Chapter 207: Azure Dragon Mountain

The weather was clear and pleasant, and the sails billowed in the wind. Only when the silhouette of Yunyang Prefecture had grown small in the distance did the old boatman remove his bamboo hat and walk into the cabin.

He was tall and broad-built, his skin darkened from years of exposure to the sun. His face was covered in weathered wrinkles. Though he wore a worn set of coarse blue clothes, his head of white hair was meticulously combed, giving him an air of his own.

Everyone rose to their feet.

"Greetings, Senior."

"You gentlemen are far too courteous." The old boatman laughed heartily and cupped his hands. "You can call me Zhang Shuisheng. Friends in the trade were kind enough to give me the nickname 'Fast Boat Zhang'."

Li Yan and the others immediately regarded him with newfound respect. Earning a ringing nickname in the jianghu was no casual matter. Either one's blade was fast and had formidable martial arts, or one possessed some skill that made them outstanding in a particular trade. Even then, their skill had to withstand the test of time.

After all, reputation itself took time to spread. If others had only just heard of them and they were already dead, no matter how impressive one's title sounded, it would never truly catch on. More importantly, such a nickname had to be given by fellow members of the jianghu. Making it up would only make one a laughingstock.

The fact that he was known as "Fast Boat Zhang" was enough to demonstrate his ability.

The old man laughed before his expression gradually turned solemn. "Elder Han and I are old acquaintances. The waterways haven't been peaceful lately. If it weren't for Elder Han's recommendation, and his assurance that you gentlemen are all highly capable cultivators, I genuinely intended to stop taking passengers for a while."

"Oh?" Li Yan frowned slightly. "Senior, could you explain in more detail..."

Just as Zhang Shuisheng was about to speak, Lu San's ears suddenly twitched. "Wait!"

He raised a hand, signaling everyone to remain silent, then walked to the side of the boat and listened carefully.

The river was clear, and the sailboat cut through the waves. Apart from the splashing of the water, there seemed to be nothing else to hear. Li Yan and the others, however, already had their hands resting on the hilts of their blades.

Lu San had awakened a divine ability related to his sense of hearing. Besides possessing the unusual ability to understand the speech of birds and beasts, his hearing was also exceptionally powerful. Since he was listening so intently, he had to have discovered something.

After listening for a while, Lu San's expression suddenly became rather strange. He then slapped the side of the boat with his hand while making peculiar sounds with his mouth.

Splash! Splash!

Before long, waves began surging across the surface of the river, and one round, armored head after another emerged from the water, swimming toward them from every direction.

Alligator heads were breaking the surface of the water in all directions.

The name of Ezhou was historically interchangeable with the character for "crocodile" and was connected to the ancient state. During his journey, Li Yan had already noticed that there were quite a few of these creatures in the waterways. These, in his previous life, would have been called Chinese alligators.

They were also known as earth dragons. When young, they posed little threat and were actually rather slow and clumsy. However, since they frequently appeared when thick mist covered the rivers, people regarded them as creatures possessing a certain spirituality.

Splash!

The water beside the boat suddenly churned violently, and a fat figure poked his head out of the river before scrambling awkwardly on board.

It was none other than the wealthy young master, Lin Yu.

At the moment, he was dressed in tight-fitting black clothes with a leather pack strapped to his back. Something swollen and bulging was clenched between his teeth, while his hands were covered in leather gloves fitted with barbed hooks. The moment he climbed up, he began coughing and spitting out water. Looking thoroughly bedraggled, he removed the object from his mouth. It resembled a fish bladder and gave off a faint trace of yin energy.

"Well, well." Sha Lifei chucked in amusement. "Young Master Lin, you've certainly come fully equipped. Is all this gear from the sea explorers lineage?"

Lin Yu looked thoroughly embarrassed. "Well, I've made a fool of myself..."

Li Yan's expression, however, darkened. "Young Master Lin, you certainly have guts to secretly follow us. Aren't you afraid we might find an opportunity to kill you?"

Lin Yu's face instantly went pale, and he hurriedly waved his hands. "Don't misunderstand! I mean no harm. I've simply waited for so long that if I don't see what the thing is, I won't be able to let it go. Besides, that thing is definitely a treasure. Without my help, you might not even be able to find it. I only want to see what it is. Once I've seen it, I'll lose interest!"

Li Yan's brows remained tightly furrowed. "Senior Chen has taken considerable care of you, and was even going to send you to the capital. Running off like this is rather irresponsible, isn't it?"

Unexpectedly, Lin Yu shook his head. "Gentlemen, don't let him fool you. The Chen Family isn't nearly as simple as it appears. Their clan is extremely powerful, and they're plotting certain things involving struggles within the imperial court. Even my father warned me not to become too deeply involved with them.

" The sentence 'If you wish to take, you must first give' is written directly into the Chen family's ancestral teachings. However many benefits you receive when dealing with them, you'll have to pay an even greater price afterward. If he escorted me to the capital, the story would certainly spread throughout Jiangsu and Zhejiang within three days, adding to the Chen Family's reputation. If anyone were then drawn into their schemes because of that, it would be my fault!"

Li Yan nodded slightly without arguing. In fact, he had long since noticed that something was amiss. If Chen Yuanqing were merely an ordinary merchant, how could he have had enough influence to maneuver Han Kun into the position of an elder within the Canal Gang? He had also immediately named all three lineages of treasure-hunters, which clearly showed that his understanding of the mystic path ran deep.

The current emperor of Great Xuan was openly using maritime trade to support merchant guilds while suppressing the entrenched local clans, gentry, and powerful families throughout the realm. Yunyang Prefecture was such an important place, yet the Chen Family had established themselves there and quietly watched the turbulence within the city. Who knew whether they themselves might be one of the players moving pieces across the board?

Li Yan did not particularly care about people who immediately drew their blades and started shouting about killing. One only needed to find a way to deal with them. It was smiling old foxes like Chen Yuanqing who truly warranted caution.

At the thought, Li Yan quietly glanced to the side.

Fast Boat Zhang immediately held his hands up. "This old man is only responsible for transporting passengers. I don't concern myself with anything else. Since you're all acquaintances, you guys can settle the matter among yourselves."

With that, he cupped his hands and left the cabin.

Li Yan looked back at Lin Yu and changed the subject. "Young Master Lin, are you planning to abandon your life as the son of a wealthy household, throw away your prospects of official rank, and wander the jianghu instead?"

"Of course not." Lin Yu put on an honest, simple expression. "I can indulge myself and wander around midway through the journey, but if I miss the examinations in the capital, my father will definitely skin me alive.

“To tell you the truth, ever since I read about the treasure on Azure Dragon Mountain in my master's records many years ago, I've thought about it day and night. It's been gnawing at me constantly. I've always wanted to know whether it truly has something to do with dragons. Gentlemen, just let me follow along and take a look. Once I've satisfied this wish, I'll continue my journey toward the capital."

"That's fine." Li Yan nodded. "But Young Master Lin, you'd better behave yourself. If you act recklessly and get yourself killed along the way, we won't be responsible."

Lin Yu was daring enough to wander around on his own, so he had clearly practiced some martial arts. Combined with his various secret arts, he could be considered somewhat capable. He was simply new to the jianghu and lacked experience.

Sha Lifei, meanwhile, chuckled and eagerly poured him a cup of wine. "Young Master Lin, I have to say, you're lucky it was us you ran into."

"Thank you." The chill of early spring had yet to fade, and Lin Yu had spent quite some time soaking in the river. His face had long since turned deathly pale from the cold.

He took the wine, drank a mouthful, and smiled. "Of course I made inquiries beforehand. I knew you gentlemen were righteous men of the jianghu, which is why I had the nerve to shamelessly tag along. Even if you really caught me, worst case, I would spend some money to ward off disaster."

"Spend money to ward off disaster?" Sha Lifei laughed, but his gaze suddenly turned sinister. "With a treasure-hunter like you in our hands, why would we need money? We could just poison you, keep you under our control, and force you to look for treasures in exchange for your life. Wouldn't the wealth keep flowing in endlessly?"

Lin Yu's face instantly turned white.

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

Everyone inside the cabin burst out laughing. Even Lu San looked at Lin Yu as though he were staring at an idiot.

Sha Lifei patted him on the shoulder and laughed. "Don't be afraid. I'm just scaring you. But after this is over, you had better behave yourself and head straight to the capital. If you want to stay alive, don't go around telling other people that you're a treasure-hunter. In the jianghu, there's no shortage of people willing to rob and murder someone for a mere few taels of silver."

***

Azure Dragon Mountain was not far from Yunyang Prefecture.

Less than half an hour later, Fast Boat Zhang yelled out, "We're here."

Everyone filed out of the cabin to find a stretch of hills directly beside the riverbank. The terrain was higher in the west and lower in the east, sloping southward and inclining northward. Under the sunlight, the entire mountain was lush with verdant, flourishing greenery.

Wang Daoxuan took out his compass and examined it before shaking his head. "The fengshui here can only be considered ordinary."

Fast Boat Zhang hesitated for a moment before saying, "This old man doesn't mean to meddle, but after all my years sailing these waters, I've never heard of any treasure around here. I did hear some time ago, however, that wild beasts have frequently attacked people in the nearby mountains and forests. It caused such panic that the common folk no longer dare go up the mountain."

Li Yan said seriously, "To tell you the truth, we accepted a bounty from the City God Temple and came here precisely to investigate the matter.”

"That's even better." The old man clearly knew that Li Yan was concealing something, but did not expose him. He nodded and added, "Then I'll wait for you here by the shore."

Lin Yu hurriedly spoke up from the side. "Boatman, once we enter the mountain, we'll be gone until tomorrow at the earliest. Please don't get impatient and leave."

Li Yan's heart stirred, but he did not ask further. He knew Lin Yu had his reasons for speaking up. It was just past noon, and everyone had already eaten dried provisions aboard the boat. After gathering their belongings, they jumped onto the riverbank and followed the hillside into the dense forest, soon disappearing among the trees.

One of the boatmen could not help asking, "Master Zhang, are they really going to look for treasure?"

Fast Boat Zhang's expression immediately changed slightly as he rebuked him, "Have you forgotten the rules? We only transport people. Don't ask about anything else. I don't care what other people do, but if you work on my boat, then remember this rule well. It'll keep you alive. Even if those people really do find treasure, it has nothing to do with us!

“Besides, those people are all formidable members of the mystic path. If you want to travel certain waterways in the future, there'll inevitably be things you need to ask others about. Just a skill or two they happen to let slip could be enough to keep you fed and clothed for the rest of your life!"

"Master Zhang is wise!" The boatmen immediately showered him with flattery.

***

Crack!

Sha Lifei swung his blade and hacked away a branch blocking the path.

The mountains here were not particularly tall. Compared with Mount Taibai and Mount Hua, which they had climbed before, what lay before them were little more than small earthen hills. However, this was genuine untamed wilderness. There were no paths on the mountain, while thick vegetation grew everywhere, making their progress extremely inconvenient.

Once they were well away from the riverbank, Li Yan finally turned and asked, "Brother Lin, from what you said earlier, does that thing know how to conceal itself?"

Lin Yu nodded. "Naturally. All heavenly and earthly spiritual treasures possess the fortune of heaven and earth, and are likewise sheltered by heaven and earth. Wherever one hides, a natural configuration will inevitably form to conceal it. According to my master, this particular object only appears briefly at midnight on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, and even then, it is extremely well hidden. If I hadn't possessed my divine ability, I would never have seen it the last time."

"That doesn't sound right." Sha Lifei frowned and turned to address them all. "If this treasure is hidden so securely and doesn't reveal itself easily, then why are there reports of strange beasts attacking people?"

Lin Yu shook his head. "There's something you gentlemen may not know. After enough time passes, some heavenly and earthly spiritual treasures are inevitably discovered by wild animals in the mountains. Those creatures are usually highly spiritual and possess cultivation of their own. They'll remain beside the heavenly treasure, waiting for the right opportunity to devour it. Perhaps the treasure is about to emerge into the world, causing the guardian spirit beast to become restless and attack people who enter the mountain."

"That makes sense." Li Yan nodded, then looked toward Lu San. "Brother Lu, we'll have to trouble you. See if there's anything unusual on this mountain first."

Lu San wasted no words and immediately released the hawk perched on his shoulder. At the same time, he took two pills from his robes and began making squeaking sounds, seemingly calling out to something.

Lin Yu's eyes lit up and he gasped, "Is that beast-taming arts?"

Lu San glanced at him and ignored him.

This wealthy young master was practically curiosity incarnate. His eyes had constantly wandered about along the way, repeatedly glancing at the gourd and the little white fox inside the bamboo basket. Of course, he had also kept sneaking looks at Li Yan's Earth Breaker.

Once an artifact had been subdued by its owner, it would normally restrain its aura, revealing its power only when used. Ordinary people could not see anything unusual, but in Lin Yu's eyes, Li Yan and the others were practically walking treasure vaults, their entire bodies surrounded by a dense treasure aura.

It was one of the reasons Lin Yu had followed them.

Before long, the grass around them began to rustle as several mountain rats emerged from underground. At first they hesitated, but eventually they could no longer resist the temptation and approached Lu San's feet.

Lu San crushed the pills into powder and fed it to the rats while continuing to squeak. The rats responded in kind, squealing incessantly.

Every trade was a world unto itself. The others found the sight fascinating, but they simply could not understand how Lu San could communicate with rats using nothing but squeaks.

Before long, the rats scattered in every direction.

Lu San then looked up at the sky. When the hawk descended from above, he had another exchange with it, and his expression gradually became solemn.

He turned to explain, "There's nothing particularly unusual about this mountain. The hawk didn't see anything, but the rats have seen dead people moving around in the middle of the night."

Li Yan frowned, not expecting such a result. "Zombies?"

Lin Yu was equally stunned. He shook his head. "Impossible. What I saw was clearly a dragon-shaped treasure aura. How could there be zombies?"

Suddenly, he seemed to think of something and frowned. "Could there be an ancient tomb in the mountain? No, that's impossible... If there were a tomb here, it definitely couldn't have escaped my master's eyes."

"We'll know once we find it." Li Yan mumbled. His expression remained unchanged as he turned to Wang Daoxuan. "Daoist, since there are walking corpses involved, we'll have to rely on you."

"Mm." Wang Daoxuan immediately took out his compass. Studying the surrounding terrain, he said, "Zombies favor places thick with yin and killing qi. If there really are any on this mountain, they have to be hiding somewhere yin qi gathers."

He then turned toward Lu San before asking, "The flow of terrain and earthly qi here is rather interesting. Brother Lu San, ask your hawk whether the terrain of this mountain resembles a winnowing basket."

After receiving confirmation from Lu San, Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard. "The route we took up the mountain lies on its yang side, while the opposite slope lies on the mountain's yin side. The terrain resembles a winnowing basket, causing yin energy to collect without dispersing. If there are corpses here, they must be hiding on the far side of the summit."

Li Yan nodded. "Let's go. Stay alert."

He immediately moved to the front to lead the way. At the same time, he formed the Yang Seal, refusing to overlook even the faintest unusual scent. Seeing how seamlessly the group worked together, Lin Yu could not help praising them silently as he followed closely.

Azure Dragon Mountain was not tall. Although the thick vegetation made walking difficult, it took them less than an hour to reach the summit.

Looking down, they saw that there was indeed a hollow on the other side of the mountain, shaped like a winnowing basket. Towering trees filled the depression, while hazy mountain mist drifted among them.

Li Yan, however, frowned. He walked over to a large tree at the summit and picked up half of a yellow talisman from the ground.

On the other side of the tree lay an overturned pottery bowl and scattered incense ash.