Chapter 571: No Waves Without Wind

The wind howled around him as Wuxin gradually lowered the flying mount toward a stretch of forest below.

His cultivation was limited. Strictly speaking, he could barely be said to possess any cultivation at all. His body was unsuited to it, so his master had taught him a simple method of circulating qi tailored to his condition. Long practice produced some effect, but there was no prospect of true attainment.

In Niu Youdao's terminology, it was little more than a simple qigong exercise.

That meant Wuxin could not remain exposed in the air for too long. Even when riding a flying mount, without enough spiritual power to shield himself, he could not endure the wind indefinitely.

He had left Jinzhou's provincial capital only a short while ago before changing from standing on the mount's back to sitting astride it. Even so, he still needed to stop and rest halfway.

The flying beast circled low over the forest, then descended beside a mountain stream. Wuxin jumped down, removed the bamboo basket from his back, and set it beside the water. He gathered some firewood and built a fire, washed his face at the stream, then took food and drink from the basket and sat beside the flames to warm himself. After so long in the wind, he was indeed chilled.

As warmth gradually returned to his body, a figure came darting through the hollow ahead.

It was a young woman in a thoroughly disheveled state, fleeing in panic. The moment she saw the flying mount beside the stream, she seemed to realize the person there was no ordinary traveler and immediately dropped down nearby.

“Young Master, save me! Someone is trying to force me into marriage. Young Master, please save me!”

Wuxin quietly regarded her. She was young and rather pretty, though her clothes and appearance were in disarray and her face showed unmistakable panic.

When he gave no response, the woman glanced anxiously back the way she had come, swept her eyes around, then flashed into a patch of tall weeds nearby and hid herself.

She had barely concealed herself when two men carrying swords came rushing from the same direction, searching as they went.

Seeing Wuxin beside the stream, they came over. One asked, “Friend, did you see a woman pass this way just now?”

Wuxin did not answer. He remained seated, slowly biting into the dry provisions in his hand.

The man seemed to grow angry. “I'm asking you a question. Didn't you hear me?”

Only then did Wuxin lift his eyes toward them.

“Mm.” The other man suddenly tugged at his companion and subtly indicated the flying mount nearby.

The angry man's expression changed. He seemed to realize what that meant. Anyone capable of using such an enormous flying beast as a mount was unlikely to be ordinary.

The second man cupped his hands toward Wuxin and smiled awkwardly. “Friend, don't misunderstand. A female thief stole something important from us. My brother is only anxious, so please don't take offense. What we lost truly matters. We only wanted to ask whether Friend saw which way the thief went.”

Wuxin still said nothing. He simply resumed eating.

The two hesitated. After another glance at the flying mount, they ultimately decided this was not someone they could afford to provoke. Tugging at one another's sleeves, they swept away and continued their search elsewhere.

The stream murmured through the quiet mountains. Birdsong occasionally sounded among the trees. Wuxin picked up a branch from the ground and tossed it into the fire.

The person hidden in the weeds did not dare move.

Only after a long while, when Wuxin had finished his provisions and thrown several more branches onto the fire, did he finally speak.

“Come out. They should be gone.”

The weeds rustled. The bedraggled young woman slowly emerged, still looking around from time to time with lingering fear.

Only after confirming that nothing seemed wrong did she approach Wuxin and bow gratefully. “Many thanks, Benefactor.”

Wuxin glanced at her. “You stole from them?”

The woman immediately flushed with humiliation and anger. “Young Master, don't listen to their slander. What could they possibly have worth stealing? Those two are my sworn brothers. All three of us are independent cultivators. Recently they managed to curry favor with someone who has a little influence in the cultivation world. Who would have thought that man would take a fancy to me? The two of them wanted me to marry him. I refused, so they tried to force me. I only escaped when I found an opportunity, and they chased me all the way here.”

“I once had a master, but my master met with disaster. Since then I've wandered the cultivation world alone with nowhere to rely on. When I met those two, I thought they seemed decent. Believing I'd finally found people I could trust, I swore brotherhood and sisterhood with them. Who could have known they were beasts in human skin? They actually wanted to trade me away for their own wealth and rank, and even claimed it was for my own good. If Young Master doesn't believe me, you may ask around.”

After speaking, she took out a single gold coin and timidly placed it on a rock beside Wuxin. Looking embarrassed, she said, “Thank you for not revealing where I was hiding just now. Otherwise I could not have escaped this calamity. I... truly have very little money and nothing with which to repay you. Please don't disdain this small token. I've committed Benefactor's appearance to memory. I have no ability to promise anything now, but if I survive this ordeal, I will repay you properly if fate gives me the chance. Farewell.”

She dipped in farewell, raised a sleeve to wipe her disheveled face, and turned to leave.

Wuxin, who had listened in silence, suddenly asked, “What is your cultivation?”

The woman stopped and turned back. “Ashamed to say it, only the Qi Refinement Realm.”

Wuxin said, “They're still searching these mountains for you. Aren't you afraid of running into them again?”

“Young Master need not worry. If I can hide from them, I will. If I cannot, then at worst I'll die. I will never let myself fall into their hands and suffer that humiliation. Benefactor's kindness will be repaid if fate allows!”

She cupped her hands and once again turned to go.

Wuxin said, “Come with me.”

“Uh...” The woman turned and looked at him, suddenly wary.

Wuxin pointed toward his flying mount. “I'll take you part of the way. Once you're away from here, you'll have an easier time escaping.”

A short while later, the flying beast rose into the sky again, carrying one man and one woman.

...

Beneath the eaves, Niu Youdao stood leaning on his sword. Guan Fangyi came from another room and handed him a secret letter.

Niu Youdao read it without expression. His fingers turned, flames consumed the paper, and the message became drifting flakes of ash.

Watching him, Guan Fangyi shook her head with a rueful smile, apparently moved by something.

Niu Youdao flicked away a scrap still glowing at the edge and blew on his fingers. “How are things at Liufang Guesthouse?”

“There's movement already. They're taking their leave one after another.”

The distinguished guests at Liufang Guesthouse had little choice. As the saying went, no waves rose without wind; when something happened, there was always a cause.

Rumors had already spread that Jinzhou intended to detain them as hostages. True or false, once Zhao drove Jinzhou into a desperate corner, what good end could await hostages in Jinzhou's hands? Better to avoid the danger first. Since neither side had openly torn away all pretense yet and Jinzhou still did not dare act rashly, now was the time to leave.

Those who had originally said they would remain for the child's full-month banquet did not even wait to see whether Hai Ruyue had truly recovered. One after another, they found excuses and departed.

At Liufang Guesthouse, Zhao Sen had just emerged from his courtyard with his entourage when Gao Shaoming hurried over and stopped him.

Gao Shaoming invited him aside and lowered his voice. “Director Zhao is leaving now?”

Zhao Sen gave him a sidelong look. Of course he was leaving. If he were detained and Zhao then began attacking Jinzhou, others might still escape unharmed, but he was the one most likely never to get out.

Naturally, he did not say that aloud. Instead he replied calmly, “Something has come up in the capital. I need to return and deal with it.”

“What about Niu Youdao?”

“Don't worry. Someone will contact you. No waves rise without wind. I advise you to avoid the area for the time being as well.”

After seeing Zhao Sen off, Gao Shaoming returned to his courtyard. Spotting one of his retainer cultivators, he asked, “Xu Gao still hasn't returned?”

The cultivator shook his head and frowned. “He went out last night and hasn't come back since. I don't know where he went. I'm worried something may have happened. Otherwise he couldn't simply vanish without a word. If anything delayed him, he would certainly have sent a message.”

“What could happen to him inside this provincial capital? Who would dare act here lightly?”

“What if the Provincial Inspector's Residence did it?”

Gao Shaoming pointed at him, a little exasperated. “Even if they wanted to make a move, they wouldn't bother with him. They might as well come after me. What purpose would taking him serve? The Provincial Inspector's Residence wouldn't create that kind of pointless trouble. Keep looking. If you still can't find him today, forget it. We leave tomorrow morning.”

“Yes!” The retainer cultivator acknowledged the order and once again organized people to search.

...

At the northern city gate, Song envoy Tu Huaiyu and his party swayed in their saddles as they approached the exit. Near the gate they saw a small commotion: a group of soldiers had surrounded someone, partially obstructing the flow of people entering and leaving.

At the sign of trouble, the cultivators around Tu Huaiyu immediately grew alert and tightened their protection.

Tu Huaiyu reined in his horse. “Go see what happened.”

One man jumped down and went to investigate.

He soon returned and reported, “Lord Tu, it's a disciple of Myriad Beasts Sect. His mount accidentally struck someone while he was leaving the city, and now they're arguing.”

“Myriad Beasts Sect?” Tu Huaiyu frowned. That was a major sect within Song territory. “A dignified disciple of Myriad Beasts Sect should simply compensate whoever was struck. Is he unable to pay? Why make an argument of it?”

“The problem is that the Myriad Beasts Sect disciple says the other man deliberately ran into him. He couldn't swallow the insult and revealed his identity. But the man who was struck happens to be a servant from the household of some general in this city, and the gate guards are siding with the servant. It's a case of even a powerful dragon finding it hard to suppress the local snake.”

Tu Huaiyu said, “Who among us is familiar with Myriad Beasts Sect? Go verify his identity. If he really is one of their disciples, take my calling card and lend him a hand. It's hardly a serious matter.”

For an ordinary commoner, being struck by a horse might be a major affair. For a man of Tu Huaiyu's standing, it truly was not. Even if someone had been killed, compensation would usually settle it. What else was anyone going to do?

Someone beside him immediately dismounted and hurried over.

The man soon returned and reported quickly, “I've seen him before in our capital. He really is a Myriad Beasts Sect disciple, and his background isn't small. He's the grandson of Elder Chao Jing of Myriad Beasts Sect. I've forgotten his name.”

Tu Huaiyu gave a sound of surprise. He had not expected to run into Chao Jing's grandson. He immediately waved a hand, telling his people to go settle the matter properly.

Once the man's identity as a Myriad Beasts Sect disciple was confirmed, the city guards no longer dared press too hard. With Tu Huaiyu's people intervening and compensation voluntarily paid, the dispute was settled.

The soldiers quickly dispersed the crowd blocking the gate. The man Tu Huaiyu had sent over returned as well, bringing with him a man leading a horse.

It was Chao Shenghuai.

[End of Chapter 571]