— Sometimes Later - Azure River Province Border —
On the main road, a young man in his late teens walked along, dressed in a ragged traveling cloak draped over his body. He looked like a wandering beggar or a refugee. His face was covered in dust and grime from the journey, and his bandana had been darkened by the dirt of the road.
This appearance made him inconspicuous. People ignored him, assuming he was just another refugee fleeing poverty from Jade Bamboo Province to the more prosperous Azure River Province.
The guards at the checkpoint paid him no attention. They were outer disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect. This was the last day of their shift, and soon they would return to the sect to use the contribution points they had earned from guard duty to train, study in the library, and exchange for cultivation resources.
Naturally, they had no interest in a refugee. As long as a traveler passing through was not too suspicious, they would not interfere.
