Yet the Wind Came Among the Clouds

Jiang Che stood at the stern. Even with Luo Wenling shielding him from the front, fierce winds still seemed to rush at him from every direction.

It was a little hard to bear, but bear it he must. If he could not withstand even this much wind, he would feel rather ashamed.

So he quietly stirred his Inner Force.

At first, he could manage by stubbornly holding out like this, but as time wore on, he began to feel his strength flagging.

He gritted his teeth, thinking, Just a little longer. Just then, the fierce wind battering his face suddenly faltered, then seemed to be blocked entirely by something invisible. All around him, everything instantly fell still.

Jiang Che froze for a moment and looked ahead, only to find Luo Wenling watching him with a mischievous expression.

He had been toyed with.

He understood that well enough, but not a trace of annoyance showed on his face. He merely cupped his hands and bowed, saying with complete sincerity:

"Thank you, Senior Brother Luo."

"I was wondering just how long you were going to hold out, brat. You were almost about to give yourself an internal injury, yet you kept that straight face and refused to make a sound."

"I've made a fool of myself before you."

Luo Wenling waved a hand lazily, then suddenly flicked a finger, sending something flying toward Jiang Che.

"Here, catch."

Jiang Che raised a hand to catch it. It was a palm-sized blue cloth pouch.

"This is a storage pouch."

"Thank you for the gift, Senior Brother."

"What are you thanking me for? It's not a gift from me. You earned it yourself."

"Earned it?"

"Didn't Zong Rui put up a prize? You won, so that prize was yours by rights. It's just that his nurturing treasure is utterly useless at your current realm, so I accepted it on your behalf. Later, I'll exchange it for something else for you. Consider this storage pouch an advance."

"If you put it that way, Senior Brother Luo, I wouldn't dare accept even this pouch."

"Oh?"

"Steward Zong only offered that prize out of regard for you, Senior Brother, from beginning to end. It had nothing to do with whether I won. Since it was obtained entirely through your standing, it belongs to you and should not be counted as mine. Never mind exchanging it for something for me later-I shouldn't even take this storage pouch."

His words were clear and orderly, without the slightest ambiguity.

Luo Wenling pointed a finger at Jiang Che and sighed, shaking his head. "Honestly, you're so young-how are you already this dull? Stop acting so sensible. What's yours is yours. Put it away and quit fussing. I, Luo Wenling, have no need to take advantage of a brat like you!"

With things put that plainly, any further refusal from Jiang Che would only seem affected:

"Then... it would be discourteous of me to refuse. For everything you've done this time, I still owe you my thanks, Senior Brother."

Luo Wenling could not be bothered to argue with him over such matters anymore. He turned to face the boundless sea of clouds ahead and stood with his hands behind his back, saying nothing further.

After flying among the clouds for a little over a day and a night, they reached their destination.

As they descended beneath the clouds, Jiang Che gazed into the distance over the railing. Mountain ranges stretched endlessly like dragons, spiritual radiance flowing everywhere-here like flying rainbows piercing valleys, there like stars falling into forests. Even from far away, a vast, pure, and majestic presence swept toward him.

The Flying Boat stopped outside the mountain gate and went no farther. Presumably, there was a rule prohibiting flight within.

Putting away the Flying Boat, Luo Wenling led Jiang Che through the mountain gate and up the steps.

After walking for roughly two hours, they reached a hall built against the mountainside. A plaque hung above its doors, bearing the name-Verdant Mist Hall.

Upon entering, they found a senior brother in blue robes on duty inside. He looked up, spotted Luo Wenling, and immediately perked up, rising to greet him with a smile:

"Well, if it isn't Junior Brother Luo! What a rare visitor!"

Luo Wenling was clearly acquainted with him and replied casually, "Senior Brother Zhang Pou, I trust you've been well. I was passing by, so I brought someone over to register."

At that, the senior brother named Zhang Pou turned his gaze to Jiang Che and looked him up and down, then turned back to Luo Wenling with a smile. "Since Senior Brother Luo brought him personally, is he a new disciple joining Jingxiao Peak?"

"No." Luo Wenling shook his head. "He came through a local prefecture-and-county recommendation quota while I was acting head of the Willow Source outer sect. Just a registered disciple."

"Oh..." Some of the eagerness faded from Zhang Pou's eyes, though he remained courteous. "Then should we... give him a little extra care?"

"No need. Just follow the rules. I merely brought him along because I was heading this way."

With that, he lingered no longer. Giving Jiang Che a slight nod, he turned and strode out of the hall without so much as looking back.

Watching that figure leave, Jiang Che felt somewhat disappointed, but he understood.

Luo Wenling had merely given him a helping hand after hearing a word of praise from True Disciple Yu Cheng. That was as far as it went. They were neither kin nor close friends; could he really expect the man to favor him like a beloved son or nephew?

After Senior Brother Luo left, Zhang Pou lost all his earlier warmth. He was not cold, however, and simply asked in an ordinary tone:

"Name, place of origin, and which prefecture and county recommended you?"

Jiang Che answered each question.

Zhang Pou recorded his answers, then examined the accompanying documents from Willow Source. Once he had verified everything, he took a dark blue-green waist token from a box behind the desk:

"This is a registered disciple's waist token. Keep it safe. With it, you can collect your allotment from the sect and enter or leave the lower compound."

Jiang Che accepted it with both hands and thanked him.

Zhang Pou nodded slightly, then raised his voice toward the interior of the hall. "Zhang Erguo! Come here and take a newcomer to the lower compound!"

Before his words had faded, a slightly plump figure came rolling out of a corner of the hall.

"Coming, coming!"

He was young, short, and stout, with a round face wreathed in smiles.

First, he bowed to Zhang Pou with cupped hands, then grinned at Jiang Che and said:

"Well, we'll be fellow disciples from now on! I'm Zhang Erguo. Come on, come on, follow me. I'll take you there."

Jiang Che returned the courtesy and followed him out of the Verdant Mist Hall, heading down another mountain path.

Zhang Erguo was the sort whose mouth never rested. All along the way, he asked about this and that, while Jiang Che chatted with him intermittently.

Halfway there, the little fatty finally unrolled the map to reveal the dagger beneath:

"...Junior Brother, you've only just arrived, and you don't know the people or the place. There's a great deal to learn about how to get by in the Azure Mystic Sect. Your senior brother here may not amount to much, but I've been around a fair while. Listen to a few words from me, and you'll avoid many a detour. For just ten spirit stone chips, I'll pass my knowledge on to you. Guaranteed to be worth more than the price!"

Hearing him spout nonsense with such solemn conviction, Jiang Che found the fellow's manner of speaking rather amusing. Instead of getting annoyed, he gave him a sidelong look with the ghost of a smile and said leisurely:

"Oh? Ten spirit stone chips for a few words from you? Senior Brother Zhang, guiding me is an official duty assigned by the Verdant Mist Hall, isn't it? Taking a public assignment, doing what your duties already require, and collecting spirit stones privately-wouldn't that count as soliciting a bribe?"

Zhang Erguo had still been grinning, but the moment he heard "soliciting a bribe," the smile froze on his round face:

"You mustn't say things like that! Your senior brother was only making an offhand joke. You certainly can't call it soliciting a bribe. If you don't want to hear it, I won't say anything. Don't go slapping such a heavy label on me!"

"But wouldn't it be a shame not to say anything? When Senior Brother Luo brought me here, he guarded his words like gold and told me very little. I really don't know how things work within the Azure Mystic Main Gate."

Zhang Erguo's eyes went wide. "Senior Brother Luo? Which Senior Brother Luo? Luo Wenling?"

"Yes. Is Senior Brother Luo very famous in the sect?"

"Famous? He's nothing less than the foremost figure beneath the True Disciples!"