A Simple Meal Box
Through the cloth, it was easy to discern.
The bundle felt soft, and the hard object inside seemed to be papers or books.
The fact that Mo Li brought these items clearly indicated they were important clues.
Meng Qi pondered for a while, then decisively tied another knot on the bundle and slung it over his back.
Who cared what it looked like, anyway? Apart from Ayanpuka and the doctor, no one else was around to see.
“…”
Meng Qi’s gaze suddenly dropped, locking onto a mountain sparrow in the irises.
The sparrow’s wing drooped on one side, its eyes glimmering brightly. Its head followed Mo Li’s movements, sometimes shifting left, sometimes quickly darting right. When it got excited, it shook its head and splashed the water with its spindly legs, chirping in delight.
Although Meng Qi couldn’t understand the language of birds, the attitude of the Feihe Mountain dragon vein was too obvious.
He casually plucked a floating leaf of water lettuce and compared it; the oval shape was just slightly larger than the sparrow’s head.
The sparrow was watching Mo Li with great interest when suddenly a wet leaf descended from the sky, covering its forehead and blocking its vision entirely, casting its world into darkness. Annoyed, it flapped its wings, trying to rid itself of the bothersome leaf.
Then it froze.
Because a finger, through the leaf, gently pressed down on its head.
“…Impressive?”
“Chirp!”
The sparrow chirped loudly, unyielding despite the pressure.
Meng Qi chuckled, dragging out his words meaningfully: “Even if you think it’s impressive, it won’t help; without a human form, you can’t learn martial arts.”
With that, he withdrew his finger.
The sparrow sat there in a daze, not even noticing when the water lettuce leaf fell off.
Without a human form… it not only couldn’t learn martial arts, but it also meant it couldn’t defeat this hateful Taijing dragon vein in front of it!
“Chirp-chirp!” The sparrow suddenly jumped up, letting out an angry, urgent cry.
Meng Qi, with his hands behind his back and the large bundle slung over his shoulder, strolled forward slowly.
This left the Feihe Mountain dragon vein so furious that it nearly flipped over, wishing it could slap a face full of mud onto Meng Qi.
The sparrow struggled out of the irises. Since its wing was injured, it couldn’t fly, so it hopped deftly across the water surface covered in reeds, water lettuce, and water hyacinth. A few times, the leaves it landed on couldn’t support its plump body, and it slid right into the water. However, the plants had thick, robust root systems, and since the sparrow was near the shore, it was able to hop back up after a quick swim, barely managing to showcase a “Water Gliding” lightness technique.
Meng Qi, on the other hand, was using real lightness skills, moving further and further from the shore.
In the distance, Ayanpuka and Mo Li’s figures blurred, and the trees seemed to sway like waves crashing against them.
The moonlight came and went, drifting like a ghost. Creatures hiding in the water and forest, accustomed to darkness, would flee desperately to the shadows the moment they were touched by the light, as if scalded by fire.
The sparrow scoffed. The moonlight was so pleasant; why were they running?
Just as it was thinking this, it tilted its head and met the eyes of a “rotten log” floating nearby in the water.
Of course, rotten wood doesn’t have eyes—this was a crocodile, armored in scales and filled with sharp teeth.
Just as the moonlight shifted to illuminate them both.
“Splash!”
A loud splash followed as the sparrow, startled, flailed its injured wing and paddled away, while the crocodile, just as panicked, scrambled underwater, trying to avoid the moonlight.
If they could speak, they would surely have shouted “Help!” in unison at that moment.
The Feihe Mountain dragon vein finally understood the advantages of a large body. If it were an eagle, it could simply circle high in the sky as it led the way, seeing farther from above, with no need to work so hard. Plus, that man from Xiliang wouldn’t have been able to injure its wing so easily.
No, it shouldn’t have even left the mountain!
Suddenly, a fierce wind blew from the front, knocking the sparrow off balance and sending it soaring into the air.
When the wind stopped abruptly, the sparrow finally opened its eyes. Instinctively, it tried to flap its wings, but all it felt was pain, and it plummeted like a stone.
The dazzling moonlight reflected in the sparrow’s eyes as it was spun around three times in the air, only to realize that it wasn’t moonlight but Mo Li’s sword. The earlier gust wasn’t wind either—it was Ayanpuka, who hadn’t given up.
Compared to the grand ambition of restoring Xiliang, Ayanpuka clearly wanted to capture the Feihe Mountain dragon vein even more.
With this sparrow, his troubles would be solved.
He wouldn’t even need to mention all his previous schemes, and he could also use it to threaten the Taijing dragon vein, solving his immediate problems.
However, Mo Li had already anticipated this.
Seeing the dangerous situation, Mo Li grabbed the sparrow and flung it backward, the movement identical to when he had tossed the bundle earlier.
Coordinating instinctively, Meng Qi: “…”
After catching it, both he and the sparrow exchanged a glance before they simultaneously turned their heads away in disdain.
“Covered in mud, filthy beyond belief.” Meng Qi casually placed the sparrow atop the bundle on his back, wiping his hands on the bundle’s surface in the process.
The sparrow was so enraged it tried to jump up, but as soon as it exerted any strength, it sank right into the bundle, leaving only a tuft of black feathers stubbornly poking out.
Meng Qi didn’t even bother to look.
“Don’t worry, a dragon vein won’t suffocate, even when it’s angry.”
The one in trouble was Ayanpuka. He had sustained two injuries, first battling Meng Qi, which consumed a great deal of his energy, and now he didn’t have the strength to keep fighting Mo Li. The Feihe Mountain dragon vein was right in front of him, but despite his several attempts to get close, he couldn’t succeed. He was left contemplating how to escape.
Seizing a chance, Ayanpuka retreated a few feet and, taking advantage of the pause, asked, “Did Your Excellency see the belongings of an old friend inside the house?”
The bundle was so conspicuous; how could Ayanpuka not have noticed?
He knew what was inside his own home. As the master, how could he not?
The Taijing dragon vein would take many things, but there was one item that would never be left behind.
Ayanpuka squinted and said, “The masterpiece by the Painting Sage, Yang Daozhi, took me considerable effort to acquire.”
Upon hearing this, Mo Li’s hand involuntarily slowed.
The mechanism hidden behind the *Tiger Painting* was indeed suspicious.
Over on the other side, Meng Qi frowned at the mention of the Painting Sage.
Ayanpuka saw the confusion in Mo Li’s eyes, and his confidence grew. He laughed aloud and said, “Of all the works by the Painting Sage, the one with the most legendary tales is this *Tiger Descending the Mountain*. Once, a thief broke into a house, only to find a tiger lying by the window, basking in the moonlight, sound asleep. Terrified, he fled over the wall, breaking his leg in the process. The next day, when the authorities arrived, they found no traces of a beast, only the *Tiger Painting* hanging on the wall. Later, Yang’s servants also reported seeing the tiger several times, roaming in the backyard bushes or under the corridors…”
The tiger in the painting, of course, couldn’t roam around at night.
Given the location where the painting was made, it was clear that the tiger, identical to the one in the painting, had quietly wandered into the bustling district of Taijing and strolled around the Yang family residence. Naturally, this was the work of a highly skilled dragon vein capable of transforming into both human and animal forms.
Finally connecting the dots, Mo Li realized Ayanpuka’s implication: “…”
So, you believe that the original form of the Taijing dragon vein is a tiger.
You’re giving too much “weight” to the Taijing dragon vein—it’s not that heavy.
Perhaps the dragon vein of Anahduo Mountain, with its original form being a tiger, had misled Ayanpuka?
An eagle and a tiger—that’s what most people would expect when imagining a dragon vein’s transformation. The little sparrow from Feihe Mountain was an exception?
No, the eagle was the exception!
Mo Li wanted to speak but hesitated.
He wasn’t good at hiding his emotions, and Ayanpuka immediately sensed that something was wrong with his own assumptions.
—If he guessed wrong, why did they react the moment he mentioned Yang Daozhi?
Ayanpuka stared at Mo Li in confusion, but the urgency of the situation didn’t allow him to dwell on it.
“That painting was not easy to acquire, so I installed a mechanism behind the scroll to prevent theft. Since you brought out so many items, you must have noticed that painting… Clearly, such a simple trick was no challenge for you.”
Meng Qi quickly glanced at Mo Li after hearing this, only to relax when he saw that Mo Li remained unfazed.
Ayanpuka felt a pang of regret. A seasoned veteran like Meng Qi would be cautious and wouldn’t directly touch the painting. But how did the inexperienced Taijing dragon vein not fall for it? Ayanpuka had imagined that when Mo Li and Meng Qi entered the study to search for items, Meng Qi, caught off guard, would accidentally trigger the mechanism.
The numerous fine needles coated in deadly poison would be so densely packed that even a top-tier expert would be caught off guard and thrown into disarray.
If there were two people in the room, the space to dodge would be even smaller.
But now, things were worse. Meng Qi had kept his eyes on him the entire time, and only Mo Li had entered the study, managing to avoid the trap! As Ayanpuka thought this over, his expression twisted with frustration.
Mo Li glanced at his sword, unwilling to waste any more words, and resumed his attack.
“Too bad, though. The painting on the study wall is a fake; the real one has already been sent to Prince Ning.”
“…”
Mo Li’s movements slowed once again. He didn’t care about the painting—*Fat Rat* cared about the painting!
What he cared about was Prince Ning.
Or rather, the letters Ayanpuka had left in the study, hinting at problems with Prince Ning. Were they planted to deceive, or was there truth to them?
Meng Qi hadn’t seen the letters, so he didn’t know what was troubling Mo Li, but he suspected Ayanpuka was trying to pull a trick.
“Kill him first and be done with it.” Meng Qi, calm and composed, carried the bundle on his back.
Strength trumps all strategies—no matter the schemes, just kill him, and it’s over.
Ayanpuka, prepared for Meng Qi’s interference, immediately added, “Would you be content to be used by Fengxing Pavilion?”
Narrowly dodging Mo Li’s blade, Ayanpuka squinted and continued, “Aren’t you curious who assassinated Prince Jing and threw Jingzhou into chaos, bringing the war to the brink of eruption? He’s also been sowing discord between the court officials and generals of Qi, trying to pit Prince Jing against Qi and exhaust both sides. I’ve already sent my people to investigate, but I long ago guessed who’s behind it. Over the past ten years, I’ve crossed paths with him many times, without a clear outcome.”
So, you’re trying to say that Prince Ning has a high-ranking figure under him, but what does that have to do with Fengxing Pavilion? Meng Qi was about to ponder further when he heard Ayanpuka say, “His name is Qiu Si, and he had a daughter who died young before she came of age. Though the servants in the Qiu household were tight-lipped, someone still saw the young lady. Dr. Mo, I’m sure you found the portrait in my study, along with the letters.”
Not only the portrait of Qiu Si’s daughter but also of the entire Qiu family.
After all, being a government official meant he couldn’t hide his identity forever like Ayanpuka, who could cover his face and remain in the shadows.
Qiu Si wasn’t some graceful, peerless scholar—he had a rather ordinary appearance, and his wife looked quite average too, making their children blend into a crowd.
Clearly, Ayanpuka had gone to great lengths. The artist had captured the spirit with extraordinary precision; though young, and dressed in traditional women’s attire, the girl in the portrait was unmistakably Qiu Si’s daughter.
Her sharp gaze and firm-set mouth exuded an air of authority.
Even at a young age, it was clear she wasn’t a girl willing to spend her life idling away in the back courtyard.
“The officials under Prince Ning’s command allowed a daughter to learn martial arts and take control of an organization that trafficked in all kinds of information across the martial world. Fengxing Pavilion—is it truly her domain, or was it her father, hidden behind the scenes, who planned it all?”
“Fengxing Pavilion is familiar with all the trade routes, roads, and waterways from the north to the south, and even the invisible ‘paths’ between people. If war breaks out, how much of an advantage would Prince Ning have?”
“For example, this time, without Fengxing Pavilion, would the shifts in Jingzhou’s situation have been completely within Qiu Si’s calculations?”
Ayanpuka’s three consecutive questions made Mo Li’s brows knit tighter and tighter.
Mo Li didn’t doubt Qiu Jing. Even if she was indeed Qiu Si’s daughter, that didn’t prove that everything she had done was paving the way for her father.
People often assume that everything a son does outside is under his father’s orders, that the money he earns belongs partly to his family, and that the power he builds will eventually serve his father because a son always stands by his father’s side. Qiu Jing, dressed as a man, roamed the martial world much like a son would.
Mo Li didn’t believe Qiu Jing was someone who would be manipulated, not even by her own father.
Even if Fengxing Pavilion had truly been serving Prince Ning as the letters suggested, it wouldn’t have been because of her father.
This was the doctor’s insight into people.
However, the secrets revealed in the letters were too many, including a mention that Piaoping Pavilion no longer needed the opium pills for now. Ayanpuka had someone send the most recent batch of powdered medicine to Prince Ning, mixing it into a “fertility recipe” sought by one of his concubines, disguised as incense to directly destroy Prince Ning’s health.
The letter in the study was a report confirming that the “incense” had successfully entered Prince Ning’s inner chambers.
If Qiu Si could access all the information from Fengxing Pavilion, and if Fengxing Pavilion knew that the Xiliang people were using the sacred drug of Nanjing—opium—then when Qiu Si discovered something abnormal in Prince Ning’s inner chambers, he would immediately think of the opium.
Judging by the strategy used during the standoff between the naval forces on the banks of Jingzhou, Qiu Si was undoubtedly a person of unparalleled wisdom. If the opium fell into his hands, it was uncertain whether it would be a blessing or a curse.
If Ayanpuka only sent over pills and powder, it wouldn’t be so bad, but if there were seeds and the latex extracted from the fruit…
Mo Li thought the situation was tricky. After searching the study, he had rushed out to find Meng Qi, but he hadn’t had the chance to discuss it with the National Master before encountering Ayanpuka, who was desperate to kill the Feihe Mountain dragon vein.
“This is your strategy to buy time?”
Meng Qi, knowing Mo Li was unsure, stepped forward with a calm smile, clapping his hands as he said, “Revealing Fengxing Pavilion’s secrets—did you think that would make me spare your life?”
Ayanpuka took a deep breath and gestured for Mo Li to stop.
Mo Li indeed had many questions he wanted answers to, so he subconsciously looked at Meng Qi.
Meng Qi nodded.
Mo Li sheathed his blade and stood not far from Ayanpuka, watching his every move closely.
“Very well, then. We are not people of the martial world; we do not act on impulse. Like the Spring and Autumn Period of ancient times, at one moment we form alliances, and at another, we break them, all according to our interests.” Ayanpuka straightened his face and solemnly said, “It is true that Xiliang desires to restore our nation, but we have achieved nothing in decades, and now our foundation has been destroyed by you. On the other hand, Qiu Si is backed by Prince Ning of the former Chu and relies on the power of Fengxing Pavilion. He is ambitious and poses a much greater threat.”
Without waiting for a response from Meng Qi or Mo Li, Ayanpuka continued, “After this battle, the people of Xiliang have lost hope, and even I cannot restore the nation. Furthermore, restoring the nation has always been a mere pretense for me. The real reason I hid in this river marsh was for the Feihe Mountain dragon vein. You may have heard of the Anahduo Mountain; I shall not deceive you anymore. I am a demonic child of the Feiting tribe who was sacrificed to the mountain god. I owe my life to the dragon vein of Anahduo Mountain, and that’s why I had the chance to study under the former Mitre King of Mojie Temple. I have never forgotten the life-saving grace I received. After searching countless mountains with no results, I came to Feihe Mountain in hopes of saving that dragon vein. Perhaps, to the Feihe Mountain dragon vein, Anahduo is a despicable traitor, but to me, he is as revered as a father.”
Mo Li remained expressionless as Meng Qi calmly pressed down on the mountain sparrow, who was about to burst out in protest.
Ayanpuka sighed and said, “Because of this past, I saved Su Li and taught him martial arts. He is an innocent child, and if he has committed any sins, it is my fault. Now that the dream of restoring the nation is shattered, I only hope the Taijing dragon vein can find a way to save my ‘father,’ who is on the verge of death…”
Meng Qi suddenly laughed.
The mountain sparrow, sensing the mockery in his laughter, immediately stopped squirming.
“Very well said, with deep foresight, even using the swordsman’s situation to your advantage.” Meng Qi watched as Ayanpuka’s expression suddenly changed, and he continued slowly, “But you made a big mistake. Forget about me—do you think you’ve fooled the doctor?”
Ayanpuka instinctively looked at Mo Li, only to find his face still impassive.
He gritted his teeth in frustration, asking, “What does the National Master mean? I am willing to hand over my forces and to be used against Prince Ning, or even the Holy Lotus Sect and the Tianshou King in the southwest. I only ask that Doctor Mo consider the fact that dragon veins are becoming weaker across the land and that Anahduo Mountain be granted a sliver of life, even if it means slumbering for centuries. Is this truly so unworthy of your trust?”
“This, I actually believe.” Meng Qi nodded slowly. When Ayanpuka spoke of the eagle dragon vein, not only was his tone sincere, but his eyes were filled with intense emotion. That wasn’t something that could easily be faked—or, at least, it was unlikely anyone could fake it well enough to fool Meng Qi.
But before Ayanpuka could feel any joy, Meng Qi drawled out his next words: “Thirty years ago, you may have been grateful, even willing to sacrifice yourself in return, but you don’t feel that way anymore. Gratitude remains, but you’ve come to value yourself more.”
“National Master?!” Ayanpuka’s face twisted with anger.
Meng Qi raised an eyebrow and said, “Why, isn’t that true? I’ve never met the Anahduo Mountain dragon vein, but according to what Feihe Mountain has said, that dragon vein was no selfless savior. Perhaps, in the beginning, he saved you out of pity for an innocent child. But as he neared death and couldn’t leave that mountain, and you were the sacrificial offering to the mountain god, he certainly used gratitude to bind you to his will, to serve him.”
“Enough!” Ayanpuka shouted, enraged.
Meng Qi’s smile faded, and he coldly said, “This is what you’ve come to realize in your heart, and it’s exactly what you’ve done with the swordsman Su Li, isn’t it?”
Ayanpuka felt the situation spiraling out of his control, his heart racing as he turned his gaze to Mo Li.
Meeting his eyes, Mo Li suddenly spoke, “Do you want to know when your true nature was exposed? It wasn’t with the swordsman Su Li, nor with what you said just now. It was your very first words—’The dragon veins are gradually dying, and after a long period of division, the world will unite again. This is the trend of the times.'”
Ayanpuka’s face paled as Mo Li stared at him with cold indifference.
“The long division will lead to unification” referred to the current chaotic world and was a fairly accurate statement, but the problem lay in the first part.
“I don’t understand what Doctor Mo means,” Ayanpuka said, his teeth clenched.
Meng Qi answered on Mo Li’s behalf, “Your intention was to strike first, like an ancient persuader, shocking the Taijing dragon vein by saying that all dragon veins would eventually die out. It’s a chain of traps. When we find the Feihe Mountain dragon vein, we obviously wouldn’t agree to trade one for another. How do you make sure the Taijing dragon vein can’t stay out of this? Naturally, with fear and intimidation. The disaster that befell Anahduo Mountain came swiftly, and if we solve its crisis, then one day, when the Taijing dragon vein faces a similar predicament, it won’t need to worry—you want to lure all the living dragon veins to Anahduo Mountain.”
“With the abundant spiritual energy of the Taijing dragon vein, Anahduo Mountain doesn’t stand a chance. What are you afraid of? Do you truly not dare to ascend the mountain?”
“No. If your intent was to save Anahduo Mountain, you should have said so earlier. Had we not come to Feihe Mountain, we wouldn’t have learned of the past where Anahduo Mountain deceived Feihe Mountain’s dragon vein. Wouldn’t that have been even more advantageous?”
Ayanpuka was at a loss for words, silent for a long time before he muttered, “At that time, we were enemies, and Fengxing Pavilion was fanning the flames…”
Meng Qi waved his hand impatiently and said, “Don’t mention Fengxing Pavilion; they have nothing to do with this.”
Mo Li didn’t want to spell things out too bluntly, but Meng Qi wasn’t going to be as polite.
“You’re not sincerely trying to save Anahduo Mountain. As you said, you just want to leave it with a sliver of life. Your real goal lies with the doctor and me. What have you set your eyes on? The other powers of the dragon veins? The secret to immortality, the technique for eternal youth?”
“…There’s no such thing as immortality. At most, it’s just extending one’s lifespan beyond the norm, like martial arts. At the level we’ve reached, our skills would already seem like divine arts to common folk.”
Ayanpuka attempted to argue, but Meng Qi cut him off with a harsh tone, “You’re right, because that’s enough for you. You are the Zanpu, revered by the Xiliang people as a descendant of the gods. After spending decades painstakingly cultivating your forces, it’s still not enough. Time is running out, isn’t it? You want to be worshipped as a god, ideally still looking like a young man at the age of eighty. You wonder why I can master such skills, and why can’t you? Once you learn it, you can teach those you deem worthy, those who revere you as a god. How could you worry about loyalty then? You talk about joining forces to deal with the Holy Lotus Sect, but I suspect that sinister scheme of theirs has your fingerprints all over it.”
Ayanpuka’s eyes flickered, but he remained silent.
Meng Qi, seeing his expression, immediately pulled Mo Li by the arm, “This isn’t good—run!”
Without hesitation, Mo Li retreated.
Ayanpuka’s body suddenly emitted thick white mist, his limbs swelling grotesquely. Spiritual energy surged wildly toward him, different from the breakthrough of Monk Yuan Zhi. This was clearly a self-destructive technique, a form of demonic martial art. What made it worse was that Ayanpuka could manipulate spiritual energy.
Though it seemed as though Meng Qi was retreating in a rush, he casually pointed in a certain direction with his hand.
Only the sparrow poking its head out of the bundle noticed this.
Ayanpuka lunged forward like a mad tiger, as if determined to drag Meng Qi to his death.
Meng Qi raised his sword to block.
The clash of internal energy caused branches and leaves to scatter and the river to churn, even exposing the muddy bottom.
Fish, shrimp, and aquatic plants caught in the tempest were instantly pulverized.
The sparrow, caught in the eye of the storm, pulled its head back in fright, trembling as it prayed Meng Qi would have the strength to hold on.
But it hadn’t hidden for long when the deafening chaos suddenly ceased. The sparrow cautiously peeked out again.
—All it could see was Meng Qi’s back.
Meng Qi stood with his sword, lightly tapping his toes on the now calming water surface as he moved toward the shore.
It was a riverside area, thickly overgrown with reeds and irises, all of which were now stained with blood.
Ayanpuka lay on the bank, struggling several times to stand but failing.
“You… how…”
As he opened his mouth, blood spilled out.
Mo Li, who had been standing in front of him, slowly stepped back, his blade dripping blood.
The wound on Ayanpuka’s chest and abdomen formed two crisscrossed arcs.
The sparrow tilted its head, noticing that this was exactly the direction Meng Qi had pointed Mo Li toward earlier.
“How did I know you’d flee this way? You planned to escape with your injuries; I knew the terrain well, and I’m skilled in Qimen Dunjia. If I had such an enemy, I would also think the only escape route was underwater, leading to the deepest part of the reed marsh.”
Meng Qi spoke a sentence, and Ayanpuka coughed up more blood.
Though Ayanpuka couldn’t understand how Meng Qi knew which areas of the river were deep or shallow—it didn’t seem like something the little sparrow would remember—Meng Qi wasn’t about to explain the truth.
The depth of the marsh was limited. Larger fish passing through would notice whether they could swim freely.
“…Or why did I guess you would run? Someone like you wouldn’t choose mutual destruction. As long as you could survive, you’d risk damaging your internal organs or even crippling your meridians. Because you’re brave and clever, with foresight and many contingencies, no matter how badly you fall, you always plan to rise again.”
Meng Qi stopped beside Mo Li and said calmly, “You’re a formidable man, and I understand formidable men all too well.”
Better to betray the world than let the world betray me.
Ayanpuka’s eyes were filled with malice, but his dantian was damaged, and he couldn’t gather any strength.
“If you’re going to die, at least die understanding why. Consider this my parting gift.”
With that, Meng Qi swung his sword, severing Ayanpuka’s head.
The strike was so swift that the dead man wouldn’t feel any pain—he would only feel as though he were flying, his eyes still capable of seeing the world’s final image, his ears still hearing sounds, and his mind capable of brief thought.
“I am the Taijing dragon vein.”
Ayanpuka’s eyes widened in shock. He had so much to say, but no voice came out.
With a dull splash, his head fell into the river.
After a long pause, Mo Li finally spoke in a low voice, “Let’s go. There are still some Xiliang people trapped in the marsh who haven’t escaped.”
“The doctor today…”
Meng Qi suddenly stopped. He sensed that something had been off about Mo Li’s mood since his return.
Mo Li knew what Meng Qi was implying, and he looked up at the sky.
Some trees had fallen during the battle, leaving a small gap through which the moonlight poured down, illuminating the riverbank and the two men.
“On the way back from finding the opium seeds, I heard strange noises against the wall and discovered a small islet. There, I found some crazed women locked in a thatched hut and two emaciated men in shackles. They were said to have once been locals living in the reed marsh.”
The Xiliang people had occupied the area, reducing them to slaves, living lives worse than death.
“They were covered in whip marks, blind in the darkness, their vitality completely drained, their organs weakened beyond recovery. Even if we rescued them and nursed them back to health, they wouldn’t live more than a few years.”
Author’s Note:
This part ties back to the earlier plot, so I won’t go into too much detail here. Earlier, Ayanpuka saved a child who was almost trampled to death during the panic in Run County. Ayanpuka said the child wouldn’t live long because the child’s mother couldn’t bear to let go of either her valuables or her child. This reflects his personality—he understood that the mother loved her child, but love is powerless in the face of wealth and interests.
Ayanpuka’s relationship with the eagle and the eagle’s feelings of gratitude and love for him are much the same.
————
Meng Qi: You made a huge mistake. I’m the Taijing dragon vein.