Whoosh, whoosh-
The ferry slipped out of the harbor amid the thunderstorm and headed upstream along the Clear River.
Lights burned quietly aboard. More than thirty Incense Masters and Hall Masters patrolled back and forth through the rainy night, watching for the slightest stir on the river.
Inside the deckhouse, the tea room's doors were shut tight.
Dim candlelight illuminated every corner of the tea room, where four people sat in utter silence.
"Coo..."
Niao Niao crouched obediently on the tea table, eyeing the fruit platter nearby. Sensing that the mood was wrong, the bird craned forward several times but never dared eat.
Ye Jingtang had changed into a clean robe and sat to the right of the tea table, his expression stern and his gaze steady as he considered their current situation.
White Buddha Song Chi sat bolt upright in an armchair, his arms, shoulders, and back wrapped in bandages. His eyes shone, and he did not move a muscle.
Third Chief Chen Yuanqing paced silently through the tea room with his hands behind his back, occasionally letting out a muted sigh:
"Alas..."
As their leader, Pei Xiangjun sat rigidly upright in the seat of honor, perhaps wearing such a serious expression for the first time in her life. She stared coldly at the two fine talents seated on either side of the tea table.
Well, wonderful. The Young Master had stolen the Sky-Pacifying Sect Master's beloved wife...
The second chief had dragged the Young Master out in the middle of the night to slaughter the Contemporary Sword Saint's elder brother...
An elder brother was like a father. The blood feud of a murdered father, the hatred of a stolen wife-they had the complete set!
*With such capable right- and left-hand men supporting me, Third Lady Pei, how could