YaoLingLu

Chapter 6:Apprentice

The crowd had finished their rest, and the sun was slowly rising. It was time to leave.

"Chan, what's wrong?" A guard looked at Chan, who was staring blankly at the siblings inside the temple, wondering what was on his mind.

"Nothing, let's go," Chan responded without looking back and got on the carriage.

Clatter... Clatter...

The sound of horse hooves on solid ground echoed crisply, and the guards defending from behind the carriage seemed to vaguely see something.

A guard ran from behind, "Elder! Madam!"

"Ah..." The guard in the carriage quickly stopped the vehicle.

"What's happening, is there a situation?" The priest pushed aside the carriage curtain and looked at the breathless guard, asking.

"The siblings who were left in the temple yesterday are following us," the guard responded quickly.

The priest and the young woman both exclaimed, "What?"

Upon hearing this, the Taoist and the girl decided to investigate the situation. The Taoist held the girl's hand and slowly got off the carriage.

At that moment, a boy holding his sister's hand approached them. The little girl's feet trembled, sweat covering her forehead, her eyes filled with unease as she looked at them.

The girl looked at the siblings in front of her and asked in confusion, "Wasn't that monster dealt with by Chan? Why is it still following us?"

One of the guards seemed to understand the reason and explained, "Children who have encountered ghosts carry heavy yin energy, which can attract calamity. The other children who went into the mountains with them are all gone, the village won't allow them to return."

The girl suddenly realized, "I see..."

The captain of the guards asked for the girl's opinion, "Madam, how should we handle these two children?"

After thinking for a moment, the girl said, "Give them some water and dry rations. If they are willing to follow us, let them come along." With that, the girl boarded the carriage without saying more.

The captain of the guards handed some water and dry rations to the siblings, saying, "This is the most help we can offer, we are powerless in other aspects."

The boy took the water and rations gratefully, saying, "Thank you, sir."

The boy understood the current situation; they could only try to avoid bad luck. Getting some food was already a great help, but they had no choice now. They could only be saved by the martial artist who had taken an interest in them.

The boy and his sister shared some of the food, rested briefly, and then hurried towards the direction of the carriage.

hoo..hoo..

"Brother, I... I can't go on anymore," the boy said urgently, helping his sister up and carrying her on his back. He was also reaching his limits, but he had to summon all his strength for his sister.

"Don't give up, sister, I will carry you, I will..."

Sweat beads the size of beans rolled down the boy's face, his panting and exhausted appearance highlighting his fatigue. But he continued to persevere, as it was their only hope to survive!

Chan sat in the last carriage and looked at the brother and sister as they persevered, not knowing what was going on in his mind.

hoo..hoo..

The boy's breathing became increasingly heavy, his legs feeling unbearably heavy, and the scene before him gradually becoming blurred...

Just as the boy carrying his sister was about to collapse, Chan embraced the two almost unconscious children and brought them back to the carriage.

"Chan, what are you doing?" Watching Chan take the two children, there was a hint of confusion in his heart.

"These siblings are talented individuals. It would be a waste to bury them in this wilderness. Go inform the elder," seeing the determined siblings, Chan also felt compassion.

"Elder, these siblings..." the captain of the guards ran to the priest's carriage to inform him of Chan's intentions.

"Let it be. Since it's Chan's decision, we can't say anything. After all, we still need Chan for the journey ahead, and these children have nothing to do with us. Bringing them along won't do any harm."

Hearing the priest's words, the captain of the guards understood and prepared to continue the journey.

After a moment passed...

The boy slowly opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was his sister's adorable face. Her little hands tightly grasped the boy's arm, afraid of losing something.

Lying in the carriage compartment, feeling the constant jolting behind him, the boy looked up at the ceiling in confusion. Upon sitting up, he saw Chan sitting beside him and immediately sat up straight.

In an instant, the boy understood that this extraordinary person had saved them, but he didn't know what to say, so he just stared at him blankly.

"I am heading to Qingcheng City and intend to establish a sect to take in disciples. Are you interested in becoming my disciple?" Seeing the boy awake, Chan directly expressed his intention to take him as a disciple.

Upon hearing this, the boy's round eyes seemed to sparkle, and he quickly clasped his hands together and bowed.

"Master, please accept this disciple Neil's bow."

"Haha, no need for so much courtesy. From now on, I will look after you and your sister," Chan said with a joyful smile, helping the boy to his feet.

"I understand that you have been through hardships, being sent up the mountain to become a living sacrifice, with nowhere to go. But I will wholeheartedly nurture you and give you and your sister a home."

Chan knew that such setbacks would be a significant blow to the boy. Abandoned by their parents, frightened by ghosts, and exhausted from the chase after the carriage, he comforted them with his words.

After some time passed...

The sister slowly woke up in her brother's arms, and the boy joyfully told her about Chan's intention to take them as disciples. The sister Nina also quickly bowed to their new master.

"Chan, we have arrived at Qingcheng City," the captain of the guards informed as the carriage came to a stop.

A large bronze plaque hung on the massive city gate - Qingcheng City. At the entrance of the city gate, people of all kinds were bustling about, lively and busy. Those hauling goods and merchants were all queuing up, waiting to enter the city.

A bronze mirror was placed at the city gate, and anyone entering the city had to first look into this mirror to verify their identity.

A guard directed everyone to the bronze mirror, saying, "Alright, no issues, you may enter." After verifying their identities in the mirror, the city gate guards allowed them entry into the city.

Before long, the caravan arrived at a grand mansion within the city, with the words "Liu Mansion" displayed prominently on the gates. It was evidently the residence of Madam Liu.

One by one, everyone got off the carriage. As the sister was too young and the carriage was a bit high for her, Chan gently lifted the adorable sister off the carriage, patting her head affectionately.

"Chan, Madam Liu has prepared generous gifts as a token of gratitude. Please come with us to the mansion," the elder respectfully invited, clasping his hands together.

"No, I still need to report to the government office. I will visit in person on another day," Chan declined politely.

The elder agreed, and they bid farewell with a bow before parting ways.

Watching everyone enter the mansion, Chan patted the siblings on the shoulder and said, "Let's go as well."