Ominous Signs

Ominous Signs

Seven days later.

Afternoon.

Huff... huff... huff...

Li Yuan wore specially weighted heavy armor to increase his load. Like a Buddha receiving reverence, he balanced on the black stone floor of the Martial Arts Stage on his toes, body lowered and curled up like a massive toad crouching on the ground, ready to leap but not yet leaping.

Heavy breaths came from his nostrils, while a faint rumbling sounded from his abdomen, like the strange low growl of a wild beast.

Feeling the breath within his abdomen compress further and further, his whole body grew restless and feverish.

Time slipped away second by second.

It was nearly evening before Li Yuan stopped training. After removing his heavy armor and returning the martial arts manual to Lord Li, he hurried toward the Dock Area in South City.

He walked swiftly through the slightly chilly wind, fists clenched, a hint of joy in his eyes. He had already grasped a trick to it and felt he was close to getting started.

At the Dock Area, just as he was about to board a Black Awning Boat, he saw another boat pulling ashore nearby. Standing at its prow was a familiar figure.

Li Yuan hurried over and called, "Brother Cai!"

Cai Ze did not react. Compared to several days ago, he seemed dazed, as though he had not slept well. Li Yuan's shout seemed not to have reached his ears at all.

Li Yuan paused, then stepped closer and raised his voice. "Brother Cai, what a coincidence."

Only then did Cai Ze hear him. He turned his head somewhat mechanically. His pupils bulged slightly, bloodshot veins spreading across the whites like twisted red worms wriggling over his eyes, making for an intensely uncomfortable sight.

At last, those pupils focused on Li Yuan.

"It's Brother Li," Cai Ze said.

"Brother Cai, you don't seem to be in very good spirits. Why not rest first?" Li Yuan said. "A day or two won't make much difference."

"Soon, soon," Cai Ze muttered. "This matter is about to come to light. Once it's settled, I can rest."

His voice was somewhat hoarse.

After thinking for a moment, Li Yuan probed, "Is it someone from the Wei Family or the Sun Family?"

Cai Ze's eyes widened as he rasped, "Maybe. Maybe not. Heh, they're about to take the bait. About to take the bait."

Seeing that something was wrong with his state, Li Yuan was wondering whether to keep trying to persuade him when Cai Ze suddenly stamped the deck and leaped ashore from the prow.

Immediately afterward, a man and a woman emerged from beneath the boat's awning. Both wore black robes trimmed in blood-red, and their overall strength was around 20. They were clearly two ninth-rank martial artists who had come to assist Cai Ze.

The man cast Li Yuan a cold glance, while the woman looked him over with considerable interest.

Cai Ze did not introduce them, and neither of them said much. They simply headed off into the distance.

Watching their retreating backs, Li Yuan felt an inexplicable heaviness and oppression in his heart.

A bleak, chilling Late Wind swept past. He came back to himself and called to the boatman of the Black Awning Boat from a distance, "Are you heading back?"

The boatman said, "I'm waiting for Lord Cai."

Li Yuan did not mind and boarded another boat.

The boat cut through the water, leaving a wake over ten feet long. The clouds at the horizon had already darkened, tinged with an unhealthy vermilion red.

After returning home, Li Yuan bathed and changed. Once he had eaten, the weight in his heart eased considerably.

Rather than going to bed, he took Yan Niangzi's hand and smiled. "Sister Yan, let's take a walk down the street."

"What for? It's a waste of money."

"I'll buy you some clothes."

"Don't my clothes look good?" Yan Niangzi turned slightly. Her blue jacket patterned with white flowers wrapped around her enticing figure, while her black fitted trousers outlined the shape of her long legs. Altogether, she looked like a graceful and pretty village girl, utterly captivating.

With regular meals, more rest, and a safe environment, Yan Yu's already lovely looks were slowly being unsealed.

"Then buy me some clothes." Li Yuan grabbed Yan Niangzi's hand. "Come on."

Yan Niangzi blushed. Doing that sort of thing on the bed in the dark was one matter, but being so intimate outside embarrassed her somewhat.

"Aunt Wang is still here..." she muttered softly, her voice carrying a trace of bashfulness.

"Aunt Wang can't see us," Li Yuan said.

Sure enough, Aunt Wang was in the corner of the courtyard washing the dinner dishes. The two little ones were being very sensible, helping her beside her.

As the pair passed by, Yan Yu called out, "Aunt Wang, my husband and I are heading out for a bit."

Aunt Wang hurriedly put down the dishes, wiped her hands on her apron, then rose and lowered her head respectfully. "Master, Madam Boss, please go about your business..."

Li Yuan and Yan Yu walked down the street. Compared to Little Ink Village, Silver Creek's night market was far livelier.

Fiery red lanterns hung in strings, illuminating the pedestrians coming and going along the long street.

All sorts of people flowed endlessly in and out of the shops.

Peddlers pushing carts and hawkers carrying their wares all shouted energetically to sell their goods.

Li Yuan spotted a cloth shop with the words "Brocade Embroidery Cloth Shop" written above it. There were quite a few customers coming and going, and it looked busy.

Li Yuan looked from afar at the fabrics inside and found them quite good. "Sister Yan, let's buy a bolt of silk to make you some clothes. The weather will warm up soon."

"No!"

"Come on."

"Oh, no. There are so many people."

Yan Niangzi protested softly, but she was still pulled into the cloth shop.

The shop assistant glanced over the pair. One wore plain cloth garments, the other a village girl's jacket. Pretending not to see them, he went to greet another customer dressed in brocade.

The instant Yan Niangzi entered the cloth shop, she felt uncomfortable all over. The men and women wandering about seemed like the lofty young masters and ladies from her past, people beyond her reach. Even standing here, she did not belong among them. It was as though they were from two different worlds.

A trace of nervousness and unease flashed through her beautiful eyes. She only wanted to escape, so she said softly and awkwardly, "Husband, let's go back."

Li Yuan glanced at the shop assistant, who acted as though they did not exist.

Li Yuan was utterly speechless.

Just then, a voice suddenly sounded.

"Isn't that Brother Li?"

Li Yuan followed the voice and saw a thin young man in brocade robes, his hair bound up, emerge from the crowd.

The young man wore a smile as he squeezed through the crowd and approached him.

Li Yuan took a closer look and recognized him as Yu Mao, the senior brother who had delivered his Blood Saber Sect uniform and saber that day. He clasped his hands and smiled. "Senior Brother Yu, what a coincidence!"

Yu Mao stepped closer and patted his shoulder warmly. "What senior brother? From now on, I'm afraid I'll have to call you senior brother."

Li Yuan paused. "Why?"

"Lord Li's personal disciple can directly enter the inner sect," Yu Mao said. "I'm from the outer sect, while you're in the inner sect. That makes you my senior brother."

Li Yuan nodded and murmured, "So that's how it is."

Before he could speak again, Yu Mao looked around. When he saw how Li Yuan and the woman beside him had been ignored, he immediately understood. He snorted coldly. "Your Brocade Embroidery Cloth Shop is getting bigger and bigger! My Senior Brother Li is standing right here, yet none of you have bothered to attend to him?"

Yu Mao was a regular customer here. At his shout, the shop assistant immediately panicked. The Madam Boss, who had been introducing this year's "new styles" to customers in the distance, also looked over, then hurriedly rushed over. After learning Li Yuan's identity and what had just happened, she apologized repeatedly, summoned the assistant and gave him a fierce scolding, then personally led the two of them to choose silks.

She selected a bolt of beige brocade with peach blossoms for Yan Niangzi and a bolt of black silk for Li Yuan. She even called over a tailor to measure them both, promising to make each of them two fine outfits, yet she absolutely refused to accept payment.

Li Yuan kept an eye on the prices around him. Before leaving, he placed seven taels of silver on the counter. By the time the Madam Boss of Brocade Embroidery Cloth Shop discovered it, he had already gone far away.

Yu Mao followed them from a distance.

Yan Niangzi linked her arm through her husband's on the left, while Yu Mao walked on his right, chatting idly with him. After a while, he finally took his leave with a smile.

Once the surroundings had grown quiet, Yan Niangzi looked at him with admiration. "Husband, your status in the Blood Saber Sect is quite high, isn't it? Every one of them is trying to curry favor with you."

Li Yuan shook his head and said nothing.

Yan Niangzi held his arm as they walked through the streets of this haven amid chaos. She murmured softly, "It feels a little like a dream."

The next day, Li Yuan went to the island as usual.

The island was in an uproar. Servants ran everywhere, while in the distance, a large ship with four rows of oars broke through the waves and docked at the pier. At its bow stood a muscular man in black robes trimmed in white, hands clasped behind his back and chest thrust out, imposing in bearing.

Behind him stood several Blood Saber Sect disciples in black robes trimmed in blood-red. From their clothing and positions alone, it was clear that this man was an important figure in the Blood Saber Sect.

Li Yuan stopped a running servant and asked, "What happened?"

The servant initially tried to break free, but when he saw it was Li Yuan, he respectfully saluted. "Lord Li, the three Blood Saber Sect lords who came to the island last night have gone missing! Everyone is searching for them in the Black Market.

"For this matter, the sect's Black Face Elder has even come in person."

"Black Face Elder..." Li Yuan's pupils constricted. He instinctively asked, "Is Cai Ze among those who disappeared?"

The servant nodded repeatedly. "Yes, Lord Cai is among them. He has gone missing too. Lord Li, if there is nothing else, I must get back to work."

"Mm."

Li Yuan released him and let the servant run off.

He stood there blankly, only coming back to himself after a long while.

At that moment, waves of chill rose across his skin, as though sharp blades were scraping over it, while his heart plunged to the bottom of the Ice Abyss.

Not long ago, he and Cai Ze had spoken of drinking together, talking of wine and romance, of strong liquor and bold ambitions. Yet before they could even drink, the man was gone.

This... was surely not some corpse-dumping case at all, but...

"Huff... huff... huff..."

He took several deep breaths and forced down the oppression and terror deep into his heart, then strode toward the North Gate of the Black Market.

He had to grow stronger as quickly as possible and break through soon, if he wanted to protect himself.