The summer sun blazed, and the heat rose in waves.
"Eldest Senior Brother!"
"Eldest Senior Brother!"
Zhao Yi, who had been dozing in the pavilion, woke to the calls and groggily sat upright.
Clatter!
The book on his chest fell to the ground. Without picking it up, he grabbed the teapot beside him and gulped down several large mouthfuls.
Setting down the teapot, he turned toward the young Taoist novice running over from the distance. Several wisps of fine hair, soaked with sweat, clung to the boy's rosy little face.
Reaching him, the boy said breathlessly, "Eldest Senior Brother, someone came to the dock! Fourth Senior Brother met him while patrolling the sea and has already brought him to the foot of the mountain. Second Senior Brother sent me to tell you!"
"Who came?"
The young novice shook his head blankly. "I don't know."
"All right, Wang Ping. Come on, let's go meet him!"
"Yes, Eldest Senior Brother!"
Wang Ping bent down, picked up the book, and placed it on the stone table.
Wang Ping was a disciple newly admitted the year before last, in the year 5495 of the Yuangguang Calendar.
Time flew. It was now 5497. Three years had passed, and Linghua Island remained much as it had been. The island had not changed, but everyone's cultivation had.
Liu Yu had already reached perfection of meridian opening. These days, he tended the Spirit Field on the island, along with several dozen newly planted low-grade spirit medicines.
Wang Qing lived on Jade Pearl Island, raising Spirit Fish, and had reached great completion of meridian opening.
Li Hai had entered the Meridian Opening stage early last year and had already reached minor achievement of meridian opening. His progress was remarkably fast.
His daily duty was patrolling the sea, departing from Linghua Island in the morning and returning from Jade Pearl Island in the afternoon. Rain or shine, he patrolled without fail every day.
As for Zhao Yi, his essence had already reached perfection. These days, he read the True Explanation of the Yuanhua Dao Text every day, studying Daoist Script.
This was also one of the most common and widely applicable methods of improving mental power mentioned in the Record of Daoist Lingqing's Cultivation Experiences.
Besides essence and spiritual essence, there was also qi essence, which required spiritual items and pills. These were precisely what Linghua Island lacked most. Over the past three years, Zhao Yi had not taken a single pill!
As they spoke, the two walked from the rear courtyard to the mountain pavilion in front of the Taoist temple.
Liu Yu was there, talking with the visitor. Seeing Zhao Yi approach, he rose to greet him. Zhao Yi was pleasantly surprised to see the visitor as well-it was Yuan Zifeng.
Looking at Yuan Zifeng in the pavilion after his long journey, Zhao Yi was delighted that his friend had come to Linghua Island to see him. His gaze shifted downward. Hmm?
Zhao Yi frowned at Yuan Zifeng's empty left sleeve.
He walked up to Yuan Zifeng and patted his shoulder, then the three sat down.
"Wang Ping, go brew a pot of tea."
"Right away, Eldest Senior Brother."
The young novice ran off.
"You wouldn't visit the Three Treasures Hall without a reason. What happened?"
Yuan Zifeng gave a bitter smile and recounted the recent events on Black Wind Island.
"The island lord failed to break through to the Spirit Attraction Stage and unfortunately passed away. The island's cultivators began fighting among themselves over his position."
"My master supported the island lord's eldest disciple, our eldest senior brother. Elder Lin supported the island lord's second disciple. The two sides came to blows over a disagreement, and both suffered losses."
"That's an internal affair of Black Wind Island. Outsiders can't interfere!" Zhao Yi said slowly after hearing this.
"I know. Losses on both sides weren't such a serious matter, but Kongqing Island took advantage of Black Wind Island having no one in charge and suddenly attacked. A cultivator from Kongqing Island cut off this arm!"
"So you came to ask us on Linghua Island to help Black Wind Island?"
Yuan Zifeng smiled bitterly and continued, "Hah! Faced with an outside enemy, Black Wind Island's cultivators have finally united. But the fighting before that grew too heated, and Black Wind Island's strength was greatly weakened."
"Meanwhile, two cultivators on Kongqing Island reached perfection of meridian opening in succession. As one side waned and the other grew stronger, Black Wind Island suffered terrible casualties."
"Besides, as you know, Black Wind Island and Kongqing Island are neighbors, only a hundred li apart. One mountain cannot hold two tigers. This struggle is bound to be a fight to the death."
After a pause, Yuan Zifeng continued, "Black Wind Island originally had four cultivators at perfection of meridian opening. After the island lord passed away, only three remained."
"When Kongqing Island attacked, my master and Elder Lin felt they had failed Black Wind Island. They fought to the death without retreating and subsequently passed away from their grievous wounds."
"Now, Eldest Senior Brother is the island's only remaining cultivator at perfection of meridian opening. He's trapped on the island, holding out."
"I came to ask Linghua Island to lend Black Wind Island a helping hand. Black Wind Island will certainly reward you generously."
Having said all this in one breath, Yuan Zifeng gazed steadily at Zhao Yi.
Just then, Wang Ping arrived with the teapot. Zhao Yi took it and poured a cup for each of the three.
"Zifeng, you've traveled a long way. Have some tea first. We'll discuss helping you in a little while."
Yuan Zifeng gave a bitter smile, lifted his cup, and slowly sipped his tea. Zhao Yi and Liu Yu exchanged a glance, then raised their cups to drink.
Setting down his cup, Liu Yu picked up the teapot and refilled Yuan Zifeng's cup. He smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Yuan, it's getting late. Stay here and rest first. We'll give you an answer tomorrow morning. Being anxious won't help much-Black Wind Island is three or four days' journey from Linghua Island."
Zhao Yi nodded. "Stay here first, and we'll talk later!"
"All right!"
That night, after entertaining Yuan Zifeng and escorting him to a side room in the Taoist temple's front courtyard to rest, the three gathered in Linghua Hall in the rear courtyard to discuss the matter.
As for Wang Ping, he was a child who went to bed early and was already asleep.
The three sat around the table, an oil lamp flickering. For a long while, no one spoke.
On the summer night, the calls of insects rose and fell among the mountains. A breeze brushed through the hills, carrying a hint of coolness from the sea.
"What do you think of this?"
"Ah, if what Fellow Daoist Yuan said is true, then Black Wind Island really is in imminent peril!"
Liu Yu sighed softly.
"Should we lend them a hand?"
"We should! Back on Little Wave Island, Fellow Daoist Yuan was the first to rush up to protect us both. We can't leave that kindness unrepaid."
"This isn't a personal favor between two people. It concerns the life and death of three islands. If we only want to repay Zifeng for delivering charcoal in the snow, we need only keep him on Linghua Island until Black Wind Island and Kongqing Island settle the outcome."
Liu Yu nodded, seemingly lost in thought.
"Eldest Senior Brother, since he saved our lives, we can't leave that debt unpaid. I'll go with you to break the siege of Black Wind Island!"
Li Hai spoke solemnly.
"Yes, that's what I was thinking too. If we decide to relieve Black Wind Island, Liu Yu and Wang Qing can't go. Wang Ping is too young, so only the two of us can go!"
Hearing this, Liu Yu glanced at Zhao Yi, who looked back at him. "That arrangement couldn't be better!"
"Senior Brother, it's been three years since you last fought. You practice your halberd techniques and study Taoist scriptures every day. How does your strength compare to three years ago?"
Zhao Yi considered this, then said slowly, "With my current strength, handling two of my former self from three years ago wouldn't be a problem!"
"So you're equivalent to two cultivators at perfection of meridian opening?"
"If it were a fight to the death, I feel I could take on three!"
"Senior Brother, I have an idea. We should go relieve Black Wind Island!"
"But we shouldn't charge straight onto Black Wind Island. We should roam outside it, looking for chances to ambush and kill Kongqing Island's cultivators and weaken their forces besieging Black Sand Island."
"That way, we can repay Fellow Daoist Yuan's kindness while also protecting ourselves better, rather than rashly putting ourselves in danger."
"Yes, that could work. There's one other question: what if Kongqing Island finds out that Linghua Island is helping Black Wind Island?"
"Senior Brother, here on Linghua Island, do we need to fear Kongqing Island?" Liu Yu asked in return.
"Hah! True enough. In that case, we'll leave first thing tomorrow morning."
"Yes, let's discuss the details."
Their voices gradually grew quieter, slowly dispersing with the wind.
Before you continue