Chapter Ninety-Eight: The Yang Family of Thousand Willow City

Above the Spirit Wastes, over East Ancestor Province.

A figure in a blue robe streaked through the sea of clouds at a terrifying speed, straight and unwavering, drawing a long line across the sky without the slightest deviation.

Ahead, the few traveling cultivators from various sects halted in midair and hurriedly gave way.

"Such incredible speed. That young man looks refined and elegant, yet his strength is truly unfathomable."

"Hmph. Speaking of which, the art of sword flight is said to be the fastest speed in the world. Could he be a sword cultivator? He does not seem like one."

"You fool. Would those madmen who practice the sword have such a pleasant temper? I fear we would not even manage to dodge in time."

With the murmuring, many people suddenly understood. Some even assumed he was an elder who had preserved his youth through some profound art, and they bowed respectfully and gave their names.

Unfortunately, that streak of light vanished in an instant beyond the edge of their vision, with no response at all.

He crossed innumerable towering mountains and passed over surging rivers before finally stopping somewhere, then dropping straight down at a sharp angle.

When the sword-lords of Kunlun once descended the mountain, they had already seemed overbearingly arrogant; this streak of light was even more unreasonable, not stopping until it was only a few yards above the ground.

With a flash of brilliance, the figure landed, and there was no disturbance from the violent descent. Everything remained perfectly still.

In that stillness and motion alike, his mastery of sword flight was revealed without a word.

And there was only one such person.

Shen Yu stood on the ground, ignoring the terrified expression of a woodcutter not far away, who stared at him as if he had seen a ghost, and looked toward a city several miles off.

Three characters were carved into the mottled city wall.

Thousand Willow City.

Shen Yu had come here because Yang Liu's father seemed to live here.

Back then, because of a travel pass, Shen Yu had caused a chain of troubles. Looking back now, it all seemed entirely unnecessary.

Among the nations of the Spirit Wastes, apart from Great Tang, the passage of cultivators was always quite unrestricted. Aside from certain utterly vile criminals whom the Academy and the Tang training grounds would monitor, the other immortal sects paid little attention to outside cultivators.

The reason a travel pass was needed was that the nations of the Spirit Wastes feared cultivators would use immortal arts to disturb the mortal world and ruin the grand order of human affairs.

Shen Yu had only slowly come to understand these things along the way. Because of these tiny, trivial matters, he had even developed some admiration for the so-called strongest nation in the Spirit Wastes, Great Tang.

Not merely because one of the Nine Sacred Lands, the Academy, stood there.

Nor merely because there was also a training ground that gathered the finest warriors under heaven.

Three thousand years ago on that continent, there were simply too many cultivators, and they were too powerful; no nation at all could contend with the sects of cultivation.

Yet now there was actually such a nation. That was truly a rare thing.

Still, East Ancestor Province had no great powers, only a few small states, and Thousand Willow City was a territory belonging to a country called Linshan.

Shen Yu studied the city for a while, then beckoned to the side.

The ordinary woodcutter, who had been preparing to slip away, hesitated. After a moment, he steeled himself and approached Shen Yu.

For a rustic fellow with little worldly experience, the immortals in the sky were not kind people. Like the few young disciples of the Clear Void Sect in the city, they might not openly kill, but with a few casual tricks they could easily leave an ordinary person bedridden.

Who would not fear such eerie methods?

The young immortal, who to him was like a flood beast, turned his head and asked, "I hear the merchant guild here is very famous?"

The woodcutter froze, then quickly nodded. "Yes. The head of the Yang family lives in Thousand Willow City. He is the steward of Four Seas Trading Company."

At this, Shen Yu raised an eyebrow slightly.

He did not know Yang Yuanhao, nor did he have the slightest notion of what a merchant guild really was.

But along the road, the four characters Four Seas Trading Company had appeared in nearly every city, and one could naturally see the scale of it.

Only now did Shen Yu finally understand why Yang Liu had been able to produce so many bank notes when he left.

So she was a girl from a wealthy family.

The woodcutter seemed to think his explanation insufficient and added, "That was once the largest merchant guild in all East Ancestor Province."

Shen Yu's expression did not change. He asked, "Once?"

The woodcutter glanced around and said in a low voice, "It seems to have something to do with a marriage alliance involving the Yang family's second daughter. The Yang family suddenly went back on their word and offended those immortals. In these past years, the once blazing Four Seas Trading Company has begun to decline."

Shen Yu lifted his chin slightly. "Lead the way."

...

The Yang residence was not in Thousand Willow City now. Unexpectedly, it stood several miles outside the city, deep within a willow grove.

Quiet and secluded, countless willow trees surrounded a small lake. Beside the water stood a large courtyard of blue tiles and white walls, broad and dignified.

To outsiders, this arrangement carried a rather reclusive air, and it also revealed that the Yang family's present circumstances were probably not very good.

Shen Yu came along a narrow path, casually pushing aside the weeds that had grown as tall as a man before him, then tapped on the somewhat aged gate with his finger.

Before long, a very old servant slowly opened the door and studied the visitor with a scrutinizing gaze.

"What is it?" the old man asked in a hoarse voice.

Shen Yu said calmly, "I have traveled a long way and am somewhat exhausted. Might I borrow a place to rest for a few days?"

The old servant frowned slightly, looked Shen Yu over from head to toe, then politely declined. "The manor will be receiving guests in the coming days. It is truly inconvenient to host you, young master. My apologies."

Before Shen Yu could speak, a clear voice came from inside the gate.

"Uncle Zhao, who is it?"

A girl of about fourteen or fifteen appeared beside the old servant with light, springing steps, then fixed her bright, watery eyes on Shen Yu.

The old servant bent slightly and explained, "Miss, a young master has come asking for lodging. I am just about to send him on his way."

The girl looked at Shen Yu and asked, "What is your name?"

"Shen..."

Before he could finish, the girl suddenly erupted without warning.

A flash of cold light appeared from her sleeve, and then the sharp point of a sword hissed through the air straight toward Shen Yu.

He remained perfectly composed, showing no reaction at all.

In an instant, the sword tip stopped at the center of Shen Yu's brow.

The old servant watched the scene in silence.

The girl gave a soft huff and said proudly, "Do you dare move?"

Shen Yu looked at those strangely familiar brows and eyes, a faint curve appearing at the corner of his mouth. "I do not dare."

...

At the gate of the courtyard, the two stood facing one another.

The old servant coughed lightly. "Miss?"

The girl huffed again, drew back her sword, then clapped her hands in satisfaction. "Uncle Zhao, let him in."

The old servant's expression was somewhat hesitant.

With her arms folded across her chest and her delicate chin lifted high, the girl said proudly, "Don't worry. This fellow could not even take one strike from me, so he certainly is not one of those annoying people. Let him in."

After hesitating for a moment, the old servant finally opened the door.

Shen Yu had just stepped over the threshold when the unusually lively girl patted his shoulder and said in an old-fashioned tone, "Do not be afraid. My sword is never drawn lightly. By the way, you must be wondering where my sword is right now, aren't you?"

Her hands were empty; aside from the instant she struck, there was never any sword in them.

Such a trick would easily draw cheers and gasps in the mortal world.

Her tone was casual, but the joy and excitement between her brows could not be hidden no matter what.

As though she had not seen a stranger in a very long time, the girl looked at Shen Yu with eager anticipation, as if to say, Ask me. Hurry and ask me.

Yet Shen Yu merely turned slightly and said, "Your sleeve is torn."

The girl blinked, then lowered her head in confusion.

Only then did she see that the long sword she had hurriedly concealed in her sleeve had accidentally sliced through the cuff. Even the tip of the blade was already protruding from the specially made thick sleeve opening.

Her face instantly flushed red. She coughed twice, then gently shoved the sword a little farther inside and looked around as though nothing had happened.

The old servant kept his gaze on his nose and his nose on his heart, as if he had seen nothing at all.