, “I need to go too. Let’s go together.”

Yuan Ming did not refuse, and the two of them walked into a nearby grove.

Yuan Ming looked up at the sky and did not undress.

“You said you needed to go, Young Master Yuan?” Lin Liumu asked, puzzled by the strange behavior.

“I’m not in a hurry for that. Since you’ve come to kill me, we’re already far from Tiehu Town, and it’s almost time to make a move,” Yuan Ming suddenly said.

“What do you mean by that, Young Master Yuan?” Lin Liumu’s face changed slightly as he asked.

Yuan Ming just looked at Lin Liumu without saying a word.

At that moment, there was a “rustling” sound behind Lin Liumu, as if someone had entered the grove.

“It’s you! How did you get here?” Yuan Ming looked behind Lin Liumu, his face changing dramatically as if he had seen an unbelievable person.

Lin Liumu was startled and involuntarily turned around, but there was nothing there, not even a shadow.

He realized he had been tricked and immediately turned back, only to find that Yuan Ming, who had been standing there, had disappeared, and the lush bushes nearby were swaying gently.

Lin Liumu’s expression changed drastically, and he immediately gave chase, but he couldn’t see any trace of Yuan Ming, and Yuan Ming’s aura had disappeared without a trace.

“Yuan Ming has escaped!” Lin Liumu shouted loudly.

Whoosh!

Xu Changqing and Liu Su flew over in the blink of an eye.

“Where did he escape to? We can’t even keep an eye on one person. What a waste!” Liu Su glared at Lin Liumu, speaking irritably.

Lin Liumu’s face turned red, but he did not retort.

“A Qi Refining cultivator can’t escape from my grasp. Split up and search!” Xu Changqing shouted sternly, releasing his spiritual sense, but he couldn’t sense Yuan Ming’s whereabouts either.

Liu Su and Lin Liumu also began searching in the dense forest, using their artifacts to sweep and slash in all directions.

Bushes and grass were cut and sent flying, and almost half of the undergrowth was destroyed, but Yuan Ming seemed to have truly disappeared, without any movement.

Yuan Ming was quietly lurking under a clump of low bushes a dozen yards away, draped in the gray cloak given to him by Xiying, blending in with the surrounding green leaves.

Xu Changqing’s spiritual sense swept over several times, but he did not notice anything unusual.

Yuan Ming’s eyes flickered, and with a simple probe, he discovered that these three people were indeed suspicious. He would search for the Three Superiorities every day.

The handwriting in that letter was flawless, and he had been corresponding with the young emperor since childhood. As part of their youthful play, they had a secret code that only the two of them knew: in the last sentence of the letter, a random word was missing, but it was not missing in this letter.

At that moment, he knew that the three of them were up to something, but he pretended not to know, just to make them reveal their true intentions.Seeing Xu Changqing and his two companions scouring the ground with such ferocity, as if they would dig three feet deep to find him, it was clear they were not intent on escorting him back to the Great Jin, but rather on killing him to erase all traces.