Leaving Hillbridge

The next day, Trevon woke after enough sleep. He enjoyed his hot dream last night. After he took his morning bath, he went outside to face his daily morning challenge, the troublemeter.

A brick-sized stone suddenly fell from the sky. Nevertheless, the prepared young master jumped backward to avoid it.

[Hahaha. Too slow.] He made his dashed toward his room avoiding the stone.

"Rip..."

[!] Trevon felt his feet a bit cold. [No way!] He continued his dash back to his bedroom.

[Gah!] Trevon saw a huge tear in his pants. However, it was turned into a smile.

[Hahaha. I can purchase it from the Universe Store.] Trevon purchased another same robe in the Universe Store and replaced the torn one.

[Today is a good day.] Trevon felt today is the best day ever. He transferred Nana from his universe and went outside.

"Hmph…" The Rabbink was still unhappy with its store selling common robes.

Trevon greeted some elders in the pavilion and went outside. He hummed with the great start today. The troublemeter didn't make a trouble to slow him.

Trevon would depart to Goldcave City today. This journey from Hillbridge to Goldcave would take another four days. He went outside his family pavilion toward the meeting point.

[Whoa!!] Trevon saw many new wagons joined the caravan. He could count over four hundred wagons parked there using his spiritual sense. His spiritual sense couldn't cover the entire caravan.

[This must be because of the delay.] Trevon thought. Additional one day meant more merchants could join his family caravan from Hillbridge. He tried to look for Ainsley, but that was hard in this sea of wagons.

Trevon ended with his fellow brothers and sisters again. While he didn't know everyone, he was very famous because of his family branch background. He bragged about the beauty of Isemeine and also Nicklea, the rising star. For the ladies, he bragged about the handsome gentleman of the Dancing Night.

Their group went to the northern gate. This time, they only had to follow a bit stricter inspection by the Imperial soldiers and city guards. However, Trevon's wagon passed it without a problem. Nevertheless, the soldiers didn't have any extra news for Trevon.

After he finished his wagon's inspection. Trevon was waiting inside his wagon. He saw the guard continued to check other wagons.

Those merchants and their wagons didn't have any troubles to pass the inspection. However, some merchants' mercenaries were forbidden to leave the city. He saw several tough looking people with weapons were taken to the side for further questioning.

Trevon learned some information from the chat with fellow brothers and sisters of McArthur. While those merchants joined with McArthur family's caravan. Most would still bring their own mercenaries since they might need to separate for a short while at one of the smaller cities or villages.

Their own mercenaries could protect them when they chased the main caravan. Some also would move from smaller cities to other smaller cities separated from the McArthur caravan into a different direction middle way.

[Eh? Jesmond? He is here?] Trevon saw someone who he couldn't believe. Jesmond was questioned by the city guards. They seemed to make things difficult for him. Both sides talked to each other for a long time. Jesmond even pointed to his documents.

Trevon saw the guards brought an artifact to check his identity. He knew those guards tried to find some spiritual energy trace to find the attacker. They might also check the fingerprints and other small body parts left at the scenes like blood, skin, or sweats.

However, that was hard unless they used a very powerful artifact. Trevon himself was in the Downbridge family's main pavilion when the accident happened, but he could pass those checks. [Perhaps only the Imperial families had the artifact that could detect the Debt Collector.] He thought again.

[Eh! The guards take him.] Trevon looked from his windows. He saw the city guards brought Jesmond toward the Imperial soldiers' tent.

[Is he the Debt Collector?] Trevon had this thought. He saw Jesmond had a problem with Downbridge young masters, then Debt Collector attacked the Downbridge family the same night.

[No. The possibility is small.] Trevon shook his head. A cultivation family was arrogant. They would dominate the resources for their members. It wasn't strange to find many people had a problem with them.

That was the last time, Trevon saw him during the journey. He didn't know whether Jesmond was forbidden to leave the city or not. Trevon didn't see him during the multiple short breaks in the journey.

Four days passed in an instant. Trevon took the time to read many novels. The strange thing was the troublemeter didn't delay him.

[Something is not good.] Trevon felt. The damned trouble attractor had delayed him multiple times, but it only gave him little annoying things lately.

During their travel, they would arrive at some small cities and villages around the main road. Some merchants would sell their wares while the caravan replenished their supplies.

A caravan was not only a protection service. In smaller cities and villages, the McArthur family also prepared a huge field where those merchants could open a temporary bazaar. Most often, McArthur family held a bazaar in a field outside McArthur family's small posts. This bazaar increased McArthur family's caravan service for the merchants.

The caravan also wasn't always moving together. Not every merchant would visit every small village and city. They could be divided and merged into parts at any smaller cities and villages.

There was the head of the caravan and the tail of the caravan. The head would move at the fastest speed, while the tail would move at the slowest speed.

At any small cities and villages, some merchants could stop and sell their merchandise. After they finished selling, they could directly chase the caravan part in front alone, or wait and join another part of the caravan behind. Most would wait for the caravan part behind.

Trevon even had to protect some merchant wagons as a caravan part to catch up with the caravan ahead. Nevertheless, with McArthur family insignia, security was never a problem. Trevon could relax during the journey.

That was the most common system used on the continent for a very large caravan. Meanwhile, a small caravan would always move together and visiting only certain point during the way.

Some outside merchants also joined the caravan from the smaller cities. This made the group turned even bigger and longer. This was because following a McArthur family's caravan was a safety guarantee for the merchants.

Trevon group finally arrived at the last major checkpoint where all wagons stopped and took a rest together. The head would wait for the tail at any major checkpoint and continued their path together. It was the last day before entering Goldcave. They should arrive at Goldcave in the evening.

After this major checkpoint, all wagons would move together. One could separate midway but they had to go alone to Goldcave.

Trevon jumped from his wagon and took a walk around the temporary camp in a small city. Some merchants already sold their wares.

Trevon was looking for Ainsley in the past three days at the major checkpoint, but he hadn't found him yet. He contined to walk while checking the merchandise.

Finally, Trevon found him. Ainsley was watching Loriena preparing some foods. While his sect brother was selling merchandise.

"Good Afternoon, Brother Ainsley!" Trevon gave a palm and fist salute.

"Ah! Good Afternoon, Young Master Trevon." Ainsley greeted Trevon back with the same salute.

"You have called me a brother in Hillbridge. Why does Brother Ainsley call me a young master again? Between us, we should not use the young master title. Hahaha." Trevon needed something from Ainsley.

"Hahaha. I am sorry, Brother Trevon." Ainsley corrected himself. Next to him, Loriena stood. She stopped her cooking while watching Ainsley talked with Trevon.

"Ah! I want to introduce her again to you, Brother Trevon." Ainsley grabbed the lady.

"This is Brother Trevon McArthur." He introduced Trevon again to the lady. "This is Lorient..., Brother Trevon." Ainsley stopped a bit after he spoke her name.

"Ah!" Trevon remembered that Loriena was a fake name. "It is nice to meet you, Sister Lorient."

Trevon believed Ainsley was in a dilemma about giving her a family name. Since his wife was the family head, Ainsley couldn't have a concubine.

Lorient was a hidden concubine who couldn't have a family name. She was neither a Bandeira or an Alesanto. However, the act of introducing her to Trevon was already a big taboo.

[Hm... He must want to show something to the lady.] Trevon thought.

"It is nice to meet you, Young Master Trevon." Lorient wasn't accustomed to call someone like Trevon as a brother. She still spoke slowly and carefully.

"Hahaha. Congratulations to both of you!" Trevon smiled while giving another palm and fist dalute to congratulate. "Brother Ainsley, could we talk in private?" Trevon showed the brotherhood smile.

"Yes, of course. Please wait for a minute, Darling!" Ainsley kissed Lorient's right hand and left with Trevon. Lorient only smiled before she continued her cooking.

Trevon and Ainsley walked a bit further from Lorient.

"What do you want to talk, Brother Trevon?"

"Hahaha. This is something important for me, Brother Ainsley. I need your information."

"Eh? I will try to answer to the best of my ability, Brother Trevon." Ainsley looked a bit serious.

"Ah! This is not that serious, but it is important for me." Trevon looked around to ensure nobody looked at them.

[Where is the best place in Goldcave for the beautiful girl? Hwehwehwe.] Trevon asked with a spiritual sense this time.

[Ah! This is about that. You have to visit the Drunken Night, Brother Trevon.] Ainsley also replied using the spiritual sense. [Brother Trevon will find the best ladies in Goldcave there.]

[Drunken Night...] Trevon tried to remember the name, but he was a bit afraid of its name.

[I also need to mention to Brother Trevon about the rules. Similar to Dancing Night, you couldn't touch the girls without their agreement. Those girls also didn't sell their bodies. Joining is forbidden.] Ainsley told Trevon.

[Eh?] Trevon felt this didn't sound good.

[Yes, they only sell their talents. Last year, when I visited the place with my sect brothers, the most famous lady was Miss Arionna. She has a very beautiful voice. You will not regret to pay for her performance.]

[Arionna. What a good name!] Trevon decided to visit her even with the danger of coming 'home'. [How about I invite Brother Ainsley to watch the show together?] Trevon wanted a local guide. He could get closer to local girls with a local face. Especially since he would come with a handsome local warrior like Ainsley.

[Hahaha. I want to watch the performance too. However, it is difficult, Brother Trevon. Goldcave is my hometown. I also want to pray at my parents' tombs first.]

[Ah!] Trevon realized. [I am sorry, Brother Ainsley. It is improper for me.]

Filial piety was important in Heavenly Phoenix. Most families taught about the importance of piety to the kids. Parents retirement depended on their children.

Therefore, having more children made a parent had a bigger chance to survive during their old ages. The parents had to protect and raise their kids, but the kids would repay with the piety to the parents.

However, most kids couldn't grow into old age. The world was dangerous and living in the city was expensive. Having a successful kid was a great blessing for parents. Some young men and women would go into war to earn merit for their family. While the others would find a spouse with merit for their families.

That was the easy way to success for commoners. Nevertheless, the best way to success was either becoming a cultivator or marrying into a cultivation family.

"I will separate in a small city ahead, called Wheatmine. The city is my family's base. However, I actually came from a smaller village near it. Do you want to visit it, Brother Trevon?" Ainsley said this time without spiritual sense.

"No. Thank you for your offers, Brother Ainsley. I think I am a big city person. Hahaha." Trevon wouldn't want to spend the night in the small city or a small village. He wanted to see the performance in the Goldcave. Besides coming with his family caravan was safer.

"Then, we will meet again later, Brother Trevon. I will still follow your family caravan after this. I can show you other cities too." Ainsley promised that.

"Of course! I will remember your offer. Hwehwehwe." Trevon accepted the guide. Having a familiar face would make him easier to enjoy some extra services.

Trevon returned to his wagon and waited inside. Aya, Qadr, and Marcus's wife were responsible for their group foods. Omar also helped the ladies. Trevon had encouraged the big man to try cooking. While Omar had talents, but he couldn't cook as delicious as Aya.

The caravan continued their journey. It would take less than a day to arrive in Goldcave. Trevon was in his room using the tablet to slowly read some novels. He was reading 'It's Not Easy to Be a Man After Travelling to the Future' when he heard some shouts.

"Prepare to engage! Prepare to engage! Prepare to engage!" Trevon heard someone shouted.

"What is that?" Trevon complained. He returned the tablet to the Rabbink. [I didn't press the troublemeter, right?]

"Nope." Master Rabbink said. "This is not because of troublemeter. Your family invited this."

"..." Trevon opened his windows and saw some family guards made a stand around the caravan.

"All young masters and ladies prepared for a fight with your guards!!!" Trevon could hear someone shout using spiritual sense to everyone on the wagon.

[Oh God! Not this.] Trevon complained. He went outside his wagon. His bodyguards followed outside. Only Marcus's fiancée stayed in the wagon. She wasn't a cultivator.

[Sh*t! Don't tell me!] Trevon knew what this was. He didn't see their family banners on any wagons. Instead, several different strange banners were used. This made their caravan looked like several caravans merged together.

Trevon was seventeen this year and would be considered a young adult. In the past, he didn't need to participate in this preliminary test. This time he had to join.

He took his Dark Demon Slayer sword and prepared. His wagons were in the middle of the road. They were in a valley between two hills. The place was a stone road with a forest on one hill and a grassfield on the other hill.

"For our Merchants Customer, you could sit back at your wagon. McArthur family guarantees you and your merchandises safety." Another spiritual energy fueled shout was heard.

Trevon knew the shout was controlled. Only people in the caravan could hear that.

He looked behind him. Aya, Jonathan, Marcus, Noah, Omar, Piero, and Qadr were gearing themselves. Each brought their Dark Demon Slayer swords.

Trevon's private squad was very elite in the equipment department. Their armors were all the best Trevon could purchase.

The only problems for Trevon, Master Rabbink didn't give a size customization option in Universe Store. It was the same size as when the blacksmith made them. They used unmatched armors based on their body sizes.

Other than the sword and armors, the rich young master also had given them enough talismans and pills for fighting.

"Who will we fight, Young Master?" Jonathan asked while putting her armguard. He had never followed a competition travel before.

"Bandit group." Trevon said. He knew some elders had made their preparations. They would only help in the danger but only for the important members and the merchants. People who needed help would be eliminated from the competition.

The family intentionally replaced their banners from the wagon to make the bandits interested in attacking them. Trevon saw their group had a bit distant from the front groups.

Their caravan looked like six different caravans walked together, a big target for big bandit groups. Smaller bandit groups wouldn't dare to attack. Perhaps several bandit groups had seen them from a distance.

This test also would give the chance for the family to temper their young generations in a real fight.

[[Sh*t! I must remember this when the family forced us to remove our family insignia before.] He tried to look around.

Trevon had found their formation was strange since the last major checkpoint. The kid wagons were located near the powerful elders while the young master and merchants' wagons were located next to each other. Each young master was told to protect a merchant's wagons.

"We should be careful, they might attack from the forest." Trevon said. He had seen the attack from the forest in the past.

This time he couldn't become a viewer. He needed to fight. Luckily, a bandit group rarely had a cultivator, while he had a full team of cultivators.

"Nope. You are wrong." Master Rabbink said. "Look into the grassland!" Trevon looked into the grassland. The Rabbink pointed into several strange mounds of grass.

[They are there?] Trevon felt surprised. He looked into the other side.

"Not only there, they were also in the forest." Master Rabbink said.

[This is a pincer attack.] Trevon cursed those bandits' ancestors. They were too cheap by attacking from two sides.

"Prepare to get attacked from both sides!" Trevon told his guards.

"Yes, Young Master." Piero said with a calm expression.

Trevon could see that Piero was not that nervous. He was a former hunter. Other than him, Jonathan, Marcus, Noah, and Omar were also former hunters. Jonathan and Piero even used to be full-time hunters, while the rest were farmers who often hunted for extra foods in the forest. A hunter already accustomed to danger, their potential was a testament of that.

On the other hand, Qadr was nervous. The lady was a lucky one with her talent. She came closer to Noah. While Aya was a bit calmer than Qadr. Aya had lived in the gang, which gave a life full of danger, but she wasn't as calm as she used to be. Trevon could see that she wiped her hand with her battle robe several times.

"You guys protect the attack from the grassland. I will protect from the forest side. Protect our wagon and the merchant!" Trevon ordered.

"Young Master, that is dangerous! We should protect you!" Marcus said. He was the good guy in the squad and always cared for the safety of Trevon and other members.

"Do not worry! Who am I? The number one young master in Bluestar and Redwood. This is only a simple bandit." Trevon bragged. No matter what he was a Peak Rank 1 warrior. He was stronger than all his bodyguards combined.

"Hey! You are cheating. Nana is next to you." Master Rabbink said.

[Hahaha.] Trevon laughed. That was his cheat. Nana, the big white mouse was very powerful. She had sharp teeth and very fast movement speed. Added to her small size, it was very hard to attack her. Even Trevon always lost when he played tagging with Nana.

The mouse had been bribed with a promise of some expensive spirit foods to fight with the bandits. Trevon offered her a big portion of Middle Rank 1 demon beast steak for each bandit defeated. Nana was in a full spirit to fight.

"Incoming!!!" Trevon heard another shout. It was one of the elders reminded the group.

[The negotiation failed. This is intentional.] Trevon knew the family used the negotiation to prepare their wagon.

Most bandits would try to negotiate a certain money before a fight. A big bandit group wasn't crude enough to just attack a large caravan. They would intimidate and settle for smaller safety tax as long as they didn't have to fight.

Trevon stood next to the wagons while facing the forest. Meanwhile, his bodyguards were protecting the other side.

The first wave of attacks was an archer. It came from the forest direction.

"Hahahaha. Taste this! 'Barrier Talisman'!" Trevon threw some talismans. [Sigh! This cost six spirit stones each.]

A light blue barrier appeared from the talisman that Trevon activated, those arrows couldn't pass through the barrier. Each fall outside the barrier. Trevon kept using the talisman to protect himself.

Other groups used their sword movements to parry the attack. Some weak guards were injured by the attack. They retreated inside the wagon. The bandit attack was also the test for those guards. McArthur family wouldn't raise weak people.

"ATTACK!!!" A hoarse voice was heard from the forest.

"Oh! Sh*t!" Trevon couldn't believe his luck.

The voice directly came from the part of the forest before him.

[This must be because of you, Rabbink!] Trevon still used his talisman toward the next volley of arrows.

"What? This is because you have too many good things by getting the destiny artifact. You will have some bad coincidence to balance."

[Oh! God!] Trevon shouted in his heart. From the forest, a group of a hundred people appeared. This was a huge bandit group. He believed he needed to fight ten bandits.

What was worse was those bandits had several different gang marks. Some wore a certain bandana. Others had a certain hairstyle. [Sh*t! They are a combination of several big bandit groups.] He thought. This would increase the chance to meet powerful cultivator from the bandits.

He scouted a person randomly.

[Name: Sinpho]

[Potential: 1/2]

[Talent: Fighting - Sword]

[Ability: Mountain Sword Stance 1st Level (Man)]

[Affiliation: Wild Tiger Forest Group]

[Hahaha. Lucky.] Trevon couldn't believe what he saw, those people were very weak. Nana would defeat them in no time.

Trevon wanted to see to the other side, but he couldn't. Those bandits were already close to his position.

[Rabbink, protect my guards.] Trevon said. They were his investment and close followers these past two years.

"I can't help you." Master Rabbink said. "Beat your opponent fast and you could check their conditions."

"Hmph…" Trevon knew the Rabbink was useless.

He dodged a bandit slash that was too slow for a Peak Rank 1 warrior like him.

Meanwhile, Nana jumped from his shoulder toward the attacking bandit. The mouse bit the bandit's hand. She continued to run around the body of the bandits. As a demon beast, the mouse had a battle instinct. Nana easily defeated her first bandits.

The fat white mouse continued to jump into another bandit. She was even stronger than Jack from two years ago. Perhaps she was even stronger than the current Jack. His teeth disable the attacking capability of the bandits.

Trevon meanwhile dodged another bandit and returned an easy slash. He controlled his ability around Middle Rank 1 warrior. That was the public knowledge of his combat ability.

He sent a slash to the bandit's arm.

"AAAAaaa!" The bandit screamed. He was easily injured by Trevon.

[This is a joke.] Trevon thought. He could easily disable the bandits by slashing their arms and legs.

The battle wasn't a fight. A Peak Rank 1 warrior against common bandits. Their most powerful bandits were only a Primary Rank 1 warrior. Trevon's main goal was to disable more bandits than Nana.

The mouse was far crueler than Trevon. She bit the bandits to disable where Trevon only slashes. The bites would give a long-lasting mark to those bandits.

"Hey! Help Aya and the others, Nana!" Trevon commanded Nana. It was safe at his side.

"Squeak…" Nana ran under the wagon into another side. From ten bandits that come in his direction, Trevon had disabled two while Nana had disabled five. Only three more bandits attacked from his direction.

Trevon hadn't seen the bandit leaders, but he believed it would be the responsibility of the elder. The bandit leaders were often strong cultivators.

The lazy young master pretended that he needed to fight. Trevon jumped around the bandits. While the truth was those bandits were already afraid, they were trying to run. However, Trevon jumped and blocked their escape routes. He slashed their hands and pretended to fight.

"Clank…" One of the bandits threw his sword. The bandit knew he couldn't defeat this wagon's guard. [Why is he that powerful? F*ck me! This is not a common caravan!] He cursed.

His friends also followed to surrender. Meanwhile, the seven disabled bandits were rolling on the grass. Especially those who were bitten by Nana were screaming in pain. While her bite was small, her teeth were sharp, powerful, and long. She could even break bones of cultivator with those teeth.

[Please pretend to fight a bit longer! I need to show more performance first.] Trevon kicked the swords back to those three bandits.

The bandits were afraid. One fainted. Another fell and peed in his pants while crying. While the last pretended to hold his sword, but Trevon couldn't use him as a performer. If an elder saw him, they would question him because the last bandit used a very poor stance.

"Ah!!! You all bad and useless!" Trevon kicked those bandits out of frustration. He continued with his trademark Disguise skill. Those bandits quickly turned into uglier-than-a-pig people.

Trevon loved this skill since it would make the fight look harder since he needed some punches to change the bandits' faces.

"Main group! Attack!" Another shout was heard from the forest in front of him.

[Main group?] Trevon felt a bit stressful. He looked into the forest again. Another group of bandits appeared.

[GAH!! F*CK!!!] Trevon cursed. He couldn't believe bandit leaders really appeared in his area. [Can't you see I have defeated your subordinates? There are many people still fighting. Fight them! They are less dangerous than me!]

In front of him, three bandits appeared. Some bandits also appeared in other parts of the caravan. Unlike Trevon's side. They were still fighting with the first wave of bandits. This second wave was a good surprise tactic while those bandits could train their new recruits.

The second wave was the bandits' real power. They were all experienced and powerful bandits. Nevertheless, the three before him weren't common bandits. All were cultivators. One of them even still shouted commands for other bandits.

[That is because the leader knows you are strong. Gwahahaha.] Master Rabbink laughed in its heart.