Chapter 36: Chapter 36

Three days later.

The Canal Gang’s ship cut through the waves, and Nanyang Prefecture was finally in sight.

“Another two hours and we’ll be at the city docks. I can finally get a proper night’s sleep.”

Yuan Hai stood behind Li Suifeng, gazing toward Nanyang, a contented smile on his weathered face.

Apart from that one splendid night at the Lakeheart Pavilion, he’d spent six days on this ship without a decent rest. In his younger years, it wouldn’t have bothered him. But at his age, the body protested.

“Not stopping by the Yichun House tonight?”

Li Suifeng grinned.

The old man had spent the entire return voyage regaling the Nanyang brothers with tales of the Lakeheart Pavilion, drawing envious groans from every listener.

The Lakeheart Pavilion was the most famous pleasure house in all of Nanzhou. Most of these men would never set foot in it.

A single night’s stay cost upward of a hundred taels.

On their monthly wages, the expense was unthinkable.

“No, no — these old bones can’t take it. Once a month is my limit.”

Yuan Hai waved his hands.

At his age, the occasional indulgence was fine. Make it a habit, and the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak.

“Boss Li — something’s wrong!”

Just then, the lookout at the prow called out:

“Up ahead — over a dozen small boats are chasing another boat. They’re heading our way!”

What?

Every Canal Gang disciple on board tensed, reaching for weapons.

Even the ship’s four mounted crossbows were cranked into firing position.

Li Suifeng leaped lightly to the forward deck.

“Boss Li, those people are no slouches.”

Yuan Hai landed beside him, voice low. “You don’t think it’s the Three Rivers Fortress, do you?”

Dusk was settling over the river. Visibility had waned, and from this distance — over a thousand meters — Yuan Hai couldn’t make out faces.

“Hm?”

But Li Suifeng could. Surprise flickered across his features.

He recognized the people being chased — Lin Zhixu and her retinue, including Willow and several guards.

Barely ten days apart, and they’d been reduced to this?

And wasn’t Lin Zhixu supposed to have the Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers backing her?

…

Meanwhile.

PFFT!

On the fleeing boat, Lin Zhixu spat a mouthful of blood.

“My lady!”

Willow rushed to steady her. “My lady — are you alright?”

Lin Zhixu was in bad shape. Ashen-faced, her right shoulder drenched in blood that had stained her yellow dress crimson.

The guards on board were all wounded as well.

“My lady — there’s a ship ahead! The banner — it’s Canal Gang!”

One of the guards spotted Li Suifeng’s vessel and brightened.

They were running on fumes. If the Canal Gang was willing to intervene, there might be a chance.

“Elder Huang — do you have any connections with the Canal Gang?”

Lin Zhixu turned to the white-haired old man steering their boat.

Huang Jiuyuan shook his head. “My lady, ever since Ba Hu took over as Gate Master, I lost all real authority within the sect. I used to be on decent terms with Qin Wuyang, but he grew close to Ba Hu, and that was the end of that.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been out in the world.”

HOOOO!

A horn blast echoed from the distance.

The pursuing flotilla surged faster.

“My lady — what do we do?”

Willow was on the verge of tears. She’d never experienced anything like this.

“Head for the Canal Gang ship!”

Lin Zhixu gritted her teeth. “The Canal Gang and Ba Hu have been at odds. Maybe they’ll help us. If we can just reach the Three Rivers Fortress, we’ll be safe.”

“Jin Buhuan of the Three Rivers Fortress is a family friend.”

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

A hail of arrows streaked toward their boat.

CLANG! CLANG!

The ranked fighters among the guards drew their weapons, weaving a curtain of steel.

But some arrows slipped through.

SHUNK!

An arrow buried itself in a guard’s chest. He pitched forward into the river.

“My lady — Elder Huang — forgive me!”

Another guard, unable to hold, gasped an apology—

SPLASH!

He dove into the water.

He hadn’t swum far before he surfaced for air.

WHOOSH!

An arrow punched through his skull. A bloom of red spread around the floating body.

…

By now, the pursuing boats had drawn close enough for Yuan Hai to identify faces.

“Boss Li — those look like Divine Fist Gate people,” he murmured.

“The one leading the chase is Ghost Cane Zhuo Buping. The man running is Huang Jiuyuan — a Divine Fist Gate elder.”

“They’re both elders of the same sect. How did it come to this?”

Yuan Hai was baffled.

Both were seventh-rank. Even with bad blood between them, things shouldn’t have escalated this far.

“Boss Li — they’re close!”

“Do we engage?”

The brothers on deck looked to Li Suifeng.

Ever since the incident at the headquarters dock, their respect for Li Suifeng rivaled what they showed Helmsman Liu Zhenhe himself.

…

“Enough — hold your fire!”

Zhuo Buping raised a hand.

“Gate Master Lin wants them alive. Dead ones are hard to explain.”

Every Divine Fist Gate archer lowered his bow.

“Elder Zhuo — we can’t touch Lin Zhixu, but that little handmaid of hers is easy on the eyes. How about handing her over to the boys afterward?”

An eighth-rank fighter leered.

“Damn — if I could have one night with that woman, I’d give up ten years of my life!” Another eighth-rank man chimed in.

“Too bad the Gate Master’s called dibs.”

Several men on the boats looked uncomfortable.

They knew Lin Zhixu was the former Gate Master’s daughter. Hearing her spoken of this way by their own people sickened them.

But there was nothing to be done. The Divine Fist Gate had a new master now.

“Elder Zhuo — Canal Gang ship ahead!”

Someone warned in a low voice.

“Qin Wuyang has vanished. Qi Hu and Liu Zhenhe are both inside Nanyang city. Ignore them.” Zhuo Buping waved dismissively.

“Push through.”

“Aside from Lin Zhixu — everyone else is yours to deal with.”

“Kill them!”

The flotilla surged forward.

Lin Zhixu’s boat had reached within dozens of meters of the Canal Gang ship.

“Li Suifeng!”

Willow spotted the figure standing at the prow and cried out in shock.

Li Suifeng regarded the bedraggled pair with a half-smile.

“Miss Lin — you look a bit worse for wear today.”

Wounded, pale, and disheveled — Lin Zhixu had traded her usual poise for a fragile beauty.

Her figure, however, remained absolutely spectacular.

“Please, Boss Li — help us. I’ll repay the debt, whatever it takes.”

Lin Zhixu hadn’t expected the ship to be his. But a familiar face meant at least some hope.

“Boy — I’d advise you not to stick your nose where it doesn’t belong!”

Zhuo Buping’s boat had drawn near. Seeing Li Suifeng speak with Lin Zhixu, his expression turned venomous.

【Ding!】

【A minor character has dared to threaten the Host. Task issued!】

【Kill the Divine Fist Gate pursuers. Save Lin Zhixu.】

【Task Reward: 72-Style Soul-Chasing Sword Art (maxed).】

Hm?

A task, just like that?

The 72-Style Soul-Chasing Sword Art was the technique used by Wuchen in “The Book and the Sword.” A Qing Dynasty martial art — respectable, but nothing earth-shattering. Then again, this task was practically a freebie. He couldn’t expect a top-tier reward.

“We’ll discuss the ‘whatever it takes’ later.”

“Get on board.”

He stressed “later” just enough.

Lin Zhixu’s cheeks flushed. Out of the tiger’s den and into the wolf’s lair?

But there was no better option.

A rope ladder was lowered from the ship.

Huang Jiuyuan glanced up at Li Suifeng and murmured:

“My lady — you go first.”

The two remaining guards braced the ladder. Lin Zhixu pushed off lightly and landed on the deck.

Willow and the guards, whose qinggong wasn’t up to the task, climbed the traditional way.

“Gutsy little bastard!”

Zhuo Buping snarled and launched himself upward, landing on the ship’s deck.

“Meddling in Divine Fist Gate business — you’re asking to die!”

“Watch your mouth!” Yuan Hai bellowed. “The Divine Fist Gate? You think the Canal Gang fears you?”

“I’ll hold Zhuo Buping — the rest of you handle the others!” Huang Jiuyuan was wounded, but he planted himself squarely in Zhuo Buping’s path.

“Heh.” Zhuo Buping wasted no words. One step forward, and his solid-iron cane — light as a feather in his hands — stabbed straight at Huang Jiuyuan’s chest.

They were both Divine Fist Gate veterans. Ghost Cane was confident his cultivation ran deeper.

He’d never respected Huang Jiuyuan.

The cane arrived in a flash.

“HYAH!”

Huang Jiuyuan roared and met it with both fists, trading blow for blow.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Huang Jiuyuan’s fists were heavy and relentless, his defense airtight.

But the injuries took their toll. After just five exchanges, Zhuo Buping found an opening and drove the cane into his abdomen.

PFFT!

Huang Jiuyuan vomited blood. A hole appeared in his stomach. He was flung backward.

“Kill them all!”

Below the ship, the remaining Divine Fist Gate fighters swarmed upward.

“Loose!”

Yuan Hai’s hand swept down.

The pre-loaded crossbows fired at the approaching boats. These weren’t military-grade siege weapons, but they packed enough punch to threaten eighth-rank fighters. The entire Nanyang Branch only owned ten of them, deployed only for critical shipments.

“You’re asking for it!”

Zhuo Buping saw the Canal Gang actually engaging and his killing intent boiled over.

WHOOSH!

He hurled his iron cane like a javelin, straight at the crossbow operators.

THUD!

The expected spray of blood and bone never materialized.

Li Suifeng had caught the cane by its tail end with one hand.

“Return to sender.”

The cane reversed course, rocketing back at Zhuo Buping.

“Boy—”

Zhuo Buping sneered, his right hand reaching out to snatch the returning weapon.

The instant his fingers closed around the shaft, a monstrous force ripped through his grip. The cane tore free.

SQUELCH!

The iron cane punched through Zhuo Buping’s chest. Blood poured from the wound. Disbelief consumed his eyes.

He died without ever understanding how a no-name Canal Gang brat could possess such staggering strength.