Outside of Guangling City.
A massive tower ship was docked along the banks of the magnificent Great Azure River.
Its main tower had nine stories, and it was topped by twelve pagodas. Each was ornately carved and colorfully painted, and all of them had an old-fashioned charm.
Numerous passengers stood on the decks, gazing at the distant Guangling City.
Some had disembarked, seizing this rare lull to stroll or play along the riverbank, while others went and bought refreshments. It was quite a lively sight.
When Su Yi arrived, City Lord Fu Shan, Yuan Luoxi, and Cheng Wuyong were already there waiting for him.
Surprisingly, Huang Yunchong and Huang Qianjun were there too.
“Master Su.” They each greeted him in turn.
The sight of so many influential people greeting a youth like Su Yi so respectfully instantly attracted a good deal of attention. Even some of the passengers still on board looked over.
“What about your other attendants?” Su Yi glanced at Yuan Luoxi.
“They’re returning on horseback. I sent them on their way last night.” Yuan Luoxi still wore military attire. She looked valiant, but also charming and beautiful.
Su Yi nodded, then turned his attention toward Huang Yunchong and son. He laughed, “What are you two doing here?”
Huang Yunchong hurriedly smiled and said, “Master Su, now that you mention it, it’s really quite the coincidence. I was already planning to send Qianjun to cultivate in Blueriver Sword Manor sometime in the next few days. Last night, City Lord Fu just happened to inform me that you were boarding this very vessel and heading towards the prefectural capital, so I wondered if it’d be possible for my son to travel with you. I asked around today, and indeed, there happened to be a few empty spots left, so I brought my son and hurried over.”
Su Yi laughed, but said nothing. 𝐞𝐨𝘃𝐞𝐥.
Huang Qianjun looked a bit awkward; it was obvious to everyone that this so-called “coincidence” was actually anything but!
But when they saw that Su Yi had no objections, neither Fu Shan nor Cheng Wuyong pointed this out. They just smiled in silence.
The only exception was Yuan Luoxi, whose eyebrows shot up skeptically. “Last night, Uncle Yong said that the tower ship was fully booked. We only got in thanks to City Lord Fu Shan pulling some strings. Don’t tell me the ticket salesman was tricking us?”
Huang Yunchong coughed. “Miss Yuan, there’s an old saying that sums it up nicely: ‘money makes the world go round.’ Offer enough cash, and you’ll surely find someone willing to give up their spot.”
Yuan Luoxi instantly understood. “Ah, so you just threw money at the problem. I can do that too.”
“‘I can do that too’? What are you saying…?” Su Yi couldn’t help but find it funny.
As they chatted, a man with coppery skin, a halberd-shaped beard, grey robes, and a determined expression walked over
“Ol’ Fu, we’re about to depart. Are these the distinguished guests you spoke of?” asked the elder in grey.
He was clad in worn grey warrior’s robes, a saber and bow at his waist. Despite his age, he was imposing, and he emanated a faint murderous intent.
As he spoke, his gaze swept across the group. He directly ignored Su Yi, Huang Qianjun, and Yuan Luoxi, the three youths.
It was only when his gaze landed on Cheng Wuyong that he paused briefly, and his brow lifted in mild surprise.
“That’s right.” Fu Shan nodded, smiled, and introduced him. “This is the Roving City of Commerce’s commander of the guards, Zhang Yiren. He fought under the banner of the Spiritmartial Marquis’ Greenplate Army for twenty years. He commanded ten thousand warriors, and his entire Martial Dao was achieved and polished on the battlefield. He’s as brave and heroic as it gets.”
The grey-robed Zhang Yiren waved him away. “Ol’ Fu, no need to flatter me. Of late, I’m nothing but a humble security guard. You could say I’ve given my life to?this here boat.”
Despite Zhang Yiren’s objections, Cheng Wuyong cupped his fists. “So, you were a martial artist beneath the Spiritmartial Marquis, Chen Zheng’s banner. I apologize for not recognizing you earlier.
The Spiritmartial Marquis, Chen Zheng!
He was in the top five among the Great Zhou Dynasty’s eighteen “foreign-surnamed” marquises. Chen Zheng and his Greenplate Army were stationed in “the Bloodthistle Yao Mountains”. They’d killed countless yao, accumulating enormous military merit, and their name shook the entire nation.
Zhang Yiren said in mild surprise, “Friend, you know our marquis?”
“I was once fortunate enough to witness Marquis Chen Zheng slaying the great ‘Jade Snake’. He had the bearing of a deity; I admire him greatly to this day.”
Zhang Yiren’s face lit up. “Once everyone’s on board, I’m inviting you over for a drink. Let’s have ourselves a nice chat!”
He then glanced up at the sky and said, “It’s already time to depart. Everyone, please follow me on board.”
Fu Shan had planned to introduce everyone one by one, but when he saw this, he could only give up on the idea.
“Ol’ Fu, we’re leaving.” Zhang Yiren waved, then strode towards the ship. Su Yi and company followed.
Before long, all the passengers were back on board.
It was only after the massive tower ship gradually faded from view that Fu Shan, Nie Biehu, and Huang Yunchong retracted their gazes.
“A wise man lies low and waits for the opportune moment. Who knows how many waves Master Su will make during his visit to the Cloudriver Prefectural Capital?” Fu Shan sighed with emotion.
He had a premonition that with Su Yi’s abilities, he could easily bring a storm to the prefectural capital!
Nie Beihu and Huang Yunchong’s hearts coursed with emotion as well.
……
A young man watched them board from the ornate window of his room within one of the tower ship’s twelve pavilions. He then turned to his companion and asked with great interest, “Martial Aunt Qing Jin, can you tell who that youth in the blue robes is?”
He wore pale purple robes, and he wore a feather headdress. He had a jade belt around his waist, and he was handsome and upright. He stood there with his hands behind his back, emanating a formless air of nobility.
“You’ll know if you send someone to ask, won’t you?” said the woman reclining against the window lattice disinterestedly.
She looked about seventeen or eighteen. Her features were perfectly formed, and her dark hair was tied in a ponytail. Her skin looked as smooth and delicate as porcelain, and beneath her eyebrows, her eyes glinted like knives.
She had a prideworthy figure, and although her clothes were plain, white, and loosely-fitted, they couldn’t hide her ample chest or delicate waist. She was entirely unadorned, her attire plain as could be save for the jade bracelet on her snowy white wrist, which only further offset her fair complexion.
“Martial Aunt Qing Jin, you’re perfect in every way…. Except you’re too lazy! You don’t care about anything at all. That’s no good, you know!” The purple robed youth in the feather headdress sighed and shook his head.
“These mundane affairs are nowhere near as satisfying as killing yao, and there’s nothing worthy of my concern. Besides, on this operation, I’m only responsible for ensuring your safety. I can’t be bothered with anything else.” The woman snorted sluggishly, then turned and climbed onto the couch, stretched that praiseworthy figure of hers, and shut her sharp, beautiful eyes.
She was like a lazy little cat, not the least bit dignified, yet with an unrestrained, wild beauty.
The purple-robed youth was stunned despite himself, and his heart shook.
But when he recalled how ferocious this martial aunt of his was when she lost her temper, he shuddered, then looked away.
“Go ahead and rest, Martial Aunt. I’m going out for a walk.” He turned and left the room.
The girl’s pink lips parted, and she muttered indistinctly, “If you run into danger, just yell.” A moment later, she was fast asleep.
“Danger? This is the Spiritmartial Marquis’ tower ship. What danger could there possibly be?” said the youth with a smile, not the least bit concerned. He exited the room, then closed the door.
“Your Highness.” A middle-aged man stood guard outside, his bearing as steady and grave as a mountain.
“We have to maintain secrecy during this operation, and we cannot allow anyone suspicious onto the ship. Zhang Duo, go investigate the origins of that group Zhang Yiren just led on board.”
The purple-robed, headdressed youth reminded him, “Remember, be polite, and don’t reveal our identities.”
The middle-aged Zhang Duo said solemnly, “Yes, sir!”
But when he saw that the purple-robed youth was headed out the door, Zhang Duo couldn’t help but ask, “Your Highness, where are you going?”
“Sh!” The youth in the headdress put his finger to his lip. He then glanced toward the door furtively and whispered, “I’m going to find Miss Cha Jin for a game of chess. If I can hear her play a tune, even better.”
“Your Highness,” Zhang Duo said with obvious concern, “Just in case, we’d best have Miss Qing Jin accompany you. That way, I’ll be able to rest at ease too….”
But the youth in headdress ignored him, then left on his own. Zhang Duo couldn’t help but grimace.?His Highness would be perfect in every way, except that he’s a bit overly amorous….
He shook his head, then turned and left in a hurry. He decided to first seek out Zhang Yiren for a chat and ask about that group who’d just boarded the tower ship.
Back within the room, the “fast asleep” Qing Jin laughed coldly.?Men are all the same!
……
The Wen Family’s Floral Tea House.
The matriarch examined the letter she’d just written.
It was addressed to Wen Lingzhao.
Its contents were simple. It essentially just told her that, should she encounter Su Yi, she ought to treat him as a passerby.
And more importantly, the letter said she shouldn’t be in such a hurry to dissolve their marriage. This was because, according to the matriarch’s predictions, the more of a fuss Su Yi kicked up, the closer he was to death.
Once Su Yi got himself killed, their marriage contract would end on its own.
After carefully rereading the letter several times to ensure she conveyed her point clearly enough to avoid misunderstandings, she found an envelope and sealed it.
It was then that a servant reported from outside the doors, “Matriarch, just now, Wen Family son-in-law Su Yi boarded the tower ship and departed the city.”
The Wen Family matriarch was stunned. She sank into a brief silence, then sighed to herself,?Third Young Master, had you remained in the Wen Family and quietly lived out your days as a live-in son-in-law, you might have made it to a ripe old age. Why insist on making waves? You’re just seeking your own annihilation….
She was keenly aware of just how terrifying the Jade Capital’s Su Family was. That level of authority was enough to make even the world’s Martial Dao Grandmasters shake in their boots!
……
On the three hundred, ninety-ninth year of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the sixth day of the second lunar month, Su Yi boarded the tower ship and left Guangling City.
That night, the skies above Mother Ghost Ridge were as dark as ink.
A swift immortal crane beat its knifelike wings, slicing holes through the layers of cloud. It drifted down into the mountains and landed outside the peach orchard.
A figure jumped from its back.
It was a youth in apricot robes, a bright-eyed, dashing young man.
The young Daoist gently rubbed the crane’s head, then commanded, “Craney, you rest here. I’ll be right back.”
With that, he dashed into the peach forest.
The clouds of multicolored Peachblossom Miasma receded like the tides, clearing a path for him.
Before long, the Pure Yang Fire Peach Tree came into view.
The young?Daoist’s?gaze swept around the area, and he clasped his fist. “Tao Qingshan, where are you? I am Ge Qian, and I am here to pick Fire Peaches on my master, the Sea-Swallowing King Ge Changling’s orders.”