Journey to Azure Province

Yun Yuan County City's walls towered high, far grander than any town Lu Shaoyou had seen before.

The walls were built from massive stones, mottled by the marks of time, lending them an even more solemn air.

Carriages and horses thronged the city gate, while people streamed through like woven threads. Peddlers and laborers, merchants and wealthy travelers—people of every kind moved endlessly to and fro.

The city guards wore armor and carried weapons, their sharp eyes inspecting the travel permits of those entering the city. Whenever an inspection grew particularly thorough, it stirred a small commotion among the passersby.

Compared to the loneliness of the mountains and forests, and the bloody slaughter at Black Wind Village not long ago, this place seemed like another world.

Lu Shaoyou paid the entry fee and silently followed the crowd into the city, his calm gaze sweeping over his surroundings.

Shops lined both sides of the streets, tavern banners fluttered in the wind, and cries of vendors rose and fell amid the clatter of hooves and carriage wheels. It was a scene of bustling prosperity.

Before he had gone far, he saw a large crowd gathered beneath a wall ahead. They craned their necks, pointed at something, and talked animatedly among themselves.

Without drawing attention, Lu Shaoyou approached. With his exceptional hearing, he easily caught every word of their conversation.

"Have you heard? Lu Family Village—ah, the whole village was slaughtered! What a tragedy!" A shrill voice trembled with fear.

"My heavens, what kind of madman would do something so utterly heartless? Even women and children were spared?"

"The notice says it plain as day. It was done by the bandits of Black Wind Village! Those beasts!"

"Black Wind Village? Those damned devils! They've run wild for so many years. Is the government finally going to do something about them?" a man said indignantly.

"More than do something! Didn't you see what it says below? Black Wind Village has already been wiped out by an unknown righteous hero! Even Village Chief Li Batian lost his head!"

"Is that true? Li Batian was a ruthless character! They say his martial arts were extraordinary, and his hands were stained with the blood of many!"

A louder cry of alarm rose from the crowd, mingled with sharp gasps of disbelief.

Lu Shaoyou squeezed through the crowd and looked up at the yellow paper notice posted on the wall.

The notice had been issued by the County Governor's Office. Its wording was forceful as it first denounced the Black Wind Village bandits' monstrous crime of slaughtering Lu Family Village, a crime too vast to be recorded even on bamboo slips.

Then its tone shifted, declaring that an unnamed righteous hero had acted on Heaven's behalf, stormed Black Wind Village alone, and exterminated the bandits, avenging the wrongful deaths of more than a hundred souls from Lu Family Village.

The authorities were also offering a reward for information regarding that righteous hero. Their words carried a clear intent to recruit him, with generous rewards promised.

At the bottom was the bright red seal of the Yun Yuan County Governor, vivid and glaring.

It seems the authorities already know, Lu Shaoyou thought.

After reading it, he felt no great stir in his heart. He turned and left the crowd.

"Welcome Inn."

Lu Shaoyou stopped before a building. After a brief moment of thought, he stepped inside.

"Esteemed guest, are you here for a meal or a room?" Seeing a customer enter, the waiter hurried over, his face piled high with smiles.

"One upper room. Send some wine and dishes up to my room as well." Lu Shaoyou tossed him a piece of broken silver.

"Right away, esteemed guest! Please head upstairs—Heaven Room Number Three!" The waiter accepted the silver, and his smile became all the more genuine.

The room was simply furnished but clean. Lu Shaoyou washed up, then changed out of the clothes that carried traces of dust and a faint scent of blood.

Before long, the food and wine arrived: four small dishes, a plate of peanuts, and a pot of local cloudy wine.

Lu Shaoyou ate by himself, then casually asked, "Waiter, I'd like to ask you about a place."

The waiter was briefly taken aback, then smiled. "Please, esteemed guest, ask away. I've been in this county city for more than ten years. I know every street, every alley, every nook and cranny."

"Azure Province. Do you know how to get there?"

The waiter's hands paused slightly. He looked up at Lu Shaoyou, his expression turning a little strange, before lowering his voice. "Esteemed guest, you're going to Azure Province?"

"That's right." Lu Shaoyou's tone remained even.

"Oh, that place isn't very peaceful." The waiter shook his head, a trace of apprehension appearing on his face. "Leaving aside how far away it is, I hear things over there are chaotic. Trouble breaks out every other day."

"Oh? What kind of chaos?" Lu Shaoyou took out another small piece of broken silver and placed it on the table.

The waiter's eyes lit up. He discreetly accepted the tip, and his smile broadened. "Esteemed guest, you've asked the right person. I see travelers come and go all day, and I've heard quite a bit from those wandering heroes who travel north and south."

He leaned closer. "They say Azure Province is so far from the emperor that the mountains are high, and the government's power is terribly weak—little more than decoration. The ones truly calling the shots are the martial sects, large and small."

"The sects control everything?" Lu Shaoyou's brows shifted slightly. That was somewhat different from what he had expected.

"Isn't that the truth!" the waiter sighed, his tone carrying a hint of envy and even more fear. "Taxes, docks, mines, even the governance of certain cities—all of it is held in those sects' hands. Ordinary people can only act according to their moods."

"Among them, there's one called the Blood Saber Sect. In Azure Province, it's extremely famous—or rather, infamous for its ferocity."

Lu Shaoyou's hand paused halfway to his teacup, and the tea inside rippled gently.

"Blood Saber Sect?" His voice betrayed no emotion.

"That's right, the Blood Saber Sect!" Fear entered the waiter's voice, as if he had mentioned some flood beast or savage monster. "They say the sect acts tyrannically and viciously. They have many disciples, and not a single one is decent. At the slightest disagreement, they draw their blades."

"In Azure Province, merely mentioning the Blood Saber Sect is enough to make children too afraid to cry at night!"

Lu Shaoyou set down his teacup. Its base struck the tabletop with a soft sound.

It seemed Ling Mo had indeed gone to seek refuge with a troublesome force. No wonder he had nothing to fear.

"From Yun Yuan County to Azure Province, traveling by water is the fastest route. Follow the Yunmeng River downstream, and you can enter Azure Province in roughly three to five days," the waiter added, offering some useful information.

"Thank you."

"You're too polite, esteemed guest. Please enjoy." The waiter bowed deeply and withdrew. At the door, he did not forget to turn back and add in a low voice, "Esteemed guest, if you can avoid going to Azure Province, you'd best not go. It truly isn't a good place."

Lu Shaoyou nodded with a smile but said nothing.

Early the next morning.

The sky had only begun to brighten when Lu Shaoyou checked out. In the city, he purchased some dried provisions, changes of clothes, quality wound medicine, and other necessities.

Afterward, he headed straight for the ferry dock outside the city.

The dock outside Yun Yuan County City was quite busy. The morning river breeze carried a hint of moisture and felt slightly cool against his face.

Ships large and small came and went without pause: merchant vessels laden with cargo and fishing boats carrying passengers. The shouts of boatmen and the clamor of travelers blended into one.

Lu Shaoyou found a boatman who looked honest and dependable, settled on a price, and hired an inconspicuous small sailboat for himself alone.

"Young man, sit tight. We're setting off!" The boatman was a man of about fifty, dark-skinned, his face carved with wind and frost. Seeing Lu Shaoyou pay so readily, he grinned, revealing yellowed teeth. With a shout, he pushed off with his pole.

The sailboat swayed as it left the dock and joined the broad river current. Its bow plowed through the waves as it drifted slowly downstream with the surging waters, heading toward Azure Province.

Green mountains stretched along both banks, and water birds occasionally skimmed across the river. The scenery was quite lovely.

But Lu Shaoyou had no heart to appreciate it. He sat cross-legged at the bow, his eyes closed in quiet meditation.

The road ahead was long, but blood debts had to be repaid.

Azure Province—he was coming.