Chapter 271: Chapter 150: Harvest and Invitation
At this point, Shui Qianliu cupped his fist to Fang Shuwen.
"Thank you for protecting my sister, Brother Fang. I, Shui Qianliu, am in your debt."
"As for the silver I promised you in the Earth Palace, Brother Fang, I will gather it as soon as possible."
Fang Shuwen waved his hand.
"Haven’t you already paid?"
"But..."
Shui Qianliu froze. That was only ten silver.
His sister was worth far more than ten silver.
"Alright, let’s consider the matter settled. You two should head back to the Celestial Water Palace soon."
"So... shall we part ways here?"
"What?"
The moment Fang Shuwen spoke, Shui Qianrou and Fang Lingxin cried out in unison.
The two girls had gotten along so well and didn’t want to separate yet.
In the end, Shui Qianliu had to promise Shui Qianrou that he would bring her back to visit Fang Shuwen and Fang Lingxin in the future. Only then did she reluctantly agree.
Fang Lingxin was also sad to see Shui Qianrou go, growing sentimental.
But she couldn’t sway Fang Shuwen, so she tearfully bid Shui Qianrou farewell.
A small donkey appeared from out of nowhere, its head covered in snow, and hoisted Chen Yan onto its back.
Taking Fang Lingxin with him, Fang Shuwen leaped away, their figures gradually vanishing from the siblings’ sight.
Only then did Shui Qianliu finally let out a long, slow breath.
"Rou’er, you shouldn’t have come out."
"But... I really missed you, brother."
Shui Qianrou lowered her head, the rims of her eyes turning red.
Shui Qianliu looked up, his eyes filled with a quiet desperation.
"The Seven-String Ancient Chapter... If only I could get my hands on it..."
"Brother, I heard one of the older girls at Yuqing Pavilion say that thing already has an owner... no one else can use it."
"Let’s not go after it anymore."
"An owner..."
Shui Qianliu suddenly looked dazed, as if all his strength had been drained away.
But he quickly took a deep breath and pulled a piece of paper from his robes. The note was soaked through, the writing on it a blurry mess.
In truth, however, Shui Qianliu had already memorized its contents by heart.
’The Seven-String Ancient Chapter has an owner, and the Asura Iron is hidden in Yuqing Pavilion.’
’The Heart-Shining Iron Seal is at Taixu Dao, and the Supreme Profound Pearl is a treasured artifact of Zhuji Pavilion...’
’If none of these are an option, then our only choice is to journey to the North and South Domains.’
"Rou’er, we’re running out of time. Are you afraid?"
Being much shorter, Shui Qianrou could only grab hold of Shui Qianliu’s hand.
"I’m not afraid."
"Then let’s... go..."
They got their bearings and set off, their figures shrinking into the distance. All that remained were two sets of footprints, one large and one small, that gradually vanished at the horizon.
...
...
After returning, Fang Shuwen had planned to carefully study Ye Wucheng’s notes on martial arts cultivation.
But he had barely set foot in the courtyard and hadn’t even had a chance to sit down when he spotted a note on the table.
On it was written: "Langhuan Restaurant, Cuizhu Garden."
It was the name of a private room on the fifth floor of Langhuan Restaurant.
A thought flickered in Fang Shuwen’s mind. He walked out the door and spoke to the small donkey, who was currently munching on a carrot.
"Friend Donkey, I have some business to attend to. Please look after this disciple of mine."
The little donkey immediately nuzzled the back of Fang Shuwen’s hand, which seemed to be its way of agreeing.
Chen Yan stood off to the side, utterly dumbfounded. He pointed at himself, then at the donkey, the look of profound misery on his face completely replaced by disbelief.
Fang Shuwen patted his shoulder. He didn’t say a word, offering only a simple gesture of comfort.
He said a few words to Fang Lingxin, then headed out the door.
This left Chen Yan staring daggers at the donkey, which only earned him an eye roll in return.
Langhuan Restaurant wasn’t far. He told an attendant he was looking for someone in Cuizhu Garden, and the young man enthusiastically led him to the top floor.
The attendant pushed open a door, ushered Fang Shuwen inside, and then quietly closed it.
The private room was, of course, a world away from the floor below. The atmosphere was tranquil. Wisps of smoke rose from an incense burner, and on a long table by the window sat a guqin.
The large table in the center of the room was already laden with a dazzling array of dishes.
The food had just been served and was still piping hot.
The aroma of the food and wine overwhelmed the subtle fragrance of the sandalwood incense.
Fang Shuwen looked at the person sitting at the table and shook his head slightly.
"So it was you."
"Who were you expecting?"
Chen Qi gave Fang Shuwen a curious look.
Fang Shuwen had assumed it would be Ye Feihua. ’After all, the real Seven-String Ancient Chapter is still in my possession. She’s not the type to give up so easily. Not that I have any intention of returning it to her.’
He walked to the table and sat down. Chen Qi enthusiastically picked up the wine jug.
"Thirty-year-old Bamboo Leaf Green! You don’t see this every day. Come on, have a taste."
Fang Shuwen lifted his cup and sniffed. The aroma was indeed invigorating, but he didn’t drink. He simply watched Chen Qi in silence.
Chen Qi chuckled.
"Very well. I’ll drink first, as a sign of respect."
With that, he took an empty bowl, poured both cups of wine into it, and drained it in one go.
Afterward, he handed the wine jug to Fang Shuwen, allowing him to inspect it closely.
After inspecting it for a moment, Fang Shuwen refilled Chen Qi’s cup, then slowly poured one for himself.
"The sandalwood incense..."
"It comes with the room."
Chen Qi said with a helpless sigh,
"No wonder you’ve made a name for yourself in the Jianghu. I’ve rarely seen such caution."
"The Jianghu is a treacherous place, full of pitfalls. One can never be too careful."
Fang Shuwen sighed softly.
"Go on. This time, I want to know everything."
"The current master of the Dragon Emperor Hall is the one the Vermilion Bird Hall Master calls his ’Excellency.’ His title... is the Undying Dragon Emperor!"
Chen Qi didn’t hold back, getting straight to the point.
"The Dragon Gate’s transformation shakes the very heavens; upon the highest throne sits the Undying Emperor!"
"That is the man..."
"He is also my—adoptive father."
The hand Fang Shuwen was using to hold his wine cup paused mid-air. He glanced at Chen Qi.
"Go on..."
Chen Qi considered this for a moment before speaking.
"He treated me very well..."
"He taught me Martial Arts, gave me power and influence, and taught me how to read and write."
Chen Qi’s gaze seemed to drift to a distant past, his eyes filled with a genuine, filial affection that could not be faked.
But he quickly took a deep breath, pushing those emotions aside. Then, in an almost nonchalant tone, he said:
"So, I want to ask for your help... to kill him."
...
...
