Eighteen eighteen

From this, it is evident that Chu Liuxiang’s adaptability is truly extraordinary. Even though he had never before encountered someone like Jiu Li, he was able to immediately take the correct action to prevent the situation from escalating further.

He quickly pulled Jiu Li over. Seeing her still on tiptoe peering into the room, he whispered to her, “Good girl, I recognize this old lady. Wait here, and I’ll tell you more later, alright? Don’t disturb her meditation.”

Gao Yanan raised her eyebrows.

The old lady, sitting cross-legged on the bed, opened her eyes, which blazed with intense light!

Her face was marked with scars; one eye was missing, and half of one ear had been mutilated. Yet, the single remaining eye was sharp and clear. Anyone who met that gaze would feel their very soul tremble involuntarily.

Yet the silver-haired woman appeared dazed, as if she hadn’t noticed at all.

She seemed simultaneously concerned about the old lady inside and yet completely indifferent. When Chu Liuxiang spoke, her eyes brightened, and she nodded firmly.

Jiu Li said, “Mm-hmm!”

Suddenly, the old lady stretched out her hand, gripping her dragon-head cane. With a heavy strike on the floor, a resonant “vrrr—” echoed. The force of that cane strike seemed infused with inner power, sending ripples through the floorboards that hurt the eardrums, yet somehow the thin wooden planks of the cabin remained unbroken.

This level of skill was indeed impressive. Without at least thirty or fifty years of practice, it would be impossible to refine internal energy to such a masterful degree.

Gao Yanan’s expression changed. Without a word, she slammed the door shut with such force it almost struck Chu Liuxiang’s nose.

Fortunately, he was quick enough to dodge.

Chu Liuxiang rubbed his nose.

Although he couldn’t smell anything, he had had that nose for over twenty years and was reluctant to have it smashed flat by a door.

He couldn’t help but smile wryly—this generation’s grandmaster was already quite elderly, yet her temper was still fiery. Perhaps this was the nature of ginger and cinnamon: the older, the spicier.

Jiu Li stared intently.

She gazed at him unblinkingly, patiently standing there.

Chu Liuxiang whispered to her, “The person inside is the head of the Mount Hua Sect—the Master Ku Mei. Senior Sister Gao Yanan is the top disciple of Mount Hua. As for the other Miss Hua, I don’t know her background; among this generation’s disciples of Mount Hua, there seems to be no such person.”

He explained this to Jiu Li.

In truth, he wasn’t even sure if Jiu Li had ever been to the Central Plains or knew these figures... But Chu Liuxiang was a conscientious man. Since he promised to tell her about the people inside, he wouldn’t be careless.

Jiu Li looked thoughtful.

Yuan Suiyun then said, “So it is Master Ku Mei of the Mount Hua Sect?”

Chu Liuxiang raised an eyebrow. “Young Master Yuan, you don’t know?”

Yuan Suiyun replied, “I had only thought she was Madam Lan of the Lan family’s medical arts.”

Chu Liuxiang murmured, “Madam Lan... Young Master Yuan and Madam Lan...”

Yuan Suiyun said calmly, “Companions on the same path.”

Chu Liuxiang’s eyes flickered. “They all came seeking Bat Island?”

Yuan Suiyun nodded.

He folded his hands behind his back. The handsome and gentle expression on his face gradually faded, replaced by a frown of concern.

After a moment of silence, he said, “Lately, the strange events in the martial world seem to be increasing.”

Chu Liuxiang responded, “Oh?”

Yuan Suiyun explained, “For example, several martial arts sects suddenly discovered that their secret techniques, never passed on, have somehow been used by unrelated outsiders.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Oh…”

Yuan Suiyun continued, “Or a certain place is now claiming it can buy and sell anything.”

Chu Liuxiang touched his nose and said, “That place is Bat Island.”

Yuan Suiyun nodded. “Exactly, Bat Island. Since the invitation reached me, I wouldn’t simply stand by.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “But the island now seems deserted.”

Having lived on the island a while, Chu Liuxiang roughly understood its shape. It was surrounded by reefs, jagged and black like dragon’s teeth. There was only one concealed bay with a sandy shore—the place where they had been washed ashore.

The three of them had been unconscious at the time... Had they landed anywhere else, they would have been dashed against the rocks, and it might well have been fatal.

The island’s center rose into high mountains. Jiu Li’s home was hidden in a small corner of these mountains, nestled against the cliffside like a large sheepskin water bag, with only a hidden, narrow path as its entrance.

They had yet to explore the rest of the mountains, but Bat Island’s true power was probably concealed somewhere there.

Yuan Suiyun appeared lost in thought after hearing this.

He said, “Could it be we have the wrong place?”

Chu Liuxiang asked, “Why are you so certain this is Bat Island, Young Master Yuan?”

Yuan Suiyun said, “Madam Lan is known for her insight. I have only scattered clues, and the sea charts were provided by Madam Lan and Master Ku Mei.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Oh…”

Yuan Suiyun added, “But I don’t know if they are hiding in the mountains.”

Chu Liuxiang hummed in response.

Yuan Suiyun then asked, “Has Chief Xiang discovered anything in the past few days?”

Chu Liuxiang admitted, “I’m afraid not, I must confess.”

So much dialogue...

By now, the player was fully aware of the game’s style. During the initial conversations, she had taken the opportunity to get a glass of water and even visit the restroom. When she returned, the dialogue was still ongoing.

Sure enough, a speech bubble appeared again above the pixelated white-robed figure of Yuan Suiyun.

[Yuan Suiyun]: [Miss Jiu, have you found anything?]

Player: “?”

What discovery? She didn’t understand.

The player had her own temper. This NPC named Yuan Suiyun was blatantly trying to needle her, which was obvious from the speech bubble. How could she like him? Besides, typing took time, and she was too lazy.

She opened the social list.

Sure enough, the name [Master Ku Mei (Madam Lan)] had appeared, and the quest counter ticked again.

Now it read: [New Quest: Greet the new friends on the ship (6/7)]

Just one last person to find!

Where was he... where... ah! Found him!

He was in a cabin on the other side of the corridor.

Next to this cabin was a room with a chaotic clash of colors. Though everything was neatly arranged, the colors were garish and lacked any aesthetic sense. Hovering the cursor over it revealed: Yuan Suiyun’s room.

Was it because he was blind? So he only cared about function, not color coordination.

The author’s attention to detail was impressive.

The final NPC was next door to Yuan Suiyun’s room.

Since all characters were pixelated figures, Jiu Li could only tell this was a young male NPC dressed in a blue robe, sitting cross-legged on the bed, motionless, as if the commotion outside did not affect him.

Ha, of course—this was how a normal NPC should behave.

But she definitely couldn’t enter... hovering the cursor did not show an option to knock.

Considering that the name of Master Ku Mei had been obtained through Chu Liuxiang, maybe this last NPC’s story should also be developed similarly?

The player pondered.

As for Yuan Suiyun… he had obviously asked that question to probe.

Chu Liuxiang’s reputation was well known: a dashing playboy, carefree and romantic, fond of singing and drinking. Yuan Suiyun had already met Hu Tiefa, Chu Liuxiang’s companion—an utter fool.

He had thought Chu Liuxiang might be all talk, but instead, the man was cunning and slippery. No matter what he asked, Chu Liuxiang’s answers were always ambiguous, with subtle pauses that only deepened suspicion instead of resolving it.

—How much did he know?

—How much did they all know?

Chu Liuxiang was hard to get a handle on. What about this woman Jiu Li?

Was she truly naive, or merely pretending?

Though young, Yuan Suiyun was already a rising force in the martial world. He had seen many people and things. Typically, after observing someone for a bit, he could size them up accurately.

Exploiting weaknesses and striking at the vital point—that was his usual approach.

Yet, he couldn’t even tell if Jiu Li was genuinely naive or feigning it!

He decided to probe a bit more.

He casually asked, “Miss Jiu, have you found anything?”

The silver-haired woman did not reply.

His world was always shrouded in darkness, but his sense of smell was keen. He detected a scent on her like eternal ice and snow—cold and faint, like jade, inorganic and emotionless.

The silver-haired woman stood tall. When she moved, everyone would question their own lives; when she stood still, all eyes were irresistibly drawn to her, for she was too mysterious and unfathomable.

Jiu Li’s expression was indifferent.

Upon hearing Yuan Suiyun’s question, her pupils flickered, then she suddenly turned her head and coldly fixed her gaze on a cabin door.

“There’s someone inside.”

Her voice was devoid of any emotion.

Though there was not a sound from the cabin, her gaze seemed to possess a mesmerizing power, penetrating the thin door to lock on the person within.

“There’s someone inside.”

Her voice was firm and cold. Without even opening the door, she knew it was bolted from the inside.

Her head slowly turned back. Her indifferent eyes fell again on Yuan Suiyun as she said, “Who is inside? Tell me.”

Yuan Suiyun’s hand hidden in his sleeve twitched violently!

—Who is inside?

The person inside was the second-in-command of Bat Island, Ding Feng—Yuan Suiyun’s most trusted subordinate!

—What was she hinting at?!