The caravan departed under the golden orange glow of the te afternoon sun. The chirping of distant birds and the rustling of the wind through the trees created a serene atmosphere. It was to be an easy trade route to the Mo Sect a quiet journey filled with merchants, goods, and bright futures.

  Of course, things were never quite that easy.I stood by the caravan side, watching my servants move with practiced ease, loading and securing the cargo. My childhood friend Lan stood by my side, his face a commixture of worry and amusement as he readjusted my robes for the fifth time. He always thought I looked like a bumbling nobleman, but I had no patience for vanity at present."Rex," he teased, patting me on the shoulder.

  "You're not going to trip and fall into a ditch, are you?""I would if you weren't here to pull me out," I replied dryly, a wry smile tugging at my mouth.Lan smiled, though his eyes never wavered from the horizon, ever vigint. He was with me since childhood. His family had junior officials, and thus they brought him up with the sense of duty and loyalty required for him to be the ideal sidekick to a man like me, always walking the razor's edge between uselessness and usefulness.

  "Do you expect this trip to be as easy as it seems?" I asked, my tone more serious.Lan didn't reply immediately. He merely gave me a wise gnce before he returned to his work. "If only," he sighed. "But you know how things are in this world. Nothing comes easily. Not for us."I agreed.

  The world of cultivation, business, and authority was one fraught with peril, and I was already low on the rungs. Granted, I had been given a chance, but it was also a test. Fail, and I was out. But succeed, and then maybe my position in the family would be safe at st.As the sun began to set below the horizon, we camped near a thick forest. The guards established the perimeter while the servants prepared food and made arrangements for the caravan in case of an attack. The mood was tense as though we all felt something could go wrong, though none of us could pinpoint why.

  "Stay alert," I overheard one of the guards, Zhao, snap at his friends. "Bandits are lurking in this forest. We will take turns at night."I couldn't help but smile. "You make it sound as if we were in a war zone," I said, trying to joke.

  Zhao gred at me, his face serious but not ungenerous. "A merchant's life is ever in peril, young master. Never let your guard down." Lan snorted at my side. "You heard the man. The danger is everywhere. Don't even think of sleeping on guard."When the dark descended, the fires hissed and spat, and the guards huddled, arranging the morning's route. I sat outside them, the weight of what was required to sit upon me. A master, a candidate unworthy to consider even offering leadership. That had been said of me by my father. And yet, this mission—my chance to demonstrate that more of me y than failure.

  Suddenly, a cold scream pierced the night, followed by the sound of pounding hooves. The guards leaped from their chairs, swords in hand. My heart was racing, I saw silhouettes fsh between the trees."Bandits!" Zhao shouted. "Prepare!"I froze, not knowing what to do. My heart thudded within my chest as panic took hold. Lan was already going, however, with a yank of my hand behind the improvised barricade they'd established earlier. "Stay low, don't move," he whispered.From the darkness emerged a group of heavily armed men, their faces obscured by tattered cloaks. They looked like they had come straight out of the wilderness, their weapons gleaming in the firelight. Bandits, no doubt.

  "Hand over your goods!" one of them shouted, his voice rough and commanding. "Or we’ll take everything, including your lives!"Zhao stepped forward, his broad frame filling the pathway. "I think that will prove more difficult than you imagine," he growled, his voice low with power.The bandits didn't dawdle. They attacked, their bdes held high, their faces contorted in greed and cruelty. The fight burst into the fray in the blink of an eye.I concealed myself, my heart pounding in my chest. I was a greenhorn to fighting and had never undergone any kind of combat training. I was just a useless merchant's son, who had barely wet his feet in the world of cultivation. All I could do was watch.Lan, however, was different. He strode with the lethal precision of a man accustomed to violence. His sword glinted in the firelight as he stood watch over me, dispatching bandit after bandit. It was almost lovely, the way he moved so smoothly, so precisely, so lethally.I couldn't help but feel envious as I watched him. He was so capable, so serene. Compared to me, who was always lost in thought.The battle went on, but it was shorter than I had anticipated. The bandits, realizing they were outnumbered, fled into the woods. Zhao and the others made sure to chase them off, but the camp was left in disarray.

  When the st bandit disappeared into the trees, the guards began checking the damage. Some were injured, but none seriously. The caravan was not touched, but the mood had shifted. Tension hung in the air like the strands of the dying fire.

  I sat near the embers, my hands trembling as I tried to comprehend what had just happened. Lan, ever watchful, walked over to me.

  "Are you all right?" he asked quietly.I nodded, though thoughts were churning within my mind. "I'm fine. Just. just shaken.""You'll acclimatize," Lan shrugged, though his eyes gave away a fsh of concern. "This world does not wait for anyone. Not even the weak."I couldn't help but let a bitter ugh escape me. "The weak," I muttered to myself. "That's me."

  Lan didn't answer immediately. He simply sat beside me, staring at the fire flickering in the silence. After a moment, he went on talking. "You know, I think you're stronger than you give yourself credit for."I gred at him, shocked by what he'd said. "What do you mean?"He smiled weakly. "You've survived this long, haven't you? That's something, anyway."

  Before I could even say anything, one of the guards moved towards us. "Young master, we've made camp for the night. It's safe now."I stood up, brushing dirt from my robes. "Good. Just hope tomorrow will be an improvement."

  The guard bowed and went back to work, leaving me and Lan alone again.The evening wore on, and despite my best efforts, sleep never arrived.