Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
When his nephew arrived, he had one more thing to ask the City Lord for help with.
“Oh? Speak freely.”
Bai Ruojing paused, hesitating slightly.
A few days ago, my brother was killed by bandits, and I suspect that the bandit is in the city. I sent someone to probe, but unfortunately caused some trouble, leading to a misunderstanding with the City Lord. I heard that he is currently at the City Lord’s residence. If there’s anything inappropriate, I apologize on his behalf and hope the City Lord won’t hold it against us!
“Ah? So it’s all in the family. Don’t worry; I’ll have someone release him right away.”
Xie Hong summoned a servant and whispered a few words to him. The servant left and headed towards the prison.
Bai Ruojing immediately breathed a sigh of relief, repeatedly expressing his gratitude, but Xie Hong urged him not to take it to heart.
Moved by this, Qing Da poured out his heart.
As long as this person is alive and my brother’s murderer remains unpunished, I can hardly sleep at night! Regardless of whether he is truly the killer or not, since he has harmed someone from the Bai family, I want him dead. I hope the City Lord can assist me in this matter.
Xie Hong’s eyes flickered slightly, but then he thought that the informant with the pockmarked face held no further value for him. With a wave of his hand, he generously agreed.
“What are you saying? We are all family here; your enemy is my enemy. Rest assured, I’ll have the Golden Armored Guards take care of it right now. He won’t see another sunrise!”
Bai Ruojing was overjoyed; after days of worry, there was finally a resolution. He drank three cups of wine in gratitude.
The banquet was filled with laughter and joy.
However, when the Golden Armored Guards investigated at the inn, they discovered that the pockmarked-faced man had already left.
The leader of the Golden Armored Guards drew his blade and pressed it against the innkeeper's neck, coldly demanding, “Where is he?”
The innkeeper looked like he was about to cry, trembling as he explained.
“Oh dear! The Floating Island’s golden light is fading; many cultivators have fled to the island. That man checked out not long after arriving and is likely off enjoying himself on some flying vessel now.”
The Floating Island is situated west of land and surrounded by sea on three sides, suspended in the sky. Even though Jincheng has the advantage of being close to water, it is difficult to maintain complete control over it. Not to mention that currently, the Floating Island is teeming with all sorts of people; once that man enters the island, he becomes like a fish in water—impossible to track down.
The Golden Armored Guards returned empty-handed, their faces grim as they reported back to the City Lord's Mansion. At the dock, Qi Xiao and Lu Mingyuan each handed over a piece of high-quality spirit stone, which the old man with a white beard accepted, grinning widely.
"Welcome, esteemed guests. Please, this way."
Some cultivators attempted to sneak onto the flying boat while the old man was distracted, but he swiftly raised his bamboo pole and gave them a good thrashing.
The cultivator, furious, exclaimed, "Just a month ago, you only charged one medium-quality spirit stone! In just over a month, you've jacked up the price a hundredfold! How can you shamelessly profit from such extortionate fees?"
The old man spat at him and struck his head with the bamboo pole several times, causing large bumps to form. "What’s wrong with making money? If you don’t want to pay, then don’t! There are plenty of people who can afford it!"
Turning back, his wrinkled face broke into a wide smile for Qi Xiao and Lu Mingyuan. "I apologize for keeping you waiting. This way, please."
The angry cultivator clutched his head in frustration but could only watch as the three of them moved further away. He stood there helplessly cursing under his breath.
The old man led them onto the flying boat, which was exceptionally luxurious—three stories high. Upon entering a room, they found it furnished with tables, chairs, and beds; it was practically a small inn.
"Welcome! You two can take a look and see which room you prefer."
Qi Xiao casually chose a room and then pulled out a spirit stone with a smile. "Old sir, you've been here for quite some time. Have you heard any news?"
The old man chuckled as he tucked the spirit stone into his pocket and sat down in a chair to share what he knew.
"I'm hard of hearing and my eyesight isn't great either; I may not know much about other matters, but I do know a bit about what happens on Floating Island." He lowered his voice conspiratorially and asked, "Have you heard about the Celestial-Demon War from a thousand years ago?"
Qi Xiao's eyes flickered with interest. "Please elaborate."
"Regarding events from a thousand years ago," the old man continued, "the details are murky due to the passage of time. However, some stories have been passed down through generations among the boatmen on Floating Island. It is said that during that time, the Celestial Realm, Demon Realm, and Human Realm were all thriving. The Demon Realm sought to dominate this continent through war, causing untold suffering among the populace."
"The other two realms banded together to defend themselves and prevent the Demon Realm from unifying the continent. The Human Realm was at a disadvantage in strength; thus, this war naturally evolved into a confrontation between Celestials and Demons. Countless Celestials fell during this conflict; some say that Floating Island is where many Celestials were buried."
"Recently, strange phenomena have appeared on Floating Island. Some believe that this is due to the activation of ancient Celestial relics; there may be Celestial artifacts and top-tier cultivation techniques hidden within. Perhaps even legacies could be encountered."
"If that’s true," Qi Xiao mused excitedly, "this would be an incredible opportunity!"
You two have come to the right place at this time.
Qi Xiao smiled faintly, "Old man, how many people have you said that to?"
The old man with the white beard glared at Qi Xiao, his expression showing slight displeasure. "Believe it or not, this is how it’s been said around here. What good would it do me to lie to you?"
Qi Xiao lowered his gaze, pondering for a moment. "The recent anomalies on the island seem significant, but that’s precisely what makes it suspicious. If there were truly such an opportunity, could Jin City and Linlang Pavilion really just sit back and do nothing while allowing rumors to spread?"
Whether rumors can be contained is one thing; not acting on them is another matter entirely.
Seeing Qi Xiao lost in thought and not speaking, the old man felt a surge of irritation, sensing that his intelligence-gathering abilities were being questioned. He huffed and glared, "If you don’t believe me, then forget I said anything. But don’t think about taking this spirit stone again."
Qi Xiao lightly tapped his fingers on the table and smiled, "Old man, please don’t be angry. This matter is significant; it’s only natural for me to think a bit more."
The old man snorted but accepted the explanation.
Qi Xiao then took out another spirit stone and looked out at the diverse crowd on the deck. The news of Floating Island had spread widely; many prominent sects and great families had certainly sent people here, along with those loose cultivators who acted without restraint. If one were to inadvertently offend them, it would likely lead to trouble.
"I hope you can offer some guidance, old man, so we don’t end up clashing with those we shouldn’t."
The old man picked up the spirit stone, and his previously angry expression brightened instantly. "Alright, alright! I’ve been here long enough to know exactly who the children of noble families are and which are disciples of various sects. As for those loose cultivators, I’ve seen all of them whose names I can recall."
He pointed at the people on the deck, identifying them one by one.
Those few who appeared timid and smaller in stature were clearly from lesser sects, while several dressed in brocade robes looked like young masters from prominent families.
Comment 0 Comment Count