The next morning, the sky was just beginning to lighten.
Canglan Inn—this transportation hub, usually bustling with carriages and horses, was even more boisterous now, as if the entire inn was stirred by an invisible wave, and the air itself was filled with a restless energy.
The hawkers' cries, the quarrels of Jianghu travelers, and the crisp sound of horses' hooves on the flagstones intertwined into a noisy yet fervent symphony; anyone stepping into this place would instantly be swallowed by this surging enthusiasm.
The news of the boundless abyss devil token appearing was like a giant rock thrown into a calm lake, completely shattering the long-standing tranquility of the Jianghu.
Overnight, this news spread like wildfire, quickly reaching all corners of the land.
Whether it was a Martial Artist with extraordinary skills or an ordinary person with no strength to tie a chicken, anyone who felt they had some ability rushed towards the Swordsmith Villa.
Human nature has always been like this.
Those ordinary people and low-level Martial Artists, though knowing their strength was meager, still couldn't help but fantasize—a puzzle that all the heroes of the world were stumped by, perhaps they alone would be able to solve it?
Before truly hitting a wall, everyone seemed to be secretly favored by fate, firmly believing they were the exception.
This almost blind self-confidence is precisely the truest portrayal of human nature.
Even if they might ultimately gain nothing, just being able to personally participate in this world-shaking grand event, that experience alone would be enough to become capital for them to boast and show off to others later.
After all, for an ordinary life, to briefly touch a legend is already a great fortune.
And the spread of this storm could not have happened without a special creature—the Cloud Messenger Goose.
This bird is pure white, with wings like blades, flying as fast as a startled swan, leaving only a fleeting afterimage in the clouds.
They are not ordinary birds, but spiritual birds carefully raised by various major forces, specifically used to transmit confidential information.
Unless a True Martial Realm expert intervened to intercept them, ordinary Martial Artists would find it difficult to even catch their shadow.
Because of this, messages carried by Cloud Messenger Geese were almost never leaked.
At this moment, countless white figures were streaking across the sky, delivering the rumors of the boundless abyss devil token to all corners of the world.
They flapped their wings over mountains and rivers, through towns and wilderness, like invisible messengers, weaving a web of intelligence that covered the entire Jianghu.
In this colossal wave stirred up by the devil token, the Cloud Messenger Geese were the undercurrent pushing it forward.
...
As the morning light dawned, the lively market atmosphere permeated the air. Chu Yi and his siblings were infected by this vigorous vitality, rising early to wash up, and then stepping out of the inn. The bustling market air, mixed with the aroma of various foods, instantly invigorated them. The streets were abuzz with people, and the rising steam wove a hazy veil in the morning sun.
The old man selling flatbreads clapped his oven loudly, and the freshly baked sesame flatbreads emitted an enticing aroma;
Next door, the proprietress of the steamed bun shop lifted the steamer lid, and a cloud of white mist, along with the scent of meat, instantly wafted onto the street.
Most eye-catching were the Jianghu travelers with swords and sabers at their waists, walking in twos and threes through the market, their leather boots making a distinctive sound on the flagstones.
Chu Yue suddenly stopped, her delicate nose twitching.
Following her gaze, a simple wonton stall was set up at the alley entrance.
In front of the elm wood counter, an old man with white hair was kneading dough with his calloused hands, while a seven or eight-year-old child on tiptoes sprinkled green onions into the pot.
In the iron pot, the milky white soup boiled, and the floating wontons looked like silverfish.
"Grumble—"
This soft sound was exceptionally clear in the morning.
When Chu Yi turned, he saw his sister's embarrassed look as she hastily covered her stomach.
The young girl's apricot eyes were wide, and two red clouds flew to her cheeks, even her earlobes were tinged with coral.
The morning breeze brushed her wisps of hair at her temples, and the golden bells at her hair ends made a rustling sound as she lowered her head.
"Our Chu family's little gluttonous cat."
Chu Yi gently flicked his sister's nose, feeling a warm and smooth touch on his fingertip.
His dark-colored sleeve brushed Chu Yue's shoulder, and the jade pendant at his waist clinked against his sword scabbard, emitting a clear, resonant sound.
The old man at the wonton stall saw three noble people in splendid clothes approaching, and his hand kneading the dough instantly froze.
He subconsciously hid his grandson behind him, his coarse apron covered in flour.
It was the small child with a fringe who peeked out from his grandfather's elbow, his dark eyes fixed on the jewel-studded sachet at Chu Yue's waist.
"Don't be alarmed, old man."
Chu Yi lifted his robe and sat on the bench, deliberately moving his sword behind him.
His slender fingers traced the grain of the rough wooden table, and he said softly, "My sister couldn't walk past after smelling the aroma. Please make three bowls of wontons."
The old man nodded repeatedly, then skillfully scooped up three bowls of wontons and served them steaming hot to the table.
The wontons had thin skin and generous fillings, and the soup was sprinkled with emerald green scallions and golden egg strips, with a fragrant aroma.
Chu Yue eagerly picked up a spoon, scooped a wonton into her mouth, and narrowed her eyes in satisfaction: "Mmm~ It's so delicious!"
She mumbled while eating, "Brother, you know, this Li Wuyuan's influence is quite significant. Even though he died a hundred years ago, one item he left behind has stirred up the entire Jianghu as soon as it appeared."
Chu Yi gently blew on the hot wonton, took a small taste, and then slowly said, "Li Wuyuan achieved the True Martial Realm at the age of thirty; such talent is rare throughout history.
Back then, he suppressed the entire Jianghu by himself, and later defeated the True Martial Realm Old Ancestors of the six top forces. Anything left by such a figure would naturally cause a huge commotion."
Chu An put down his spoon, his expression serious: "I plan to use this opportunity to spar more with experts in the Jianghu and improve my combat abilities.
Only by having strong personal strength can one establish a foothold in this complex Jianghu."
Chu Yue's eyes lit up, and she swallowed the wonton in her mouth: "Me too! I want to see more strange people and events, and learn all sorts of interesting martial arts and mystic techniques. Maybe I can even make a group of like-minded friends..."
As they were talking, Chu Yi inadvertently looked up and glimpsed a person dressed as a beggar at the street corner, pretending to casually glance in their direction.
He exchanged a look with Chu An and Chu Yue without a change in expression, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
A sharp glint flashed in Chu An's eyes instantly, and his right hand naturally rested on his sword hilt. He lowered his voice and asked, "Big Brother, is it a Beggar Clan scout?"
Chu Yue excitedly leaned closer, pretending to pick wontons, and whispered, "They're finally here! I've been waiting impatiently. Brother, can I make the first move this time, please?"
Chu Yi shook his head slightly, a meaningful smile on his lips: "Don't rush, the show has just begun.
Although Chen San Gou is a small character, the Beggar Clan behind him is a 'colossus' to us."
He picked up his teacup and took a sip, "Since they've come knocking, it's a good time to settle both old and new scores."
A flash of Battle Intent instantly appeared in Chu An's eyes, and he tightened his grip on the sword hilt at his waist.
Chu Yue's eyes, meanwhile, sparkled with eagerness, her excitement evident.
All three of them knew in their hearts that Chen San Gou's death had finally stirred up trouble.
Recalling earlier, when Chu Yi and his siblings killed Chen San Gou, they accidentally touched a token.
As the token shattered, some powder quietly sprinkled out and got on them.
At that time, the situation was urgent, and none of the three had time to clean it off.
Later, Chu Yi had already achieved a Breakthrough to the Innate Realm. With his ability, removing the scented powder would have been easy, but he deliberately left it on.
There was a calculation in this: firstly, he wanted to use this tracking mark as a form of tempering, allowing the three siblings to participate in various schemes and grow through experience;
After all, they lacked nothing but experience and a certain mental maturity.
Secondly, the hardships the three siblings had endured over the past ten years, every single one, were inextricably linked to the Beggar Clan. This debt could not be simply dismissed.
Since Karma was at play, they would target the Beggar Clan, using this opportunity to settle this grudge and bring a complete end to all past events.