Chapter 853: Chapter 107 "Embrace
"Senior Sister, where can we see the Dōngzé bird now? Shall we go look for it?"
Upon leaving Sanwei Village and returning to their residence on Little Crescent Island, Zi Shu eagerly pulled Zhao Wuyan into conversation.
Zhao Wuyan was very fond of this sole daughter of the dean and little junior sister from the Academy.
She caressed her long hair gently and said in a soft voice, "The Dōngzé is a bird of the seasons, with its own patterns of coming and going. Let’s not disturb it unnecessarily."
"Oh," Zi Shu sounded somewhat dejected but she heeded Zhao Wuyan’s words and did not insist. She then shifted the topic, "Senior Sister, what do you think about Yan Fu, right or wrong?"
Zhao Wuyan replied softly, "Not everything can be judged as simply right or wrong."
They were staying in the best inn on Little Crescent Island, where Zhao Wuyan’s room looked out onto the Azure Sea.
Currently the window was half open, the sea breeze sneaking in, gently swirling through Zhao Wuyan’s long hair.
Zi Shu felt that her senior sister was extremely gentle, which was no wonder why so many people liked her.
After a moment of thought, she tilted her head and asked, "Between the two guys pursuing you, which one do you think is better, Senior Sister?"
Zhao Wuyan glanced at her, then countered, "What do you think?"
"I don’t think much of either! Neither is worthy of you!" Zi Shu giggled, "One is slick with words, the other all primped and powdered!"
"We women, we’re neither three-winged birds nor two-winged birds, not necessarily in need of a match. To fly freely is to soar through vast skies and oceans."
Zhao Wuyan looked out the window, her gaze traveling to the distant outline of islands on the horizon.
She pondered for a moment, then commented, "Xu Xiangqian is indeed a bit too slick with his words, but from what I saw today, he’s quite good to his friends. An affectionate person."
As for that Yang Liu, she didn’t even mention him, which was an answer in itself.
"Oh." Zi Shu leaned on the windowsill, her hands crossed, chin resting on her hands.
"What about Jiang Wang?"
It seemed like an offhanded question.
Zhao Wuyan shook her head; she knew that for a young girl to admire a hero was natural. Jiang Wang was well-known in Linzi and had attracted some attention. Moreover, with Xu Xiangqian always boasting about him (as one of the "Gan Ma Mountain pairs," praising Jiang Wang was like praising himself), he portrayed Jiang Wang as a rarity in this world.
Jiang Wang himself was clean, disciplined, and clear-headed, which made him easily likable.
Thus she cautioned, "Xu Xiangqian says he values loyalty heavily, and that’s true. But in my view, he’s actually as firm as iron, not easily swayed by emotions. When I say emotions, I mean romantic feelings. Such a person is great to be friends with, and it’s wonderful if he likes you, but there’s no need for one-sided feelings."
"What’s that supposed to mean!" Zi Shu flushed with indignation.
But after a while, she asked again, "People who are not easily moved by emotions, once they do fall, it becomes quite a mess, doesn’t it?"
This time, Zhao Wuyan didn’t answer directly, only caressing her head again, "Silly girl."
...
...
Jiang Wuyou didn’t stay on Little Crescent Island for long. After a short two-day stay, he set off for Jueming Island. Jiang Wang, using the pretext of working on a case, also left Little Crescent Island and headed to Huai Island alone.
Jiang Wuyou had asked him why he didn’t ask Xu Xiangqian and others for help with saving Zhu Biqiong. The three friends on Little Crescent Island, with Xu Xiangqian backed by the renowned Qingya Academy, Li Longchuan who had connections in the maritime Li family, and the wealthy Yan Fu, could definitely have been of some assistance.
But Jiang Wang’s only response was that it was inappropriate.
Friends were friends, but the depth of friendship varied.
Just as Xu Xiangqian and Li Longchuan’s relationship was certainly better than with others.
He had risked his life for Zhongxuan Sheng, so he felt at ease asking him for help.
His arrangement with Jiang Wuyou was a matter of quid pro quo, which was straightforward enough.
As for Xu Xiangqian and the others, there hadn’t been any profound sacrifices on his part. Minor favors he didn’t mind, like helping to spend Yan Fu’s money and such, but for significant events like the Near Sea Archipelago’s sea ceremony, he didn’t feel Xu Xiangqian and the others should help him out, nor did he wish to ask.
Debts of gratitude are a heavy burden to carry, weighing on one’s heart like a mountain. Best to keep it as minimal as possible.
Little Crescent Island lay against the Lost World, embracing a multitude of islands, hence the name "Huai," which also carried the connotation of remembrance.
Cultivators who died in the Lost World would yearn for Crescent Island.
Those who had chosen to stay here forever... they too, missed their hometowns thousands of miles away.
This was an island that had witnessed many vicissitudes, where countless stories were born and ended.
The first thing Jiang Wang did upon arriving at Crescent Island was to take that jade pendant to visit Granny Bizhu.
"You mean... you want to see Biqiong?"
In the stilted bamboo building, Granny Bizhu frowned deeply, as if this was a very difficult matter.
At that moment, Jiang Wang had been observing the brightly colored fish in the giant transparent tank behind Granny Bizhu.
He turned his gaze back upon hearing her and pleaded earnestly, "I came to Huai Island this time to see Daoist Zhu before the Sea Ritual... I know it’s difficult, which is why I thought of you. You are her master and an elder of the Diao Hai Building, no matter how strict the surveillance is, it surely wouldn’t stop you from seeing her."
"There’s no problem for me to see her," Granny Bizhu sighed. "But for outsiders to contact the offerings before the Sea Ritual is against the rules."
"I really have no other choice," Jiang Wang implored sincerely. "Since parting last time, I haven’t seen Daoist Zhu again, and in the future, too... Please find a way for me to see my friend. If there is anything that needs to be taken care of, I will bear it all."
"Ah, what are you saying? Why would a junior like you need to take care of anything? It’s just that this matter is indeed not easy."
After pondering for a long while, Granny Bizhu said, "Wait a few days and see. Granny will find a way. Once there is news, I will immediately send someone to inform you."
Before Jiang Wang could bargain further, she asked, "By the way, have you settled on a place to stay? Should I have someone arrange it for you?"
This was clearly a signal to end the visit.
"There’s no need to trouble Granny, I’ve already booked a guest room at Qingyun Inn."
Jiang Wang bowed respectfully and said, "Then I’ll entrust this matter to you."
He expressed his thanks repeatedly before turning around and leaving the bamboo building.
His steps were heavy as he left, appearing deeply worried, but he was well aware that for Granny Bizhu, this task was not difficult. If she couldn’t even manage a meeting with Zhu Biqiong, her status as a powerful elder would be quite worthless, and it wouldn’t be worth his effort to ponder over her any longer.
Her current performance was nothing more than a way to raise her own value.
However...
He thought. The effort he spent on Granny Bizhu was to save Zhu Biqiong. Granny Bizhu acted out this play with him again and again, but for what purpose? She shouldn’t know about the existence of the Red Mirror, but could she also be suspecting that there was a hidden story behind Hai Zongming’s pursuit of him?
Regardless, before the Sea Ritual, he had to see Zhu Biqiong one more time to confirm her condition. Only then could he be certain if some plans could be carried out.
And this matter truly couldn’t bypass Granny Bizhu.
Qingyun Inn was one of the best inns on Huai Island, a tall stilted building. Iron piles were driven into the seabed, supporting the wooden structure above. The mist in front of the main entrance was fixed by Dao Technique, forming the steps of Qingyun.
It was to give a good omen to those entering the inn.
Because it shared the name with his Immortal Technique, he chose this place, also feeling a subconscious affinity.
Granny Bizhu asked him to wait, so he waited.
He had plenty of patience.
He stepped on the clouds forming the steps, walking into the inn.
Just as he entered, a few people were coming down.
"How many times do I have to tell you? I’m not here to listen to your explanations. I only want results, do you understand?"
A stern-faced young man was walking out, surrounded by a group of people.
There was a lot of authority in his words, which seemed quite impressive.
This person was so familiar that Jiang Wang couldn’t possibly fail to recognize him.
They had had an "intimate" encounter in the Hidden Star World.
The young man who was approaching was Tian Chang from the Da Ze Tian Clan.
He had survived the month-long sentence in the Valley of Lost Minds.
