I Am Immortal in Great Yu

’This must be one of them. But judging from what happened at the city gate and that young man’s pretentious air just now, their mindset probably hasn’t caught up with their reality yet.’

It was like those members of the Old Eight Banners who, long after the Great Qing had fallen, still clung to their meticulous yet impoverished etiquette.

’A fallen phoenix is worse off than a chicken. They’re just full of themselves! Besides, what’s so great about being a ”great family”? How did they compare to the Lin Family or the Xia Family? Weren’t they wiped out all the same?’

Fang Rui shook his head slightly, not giving it much thought. He said casually, ”Mother, Third Sister, don’t worry about it. Just treat them like anyone else.”

”But they’re from a great family! How can we treat them like ordinary people?” Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family’s old mindset hadn’t yet shifted.

”Auntie, our Brother Rui is a Middle Grade Martial Artist. If you think about it, that’s not any worse than some great family!” Third Sister’s voice dropped to a whisper for the last part.

She glanced at Fang Rui, her bright, clear eyes full of adoration and pride. ”Still, we should live with our heads held high. We won’t bully anyone, but we don’t need to fawn over them either. We’ll just live our own lives and mind our own business.”

...

Just then, because their donkey cart had joined the line, someone from the front of the caravan came over.

”Physician Fang!”

”Steward Chen!” Fang Rui nodded slightly in greeting.

This Steward Chen’s full name was Chen Yu. Fang Rui had paid the deposit and communicated with the caravan through him all along.

After greeting Fang Rui, Steward Chen turned to the young man, his attitude becoming noticeably more enthusiastic. ”Ah, it’s Young Master Chang! I was starting to think your family wasn’t coming. It seems you were delayed? It’s good that you’ve caught up!”

He had, of course, done some research on the backgrounds of the families traveling with the caravan.

An Entry Grade Martial Artist like Fang Rui was nothing special, just average. But this Young Master Chang, just as Fang Rui had guessed, was from a great family in decline. A starved camel is still bigger than a horse, as they say—his guard, that Elder Wang, was a Seventh Grade Martial Artist.

”My family has fallen on hard times, so I am unworthy of the title ’Young Master Chang.’ Just call me Chang Qing, or Young Master Chang is fine.” Though he said this, his expression was clearly filled with conceit.

However, Steward Chen was a worldly man. With just a couple of flattering remarks, he had Chang Qing grinning from ear to ear.

Of course, while his attitude toward Chang Qing was more enthusiastic, he didn’t neglect Fang Rui, exchanging a few words with him as well.

Fang Rui didn’t mind. Steward Chen, Chang Qing, and even this entire caravan were merely passersby on his journey.

’But, the Chang Family? Now I remember!’ A thought suddenly struck him.

Back when he was selling medicine in the Black Market, after he killed Zhou Changlin and Gao Tong, a great family had invited him to be a household guard.

If he remembered correctly, the Chang Family had been the first one to approach him.

It was just that fortunes had turned. Fang Rui had made one breakthrough after another, stirring up storms from the shadows and becoming a force to be reckoned with. The Chang Family, in contrast, had fallen into decline.

Steward Chen didn’t stay long. After exchanging a few more words with Chang Qing and Fang Rui and giving some advice—such as, ’If you see refugees on the road, don’t get soft-hearted and try to help, or they’ll swarm you’—he returned to the front of the caravan.

The caravan continued on its way.

Perhaps finding the carriage too stuffy, that Young Master Chang Qing didn’t go back inside. Instead, he sat down next to Elder Wang, in the passenger’s seat of the donkey cart.

But given his attire of fine silks and a jade pendant, the sight was rather comical.

’A rich kid who drives a Rolls-Royce hopping into the passenger seat of a donkey cart?!’

Fang Rui chuckled at the comparison, shook his head, and looked away, continuing on the road.

...

Traveling nonstop was, in truth, quite monotonous and dull.

There were no face-slapping incidents or budding enmities along the way. That Young Master Chang Qing was just a dandy from a fallen family. He might be conceited and obsessed with saving face, but he wasn’t an idiot, and it wasn’t as if Fang Rui had a passive taunt aura that automatically drew ire.

In fact, while traveling through the wilderness, everyone in the caravan was on edge. Who had the mental energy to pay attention to anything else?

Fang Rui, on the other hand, was much more relaxed. With his keen senses and formidable strength, he had nothing to fear unless he was facing a hundred well-trained, fully-armored soldiers.

That was the source of his confidence.

The only ones who were truly relaxed and carefree were the two little girls, Fang Ling and Nannan.

However, the wilderness scenery was monotonous, mostly a desolate yellow. After a while, they grew tired of it. By mid-morning, their lively energy had faded, and they became listless.

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and Third Sister were also in low spirits.

But Fang Rui had a solution.

When they encountered an uphill slope, he would push from behind and have Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family, Third Sister, Fang Ling, and Nannan get out to walk for a bit. He also had them take turns sitting in the passenger seat of the cart to get some fresh air.

It wasn’t just Fang Ling and Nannan; Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and Third Sister took turns as well.

When it was Third Sister’s turn, Fang Rui would make some subtle, flirtatious moves. The stealthy thrill of it all felt a bit like they were on a honeymoon.

In stark contrast to the five members of the Fang Family was Chang Qing behind them, who kept complaining, ”This is so boring!” and ”If I had known it would be this hard, I wouldn’t have come!”

For some reason, hearing his complaints made the five of them feel a little better.

That Young Master Chang Qing had no idea he had become a source of amusement for others—a mood-booster for the Fang Family throughout their journey.

...

By noon, they were at a small stream fed by a mountain spring.

Once they arrived at this planned spot, Steward Chen came over to announce that they would rest for half an hour to eat and recover before getting back on the road.

For families like Fang Rui’s who were just traveling with the caravan, meals were not provided; they had to cook for themselves.

This was simple enough.

’Isn’t this just camping in the wild? I’m an expert at this!’

Fang Rui skillfully set up an iron pot, gathered some firewood, and started a fire.