This was trouble, members of the Martial Saint Pavilion were on this very ship!
No...
More accurately, the entire ship might be full of people from the Martial Saint Pavilion!
If not for the new passives that had recently activated on Chen Kuang's character panel, he might have lost his composure right then and there.
He took a deep breath and glanced inwardly at the floating system text:
[You delved deeply into the musical score "Calming the Winds and Waves" and comprehended its essence. You have acquired the passive skill "Composed Aura": you remain calm and expressionless under pressure, and are not easily swayed by external emotions or influences.]
[You have remained aboard a boat for over twenty-four hours. You have acquired the passive skill "Like a Fish in Water": you can breathe and move freely in water, and enjoy increased affinity with aquatic creatures.]
These two passives were obtained during the two days spent on his "cheap" senior brother Wen Si's little fishing boat.
Individually, they were not very helpful in terms of boosting combat power.
But at his current level, unless he miraculously received another "Grandmaster Experience Card," he wouldn't gain much from any normal improvement anyway, his reality was still one of running and surviving.
The Composed Aura passive was particularly valuable, as it compensated for his lacking acting skills.
He had already appreciated it before; now he realized just how crucial it was.
Without it, he very well might have blown his cover in front of Lin Eryou and the others.
Zhou Yanwei, the thick-browed youth, chuckled and asked,
"What's this? Is Daoist Ruogu curious about the Wind and Rain Tower?"
Chen Kuang nodded honestly,
"A bit, yes."
He elaborated,
"I was planning to travel by water to visit some relatives. I'll be staying in Jishao Prefecture for a while, so naturally I'd like to understand the local customs and sect powers. I wouldn't want to offend anyone by accident."
After some thought, Chen Kuang realized that being surrounded by Martial Saint Pavilion members might not be the worst thing, it could be the perfect cover, hidden beneath the lamp, as the saying goes.
If he disembarked mid-journey, that might arouse suspicion instead.
So why not just stay the course, all the way into the dark?
Zhou Yanwei nodded in agreement,
"That's a good mindset, very meticulous of you."
"But your timing's a bit off."
He looked toward the misty waters of the Eastern Court Lake with a sigh,
"The Enlightenment Envoy from Great Zhou has just arrived. Looks like a storm is brewing, Jishao Prefecture won't be peaceful for a while."
The young man with sword-like brows exhaled deeply. The heroism in his gaze now carried an edge of restrained frustration:
"People love to say the Mysterious Divine Path Sect is full of hypocrites, meddling in others' business, all talk and no action. But what they don't understand..."
His eyes darkened,
"Sometimes, people don't even have the right to meddle."
Lin Eryou gave him a warning look and gestured subtly downward, there were ears on this boat.
Zhou Yanwei rolled his eyes but shrugged,
"I wasn't talking about myself. Why so nervous, Brother Lin?"
He cracked open a roasted peanut with a snap,
"People scoff at meddling, but they forget, only those with power can afford to meddle. The Mysterious Divine Path Sect can speak out because they aren't afraid of making enemies."
"Few understand what that kind of fearlessness truly means..."
He tossed the peanut into his mouth, stood up, and brushed off his sleeves.
"Anyway, I'm getting tired. I'm going to take a nap. Carry on, everyone."
And just like that, he walked off.
Chen Kuang watched him go, eyes narrowing in thought.
This Zhou Yanwei... carried himself with far too much presence for someone at the Sea-Cleaving Realm.
He wasn't being arrogant or short-tempered. On the contrary, he had a good temperament.
But his demeanor carried the quiet confidence of someone who had stood atop high mountains. Even when speaking with a Saint's disciple and a Moon-Embracing Realm cultivator from the Canglang Evaluation, he had shown not a hint of reverence.
As if it was all... normal?
"Don't mind him. That's just how he is."
Ming Yan smiled gently, noticing Chen Kuang's slight frown.
"When we first met him, he was already out on the roadside, helping people and standing up for the weak. It's rare to see that in a cultivator these days."
Indeed, rare...
"You've known each other for long?"
Chen Kuang asked.
Ming Yan shook her head,
"Just about three months. We met on the road to Jishao Prefecture and hitched a ride with Young Master Lin."
"All of you?"
Chen Kuang raised an eyebrow.
Qi Sibai answered with a shake of the head,
"Everyone had their own reasons. This lake cruise is more like a farewell gathering."
"Don't say it like that," Lin Eryou groaned.
"So heartless..."
"Well, if you still have that demon sword lead, I'll be your most loyal dog," Qi Sibai teased.
Their playful back-and-forth suddenly gave Chen Kuang a glimpse of the real reason behind Qi Sibai's trip, he was looking for a demon sword.
Qi Sibai was a member of the Heavenly Observatory Division, a semi-reclusive sect tasked with tracing destiny and chronicling fate.
Once a towering force in the ancient days, the sect had declined significantly. By now there were barely a dozen members.
And Qi Sibai was the last one of his generation.
Thus, he was forced to leave the mountain, acting as a walking advertisement to recruit some new disciples.
No wonder he was annoyed when Chen Kuang leapfrogged him in the Canglang Evaluation rankings.
Of course, Qi Sibai would never admit that. He insisted he had been ordered by his master to search for a demon sword lost ten years ago by the legendary Sword Forge.
"This sword... bears a fate powerful enough to shake the world."
Qi Sibai turned serious, fixing his gaze on Chen Kuang.
"If you have any clues, Daoist Ruogu, you're welcome to find me. I'll be staying at the Envious Fish Hermitage near the lake for a while."
Chen Kuang nodded,
"Understood. Though... my abilities are limited..."
"Your intention is enough."
Qi Sibai gave a rare, sincere smile.
Seeing things getting too serious again, Lin Eryou broke in:
"Alright, enough shop talk. We've got scenery that only comes once in a season, appreciate it!"
"Mmhmm, appreciate it!"
Only Shen Meinan echoed seriously.
But her actions betrayed her lightheartedness.
Earlier, she had been seated beside Zhou Yanwei. Now that he had left, she scooted her chair next to Chen Kuang and started peeling peanuts.
"Right, Ruogu, what was the name of that song you played earlier? Could you teach me sometime?"
Lin Eryou leaned in enthusiastically, begging for the score.
Chen Kuang politely declined, saying it was a secret piece passed down by his master.
That only made Lin Eryou more intrigued. He offered to exchange one of his treasured music scores for a live performance.
"This sheet music was passed down by Saint Xi, and it's one of the few complete ones!"
"It's one of my father's treasures, outsiders don't even get to look at it!"
"Only thing is... no one's ever managed to fully grasp its meaning."
Chen Kuang's heart stirred.
Saint Xi?
Well, what do you know, that's his own master.
Lin Eryou, mistaking his silence for hesitation, sighed:
"You don't want to?"
"You'll have to pay more," Chen Kuang said with a grin.
Lin Eryou blinked. Chen Kuang repeated with a smile:
"Since Young Master Lin is willing to trade something so valuable, I assume you have more than one."
"Since no one's cracked it yet, why not let it fulfill its purpose?"
Lin Eryou pointed at him with mock accusation:
"You rascal... You're a funny one, alright!"
He laughed heartily and handed over a flat jade box from his sleeve.
"Truth be told, I do have another, but that one's half-destroyed. Still, the two together are worth quite a bit."
"I'll try to reconstruct them and play them for you, how about that?"
"Deal!"
Chen Kuang played Calming the Winds and Waves once more. This time, Lin Eryou didn't cheer, he sat quietly, drinking in silence.
When the song ended, he looked at Chen Kuang and said:
"True friends are hard to find. Had we met sooner, I believe we'd be the best of friends."
"Now's not too late either," Chen Kuang replied.
"You're right. It's not too late, cheers!"
They clinked cups until Lin Eryou, finally tipsy, was helped away by Qi Sibai.
Chen Kuang, now alone, realized that this wine wasn't ordinary.
It reminded him of the Carefree Wine from before, something only the wealthy could afford. Even cultivators could get drunk on it.
Truly extravagant.
Ming Yan tried to call Shen Meinan away, but turned to see the girl had nestled up beside Chen Kuang again.
"Are you drunk? Want me to help you to your room?"
Ming Yan blinked, then smiled knowingly.
The longing of youth... is nothing more than lust.
Men or women, it's all the same.