A few days later, outside Three Rivers City.
A massive spirit boat slowly approached. Numerous sword-bearing puppets stood on its deck, while the figure standing at the prow and gazing into the distance was the only living person aboard.
He had sword-like brows and starry eyes, a rather handsome face, and an unrestrained bearing. At a glance, one could tell he was not someone who liked being bound by rules.
Yet this unrestrained wanderer now wore a face full of worry, his expression so grave it seemed water might drip from it.
"Fellow Daoist Jinglong, Three Rivers City lies ahead.
"With Fellow Daoist Qin and Fellow Daoist Lang assisting us this time, we will certainly kill that Golden Mountain Rat in one stroke. There is no need for you to worry so much."
A streak of light descended, revealing a middle-aged man with a goatee. Waving a feather fan, he spoke with complete confidence.
"Then I shall borrow Mountain Master Yang's auspicious words."
Daoist Jinglong was not reassured by this, but he could not very well slight Yang Lin, so he forced out a faint smile in reply.
"Haha, Mountain Master Yang, aren't those words somewhat insulting to us brothers?"
Several streaks of light descended nearby along with a hearty laugh, revealing four figures.
Two of them came respectively from Lingyun Valley and Wanren Cliff. Like Yang Lin of Taibao Mountain, they belonged to forces neighboring the Seven Swords Sect.
Together, the four of them formed the first group assembled for this expedition.
The other two men, who resembled each other by seventy or eighty percent, were helpers Daoist Jinglong had invited from elsewhere, just like Qin Meirou and the others.
Both had bare upper bodies that displayed extremely sturdy muscles, with a black and a white heavy sword strapped