Inside the Chu Kingdom's palace, Emperor Chu Han and his eldest princess Chu Yue were utterly shocked as they looked at Hou Yi's bow in the imperial study. They never imagined that Hou Yi's bow would be silently returned to the forbidden area of the palace.
Chu Yue said, "Father, look, there's a letter under Hou Yi's bow."
Chu Han unfolded the letter, and after reading it, his tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed.
Chu Yue took the letter and read it through. She said happily, "So it turns out that the old ancestor is restless and wants to go to the mainland for a trip. With him here, Yu'er will definitely be fine."
Chu Han said, "I'm afraid Yu'er won't be able to come back for a long time. I don't know if she will be able to adapt to life outside."
Chu Yue said, "My sister is very mischievous. She always asks me to take her out. Now that she's away from the capital, she's thriving. Father, you don't need to worry about her."
Chu Han said with some emotion, "With the elders stepping in, of course I don't need to worry about her. It's just that... your second brother Wenfeng has been away for the past few years, and now the little rascal has also left. Of my three favorite children, only you are still by my side now."
Chu Yue said, "Brother and sister will return to Father's side sooner or later, so there's no need to be sad."
Chu Han said, "Well, actually this is also good for the little rascal. She's too unruly. After this ordeal, she'll definitely mature a lot." He pondered for a moment and then said, "Now we don't need to alarm Senior Zhuge. Do everything possible to block the news of Chen Nan's rampage in the capital. Under no circumstances should it be leaked."
On the way, the little princess discovered that Hou Yi's bow was missing from Chen Nan's body. She couldn't help but keep asking him questions, but Chen Nan wouldn't answer. In the end, she concluded that Chen Nan had hidden Hou Yi's bow near that inn.
She was completely unaware of what had happened last night. Seeing Chen Nan's absent-minded appearance, she sneered, "You scoundrel, seeing you looking so preoccupied and distracted, you must be scared, right?"
Chen Nan tapped the little princess's smooth forehead without any hesitation and said, "I'm not afraid of you."
The little princess, her eyes brimming with tears of pain, said hatefully, "You scoundrel, you'll fall into my hands again one day..."
Chen Nan patted the little princess's shoulder and said earnestly, "The wish is beautiful, the process is tortuous, but the result is impossible. Alas, in the season of fantasy, a young girl's heart is always full of longing. Poor child, wake up, that day will never come."
The little princess was filled with hatred and anger, and said angrily, "You scoundrel, don't be so smug. One day I will make you regret what you did today."
The little princess and Chen Nan bickered constantly along the way, while trying to slip away at every opportunity, but they never succeeded.
At first, Chen Nan rode the little princess on horseback, but the princess was too beautiful and kept attracting stares from passersby. To avoid unnecessary trouble, they eventually switched to riding in a carriage. At the same time, he smeared the little princess's face with dirt, which resulted in the little princess cursing him. Finally, under his threats and intimidation, he managed to resolve the matter.
A few days later, Chen Nan's body, which had been weakened by using the Binding God Finger technique, finally recovered, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
"No one followed us along the way. The old monster must have informed Chu Yue and the others after returning the Houyi Bow. Since the experts from the capital didn't follow, it's highly likely the old monster came on his own." Thinking of the old monster's terrifying nature, a chill ran down his spine. If that old man truly had designs on him, he dared not imagine what might happen…
Chen Nan, holding the little princess hostage, traveled westward without hindrance. The emperor did not send anyone to pursue or stop him, and not a single word was heard about his rampage in the capital.
"Little devil, your emperor father and princess sister have abandoned you. Not only did they not send anyone to rescue you, they also blocked news from the capital. It seems they plan to give you to me."
The little princess leaned against the carriage, glanced at him sideways, and said, "You filthy scoundrel, you're so ignorant and incompetent that you can't even see something this simple, yet you have the nerve to spout nonsense here, humph!"
"In their eyes, the reputation of Chu is far more important than you, princess. Otherwise, why would they be so focused on blocking news from the capital while ignoring you completely?"
"Hmph, this princess will never explain herself to a despicable scoundrel like you."
"Do you want freedom? If you're willing to obey me, I'll give you freedom."
The little princess glared at him and ignored him.
Although Chen Nan continued to implement "enslavement education" along the way, the stubborn little princess never gave him a good look, causing his wish to turn the little princess into an obedient maid to fail time and time again.
Ten days later, Chen Nan and his companion arrived at Tantai City. There were two main roads here. One road led westward to the western border of Chu Kingdom, while the other road went straight south for hundreds of miles before turning west, passing through the City of Sin in the mountains of the central continent, and heading to the western continent.
Looking at the lifelike white jade statue in the square of Tantai City, Chen Nan was filled with emotion. It wasn't until ten thousand years later that he understood why his power had regressed instead of progressed—all thanks to the goddess in his heart back then.
"Tantai Xuan, the day I break through the void with my martial arts, I will surely banish you to the mortal realm!"
The little princess chimed in at the opportune moment, "Daydreaming! How dare you so disrespect Fairy Tantai! Fairy, show your power and quickly send down lightning to punish him!"
Seeing Chen Nan raise his hand, the little princess quickly covered her forehead; her smooth forehead had already been tapped many times in the past few days. Chen Nan didn't tap her, but pinched her delicate nose and said, "If you talk nonsense again, I'll pull it into a pig's nose."
The little princess cried out in pain, "Ouch, you scoundrel, let go..."
Chen Nan smiled and said, "It feels pretty good."
"Ouch... Ouch... You scumbag, I won't let you get away with this!" The little princess scratched and kicked, drawing stares from the crowd in the square. Chen Nan quickly let go.
During their night in Tantai City, the little princess finally succumbed to the effects of the Sleeping Spirit Finger. Every inch of her skin turned bright red and was covered in blood vessels. Her blood circulated at a hundred times the normal speed, almost boiling over.
"Ah...it hurts so much, you scoundrel, undo that stupid finger technique of yours, I can't take it anymore!" Sweat soaked through the little princess's clothes, and she rolled around on the bed.
Chen Nan pressed several acupoints on her to prevent her from moving before he began to pat her body repeatedly. Golden light was injected into her body, and this continued for half an hour.
After a long time, the terrible symptoms caused by the "soul-binding finger" gradually disappeared, and the little princess's body temperature slowly returned to normal.
"You scoundrel, I'll fight you to the death!" After the little princess regained her mobility, she gritted her teeth and pounced on Chen Nan.
"I bite...I scratch...I kick...I ram..." Unable to bite, unable to scratch, unable to kick, she finally rammed her head into Chen Nan.
Chen Nan dared not use his internal energy, fearing he might accidentally injure the enraged little princess. It took him a great deal of effort to subdue her. The little princess gasped for breath and said, "You filthy thief, I hate you to death! You actually used such a vicious finger technique on me! Quickly, completely neutralize it!"
Chen Nan said, "The Soul-Binding Finger Technique is something only I can neutralize in this world. It flares up every ten days to half a month. If I don't help you circulate your essence and blood in advance, you will suffer like you are today every time it flares up. So you must obey me, or you know the consequences."
"Go to hell! Nobody would listen to you, you filthy thief!" The little princess threw a pillow at him and then ran off to wash up in a huff.
"The maid training program has failed again."
The following day, Chen Nan and his companion set off early on the road leading to the City of Sin, and the ancient city of Tantai gradually disappeared behind them.
This major road runs through the east and west and is the most important trade route on the continent. The daily flow of merchants is very large, which makes this frontier road anything but quiet.
After a long and arduous journey, the two finally arrived at Wangfeng City, the western gateway of the Chu Kingdom. This city was tall and sturdy, a vital fortress on the east-west road.
The name "Windwatch" has a long history. It is said that the first Windwatch was built during the great war between East and West. Over the past ten thousand years, the city has undergone several changes. The Windwatch we see today was built a thousand years ago and has never changed its location, only being expanded several times over.
Although there have been few wars between East and West over the millennia, this city has always been regarded as a military fortress and heavily guarded by every dynasty. Now, in this era of peace, the soldiers in the city mainly check passing merchants and inspect their goods.
Before entering Wangfeng City, Chen Nan had already given the little princess a "city entry education," threatening her to cooperate if she encountered soldiers checking her.
The little princess initially mocked him, claiming she would never play along with such a villain. However, Chen Nan intimidated her, threatening that if she didn't "behave," she would be disfigured when the incident occurred, and that the power of the Binding God Finger would flare up prematurely. The little princess reluctantly gave in.
As expected, the two were subjected to strict checks upon entering the city. Fortunately, Chen Nan was prepared in advance and easily got away with a lie.
Of course, there was a little incident during the process. Although the little princess's face was covered in dirt by Chen Nan, her natural beauty was still hard to hide. As a result, a soldier groped her, which made her so angry that she almost lost her temper. Chen Nan quickly threw down a few gold coins and hurriedly left with the furious little princess.
Although Windwatch City is located on the frontier, it is incredibly prosperous. One industry that is particularly thriving in the city is mercenary work.
Beyond Wangfeng City lie vast mountains. The road to the Western Continent is teeming with ferocious birds and beasts, as well as powerful bandits. Therefore, people traveling on this road usually travel in groups, and most even hire mercenaries to ensure their safety and property.
Chen Nan brought the little princess to the Mercenary Guild in the city. It was noisy and chaotic inside, with all sorts of notices posted on the walls. These were all kinds of tasks, big and small, waiting for mercenaries to claim them, ranging from being a bodyguard to exploring some terrifying forbidden areas.
The most expensive quest currently is capturing the Qilin divine beast in the Falling Wind Mountains, with offers reaching 500,000 gold coins. Although many people accept this quest, no mercenary or mercenary organization has succeeded so far; most have never returned, and nowadays very few people take on this quest anymore.
The employers who come here are usually people who are heading to the City of Sin or the Western Continent. If they want to deal with bandits on the way, a few mercenaries are not enough. Often, a group of people with the same destination will hire a mercenary group together.
A burly man with an unkempt appearance and a full beard walked towards Chen Nan carrying a large sword and said, "Brother, looking for a mercenary bodyguard? Choosing me is definitely the wise choice. I am known as the 'King of Mercenaries,' and I will ensure your safe journey."
Several mercenaries nearby chimed in, "Tch... If you're the King of Mercenaries, then we're the Emperors of Mercenaries."
The burly man said, "Oh, I forgot to mention the word 'future.' I am the future king of mercenaries."
Chen Nan could tell that this big man was indeed a strong person, with his cultivation reaching the first level, but he didn't know why he was willing to be an ordinary mercenary.
"How are you, brother? Although I haven't been in this business for long, I'm definitely a miracle among mercenaries. I guarantee you'll have a safe journey. Your wife may have smeared her face dirty, but anyone with eyes can tell she's a stunning beauty. If you don't have a highly skilled person protecting you, it will be very dangerous once you leave Wangfeng City."
The little princess was furious and shouted, "Big Beard, what nonsense are you spouting? Who is this scoundrel's wife? If you keep talking nonsense, I'll chop off your head!"
The burly man exclaimed, "Wow... what a formidable young girl!" Then he turned to Chen Nan and said, "Brother, you haven't succeeded yet? Strike while the iron is hot, or you'll miss your chance!"
Chen Nan chuckled and said, "She's just my maid for now."
The little princess was furious at the sight of the two scoundrels. She grabbed the teapot and teacups from the table and threw them. Chen Nan and the burly man quickly dodged to the side, but the people nearby weren't so lucky. Some of them were drenched in scalding tea, which drew angry curses from the mercenary guild. Chen Nan quickly pulled the little princess away and fled.
The burly man with a full beard also came out and shouted at Chen Nan, "It's really dangerous for the two of you to travel alone. If you hire me, I guarantee you a safe journey."
Chen Nan stopped and said, "We're going to the City of Sin. I've heard there are many bandits on the road. Can you protect us by yourself?"
The burly man said, "Dealing with that rabble is no problem for me. Besides, we're not traveling alone. A group of merchants have hired a mercenary group. I know their leader well, and traveling with them will guarantee your safety."
Although Chen Nan was not afraid of bandits on the road, he became less confident after taking the little princess with him. To be on the safe side, he decided to travel with the mercenaries.
"Okay, we'll come find you here tomorrow morning." With that, he led the furious little princess outside.
The burly man shouted from behind, "It's settled then."
When they returned to the inn, the little princess looked displeased and said coldly, "You scoundrel, you're about to leave the border of Chu. Now you can help me dispel the power of the Binding God Finger, right?"
"What's the rush? We haven't even reached the City of Sin yet."
"What? You've forgotten what my sister said? If you don't release me when we leave the border of Chu, she will issue a kill order and mobilize all her forces to hunt you down. You will die without a burial place."
"Hmph, whether I release you or not, the outcome will be the same. I might as well keep you by my side as a maid."
The little princess was truly terrified. Her voice trembled as she said, "You scoundrel, you can't be telling the truth, can you? I have no grudge against you. Although we had some...unpleasant things happen before, they were all...misunderstandings. Besides, so much time has passed. You wouldn't...want to take revenge on me now, would you?"
Chen Nan reached out and pressed her pressure point to knock her unconscious, then placed her on the bed. Although he was somewhat afraid of the old monster who had not yet shown himself, he still felt it was safer to keep the little princess by his side. He was certain that although the old monster's cultivation was terrifying, he could not break his Binding God Finger technique, and he secretly rejoiced at the exquisite nature of his family's secret martial arts.
The next day, Chen Nan brought the little princess to the Mercenary Guild on time.
The little princess stared angrily at Chen Nan, her face full of rage. At the same time, she felt a sense of fear. She was about to leave the Chu Kingdom and was worried that she would lose her freedom.
Upon seeing the two, the burly man waved and approached. The little princess then gave him a big eye roll.
The big man didn't care and chuckled.
The mercenary group responsible for protecting the caravan consisted of 103 people. Apart from the vice-captain, who was an old mage who had reached the first-tier level, the rest were all martial artists.
The commander was a middle-aged man around forty years old, who looked shrewd and capable. Behind him followed a colossal creature, a veritable earth dragon. This behemoth was about five zhang long, its jet-black scales gleaming, and it looked quite ferocious.
The burly man said, "A first-tier mage, a first-tier earth dragon knight, and me, the future king of mercenaries—who would dare mess with this combination? I guarantee you'll be perfectly safe on this journey."
Chen Nan asked, "How many gold coins do you need?"
The burly man said, "One hundred gold coins per person, and a discount for two people, so one hundred and eighty gold coins will do."
Chen Nan said, "Are you robbing us? Ten gold coins are enough for an ordinary family to live on for a month. You're just escorting us for a while, yet you're asking for such an exorbitant price."
"How about 150 gold coins then?"
"No, fifty."
"No, eighty."
...
The final price was one hundred gold coins, and Chen Nan paid him the money on the spot.
At this moment, the mercenary group leader walked over and said, "Guan Hao, you've already accepted the payment for eight people. Why are you bringing two more now? Although you've helped us before, the brothers will have complaints if you bring so many people with you."
Guan Hao said, "These are the last two people."
After the mercenary group leader left, Chen Nan angrily said, "Liar, give me back my money."
Guan Hao said awkwardly, "Well... although there are a lot of people, I guarantee your safety."
The little princess chimed in, "One's a scoundrel, the other's a liar; neither of you are good people."
Chen Nan glared at her, then turned to Guan Hao and said, "It's fine if you don't refund the money, but you have to guarantee that you can get this little girl out of the city without making a sound."
Guan Hao looked like he suddenly realized something and said, "So you're a human trafficker."
"Ah, I misspoke. Hehe, this is easy to handle. It's just a matter of getting her out of the city. We can just press her pressure points and stuff her into the pile of goods."
At this moment, the little princess's gaze was murderous; she roared, "You two bastards!"
Chen Nan pressed her pressure points, then turned to Guan Hao and asked, "Are there any female relatives among the merchants?"
"Put her in the women's carriage, otherwise it will be troublesome if her delicate body is crushed by cargo."
The group of merchants, men, women, and children, numbered over forty, with more than twenty carriages carrying goods, plus over a hundred mercenaries, making for a rather impressive procession. The little princess had her pressure points sealed, and was riding in a carriage with several of the female relatives of the merchants. She could neither speak nor move, and could only lie stiffly in the carriage.
Several women observed her and praised her:
"This sick girl is so beautiful; I have never seen such a beautiful woman before."
"Yes, it's really beautiful!"
"Her face is all dirty; she must be protecting herself. What a clever girl."
"I really want to pinch her smooth cheeks."
The women eventually began to stroke the little princess's delicate face.
"I wish I had such a beautiful daughter."
"Yes, they are so cute."
The little princess was so angry she was about to explode, and she couldn't help but gasp for breath.
"Oh dear, this girl's condition has worsened."
"Wait a minute, it sounds like he's huffing and puffing."
...
The group quickly arrived at the city gate. After the merchants donated several dozen gold coins, the soldiers conducting the inspection did not disturb the women.
Only after they were far from the city gate were the little princess released from her pressure points by Chen Nan. As soon as she could move, she jumped out of the carriage as if fleeing, and then screamed loudly at the woods by the roadside for a while.
"Haha..." Chen Nan couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"You scoundrel, undo that damn finger technique and let me go back."
Guan Hao walked over and said, "Little girl, stop yelling. If you keep yelling, you'll attract the male wolf."
"You...you're no good either. Big Beard, aren't you greedy for money? Help me kill this scoundrel, and I'll give you 100,000 gold coins."
Guan Hao exclaimed in amazement, "Wow, 100,000 gold coins, that's a huge fortune! But a gentleman loves money, but he earns it in a proper way. I absolutely cannot accept such ill-gotten gains."
"You greedy, fraudster, how dare you say you're doing this honestly? If you help me kill him, I'll give you another 100,000 gold coins."
Chen Nan smacked the little princess on the head with a "thud" and said, "You actually dare to have someone kill me right in front of me? Do you think I'm invisible?"
The little princess cried out in pain, saying hatefully, "You despicable thief and scoundrel who deserves to be torn to pieces, you'll go to hell one day!"
Chen Nan laughed and said, "The Buddha said, 'If I don't go to hell, who will?'"
"Then go to hell now."
"I haven't become a Buddha yet."
"Shameless scoundrel, vile thief..."
The merchants and mercenaries all turned their heads, looking at the two with surprise.
In the following days, listening to the two bicker became a habit for everyone. If they didn't hear the two arguing for half a day, everyone would be very surprised.