The Blade-Wielding Legend
Chapter 321 - 206: Legend of the Dragon

Chapter 321: Chapter 206: Legend of the Dragon

In the room, candlelight flickered faintly.

A group of people sat facing each other, eyes wide with anticipation.

Li Yan and the others were all present, including Chen Jizu and his father who managed the Chamber of Commerce, their faces overcast with gloom.

The commotion in the dead of night naturally alarmed many people.

Some came out to see what the fuss was about, and the master of the guild hall, Chen Jizu and his son, had already rushed over, urging people to disperse with constant pleasantries.

Sitting across from them on a chair was a young, plump man with his head lowered, his face full of dejection.

It was the poet from the day before.

This fat man looked rather jolly; he dressed in a black silk Confucian robe, plump and fair, with a Confucian cap on his head and a pair of black wood glasses.

Chen Yuanqing, Chen Jizu’s father, was not only the owner of the Jiangsu and Zhejiang guild hall, but also a prominent businessman.

He glared at the plump man, his frustration palpable as he said, "Out with it, when did you master spells? And when did you become a Hidden Treasure Man?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yan and the others also showed faces full of curiosity.

The background of this plump man had already been introduced by Chen Jizu.

He surnamed Lin, named Lin Yu, and came from a prominent family in Wuzhou. Not only did his family own extensive farmlands, they also operated silk workshops and various stores, and had several relatives in official positions.

Furthermore, Lin Yu had been known for his talent from a young age, possessing a photographic memory, his fame spreading throughout the neighboring villages, and he easily obtained the title of scholar.

One could say he lacked for nothing, except for being overweight.

Yet, somehow, he had become a Hidden Treasure Man, able to control wooden puppets to spy on treasures in other people’s rooms.

This kind of person, if they wanted money, could easily produce tens of thousands of taels.

The fact that he resorted to sneaking around like this was truly bewildering.

After a long silence, Lin Yu finally muttered weakly, "Master forbid me from speaking of it, but I’ve been learning since I was young, always hiding it from my family."

"No wonder!"

Chen Yuanqing scoffed derisively, "With a smattering of skills, you thought to stir up trouble everywhere, huh? Not allowing your family’s entourage to accompany you, you came to this place by yourself. Your audacity is quite something."

"Speak, why did you sneak into someone else’s room?"

Lin Yu stole a glance at Li Yan and the others, and said awkwardly, "They had a strong aura of treasures about them. I meant no harm; it was just curiosity, I wanted to see what it was."

Li Yan’s expression changed slightly as he asked in a deep voice, "Have you awakened the Eye Divine Power? Can you really see the aura of treasures?"

Zhao Lvzi once told him of a type of person who, upon awakening the Eye Divine Power, could observe Qi. But unlike others, these individuals could see not only Gang Qi and Evil Qi but also the aura emitted by treasures.

Such individuals were naturally gifted Hidden Treasure Men.

Lin Yu offered a forced smile and nodded, "Young hero, you are well-informed. Very few know about the aura of treasures."

Chen Yuanqing, on the other hand, coldly said, "You truly are reckless. I will certainly inform your father of this matter."

"And which lineage did you study?"

"Is it Expel Mountains, Explore Seas, or Seek the Hidden?"

Li Yan observed this old man in silence.

Han Kun became an elder of the Cao Gang all thanks to this old man’s maneuvering, and he could name the three branches of Hidden Treasure Men in one breath — he was no ordinary person!

Lin Yu twiddled the corners of his clothes, rolling them between his fingers. Seeing that he could not hide the truth, he finally spoke dejectedly, "My master was a jack of all trades; he knew a little of all three branches. Later, he followed others to the sea and never returned."

"It’s true, I have never used spells to harm anyone..."

Chen Yuanqing shook his head slightly and sighed, then said to Li Yan with a cupped fist, "Young Hero Li, this Lin Yu is the son of an old friend of mine, so he is like a nephew to me. If he has offended in any way, please forgive him."

"Whatever compensation you require, I will provide."

"The elder gentleman jests,"

Li Yan shook his head, "You have shown us kindness by offering us accommodation here, and we have suffered no loss, so there is no need for compensation."

Turning his head to the opposition, he expressed his single curiosity, "Surely it isn’t some beauty that has made Brother Lin linger here for such a long time?"

At these words, Lin Yu offered an embarrassed smile.

Seeing his demeanor, Chen Yuanqing became even more vexed. "Speak directly, with all the treasures your Lin Family has, to come here in search of treasure is simply having too much to do!"

"It’s not the same!"

Lin Yu, energized, mysteriously said:

"Here... there is a dragon!"

Seeing everyone’s disbelieving expressions, he became anxious and added, "This was mentioned in the book left by my master."

"Near Yunyang, there is Dragon Energy and Heavenly Spirit Treasure within the mountains, but he refrained from acting recklessly as the time was not ripe."

"I didn’t originally believe it and just came out of curiosity, but I really did see the Dragon Energy and dragon’s shadow!"

"And do you know the origin of Yunyang Prefecture?"

"It is said that in ancient times, a meteor fell from the sky, turning the night as bright as day, dazzling for dozens of miles, accompanied by thunder like dragon roars."

"Where the meteor fell, the north was yang, the south yin, the left yang, the right yin, and the locality of its fall happened to coincide with where the Dragon Energy emerged."

"I suspect that what fell back then was not just a meteor, but a dragon, at the very least there should be dragon bones..."

Though he spoke with conviction, Chen Yuanqing clearly did not believe him and said with a cold voice, "For someone well-read, do you not know the nature of dragons?"

"Dragons can be great or small, visible or hidden, possessing the ability to swallow and exhale the earth and heavens. When large, they can engulf the sky and land; when small, they can conceal and disguise themselves. From ancient times to now, how many have truly seen one?"

"Thinking such things is pointless."

"If you really want to help the Lin Family, the wooden puppet left by your master is a treasure. With this spirit monster, you could search the mountains for Spiritual Treasures. Tell your father that your family will surely take notice..."

"Please don’t!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yu panicked, quickly standing up and bowing with clasped fists, "Uncle Chen, my master once said, fortune and disfortune accompany each other, much like the way of Yin Yang. Fortune and disaster in this world often come hand in hand."

"My Lin Family is already sufficiently wealthy; we currently prosper, but if we resort to using the wooden puppet to seek treasure, it will invite disaster instead."

"I was just curious and wanted to have a look."

Chen Yuanqing, hearing this rebuttal, did not get angry but seemed contemplative and nodded, "What you say is indeed true. Considering the current influence of your Lin Family, you indeed lack some official presence to anchor it."

"To advance further requires the work of more than one generation."

With that, he snorted coldly, "That’s exactly why you should live up to what you’ve learned, to secure an official position and protect the family."

"Not hurrying to the Capital to take care of matters, but wandering around instead, wasting time, and then lying to this old man about encountering a good match... You deserve to be beaten!"

The chubby Lin Yu had a pained expression on his face and dared not speak any further.

Seeing the conversation veering off track, Li Yan quickly interjected with a smile, "Mr. Lin, could you tell us about that place you mentioned?"

"We people of the pugilistic world are accustomed to fortune and calamity at our side, we don’t fear such things."

Chen Yuanqing’s face changed slightly at this comment but didn’t stop him.

Heavenly Spirit Earth Treasure is coveted by everyone. He had just prodded Lin Yu to speak, and it would be wrong to renege now.

Lin Yu’s eyes lit up, and without hindrance, he began, "That place is on Azure Dragon Mountain just outside the city."

"You all have exceptional abilities, could you take me along to broaden my horizons? I don’t seek any treasures, I just want to see what it is..."

"No way!"

Chen Yuanqing exclaimed angrily from the side, "It seems you still haven’t given up. You’re not allowed to go anywhere. Tomorrow, I will have someone escort you to the Capital!"

Lin Yu’s face sank even deeper upon hearing this.

Li Yan was first taken aback, then shook his head and said, "Elder Chen is right, you really shouldn’t go there."

He then looked at Chen Yuanqing and continued, "To be frank, I went to the City God Temple during the day and accepted some tasks from Law Enforcement Hall."

"This Azure Dragon Mountain is one of them. Recently, there have been frequent disappearances of villagers, alleged sightings of Exotic Beasts have put everyone on edge."

"Some experts from the Mei Mountain Taoist sect went into the mountain to hunt these beasts and also vanished without a trace, so there’s definitely no small danger."

"When we leave tomorrow, we will make a detour to investigate. If it is truly dangerous, we will report back to the City God Temple."

"Oh, I see."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuanqing sighed and said, "A friend once told me that when disasters arise, spirit monsters and oddities manifest in the world, which must relate to the chaos in Yunyang Prefecture."

Then, turning to Lin Yu, he said, "Yunyang Prefecture is no place to stay for long. If you depart late, you might get stuck here and miss the exams."

"I’ll arrange it now. You’ll be leaving tomorrow."

"Go back, pack your belongings!"

"If you dare to run off again, I’ll thrash you so hard you won’t be able to get out of bed, and then send you to the Capital to recuperate."

"Yes."

Lin Yu looked utterly dejected, lowering his head...

...

"Are you leaving already?"

The next day, upon hearing the news, Han Kun arrived at the inn bright and early.

Li Yan formally clasped his fists and said, "We are also obligated to honor a friend’s request to treat his mother. It would be improper for us to delay any further."

Hearing this, Han Kun had nothing but admiration, and turning to Chen Yuanqing, he said, "This is why I appreciate Young brother Li."

"They are fulfilling a promise to transport a coffin thousands of miles to the deceased’s hometown, a man with no kin or friends. Such actions are increasingly rare in today’s pugilistic world."

Chen Yuanqing stroked his beard and added, "A promise worth its weight in gold, indeed, the bladesmen of Guanzhong bear the spirit of the Tang Dynasty’s chivalrous ways..."

"Elders flatter me too much." Li Yan humbly shook his head.

Han Kun’s expression grew serious as he said, "After receiving your message yesterday, I spoke with the gang leader about restructuring the Cao Gang, so I don’t have time to entertain you all. It is better for you to leave Yunyang soon."

"Furthermore, when you go to the East River ferry port, that territory is controlled by the Pai Sect. My presence might actually bring you trouble, so I’ll take my leave here."

"The Pai Sect has been acting erratically lately, scrutinizing every passing member of the pugilistic world carefully. Taking their boats could invite trouble."

"I have a good friend at the East River ferry port who often helps transport people to various places in Ezhou. His skills in navigating boats are exceptional, and he is familiar with every water and land route. Seek him directly, it will save you a lot of trouble."

With these words, he handed over a token.

"Thank you, elder."

Li Yan respectfully accepted it, expressed his gratitude, and took his leave.

"Good luck."

"Take care on your journey."

After bidding everyone farewell, Li Yan and his companions got up and set off.

They first went to the City God Temple and collected Lv Sandao’s Daoist certificates before heading to the East Gate and the East River ferry port.

There was indeed something amiss at the port.

A group of men carrying weapons and with sinister looks frequently scanned the surroundings. They were obviously Pai Sect members, wary of Cao Gang causing trouble.

Li Yan and the others sensed the danger and kept a low profile. Since they were carrying luggage and appeared ready to leave, no one approached to question them.

"This is the boat."

In a corner of the ferry port, they finally found the boat mentioned by Han Kun.

The boat was not small, with a cabin and white sails. Though it wasn’t exactly elegant, it was sturdy enough to withstand rain on their journey.

An elderly man sat at the prow, wearing a bamboo hat and leisurely fishing, while several ship workers bustled about, cleaning the deck.

"Elder..."

Li Yan had just approached to inquire, when the elder quickly spoke up in a low voice, "Do you have the token?"

After seeing the token given by Han Kun, the elder immediately whispered, "Don’t speak, get on the boat right away. We’ll talk after we leave the ferry port."

Li Yan and the others understood and silently boarded with their luggage, then hid inside the cabin to wait.

"Set the sails, we depart!"

The elder shouted, and the wooden boat slowly left the ferry port...

No sooner had they gone than Chen Yuanqing arrived at the East River ferry port with a furious expression, looking around and cursing,

"This Lin Yu has got some nerve, the scamp!"