When Yan Nujiao saw Hu Xiaotian's face, she could not hide the disappointment in her lovely eyes. She sighed inwardly. How could he possibly come here? He should be comfortably serving as city lord in Eastern Liang Commandery. Why would he come to this lonely island in the boundless sea? Have I been bewitched? Why am I thinking about him every moment of the day?
Hu Xiaotian did not avoid Yan Nujiao's gaze. He stared straight at her, deliberately putting on a look of soul-stealing infatuation. Yan Nujiao inwardly reproached the pirate for his rudeness and could not help frowning.
Yan Boguang, however, did not notice Hu Xiaotian. Facing the cold wind, he sneezed three times in succession. "This damned weather! It can't compare with the warmth of our Western Sichuan."
Lu Qingyuan chuckled. "You're quite right, Young Master Yan. The winds are strong and the waves fierce out at sea. We have weather like this for half the year."
Yan Boguang hunched his neck into his shoulders. "Let's go. Let's get to the Crystal Palace as soon as possible."
Lu Qingyuan had Yang Yuan and Hu Xiaotian lead the way. Yang Yuan had apparently caught a cold from the chill and sneezed incessantly along the way. Hu Xiaotian had never been to this Crystal Palace either. He walked beside Yang Yuan, observing the surrounding paths and terrain and silently committing them to memory.
After leaving the Listening to the Waves Courtyard and walking a little over two li north, they entered Flying Dragon Peak, one of Python Jiao Island's five peaks. Though the mountain was not high, the path was rugged, steep, and difficult to negotiate. With the fierce wind added to the mix, every step became exceptionally hard.
They had only just reached the mountain path when a