Chapter 894: Danjia

Just as the upper echelons of Jinhu were in an uproar over two major cases, Aaron returned to Yu Laotou's home as if nothing had happened.

Early in the morning, he pushed open the room door and saw Yu Yu.

"Mr. Bai, you're up! I went to your favorite shop at the street corner and bought pan-fried buns and soy milk; let's eat together."

Yu Yu had clearly dressed up and even applied lipstick.

At this moment, she was bustling about, urging Aaron to eat breakfast, her eyes clearly filled with anticipation.

Beside them, Yu Laotou opened his mouth, but ultimately failed to voice any objections.

With this thought, his figure flashed; no one saw how he moved, but he had already darted through the window into the teahouse private room.

Aaron touched his cheek, speechless.

Xiaohuan stood up, wanting to rush toward the door.

"Therefore, the ancient Danjia must have mastered the power of Strange Art! Later, the founding emperor of the Xuan Dynasty might have also been of Danjia origin; he stole this power from the Danjia, or rather... carried it forward and added restrictions. This is the original origin of Strange Persons!"

"Gen... General Rudder Master... I... I didn't see anything."

For example, the last time with Bai Xuan, it was as if he had completely changed into a different person.

And on the cover of the book, there seemed to be some bumps, as if it were not made of ordinary paper, but of some kind of animal hide.

"I am a Strange Person too!" Nangong Miaomiao stood on a stool, looking a head taller than Aaron, and proudly puffed out her small chest to announce: "It's just that my Strange Art is all in my eyes; I can observe all living beings in the three realms. Daddy says that when I become even more powerful, no one in the world will be able to escape my magic eyes!"

For some reason, as Xiaohuan looked at the dark and damp environment all around, she felt a bit creeped out.

Danjia Port.

Aaron listened silently until the end, paid for the breakfast, and went to the roadside to hail a carriage.

'If the Jingshi Book is merely a carrier for a Strange Art, then it has already become useless... but Cheng Dongnan clearly only copied a portion, so, could there be other Strange Art inheritances on it?'

Unexpectedly, Aaron just smiled: "There is no rush to repay the money owed. If one day you have enough, you can go and hand it to Mr. Shi Mingsi at the Hongshang Printing House!"

"I never thought that Lei Laoda would just die like this..."

Xiaohuan's voice could not help but carry a trace of trembling.

A small business owner sharing a table with Aaron put down his newspaper and sighed: "Back then, Lei Laoda's prestige shook Jinhu; with one word, who dared not give him face?"

But at this moment, she felt only fear in her heart, yet she still had to follow Cheng Dongnan's words and ask: "What city can be built on water?"

Other people's sons go out to roam the jianghu and rebel, only to return as completely different people.

Those Black-Awning Boats were generally in poor condition, the wood rotten, as if they would fall apart at any moment.

The two lackeys suddenly seemed as if they had drunk alcohol, becoming dizzy and falling asleep.

"I..."

"General Rudder Master..."

Aaron sat in the carriage and said calmly.

Aaron walked out of Yu Laotou's home and strolled down the street; several Wuguan Disciples passing by were still enthusiastically discussing the mysterious person 'Wukong', and when the other party planned to go and challenge another school.

Cheng Dongnan waved his hand, carrying the heroic spirit of one who points out the landscape: "Many people think that Strange Art was brought by the Xuan Dynasty, but actually, it wasn't! It has always been there, it will always be there! It is right there, right by our side!"

The former General Rudder Master was so kind, gentle, and approachable... one could say his whole being was filled with a kind of affinity; he was a born leader!

But ever since the uprising, it had been different.

But soon, the other party shrank back, making Xiaohuan almost think she had seen a hallucination.

"Extra, extra, read all about it!"

"You?!"

Xiaohuan, however, felt as if a moist and slippery tentacle had licked across her cheek, and she couldn't help but shudder.

She pushed open the room door and saw that the light in the room was very dim, with an oil lamp lit.

"Ah..."

The base of this oil lamp had a sky-blue glaze, and the light was dim, yet a strange, fragrant scent wafted over.

Back then, not long after Bai Xuan killed Ma Dang in the ruined temple and left alone, their group was caught up to by the Imperial Court's pursuers, and after a fierce battle, most of them were either killed or captured.

"So, that is why the General Rudder Master chose Danjia Port to settle down?"

Cheng Dongnan became more excited as he spoke: "I live in seclusion here, studying the Danjia fragments day and night, and have gained inspiration from their Gu Technique and insect-releasing arts; my research into the Jingshi Book has already made progress... Our brothers will not have died in vain; their sacrifices have value. Once my research succeeds, we will surely be able to overthrow the Great Xuan! Can Can Daozhang, Ma Dang, Bai Xuan... they all died for the great cause, for the people of the world."

Aaron sighed.

It wasn't until the newsboy shouted again that someone called out: "Give me a copy!"

On the second floor, a window opened, and a little girl, carved from pink jade, poked her head out and yawned out of sheer boredom.

'Prince of Pingyang, Nangong Wusheng! A Law-Grade Strange Person!'

Xiaohuan carried the food box, walked across one wooden plank after another connecting the boats, and finally arrived at the cabin of the Qiankun Society General Rudder Master, Cheng Dongnan, and knocked on the door.

Xiaohuan was trying hard to shift her gaze away when she suddenly heard a voice rise behind her.

"I have remembered it." Yu Laotou let out a long breath in his heart and asked curiously: "Where does Mr. Bai plan to go?"

"I plan to return to my hometown; after all, I have been out for a long time."

She turned around in fright and discovered that Cheng Dongnan had arrived behind her at some point, his gaze staring coldly at her.

The rickshaw puller draped a towel over his neck and revealed a big smile.

Aaron also joined in the fun, took a newspaper, and began reading it at the simple tea table of the refreshment stall.

On one side of the table lay a blue book; the azure color on its surface made Xiaohuan think of the ocean the moment she saw it.

But Cheng Dongnan was faster than her, blocking the door: "You are very afraid of me, why?"

"Sir, we have arrived at Danjia Port."

Just as Cheng Dongnan's face leaned closer and closer, as if he wanted to sniff the scent on her, a sound suddenly came from outside: "General Rudder Master... the Prince of Pingyang has made a move! He is heading our way!"

She even felt some regret that she hadn't left with 'Bai Xuan' back then.

Inside a cabin.

And the current Rudder Master is even more terrifying than Brother Bai Xuan was back then!

"Is that you, Xiaohuan? Come in!"

"I borrowed books from libraries everywhere and studied various Ancient books. I once read in an ancient text called 'Examination of Natural Sciences' that the Danjia established a glorious dynasty in ancient times named 'Dayu', though some also call it 'Dayu'... And among those Western barbarians, it is referred to as the 'Sunken Continent' or 'Atlantis'... It was an extremely glorious dynasty, where many cities were even built directly on the seabed!"

Cheng Dongnan gave a mysterious smile.

Xiaohuan began to understand.

"So that's how it is." Aaron looked at Nangong Miaomiao: "But Strange Art must have a price... Your father actually allowed you to practice it?"

"Where is the boss going?"

The maid wanted to scream, but Nangong Miaomiao covered her mouth with a grab.

"Danjia Port."

This place was originally a small pier, with Black-Awning Boats connected end-to-end, densely gathered together like village towns on the sea.

The newsboy was soon swamped by people waving banknotes, falling into a happy distress.

"R-Rudder Master... it's seafood porridge!"

"Lei Long, the head of the Four Great Constables, was wiped out last night!"

A pair of cat-like eyes suddenly swept over to Aaron, and her eyes lit up: "You are Brother Baishu from the Ghost Market!"

"Hello, Miss Miaomiao."

The maid and the two lackeys from that day were all there. Seeing Aaron appear suddenly, they were all shocked. The two lackeys even attacked directly, one with a fist that shattered the firmament and the other with claws that tore the earth—they were actually both Tianxuan Martial Artists!

Back in the Ghost Market that day, Aaron would have had to retreat when facing these two.

"Prince Pingyang? This person is a Law-Grade Strange Person, difficult to deal with..."

Since one must resolve trouble, one must resolve all trouble!

Cheng Dongnan is also one of the troubles!

"This..." Yu Laotou's hand shook, thinking Aaron was coming to collect a debt.

But even so, it was still sold out!

"R-Rudder Master, I am leaving."

Clearly, all circles in Jinhu were full of interest in the reason for the sudden death of this local Emperor, Lei Long.

Aaron laughed in spite of himself, then suddenly asked seriously: "Miss Miaomiao, why did you come to this place?"

He was wearing a mask at the time; how did this little girl recognize him at a glance?

How could such a thing be explained clearly?

But since Jinhu is no longer a place to stay, going back to take a look is fine.

Clearly, everyone felt that besides the Imperial Court, no one else could have wiped out Lei Long's forces in his own lair.

Aaron sat down in a domineering posture and poured himself a pot of tea: "How did you discover me?"

But at this moment, a strange light flashed in his eyes, and a giant crane covering the sky seemed to emerge behind him.

Moreover, he was also somewhat interested in the original copy of the Jingshi Book.

'As for Cheng Dongnan? When we cut the rooster's head and burned yellow paper to swear brotherhood, we agreed that while we brothers might not ask to be born in the same year, month, and day, we would ask to die in the same year, month, and day... Baishu is already dead, so I should send him down early to reunite, to fulfill our brotherly loyalty!'

Xiaohuan was lucky; under the desperate Protection of several Qiankun Society brothers, she broke out of the encirclement, and after experiencing a series of hardships, she finally managed to reach Jinhu and contact the Rudder Master.

Even figures like the local Three Great Gangs and the Four Great Constables were unwilling to provoke this ethnic group.

Cheng Dongnan quickly recovered his previous wise and commanding appearance: "Notify the brothers to hide; I, the Rudder Master, will go personally to delay him..."

"No... I have an appointment."

"It doesn't matter if you see it; this book was obtained by our brothers and sisters with their lives, so it naturally belongs to every brother and sister..."

"Yes, if we want to overthrow the Xuan Dynasty, we must first defeat the Strange Persons, and if we want to defeat the Strange Persons, we must know the origin of Strange Art... It is as if it suddenly appeared in our world."

"Give me a copy too!"

Just then, a newsboy ran by, waving a roll of newspapers in his hand.

But the life of ordinary Danjia was not very good; on the contrary, they lived in extreme poverty.

"Rudder Master, the food is here..."

"You have seen it too, this is the Jingshi Book!"

"A bandit, what kind of bandit could take out Lei Long... I'm afraid this person's arrogance was too much and he annoyed the government."

"I wonder which bandit did such a big thing." Another person gloated, seemingly not having a very good impression of Lei Long.

"He had his damnable aspects, but in the end, he also made contributions to the Qiankun Society, so I will still posthumously confer upon him the title of hero..."

In fact, the people from this newspaper office could not enter the Lei Mansion; they just walked around the outside and wrote a manuscript full of wild imagination.

"That's not it; it was inherited from my mother..." Nangong Miaomiao lowered her head, her mood somewhat low: "And... after I grew to ten years old, I couldn't grow any taller; it's so miserable..."

Xiaohuan opened the food box, took out the seafood porridge inside, and placed it on the table.

The Danjia living here are naturally skilled in water, know some insect arts, can cast Gu, and are very united.

People who were going out to work, eating breakfast, or strolling around stopped in their tracks, doubting they were suffering from auditory hallucinations.

"I want a copy too."

From within the gate came the voice of Rudder Master Cheng Dongnan, as gentle and sunny as ever.

However, although the Rudder Master expressed grief over the death and injury of the brothers, Xiaohuan was born with the ability to judge a person's inner heart from subtle expressions.

The brother who came to report the news had tears in his eyes, as if he had seen a great hero who stood tall; at this moment, he wished he could die for Cheng Dongnan!

And the boat cabin where they lived was also very damp; living there for a long time would inevitably lead to rheumatism.

The analysis of the last scholar, however, gained the approval of most of the people around.

After all, he was an honest man, lacking the modern mentality that a debtor is a king; having borrowed money from others, he was feeling quite guilty right now.

Cheng Dongnan was sitting cross-legged on the bed, and upon seeing Xiaohuan, he revealed a kind smile: "Xiaohuan... you've come, what is for breakfast?"

"General Rudder Master..." Xiaohuan felt like crying; hearing such a bizarre and strange story for the first time, she should have been very interested.

Recalling the General Rudder Master's changes over the last few meetings, Xiaohuan only felt a chill run down her spine.

"N-no..."

Aaron habitually prepared to find a place to change his clothes first, then finish off Cheng Dongnan, and finally seize the Jingshi Book.

Just as he was passing by a teahouse, he felt something and suddenly looked up.

"I'm here to watch over my worrisome father..." Nangong Miaomiao sighed like a little adult: "My father is very foolish... when he fights, he always likes to pick people he can't beat, so he has never won once, and he changed his own name to 'Nangong Wusheng'... today he is coming to find someone to fight again, and as his daughter, I have to come and watch him..."

"Wait, Bai Xuan?" Xiaohuan was startled: "Brother Bai Xuan is dead too?"

The rickshaw puller stopped, wiped his sweat with a towel, took the fare from Aaron, and hurriedly thanked him: "Take care, sir!"

At this moment, Xiaohuan seemed to see a bug crawl out from Cheng Dongnan's ear, bearing countless tentacles, resembling a house centipede.

Cheng Dongnan pressed his large hand onto Xiaohuan's thin shoulder, forcing her to stay in her seat: "Let me tell you... this Jingshi Book is written in a type of cipher, which is very difficult to decipher... but after much investigation, I have confirmed that this cipher has some connection to the Danjia."

Aaron smiled and politely declined, then looked at Yu Laotou: "I might have to leave for a while recently..."

Xiaohuan was on the verge of tears.

Intelligence provided by Lei Long surfaced in Aaron's mind, and he nodded slightly; he had long since guessed the identity of this little girl.

Suddenly, both he and Nangong Miaomiao turned their heads to look in the direction of the pier.

They saw that over there, fishing boats were exploding one after another, sinking into the churning river water of the harbor!

(End of this chapter)