The Unruly Immortals

"Swordsmanship? Absolutely!" Zhao Qin responded with certainty upon hearing the request.

"Although we in the escort agency seldom use swords, since it's a favor from you, even if we don't have any, I will find a way to get one for you through other means!"

Li Huowang picked up his cup and tapped it against the other's, "Then I must thank you, Escort Leader Zhao."

As the alcohol flowed, the atmosphere at the banquet warmed up, and the guests jovially toasted each other.

In fact, Li Huowang wasn't fond of such events, and seeing that others had almost finished eating, he planned to stand up and leave.

Just then, he saw Gou Wa carrying a cup of hot tea over and placing it in front of him.

He glanced at Zhao Qin sitting beside him, then leaned in and whispered to Li Huowang.

"Brother Li, didn't Sister Bai always say that we're only spending without earning, hoping to find a stable way to make money?"

"Hmm, what about it?" Bai Lingmiao had indeed complained about this issue to him more than once until his ears were nearly calloused.

Gou Wa's eyes suddenly danced with excitement. "Look, isn't this like finding a pillow when you're drowsy? We could ask them to teach us to escort goods and become bodyguards!"

"Since we're continuing our journey to Liang State anyway, we could take those escorts along the way. We could earn money and travel without delay!"

"And look, these fellows have treated us to such an expensive meal, they must have made quite a sum from escorting goods. We can make that kind of money too!"

Li Huowang looked at Gou Wa with some surprise; when it came to making money, he was indeed very quick-witted, but he wasn't wrong—this was indeed something Li Huowang was willing to do.

With the money he'd earn from escorting goods, he could not only use it for travel funds but also send it to Master Jingxin.

Although Master Jingxin had mentioned the thirty thousand taels of gold casually, since the other party had given him such a generous gift, it would be rather poor form not to return the favor at all.

He didn't wish to owe others, and even less so to owe the only person who had ever helped him.

After Li Huowang proposed this idea to Zhao Qin, he agreed without hesitation.

"Alright! If Brother Li wants to join the trade, I'll vouch for you! With my guarantee letter, you can take on escort tasks from any escort agency, no problem!"

Having made the promise, Zhao Qin then began to persuasively explain.

"However, Brother, escorting isn't actually that easy. The bodyguards in the escort agency have a saying, 'Ensure safety with three parts.'

"'Ensure safety with three parts' comprises: wearing a three-part smile on your face, yielding three-parts reason in all things, and drinking no more than three-parts wine at the table."

"Outsiders think bodyguards can do the job because of their superior martial skills, but actually, that's only a small part of it. The larger part involves handling relationships above and below, which is quite troublesome."

With flushed cheeks, Zhao Qin once again picked up his cup and downed the liquor, then followed with a grand wave of his hand,

"Brother Li, if you really need any silver, just say the word. I'll give you however much you need!"

Li Huowang knew he shouldn't take such an offer seriously, even if it was said with resolute sincerity.

Everything has its value, and while it's true that he saved the man's wife, he hadn't cured her fully, only improved her condition.

Asking for the sword manual and advice on joining the escort trade was one thing, but expecting someone to deplete their entire wealth would be overstepping the mark.

"You flatter me too much, Escort Leader Zhao. I still prefer the idea of self-reliance," replied Li Huowang.

After several refusals, Zhao Qin sighed, "Well then, if Brother Li insists on this, so be it. Come to the escort agency tomorrow, and I will personally teach you the 'code talk.'

"Code talk? What's that?"

"Code talk is like a secret lingo of Jianghu. When you run into bandits or highwaymen, you need to speak in their terms."

"So that's how it is." Li Huowang, holding his cup of wine, had a sudden realization, "Then, Zhao Biaotou, what does 'Fighting shoulder to shoulder, throw a vine' mean?"

These were the words that those lake bandits had said to him in the past. Now that he thought about it, this must be the code phrases.

"Fighting shoulder to shoulder means brotherhood, and 'throw a vine' means you should report your name." Zhao Qin explained.

"And if it doesn't match?"

"If even the code phrases don't match, then you're basically an outsider. Most of those under the Black Banner would directly make their move."

"I see..." Li Huowang contemplated as he held his chopsticks.

At this moment, the young boy named Doggy chimed in. "Chief Escort, it actually doesn't matter if the code phrases don't match, those petty thieves can't stir up any big trouble. We just need to slaughter them all, right?"

"Petty thieves?" Zhao Qin scoffed at Doggy's words.

"Do you really think all the bandits and mountain thieves are just a bunch of villains gathering together to rob? The waters here run deep!"

This statement piqued Li Huowang's interest. "Escort Leader Zhao, please elaborate."

From the time he had left Qingfeng Taoist Temple until now, in just these few short months, he had already encountered two groups of roadblockers.

If nothing unexpected happened, he might encounter even more, so it was essential to learn more about this.

Bodyguards who frequently escorted deliveries must be very knowledgeable in this area.

"I admit, some wandering bandits aren't that powerful, but in the green forests, not all who wear the Black Banner are the same. Some are big, some small."

"Not to mention the boss mice of Mount Dongyi, or the Overlord of the Western Wasteland. Any name that can be called out, that signifies capability."

"To claim to be the king of a mountain isn't just talk. There are many who command thousands of brothers under their banner."

Zhao Qin took a sip of wine and continued, "The key is, there's a saying 'nurturing bandits can bring about one's downfall'. Behind them, it's not certain that they don't have connections with the officials."

"And don't look at them acting as bandits now. Should the day come when they are officially pardoned, in an instant they switch from black to white."

"Can you keep track of all these relationships? If you don't follow their hierarchy to match the code phrases, do you still want to run an escort business? Everything has to follow the rules, and even the rules of the green forests are still rules."

In a world shrouded in mist, Zhao Qin's explanation allowed Li Huowang to see a bit clearer into one corner of it.

Li Huowang thought back to the ritual sacrifice of those water bandits he had witnessed before and, after contemplating for a moment, he spoke up again.

"Among these roadblock robbers, are there any experts who use dark magic or mystical arts?"

Plain bandits didn't frighten him anymore, but this world was never straightforward to begin with.

Even the small gang of bandits in the Reed Marshes could use the unknown source of the "Great Thousand Record" to wreak havoc in the area.

It was possible that among these larger gangs of bandits, there could be even more formidable ones.

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere at the table suddenly grew tense.

Seeing the nervous looks on the faces of the bodyguards, Li Huowang already knew the answer.

Zhao Qin hesitated for a few moments and then sighed softly, "That's why I say, everything has to follow rules, no one knows who the real backers of these mountain and water bandits are."

"Although there is the Astrological Bureau in the Imperial Forest Army, the current Emperor can't even sit securely on his Dragon Throne, let alone take care of these matters."

"Some things are just not meant for us ordinary folks to meddle in."