Thousand Dusts Ferry Me - Chapter 14

Early in the morning, Cheng Suiyan sent an attendant to invite Yun Qing and the others for breakfast. The attendant discovered the broken wall and asked Cheng Suiyan for an explanation. Cheng Suiyan generously said, “I’ll compensate at market price. Put it on my account.”

Yun Qing didn’t want to take advantage of him. “We’ll pay you back once we earn the reward silver from the Fan family.”

Cheng Suiyan had already changed into a different outfit.

His black Daoist robe was embroidered with golden bamboo stalks and two cranes; the waistband, cuffs, and collar all had matching golden embroidered edges, giving him an air of refined nobility and graceful elegance.

Yun Qing never knew that a Daoist robe could be made so flamboyantly.

“Is that gold thread? The kind made from actual gold?” Yun Qing asked.

Cheng Suiyan nodded, not understanding why she would ask such a question.

Moreover, her gaze was somewhat strange, as if she wanted to strip off his clothes… Cheng Suiyan felt this notion was somewhat absurd.

Breakfast consisted of four types of pastries, two side dishes, one porridge, and one soup. Cheng Suiyan welcomed them, saying, “Traveling isn’t like being at home; we’ll have to make do with this.”

Fu Xue was taken aback, “This is… making do? Hehe, yes, we’ll make do.”

Yun Qing asked curiously, “Young Master Cheng, I can see you come from a distinguished background. Why are you wandering the jianghu?”

Cheng Suiyan smiled, “All this ‘young master’ business is too formal. Just call me Suiyan…Since childhood, I’ve dreamed of being a sword-wielding immortal wanderer, so once I learned some skills, I set out to gain experience.”

“To be honest,” he suddenly became a bit embarrassed, “actually, before this I’ve only encountered bandits and highway robbers. Last night was my first time truly ‘catching ghosts.'”

Yun Qing nodded with a smile, thinking, I could tell.

Last night when Cheng Suiyan first appeared, he drew his sword without understanding the situation, showing he was clearly flustered and inexperienced.

Fu Xue asked, “Your family is wealthy. Don’t they mind you running off like this?”

“They won’t interfere with me.”

“Oh?”

“I have an affinity with immortals.” When Cheng Suiyan said this, he held his head slightly high with a mysterious smile on his face.

Fu Xue’s eyes lit up, “Have you really met an immortal?”

Cheng Suiyan just smiled without answering.

Fu Xue said sourly, “None of us have met immortals.”

Yun Qing’s heart stirred. If Cheng Suiyan had met an immortal, could she perhaps ask him for an introduction to meet this immortal? Perhaps she could ask the immortal to help find her master?

But then she found this thought ridiculous. Immortals weren’t like second uncles, third aunts, or little cousins—how could they be so easily met through introductions? She was truly desperate and grasping at straws.

After breakfast, the four of them went out together to visit the Fan household.

On the way, Cheng Suiyan noticed that Yun Qing had changed her sword. The scabbard was a deep black that didn’t reflect any light—clearly no ordinary weapon.

“Yun Qing, may I look at your sword?”

“Of course.” Yun Qing generously handed it over.

Cheng Suiyan examined it from all angles, praising it profusely, then asked, “Would you sell this sword? I offer ten thousand taels.”

Before Yun Qing could answer, he suddenly shook his head, “Look at me, falling into old habits again. How could such a divine weapon possibly be for sale? Don’t mind me, Yun Qing, just pretend I was talking nonsense.”

Yun Qing swallowed the words “it’s a deal” that had almost escaped her lips.

Fu Xue walked beside Yun Qing with folded arms, proudly saying, “This is my senior sister’s spoil of war.”

“Ah? Impressive, impressive.” Cheng Suiyan returned the Cangye sword to Yun Qing, suddenly handling it much more carefully.

Fu Xue was satisfied with Cheng Suiyan’s reaction. Not content with just bragging about the sword, she made a fist with her right hand, using her thumb to point at Jiang Baiyu, “Look, the young master of Huayang Sect is also my senior sister’s spoil of war.”

Jiang Baiyu walked with composed dignity, not denying it.

Cheng Suiyan held him in great respect—he had certainly heard of the Huayang Sect.

Yun Qing was truly afraid her junior sister would continue making outlandish boasts, so she quickly changed the subject, saying, “Suiyan, may I see that magical folding fan you used last night?”

“Certainly.”

Yun Qing had only meant for Cheng Suiyan to open the fan and show it to her, but unexpectedly, after retrieving the magical item, he handed it directly to her.

His lack of caution surprised her deeply. Last night she had already heard his spell incantation clearly. If she were to take the magical item and run now, claiming it as her own, what could he do?

Someone this naive was lucky not to have been swindled into poverty while wandering the jianghu.

Yun Qing couldn’t help but warn him, “When traveling, it’s unwise to trust people so easily. How do you know I won’t steal your magical item?”

Cheng Suiyan smiled, thinking, I’m not that foolish. These people are highly skilled cultivators. If they truly wanted to take his magical item, could he resist? If he did resist, he might well become another of her spoils of war.

Yun Qing lowered her head and opened the folding fan.

The fan ribs were made of white jade, heavy and smooth to the touch. The fan surface was silk, yellowed with age. In the center of the fan was painted a beautiful woman in colorful clothes carrying a flower basket.

The beauty seemed to have just returned from picking flowers, walking against the wind with her clothes fluttering. A few flower petals scattered by the wind lay on the ground.

The fan had no inscription or signature, just this solitary beauty.

Yun Qing recalled how the beauty had knelt the night before, and became extremely curious about the fan. Why did she kneel? And to whom was she kneeling?

So Yun Qing asked, “What is the name of this magical item?”

Cheng Suiyan replied, “The Zhaoming Painted Bone Fan.”

“Who made it?”

“That I don’t know. I only know the fan surface was cut from an ancient painting.”

Yun Qing returned the Zhaoming Painted Bone Fan to Cheng Suiyan, saying, “I truly hope to have a chance to chat with this beauty someday.”

“That might disappoint you.”

“Oh?”

“She doesn’t speak.”

That makes sense—after all, she’s just an illusion, not a real living being, thought Yun Qing with slight disappointment.

****

Yun Qing and the others arrived at an inopportune time; the master of the wealthy Fan household had gone out to meet friends. A steward surnamed Sun received them, setting up tea and refreshments in a side hall, maintaining proper etiquette.

Steward Sun said, “Because of the Mingyue Tower incident, our master has been worried sick, his hair turning white. The old madam can’t eat properly either, and everything in the household has gone awry.

Therefore, our master has offered a wide reward, hoping to find capable experts to subdue the spirits at Mingyue Tower. Many experts have come, but unfortunately, none were effective.

Fortunately, we recently invited Daoist masters from a prestigious sect, and within just two or three days, they’ve made progress. Tonight, they will catch the demon.”

Yun Qing understood the steward’s implication. With those two Daoist masters from prestigious sects being sufficient, these “talented and unconventional individuals” of unknown origin could simply leave.

Cheng Suiyan asked curiously, “Which prestigious sect?”

Mentioning this, Steward Sun smiled and stroked his beard, saying:

“This was truly fated. Our old madam met a lay disciple of the Huayang Sect while burning incense. We heard they were going to celebrate the birthday of the Huayang Sect leader’s wife.

Our old madam persuaded him with many words and a modest gift, asking this nominal disciple to convey it. Now, the Huayang Sect heard of our difficulty and promptly sent two highly skilled disciples to assist us.”

At the mention of Huayang Sect, all three looked at Jiang Baiyu.

Jiang Baiyu was playing with a small piece of cake between his index and middle fingers, not eating it, and asked, “Which two from Huayang Sect?”

“These two Daoist masters are highly respected in Huayang Sect and frequently attend to the sect leader. Surely you’ve heard of them—one named Zhou Shitan, one named Luo Shuilan.”

Jiang Baiyu shook his head, “Never heard of them.”

Steward Sun stroked his beard with a polite smile, his expression seeming to say: You inexperienced lot, it’s normal you haven’t heard of them; I, this old man, won’t hold it against you.

Yun Qing realized they wouldn’t be getting the three hundred taels of silver reward. With the image of those strange embroidered shoes flashing through her mind, Yun Qing suppressed her curiosity and stood up to take her leave.

Steward Sun exchanged a few polite words but didn’t try to keep them.

Yun Qing led the way out with brisk steps. Just as they left the side hall, they encountered two men in Daoist robes walking toward them. The robes were embroidered with light golden lotus patterns—the disciple uniforms of the Huayang Sect.

Oh, aren’t these the two gatekeepers who spoke so disrespectfully?

Yun Qing recalled the dog-biting scene from that day and snickered.

“It’s you.” They recognized her too, and seeing her laugh with ill intent, they immediately became suspicious and angry, “What are you laughing at!”

Yun Qing not only laughed but also provoked them. “So you two brothers must be sharing a bed every night now, hmm? Hehe.”

With one sentence, not only did the two men’s faces turn crimson, but Jiang Baiyu and Cheng Suiyan, who heard from behind, also blushed.

Cheng Suiyan murmured, “You know quite a lot.” He looked at Jiang Baiyu with sympathy.

Fu Xue, with one hand on Yun Qing’s shoulder, peered out from behind her with half her face showing, smiling mischievously, “Oh my, who do we have here? It’s the immortal Daoist couple of Huayang Sect!”

“Shut up!!!”

In their rage, the two men drew their swords and attacked.

Steward Sun looked embarrassed. It was too late to stop them, so he quickly backed away to avoid getting caught in the crossfire, while feeling somewhat vindicated.

Fight them, he thought. Let these sharp-tongued girls know their place.

Yun Qing and Fu Xue unhesitatingly drew their swords to meet the attack. Seeing the fight break out, Cheng Suiyan’s blood boiled, and without thinking, he joined the battle.

The two men were shocked when they saw Yun Qing draw her sword, not for any other reason but for the sword in her hand.

“Demoness, how did you get Senior Brother Yu’s sword?”

Yun Qing said with a smile, “Yu Beiting has already defected from Huayang Sect and joined under me, acknowledging me as his godmother. Why don’t you two also join our Longshou Sect? I’ll officiate your wedding.”

“Vile woman, go to hell!!!”

Anger fueled their fighting spirit, and their sword intent roared like rain and thunder, howling and surging.

Unfortunately, no amount of fighting spirit could change their actual strength.

With Yun Qing’s swordsmanship, even Yu Beiting, who specialized in sword techniques, couldn’t handle her. Fighting these ordinary disciples was as easy as plucking flowers or brushing leaves—truly relaxed and pleasant.

With Fu Xue and Cheng Suiyan’s assistance, it became completely one-sided domination.

Jiang Baiyu stood with folded arms, appreciating the battle, his gaze following that flame-red figure, his index finger tapping lightly against his arm.

Seeing that the two disciples had been beaten enough, he finally stepped forward with his hands behind his back, coldly saying, “Show some respect.”

The two disciples, having been angered by Yun Qing to the point of confusion, only now realized that the young master was present. They hurriedly knelt on one knee, respectfully saying in unison, “Greetings, Young Master!”

“Under which elder do you serve?”

“Replying to Young Master, disciple Zhou Shitan.”

“Disciple Luo Shuilan.”

“We both serve Elder Xinggezi.”

So it turned out that after these two committed their error that day, they faced a series of interrogations, reprimands, and punishments from the sect. Not only were they beaten, but they were also about to be sent to do hard labor.

They really didn’t want to suffer, so they bribed a senior brother who managed sect assignments with all their savings. It happened that the Fan family in Guangling City was asking for help, and the senior brother, seeing they weren’t important people, was happy to do them a favor and sent the two of them.

Jiang Baiyu nodded, leaned close to Yun Qing, and whispered, “Do you want to continue fighting?”

Yun Qing laughed, “No more fighting. Let’s go.”

Jiang Baiyu smiled gently, “Alright.”

Just as the four were about to leave, Steward Sun hurriedly ran over, his face blooming with a chrysanthemum-like smile, his eyes filled with a filial, humble deference. He blocked their way, saying:

“You can’t leave, honored guests. Now that you have graced us with your presence, you mustn’t go. I have already ordered a feast prepared, and our master will return shortly.”

Fu Xue said with disgust, “You change your attitude way too quickly.”

Steward Sun apologized with a smile, “This humble one failed to recognize Mount Tai. Please forgive me. Please, everyone—”