Chapter 110

【Next objective — Celestial Being!】

The diary entry ends here.

【Detected that Jiang Sishui has completed today's diary entry. Congratulations on obtaining one month of true qi】

【Selecting today's lucky winner……】

【Congratulations to Zhao Min on obtaining "One Opportunity Guidance"】

"Opportunity Guidance? What is that? It guides the winner to a treasure-hiding place where there's a great opportunity?"

At the appearance of a new type of reward, every girl was curious and began making guesses one after another.

Mengzhou.

A blessing descended from the heavens, and Zhao Min was stunned for a moment.

Immediately after, she saw a phantom arrow appear beside her, pointing in one direction.

Only then did Zhao Min react. She leapt up at once, her star-bright eyes flashing with excitement.

"So this is Opportunity Guidance? It's finally this Princess's turn to win!"

Zhao Min clenched her fist and called out loudly: "Someone! Prepare my horse!"

The attendants obeyed and prepared a fine steed. Zhao Min called for the Two Elders of Xuanming and the Eight Heroes of the Divine Arrow, and they galloped out of Ruyang Wang Fu that very night.

Although she had the protection of the "Kunji Seal" and need not worry about her personal safety, this trip might take who knows how long, so naturally she needed a group of laborers to carry supplies.

The Eight Heroes of the Divine Arrow were responsible for this.

As for the Two Elders of Xuanming, they served as fighters — after all, the "Kunji Seal" wouldn't help her kill enemies.

【Congratulations on completing the sixteenth diary entry. Reward: water-type treasure "Water-Controlling Pearl"】

【Congratulations on completing today's diary entry. Reward: martial arts experience +1000, one "Ji's Art Pill"】

As expected, another day with a bonus reward.

"Water-Controlling Pearl?"

Jiang Sishui held in his palm a water-blue round pearl of unknown material — neither metal, wood, jade, nor stone — and its information flashed through his mind.

Water-Controlling Pearl, as the name Gu Mingsiyi suggests, is used to control the flow of water.

Rivers, streams, lakes, seas… all water flow within ten li of the Water-Controlling Pearl is subject to its manipulation.

Of course, the greater the distance, the weaker the control.

"Controlling water…"

Thinking that Mantuo Shanzhuang lay deep within Taihu, Jiang Sishui had some ideas.

【Heavenly Sword Drawing Technique (Heavenly Art): Minor Completion (**

Adding the martial arts experience as usual, Jiang Sishui did not go to frolic with the girls. Instead, he took out "Shifang Jumie" and continued studying it.

Flirting with girls was certainly enjoyable, but one's strength could not be neglected.

After all, the latter was the foundation — the cornerstone and guarantee of the former.

And after these few days together, he and the girls had developed a tacit understanding. They knew this was one of the rare cultivation periods in Jiang Sishui's day, so naturally they would not come disturb him.

Still, Jiang Sishui did not cultivate especially late like the first time. Once it was about right, he went to spend time with Zhao Qiying.

……

Compared to the Central Plains Escort Agency, Mantuo Shanzhuang was considerably closer to Leigu Mountain......

After five days of travel, the group finally arrived at the shores of Taihu.

He had intended to have the boatman sail directly to Mantuo Shanzhuang, but upon hearing the destination, the man shook his head like a rattle-drum and absolutely refused.

Jiang Sishui was puzzling over it when Wang Yuyan immediately explained from the side.

It turned out that Mantuo Shanzhuang was under the Murong family's protection, and outsiders were forbidden to set foot there or even approach. This was no secret in the area — the locals knew it well and naturally wouldn't earn this kind of deadly money.

"So it's Murong Fu. This fellow's influence in these parts is really not small."

Jiang Sishui suddenly understood.

One could well imagine that without the Murong family's shelter, a mother-daughter pair as beautiful as Li Qingluo and Wang Yuyan would long since have been captured and kept as "golden canaries in a cage."

By that reckoning, Mantuo Shanzhuang really owed him no small favor.

But Murong Fu wasn't entirely without reciprocation.

The fact that he could learn the strengths of a hundred schools at his age was largely thanks to Wang Yuyan.

With Wang Yuyan around, every time he practiced martial arts it was like an "open-book exam" — it would be strange if he didn't learn quickly.

Since the boatman was unwilling, Jiang Sishui did not press the matter.

Although he could have used force, bullying an ordinary commoner was simply out of the question.

Jiang Sishui paid out of his own pocket and bought a small awning boat. The girls boarded one after another.

The boat was small, but the little space carrying six people felt all the more warm and cozy.

Ah Zhu and Ah Bi walked to the stern and the bow respectively, gently rowing the oars. Green ripples swayed, and the little boat glided nimbly forward.

Returning to Taihu, Ah Bi felt especially close to it. Being together with the one she admired made her heart all the more delighted, and she could not help but open her voice and sing a little tune.

"On this fine day of the second festival, in a thousand households' courtyards, I once more glimpse the swallows in flight. The phoenix's nest is stable — may we be neighbors; from Xiaoxiang's misty dusk, why come so late? Scattering into the red tower, flying low by the green bank, the painted beam lightly brushed as song-dust turns. For whom do you depart, for whom do you come? The Young Master's affection runs deep as the pearl curtain rolls up."

The singing voice was tender and innocent, joyful and heart-stirring.

Listening to the girl's beautiful singing and watching her slender hands fair as jade, reflecting the green ripples as if translucent, Jiang Sishui could not help but be utterly enchanted, body and soul.

At this moment, his eyes held no Huang Rong or Wang Yuyan, no Ah Zhu or Zhao Qiying, no more fighting and killing or jianghu struggles for dominance — only the maiden Ah Bi, like a lotus rising from the water.

This girl brought his heart an unprecedented warmth and tranquility.

122 Reunion on Taihu — Unforgettable, the one from that night

"Murong Fu, Murong Fu — though you went mad in the book, you were still a happy man."

Jiang Sishui sighed sincerely in his heart, his gaze toward Ah Bi gentle and doting.

This typical Jiangnan water-town girl was like a sprite of Taihu, innocent and artless, delicate and moving.

No matter how deep the malevolent aura or how heavy the killing intent, as long as a sliver of humanity remained, anyone hearing her song would surely be unwilling to harm her in the slightest.

At this moment, if Abi had summoned her diary's duplicate to check, she would have found that Jiang Sishui's favorability toward her was already maxed out.

The boat glided across the lake; gazing into the distance, one saw only boundless misty waves, where the far waters met the sky, and the sight alone broadened the mind and lifted the heart.

After traveling for a stretch, the two girls steered the little boat into a small inlet, where the water's surface was thick with lotus leaves; anyone not intimately familiar with this place would never have known that a path lay hidden among the leaves.

Red water caltrop grew upon the lotus leaves; amid the clear waves, the red caltrops and green leaves were extraordinarily vivid.

Abi suddenly stopped singing, an innocent, radiant smile on her face: "Brother Jiang, these red caltrops are edible, you can try one."

"Red caltrops? Alright." Jiang Sishui smiled and nodded.

He casually picked several, peeled off the hard rind, and then distributed them among the women.

The caltrop flesh was smooth and clean; sent into the mouth, it was sweet, fragrant, crisp, and exceptionally refreshing.

Jiang Sishui praised: "The flavor of these red caltrops is pure yet not cloying, just like the little songs Abi sings."

Abi's pretty face flushed faintly as she laughed: "Comparing my songs to red caltrops — this is the first time I've heard such a thing today, thank you, Brother Jiang!"

Having spoken, knowing in her heart that Jiang Sishui liked hearing her singing, Abi once more let her voice rise in melodious song.

The two girls held their oars and slowly drifted the boat, and the little vessel slipped nimbly through the caltrop pond like a swimming fish.

At a glance, the lake was full of lotus leaves, caltrop leaves, reeds, and wild rice shoots, all looking exactly alike; moreover, the lotus leaves and caltrop leaves drifted upon the water, and with any gust of wind they would shift in a hundred ways, making it utterly impossible to recall the way one had come.

Such a scene truly made one feel as if placed within an illusory immortal realm.

Yet seeing Ah Zhu and Abi looking so composed and unhurried, it seemed as though these countless crisscrossing waterways, like the lines of a chessboard, were as clear to them as the lines on their own palms.

Known from birth, needing no recognition.

Jiang Sishui leaned against the railing, gazing into the distance; apart from the singing, the sound of oars, and the soft rustle of caltrop leaves brushing the hull, all was silent on every side.

The clear breeze over the lake carried a faint floral fragrance, and he could not help thinking: "Even if it were like this for a lifetime, that would be quite nice."

Suddenly, Jiang Sishui's pupils contracted slightly, his gaze locking onto an exquisite, ornate painted pleasure-boat outside the caltrop pond.

At the bow of the painted boat stood a slender figure.

Because the distance was too great, even channeling true qi into his eyes, he could not make out that person's appearance.

But Jiang Sishui had an intuition — that person seemed to have an immense connection to him, was extremely important to him!

This judgment had no basis whatsoever, was merely a sudden whim, yet he believed it firmly.

"Wait for me here, I'll go over for a moment."

Jiang Sishui gave the women a word of instruction, then leapt off the boat impatiently, Unleashing Lightness Skill, and sped across the water.

Zhao Qiying's gaze followed Jiang Sishui closely as she asked curiously: "Is Brother Jiang going to that painted boat?"