Chapter 313: Walk Back as Commoners

Gu Ning’an’s words caught the three men completely off guard.

Never in their wildest dreams did they expect that after being subjected to death threats, Mr. Gu would still speak to them so calmly—and even claim that he had never intended to take their lives!

Could this be the magnanimity of an immortal?

“Many thanks, Mr. Gu!”

The three of them responded in unison, hastily clasping their hands in gratitude.

Gu Ning’an waved his hand dismissively and pointed in a direction, saying flatly, “The Great Wu capital is over ten thousand miles away from here. Try walking back—as ordinary commoners.”

As ordinary commoners?

The three were filled with doubt, but given the circumstances, they were wise enough to comply. Unless Mr. Gu demanded their immediate suicide, they were willing to agree to any other conditions—for now, surviving was their priority.

“We shall obey, sir!”

Once again, they responded in unison, bowing deeply toward Gu Ning’an.

But when they lifted their heads, the white-robed man was gone. They looked around, scanning the surroundings, yet there was no trace of him.

The Third Prince exhaled a long breath and murmured, “Mr. Gu has already left?”

“He must have,” Royal Prince Ye dusted off his knees and replied.

“Then, Third Brother, Uncle—shall we begin our journey back?” The Fifth Prince paused, then added, “This place is remote. No matter our grudges, should we not set them aside and work together until we reach the capital?”

Hearing this, the Third Prince and Royal Prince Ye exchanged glances.

After a long silence, they nodded in agreement, willing to set aside their differences for the time being.

…

By midday, the scorching sun blazed overhead, filling the air with a suffocating heat that made even breathing feel heavy.

Beside the official road, the vegetation drooped lifelessly, its leaves yellowed with drought. The cicadas in the trees chirped sporadically, their calls few and far between.

Dripping with sweat, the Third Prince wiped his face and frowned. “Damn this weather—why is it so unbearably hot?

“And where the hell did the Black Gold Carriage go? If we still had it, we’d have enough water and food, and we wouldn’t be suffering like this!”

Hearing this, the Fifth Prince, whose lips were already dry and cracked, chuckled. “Have you forgotten what Mr. Gu told us? That we must walk back as commoners? Do you really think a cultivator’s words are just empty talk?”

The Third Prince fell silent for a moment, then changed the subject. “How far is the nearest county?”

Prince Ye responded, “I studied the maps repeatedly before coming here. At our current pace, if we keep moving without rest, we should arrive by tomorrow morning.”

“That’s still quite a distance…” The Third Prince scanned the horizon and spotted a group of riders approaching. “There are horsemen ahead. Do either of you have anything valuable? Maybe we can buy a horse from them.”

The Fifth Prince patted himself down and found nothing—no jewels, no silver, nothing of value.

The same was true for the Third Prince. His golden hairpin, once worth thousands of taels, had been lost when he was captured by the Red Plum Tree Demon.

Prince Ye was no exception. Aside from the clothes on his back, he had nothing of worth.

After all, with their status, they never needed to carry money. Wherever they went, expenses were always covered.

As the sound of hooves grew louder, the Third Prince sighed and removed a gold-threaded belt from his waist. “We’ll have to make do with this. Hopefully, they’ll recognize its worth.”

“Let’s give it a try. Judging by their numbers, they seem like well-traveled men,” the Fifth Prince replied, watching as the horsemen drew closer. He waved his hand, signaling them to stop.

Sure enough, the riders noticed their gesture and gradually slowed their pace, eventually coming to a halt before the three men.

As they drew nearer, the princes finally got a clear look at their attire.

They were all dressed in short-sleeved tunics, their muscular arms exposed. Each one carried a machete at their waist.

The horses these men rode were thin and bony, lacking any spirit. The lead horse even had a three-inch-long scar on its face.

At that very moment, the three princes realized that the people they had stopped were not ones to be trifled with.

“Well, damn, this is a rare sight. Didn’t think anyone would dare stop us today.”

“So, tell me—what’s the deal?”

The leader tugged at his reins, amusement flickering in his eyes.

The Third Prince cupped his hands politely toward him before presenting his belt. “The three of us were separated from our family members. We wish to trade for three fine horses to continue our journey.”

The leader frowned. “And what are you offering?”

“This belt—woven with gold thread, its value far exceeds that of three horses.” The Third Prince then added, “If you doubt me, you’re welcome to cut it open and inspect it yourself.”

Clang!

The leader unsheathed his machete and gave it a casual swing, gesturing for the Third Prince to place the belt on the flat of the blade. The prince hesitated briefly before complying.

Taking the belt, the leader sliced it apart in one clean stroke. As the outer leather peeled away, fine strands of gold thread were revealed, intricately woven together.

“Ha! So it really is gold thread!”

The leader chuckled. “This belt is worth a fortune. Even if you took all our horses, we’d still be making a huge profit!”

Seeing this, the Third Prince cupped his hands with a smile. “We only need three horses. After all, we’re just trying to reunite with our family.”

The leader nodded, then turned to three of his men and grinned. “You three, get off your horses and hand them over to these wealthy gentlemen!”

Hearing themselves called “wealthy gentlemen” felt a bit strange, but when the riders dismounted willingly, handed over the reins, and stepped back to give them space, their wariness eased slightly.

Once they were on horseback, the leader clasped his hands toward them. “Then I wish you all a safe journey.”

The Third Prince returned the gesture. “Many thanks, brother!”

“Haha! Farewell!” The leader laughed heartily before turning his men around and riding off.

Meanwhile, the three princes set off in the opposite direction.

After traveling some distance, the Fifth Prince finally spoke up. “I thought we had stopped a gang of horse bandits—but I guess I was wrong?”

Royal Prince Ye shook his head. “I felt the same way. But in the end, they really did stick to the deal. Quite trustworthy.”

“We are traveling on an official road. Do you think horse bandits would dare show their faces here?”

“Even if they did, one look at our attire would tell them we’re people they shouldn’t mess with…”

The Third Prince chuckled at that, turning his head with a grin. But the moment he looked forward again, his vision suddenly blurred. Everything around him grew hazy.

Three heartbeats later, his body swayed—then he toppled off his horse.