344: Chapter 342: Old Friend Visits from the Past 344: Chapter 342: Old Friend Visits from the Past A figure clad in red official robes strode out, with two people following closely behind the young man.
One held the Divine Spear Lei Wu in hand, none other than Wu Bu, a Disciple from the younger generation of the Xijian Sect.
The other had arms folded across the chest, with an appearance dazzlingly beautiful, featuring jade-like skin and vermilion lips—Baili Xianxian of ambiguous gender.
For reasons unknown, he, too, had co to Ghost Mountain, and his injuries had been hastily treated.
His complexion wasn’t too bad.
Ying Xiu parted the brush in front of them, his gaze resting deeply and obscurely on ng Zifei.
He frowned slightly but soon relaxed his expression and gave a brief nod as a form of greeting before he approached the river monunt.
Mist rose from the surface of the river, and only faintly could one see the indistinct lights of boats wavering uncertainly through the thick fog.
The survivors all bowed respectfully to him, saying, “We’ve seen the Crown Prince.”
“No need for such courtesy,” Ying Xiu opened his palm toward the black Cold Crow perched on the river monunt.
The crow cried out twice, its sharp beak opening wide to spit out a small grape seed.
He glanced at the boat fires in the mist for a mont before tossing the grape seed in his hand into the smaller branch of the Nether River.
Vines danced lightly on the riverbed, creating an image strikingly similar to the previous one.
The soaked black vines twisted together, forming a sizable boat that dipped and bobbed along the river’s edge.
Seeing this, everyone displayed expressions of wonder.
Another Netherworld Ghost Ship?!
This ghost ship was presumably left by the Central Netherworld Empress who doted on her son.
It was rumored that Empress Ying Ji wandered the Nine Nethers freely, casually picked a grape from a vine along the Nether River bank, and transford it into a ship that could cross the Nether River, impervious to thousands of ghosts, and large enough to carry three thousand people from the Imperial City.
Thinking this, they couldn’t help but sigh to themselves.
Although the talent of the Central Netherworld Crown Prince was exceptional, he was still too young.
The Netherworld Ghost Ship he inherited could only transform into a common-sized passenger boat, large enough for a dozen or so people and showing signs of crowding.
Not like the Painted Boat summoned earlier which, despite its sowhat old appearance, contained hidden floors and other dinsions, likely spacious enough to easily accommodate a hundred people.
Nevertheless, the ability to ignore the river monunt’s moon-pressing rule for crossing was already very impressive.
Baili Xianxian patted Ying Xiu’s shoulder, laughing, “Since your ship is large enough anyway, why not give a lift?
Consider it a favor Baili Xianxian owes you.”
Ying Xiu looked at his indistinguishable face; the feeling in his heart was far from pleasant.
He said dryly, “Uncle Qiao took great care of when I was a child.
If you want to go aboard and cross the river, just go ahead.
There’s no need to talk about owing favors.”
However, Baili Xianxian wasn’t buying any of it.
Imitating Fang Geyu’s unique way of speaking, he clicked his tongue twice and said, “I find you to be such a stubborn one; you were so eager to call off the engagent when you thought I was a woman, and now that I openly state I’m a man, you put on this quite regrettable expression.”
Ying Xiu’s forehead vein bulged, his face unpleased, as he neglected to engage further.
He scanned the crowd and hesitated before asking, “So ti ago, I observed the light of the Red Lotus Karma Fire from afar.
Could it have been Su Jing who ca here?”
The people looked at one another, then rembered that two hundred years ago, Tianxi and Taixuan had attempted a marriage alliance.
But due to the interference of the Empress from Cangwu Palace, it had ended in failure.
Ultimately, this led to a very stiff relationship between the Three Sects, and even the You Dynasty, which had almost begun to align with the Hundred Immortal Sects, once again reverted to a stance of cold neutrality.
No one dared to answer such a sensitive question.
They looked at each other, showing troubled expressions.
Growing increasingly impatient, Ying Xiu was about to board the ship when ng Zifei softly spoke up, “Crown Prince, Su Jing was indeed here not so long ago.
However, after eliminating a monster in the river, she left by boat.”
Ying Xiu looked at him sowhat surprised, not expecting ng Zifei to take the initiative to speak to him.
Seeing his reaction as if he didn’t want to engage too deeply with ng Zifei, he fell silent for a mont but couldn’t hold back and asked in a low voice, “I saw Su Jing once in Ghost Mountain.
At that ti, she was unconscious, being carried by a young man.”
ng Zifei smiled slightly, “Rest assured, Crown Prince, Miss Jing has awakened and is safe.”
Ying Xiu nodded and hesitated, then said, “Since I am crossing the river to capture the Ghost anyway, and there is still room on the ship, Young Master ng, would you care to join us?”
An unexpected invitation caught ng Zifei off guard.
He instinctively hid his sword and horsetail whisk behind his back, as though reluctant to let Ying Xiu see these shabby remnants of his past.
Even his joy was cautiously expressed as he quietly asked, “May I…
may I board the ship with you?”
Seeing his deanor, Ying Xiu’s feelings were mixed.
He sighed and said, “Find a few more people to co aboard with you.”
Not minding his bringing companions wasn’t just because he was confident that no one besides himself could subdue the Ghost.
More importantly, the Cultivators who managed to co this far in the smaller branch of the Nether River were mostly from reputable families of certain standing.
Softening and winning over one or two would be nothing but beneficial for the path he was destined to walk in the future.
Chosen by ng Zifei, ten fellow travelers were selected.
They boarded the Netherworld Ghost Ship with hearts full of gratitude.
“The Crown Prince’s humility truly shas us all.”
“Young Master Ying’s generosity is beyond our expectations.
We never dread that in this life we could have the fortune to set foot on this Central Netherworld treasure.”
“Just like Miss Su Jing, who also lives in the realm of legends, her actions aren’t as magnanimous as those of a warrior.
I saw the Netherworld Ghost Ship she summoned could accommodate a hundred people, yet she left with only a few.”
“Hey, I don’t like hearing that.
What kind of divine figure is Miss Su Jing?
She’s not soone ordinary mortals like us can get close to, and you even dare to dream of sharing a ship with her.”
Ying Xiu, sitting at the prow of the boat, had his back rigid, his face looking quite unpleasant, “You’re saying…
Miss Su Jing also summoned a Netherworld Ghost Ship, capable of holding a hundred people?”
Being able to control a Netherworld Ghost Immortal artifact had always been a source of pride in his heart.
Although he couldn’t, like his mother, transform Spiritual Power into a ship, being able to create a pleasure boat was no small feat.
He was confident that after another hundred years of cultivation, once he crossed that threshold of passing through the ordeal between heaven and mortal, one day he would be able to transform into a ship and sail into the Nine Nethers just like his mother.
But now, he heard that the person he despised the most in his life had also summoned the sa Netherworld Ghost Ship, and on a larger scale than his.
Why should she?!
…
…
Fang Geyu wasn’t held for too long before Su Jing placed her gently on a soft seat inside the Painted Boat, still in shock.
Lifting the curtain, the graceful figures that had been singing and dancing inside had eerily disappeared.
In front of the desk lay instrunts such as the zither, drums, sheng, and xiao.
After several confirmations that Su Jing wouldn’t choose such a mont to harm Baili An, Li Jiujiu let down her guard and brought the unconscious Baili An to the adjacent elegant room to rest.
Fang Geyu looked around, feeling the eerie atmosphere.
While it was ninety percent similar to the pleasure destinations of the Mortal World’s young gentry, there was an indescribable sense of eerie desolation.
When Su Jing put her down, she didn’t forget to place a soft cushion under her injured leg before she got up and walked out.
Behind the thin crimson curtain, she saw Su Jing summon over the female ghost who played the pipa, speaking softly and intimately, uncertain of what was being said.
The ghost smiled at her kindly, showing none of the ferocity and chill she had displayed on the riverbank.
After listening to Su Jing, she took a small box from underneath her skirt, handed it to her, perford a polite bow, then floated up, landing at the bow of the ship.
Against the river breeze, she continued to play the pipa.
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