ATEG Chapter 72

On Jiuqu River, waves stretch for a thousand li.

This river was the largest tributary of the Huai River, winding through mountains and gorges with nine bends and ten turns, including the most passable water route connecting Lu and Liang kingdoms.

Between Lu and Liang kingdoms lay the vast Daqing Mountain range stretching ten thousand li, harboring countless demons and spirits of uncertain allegiance within. Not only mortals, but even ordinary cultivators were reluctant to traverse the mountains.

Before the great calamity arose, this waterway had been extremely prosperous due to its connection between the two kingdoms, with ferry crossings packed with vessels and sails constantly coming and going. The winding mountain route made it difficult for too many boats to pass simultaneously, so the crossing even imposed limits on the number of vessels.

But after the great calamity began, Lu Kingdom’s inspection and control of the crossing grew increasingly strict, eventually closing it entirely. The area became desolate—now even a small ferry boat was hard to find.

However, they weren’t completely absent.

Every so often, people from Liang Kingdom would attempt to flee to Lu Kingdom via the waterway. The official crossing was closed, but wherever there was demand, someone would do business.

In those wild ferries hidden among the reed marshes, small boats would occasionally appear carrying people in and out. From the eyes and scattered words of those who smuggled over from Liang Kingdom, one could deduce just how dire the situation there had become.

Chang Andu stood at an inconspicuous small ferry crossing. He had been standing there for quite some time, the moisture-laden wind from the river chilling him to stiffness, but he only occasionally moved his hands and feet. Most of the time he anxiously watched the river surface, as if afraid of missing something.

He had spent a long time inquiring in the area before confirming that this place had a ferry willing to travel between Lu and Liang, but no one was willing to bring him here. In these times, fleeing from Liang to Lu was normal, but going from Lu to Liang… who knew what he was up to? Chang Andu had to search on his own, finally managing to find this hidden ferry crossing along the shore.

But he didn’t know how often the ferryman came. He didn’t want to miss it, so he could only wait here. Since there was no boat at the crossing, did that mean the boat was currently on the water route? If he waited here a bit longer, would he be able to see the ferryman’s boat coming across the river? Chang Andu waited anxiously.

A small boat drifted across the river surface.

Chang Andu leaned forward excitedly to look, then suddenly became alert—if he acted this way, the boat’s owner would see him. Those who smuggled between the two kingdoms were extremely cautious. Would this boatman refuse to stop here?

Just as Chang Andu was about to wave and call out, he saw the boat’s bow turn toward this small ferry crossing.

The small boat stopped smoothly at the crossing. There were only two people on board—one standing at the bow with a pale face, the other standing behind wearing a bamboo hat that shadowed his face. They wore the common dress of fishermen and didn’t look like people fleeing from Liang Kingdom. They showed no intention of disembarking.

The boatman at the bow looked down at him. Chang Andu said urgently, “Boatman, I want to go to Liang Kingdom. Please name your price.”

“We don’t do that kind of business.” The speaker was the person in back, his face hidden in the shadow of his bamboo hat, his voice low and strange, as if deliberately suppressed.

“I have very important matters requiring this trip. Please name your price—if I can do it, I certainly won’t refuse!” Chang Andu clasped his hands pleadingly.

“You…” The man in the bamboo hat was about to say something when the pale-faced man at the bow suddenly coughed.

The man in the bamboo hat paused, his voice somewhat distorted, sounding both weak and restrained, revealing some indescribable strange emotion, but he still insisted, “We won’t do this business.”

Chang Andu grew anxious. Seeing that the man at the front also seemed able to make decisions, he pleaded, “I truly have urgent matters. I’m not here to investigate smuggling. Please help me! I will repay you later!”

The pale-faced man looked him over and said, “Since you’re sincere, we’ll take you on this trip.”

Chang Andu was overjoyed and stepped aboard at the bow. He glanced instinctively at the man in the bamboo hat—his face was still hidden in shadow, looking gloomy. He seemed to want to say something more, but only made a sound in his throat before falling silent.

The pale-faced man was about to push off with his pole when a clear call came from the shore. “Boatman, please wait a moment.”

Chang Andu turned to look and saw a scholar in white robes walking toward them.

“You also want to cross the river?” the pale-faced boatman asked.

“Yes, I also want to cross the river,” the white-robed scholar replied with a smile.

“Then come aboard,” the pale-faced boatman said.

Chang Andu felt something odd about this. This white-robed scholar appeared so suddenly and seemed so at ease, as if going on a pleasure cruise rather than to the ruined Liang Kingdom. Moreover, he carried no luggage at all.

But the boat wasn’t his, and he had only just managed to persuade the boatman to take him. If he caused more trouble and upset the boatman so he refused to take him to Liang Kingdom, that would be bad.

But what if this scholar…

While he was still hesitating, the other had already boarded. The pale-faced boatman pushed off with his pole, and the small boat drifted leisurely to the middle of the river. Chang Andu could only keep his concerns to himself, sit down inside the boat shelter, and carefully observe the scholar opposite him.

Earlier, from a distance and preoccupied with his own thoughts, Chang Andu hadn’t looked carefully at the other’s appearance. Now examining him closely, he couldn’t help but be startled. Despite his lingering concerns, Chang Andu couldn’t help but silently admire—this scholar was truly handsome, elegant and refined, especially his pair of clear, dark eyes, like limpid pools.

“My surname is Chang. May I ask how to address you, sir?” Chang Andu struck up conversation.

“My surname is Li,” the white-robed scholar replied with a gentle smile.

Chang Andu seemed to perceive friendliness in those eyes, so he relaxed somewhat and continued asking, “I’m going to Liang Kingdom to find someone. Why are you taking this boat, Mister Li?”

“I’m going to retrieve something for a friend,” the white-robed scholar said. His tone was very peaceful, conveying a sense of stability. “What about you? In this current season, who are you going to Liang Kingdom to find?”

Chang Andu’s expression grew dim. “I’m going to find my father.”

The small boat rocked slowly on the water. The scholar opposite seemed to have some quality that put people at ease, and he gradually opened up. “Our family does business between the two kingdoms. Before the crossing was closed, my father happened to be in Liang Kingdom. He sent word back saying he planned to return via this route. By my calculations, he should have arrived at the latest half a month ago.”

The scholar opposite listened quietly the whole time. Chang Andu gradually relaxed as he unburdened himself.

“Given Liang Kingdom’s current situation…” Chang Andu sighed, saying worriedly, “But he still hasn’t returned. I’ve been searching all along the way, asking many people, but no one has seen any trace of him.”

At this point, Chang Andu suddenly exclaimed, “Aiya! How could I forget to ask!”

He opened his bundle and took out a portrait. His fingers were somewhat stiff from the cold, but he handled the portrait he had shown many times very carefully. It depicted a middle-aged man with a beard and a gentle expression. He passed the portrait to the white-robed scholar opposite, asking hopefully, “Have you seen this person?”

The white-robed scholar sighed and shook his head.

Chang Andu was disappointed, but he was already used to it. He turned and walked to the cabin entrance, leaning out to ask, “Boatman, when you were ferrying in Liang Kingdom, did you see this person?”

The pale-faced boatman stretched to look at the portrait and said, “No.”

Chang Andu looked toward the other man in the bamboo hat. “Could you please look as well?”

The man in the bamboo hat turned his head, glancing from a distance, his voice hoarse and stiff. “No.”

“Please look more carefully for me!” Chang Andu pleaded.

The man in the bamboo hat moved but said nothing more. The pale-faced boatman said, “He and I have been together the whole time. If I haven’t seen him, he wouldn’t have either.”

Chang Andu had no choice but to sigh and sit back in the cabin. His eyes stared blankly, exhausted and confused.

“The moisture on the river is cold—warm yourself with this.” The white-robed scholar tossed over a wine gourd.

Chang Andu caught it reflexively. The wine gourd was warm, spreading heat from his stiff, cold fingertips all the way to his toes. He thanked the other for his kindness, but felt conflicted. No matter how good his impression, he and the person opposite had only just met. This flask of wine…

The white-robed scholar opposite seemed to see through his thoughts and smiled frankly, “I warmed it before boarding. Drunkenness would interfere with matters—just hold it to warm your hands.”

Chang Andu let out a breath. “Thank you.”

After resting a while and recovering some energy, he said, “He might have been unable to return because the crossing was closed and has been stuck on the Liang Kingdom side. In that case, he should still be near the river. If I find him, we’ll return together. Boats that still make crossings aren’t easy to find now…”

“Boatman, after I’ve been in Liang Kingdom for a while, I’ll need to return. Can you come pick me up again? How often do you make trips? What payment do you require?”

“Naturally we’ll earn money if there’s business… Just wait at the shore when the time comes,” the pale-faced boatman’s voice drifted in with the sound of river water. “As for payment, we’ll settle it when you return.”

Chang Andu responded reflexively, but then felt it was odd. Those who did smuggling business were all in it for money—why would they care so little about payment?

The gourd in his embrace was warm and comforting. Chang Andu sat in the boat cabin thinking, his face gradually paling. Had he… encountered river pirates?

He looked at the white-robed scholar sitting opposite. In his earlier rush to cross the river, he hadn’t noticed various things that were now becoming clearer.

He had been waiting at the ferry crossing when this boat appeared, coming from the direction of Liang Kingdom. This waterway only connected Lu Kingdom and Liang Kingdom… but there were only two boatmen on board, no passengers picked up from Liang Kingdom.

Had they not picked up anyone from Liang Kingdom on this trip? Or was there some other reason?

When he boarded, the man in the bamboo hat had seemed resistant, but the pale-faced boatman decided to agree. Yet they hadn’t asked why he was going, nor mentioned what payment they wanted, as if they didn’t care about payment…

Then this white-robed scholar opposite appeared, also mentioning neither payment nor purpose, and wasn’t refused either… Was it because they were already carrying him, so one more person didn’t matter? But smugglers were usually extremely careful and cautious—why would these two boatmen not care at all about the backgrounds of their passengers?

He had traveled this waterway several times with his father before. Back then there were also smuggling boats, and though Chang Andu had never taken a small boat, he had heard others talk about these boats. Even with current conditions being poor, things shouldn’t have changed this drastically, should they?

The more Chang Andu thought, the more uneasy he became, his face gradually paling.

“What’s wrong?” He heard the white-robed scholar opposite ask.

Chang Andu looked at that gentle, refined face, his throat moving as he asked carefully, “Mister Li, have you taken this kind of boat before?”

“No.” The scholar opposite shook his head.

“Did you discuss payment with them?” Chang Andu continued asking.

The scholar’s eyes were clear and transparent, seeming to see through his thoughts, his tone gentle. “Don’t worry. Nothing will happen.”

The other’s words seemed to have a soothing power, the wine gourd’s warmth spreading from his embrace. Even though the white-robed scholar’s origins and purpose remained questionable, Chang Andu truly felt much more at ease.

Night gradually fell. The small boat moored, waiting until dawn the next day to continue.

The white-robed scholar opposite had already fallen peacefully asleep, his breathing long and steady. Chang Andu lay down in the cabin with his clothes on. Nothing would happen, right?

O gods… please help me, help me find my father, I hope he’s safe and well…

Since setting out, he had been praying like this every day—upon waking, before sleeping, always hoping…

After searching all this way, he was too exhausted. In the sound of the river water, Chang Andu closed his eyes and gradually fell into dreams.

…..

Li Chi walked out of the boat cabin as naturally and smoothly as if walking on clouds, making not the slightest sound—what lay in the cabin was merely an illusion. From beginning to end, he had only been sitting there.

Outside the cabin, the two boatmen stood there as if they had known all along he would come out, waiting for this conversation.

“Cultivator.” The pale-faced boatman looked at Li Chi, his eyes gleaming with ghostly coldness in the night. “Don’t meddle in others’ affairs.”

He couldn’t sense any trace of spiritual power from Li Chi, but neither could he sense the turbid qi of a mortal body. When Chang Andu was boarding with his back to the shore, he hadn’t seen, but despite the thick reeds along the bank, the boatman had seen clearly—this white-robed scholar had suddenly appeared there, unconcealed, revealing himself openly before them.

“Meddling in affairs.” Li Chi chuckled softly, his gaze sweeping over the man in the bamboo hat behind the pale-faced boatman. “I don’t yet know what you intend to do, so how would I know whether it’s ‘others’ affairs’?”

“Then just stay and watch!” The pale-faced boatman sneered.

Cold mist rose from the river surface, seemingly hiding something within. Li Chi still wore that smiling expression, as if completely unaffected. When the cold mist approached his body and the boat cabin, it slid away like oil on ice.

The man in the bamboo hat still said nothing. The pale-faced boatman’s expression grew increasingly gloomy, but ultimately he took no further action. Those cold river mists only drifted quietly on the river surface without any further changes.

He couldn’t see through this white-robed scholar opposite of him… but that didn’t necessarily mean the other was more powerful than him. There were plenty of magical treasures that could conceal one’s cultivation level. Not fearing these baleful cold mists might just mean having some method. Though the baleful cold mists were formidable, their weakness was also obvious—as long as they didn’t touch the body and one used the correct method to ward them off, they were useless.

The pale-faced boatman looked at Li Chi with a dark expression. Should he attack now? Or give up?

No… he desperately needed power right now and couldn’t just give up directly. Attacking now carried relatively high risk, but this was on the river! This wasn’t even his strongest river segment yet. Once he reached his place…

…..

Li Chi paid no attention to the pale-faced boatman standing there and directly lifted the cabin curtain, walking in to sit cross-legged.

Chang Andu was already asleep, sleeping very soundly. Under days of exhaustion, he was even snoring lightly.

Li Chi looked at him, his fingertips twisting two strands of faith.

Chang Andu’s luck… it was hard to say whether it was good or bad.

Li Chi had originally planned to go directly to Huai River Mansion, but along the way, he saw from afar a small boat rising from Jiuqu River.

Chang Andu thought this boat had come from Liang Kingdom, but Li Chi saw clearly—the boat had risen from beneath the river water, and those two boatmen weren’t living people.

But the aura on the pale-faced boatman was very strange—cold ghostly qi, resentful and fierce baleful qi… Ghost cultivators on the orthodox path feared baleful qi, yet the baleful qi on him was so tremendous, yet he appeared clear-minded.

Besides this, Li Chi also saw traces of divine cultivation on him. That divine power was rather strange, different from the divine cultivators on Lu Kingdom’s side, and instead combined with that resentful baleful power. It must be because of the divine power that this baleful qi hadn’t consumed his consciousness.

There were many divine cultivators in Liang Kingdom who didn’t accept the Divine Court’s seal. This pale-faced boatman was probably one of them.

The Divine Court was powerful, long-established and mighty. These divine cultivators who didn’t accept the Divine Court’s seal or submit to its authority also needed to occupy territory and collect incense and faith for their cultivation, but they wouldn’t regulate destiny qi like Divine Court cultivators did. This was clearly disadvantageous to the Divine Court. If so, in the one hundred twenty thousand years since the Divine Court’s establishment, why hadn’t they dealt with this matter, instead leaving such a vast area as Liang Kingdom for destiny qi to remain chaotic?

Was it that they didn’t want to, or couldn’t?

The Divine Court had a complete and stable cultivation method, so most cultivators in the world who chose the divine path chose to join the Divine Court. These divine cultivators refused to accept the Divine Court’s seal—so where did their subsequent cultivation methods come from?

…..

The river water surged. Chang Andu woke from his dream with a sound.

“We’ve arrived.”

“What?” he asked in confusion.

“We’ve arrived. Get off the boat!”

A line of twilight shone in from the lifted curtain, blocked by the figure wearing a bamboo hat.

Chang Andu suddenly came fully awake, practically jumping up to walk out of the cabin.

The small boat had already moored at another wild ferry crossing. The two strange boatmen and that mysterious Mister Li all stood at the bow. In the twilight, warm ripples spread across the water, wind rustling through the reeds.

“This… we’ve reached Liang Kingdom?” Chang Andu asked incredulously.

He turned to look around, and when he saw another ferry crossing not far away, his breathing involuntarily caught.

He recognized this place. This was indeed Liang Kingdom’s ferry crossing.