I Have A Dual World Seal

Time flew quickly, over a month had passed, and Lu Zheng went to the cave twice but did not see the old man again.

He didn't take the stalactite essence, only collected a few bottles of stalactite spring water, returned home, gave some to Zhi Ma for recovery, some to Liu Qingyan, and used some to brew reishi mushroom wine to enhance its effect.

...

By June in the ancient times, Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan were strolling in the county town, noticing an increasing number of scholars.

"The county examination is about to start."

"I wonder how many scholars Tonglin County will produce this time."

"It's tough, tough, tough. Although it's called a local examination, it's actually magistrates from Lingbei Dao who conduct it, and the requirements aren't low."

"There are quite a few scholars from towns and villages; while they are in the city, we should take this chance to really gouge them."

Hearing the whispers, Lu Zheng turned his head to see the owners of Yu Ling Garden and Chunfeng Building speaking in hushed tones.

Lu Zheng, "..."

"When are you going to the state capital, Lu Lang?" Liu Qingyan asked beside him.

"Going to the state capital?" Lu Zheng was taken aback by the question, "Why go to the state capital?"

Liu Qingyan blinked, "Didn't you say Young Master Zhu Yushan invited you to Yizhou City during the state examination to get together after the exam?"

Lu Zheng, "..."

"Oh right!" Lu Zheng clapped his hands and said, "I forgot all about it."

Seeing Liu Qingyan's helpless look, Lu Zheng insisted, "It's been so long since the arrangement, forgetting is quite normal, isn't it?"

"So are you going, Lu Lang?"

"Yes, I'll go. I have nothing else going on," Lu Zheng said, holding Liu Qingyan's hand. "Why don't you come with me?"

"Huh? Me?" Liu Qingyan was startled.

"The weather is warming up, and Renxin Hall is not as busy as it was in winter. It's the perfect time to visit the state capital with me."

"Huh? Is that okay?" Liu Qingyan's eyes lit up, clearly interested.

"Why not? We can have Old Huang drive the carriage along the official road, and we'll be there in two days," Lu Zheng said.

"Great!"

Just thinking about traveling alone with Lu Zheng made Liu Qingyan's heart race.

"Are we going to the River God's Mansion with Young Master Zhu?" Liu Qingyan asked.

"Let's not bother him before the exam," Lu Zheng shook his head, "We'll go to Yizhou City first, and after the exam, we can wait for him outside the test venue."

"So when do we set off?" Liu Qingyan asked.

"When does the exam start?"

Liu Qingyan calculated, "The exam starts on the tenth of June, five days from now."

"Let's set off tomorrow then," Lu Zheng said, "Go back and prepare, and we'll leave early tomorrow morning."

"Alright!"

...

Early the next morning, Lu Zheng had Old Huang harness the horse, prepared the carriage, and as he exited through the side door, he saw Liu Qingyan with a small bundle, waiting at the door.

They boarded the carriage, left the city, and sped down the road.

"We didn't really need to take the carriage," Liu Qingyan said inside, enjoying the five-spice roast chicken Lu Zheng brought, "We're not slow ourselves, and taking small paths would actually be faster than riding."

"But it's much more comfortable this way, isn't it?" Lu Zheng laughed.

The carriage had been modified by him, with key parts replaced by steel and equipped with shock-absorbing springs. However, to avoid attracting attention, he didn't use rubber tires.

So sitting in the carriage, aside from a slight sway, it was hardly bumpy at all.

"It is really comfortable," Liu Qingyan said, glancing around inside the carriage.

They had taken this carriage a few times before when visiting Peach Blossom Plain, but those trips were short, and many features weren't used. This time, since it was a long journey, Lu Zheng had everything prepared.

At the entrance was a shoe cabinet, where you can take off and store your shoes once aboard.

The interior floor was covered with a thick, solid-colored carpet, with a pile length of an inch, soft and plush to step on.

Inside was a small cabinet with snacks, drinks, books, and a Go board, providing both dining and entertainment.

Next to the cabinet was a wooden box with neatly packed quilts and pillows. If they missed an inn, sleeping on the soft blanket in the carriage wouldn't be any less comfortable than a common inn room.

At that moment, a low table was placed at the center of the carpet, with a roast chicken, a plate of beef, a dish of braised vegetables, and a bottle of juice.

Lu Zheng packed a big bun full of beef and handed it to the coachman Old Huang outside, then happily dined with Liu Qingyan in the carriage.

...

"Giddy up! Giddy up!"

Old Huang, with a mouth full of delicious meat, drove the carriage with more vigor.

After eating, Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan cleaned up the trash, took out a Go board, and played Go for entertainment.

"I've never traveled like this before," Liu Qingyan chuckled, "Even Emperor Jing during his travels couldn't have it much better than this, I suppose."

Lu Zheng laughed at her words, "You really haven't seen the world; Emperor Jing's travels are like a moving palace, how could it compare to our small carriage?"

Liu Qingyan smiled sweetly, "Anyway, I just think ours is wonderful."

Just then, Old Huang's voice came from the front, "Young master, there seems to be something up ahead!"

"Oh?"

Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow, reached out to open the window at the front of the carriage, and saw a few men wielding knives standing by the road ahead.

One of them was holding a woman, trying to pull her into the woods, and beside them on the ground lay a man.

"Young master?" Old Huang turned around to look at Lu Zheng, waiting for his instructions.

Old Huang knew Lu Zheng wasn't an ordinary person, and Uncle Li had instructed him not to be afraid when encountering something, just listen to Lu Zheng's orders.

Lu Zheng squinted his eyes, silently watching as the carriage approached, observing closely.

At that moment, the men ahead noticed the carriage approaching. Seeing that it neither sped up nor slowed down, they exchanged glances and remained still by the roadside.

"Giddy… Giddy…"

The carriage drew closer, only about ten meters away…

"Young master?" Old Huang swallowed nervously, his voice wavering a little.

Lu Zheng stayed silent, still watching.

"It's a fine carriage," Seeing the carriage about to pass by, the man holding the woman suddenly sneered, "Let's take one more haul!"

The men's eyes lit up, laughing loudly as they waved their knives, charging at the carriage, eyeing Old Huang with greedy, vicious faces.

"Young master!" Old Huang gasped in alarm.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

"Thud! Thud! Thud!"

In the next moment, dark shadows shot forth, hitting all the men at their acupoints.

Blood Qi entered their bodies, instantly shattering their heart veins and organs.

"Thump! Thump!"

Except for the lead man who hadn't moved, the rest collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

"A martial artist!"

The lead man's face changed drastically, releasing the woman and trying to flee into the woods.

"Whoosh!"

"Thud!"

A projectile struck his back, and the leader also fell down less than three meters from the woods, dead as a doornail.

The woman who had been thrown aside lay on the ground; as she looked, she saw the projectile that had hit the leader fall to the ground…

It was actually a peanut!