Should they enter regions where the lands have higher spiritual concentration—places where sects ruled entire provinces, where noble clans acted like minor kingdoms, and where even wandering cultivators walked with confidence borrowed from the powers behind them.
In places like that, moving without backing was like walking into a storm without shelter.
And people paid attention.
Others would look at Yuan and see opportunity. There were always those eager to claim a prodigy like him, to mold him into something useful—and loyal—after getting rid of anything that stood in the way
She had heard the stories—and seen the truth of them. Families wiped out in silence, the children spared and raised in the shadows of their parents' killers, shaped into loyal weapons. Clans and sects didn't need excuses when the child was valuable enough.
They called it mercy.
Opportunity.
Legacy.
And standing out was exactly what she wanted to avoid.
Without the visible protection of a renowned sect or the backing of a known power, they moved through the world exposed.
With no name behind them worth fearing, they were, in the eyes of others, just another pair of lone travelers—unguarded and ripe for the taking.
No, it was better to appear as ordinary as possible. With nothing remarkable about them, there was no reason for anyone to take an interest..
The journey through the Lugana Mountain Range would span weeks—plenty of time for misfortune, and for wandering eyes to grow curious.
She was determined they would remain unseen from start to finish.
Paying the caravan extra had secured them a better carriage—more space, fewer passengers, and thus a quieter sort of company. It added another layer of protection to various sheaths of secrecy wrapped tightly around them.
It wasn't luxury, but it was a far cry from the cramped, noisy wagons used by most common travellers.
Aside from that, their carriage was built with greater care than the typical models, promising a noticeably smoother ride across the rougher terrain.
Additionally, beneath every wagon lay an engraved defensive array etched into the wood, offering protection against the elements and lesser threats.
When needed, all the carriages formed a larger, linked array—an intricate web of magic stretching between them, amplifying their defenses and turning the entire caravan into a moving fortress.
Though the roof was solid and weatherproof, this networked shield could ward off arrows, dull the bite of harsh winds, and even mask their presence from prying eyes.
Now, a portion had been left open to let in the cool night air, and as they waited, the chill of the pre-dawn clung to their skin, dawn still a distant promise on the horizon.
If one were to look up, they would see how above them stretched the vast sky—endless and deep—where countless stars glittered like scattered silver on black velvet.
The quiet beauty of the night seemed to hold its breath alongside them, as if the very heavens were watching, waiting for what was to come.