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墨書 Inktalez
By the time they arrived at Chuiyun Town, night had fallen, and it happened to be a moonless night, making the sky pitch black.
The wind howled fiercely, and dark clouds filled the sky, indicating that a heavy rain would soon arrive.
Due to the rainy weather, Chuiyun Town was particularly quiet tonight. The streets that should have been bustling with activity were nearly empty of tourists, and many vendors had already packed up their stalls, hurrying home before the rain began.
"How about this?" Ye Tian said, not having much preference for food and drink, as he casually pointed to a nearby tavern.
Duan Liu frowned and glanced over, saying, "Their daughter’s red wine isn’t authentic; it’s definitely watered down."
"Why not go to that place we visited last time?" Bai Kuo suddenly seemed to recall some delicious dish, his eyes lighting up.
"Excellent! Their signature dish is truly exceptional!" Duan Liu clapped his hands, and then the two happily reached a consensus and turned to look at Ye Tian.
Ye Tian shrugged and said, "I don’t mind; anywhere is fine."
"Let’s go!" Duan Liu took the lead, eager to move on.
Moments later, the three had turned down several streets and arrived in front of a tavern.
This tavern wasn’t very large; it was just a two-story establishment with a sign that read: Fortune Inn.
At this moment, the doors of Fortune Inn were wide open. The first floor was packed with patrons, all happily drinking and playing games of chance.
"Esteemed guests, please come in," the waiter greeted as he approached the three newcomers at a leisurely pace.
"Is there still a table available?" Ye Tian asked with a frown, as he wasn't fond of such a noisy environment.
"Yes, of course, but..." The waiter sized up the three of them, his eyes reflecting a doubt of "Do you have money?"
It wasn't entirely the waiter's fault for judging them; since they were disciples of Cloudscroll Pavilion, their attire was quite ordinary. Additionally, Duan Liu looked disheveled after taking a back road down the mountain, giving off a somewhat rustic impression at first glance.
"But what?" Duan Liu noticed the waiter's expression and felt slightly displeased.
"But there’s only a private room left, and it’s a bit expensive..." The waiter seemed unfazed by Duan Liu's tone. In Chuiyun Town, whether it was taverns or inns, money exchanges or gambling houses, any place of decent scale had intricate connections with some prominent figures from Cloud Sea Sect.
"How expensive?" Bai Kuo interjected.
"The private room costs ten taels, and drinks and dishes are charged separately." After saying this, the waiter looked at Duan Liu, seemingly waiting for his shocked reaction.
"Damn, I thought it would be much more expensive." Duan Liu scoffed; Bai Kuo had brought along over a hundred taels of silver today, so they could certainly afford a meal.
"Then please follow me," the waiter said. If they had no money, that would have been expected; but since they did have money, it didn't surprise him either. He knew about Cloudscroll Pavilion and its peculiar reputation—regardless of wealth, they always dressed like country bumpkins, which was truly perplexing.
The three followed the waiter to an upstairs private room. After ordering food and drinks, they sent the waiter away to serve them and began to chat casually.
Before long, the dishes arrived, and the three enjoyed their meal and drinks heartily.
"Are you sure?" A plump man resembling an innkeeper whispered outside the door to the private room.
The waiter peeked through the crack in the door and nodded, saying, "Absolutely certain."
"Alright, Messenger Bug, send the notification," the Innkeeper instructed seriously.
"Yes," the waiter complied, rummaging around to find a small box. He opened the lid, and a Messenger Bug flew out from inside.
After being confined in the box for a long time, the Messenger Bug took a moment to react before rapidly flapping its wings and flying through the window towards the direction of Cloud Sea Sect.
...
The drinking session lasted about an hour, ending with Duan Liu unconscious, Ye Tian feeling dizzy, and Bai Kuo completely unscathed.
The three of them calculated their expenses and left the tavern. Bai Kuo supported the barely able-to-walk Duan Liu while Ye Tian followed beside them. They headed towards the inn located around Hundred Zhang Street.
Ye Tian had consumed three jars of liquor that night. Although he felt a bit dizzy, it was nothing serious; he estimated that he could handle another two jars without issue.
"Give me... more..." Duan Liu, inebriated, mumbled incoherently while clutching Bai Kuo's collar tightly, nearly vomiting on him several times.
"Sigh... with this drinking capacity, I can't bring him next time," Bai Kuo said helplessly, casting a complaining glance at Ye Tian.
Ye Tian smiled and casually asked, "Brother Bai, do you know the speed of a Messenger Bug?"
Bai Kuo was taken aback by the question. After thinking for a moment, he replied, "It should be about three hundred miles in an hour."
"Mm." Ye Tian nodded and then fell into deep thought.
"Why are you asking that?" Bai Kuo questioned curiously while swatting away Duan Liu's hand that had reached towards his face.
Seeing this, Ye Tian couldn't help but smile. When Duan Liu suggested having a drinking contest earlier, Ye Tian had suspected that he wouldn't be able to hold his liquor well; he hadn't expected it to be this bad.
"Nothing, just asking."
Ye Tian replied casually, and Bai Kuo didn't ask further. After all, it wasn't a particularly special question, and he couldn't be bothered to think too much about it.
The three of them then booked a triple room at the inn. Initially, Bai Kuo wanted to book three single rooms, but Ye Tian refused on the grounds that Duan Liu was drunk and needed care. Bai Kuo disliked sharing a room with others, but after several rounds of persuasion, Ye Tian still wouldn't relent, leaving him with no choice but to compromise.
"Brother Ye, are you afraid to sleep alone?" Bai Kuo reluctantly entered the room, teasing Ye Tian.
Ye Tian didn't respond; instead, he picked up the teapot and poured two cups of tea, handing one to Bai Kuo and helping Duan Liu drink the other.
"If I heard correctly just now, our whereabouts have probably been discovered," Ye Tian said after Bai Kuo finished his tea.
"What?!" Bai Kuo exclaimed in shock. "Who? The Qiu Family's Twin Young Masters?"
Bai Kuo's reaction was expected by Ye Tian, which was why he chose to speak only after Bai Kuo had swallowed his tea. Otherwise, Bai Kuo would likely have spat it out.
"I don't know who it is, but the Qiu Family's Twin Young Masters are the prime suspects," Ye Tian replied uncertainly. However, the suspicion against the Qiu Family's Twin Young Masters was indeed the greatest, though he couldn't rule out Li Xun's possibility.
"What should we do?" Bai Kuo asked in alarm. This was not like the Cloud Sea Sect; there weren't as many rules or eyes watching. If the Qiu Family's Twin Young Masters acted decisively, they could easily be done for!
"There's no need to panic; we'll deal with whatever comes our way," Ye Tian said as he poured himself a cup of tea, took a light sip, and smiled. "Brother Bai, I'm telling you this mainly to explain why we must share a room."
Bai Kuo fell silent upon hearing this. At this moment, Ye Tian's calm demeanor both impressed and frustrated him.
"Drink... keep drinking..."
Duan Liu showed no signs of waking up, which made Bai Kuo even more worried. He didn't know much about Ye Tian's strength, but he and Duan Liu were both merely Four-Stage Martial Artists. If the Qiu Family's Twin Young Masters truly wanted to strike, they could probably succeed with just a few people.
"Brother Ye, may I ask what your current status is?" Bai Kuo stood up, realizing the gravity of the situation and putting aside his reservations.
In the world of Martial Practitioners, such a question was akin to asking a woman her age; it was one of the most detestable inquiries. However, Ye Tian did not mind. To him, the three of them were already brothers, so it was fine to ask.
"I'm at the Mid-Level of a Three-Stage Martial Artist." Ye Tian put down his teacup and answered naturally.
"What?!" Bai Kuo was taken aback, his expression clearly revealing his thoughts: How could someone at the Mid-Level of a Three-Stage Martial Artist contend with the Qiu Family's Twin Young Masters?
"Mid-Level of a Three-Stage Martial Artist. You heard me right, it's Mid-Level of a Three-Stage Martial Artist." Ye Tian felt slightly displeased; he hadn't expected Bai Kuo to react this way.
"I'm sorry, I just..." Bai Kuo's face flushed with embarrassment as he sighed lightly.
Ye Tian did not blame him; after all, Bai Kuo was concerned for everyone's safety, and it was natural for him to be emotional in such a tense moment.
"Then let's hurry and find a safe place to hide," Bai Kuo said restlessly after pacing back and forth in the room several times.
"No need. If it's meant to be a blessing, it won't turn into a curse. If we have time to escape, we might as well rest and gather our strength," Ye Tian replied, lying back on the bed with an air of calmness.
"Sigh..." Bai Kuo sighed again, pondering for a moment before saying, "Brother Ye, I have a few words that I don't know if I should say."
"Brother Bai, feel free to speak," Ye Tian said, sitting up to show respect.
"I've known Duan Liu for a long time. I understand him, and he understands me. We know what kind of people we are... Do you understand what I'm saying?" Bai Kuo turned his head away, his face growing increasingly ashamed.
"I understand. Brother Ye can rest assured; I never intended to drag you into this," Ye Tian replied with a smile, his tone sincere.
"No, I really..."
"Really, it's nothing. We're still brothers." Ye Tian interrupted Bai Kuo's words, then paused for a moment and teased, "Besides, you guys can't really help me with anything."
When Ye Tian said this, there was no hint of disdain in his tone, and Bai Kuo understood that Ye Tian considered him a brother and could joke like this.
"Brother Ye, I..."
"Haha, Brother Bai, why are you suddenly sounding so narrow-minded? You might not know my achievements; don't say it's just the Qiu Family's Twin Young Masters, even if Qiu Tiande himself came, what could he do to me?" Ye Tian laughed heartily. Although it was clearly boasting, the confidence he exuded was genuine.
"Sigh..." Bai Kuo tried to explain several times but was interrupted by Ye Tian. He could only let out a helpless sigh; he really couldn't match Ye Tian's boldness. Earlier at the Mission Board, due to the large number of people and the pressure of public opinion, the Qiu Family's Twin Young Masters didn't dare to take action. That was why Bai Kuo felt a bit of bravado and openness. But now they were outside Cloudscar Peak. Just thinking about the terrifying power network of the Qiu Family's Twin Young Masters made Bai Kuo's heart tremble. All thoughts of bravery and openness vanished; if he lost his life, everything would be meaningless.
For Bai Kuo, he had only known Ye Tian for a short time; if one were to be strict, they had only truly met today.
He was a loyal person, but that loyalty depended on who it was directed towards. While Ye Tian's character was undoubtedly commendable, he couldn't risk his own life and that of Duan Liu because of him. Therefore, he needed to take Duan Liu away or...
"Brother Ye, how about..." Bai Kuo hesitated and found it hard to speak.
"Don't worry, Brother Bai. I've already said it; I never intended to drag you into this. According to the timing, they probably won't arrive for another half an hour. Before they get here, I will leave on my own. Right now, I'm just taking a break here; to be honest, I've had a bit too much to drink," Ye Tian said with a calm smile, showing no signs of disappointment or sadness.
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