A young man emerged at the boundary of the Sun-Swallowing Mountain Range. His attire, consisting of gray linen garments, was visibly worn and frayed, indicating prolonged hardship.
His face was flawlessly sculpted, with sharp brows, a straight nose, and eyes that held a depth that seemed to mock the world.
A confident, nearly arrogant smile could be seen clearly on his lips.
He descended from the highest peaks, a region typically avoided by even the most advanced cultivators. For him, the descent appeared effortless.
Cliffs that dropped for thousands of feet seemed like gentle slopes to him. He crossed wild rivers full of spiritual beasts with a single, easy leap.
He moved with a calm confidence that made the dangerous wilderness seem harmless.
If any cultivator saw him coming down the mountain like this, they would only scream in terror and run as far away as they could.
After all, who would want to face someone who treated the forbidden lands like their own backyard?
It was utterly absurd.
However, for Lei Feng, after what felt like a brief stroll, he finally reached the base of the mountain. His worn sandals met the edge of a wide, flat path.
The road was made of neatly arranged cobblestones, a clear sign of human craftsmanship.
"So this is what the people below build," Lei Feng mused aloud, his voice calm. He kicked a loose stone with his toe, an amused glint in his eyes. "Why would they build this, though? What was wrong with just travelling on the ground?"
He walked to the middle of the road, glancing left and right as if waiting for something to happen. Soon, the quiet was broken by the sound of wheels and a horse's sharp cry.
"Hey! Get out of the road, you fool!" a rough voice shouted from behind him.
A large carriage, pulled by a mighty, horned steed, was rapidly approaching. A burly man with a thick beard sat at the front, glaring at the obstacle in his path.
Lei Feng stayed where he was. He turned his head, his smile growing as he looked at the driver. "Where are you going in such a hurry?" he asked in a friendly tone.
The driver pulled the reins, halting the horned steed a short distance from Lei Feng. The animal snorted and scraped its hooves against the stones.
"We are going to Azure Dragon City. Now move aside!" the driver ordered, his hand resting on the hilt of a large saber at his waist.
Lei Feng's eyes lit up with understanding. "Azure Dragon City? Excellent. That's where I'm headed as well." He took a step forward and stated, "I'll be taking a ride with you."
The driver stared in disbelief for a moment before bursting into laughter. "A ride? Boy, do you know who is in this carriage? You think you can just demand a ride?"
"I'm not demanding," Lei Feng corrected him with his unwavering smile. "I'm telling you. It's more convenient for me this way."
"What? Telling and not demanding? Is there a difference?"
This shamelessness was the final straw. The driver's face turned red with anger.
"Looks like you won't get lost. You're asking for trouble!" he shouted, jumping down and throwing a strong punch at Lei Feng's smiling face.
The punch was fast and carried the weight of a man with cultivation training. It should have sent the young man flying.
Yet, something strange happened.
The driver's fist moved through the air and met nothing. Lei Feng hadn't seemed to move an inch, yet the punch passed right where his head should have been. It felt to the driver as if he had swung at a ghost.
Confused and enraged, he swung again, a wide hook this time. Once more, his knuckles met only empty air. Lei Feng stood in the exact same spot, his smile never faltering, watching the driver's efforts with amusement.
"Stop moving!" the driver yelled, throwing punch after punch and kick after kick. Every strike missed. It looked strange: a big man fighting wildly while a calm young man stood in the middle, untouched.
Somehow, even though the young man stood completely still, not a single attack touched him.
Breathing heavily, the driver finally stopped, sweat beading on his forehead. He looked at Lei Feng with a mixture of fear and confusion. "What... what are you?"
"I'm just a traveler who needs a ride," Lei Feng said, his voice still pleasant. "Are you done? We should get going."
The driver, helpless against this strange young man, decided to use his master's name. "Do you have any idea who you are delaying? This is the carriage of the Yan family! Young Miss Yan is inside!"
"Yan Family? Should I know them?" Lei Feng asked with a smile on his face.
The driver looked at him as if he were a complete idiot. "You don't know the Yan family? You backwater hillbilly! The Yan family controls half the businesses in Azure Dragon City. Their influence reaches every corner of the province!"
He puffed out his chest, trying to sound important. "The woman inside is Yan Rou, the only daughter of the family head. She's the pride of the family, and you're wasting her time!"
Lei Feng kept smiling. "I'm not holding anyone up. I'm just coming with you," he said without shame. "You're the one causing the delay."
Before the driver could argue further, a soft and ethereal voice came from within the carriage. It was calm but carried an authority that could not be ignored. "Let him come with us, Uncle Zhang."
"But, Young Miss!" the driver, Zhang, protested immediately. "This man is suspicious! His intentions are not clear, and he has strange abilities. We can't just let him into the carriage with you!"
"We are already late," the voice replied, a hint of impatience in her tone. "I cannot afford to miss my appointment with father. Let him in so we can be on our way."
Zhang started to protest. He knew he was supposed to keep her safe, but she had given a clear order. He wanted to argue more, but it was already too late.
When Lei Feng heard the voice allow him to go with the carriage, he didn't wait for permission. He walked past the shocked driver, opened the carriage door, and stepped inside with a cheerful whistle.