Chapter Sixteen: When Hiding Is Necessary

“Fellow cultivator, please wait! We are…”
On the ground, the standing middle-aged man continued to shout.
But Yang Xuan didn’t so much as slow down, instead urging the spirit vessel to accelerate, tearing through the skies and leaving only the faint echoes of their calls behind.

“When traveling abroad, caution is paramount. Many sinister types love to pose as distressed victims. If we act out of misplaced kindness, we may very well walk straight into a trap,” Yang Xuan explained proactively, seeing Man Niu hesitate to speak.

“But, young master… that man just now seemed to be Steward Liu from Green Creek Isle,” Man Niu ventured carefully after a moment’s hesitation.

Yang Xuan fell silent.

After a pause, Yang Xuan spoke gravely, “You’re not a cultivator, so you don’t understand the dangers we face. Many cultivators are skilled in disguise techniques…” Even as he said it, Yang Xuan found his own excuses unconvincing.

He hadn’t expected that his first attempt at keeping a low profile upon leaving home would lead him to cross paths with an allied family. Luckily, he hadn’t flown the Yellow Maple Mountain banner today, or he’d have a hard time explaining himself to Green Creek Isle in the future. After all, their families were on good terms—yet he’d left them to their fate.

From the look of things earlier, the two must have run into some bandit cultivators and were hoping to hitch a ride on his spirit vessel. And now…

Though Yang Xuan realized he’d acted poorly, he had no intention of turning back. What was done was done, and going back now would only make things awkward for both sides. He decided it was better to press on.

However…

After a few more minutes in the air, Yang Xuan reconsidered and turned his spirit vessel onto a different path. Ordinarily, the route to Azure Cloud City would take him straight ahead—this was the road most traveled by families like his, and the dangers along it had long been cleared out.

But if people from Green Creek Isle had already met with misfortune ahead, clearly something had changed. Yang Xuan had no interest in inviting trouble. In truth, he was beginning to regret not stopping to ask those two what had happened up the road.

Now, there was nothing for it but to detour.

Three hundred miles ahead, in the direction Yang Xuan had originally been traveling, a group of several dozen people stood atop a cliff.

“Old Ma, you’d better hope this second son of the Yang family really is carrying all the resources you say he is! If not… well…” A young man with a sly, feminine face cast a glance at the old man beside him and sneered.

The old man wore a yellow robe and a white cap, his figure stout, a shrewdness about his round face.
“Rest assured, the information is reliable. The Yang family’s second son is an ambitious one. After reaching Foundation Establishment, he plans to answer the Xuan Shui Palace’s call to join the frontier expansion. For that, Yang Huaiyun has provided him with ample resources. If we intercept him, not only will we get those spirit stones and resources, but perhaps even a few drops of Faith’s Water.”

“It had better be so. If there really is Faith’s Water, you’ll be well rewarded. And your little apprentice too.” The sly young man looked back at a youth behind him, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Come to think of it, your apprentice looks awfully familiar. Years ago, I once saw Yang Huaiyun from afar—he and your apprentice resemble each other quite a bit. Tell me, is your apprentice Yang Huaiyun’s illegitimate son?”

“Haha, you jest! If he were really Yang Huaiyun’s son, he’d hardly be following me around. He’d be living the good life on Yellow Maple Mountain.” The rotund old man shook his head and laughed.

The sly youth chuckled. “No matter how you came by your information, as long as it’s true and I get what I want, you’ll get your share.”

“Of course. We’ve worked together many times; I’d never deceive you,” the old man replied solemnly. After a pause, he added, “According to my sources, Yang Huaiyun gave the boy a spirit vessel. If he left this morning, he should be arriving soon. We should prepare and catch him off guard, before his Dao soldiers can form a battle array and give us trouble.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve already had a Star Magnet Array set up. As long as his Dao soldiers are armored, they won’t be able to form ranks. It’s Yang Xuan himself we need to be wary of—if he dares take part in the frontier war, he must have plenty of magical treasures. We’ll need to be careful. Still, a novice Foundation Establishment cultivator, no matter how well-equipped, won’t have much battle experience. Wang Sanniang and I will engage him head-on. With you launching a surprise attack, he won’t escape.”

The young man spoke with confidence.

…

At the Zhou Family Fortress.

Yang Xuan brought his spirit vessel down outside the fortress. As soon as they landed, several hawks from within the fortress took flight toward them, each bearing a youth in blue robes with the character “Zhou” embroidered at the chest.

“Who are you, and what brings you to the Zhou Family Fortress?” one of the men called out warily as the hawks circled overhead.

“I am Yang Xuan of Yellow Maple Mountain. I’m passing through and hope to rest here for the night. Would you please announce my arrival?” Yang Xuan produced a token and spoke in a clear voice.

This was a noble family token, something every clan possessed—under normal circumstances, the token alone established one’s identity.

“So, you’re from Yellow Maple Mountain. I’ve heard the second young master there is called Yang Xuan. Would that be you?” The speaker issued a few orders to the others, then leapt down from his hawk.

“I am indeed,” Yang Xuan replied, unsurprised that the Zhou Family recognized him. All the Foundation Establishment clans in Fuyao County knew of each other, and while the Yang family’s standing was among the lowest, they were still a noble house and often dealt with neighboring families. The more dealings, the more information circulated—especially regarding the legitimate sons of each clan.

It was the same for Yang Xuan—he had a mental list of many other noble scions, memorized precisely for future interactions. There’s an old saying in the Xuanhuang Realm: “All noble families under heaven are one family.” It may be an exaggeration, but it wasn’t far from the truth. The web of interests and marriages among the clans was impossible to untangle.

Take the Zhou family, for instance. Yang Xuan remembered having an aunt from Mount Qi Yun who had married into the Zhou family. Even if she wasn’t particularly close to Yang Huaiyun, blood was blood, so the families could be considered relatives.

“I am Zhou Sheng. By rights, that makes us kinsmen!” Zhou Sheng said with a smile. With the connection established, the wariness vanished from his face, replaced by enthusiastic hospitality.

Yang Xuan had come to the Zhou Family Fortress precisely because he felt it unwise to travel further today, fearing there might indeed be scoundrels lurking ahead. So he’d chosen the nearest family stronghold to spend the night.

Now that Zhou Sheng had welcomed him warmly, Yang Xuan saw no reason to refuse. He arranged for Man Niu and the others to set up camp outside the fortress, and followed Zhou Sheng inside.

It was custom that Dao soldiers did not enter another family’s home. No one would want another clan’s armed retainers on their property, even if they seemed harmless. Thus, Zhou Sheng didn’t invite Yang Xuan to bring his Dao soldiers in, instead sending food and drink out for Man Niu and the others.