Chapter Fifteen: Captured (Part One)

Captured

After several days of traveling together, Bai Qi had shamelessly managed to eat and drink at Yang Zi’s expense. Yang Zi often joked that she had never met someone so thick-skinned and self-assured, but Bai Qi would simply laugh it off, promising that once he had money, he would treat her to endless feasts. Though he said so, Yang Zi didn’t take it to heart. In these past days, their relationship had shifted from strangers to playful banter, and she was no longer as silent as before. Deep down, she understood that each of them guarded their own thoughts and secrets. At least Bai Qi could make her laugh from time to time, speaking all manner of oddities, and discussing cultivation insights along the way. Each had learned something, and perhaps it was this self-awareness that allowed a measure of sincerity to remain.

From Green Mountain to Liangzhou City, they traveled by water, which was much faster. In just two days, they arrived at the outer city of Liangzhou. The outer city was a hub of trade, vital for economic growth; even cultivators found themselves troubled by matters of “money.” Whether in the world of cultivation or in the secular realm, economics was inextricably linked. The main city, on the other hand, served as the administrative center, issuing proclamations and overseeing various regions. Transactions happened there as well, though far fewer, as it was primarily a residential area. The two cities were not far apart, and since the outer city was close to the docks, this arrangement—internal management, external trade—had naturally formed.

Bai Qi knew that the lord of Liangzhou City was Liang Sui, the man who coveted the Yin-shadowed Guangling Zither. As city lord, Liang Sui was undeniably skilled in administration, but beneath the surface, he was a villain—stealing wives, coveting treasures, manipulating everything in secret with great finesse. Such dangerous men, unless experienced firsthand, were impossible to imagine: public figures committing the most nefarious deeds, hidden from sight.

Liang Sui had managed to maintain such a normal outward image that everyone in Liangzhou believed he brought nothing but good to their lives. All those connected to him, openly or secretly, held some leverage over each other; certain things could never be spoken, doomed to rot within. Bai Qi had learned all this from Kun, and was deeply moved. There were surely more figures like Liang Sui in the Great Tang—those who obeyed in appearance but defied in private. The thought was frightening. With regional lords spread across the nine provinces and eight wilds of the Great Tang, nothing was as simple as it seemed. For Emperor Xiao Xuan to have established his dynasty for five hundred years was truly remarkable.

Turning, Bai Qi watched Yang Zi. Along the journey, her words had dwindled, but her eyes continually roamed the surroundings, as if revisiting old haunts with careful attention. He did not intrude, merely kept her company, teasing her now and then. Their acquaintance was unusual—two people wandering together for only a few days, each with their own agenda. He was drawn by something unknown about her; she saw him as an “insider.” When they sparred, his own treasure reacted repeatedly; had it not been sealed by his master, unpredictable things might have happened.

They were in the outer city of Liangzhou. Bai Qi didn’t know exactly where Yang Zi’s home was; he simply followed her as she moved toward the inner city. They arrived at the docks late at night and stayed in a guesthouse there.

Late at night, Bai Qi rose quietly, following Kun’s instructions to meet him in a designated place.

He entered a deep alley, softly calling, “Grandpa, are you here?” After several calls with no reply, he ventured further into the pitch-black alley, grumbling about Kun’s choice of such a dismal spot. Still no response, he raised his voice, “Old Kun, are you here? Don’t mess with me. Kun…”

“Brat! Try shouting again and see what happens!” Suddenly, a hoarse, aged voice sounded behind him. Bai Qi was certain it was Kun. Perhaps he’d been too anxious and had reverted to his old habit—calling Kun as he did during their training on Green Mountain, when Kun would grin wickedly, beard in hand, the more Bai Qi struggled and cried out. This time, in this eerie alley, Bai Qi couldn’t help but lose his composure.

He turned to see Kun, still dressed in drab grey linen, bathed in moonlight and looking ghostly pale. If Bai Qi hadn’t known it was a person, he’d have been terrified.

Rubbing his hands, grinning, Bai Qi said, “Grandpa, what took you so long? This place is scary—I’m really not brave!”

Kun snorted, blowing his beard, and retorted, “So why weren’t you scared sneaking a peek at Miss Wang bathing late at night back in the village? Brat, when we get back, you’ll train for another year or two—maybe then you’ll learn some manners. Hmph!”

“Come on, that wasn’t what you think—I was just passing by. Besides, Grandpa, I’m only worried about you,” Bai Qi joked, then leaned in, whispering, “By the way, Grandpa, that girl you mentioned—Yang Zi—what exactly does she have on her?”

Kun waved his sleeve, signaling Bai Qi not to get so close—no need for such caution with no one else around. Bai Qi straightened and listened intently.

Kun’s expression grew grave. “If I’m not mistaken, it’s related to the feather I showed you a year ago—the remnant. Yin and I intended to decide who would use it, but then… Anyway, this should be another feather. I sensed during your fight with her that the energy she released was nearly identical to that feather’s, nine times out of ten. If I hadn’t seen such things before and known their traits, I’d have thought it was just some ordinary object.”

Stroking his beard, Kun pondered, then continued, “Do you want to know the girl’s background?”

“What do you mean?” Bai Qi, still mulling over Kun’s words, was suddenly piqued by curiosity about Yang Zi’s identity.

Kun turned toward the sky, gazing at the moon rising over the docks, lost in thought. Then he spoke words that nearly made Bai Qi cry out.

“After observing her these past days, besides being the disciple of Green Mountain’s sect leader as I told you, she’s also from Liangzhou City. The jade pendant at her waist is identical to the one worn by Liang Sui, the city lord. Ordinary people can’t wear such a pendant—it’s a device for sending messages. I think… we should strike first.”

Bai Qi, confused, quickly asked, “Grandpa, do you mean we should kidnap her? Even if we have a grudge against Liang Sui, what does Yang Zi have to do with it?”

“No connection? Read her name carefully, in the Liangzhou dialect. What does it remind you of?” Kun explained.

“Yang Zi, Yang Zi… Liang? Yang? She’s actually Liang Sui’s daughter—how could that be?” Bai Qi muttered the name a few times, then realized the truth. The revelation stunned him. He felt a strange disappointment and a surge of hatred. Disappointment that the cheerful girl he’d joked with these days was his enemy; hatred because everything he cared about seemed entangled with Liang Sui. He clenched his fists, the knuckles cracking.

Kun glanced at Bai Qi and continued, “That item is likely the other feather from the ancient relic Yin and I discovered. I forgot to mention—it was a pair. But through twists of fate, Yin and I only obtained one, and the other ended up with a high-ranking elder of Green Mountain. For some reason, it fell into this girl’s hands.”

“No time to waste. Don’t overthink it. Help me lock the girl’s room in the guesthouse. Stand guard at the door while I retrieve the feather—it’s invaluable.” Kun grabbed Bai Qi, and in an instant they were at the guesthouse entrance. Kun turned and entered Bai Qi’s room, adjacent to Liang Zi’s.

With a wave of his sleeve, both rooms were covered by an invisible shield, like a glass dome. Kun’s hand flashed green, revealing a spirit-wrapped insect—a confusion bug, which feeds on hallucinogenic herbs. He flicked it through the window, sending it straight into the sleeping Liang Zi, rendering her unconscious.

“All right, let’s go in. Be quick—take the item and leave before trouble arises.” Kun tiptoed in, Bai Qi at his side.

“Grandpa, isn’t this a bit…” Bai Qi hesitated, standing at the bedside.

Kun rapped his skull, annoyed. “We’re already merciful by not harming the villain’s daughter. We’re only taking what’s ours—thinking too much gets you nowhere. Stand guard; I’ll finish soon. Once we have the item, we leave—the girl will wake tomorrow.”

Bai Qi nodded, stationed by the door, glancing between Kun and the hallway.

Kun activated his spirit power, scanning Liang Zi as if scattering sand. After searching for a while, he found the item hidden in her jade pendant. He spread his fingers, each glowing with earthy light, gently extracting the feather.

A sudden hum spread outward, but Kun reacted swiftly, containing the ripple within half a meter, suppressing its spread while breaking the seal on the pendant.

Sweat poured from Kun’s brow. He cursed inwardly: “Three layers of seals—those old fools from Green Mountain really think highly of themselves. If not for my skills, I’d have been ruined by the first seal’s ripple, which sends a message instantly to whoever set it.”

Time passed. Kun managed to break the second seal, but the third proved stubborn. Frustrated, he resorted to a more powerful technique, forming a blade with his fingers to cut through the final seal. At last, it broke. But immediately, a piercing sound echoed—a signal that burst through Kun’s shield and raced out. Kun shouted, “Not good! We must go!”

Bai Qi, hearing the sound, was pulled along by Kun toward the docks.

Within moments of their departure, a thunderous voice rang out: “Who dares cause trouble in my Liangzhou City? Show yourself!”

Knowing the danger, Kun ignored everything and sped to the docks, hoping to escape by boat. In the vast lake, finding them would be nearly impossible.

Bai Qi was dragged along, but as he looked back at the receding guesthouse, his emotions were conflicted. Even though their actions had been exposed, all that mattered was leaving. As for Liang Zi’s true identity, Bai Qi felt the weight of his hesitation—perhaps for this reason, perhaps for another…