March 3, 754 (Astrological Calendar)
The rainbow that had enveloped Rainbow Island year-round gradually dissipated, revealing the Rainbow Island itself. People came from all directions and eventually converged here.
"The sky is clear and the sun is shining. What a wonderful day this year!" Young woman Jiang Xiaobei stretched and felt refreshed.
She had short hair, a mischievous nose, and a pair of bright, mischievous eyes. She looked about 14 or 15 years old, with a youthful air about her.
"We only get to see the sky for these three days each year. It's so boring!"
"The sky is so high and blue. Take a deep breath, ah... it feels like the air is different." The boys, who were about the same age as Jiang Xiaobei, complained while rolling their eyes, their excitement overflowing.
"This isn't the time to discuss that. Look, so many big ships are coming!" Jiang Xiaobei pointed to the densely packed ships sailing towards the dock, her eyes gleaming with golden light.
Every year on the opening day of Rainbow Island, these junior guides have a great opportunity to make money.
"Wow, is that the Treasure Ship?" The boys suddenly gaped and exclaimed in unison. They discovered that among the ships, the enormous Treasure Ship stood out like a crane among the crowd.
"Judging from the flags on the ship, it should be the Xiao Family's Treasure Ship. The Xiao Family is a first-rate power, and they're very wealthy. Brothers, whoever gets to seize it gets to keep it!"
A group of teenagers rushed over and excitedly surrounded the dock, volunteering themselves to the Xiao Family family. Soon, one of the teenagers was chosen as their guide. The others, slightly disappointed, returned.
"Wow, this time it's the Hua family's Treasure Ship!"
"Are those the Fang Family's elite shield-wielding soldiers? They're amazing..."
The teenagers gasped in amazement, their eyes shining with excitement. The annual opening of Rainbow Island was a grand event. All factions would seize this opportunity to demonstrate their strength to the world.
As time went by, the number of boys gradually decreased. Eventually, from a large group, only one boy remained.
"Seventh Sister, if we don't act soon, all the top-tier forces will be plundered!" a lackey said anxiously.
"What's the rush?" Jiang Xiaobei rolled her eyes. She was the most experienced, her eyes gleaming as she said, "Among the top-tier forces, the most powerful Iron Family hasn't even made their appearance yet."
" The Iron Family?"
"Even top-tier forces vary in strength. The Iron Family is widely recognized as the number one force in the All-Star Archipelago. I, Jiang Xiaobei, am the best guide on Rainbow Island, so naturally I should choose the most powerful force," Jiang Xiaobei said proudly.
"As expected of Seventh Sister." The boys around her looked at Jiang Xiaobei with admiration.
"They're here!" Jiang Xiaobei's eyes lit up as she looked towards the dock. There, a powerful fleet was slowly approaching. On the large, black sails was a huge, bright red character for "Iron".
Under Jiang Xiaobei's eager gaze, wherever the Iron Family's warship went, ships from all sides swerved to the sides, making way for the central channel.
"This is the strongest Iron Family!" Jiang Xiaobei was thrilled. This was the Iron Family she knew, and through this small scene, their Iron Family was on full display!
"Such a powerful aura, completely different from other forces..." The teenagers around him also stared wide-eyed, mouths agape.
But at that moment, another fleet suddenly cut in from the side. The flagship of the leading Treasure Ship had a bow that resembled an eagle spreading its wings.
Wherever it went, all the ships hurriedly retreated. In an instant, it outshone the Iron Family's fleet in terms of momentum.
"Wow! Seventh Sister, whose fleet is this? It's so powerful! Even the Iron Family couldn't beat it!" The teenagers immediately erupted in excitement.
"How could this be?" Jiang Xiaobei stared wide-eyed at the approaching Treasure Ship. Treasure Ship, with the character "Shu" prominently displayed on them.
"Shu? Which organization is this?" Jiang Xiaobei was completely baffled. She racked her brains, trying to recall everything. But in her memory, there was no such first-rate organization.
Rainbow Island is isolated from the world year-round, except for these three days, and is perpetually shrouded in a seven-colored rainbow. Of course, there are some special channels that can penetrate the rainbow and communicate with the outside world, but these are definitely not something a tomboy like her could master.
"I'm leaving now!" Her eyes darted around, then she suddenly turned and ran.
"General, would you like a guide? I, Jiang Xiaobei, am the best guide on Rainbow Island! I know the details of almost everyone on Rainbow Island. If you're looking to recruit generals, you've come to the right place. If you want to compete for the treasures on the Rainbow Bridge this year, I, Xiaoqi, have historical data summarizing the best locations for grabbing the treasures. Only 20 Earth-Fiend Stone Coin per day..." Jiang Xiaobei rushed onto the dock, her lips moving rapidly, offering her services.
"Go away, go away, where did this little brat come from?" Wu Datou waved his hand impatiently, shooing Jiang Xiaobei aside. He muttered to himself, "20 Earth-Fiend Stone Coin? Do they really think I'm a lamb to the slaughter?"
Jiang Xiaobei secretly scoffed, a look of disappointment flashing in her eyes, her impression of the Shu Clan plummeting even further.
"20 Earth-Fiend Stone Coin? Hehehe, you're quite confident. I'll hire you. If you perform well, I'll give you another 10 Earth-Fiend Stone Coin." Just then, a voice reached Jiang Xiaobei's ears.
"Young Island Master." Upon seeing the newcomer, Wu Datou quickly bowed and stepped aside.
"What? So you're not in charge after all..." Jiang Xiaobei pouted at Wu Datou, then suddenly felt a darkness before her eyes.
She looked up and saw an extremely handsome and imposing man looking at her with gentle eyes.
For no apparent reason, she suddenly tensed up, involuntarily took a step back, and her Adam's apple bobbed.
For a fleeting moment, she had a strange feeling. It was as if she saw a mountain.
Upon closer inspection, Jiang Xiaobei's heart began to pound. He was so tall and handsome. His eyes were so sharp, it seemed they could see right through people...
"Jiang Xiaobei, lead the way. I'm going to Huang Xiao's residence." Chu Yun found the young woman in front of him quite interesting. As soon as she appeared, none of the surrounding boys showed any interest in competing with her. Clearly, she was right; she was indeed the best guide.
Rainbow Island will only be open for three days. Starting from the afternoon of the first day, Rainbow Bridge will fly over. He is unfamiliar with the area and needs a guide.
"Ah, Young Master Shu, you're looking for Uncle Huang Xiao?" Jiang Xiaobei was stunned for a moment, almost thinking she had misheard.
"Hey! Listen up, you tomboy! My young island master's surname is Chu, not Shu," Wu Datou chimed in from the side.
Jiang Xiaobei immediately became suspicious. She couldn't help but look back, and indeed, the flag on the ship bore the large character "Shu." It was a ship belonging to the Shu Clan, but it belonged to the young island lord, Chu. Just who was this person?
etc.
Her eyes suddenly sharpened as she saw the elite soldiers who were following behind.
"Two elite forces!" She was shocked, and a look of surprise appeared in her eyes. She had never heard of any force in the All-Star Archipelago that could possess two elite forces at the same time.
"One is a sea shark elite soldier, what kind of soldier is the other?" She didn't recognize the copper bell elite soldiers yet. Her gaze was fixed on the demon swords carried on the soldiers' backs and the copper bells at their waists, and she couldn't help but stare blankly.
"What, you don't know where Huang Xiao lives?" Chu Yun asked again at this moment.
Jiang Xiaobei unconsciously uttered a few "ahs," then suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Uncle Huang Xiao is a celebrity on Rainbow Island, how could I not know him?"
"Then lead the way and tell me about his recent situation while you're at it," Chu Yun nodded and said.
"Uncle Huang Xiao, he's always had a terrible time. He has such a bad temper, he's never been popular. He's been on Rainbow Island for so many years, always saying he wants to find his own wise master. It's a pity he's too weak, but he still puts on airs. Hehe, actually there are quite a few Spirit Beast Master on Rainbow Island who possess Great Demon. I know all of them." Jiang Xiaobei advised veiledly as they walked.
"Young Island Master, these Spirit Beast Master are all generals; if we're late, they'll be snatched up by others," Wu Datou said anxiously.
"Yes, I know what I'm doing. I'll go check on him first," Chu Yun replied.
At the same time, he thought to himself, "In my memory, Huang Xiao was only known as someone who was unknown and not valued by others. Now it seems that everyone has a prejudice against Huang Xiao. Huang Xiao is the future leader of the Three Divine Generals, and it's quite interesting that he is misunderstood like this."
Huang Xiao's dwelling was located in an extremely remote corner. It was just a dilapidated thatched hut, a stark contrast to the other people's homes.
A small ditch flowed slowly past the thatched hut. A thick layer of rotten leaves had piled up on it, and a stench filled the air.
"Actually, the young island master can go to other places first to recruit people. Anyway, very few people come to Uncle Huang Xiao's place all year round. Uncle Huang, Uncle Huang, are you home?" Jiang Xiaobei walked to the door, shouted, and pounded on the door.
The men's clothes weren't locked, and Jiang Xiaobei simply punched them open.
As soon as the door opened, an even stronger stench hit her nose. Jiang Xiaobei immediately frowned, pinched her nose, and exclaimed, "Uncle Huang Xiao, what are you doing? You're still carrying manure to water the vegetables at this hour!"
A middle-aged man, dressed in a coarse hemp cloth, with a stinking bucket of excrement beside him, was using a bamboo pole and a large dung ladle to fertilize and water his vegetables.
He had a high forehead and cheekbones, which made his small, narrow eyes appear sunken in their sockets. He had a large frame, but his complexion was sallow and thin, giving him an appearance of extreme thinness.
" Huang Xiao ... No wonder people have misunderstandings and prejudices." Chu Yun was stunned. He found it hard to connect the scene before him with his memories. But the other person was indeed Huang Xiao, that was for sure.
"Uncle, you come here every year around this time to carry manure and water the vegetables. You're driving people away with the stench. If you keep going like this, you'll never meet your wise master in your entire life," Jiang Xiaobei complained.
"I do this every day at this time, why should I change it? In the past, the ruler of the Jianghan Kingdom visited Zhuge Ming three times before finally persuading him to join his cause. A true wise ruler has a broad mind and is eager to seek out talented people. How could he be driven away by a slight stench? In other words, those who are driven away by the stench cannot see my great talent, and therefore are not wise rulers. Why should I regret it?"
Huang Xiao remained unmoved, not even glancing at Chu Yun, and continued to pour manure spoonful by spoonful.
[. b. m]
.
.