Prefecture CityIt was the height of summer, and several birds were chirping endlessly atop the trees, and were extremely annoying. A heat wave coursed throughout the entire city. The door guard was fanning himself with his hand, listlessly, and was thinking of eating melons to dispel the strong heat. At that time, he heard a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" The door guard then slowly stood up, clearly dispirited as he opened the door. He then saw Pei Zi Yun standing outside, wearing a long robe, with a fan in his hands. They stared at each other for some time.
The door guard then snapped into full alertness and forced a smile, "Young Master, you’re finally back. You’ve been gone for almost a month, the little miss missed you quite terribly."
"I’m sure my senior sister grumbled everyday about not having anyone to play with." Pei Zi Yun then laughed as he strolled into Fu Mansion. When he walked in, there was finally shade for him, away from the sun. A nice cool wind brushed past his face, taking some heat away from his body.
"Young Master, about that, I’m not sure." The door guard then responded, not wanting to have anything to do with that conversation. After all, it was the little miss they were speaking about, he did not want to be found guilty of speaking poorly about her. Pei Zi Yun then asked, "Is my Master at home, I have something important to speak to her about."
"Young Master, Lady Yu is at home, and did not leave house today." The door guard replied. He then used a finger to wipe his sweat. Pei Zi Yun observed this and laughed, "Is it that hot, or are you afraid of me? I’m not a scary person. By the way, I came back from the pier and saw an entire basket of watermelons for sale, so I bought them all. It will arrive in an oxcart soon, please help me bring it in. You can have some after shifting them as well."
The door guard was elated, "Thank you, Young Master."
After Pei Zi Yun had walked in, the door guard then mumbled under his breath, "It is indeed hot, but it’s also because I’m afraid. I don’t know why, but this Young Master frightens me."
Pei Zi Yun didn’t need anyone to show him the way, as he confidently strolled in. After he walked to the end of the corridor, he knocked on the door before him.
Yu Yun Jun was currently practicing her writing skills, and the little girl Chu Xia was beside her pouting, clearly unhappy about something.
"Aunt, when did you say my junior brother will return? It feel strange to not see him for so long." Chu Xia held her hands together as she spoke.
"You mischievous girl, you only know how to make your junior brother unproductive. If you’re really bored, why not ask the new serving maid to chase you around the yard?"
"Aunt, you only know how to tease me. You know I do not like playing catch." The little girl looked down, deep in thought, "If only my junior brother was around, that would be so much better."
"Master, are you within the room? This student has returned from this travel, and wish to report his safety to Master." Pei Zi Yun shouted through the door.
"Enter!" Yu Yun Jun instructed, as she held onto her quill.
The minute Pei Zi Yun pushed through the door, he felt something flew across the room and collided right into him, knocking the wind out of his lungs. When he looked down, he saw his senior sister hugging him tightly, "Junior Brother, why have you been gone for so long? I’ve missed you to death!"
"Senior Sister, are you trying to find your present? Do not bother searching within my robes. The present is in my hands!" Pei Zi Yun then stretched out his hands to reveal a wooden box.
When she opened the wooden box, she saw several candy sculpted into the shapes of people, and looking extremely pretty.
"Thank you junior brother." The little girl Chu Xia then planted a kiss onto Pei Zi Yun’s face, as he squatted down to hand her the gift. Pei Zi Yun was taken aback. Chu Xia too, realized what she had done and turned red before running out of the door, clearly embarra.s.sed, her hands covering her mouth.
As she ran out of the room, Pei Zi Yun glanced at her smiling. She was dressed in a yellow robe with a waist strap hanging down from her small frame. She looked like she was growing fast into a young woman.
"The little naughty girl Chu Xia, really.." Yu Yun Jun shook her head and looked in her direction. She then turned around to look at Pei Zi Yun, almost as if she was scrutinizing him closely. It’s a pity that he already had Ye Su’er in his heart.
Seeing his Master looking at him strangely, Pei Zi Yun felt somewhat strange as well. He noticed that Chu Xia was peeping at them from the door. Yu Yun Jun’s face turned bright red.
"Master, I’ve gone out to explore and received tremendous gains to my cultivation. I’m already at the ninth level. The next level from from now on, would be the tenth level where the foundation is established. Then I can start preparing to open the gates of heaven." Pei Zi Yun retrieved his smile, his face turning serious as he bowed.
"What? You’ve already reached up to the ninth level? How’s that possible? Could it be that you’ve found a breakthrough while on your travels?" Yu Yun Jun wanted to say, teasing him. However, when she heard Pei Zi Yun’s stern and grave tone, she hurriedly replied, "You were only at the seventh level recently, and that was considered extremely fast. A few months on, and you’ve cultivated up to the ninth level?"
"Yes, Master. I went to Southern Village and chanced upon a descendant of Senior Grand-Uncle Li. This person told me that he had left behind a book. I managed to obtain the book and read it. After that was done, I achieved a considerable breakthrough, and all that was needed was a few days in secluded meditation in order for me to cultivate up the the ninth level. My Dao arts had improved greatly as well."
It was true that Pei Zi Yun’s Dao arts had improved a notch as well. The faint information surface floated into view, several rows of words appeared.
"Free Cloud Sword Technique : Master 11.5"
"Free Cloud Sect Daoist Manual : Level 9"
"Dao Techniques : 39 variations, Advanced."
Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, before finally reaching Master level. After absorbing the experience and knowledge from Li Qian Lian, Pei Zi Yun’s skills had improved significantly. In absorbing Legacies, wear and tear of the Legacy w involved, thus making it difficult to fully a.s.similate, however Pei Zi Yun has managed to learn an additional eight techniques, an increase from the previous thirty-one, and has even reached "Advanced" level. As for reaching "Master" level, Pei Zi Yun knew he could not rush it.
"Thirty-nine different levels. Even the person with most techniques within the sect only had forty-one or forty-two techniques!" Pei Zi Yun thought to himself, "Apart from the techniques that only an Honorary Disciple has access to, I’ve learnt most of the techniques in the foundation cultivation levels already."
"What book from the previous generation? Let me take a look. Was it really so effective?" Yu Yun Jun was clearly surprised as she asked Pei Zi Yun.
"Master, this is the book." Pei Zi Yun has been prepared for this and fished out a book from the folds of his robes.
"Is this a Dao arts diary?" Yu Yun Jun read the name of the writer and was stunned. She then said, "This Dao arts diary of was personally written by senior uncle Li?"
"Eh, I do have a faint recollection of this handwriting. It does indeed seem like it belonged to him."
Speaking of handwriting, Pei Zi Yun took another look at the scribbles on the diary. Although the words didn’t look too bad, they weren’t the most perfect. Since Pei Zi Yun had absorbed all the experience and knowledge through the Legacy, he had decided to start keeping a record of all the techniques he learnt.
This diary was written by Pei Zi Yun when they had stopped over at a pier for a few days. He finally managed to find a use for it. Anyway, he did indeed have the memories and experiences of Li Qian Lian, and all the techniques were Free Cloud Sect’s, and knowing them was extremely beneficial. It’s just that all these had come from a man who had betrayed his own sect….
"Ai!" Pei Zi Yun sighed.
Yu Yun Jun continued reading the diary of Dao arts. At first, she felt neutral, since the foundation and basic techniques written were very average. When she read on however, she was stunned. She then thought to herself, "I can still remember the standards senior uncle held when he was in the sect. Who would have thought that ten years later, his standards would have surpa.s.sed anything imaginable!"
Yu Yun Jun sighed, "What a coincidence that you managed to acquire something like this."
"It shows your good fortune and luck to be able to retrieve this book. Many years ago, Senior Uncle Li Qian Lian was an exceptionally talented person. It’s only that he descended from the Southern Kingdoms, and thus could not take on the role of Sect Leader. It’s such a shame. However, senior uncle Li had descendants, maybe you can seek them out."
"Master, when I reached the Southern Kingdoms, I found out that Senior Grand-Uncle Li had been dead for many years. His followers were all suffering from poverty and poor living situations. Having been impacted by his diary, I decided to repay his kindness and grace towards me by taking care of his followers. Hence, I’ve brought there back and wish to settle them down in Snail Village." Pei Zi Yun frowned and said, looking extremely pained.
"You have such a kind heart." Yu Yun Jun sighed before continuing, "That’s a good thing to do. Many years ago, our sect had led your senior granduncle down. We should bring this up to the sect, and see what they can do for his followers."
"Master, I still have another matter to speak about. After returning from the Southern Village, I came under attack by an unknown a.s.sa.s.sin. As I was putting up at an inn by the pier, he attacked me. I could tell that his martial arts capabilities were extremely proficient. His sword skills were almost on par with mine. As for his cultivation, he attained a higher level of cultivation than me. This caused me no small amount of worry."
"What? His sword skills were almost on par with you? And his cultivation level is higher than yours by one level? Doesn’t that mean he’s at the stage of full circle foundation, and is preparing to open the gates of heaven?"
"For someone which such skills, he would be the hope and future of his sect. Why would he do an a.s.sa.s.sin’s dirty work and endanger himself?" Yu Yun Jun found it hard to believe and asked curiously. She then frowned, "Although you’ve only been within the sect for a short time, you’ve done much good for us. I myself am not sure who it could possibly be."
"The Imperial Court, Holy Jail Sect or someone from the Southern Kingdoms. It doesn’t sound like any of them?"
"Master, I am not afraid. These are the hazards of cultivating the Dao. It’s just that my mother is a normal civilian. In the past, Holy Jail Sect had resorted to harming my village and mother in order to get to me. Since we are unable to establish the ident.i.ty of this a.s.sa.s.sin, I’m afraid he might ignore the unspoken rules and attack my mother."
"That was why I insisted that the followers from Southern Kingdoms make haste and reach the city as soon as possible, in spite of them wanting to rest. I placed them all in ox-carts, while I rode here on a horse."
"What you’re trying to say is that I should follow you back to your village and escort your mother here to the prefecture city? Since the prefecture city is heavily regulated by Imperial Qi, Dao arts will be restricted considerably here. The only danger she might be in would be physical, martial arts. Furthermore there are restricting enchantments being placed within Fu Mansion, and many Daoists pay their visits to this mansion frequently, your mother would be safe here." Yu Yun Jun stood up as she spoke.
"Are we going now?" Pei Zi Yun’s eyes glimmered.
"Of course we should go now. We should always act on matters of such high importance quickly, and prevent anything from happening. Should something happen, we would not make it in time if we decide to dilly dally."
When Pei Zi Yun heard this, he clapped his hands together and sighed, "Many thanks Master. I shall not worry then. Let’s go. Everyone else is waiting by the pier, we should gather together before setting off."
"Haha, you’ve always maintained a calm and composed demeanor. And now you’ve finally revealed a sense of urgency and anxiousness." Yu Yun Jun laughed as she pointed it out.
They then headed towards the pier before taking a boat down to Slow River County. When they reached their destination, it was already night. He Qing Qing then became alert and excited. Seeing that Pei Zi Yun’s eyes were shut, she hurriedly spoke, "Young Master, they said we’ve already arrived!"
"Oh!" Pei Zi Yun slowly opened his eyes, as his vision slowly readjusted itself. He noticed that they hadn’t stopped at the edge of the pier, but rather stopped right beside the river bank. Thankfully the tides were high since it was summer, and the boat could go as close as possible to the river bank.
"Disembark!"
The group of people alighted from the boat and started walking toward Snail Village. The entire walk to the village saw many people casting curious and strange glances their way. However, seeing that everyone walking was in high spirits and extremely friendly, they moved aside to allow them to pa.s.s.
When they reached the village, the village chief came to welcome them. He looked curiously at the horde of people standing behind Pei Zi Yun, who hurriedly explained, "These are the citizens of the Southern Mountains. You do not have to worry about a thing, as all these people are here legally and with the permission of the necessary authorities."
"So that’s the situation. Please, come in. I shall prepare living quarters for you." The village chief seemed somewhat worried but forced a laugh before speaking, casting occasional glances at the people being brought by Master Top Scorer.
"Most of the people within Snail Village have the surnames "Zhang." Could it be that he’s worried about a possible division within the village with these new additions?" Pei Zi Yun could see right through him with just a single look. At this point however, both their statuses had a huge disparity, with Pei Zi Yun clearly having more authority. Seeing the worry on the village chief’s face, Pei Zi Yun did not bother about it, and did not bother rea.s.suring him as well. He just casually said, "There’s no need. I can fit these people within my mansions."
Before long, mother Pei had carried Liao Ye Qing over. Pei Zi Yun swept a glance at the both of them and noticed that in just a few months, Liao Ye Qing had regained the normal chubbiness and health of a five year old girl. She was extremely adorable, and her two eyes were clear and brimmed with life.
"Does Ye Ye still remember me?"
"Big brother." Liao Ye Qing opened her mouth to speak, clearly deeply impacted by Pei Zi Yun. He then broke out into a laugh before saying to his mother, "This is He Qing Qing, she’s the chief of this clan."
"No, Tribe Chieftain is the Chief. I am just a female servant." He Qing Qing hurriedly added.
Pei Zi Yun looked at his bemused mother, before smiling, "Let’s speak inside."