Chapter 58: A Strong Wind Sends You to Qingyun

On the third day of February, the day after the Longmen Banquet, Su Yi had just returned to his little residence in Xinghuang City's mulberry forest after completing his cultivation. He saw City Lord Fu Shan waiting there with a group of guards.

"Mr. Su," Fu Shan greeted with a smile, stepping forward and bowing with clasped fists. "I have come here to express my gratitude to Mr. Su for your assistance at the Longmen Banquet last night, and also to bring you a gift."

As he spoke, he waved his hand, and three guards stepped forward, each holding a jade box, presenting them respectfully.

Fu Shan explained with a smile, "This is the reward for first place in the Longmen Grand Competition. It includes one thousand taels of gold, ten hundredweight of pearls, three spiritual herbs—Biye Fuling, Xueyu Shen, and Qingwen Frostgrass—and a top-level Huang-rank martial arts secret manual."

Pausing for a moment, he continued, "I took the liberty of exchanging the gold and pearls for silver notes to make it more convenient for Mr. Su to carry. The first box contains eighteen silver notes, each with a denomination of ten thousand taels."

"In the second box, there are three spiritual herbs: Biye Fuling, Xueyu Shen, and Qingwen Frostgrass."

"And in the third box, we have the top-level Huang-rank martial arts technique called 'Nianhua Fuyun Hand.'"

After listening, Su Yi opened the third box and took out the manual. After flipping through it briefly, he couldn't help but be surprised. "This martial arts technique is clearly more suitable for women to cultivate."

Fu Shan smiled wryly and said, "These rewards were all contributed by the City Lord of Luoyun City, Li Jianyu. He did it on purpose to annoy people. If Mr. Su is not satisfied, I can offer you another manual later."

Clearly, he had also seen through the true nature of this martial arts manual.

Su Yi waved his hand indifferently and said, "No need, this will do."

With his vision, he had no interest in such low-level martial arts.

"You guys, take the gifts to Mr. Su's room," Fu Shan instructed, and the guards immediately moved into action.

Then, he smiled and invited Su Yi, "Mr. Su, now that Lingzhu Island belongs to Guangling City and is temporarily under the control of my City Lord's Mansion, I have come to invite you to come and take a look."

Su Yi's heart stirred as he remembered that Lingzhu Island was a place where spiritual energy gathered and was home to treasures like the "Green Jade Spirit Bamboo."

"When shall we depart?" Su Yi asked.

Fu Shan immediately smiled and said, "Please follow me, Mr. Su. I have prepared the carriage and horses. We can go now."

With that, he personally led the way in front.

Half an hour later...

The guards of the City Lord's Mansion rode their warhorses, escorting the carriage carrying Su Yi and Fu Shan, and arrived at the banks of the Da Cang River, thirty li away from Guangling City.

The riverbank here was within the territory of the Yun Cang Mountains, with lush ancient trees everywhere.

Getting off the carriage, Su Yi and Fu Shan boarded a ready-made covered boat and headed towards the center of the river.

There was a small island there, standing in the middle of the river like a reef, spanning only about thirty zhang in size.

The island was covered in rugged rocks and had a three-zhang-wide bamboo forest, verdant and dripping with moisture, while the rest of the island was bare, devoid of any vegetation.

"Hmm? How come someone has already landed on Lingzhu Island?"

From a distance, Fu Shan saw a boat moored next to Lingzhu Island, and on the side of the bamboo forest on the island, he could faintly see two figures.

Fu Shan's expression immediately darkened.

The attendant next to him quickly explained in a low voice, "Reporting to Lord, those two should have come from the opposite bank of Luoyun City!"

"This old bastard, Li Jianyu, dares to let people set foot on Lingzhu Island. Does he really think I, Fu Shan, dare not kill?" Killing intent flashed in Fu Shan's eyes.

Soon, the covered boat docked in front of Lingzhu Island.

At this moment, Fu Shan also clearly saw the appearance of the two individuals, and his eyebrows couldn't help but furrow, revealing a hint of astonishment.

One was a young man in a jade robe, with a handsome face and a radiant spirit.

The other was an old man wearing a small black hat and a plain cloth robe. His appearance was ordinary, and he stood slightly bent, quietly standing a foot away from the young man.

"Ninth Stage of Qi Gathering Realm."

At the same time, Su Yi's gaze swept over the young man and landed on the black-hatted old man. With just one glance at the other's aura, he could discern some information.

The Four Realms of Martial Dao: Blood Shifting, Qi Gathering, Furnace Nurturing, and Leakless.

Having achieved the Ninth Stage of Qi Gathering Realm demonstrated that one had "Refined Qi into Gang," enabling them to walk on the water's surface and travel on water.

On land, a single leap could cover a distance of ten zhang, with thunderous breath and external release of true energy.

This realm was only a hair's breadth away from the Master-level Furnace Nurturing Realm!

And such a character, placed in the city of Guangling, can undoubtedly be considered a top-tier existence.

Even City Lord Fu Shan, with his late-stage Qi Gathering cultivation, is inferior to this black-hatted old man.

But soon, Su Yi shifted his gaze away, realizing that the other person was only at the late-stage of Qi Gathering realm, not worthy of much attention.

Taking advantage of this moment, he quietly observed the Lingzhu Island.

Before long, he nodded inwardly. It was evident that beneath this island, there should be a connection to the water veins of the Great Cang River, with the Yuncang Mountains not far away. The convergence of mountains and water gathered the essence of heaven and earth on this island.

Indeed, it could be called a place where spiritual energy converged, surpassing the mulberry grove he had been searching for. It was no wonder it gave birth to treasures like the Qingyu Lingzhu.

At the same time...

The youth in a jade robe and the black-hatted old man also noticed the movement here and looked over together.

"May I ask if you are Lord Fu Shan, the City Lord?" the youth in the jade robe asked with a loud laugh.

He was only seventeen or eighteen years old, but he exuded an air of nobility in his every gesture.

Even facing the City Lord of a city, Fu Shan, he treated him as an ordinary person.

"It is indeed I, Fu Mou. May I ask who you two are?" Fu Shan's gaze was sharp, and he immediately recognized the extraordinary nature of these two individuals. He subtly waved his hand, letting his retinue stay on the covered boat.

He and Su Yi then stepped onto Lingzhu Island together.

"I am Zhang Yuanxing from the Zhang Clan in the Yunhe County City," the youth in the jade robe introduced himself with a smile. "Lord Fu, my father often spoke of you. Among the nineteen cities in the Yunhe County, there are very few who can be considered remarkable individuals, and you, Lord Fu, are one of them. Now that I see you in person, it is indeed as remarkable as rumored."

Yunhe County, Zhang Clan!

Fu Shan's pupils slightly contracted, and his expression became more solemn. He asked, "May I know the honorable name of the young master's father?"

The black-hatted old man standing next to the youth calmly spoke, "My master is the current head of the Zhang Clan."

Fu Shan was shaken in his heart, and his expression became even more solemn. He said, "I see. To be praised by the honorable master, I am truly honored."

Zhang Yuanxing smiled faintly, as if he had anticipated Fu Shan's reaction. He said, "Lord Fu, I hope you won't blame me for coming uninvited."

Fu Shan shook his head and said, "How could I dare?"

Zhang Yuanxing nodded and then looked at Su Yi by Fu Shan's side, with a hint of admiration in his eyes. He said, "Last night, at the Longmen Banquet, I witnessed the battle between Master Su and Motian Ling. It was truly extraordinary and left me astonished."

After a pause, Zhang Yuanxing smiled and said, "However, I have also heard about some of the things that happened to Master Su in the Wen family and his current situation... It seems to be unfavorable. If Master Su wants to change this situation, I can help you."

Fu Shan couldn't help but sneer inwardly. The descendants of the Zhang Clan in Yunhe County were indeed noble and extraordinary.

But by Su Yi's side was someone who even the Princess Lingyao of the Lingyao County respectfully called "Mister"!

How could they possibly need someone else's guidance?

Su Yi raised his eyes and looked at the confident and casual young man. He calmly said, "Have you heard of a saying that goes, 'Offering unnecessary assistance is either dishonest or thieving'?"

The black-hatted old man's eyes flickered with a cold light as he said, "Young man, be mindful of your words. Be careful not to let trouble slip from your tongue!"

But Zhang Yuanxing waved his hand with a dismissive attitude and said, "Xiong Lao, don't be angry. Master Su is straightforward and quick-witted, and that's what I admire about him."

After a pause, he said to Su Yi, "You don't have to worry too much, Master Su. The reason I want to help you is solely because I appreciate your talent and martial arts accomplishments. A remarkable individual like you, if you stay in this small Guangling City, will undoubtedly be like a brilliant pearl covered in dust!"

Su Yi's gaze became strange. It had been a long time since he had heard someone speak to him like this.

Seeing Su Yi's silence, Zhang Yuanxing seemed to think that he was hesitating. He couldn't help but smile confidently and said, "Rest assured, Master Su. If you are willing to accompany me to the Yunhe County City, I guarantee that you will have the opportunity to shine and make a name for yourself in Yunhe County!"

Su Yi was taken aback and asked, "Are you suggesting that I follow you as your retinue?"

The black-hatted old man coldly snorted and said, "In the Yunhe County City, the younger generation of remarkable talents who are willing to serve as attendants to our young master are as common as crucian carp in the river. However, those who can be appreciated by our young master are as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns."

Doubting that Su Yi didn't understand the meaning behind his words, the black-hatted old man added, "To put it simply, in Guangling City, winning first place in the Longmen Competition is indeed something to be proud of. But in the Yunhe County City, there are many young people like you!"

Finally, he slightly curled his lips and said leisurely, "Now, you should understand what a fortunate thing it is to be appreciated by our young master, right?"

With that, Fu Shan's expression also became strange.

If it weren't for the other party's identity, he would have almost burst out laughing.

However, Fu Shan also understood that neither Zhang Yuanxing nor this Xiong Lao truly knew Su Yi's true background.

Otherwise, they wouldn't dare to "guide" Mr. Su in such a condescending manner.

At this moment, Su Yi was at a loss for words, not knowing what to say.

Hmm, it seems that the other party might have good intentions... maybe?

"You can consider it. I will leave Guangling City in three days. Before that, just inform Lord Fu of your decision," Zhang Yuanxing said with a smile, displaying an elegant and indifferent demeanor, as if he considered nothing too challenging for him.

Then, he turned to Fu Shan and said, "Although the grade of the Green Jade Spirit Bamboo grown here is ordinary, it is quite rare. I would like to purchase two of them. Would Lord Fu be willing to part with them?"

Fu Shan readily replied, "If Young Master Zhang has set his sights on any two, they are yours!"

Zhang Yuanxing shook his head and calmly said, "Lord Fu, the people of Yunhe County City know very well that I, Zhang Yuanxing, never take advantage of others."

"Xiong Lao, when we return to the city, please deliver one hundred spiritual stones to the Lord's Mansion."

The black-hatted old man nodded beside him.

Soon, Zhang Yuanxing personally took two Green Jade Spirit Bamboos and left on the boat with the old man.

Before leaving, this noble young man from the Zhang Clan in Yunhe County couldn't help but remind Su Yi, saying, "A favorable wind is aided by strength, and I, Zhang Yuanxing, can help you ascend to greatness!"