Chapter 41: Chapter 25: Re-Entry 1
Translator: 549690339
The fish market was created to facilitate the buying and selling for fishermen, and naturally, it was not too far from the lake shore. Xu Yang, regardless of the depletion of his inner strength, unfolded the lightweight technique of the Fighting Scroll in combination with the swift movement akin to flying, and in a few breaths’ time, he rushed to the docks of the lake shore.
Afterward, he did not bother to look for the black-canopied boat he had previously been on, but instead leaped straight into the water with a splashing dive.
“Glug glug!”
Once Xu Yang entered the water, he felt an unusual force arise from all his limbs, even the surrounding water flowing in harmony with his body’s movements, endowing him with an alarming strength. With a mere slight motion, he darted dozens of feet away.
Swimming: Muddy Water Jiao Dragon!
This particular ability was honed by Xu Yang in the East Sea during his time in
Great Zhou. The effect was similar to that of Like a Fish in Water, except the “fish” had turned into a “dragon,” allowing him to wield strength in the water as formidable as that of a Jiao Dragon.
Although this Jiao Dragon was only of the same size as himself and was not a true sea-reversing, heaven-reaching mighty Jiao Python or True Dragon, it was still impressively powerful. Xu Yang had tested it, and even without using any martial arts, he could, by the strength of this Jiao Dragon alone, fight against and defeat several Grandmasters of the True Gang level in the water.
Hence, upon entering the water, Xu Yang could almost be certain of his safety.
Yet, he did not wish to linger. His body twisted like a dragon, his astounding speed unfurled as he headed straight into the depths of Dongting Lake.
His earlier disguise—if not completely flawless—held no breaks. Young Master Tie had not discerned anything amiss, and his attack was purely on a whim, thinking Xu Yang was nothing more than a lowly fisherman, whose life was trivial, inconsequential if taken on the spot.
This is the sorrow of the lower class in this world; lives as cheap as weeds, easily trampled upon, even wrongful convictions counting for little.
Xu Yang understood this all too well and did not dwell on it, but simply pondered what had brought the other party here.
Why?
Zhang Cheng!
Could there be some issue with the fortune amassed by Zhang Cheng and his son that related to some strange fortune or opportunity, stirring up the Goldfish Gang and Iron Lion Gang into such a fuss to find him?
That had to be the reason.
But…
It was none of his concern.
Whatever opportunities for fortune there were, he had no interest in them, for he already possessed the greatest opportunity of this world.
Zhuanzhou Mengdie, the myriad realms of all heavens; he just needed to keep accumulating, and he would eventually stand at the pinnacle.
Therefore, regardless of whatever secrets or fortunes that came from the wealth he got from Zhang Cheng’s family, Xu Yang didn’t care and had no intention of utilizing them.
In fact, he had already hidden that wealth away, without the slightest intention of using it.
With such an incident occurring now, there was even less reason to dig up trouble.
Xu Yang swam directly back to his hideout, preparing the belongings he had anticipated needing for such a day, along with Fish Eagle Laoliu who had been waiting at home, and they began to move.
Dongting was vast, extending over eight hundred miles, with many tributaries connecting to each other and to all the great bodies of water, even to the vast ocean. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack for one Goldfish Gang, let alone a hundred, to find a single person within it.
Even so, Xu Yang did not want to take any risks. Accompanied by his prepared emergency belongings and the loyal and crucial Laoliu, he moved to the remotest hideout, far away from the realm of the Goldfish Gang’s influence.
Meanwhile, at the lake shore dock.
Two middle-aged men, each leading a group of men, stood by the shore, watching their subordinates forcefully dismantle an old black-canopied boat, both with faces grim as iron, murder surging in their eyes.
A moment later, one of the men returned, presenting a shiny long sword: “Gang leader, we’ve already searched every nook and cranny of the cabin, and only this was found.” “Search again!”
“Yes!”
A middle-aged man barked the order furiously, and his followers, not daring to say more, turned to continue their futile search.
This man was none other than Li Hengtong, the leader of the Goldfish Gang, who had just suffered the pain of losing his beloved daughter!
On the other side, a middle-aged man with angrily bristling whiskers, exhibiting great ferocity, was the leader of another major gang in the city, the Iron Lion King.
At this moment, his fury and grief were no less than Li Hengtong’s, for he, too, had lost a son.
He had seven sons, and counting himself, they were known throughout the city as the Eight Roaring Lions, an awe-inspiring force. Yet, to his dismay, he had lost one of them that very day, especially the third son whom he valued most and who was poised to forge a marital alliance with the Goldfish Gang.
How could he not be heartbroken?
“Search, search for me,” he bellowed. “Even if we have to turn Dongting Lake upside down, we must find the person who killed my son and flay them, cut them to pieces, and scatter their ashes!”
“Yes!”
As he gave the angry command, his followers, although they responded solemnly, were full of sneering contempt internally.
Turn it upside down, what a joke. Who do you think you are, the Heavenly King himself?
Dongting Lake stretched over eight hundred li and was shrouded in mist and clouds, with treacherous terrain. Not to mention your small Iron Lion Gang, even if all the factions of Mansion City and the best of the Martial World were mobilized, it’s unlikely they could search the entire Dongting Lake.
The old fool has lost his son and gone mad with grief; just make a show of searching to appease him.
The people silently sneered, with no intention of making an effort.
Thus, three days later, near a deserted island in Dongting Lake, the wispy smoke of a cooking fire rose from a black-awning boat.
Xu Yang sat at the bow of the boat, with a pot full of meat and a jug of fine
Daughter Red at his feet.
Wine, meat, and a boat, where did they come from?
Naturallv, thev were bought.
Three days earlier, carrying his belongings and accompanied by his little brother Fish Eagle, Xu Yang had raced across hundreds of li in one day to another area of Dongting Lake. Revealing his true appearance and demonstrating his martial prowess and cultivation, he assumed the identity of a wandering hero of the Martial World. With the wealth he had accumulated in secret over the decades, he purchased a large amount of supplies and a big black-awning boat, and settled on this secluded, uninhabited island.
Although he knew it was nearly impossible for the Goldfish Gang to find him, the recent upheaval still instilled in him a sense of urgency and danger.
My strength is too weak, and my heart is uneasy. I must enhance my power as soon as possible.
And how to do that? By using a two-pronged approach.
As the Founder of Martial Scripture, and with many special traits to aid him, the cultivation of the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures was as simple for Xu Yang as eating, drinking, breathing, and sleeping.
Furthermore, the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures also incorporated the characteristics of the Nine Yin and Nine Yang, Tai Chi and Wuji, Chaos Yuan Qi, and other cultivation techniques, allowing him to cultivate autonomously and strengthen automatically. Even without active cultivation, his power would steadily grow.
Thus, Xu Yang could both dream as Zhuanzhou Mengdie and cultivate martial arts at the same time. For him, sleeping was akin to performing cultivation exercises and meditating. It would enhance his power, advance his cultivation, and neither interfere with his dreaming nor hinder his martial arts practice.
With this dual approach, his strength was bound to surge.
So what was he waiting for?
After polishing off the meat in the pot and emptying the jug of wine, Xu Yang, now well-fed and content, returned to the much more spacious cabin. He instructed Fish Eagle Laoliu to stay on guard outside while he himself lay comfortably in bed, covered himself with a blanket, and drifted off to sleep.
Zhuanzhou dreams he is a butterfly, the butterfly dreams of Zhuanzhou.
As time and space swirled and his spirit wandered the vastness of the heavens, after a dizzying whirl… Xu Yang awoke!
He awoke with a start!
Lifting his head, he looked out to see the sky filled with frost and snow, a world clad in purest white, signaling the deadly chill of the deep winter.
Xu Yang sat up and saw himself in tattered clothes, thin as a rail, huddled in the corner of an alley, slowly being buried by the swirling snow, practically on the brink of, no, already having frozen to death once before as a little beggar..