Chapter Forty-Eight: All Things Possess a Spirit

This horse was pure white, majestic beyond compare, and both Jiang Chen and Luo Tiancheng’s eyes were drawn to it instantly.

As they watched the horse lying on the ground, letting out the occasional cry of pain, they gradually understood why the animal had led them here.

“Is it injured? It looks to be in great pain.”

“It’s too far away to see clearly,” Luo Tiancheng replied.

At that moment, Luo Tiancheng confirmed that the six post horses lost from their relay station were all here, mingling with another fifteen horses to form a grand herd—an impressive sight from afar.

Jiang Chen said, “It seems this horse on the ground is the leader of the herd. When the other post horses heard its whinny, they were drawn here too. There were no horse thieves after all; it was the horses themselves who made this choice.”

“The lead horse must have encountered some danger, which is why the herd sought our help.”

Horses are creatures of remarkable sensitivity, and those six post horses had long been in the company of humans, so it was no surprise they turned to people for aid.

“Chen, what should we do next?” Luo Tiancheng asked. He hadn’t been at the relay station long, and though his job as a postman involved dealing with horses, he was far from mastering the skills needed to tend to their injuries.

“Stay here and don’t startle the herd. I’ll go take a look.”

With those words, Jiang Chen began to walk forward slowly. The horses clustered around the lead horse parted with uncanny understanding, creating a clear path so he could approach the center.

“Let me see what’s wrong with you,” he murmured.

Just as Jiang Chen was about to squat down and examine the white horse’s condition, a sharp whistling sound split the air.

An arrow flew from the distance, landing less than half a meter from the white horse. Had it not been for the range, it would never have simply lodged in the earth at an angle.

“Chen, watch out! Someone’s coming!” Luo Tiancheng shouted urgently.

No sooner had he spoken than several more arrows whistled toward them, with no apparent concern for whether they might strike horse or man.

Luo Tiancheng shouted a warning, and in the distance, six figures appeared, mounted on horseback, bows drawn and arrows nocked.

Were they local soldiers?

Or hunters?

Jiang Chen had no time to ponder. He realized, whatever their identity, they had come for the horses. He acted immediately, issuing a command to the herd.

“It’s not safe here! Run! I’ll stay and help your leader, trust me!”

Regardless of whether the horses understood his words, Jiang Chen shouted and drove them on. Luo Tiancheng, catching his intent, leapt onto one of the post horses. Under his urging, the entire herd fled swiftly westward, leaving only Jiang Chen and the exhausted white horse behind.

A moment later, six riders charged up to Jiang Chen. One, a bald man, drew his blade and leveled it at Jiang Chen with a fierce glare.

“Damn you, who are you to ruin our lady’s fun?”

Yet to his surprise, the young man before him didn’t react at all—not even lifting his head as he calmly inspected the horse on the ground.

“Is he scared witless?” the bald brute spat on the ground, then raised his blade, intent on splitting Jiang Chen’s skull. Jiang Chen’s back was to him, seemingly oblivious to the mortal threat looming behind.

A flash of steel swept through the air.

Jiang Chen remained squatting unperturbed, only now turning his gaze from the white horse. The bald man, however, was left awkwardly empty-handed.

He’d swung the blade intending to kill, but somehow nothing happened. He was so shocked he didn’t even know how to explain it.

His angle and strength had been precise; Jiang Chen should have been decapitated before his eyes.

Yet, why had the strike missed?

“Damn it, have I seen a ghost?” the bald man cursed, slashing again without hesitation. The decisiveness and savagery of his attack betrayed a man well-acquainted with killing—a true butcher with no qualms about murder.

The blade flashed once more, yet again failing to achieve its purpose.

Somehow, Jiang Chen had moved from where he’d been crouching to stand calmly in front of the man’s horse, leaving the attacker’s blow striking only empty air and shocking him in turn.

“You… how did you…”

Before he could finish, the blade flew from his grasp, spinning in the air before plunging into the grass.

Jiang Chen asked with serene composure, “Gentlemen wielding blades and bows, what exactly do you intend here?”

The bald man was still stunned; he’d felt a mysterious force strike his hand, making him lose his grip and send the blade flying. The strange part was, he hadn’t even seen how Jiang Chen acted. The young man appeared to have done nothing—simply standing there quietly.

“Our lady came out today for some amusement, finally found something fun—but you had to ruin it!” another man shouted angrily at Jiang Chen, his words laced with murderous intent.

At that moment, a young woman in blue, carefully protected by her entourage, suddenly spoke.

“Enough. All of you, be quiet. Do you think I’d be happy to see blood and carnage before me? I came to hunt, not to watch you murder people. I really shouldn’t have brought such uncouth dogs out with me!”

The young lady scolded her men as one would scold household dogs, her tone imperious and condescending. The men immediately lowered their heads, meek as lambs.

From her attire and speech, she was clearly the daughter of some noble family. But what was she thinking, using such valuable horses as targets for her hunt?

Such reckless arrogance, heedless of all rules!

“You there, who are you? Why are you here?” the young lady asked Jiang Chen with disdain.

“All living things have spirit,” Jiang Chen replied. “This horse asked for my help, and I intend to give it.”

At these words, the group burst out laughing, ridiculing Jiang Chen for his nonsense. The idea that all things possess spirit—who would say something so foolish!

The young lady pursed her lips in amusement. “Truly a bookish fool—your head’s been addled by your studies.”