While the Four Rivers forces fiercely attacked Startling Waves and Turbulent Currents, Xing Yan patiently stayed in seclusion with Qiong Rong for her safety, taking no part in the fighting. After only a few days, however, he felt this was no lasting solution. Rather than let that formidable enemy lurk in the shadows, ready to strike at any moment, he reasoned, he ought to devise a way to eliminate the threat himself.
Leaving aside Xing Yan, who had settled on a plan and gone to make his preparations in secret, let us return to Rain Master Juntai, the man who robbed others of sleep and appetite. Since receiving Meng Zhang's stern orders, this handsome, graceful young lord had redoubled his efforts at coaxing and deception. In truth, even without his lord's command, Qiong Rong's sweet smiles and charming words had already engraved themselves upon his heart. How could one failure make him give up?
Besides, although he had failed once, he had also gained experience. Before, he had needed to steal about and spy to determine Qiong Rong's whereabouts. After their last encounter, particularly after the little girl had attacked him herself, finding her had become much easier.
Through painstaking searches over the past few days, he had gained a very clear picture of Qiong Rong's movements. The little girl had first stayed for several days on Nine Wells Isle, newly captured by the Four Rivers forces, then moved to the Cloud Pass of Emerald Trees in the Divine Tree Archipelago, where she remained. It made sense: although Nine Wells Isle was heavily garrisoned, it had just endured a bloody battle and was practically a barren wasteland. How could it compare with the fragrant, emerald isles of the Sea of Jade? Upon discovering that Qiong Rong had reached the vicinity