Volume One: Dragons Rise from the Wilds - Chapter 112: The Ancient Town of Huazhou

Yu Ye returned to the Nanze Inn and back to his guest room.

Inside the room, not only was the oil lamp lit, but there were also several new neighbors. By "neighbors," he referred to the guests staying in the adjacent rooms.

These guests were far from strangers; in fact, they were quite familiar. They were Tao Feng from Xiyun Mountain, Luo Chen and He Qingnian from Zixia Mountain, and An Yunsheng from Chiwu Peak.

Among them, Tao Feng was the eldest. With a cultivation level at the fifth layer of Qi Refining, he had clearly made further progress. His hearty temperament made him the natural leader of the group. He Qingnian, two years younger than Tao Feng, had a more delicate appearance and still wore his signature moon-white robes. An Yunsheng, not yet thirty, carried himself with a composed and distinguished air. Luo Chen was similar in age to Yu Xin, sharing his striking, handsome looks. Together with Yu Xin and Meng Qingqing, it was like a scene from outside Qingye Town being reenacted, though times had changed, and they had moved from the small woods to the Nanze Inn in this coastal town.

The idea that "destiny brings people together from thousands of miles away" seemed to carry a hint of conspiracy.

Yu Xin had left Nanqi Town earlier to contact these friends and had arranged to meet Meng Qingqing at the Nanze Inn; only Yu Ye had been kept in the dark.

At this moment, Yu Ye stood by the window, head bowed, his expression bitter. The fellow cultivators he had reunited with were either sitting on stools or the bamboo couch, all looking neat and spirited. Only he, with his rustic appearance, seemed completely out of place, as if this were not his room and he had walked into the wrong one.

"Brother Yu, you secretly helped us at Beiqi Mountain and later saved Yu Xin and Meng Qingqing. We cannot forget that kindness. Therefore, several of us fellow cultivators have agreed to invite you to join us on our journey overseas. This sincere invitation truly comes from our hearts..."

Tao Feng sat upright on the bamboo couch, speaking eloquently.

From him, Yu Ye learned that of the thirty-two sect disciples Tao Feng had gathered, only about a dozen had survived the battle at Beiqi Mountain. Now that the Qizhou cultivators were retaliating fiercely, he and his friends had nowhere to stay, so they had collectively decided to head overseas. Having happened upon Yu Ye, they were inviting him to travel with them—not only out of care for him but also as a gesture of camaraderie.

In short, Yu Ye had encountered benefactors.

"Before this, you were looking for a ship to cross the sea, but had no success, correct?"

Hearing Tao Feng say this, Yu Ye looked up.

Was this not a rhetorical question? Could it be that these sect disciples had already found a way across the sea?

Inside the room, the oil lamp burned.

Under the dim light, everyone’s expressions varied. Yu Xin and Meng Qingqing—one wore a smile, the other’s eyes flickered. An Yunsheng, He Qingnian, and Luo Chen all maintained a reserved demeanor. Tao Feng stroked his short beard, a mysterious smile playing on his lips.

Yu Ye could not help but ask, "If Brother Tao has found a ship to cross the sea, you might as well speak plainly."

"Hehe!"

Tao Feng smiled slightly and said, "My fellow cultivators and I are not people who fuss over trifles. If there were any lapses in etiquette before, or if you felt kept at arm's length when we might have wished to befriend you, Brother Yu, please understand. It is rare that we are reunited by fate today. We remain as enthusiastic as ever, yet we are also anxious, fearing that you might not accept our goodwill!"

Yu Ye folded his arms, his brows furrowed.

Although he was not eloquent, after wandering for so long and meeting many people, he had become familiar with various ways of speaking. Tao Feng’s implication was that Yu Ye was narrow-minded and would not have easily shared information even if he had found a ship. The mention of "befriending" was a veiled complaint; now that the situation had changed, they no longer needed to beg him to join forces against a powerful enemy. Conversely, it was now Yu Ye who should show goodwill to earn their trust.

Yu Ye was silent for a moment, then said flatly, "If Brother Tao has reservations, then don't bother saying it!"

Tao Feng waved his hand magnanimously. "Brother Yu is young, you shouldn't judge others by your own standards. To be honest, we have found a ship, but the fare is quite steep—a thousand gold coins per person."

Yu Ye nodded and responded, "I have no money!"

He had once been wealthy, but he had left it all at Yu Village. Although he had made gains since then, he had spent freely, and now he had very little gold or silver left. Never mind a thousand gold, he couldn't even produce ten.

"Hehe!"

Tao Feng laughed as if he had expected this. "Brother Yu, do not worry. We are already pooling the funds, and your share will be included. You only need to board the ship and head overseas!"

"No!"

Yu Ye shook his head, refusing. "It is not easy for you all to raise money. I will find another way!"

Tao Feng asked in surprise, "Brother Yu, why must you be this way..."

"Many thanks to Brother Tao and everyone for your kindness!"

Yu Ye remained stubborn and asked, "I don't know where this ship is; could you tell me the details?"

Tao Feng exchanged glances with the others and said, "Ten miles west of Longgang, there is another pier. The ship belongs to the Chen family. We have already made an agreement to set sail in three days. In these three days, how do you intend to raise a thousand gold?"

Yu Ye cupped his hands and said, "Many thanks, Brother Tao. I have noted this favor. As for what happens later, you need not trouble yourselves with my affairs!"

"Brother Yu, I truly do not understand you, sigh..."

Tao Feng started to speak, then stopped, sighed, and rose to leave. Yu Xin, Luo Chen, An Yunsheng, and He Qingnian also looked helpless and took their leave one by one. Only Meng Qingqing lingered a moment longer, staring intently at Yu Ye, and sent a voice transmission:

"Why are you so cold and unfeeling?"

Yu Ye turned to look at the night scene outside the window and whispered, "If I were truly cold and unfeeling, would those fellow cultivators have been able to leave Beiqi Mountain alive?"

"Yu Ye, do not be so full of yourself."

Meng Qingqing cast a resentful glance at him and turned to walk away.

Yu Ye leaned by the window, silently breathing in the sea breeze.

Reuniting with Tao Feng and the others this time, they had shown sincerity, yet he remained indifferent and kept them at a distance.

Was he truly being full of himself, or were Tao Feng and the others being too calculating?

However, the fact that there was another pier in Huazhou Town was unexpected.

A thousand gold for the fare?

If he couldn't board the ship without money, he couldn't just give up on his trip to Qizhou. As for the outcome, he would find out more before deciding what to do.

Yu Ye closed the window and flicked his sleeve.

In an instant, the oil lamp went out with a "puff," the door swung shut with a "clack," and the bolt slid into place with a "bang."

Yu Ye curled his lips and shook his head secretly.

The movement was a bit too loud; his control of force was not yet fluid.

He walked to the bamboo couch, sat down, took out a spirit stone, and closed his eyes...

The next morning, Yu Ye rose early.

The guest rooms on either side were shrouded in a layer of magical energy. It was clear that Tao Feng, Yu Xin, Meng Qingqing, and the others had all set up defensive formations in their quarters.

He left the inn and walked west along the street.

The town's streets were paved with gravel and were quite level. Walking along them, dipping up and down, passing through houses or crossing streams shaded by old trees, there was a sense of quiet charm.

A short while later, the terrain gradually rose, and the houses became sparse. The stone ridge ahead rose up like the head of a dragon, possessing a remarkable atmosphere. A narrow path with cart tracks wound around the stone ridge and descended. The sound of waves could be heard faintly, like the breathing of a giant dragon. Reaching the spot, he looked up to see a snow-white waterfall pouring from the stone ridge, mist rising and rainbows circling it—a magnificent sight like a giant dragon spitting water.

Past Longgang, the mountain path wound around.

A few miles away lay a valley. Within the embrace of the mountains, there was another bay.

Yu Ye quickened his pace.

The sun rose, and his shadow stretched out under the morning light, only to disappear into the dense forest, while the sound of the waves grew louder.

In a moment, the view opened up.

The valley was only a few miles across, half dense forest, half bay. In the bay, there was a pier with several small boats and one large ship moored there.

Yu Ye wove through the bushes and headed straight for the pier.

The large ship was over ten zhang long and two or three zhang high, entirely black with peeling paint. A cabin structure was built at the stern, the bow curved high, and three masts stood in the middle, piled with thick sails. On the deck and the pier, several sturdy men were moving cargo.

"No loitering!"

Just as Yu Ye was about to take a closer look, someone shouted loudly.

Two shirtless men approached, both brawny and fierce-looking.

Yu Ye had to stop and cupped his hands. "Brothers, is this the ship heading to Qizhou?"

The two men squinted at him, their expressions suspicious.

"So what if it is?"

"Oh, I am looking to secure passage overseas. Could you do me a favor?"

"You...?"

Looking at Yu Ye’s attire, the two men shook their heads and waved their hands.

"Go away, we don't have time to joke with you!"

"Brothers, I am not joking. May I ask when it departs, what the fare is, and if it is indeed a thousand gold..."

"I suppose it doesn't hurt to tell you; we set sail in two days. But even if you come up with a thousand gold, it is useless without the consent of the Young Master of the Manor!"

"Young Master? What is his name, and how can I find him?"

"You don't even know the Young Master's name, yet you dare to make a racket here? Scram!"

The two men lost patience and waved him away.

Yu Ye could not risk a confrontation and backed off, but he kept his eyes fixed on the ship, his gaze gleaming.

Since he had found the ship and confirmed the sailing date, as long as he was determined to board, who could stop him? And he remembered Tao Feng saying the ship belonged to the Chen family.

Not far from the pier, hidden among trees, was a manor.

Was that where the Chen family resided?

Yu Ye was about to walk over when a strand of divine sense swept across him. He reached up to pull his straw hat lower, stopping in his tracks, disbelieving.

The divine sense was quite powerful, indicating that the opponent's cultivation was also far superior to his own. And such a powerful sense came from that manor a hundred yards away.

The Chen family was hiding a cultivator?

If so, this was truly troublesome.

If the Chen family possessed a high-level cultivator, and he couldn't pay the fare or get the Young Master's consent, he really would have no chance of boarding this ship!

Yu Ye dared not be careless and turned back the way he came.

Half an hour later, he returned to Huazhou Town.

Yu Ye did not go back to the inn but wandered the streets.

He was anxious to uncover the secrets of the Chen family but dared not be reckless. He wanted to raise the fare but had no plan. Did he really have to bow to Tao Feng and the others?

The streets were bustling, filled with the cries of peddlers and a lively atmosphere.

Yu Ye strolled aimlessly, looking around. Just as he was feeling frustrated, his expression shifted slightly.

There was a shop in front of him.

A banner hung before the door, inscribed with four large characters: "Herb Shop of a Hundred Grasses."