Chapter 33: Departure to Tianchen Island
The next day, Si Yao and Li Ye prepared to set off for Tianchen Island.
Before setting off, they waited in front of the Hehuan Sect's mountain gate.
A short while later, Yu Ke arrived with Tang Che, her newly accepted male disciple.
Yu Ke stared at Si Yao from afar, and said as she approached, "I didn't expect that we would be assigned to the same group."
Si Yao crossed her arms and tilted her body to look at her, "So, Flower Cinema and Chifeng Courtyard are a pair?"
Yu Ke looked unwilling. Sect Master Yan Yu knew that she and Si Yao had a tense relationship, but Yan Yu still wanted to match the two of them together, under the guise of easing their relationship and cultivating their camaraderie.
Aren't these two afraid of fighting again when they're together?
Seeing that Yu Ke did not respond, Si Yao looked at the male disciple beside Yu Ke, and then said to Yu Ke, "Where are your other two disciples?"
She remembered that on the day Yu Ke was appointed as an elder, Yu Ke accepted a total of three disciples.
Yu Ke glanced at Si Yao and replied irritably, "The two of them accepted the bounty mission ten days ago and have already gone down the mountain."
The morning sun shone on the gate of Hehuan Temple, making this a day destined to be beautiful.
Yu Ke looked up and said, "Let's go, what are we waiting for?"
After saying that, she soared into the sky. Her disciple, Tang Che, turned around, bowed to Si Yao, and then quickly followed her.
"Xiao Yezi, let's go too."
As soon as she finished speaking, Si Yao and her apprentice disappeared in front of the mountain gate.
The Hehuan Sect is located in Lanzhou, while Tianchen Prefecture is situated east of Lanzhou's sea area. Tianchen Prefecture is a huge island in the sea, and Tianchen Island is the only sect that occupies this island.
If you travel eastward continuously, day and night, it will take three days to arrive.
Si Yao examined the maps of Lanzhou and Tianchen Prefecture, then turned to Yu Ke, who was not far ahead, and asked, "On the way to Tianchen Island, we will pass through many prefectures and towns. What are your plans?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Ke slowed down her flight until Si Yao caught up before asking, "So what are your plans?"
Si Yao stared intently at the route on the map. "Since there are still more than ten days until the inauguration ceremony of the new island master of Tianchen Island, we don't need to rush to Tianchen Island. Along the way, we can choose to stop in a small town before dark each day, rest for a night, and then continue our journey."
"I bet you're thinking of going to those small towns for a bit of fun, right?" Yu Ke turned her head to the side and snorted coldly. "After all, everyone in the sect knows you've always been playful."
Si Yao said, "This is my opinion. If you don't accept it, then I'll suggest something else."
Yu Ke shrugged. "It doesn't matter. If you want to rest, then rest. I'll gladly oblige."
After speaking, Yu Ke lowered her eyes, picked up the map, and began to study it carefully.
Si Yao noticed that her hand was tracing the names of several small towns on the map. "Yu Ke, I guess you also want to see those places. After all, you've been in seclusion for so long, and even before that, you rarely left the mountain. You must be feeling really cooped up. There are so many beautiful landscapes in this world that you probably haven't seen much of.
Yu Ke quickly closed the map, her eyes darting away, and spat, "You think everyone is like you!"
Si Yao smiled, turned her head away, and didn't continue talking to her.
However, Yu Ke's apprentice, Tang Che, said from the side, "Master, the scenery along the way is still worth appreciating. I think we will pass through Yunshui County on this route, which is a nice place."
"Oh? You've been there?"
When Yu Ke asked this, Tang Che nodded, "I went there once two years ago when I was on a mission. Yunshui County is named after the Yunshui River. The river scenery in the city is very beautiful, especially at night, when the flower boats and lanterns on the river are dazzling."
"Judging by the distance, we should be able to get there before dark. It's settled then, we'll stay in Yunshui County tonight." Yu Ke opened the map again, and then looked at Si Yao, "What do you think, Elder Si Yao?"
Si Yao grinned, a forced smile on her face, "What you decided is naturally good."
The four continued flying forward.
Before nightfall, they had already arrived in the territory of Yunshui County.
Tang Che's eyes were filled with anticipation, as if his previous visit to this place had left a very good impression on him. Flying on his magical artifact, he looked down from the air, his voice excited, "Yunshui County City is not far ahead!"
The group traveled another ten miles before finally landing on the outskirts of Yunshui County.
As the sun set and they entered Yunshui County, the shadows of Si Yao and her companions stretched long as they began their search for an inn.
Tang Che looked around, then scratched the back of his head and muttered to himself, "Why does this feel different from when I came here before?"
Upon hearing this, Si Yao asked, "How is it different?"
Tang Che said, "Elder Si Yao, I feel that it is much quieter than usual. It should be more bustling at this time of year, especially now that it is getting close to night, there should be many vendors setting up night markets early."
Si Yao therefore paid more attention to the scenery of the main street of Yunshui County. As a county town, it was indeed not as amazing as Tang Che had described before, and it was just like an ordinary small town.
However, she didn't think too much about it. The group walked for a while and stopped in front of an inn called "Fenglai".
Yu Ke said, "Let's go with this one."
Si Yao looked around and thought the Fenglai Inn was quite large. "Hmm, I think it's pretty good. Let's book this one then."
Yu Ke clicked her tongue, "Don't follow the crowd, I was the one who liked it first!"
Si Yao had a headache and snorted, "Fine, fine, Elder Yu Ke has good taste, no one can compare to you."
The two stopped arguing and went into the shop. The shop was bustling with activity, showing how popular it was in the area.
They booked four superior rooms, and just as they were about to check in, they suddenly heard the sound of tables and chairs being overturned coming from the inn's lobby.
Then came the incessant sound of plates and bowls shattering.
Si Yao looked in the direction the sound came from and saw a man who had been knocked to the ground. The man spat out a mouthful of blood and then struggled to crawl to the front of several burly men.
Among the burly men was a middle-aged man dressed in fine clothes, with a fair complexion, red lips, and white teeth.
The injured man knelt on the ground and begged, "Lord Xue, please have mercy and spare my wife Hanniang this time! I... we've only been married for three months!"
The pale-faced man, referred to as "Master Xue," narrowed his long, narrow eyes, his cunning gaze sweeping across the injured man's face. "The River God has chosen your family this time; that's a blessing your family has never received in several lifetimes! Everyone else is waiting for the River God's blessing, but you're so ungrateful!"
The injured man, tears streaming down his face, lay prostrate on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, "But...but that river god was clearly..."
"Shut up!" Master Xue interrupted, "If you dare to say another word, beat me to death with sticks!"
Master Xue led a group of burly men away angrily, leaving the injured man sitting on the spot, covering his face and weeping.
Some onlookers pointed at the injured man, while others shook their heads and sighed. However, the crowd eventually dispersed.
After witnessing this scene, Si Yao turned to the waiter and asked, "What's going on here?"
The waiter smiled obsequiously and waved his hand, saying, "It's nothing serious. These things happen all the time. Don't be surprised. Sir, this way please. Your room is on the third floor."
It seems we won't get any information from the waiter.
Si Yao glanced back at the man, feeling that things weren't as simple as the waiter had described.
"Little Yezi, come with me for a moment."
Si Yao pulled Li Ye downstairs and returned to the inn's lobby.
Si Yao looked around, but didn't see the person she was looking for.
Li Ye pondered her actions, "Master, are you looking for the man who was just beaten?"
Si Yao nodded. "He shouldn't have gone far." After saying that, she stepped out of the inn.
As night fell, the streetlights flickered here and there. Si Yao walked through the sparse crowd and finally spotted the injured man.
She rushed forward and stood in front of the injured man. "Sir, are you alright?"
Faced with the sudden question, the injured man looked at Si Yao warily. He did not answer, but instead walked past Si Yao and moved forward.
Si Yao chased after her again, "I don't mean any harm, I just want to know if you have some kind of trouble in mind?"
The injured man stopped and continued to scrutinize Si Yao. "You look unfamiliar; you're not from our county."
Si Yao nodded. "I am a cultivator from the Hehuan Sect. I was passing by when I saw you being bullied by a group of people at the Fenglai Inn. I didn't have time to stop it. Could you tell me what happened?"
Upon hearing that Si Yao was from the Hehuan Sect, the man's tough attitude and tense expression immediately softened considerably.
As fellow natives of Lanzhou, the man had naturally heard of the Hehuan Sect, a major cultivation sect in Lanzhou.
"Come with me, it's not convenient to talk here." After saying that, the man walked straight ahead.
Si Yao turned to look at Li Ye behind her, "Let's hurry up and catch up."
As the master and apprentice walked down the long street, Li Ye suddenly asked, "Master, aren't you a little too curious?"
Si Yao shook her head, "Just now at the inn, he was beaten up like that, and he was still talking about the river god and such."
Li Ye's eyes darted around. "Bullying the weak is commonplace in this world. Many people harbor countless grievances. Master, do you want to save everyone? And can you save everyone?"
Si Yao paused slightly upon hearing this. "Xiao Yezi, while that's true, everyone does have their own destiny. But we just happened to be passing by and witnessed the man being beaten. He mentioned his newlywed wife, so it's possible that some high-ranking official wanted to forcibly take a woman. Moreover, his words involved some river god. I just find it very strange and cannot be ignored."
She paused for a moment, then said, "When we first entered Yunshui County, Tang Che also mentioned that this place was different from when he came here before. Perhaps something has happened in this county recently."
After listening, Li Ye gazed at Si Yao quietly for a long time. Finally, his gaze softened. "Master is right."
Si Yao noticed that Xiao Yezi had suddenly become well-behaved, so she stopped saying anything.
As night fell, Si Yao and Li Ye followed the man to a house.
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