Nanzhao

While Liu Yunhe and Li Siyi were fooling around, Little Red came fluttering out of the cave.

He was quacking as he came.

The two were startled. Then Liu Yunhe cupped his hands and said:

"What instructions does the Daozi have for us?"

The Morning Rosy Clouds Duck flapped his wings and pointed into the cave with his right wing.

The two looked where his wing pointed and immediately understood. After thanking him, they followed Little Red into the cave.

At the same time, they were somewhat puzzled. Though the Morning Rosy Clouds Duck was a variant species, it was one of the most common kinds. At the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, it should have been able to speak human words, yet for some reason, it had not said a word.

The cave was dim. Only after they had walked a dozen or so steps did they see a faint light.

Going farther in, they saw Su Yao sitting cross-legged, the ancient sword Zhengji still hanging at his waist.

Seven-colored rosy light swirled around him, turning into blazing white light three feet from his body and illuminating the surroundings.

Little Red landed first, settling on the left. On the right was the Azure Empyrean Sparrow, its entire body covered in orange feathers.

The two bowed at the same time.

"Greetings, Daozi."

Su Yao nodded and looked at them. Seeing that Li Siyi's face in particular was slightly pale, he asked:

"Are you all right?"

Li Siyi shook her head.

"There's no serious harm for now. It was only a slight backlash. That person must have had some reservations and didn't dare strike too hard. I'll be fine after a couple of days' rest."

Su Yao nodded at her answer and asked again:

"Have the people from those two factions retreated?"

Liu Yunhe and Li Siyi exchanged a glance. In the end, Liu Yunhe stepped forward and said:

"Daozi, a witch priest from the Witch Department must have intervened. After that, both Zhao Xin and Que Qiu vanished."

Su Yao was curious when he heard their names.

"You know those two?"

Li Siyi shook her head, while Liu Yunhe nodded.

"Fellow Daoist Han Ziyi of the Han Household and I had some friction with those two before."

Hearing this, Su Yao thought to himself:

Five households followed Qixia south back then. Two were in such dire straits that they have kept their mountains sealed to this day, so I'll set them aside for now. That leaves only the Blackwater Han Household unaccounted for. Let's see what these two have to say.

So he pressed on:

"Who won?"

Liu Yunhe shook his head.

"Twenty years ago, Fellow Daoist Han and I each fought one of them on the Great Qing River."

He paused.

"I cultivate the path of Wood Virtue Wood Unification. Facing Que Qiu's Ji Fire would naturally have been a dead end for me, so Fellow Daoist Han, who cultivates the water path, fought Que Qiu to a draw. As for me..."

He seemed to recall something deeply disgraceful and fell silent for a long while.

Seeing this, Su Yao already had an idea of what had happened. He could hardly say more, so he simply waited.

Only after the time it took to drink a cup of tea did Liu Yunhe continue:

"Zhao Xin is exceptionally gifted. I was no match for him. His Earth Witch path and my He Wood path had no advantage over each other, but I still lost in the end, and miserably at that. If Fellow Daoist Han hadn't intervened in time, I would have died then and there..."

Hearing this, Su Yao asked directly:

"Was it because his witchcraft was strange?"

Liu Yunhe was taken aback, then nodded.

"His ordinary spellcasting isn't necessarily better than mine, but his Witchcraft Dao curse techniques are extremely powerful."

Su Yao chuckled at that.

"Today he nearly died under his own curse. If a witch priest from the Hepu Witch Tribe hadn't intervened, I would have avenged you today."

When he finished speaking, Liu Yunhe froze, while Li Siyi's face changed drastically with shock. Because she cultivated a method bestowed by the higher sect, she had seldom gone down the mountain over the years. Only a handful of people in her clan knew that she cultivated the Wu Earth path.

But she had naturally heard that within ten thousand li of Qinghe Commandery, Zhao Xin could be called the foremost genius.

Yet today...

As for Liu Yunhe, there was no need to say more; his heart was in even greater turmoil, like a storm-tossed sea.

Su Yao understood. These two were to follow him in the future, and without broader horizons, they could easily cause him to lose face. So he said gently:

"Since you two follow me, don't confine your gaze to Qinghe alone. Sooner or later, you will have to face the heroes of the world."

He paused.

"How vast the world is. Qinghe Commandery alone is surrounded by ten thousand li of mountains and rivers. Yet Qinghe is only a small commandery. Within Great Qing, there are nearly four hundred commanderies like it."

"In ancient times, the River Earl delighted in the vast waters before him, but when he met the Lord of the Sea, he learned how small he appeared before true greatness. What you have seen today is no more than a single grain in the vast ocean."

Hearing this, the two, whose spirits had been low, immediately brightened. Then they said in unison:

"We will heed the Daozi's teaching. As the ancients said, one cannot speak of the sea to a frog in a well, nor of ice to a summer insect. We wish to follow the Daozi, set our sights on the world, and not live these lives in vain."

Su Yao waved a hand.

"There's no need for such courtesy."

Then he handed them the pills he had prepared earlier.

"There are two pills in this bottle. Take them and tend to your recovery."

"Yes. Thank you, Daozi."

Su Yao asked again:

"What of Han Ziyi?"

Li Siyi shook her head, but Liu Yunhe said:

"He has a hero's heart and a righteous spirit."

He paused.

"He is loyal and honorable, and his talent is no less than Zhao Xin's."

Su Yao nodded to show he understood, then said:

"Find somewhere to meditate and regulate your breathing."

The two acknowledged him, then turned to leave.

Just as they were about to pass out of Su Yao's sight, his voice came from behind them again:

"Do either of you have a flying boat or a similar Law Artifact with you?"

The two turned around. Liu Yunhe shook his head, while Li Siyi stepped forward and answered:

"Before coming down the mountain, I brought a South Star Boat. It's a Law Artifact."

Su Yao nodded.

"Take it out and let me see."

Li Siyi took a ball of light from her Storage Bag. When she poured Law Power into it, it grew rapidly, becoming a flying boat more than a person's length in the blink of an eye.

On closer inspection, it had the simple shape of a black-canopied boat, except that it contained several rooms.

Su Yao swept it with his Divine Sense and immediately understood. He said softly:

"It'll do. In three days, we'll take this boat to Nanzhao."

The two turned pale at his words.

"Nanzhao?"

Su Yao nodded. He knew what they were worried about: Nanzhao was nearly two hundred thousand li from here in a straight line.

Along the way, they would have to cross the outlying ranges of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, then pass through numerous witch kingdoms, including several of the strongest, followed by numerous Witch Departments.

Only then could they reach Nanzhao. Liu Yunhe asked in a low voice:

"May I ask what we are going to Nanzhao for?"

Su Yao shook his head and smiled.

"I don't know either. I just received word."

He gave them no chance to press further.

"Go back and regulate your breathing. We leave in three days."

"Yes."

The two answered and then departed.

Just as they were about to leave the cave, Su Yao's voice reached them again, transmitted through Law Power:

"Remember to find time to go down the mountain and buy some pastries and other food."

Their expressions turned strange, but they still answered before withdrawing.

Inside the cave, after the two had left, Su Yao took out the wooden box Daozheng had sent them to bring him earlier. A soft white light now shone from the box, and several lines of writing appeared within it:

"Should you ask where fortuitous opportunity lies, dragon scales are hidden in the southern clouds.

The plow has yet to test the distant mountain passes, but Sword Qi has already swept across twenty springs.

Do not shrink from miasma-covered ridges that bar the road to heaven; a phoenix-shaped sheng will guide you to the jade ford.

When we clasp hands in the celestial capital another day, only then will you know why you did not shrink from the hardships of this journey."