Chapter 763 - 419: Life Fate Association

"As you wish, elder."

Li Yan breathed a sigh of relief and put away the Phoenix Gold Ornament.

Clearly, the hidden woman in the mist was the one in charge.

As long as she agrees to meet, everything will go smoothly.

Meanwhile, the woman from Miaojiang leaped onto the iron chain carrying two young girls, then turned and smiled.

"My name is Long Yan’er, I come from the Gu Sect."

With that, she carried the two young girls and flew away across the iron chain...

In no time, those women had vanished from sight.

Watching their departing figures, Sha Lifei furrowed his brows and muttered, "Weren’t we looking for the Life Fate Association? Why is the Gu Sect here too?"

"Back at Xian Mountain, we killed Tan Yun’er, she was from the Gu Sect too, right? Brother Yan, could we have walked into a den of thieves?"

"No rush, we’ll play it by ear then."

Clang!

With that, a flash of a blade severed the iron chain as thick as a bowl, causing it to crash into the river and splash huge waves.

Li Yan sheathed his blade, "Let’s go to Great Chang!"

...

The pleasure boat continued its journey.

"Fast Ship Zhang" had roughly explained the route.

Leaving the Daming Lake in Wushan County, they would pass through Dragon Gate Gorge, Bawu Gorge, Dici Gorge, and finally enter Great Chang Lake.

Great Chang City was right at the lakeside pier.

Although they already knew, the sights along the way were still awe-inspiring.

Dragon Gate Gorge’s cliffs stood facing each other, with high cliffs confining the river, and the sky opening a gap.

The Salt Gang picking this place for an ambush had its merits, like a gate blocking the passage, with no way in or out.

After passing through Dragon Gate Gorge, the water immediately became turbulent, with hidden reefs and currents below, and even the wrecks of shattered ships could be seen along the way.

"This place is called ’Silver Nest Beach.’

"Fast Ship Zhang" introduced, "Rumor has it there’s a Dragon Cave here, which annually produces silver, but one can only fetch three liters; the greed of the people led to the Dragon Cave’s permanent closure."

"Whether or not there’s a Dragon Cave is unknown, but there are indeed many stranded ships; luckily, the world is relatively peaceful now, otherwise, there would surely be a pirate ambush..."

Sailing past, the river water was a jade green, with channels sometimes swift, sometimes smooth, and cliffs stretching endlessly on both sides, peaks competing in beauty.

And atop the cliffs, hanging coffins were everywhere, with ancient plank roads more than one, some damaged, only the holes of wooden stakes visible.

Others are still in use, with villagers walking with burdens, appearing and disappearing amidst clouds and fog.

Within the gorge, there were also some divergent waterways, originally occupied by the fleeing Salt Gang, but now they had completely vanished, as if they never existed.

"Fast Ship Zhang" knew what he was thinking and whispered, "The Salt Gang, while trading illicit salt, to avoid the government’s crackdown, only seek those secluded paths."

"Since Han, they have mastered countless secret paths over thousands of years; no one knows the terrain better than them."

"These people hold grudges endlessly, are at ease with both black and white paths, Li Hero, if you go to Shu, be very cautious..."

Due to the Salt Gang blocking the way, they were delayed, and when they were about to enter Great Chang River, it was already near dusk.

"Ah —!"

A scream suddenly echoed from the left escarpment.

Li Yan looked up, spotting a constructed room on the cliff, quite decent in style, but with no path up or down.

A white-clad, disheveled figure at the window was wildly waving arms, seemingly greeting them, yet with a fierce expression, resembling madness.

"There’s no need to pay attention, everyone."

"Fast Ship Zhang" chuckled, "This is the bookshelf on Luo Family Cliff; the Luo Family in Great Chang are local gentry, built this cliff chamber for descendants to focus solely on studying."

"However, those who want to earn a name are shut in here, meals are delivered daily by servants, and unless they achieve something, they’re not allowed out."

"Goodness!"

Sha Lifei widened his eyes and clicked his tongue, "That’s harsh enough; the Luo Family must be filled with government officials, huh?"

"Hehe..."

"Fast Ship Zhang" joked, "Only two County Magistrates came from several generations, both posted to remote counties; one was killed by bandits halfway through his service, the other caught for embezzlement and prosecuted."

"Some things in life really shouldn’t be forced..."

Entering Great Chang Lake, the water surface immediately widened.

By now, the sky had become somewhat dim, fog rising over the lake, amidst which the old city’s outline could be seen, dotted with lights, dreamlike and magical.

Wang Daoxuan stood at the boat’s bow, stroking his beard and observing, then glancing around, irresistibly saying, "Mist shrouds towers, moon fogs the crossing waters; what a place..."

The scenery was beautiful, but Li Yan was in no mood to appreciate.

He turned to the others and said sternly, "Those women, their origin is still unclear; everyone, be cautious and play it by ear."

By the time they spoke, the pleasure boat had reached the port and pier.

The old city ahead wasn’t large, and with the sky getting darker, no more ships were coming or going, only four or five boats lay at the pier.

On the pier’s wooden planks, a woman wearing a bamboo hat and a white veil was silently waiting.

Unlike Long Yan’er from the Gu Sect, this woman’s Dao was quite ordinary, but dressed in traditional Han attire, her white clothes fluttered in the evening breeze, carrying its own charm.

"Greetings, heroes."

The woman slightly bowed and calmly said, "The old woman has prepared a banquet and instructed me to wait here; please follow me."

Sha Lifei rubbed his bald head and chuckled, "Young lady, why don’t any of your people show their true faces?"

The woman turned her head, "It’s a taboo in the sect; if you want to see, that’s fine, but if you uncover my veil, you must marry me; would you?"

Sha Lifei was about to continue speaking but was stopped by Li Yan, who shook his head and said, "Since it’s a sect taboo, I dare not be reckless either."

Through Divine Skills, he could smell a strong medicinal and foul odor under the woman’s veil.

It was likely backlash from practicing spells.

Curiosity could lead to big trouble.

Indeed, once entering the county town, even the city guards were respectful, saluted from afar, but dared not come too close.