Chapter 330: Chapter 328: Hai City
Several months later, Qin Li, along with Leng Yao and the Snake Woman, set foot in the Yan Kingdom—the Qin Family’s vassal state in the eastern part of the Mortal Realm, and the very nation where Bu Yunyan and the others had disappeared.
The Yan Royal Family seemed even more distressed about this matter than the Qin Family. This was the first time representatives had come to their lands since the nation’s patron family had changed. The arrivals did not disappoint; each was immensely powerful and unfathomably deep. Most importantly, none of them were arrogant or domineering, allowing the perpetually nervous Yan Royal Family to breathe a huge sigh of relief.
The Yan Royal Family, the Yan Family itself, had prepared a massive manor for them in the finest district of the Yan Kingdom’s Imperial Capital, Daliang City. The estate had previously been for the exclusive use of the Royal Family.
After Bu Yunyan, Zhao Qianqian, and the Little Fox arrived, the three of them rarely went out, focusing on making decisions regarding major affairs. Furthermore, the Little Fox, Linghu Feiyue, was the strongest among the entire Qin Family contingent, so no one ever imagined that anything could happen to them. After all, if someone were specifically targeting the Qin Family, there would be no reason for them to spare the others.
Qin Li’s arrival was a great relief to the Qin Family disciples stationed there. In their eyes, there was nothing Young Master Li couldn’t solve.
After Bu Yunyan’s disappearance, the person in charge was Qin Ming. He was from the same generation as Qin Suo and Qin Li, and also a legitimate son of the Qin Family. Qin Ming was in his forties, and his cultivation had reached the Celestial Shattering Realm. While that wasn’t much on Profound Island, he was considered an exceptionally powerful expert here in the Mortal Realm.
Qin Ming had an honest, good-natured face, and his temperament was much the same—thoroughly decent. Seeing Qin Li descend gracefully, he hurried over with a look of shame and said with a wry smile, "You’re finally here. I failed to protect Miss Bu and the others. I feel so guilty!"
Although Qin Li was anxious, he smiled to put everyone at ease. "Brother, this isn’t your fault. Yunyan’s strength might be average, but Feiyue is incredibly powerful. If there was an opponent even she couldn’t handle, there’s no way you could have either!"
Although Qin Ming and the others felt a little ashamed hearing this, they also knew that Qin Li was telling the truth.
At this, Qin Li said, "Alright, take me to where Yunyan and the others were staying for a look."
"Of course," Qin Ming said as he led the way. "I was worried there might be something we couldn’t detect, so I haven’t let anyone inside since their disappearance."
Qin Li was quite satisfied with Qin Ming’s precaution. Disciples from major families, after all, were generally more experienced and knowledgeable than common folk.
Upon arriving at the small courtyard where Bu Yunyan and the others had lived, Qin Li looked around. The courtyard was exquisitely built with an elegant atmosphere. Various rare and valuable flowers and trees were planted throughout in a picturesque arrangement. It had everything one could ask for: a pond, a rockery, pavilions, and waterside gazebos.
Qin Li nodded slightly. ’Although the Mortal Realm isn’t as rich in Spiritual Qi as the Mysterious Land and its people have relatively short lifespans, perhaps that’s exactly what stimulates their boundless imagination. To build a residence this exquisite and beautiful... that truly takes skill.’
Qin Li spread out his Divine Sense but found nothing. Just then, the Snake Woman, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly furrowed her brow. "Here..." she said softly, "there seems to be a faint, lingering aura of a powerful expert."
Qin Ming and the others immediately turned to look at this bewitchingly beautiful woman with a fiery figure. Because of how things had transpired, they weren’t aware of the events of the Venerable’s competition, so they had no idea who this stunning, black-clad woman was. From her words, it sounded as if she was even a little stronger than Qin Li. They were all rather surprised.
Qin Li’s expression remained unchanged, as he knew a Spirit Beast’s Spiritual Sense was inherently stronger than a human’s—to say nothing of a powerful Spirit Beast like She She, who had reached the Shattered Void realm.
"Oh? How powerful?" Qin Li asked casually.
"I would be no match for them," the Snake Woman answered honestly. To Qin Ming and the others, her words didn’t seem particularly significant. But to Qin Li, they struck like a thunderbolt from a clear sky. He cried out in disbelief, "What? How is that possible?"
Leng Yao also stared at the Snake Woman in shock. She had been looking forward to seeing Bu Yunyan and Zhao Qianqian again soon; they had been together for so many years and shared a deep bond. She never imagined the Snake Woman would say something so staggering.
"It’s true. There’s only a tiny trace of the aura left, and there are absolutely no signs of a struggle," the Snake Woman said softly. Her gaze suddenly fixed on a house built in a quaint, ancient style.
Qin Ming, ever perceptive, quickly explained, "That’s where Miss Linghu was staying!"
The Snake Woman nodded, walked over to the house, and pushed the door open. The building consisted of three adjoining rooms. The entrance opened into a sitting room, the middle room was for a maidservant, and the innermost chamber was Linghu Feiyue’s bedroom.
As Qin Li followed the Snake Woman inside, he also frowned slightly as a strange sensation washed over him. He closed his eyes and spread out his vast Spiritual Power.
A strange thing happened!
A line of elegant script suddenly appeared in Qin Li’s Sea of Consciousness!
"They were taken by the Moon Shaking Immortal Palace. No need for concern."
That was the entire message. A short distance away, the Snake Woman muttered suspiciously, "Moon Shaking Immortal Palace... What kind of place is that?" As she spoke, her eyes met Qin Li’s. "You saw it too?" she asked softly.
Nearby, Qin Ming and Leng Yao could only watch in confusion, wondering what strange riddle the two were speaking of. They hadn’t felt anything unusual in the room at all.
"They are clearly a master to be able to leave a message this way," Qin Li said coolly. "But leaving a message like this also reveals their arrogance. It’s utterly insincere. If we didn’t have someone overwhelmingly powerful with us, we might have died without ever learning what happened."
The Snake Woman nodded. "But I didn’t sense any hostility. Perhaps they were chosen by someone and accepted as disciples."
Qin Li nodded as well; the same thought had just occurred to him. ’Still, I can’t help but feel annoyed,’ he thought. ’Recruiting people like this is just too arrogant. How is it any different from kidnapping?’
’Moon Shaking Immortal Palace.’ Qin Li committed the name to memory. He then left with Leng Yao and the Snake Woman. The southeastern part of the Yan Kingdom bordered the sea—a boundless ocean rich with resources. As a result, the Yan Kingdom was famous across the eastern continent as a nation renowned for its seafood.
Likewise, the vast sea was home to countless islands of all sizes. In addition to Spirit Beasts, these islands held all sorts of Heavenly and Earthly Treasures. Since ancient times, many powerful experts had journeyed there in search of them.
The legacy Qin Li had inherited from Hu Yanbo contained memories about the sea here in the Yan Kingdom. As he recalled this, a flash of insight struck him. ’Perhaps it was just like with Shiyu’s master back then. They were busy with other matters, chanced upon a promising talent, and couldn’t resist taking them in.’
With this thought, his worries about Bu Yunyan’s and the others’ safety lessened considerably. ’The Moon Shaking Immortal Palace is probably just like the old Paradise Celestial Palace—a sect from one of the Mysterious Lands.’
Even so, Qin Li was still bothered by the sheer power of the people from the Moon Shaking Immortal Palace. But he was resolute. ’As long as they exist in this world, I will find them sooner or later!’
The Yan Royal Family heard that another important figure from their patron family had arrived and hastily prepared a banquet, sending an envoy with an invitation. When they learned that the VIP had already left without stopping, the Emperor of Yan couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss. To the common people, secular royalty was an object of awe and reverence. But to that same royalty, were the Martial Artists from the Mysterious Lands not akin to gods?
If one desired longevity, a single Elixir from the patron family could easily extend one’s life by a decade or two! If one wanted to secure their throne, all they had to do was maintain a good relationship with the patron family to rule without a worry!
For their part, the Yan Kingdom had been extremely cautious in their initial dealings with the Qin Family, terrified of doing anything that might displease these powerful figures. Fortunately, Qin Li had repeatedly instructed Qin Ming and the others on this matter.
He told them what had happened on Profound Island: even the supremely powerful and arrogant Cui Family had met its end. When Qin Li passed through the New Qin Empire on his way from Profound Island, Bing Mengyun was gone, as was any trace of the Cui Family. The New Qin Empire had already been conquered by the Five Nations Alliance!
If a family as powerful as the Cui Family could fall, then the Qin Family—whose foundations couldn’t even compare—had all the more reason to conduct themselves with humility and discretion.
The trio traveled without rest, and ten-odd days later, they arrived at a city on the southeastern coast of the Yan Kingdom.
The city was called Hai City. It was large and prosperous, with merchants from various nations coming to procure seafood, which they would then transport over long distances to sell all over.
The air in Hai City carried a faint, briny scent. In the market, the dazzling array of seafood left Leng Yao and the Snake Woman wide-eyed, like two sheltered children seeing the world for the first time.
Qin Li was no stranger to seafood. However, in the seven years since he had arrived in this world, he had rarely had the chance to eat it, save for his time as a Marquis in Cyan Dragon City.
He smiled at the two women. "Want to try some of this seafood?"
Both women nodded eagerly, their faces filled with anticipation. No matter how powerful a person was, curiosity was a universal feeling.
After asking around a bit, Qin Li led the two women to the largest seafood restaurant in the city: Hai City’s Number One Pavilion!
It was a bold name, matched by its luxurious decor. As soon as the trio stepped inside, an enthusiastic waiter greeted them and led them to a window-side table on the second floor.
Money was of little concern to the three of them, so they naturally ordered the best dishes on the menu. The seafood was indeed exceptional. The two women, who also rarely had the chance to eat such delicacies, ate with graceful movements, but at a surprisingly rapid pace.
This was especially true for the Snake Woman. It was her first time eating such things, and she kept praising how delicious human food was as she ate. Fortunately, Qin Li had casually set up a small ward around them. Otherwise, with her conspicuous beauty and exclamations, She She would have surely caused a huge stir.
Suddenly, the Snake Woman put down the crab she was holding. At almost the exact same instant, she and Qin Li looked up. Their eyes met, and each saw a flicker of surprise in the other’s gaze.
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