Chapter 155: Parting
Fire Crow Cavalry came aggressively to loot, but those who scattered and fled numbered fewer than a hundred riders.
The water surface turned blood-red.
Floating corpses drifted far away with the river current.
The fire on the ship had been extinguished, but the ship hull was battered and on the verge of collapse.
Jiang Ning appeared, standing on the third layer ship tower like a fairy treading on waves, her voice resounding: “Everyone, after the Night City barbarian thieves flee back, they will surely bring a large army and masters to seek revenge. I estimate that in two hours, they will come for this ship again. At that time, everything will be annihilated.”
The joy on the ship from this great victory was instantly extinguished, plunging everyone back into panic.
Jiang Ning appeared before the crowd, so she had no intention of continuing to hide her identity: “Chen Clerk, Wu Commander, shall we discuss together? You two Attendant Hall secret agents, what about you?”
Her gaze fell on Li Ling and Li Weiyi.
Li Ling looked toward Li Weiyi, following his lead.
Li Weiyi originally wanted to recall the seven Phoenix Wing Moth Emperors, but those seven little ones directly charged toward the third layer ship tower and landed on Jiang Ning, appearing extremely affectionate.
Rebellious sons!
Seven rebellious sons!
Everyone soon gathered in the main hall of the third layer ship tower.
Jiang Ning’s enchanting immortal figure and face were shrouded in magic energy radiance, hazy and beautiful: “Continue forward, only three hundred li from the Imperial Court-controlled territory of Hu Ju City. But the Water Lion Beasts pulling the ship have been shot dead, going against the current, the ship can’t go fast, and the Night City barbarian thieves will soon catch up to us.”
Yin Shisan smiled: “We all listen to the Envoy’s arrangements.”
After learning Jiang Ning’s identity as Luan Tai Angel, Wu Zhaonan was naturally respectful and immediately fawned in agreement.
Jiang Ning looked toward Li Weiyi, who was still wearing the ghost face mask: “When the formation broke earlier, the Sima secret agent did not choose to flee but stayed to face the enemy together, showing a heart to save people. In the current predicament, either we all stay and die together, or we take away as many as possible of the fewer people with decent Martial Way cultivation. All people or a minority, how do you choose?”
Envy surfaced in Wu Zhaonan’s eyes, seeing that the Sima secret agent had caught the Luan Tai Angel’s eye and would surely have a bright future ahead.
It was unattainable envy; just with the identity of an Insect Tamer, the other could rise meteorically.
“It’s not necessary to choose! If we go, we can go together, but we must unite as one.” Li Weiyi said.
Everyone present was stunned, very much doubting if it was a momentary bravado, forgetting that reality often requires compromise.
Jiang Ning said: “Let’s hear it.”
Li Weiyi said: “Everyone present are Imperial Court officials, so you should all have Magic Tool Jade Boats, right? How many in total?”
“I have one mid-grade Magic Tool Jade Boat, which can travel one thousand eight hundred li per day; squeezing in, it can carry ten people. But to reach Hu Ju City within two hours, it’s a bit tight.”
Yin Shisan took out an exquisite four-inch-long small boat.
Wu Zhaonan said: “My Magic Tool Jade Boat is similar to Chen Clerk’s.”
Zhuang Yue said: “My Magic Tool Jade Boat is high-grade, barely able to carry twenty people.”
“I have one Hundred Character Scripture Magic Tool Jade Boat, which can carry up to sixty or seventy people at the limit.” Jiang Ning added: “Sima secret agent, this is still far from enough to send everyone away, and time is very tight; if caught up by the Night City barbarian thieves, wouldn’t everything be over?”
Li Weiyi spoke at extreme speed: “Three steps. First step, those on the ship with high cultivation, above Six Springs, all go ashore and rush at full speed with their foot speed; it won’t take too long to reach Hu Ju City. Moreover, they are not the main targets of the Night City barbarian thieves and can more easily escape in the night.”
“Second step, just now the two of us have used Beast Script to control about fifty Fire Crows; carrying two hundred people is no problem.”
“Third step, I will arrange two Fire Crows to pull this wrecked ship, drifting downstream along the Sui River, creating the illusion that we fled downstream. This way, we can buy at least half an hour more.”
“To save people, act now! But the Envoy is a body worth a thousand gold, with noble status; I wonder if she would risk herself for a group of people completely not worth the risk?”
Zhuang Yue said: “Don’t underestimate people; do you think my young lady really couldn’t think of a way? She was just testing you!”
Jiang Ning clasped her hands behind her back and walked out of the main hall first, gazing at the vast misty river surface: “What’s worth it or not? If all matters under heaven take benefit and loss as the only criterion for action, what kind of unbearable world would this be? Act!”
The three-layer multi-story ship was brightly lit, speeding downstream pulled by two Fire Crows.
In reality, the ship was already empty.
Four Magic Tool Jade Boats on the river surface under the night sky were like four white arrows of varying sizes, riding the wind and waves toward Hu Ju City three hundred li away.
Nearly fifty Fire Crows, under Li Weiyi and Li Ling’s mind power control, carried people flying over the river surface.
Li Weiyi sat on the back of one Fire Crow, his heart not without asking “worth it or not”; perhaps as Jiang Ning said, benefit and loss are not the only criterion for action in life. Right and wrong were right before his eyes; how could he turn a blind eye.
“Come down and chat?”
Jiang Ning’s voice followed a wisp of magic energy into Li Weiyi’s ear.
Li Weiyi looked down at that huge Magic Tool Jade Boat; the boat was wrapped inside over a hundred complex profound scriptures, carrying many women, children, and infants on top.
Magic Tools are graded into low-grade, mid-grade, and high-grade.
Above that, they are divided into Hundred Character Scripture Magic Tool, Thousand Character Scripture Magic Tool, and Ten Thousand Character Scripture Magic Tool.
The more scriptures engraved inside, the stronger the magic tool’s power naturally. Of course, for low-realm Martial Cultivators, stronger magic tools are not always better. Activating scriptures consumes enormous magic energy; possibly one strike could drain all the Sea of Qi in the body.
High-grade magic tools actually already have scriptures inside, just not many, less than a hundred characters.
Each Hundred Character Scripture Magic Tool is invaluable; not every Dao Seed Realm Martial Cultivator has one. Take Jiang Ning’s Magic Tool Jade Boat: not only can it travel four thousand li per day, but it also has flight capability.
However, even with her cultivation, controlling the magic energy Jade Boat to fly would consume enough magic energy to rapidly drain her dry.
This was the final escape treasure at a moment of life and death.
Li Weiyi leaped from the Fire Crow and gracefully landed on the Hundred Character Scripture Magic Tool Jade Boat.
Space on the boat was limited.
At the bow beside Jiang Ning, there was only three feet of standing room; Li Weiyi casually sat down beside her, legs dangling over the gunwale.
Jiang Ning sat cross-legged, her spread long skirt partially sat upon by Li Weiyi, but she regarded it indifferently and asked: “What’s your name?”
Nothing to hide, Li Weiyi said: “Li Weiyi.”
“This name sounds better than Sima Tan.”
Jiang Ning said: “But impersonating an Attendant Hall secret agent is no small crime. As Luan Tai Angel, killing you would be perfectly legal. Chen Chuan couldn’t escape involvement either; at least he’d be imprisoned and exiled to the army.”
Close at hand, fragrance wafted from her dark hair, making one feel as if in an Immortal Land, forgetting the time.
But Li Weiyi was very calm: “With the Envoy’s cultivation, if she really did that, we wouldn’t have the slightest power to resist.”
“Do you think Jiang Ning is that kind of person?” Jiang Ning said.
Li Weiyi smiled: “Not really! But hard to say; after all, if you kill me, those seven little ones would be yours!”
“Compared to them, I value you more.”
Jiang Ning slightly turned her beautiful head; her veiled immortal face, whether the delicate eyebrows, bright eyes, radiant skin, or beautiful hair, all had a fatal allure that could pull one into the emotional abyss.
This was the charm of one of the Three Immortals under heaven; beauty alone was enough to make her famous throughout the world.
Few men could sit so close to her, perhaps only Li Weiyi.
To receive her soul-stirring gaze up close was a true test of mental fortitude.
Li Weiyi secretly circulated the Jade Void Breathing Technique, his mind clear: “The Envoy thinks too highly of me! Heroes emerge in droves under heaven; countless of the same age surpass me in talent and Martial Way. Luan Tai Angel, Yu Xianzi—just these two titles, casually say a word outward, who knows how many would line up at the door; the top young figures of Five Seas Realm Fifth Realm are also yours to pick.”
Jiang Ning didn’t deny her influence, confident from within: “I know your growth speed well; no need to be modest. Actually, what I value is not only your strength, but that fighting spirit on you willing to risk life for the responsibility and principles in your heart. The current Imperial Court needs people like you most.”
“What makes you think I’m that kind of person? Just because of today’s battle?” Li Weiyi felt Jiang Ning was somewhat too idealistic.
Jiang Ning said: “Zangxian Town, Five Seas Realm Boundary.”
“What do you mean?” Li Weiyi asked.
She said: “I was right beside you then! You could risk your life for those young Jiu Li Martial Cultivators, fighting for a chance of survival for them—a quality I can’t match, so I admire you. I wanted to save you at your most dangerous moment and take the chance to win you over, but I toyed with schemes and missed the best opportunity.”
“Quite honest.” Li Weiyi said.
Jiang Ning said: “The Jiu Li stage is too small! Why not join the Imperial Court and fight for the living beings under heaven?”
Li Weiyi smiled: “I think you misunderstood! I’m not that noble; you only saw me bathing in blood and fighting at Five Seas Realm Boundary, but didn’t see me making a fortune at Zangxian Town.”
“Misunderstanding? Then today?” Jiang Ning said.
Li Weiyi said: “Today’s harvest is average, and time too tight to loot bodies. But these fifty Fire Crows, driven to Hu Ju City, should sell for a good price, right?”
Li Weiyi’s irrelevant answer made Jiang Ning unable to continue. She rarely smiled, gazing into the distance: “These Fire Crows flying to Hu Ju City will be directly confiscated and incorporated into the Imperial Court army; your get-rich dream is doomed to fail.”
Li Weiyi was stunned: “How can they do that; will you help me?”
“I won’t help you, because I won’t enter Hu Ju City at all. In Zhizhou, if my whereabouts are exposed openly, it’s very dangerous.” Jiang Ning tried once more: “Really not reconsidering?”
“My cultivation is too low; it’s not my turn to worry about matters under heaven.”
Li Weiyi forcibly took the seven Phoenix Wing Moth Emperors with him, then bid farewell and returned to the Fire Crow’s back.
The journey was safe; all rebel scouts encountered were killed in advance.
At a place thirty li from Hu Ju City, six Imperial Court army patrol soldiers, riding flying birds, rushed out from the City Protection Great Formation toward them at high speed.
The four Jade Boats immediately pulled to shore.
Jiang Ning stored her Jade Boat and spoke with Yin Shisan: “I have a rough guess of your identity, but it doesn’t matter; in these extraordinary times, as long as you have ability, there’s a place for you in the Imperial Court. With your ability, escorting that group of do-nothing flesh-eaters’ outer chamber families is too much of a waste of talent!”
“Right now, I’m being pursued by a strong enemy. Come with me, escort me into Qiu Prefecture, and I’ll give you a higher position.”
Yin Shisan’s gaze turned toward Li Weiyi and Li Ling, showing hesitation.
Jiang Ning said: “No need to look at them; my adversaries are very strong. Those two are a bit short on cultivation to travel with us; too dangerous! Go bid them farewell; I’ll wait for you a quarter-hour ahead.”
Jiang Ning and Zhuang Yue turned into two afterimages and quickly vanished into the darkness.
Li Weiyi heard the footsteps of Yin Shisan behind him and said: “I heard it all! Jiang Ning is decent; hug her thigh, and Thirteenth Senior Brother will surely rise high in the future, while also gaining more benefits for the Hidden Sect.”
