Chapter Ninety-Five: Zhou Chen Vents His Anger
Jiang Shuangyan turned her head, about to retort, but Jiang Xialin raised a hand to stop her and said with a smile, “Eldest Brother is right. We have no need to make an enemy of Mo Qingli. The people of Little Plain Peak will naturally be dealt with by other powers. Once they have fought themselves to a draw, it will not be too late for us to make our move.”
Jiang Ketao stroked his short beard and nodded with a laugh. “That is exactly what I mean. As expected, my little sister understands me best!”
Jiang Shuangyan’s almond-shaped eyes lit up, as if she had thought of something amusing.
Dawn pierced the darkness, and warm golden sunlight spilled across the ground.
Bathed in the morning light, Heaven-Flow Sect welcomed guest after guest.
As soon as day began to break, Luo Tangyu was already at work, and all manner of lights came streaming in from every direction without pause, each one bearing inquiries about the prodigy of former days.
That day, Zhao Wen and Huang Lan were especially diligent. After quickly finishing their planting task on Little Plain Peak, they rushed back to Nine Swords Peak.
The night before, they had wanted to see Chi Yushu at once, but his cave abode had remained tightly sealed, as though he were in seclusion and could not be disturbed.
The two of them hurried up the mountain and stood outside Chi Yushu’s cave abode, calling out again and again.
Under their tireless summons, the restrictions on the cave abode withdrew, and Chi Yushu’s gentle voice came from within.
“If the two of you have come to speak of Uncle-Master Mo, then I already know.”
Zhao Wen and Huang Lan both froze.
“Senior Brother Chi, has Peak Master Su learned of it as well? What should we do?” Zhao Wen came to himself and hurriedly asked what to do.
Chi Yushu sat serenely on his prayer mat. He took out a jade box carved with intricate patterns and sent it slowly to the entrance of the cave abode.
“Take this gift over and offer congratulations to Peak Master Mo on his return to the Dao.”
Huang Lan stared blankly at the jade box in her arms and glanced at Zhao Wen. “What does Senior Brother Chi mean by that?”
Zhao Wen was equally puzzled. He looked at the jade box again and again, then turned back to ask, “Senior Brother Chi, after we deliver the gift, is there anything else we need to do?”
“Complete your tasks on Little Plain Peak properly, cultivate with diligence, and say no more.” Chi Yushu’s calm voice drifted out.
Zhao Wen and Huang Lan were left utterly bewildered.
The two of them departed Chi Yushu’s cave abode in a daze and stopped behind a giant boulder.
Huang Lan tapped the exquisite jade box and asked curiously, “Could Senior Brother Chi really have prepared an extravagant gift in here?”
Zhao Wen shook his head, his expression complicated. “I don’t know whether this is Senior Brother Chi’s own idea, or Peak Master Su’s.”
Huang Lan shrank her neck a little in fear and looked at Zhao Wen. “Do you think we should go find Senior Sister Youyou and tell her about Peak Master Mo...”
Zhao Wen, imagining the expression on Qu Youyou’s face when she heard the news, could not help swallowing. “How about we deliver the gift first? Once we know what Senior Brother Chi and Peak Master Su mean, then we can go see Senior Sister Youyou.”
“Yes, yes! That plan works!” Huang Lan nodded like a pecking chick, her face full of agreement.
By the time the two of them slowly made their way back to Little Plain Peak, the foot of the mountain was already packed so tightly that not a drop of water could have passed through.
Qu Yiqiu stood atop a massive boulder, looking down at the crowd gathered below.
“So many people. What are they all doing?” Ao Qian poked half her head out of the spirit-beast pouch and stared in amazement at the crowd below.
Qu Yiqiu smiled. “They want to come up, of course. My master is too handsome, so everyone is eager to catch a glimpse of his true face.”
Ao Qian blinked, unable to understand. “What is there to look at in a face? Our merfolk are all beautiful...”
As she spoke, she could not help looking up at Qu Yiqiu, clicking her tongue in admiration. “If benefactor had been born into our merfolk clan, you would still be the greatest beauty of them all.”
Qu Yiqiu patted her head and smiled. “Thank you for the compliment. If anyone comes up later, you’ll have to stay in the spirit-beast pouch.”
“It’s fine, benefactor. Qian’er is still very happy in the spirit-beast pouch!” Ao Qian said playfully, then turned to stare at the crowd below without stopping.
Humans really were interesting.
Qu Yiqiu did not take her words seriously. The girl was only trying to put her at ease; in truth, she was quite sensible.
“Why have Zhao Wen and Huang Lan come back again?” Qu Yiqiu lifted her eyes toward the mountain below and saw the two of them squeezed into the crowd.
“Make way, make way—Senior Brother Xia, why are you here too?” Zhao Wen frowned in disgust as he sidestepped the stinking men around him, only to find Xia Changhan among them.
“Greetings, Senior Brother Xia!” Huang Lan called out breathlessly.
When Xia Changhan saw the two of them appear, his eyes instantly lit up.
“Are you here to enter Little Plain Peak?”
Zhao Wen covered his nose lightly and frowned. “Yes. Why are there so many people here? Don’t they know Little Plain Peak is protected by a formation?”
“Junior Brother Zhao is right. I heard that you two have been taking tasks on Little Plain Peak recently, so you must have a way in, yes?” Xia Changhan fixed his bright gaze on them.
Hearing the implication in his words, Huang Lan said in surprise, “Senior Brother Xia wants to go in with us?”
Xia Changhan blinked slyly. “Exactly. If you can take me in, I’ll be sure to repay you handsomely.”
At this, Zhao Wen and Huang Lan exchanged a look, delight showing in their eyes.
“No problem. Senior Brother Xia, just follow behind us!”
Xia Changhan quietly sealed their voices so no one else could hear, then said with a smile, “Very well. I’ll clear a path for my junior brother and junior sister first.”
The three of them moved to a corner where the crowd was thinner. Zhao Wen quickly cast a sound-transmitting talisman, sending it flying into Little Plain Peak.
“Senior Brother Xia, let’s wait here for a moment. In a little while, Junior Brother Zhou will come out and take us in,” Zhao Wen said with great confidence.
Huang Lan nodded along with a grin.
Xia Changhan could not help but laugh. Though these two had been punished to Little Plain Peak, at a time like this they could probably use the peak’s influence to gain quite a few advantages.
Still smiling, he suddenly noticed the exquisite jade box in Huang Lan’s hands and asked in surprise, “Junior Sister Huang, what is that in your hands?”
Could it be a gift?
He looked at her with curiosity.
Huang Lan, startled, hurriedly stuffed the jade box into her sleeve and shook her head frantically. “It’s nothing, Senior Brother. Don’t think too much about it. This absolutely isn’t a prepared gift!”
Zhao Wen, exasperated, gave her a sharp rap on the head and forced a smile. “Junior Sister Huang just likes to speak nonsense. It’s only a valuable jade box; we simply haven’t had time to put it away yet.”
“So that’s how it is.” Xia Changhan nodded as if he understood, while privately wondering whether this was Nine Swords Peak’s intention or simply the two of them acting on their own.
What kind of attitude would Peak Master Su have toward Peak Master Mo now?
As he pondered, a sound-transmitting talisman flew back out.
“Senior Brother Zhao, Junior Sister Huang, Little Plain Peak is not receiving visitors today.”
Zhou Chen’s cold voice drifted out from within. Zhao Wen’s face immediately fell.
“What a piece of trash!” He angrily stomped on the still-unbroken sound-transmitting talisman beneath his foot.
Huang Lan hurriedly grabbed him and lowered her voice. “We promised to bring Senior Brother Xia in, and there’s still Senior Brother Chi’s side...”
Zhao Wen abruptly stopped venting his anger, his face turning alternately green and white.
Xia Changhan had excellent hearing. He caught the words Huang Lan had not finished, but he pretended not to know.