Chapter 98: Phoenix Call Ferry Calm After the Storm

That night, a biting cold wind whistled like wailing ghosts and howling wolves, carrying heavy, goose-feather-like snow that fell profusely. By dawn the next day, the entire world had transformed overnight.

The streets and alleys of the town were covered in pristine white snow, layered a foot deep, resembling a winding jade-colored silk ribbon or plain brocade left behind by a celestial maiden.

Distant houses were completely covered in snow. On their eaves, snow piled up like continuous small hills, reflecting a cold, faint glow in the morning light. Occasionally, wisps of cooking smoke curled upwards, adding a touch of human warmth to this silver-white world.

The heavy snow continued to fall without ceasing. Qiansi Town, which had been quiet due to the snowfall, suddenly became bustling and lively with the arrival of a piece of news.

Gu Mo, his sister Gu Chudong, and Yang Qingtong had appeared in Tai'an County.

This news caused Qiansi Town in Tai'an County, where many martial arts heroes had gathered, to boil with excitement.

Qiansi Town was the closest settlement to Nanting Mountain Villa, the venue for the martial arts convention. Since the convention had not yet begun, all the major sects that had arrived were temporarily stationed in the Qiansi Town area.

At this moment, undercurrents stirred in Qiansi Town.

However, none of the sects immediately responded. It wasn't until the Canglan Sword Sect, stationed in a large inn north of the town, made a move that the other sects gradually began to follow suit.

The Canglan Sword Sect dispatched a contingent of over a hundred people, led by the sect's senior disciple, Shang Buyu, known in the martial arts world as "The Heavenly Diviner."

Accompanying Shang Buyu was Shen Bai, "White Cloud Sword," one of the leading figures among the Canglan Sword Sect's second-generation disciples.

Shang Buyu was already over fifty years old and was the personal senior disciple of Canglan Sword Sect's leader, Qi Tianshu. Although he had not formally assumed the position of sect leader, he had managed sect affairs for many years, from which a steady and dignified aura naturally emanated. He was tall and upright, standing as straight as a pine. The traces of time on him had not diminished his demeanor; instead, they had added a touch of profound maturity.

As Shen Bai and Shang Buyu rode side by side, Shang Buyu suddenly asked, "Junior Brother Shen, I hear you have a close relationship with Gu Mo?"

Shen Bai nodded slightly and replied, "At the beginning of this year, I was sent by my master to the Tang family in Zhushan County, Linjiang Commandery, to collect weapons. There, I met Gu Mo. I befriended him after receiving his kindness. His martial arts are profound, and he is straightforward, which I greatly admire. For several months, we have corresponded frequently, and I even gave him a token from my master."

Shang Buyu said in a deep voice, "Junior Brother Shen, I'm not blaming you. I, too, was once young and walked the martial arts world with such vigor as you. However, I wish to remind you that the martial arts world is perilous, and discerning people's true intentions is difficult. Whether we are making friends or venturing into the martial arts world, we must always remember to uphold righteousness, clearly distinguish between good and evil—right is right, and wrong is wrong. You must never let personal feelings overshadow the greater good."

Shen Bai nodded and said, "Senior Brother Shang, please rest assured, I know what is important. The Moon-Worshipping Demonic Cult has committed countless evils; their deaths would not be a pity."

Shang Buyu nodded slightly and said nothing more.

After traveling for a short while, just as the group reached the outskirts of the town, they saw a contingent of twenty to thirty people approaching. Each held a long sword, and their presence was formidable. They were from Qianshan Sword Pavilion of Jinlan Manor, currently one of Yunzhou's six major sects.

The leader of Qianshan Sword Pavilion was Jiang Wanzhao, one of the Ten Great Grandmasters, the foremost disciple of Sword Master Li Qiuyu, the senior disciple of Qianshan Sword Pavilion, and known in the martial arts world as "Southern Mountain Swordsman." His fame in Yunzhou was no less than Shang Buyu's. However, because Qianshan Sword Pavilion could not compare to the Canglan Sword Sect's status in the Qian Kingdom, he naturally did not have the same reputation as Shang Buyu outside of Yunzhou.

As soon as the two contingents met, Shang Buyu and Jiang Wanzhao, as their respective leaders, stepped forward to greet each other.

However, Jiang Wanzhao was a very pure swordsman. To be precise, the more renowned a person from Qianshan Sword Pavilion was, the purer they seemed. They were all obsessed with the way of the sword, not well-versed in social niceties, and always spoke straightforwardly.

After greeting Shang Buyu, Jiang Wanzhao said, "After I received the news, I immediately set out. But the elders in my sect told me that your Canglan Sword Sect is the undisputed leader of the righteous path in Yunzhou, and we cannot express our stance before you, nor can we arrive before you. However, I dislike procrastination, so, Brother Shang, please move a little faster."

Shang Buyu smiled wryly.

Some rules were unspoken, default conventions.

As the undisputed foremost sect in Yunzhou, the Canglan Sword Sect, though not officially titled "Martial Arts Alliance Leader," held the true power of one. Therefore, typically, in significant martial arts affairs, the words and actions of the Canglan Sword Sect served as a guide. If the Canglan Sword Sect did not speak, no one dared to speak first. Where the Canglan Sword Sect was present, no one dared to advance further; even waiting meant waiting behind them.

However, everyone understood this implicitly.

But only those swordsmen from Qianshan Sword Pavilion would openly state it.

However, Shang Buyu knew the temperament of these people and did not take it to heart. He said, "Brother Jiang, the Three Rivers Gang, the Flying Fish Gang, the Xinyi Alliance, and the Wu family—they are all going. Why not wait and go together?"

"Are they going to join the fun too?" Jiang Wanzhao asked. "Who is leading the Wu family?"

Shang Buyu replied, "The Wu family should be led by their patriarch, Wu Tianfang; the Flying Fish Gang by Chief Chang Si; the Three Rivers Gang by Chief Xiao Jinghong; the Xinyi Alliance by Yin Tianye, the master of Nanting Mountain Villa. Also Iron Lion from the Great Banner Sect, Shangguan Yun from the Raging Tide Gang, and others!"

Jiang Wanzhao suddenly asked, "Oh, by the way, where are we going?"

Shang Buyu was stunned for a moment, then asked, "Brother Jiang, you don't know where we're going?"

"No," Jiang Wanzhao nodded. "I'm just following orders. The elders don't like to talk much with me; they just told me to follow you."

Shang Buyu chuckled lightly and said, "We're going to Fengming Ferry. According to the intelligence we received, Gu Mo and Yang Qingtong have appeared on the border of Tai'an County. Unless something unexpected happens, they should reach Fengming Ferry before nightfall."

As night fell, the scene shifted to Fengming Ferry.

Heavy snow had been falling for a full day and night, blanketing everything in thick layers. Goose-feather-like snowflakes continued to drift down, seemingly scattered by celestial maidens, floating gracefully towards the human world.

Despite such weather, Fengming Ferry remained bustling. Lights illuminated every corner, making it exceptionally lively. This ferry was a converging point for several surrounding counties, with a large river here making water routes accessible. Many martial artists and traveling merchants passed through from north and south, and over time, a prosperous trading town had formed here.

Especially with the heavy snow from last night to today, which blocked many people's routes, Fengming Ferry became even more lively, with inns everywhere nearly overflowing.

In an inn on the edge of the ferry, the staff moved tables and chairs, built a large fire in the hall, and prepared a dozen braziers. Outside, the north wind howled, and the cold wind, carrying snow, squeezed in through the door cracks, making the fire flicker between bright and dim. Many guests in the hall drank wine and chatted, creating a bustling atmosphere.

As dusk fell, more guests arrived at the door.

It was one man and two women, all wrapped in thick robes. They wore cloth hats and had their faces covered with coarse cloth, making their faces difficult to discern. However, such attire was common in this severe cold.

"Innkeeper, please prepare two rooms!" a woman spoke.

"Honored guests, I'm truly sorry, but all the rooms in our inn are occupied," the innkeeper said apologetically. "Last night's sudden heavy snow has stranded all the traveling merchants here, and inns everywhere are full. There's nothing I can do, so I set up this fire in the main hall for guests without rooms to warm themselves." Finally, the innkeeper added, "Other inns are much the same, but you can try searching; perhaps there's a room left somewhere."

The woman turned to look at the man and whispered, "Brother?"

The man pondered for a moment and asked, "Do you have food?"

"Yes, yes, yes, it's all hot!" the innkeeper quickly replied.

The man nodded and said, "Then bring some cooked food and warm a pot of wine—the best wine you have."

"Understood, understood. Please wait a moment, honored guests."

The innkeeper immediately told a waiter to prepare the food and wine. Meanwhile, the man and two women found a brazier in a corner of the hall and sat around it.

These three were indeed Gu Mo, his sister Gu Chudong, and Yang Qingtong.

Fengming Ferry was the only route to Tai'an County.

It was already dark when they arrived, and the heavy snow continued, so the three decided to find an inn to rest. They hadn't had a good night's sleep for several days. Especially last night, with the heavy snow, they couldn't find shelter on their journey and endured a night of wind and snow. They endured another day of it, without even a sip of hot water.

However, given the current situation, they likely wouldn't find a room for the night. Still, even resting in the hall was better than enduring another night of wind and snow.

The hall was quite crowded and somewhat noisy at the moment.

Soon after, the waiter brought the food and wine. He also brought a small table, explaining apologetically, "Our inn doesn't usually need many tables, so we haven't prepared extra. Please bear with us, honored guests!"

Gu Chudong waved her hand and said, "It's fine, go about your business."

The waiter, profusely thanking them, quickly retreated.

Gu Mo and the other two quickly removed the coarse cloths covering their faces. In their corner, and with the dim lighting, they didn't need to worry about being noticed.

Gu Chudong wiped the chopsticks and handed them to Gu Mo. She then placed the wine pot into the brazier to warm, and the three began to eat. The dishes were simple, yet they ate with great relish. They hadn't had a hot meal in days, and in this freezing weather, a mouthful of hot food was more precious than exotic delicacies.

As for the wine, it was solely for Gu Mo.

Yang Qingtong didn't drink. And Gu Chudong, apart from a sip or two when her childlike curiosity made her want to join in the fun, usually had no interest in alcohol. Therefore, the pot of wine they ordered was for Gu Mo alone.

As the three were eating, more guests arrived continuously from outside, coming in a swarm and making the already somewhat cramped hall even more crowded.

The waiter constantly ran back and forth, greeting guests. As soon as he returned to the counter, more people would arrive, always in groups of three to five.

The waiter was also puzzled, muttering, "How strange! Why are there so many people here right now, all crammed together?"

However, what the waiter didn't notice was that, as more and more people arrived, the inn gradually grew quieter. The sound of conversation grew softer and softer, and the atmosphere slowly became oppressive. Finally, the hall of the small inn was packed with forty or fifty people, yet not a single person spoke.