Chapter 48 Dangers Lurk in the Painting Boat

Chapter 48: Crisis Lurking in the Pleasure Boat

The lights from the boat's roof moved across the river, their faint red glow illuminating the dark Yuzhou River like a silver river. Small boats, resembling a long Dragon, slowly moved through the bustling night.

Inside the Red Pavilion pleasure boat, laughter echoed, now nearing its end.

At this moment, Li Fuzhou’s face was slightly flushed. Beside him sat two beautiful women, occasionally letting out bell-like laughter.

Zhou Xianming, seeing Miss Li Yue finish her song and prepare to leave, quickly stepped forward and said, “Miss Li Yue, your song just now was truly beautiful. If my guess is correct, it should be ‘Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake,’ right?”

Li Yue chuckled softly and said, “Mr. Zhou is truly discerning. It is indeed ‘Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake.’ I’m afraid I’ve made a humble display.”

“You mustn’t say that.”

Zhou Xianming quickly said, “How can this be called a humble display? The song Miss Li Yue played is the most beautiful music in my ears, even the celestial music of the heavenly palace can hardly compare.”

Zhou Xianming’s words were impassioned, indignant, and full of vigor.

“Mr. Zhou truly overpraises me.”

Li Yue bowed slightly, “Young Master Mingfei is still waiting for me, so I will take my leave first.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xianming smiled and said, “It’s fine, it’s fine. I, Mr. Zhou, can wait here without any problem.”

Wait right here!?

Hearing Zhou Xianming’s words, the smile on Li Yue’s face froze. She then sighed and said, “It’s truly been troublesome for Mr. Zhou during this time. Mr. Zhou should also know my situation, so please don’t waste any more time on me.”

Li Yue was originally from an official family in Yu Prefecture. Due to a tax silver case in Yu Prefecture, her family was raided. She was supposed to be sent to the Imperial Music Bureau, but by pulling strings, she managed to avoid it and was instead directly thrown into a brothel pleasure boat as a courtesan.

Being from an official family and a well-bred young lady, with a stunning appearance, the price to redeem her was extremely high, and it also required approval from higher-ups. Over the years, countless people wanted to redeem her, but ultimately no one delivered.

This was something everyone knew.

Miss Li Yue must be worried that I can’t handle the pressure of the imperial examination and is advising me to give up.

But I, Zhou Xianming, will definitely not give up.

Zhou Xianming’s heart warmed. “Miss Li Yue, please rest assured, I will definitely not disappoint you. Miss Li Yue, you go to Young Master Mingfei first. I will wait here for a moment.”

“Alright, alright, Mr. Zhou, please have a few drinks first. Li Yue will be right there.”

Li Yue forced a smile, then bowed and fled as if escaping.

Li Fuzhou glanced at Li Yue’s retreating figure and continued to chat and laugh with the women beside him, unperturbed.

It’s truly interesting that a Heaven-ranked killer from the Wind and Rain Pavilion is hiding in a pleasure boat.

Others didn’t recognize Li Yue’s identity, but Human Sect Leader Li Fuzhou of the Demonic Cult Human Sect saw through the courtesan’s true identity.

Heaven-ranked killers from the Wind and Rain Pavilion are extremely rare and are existences that strike fear into the Jianghu. However, for one to be hidden as a courtesan in Yu Prefecture City now, it strongly hints at a conspiracy.

But in this vast Jianghu, who doesn’t have their own schemes?

However, Li Fuzhou was here to seek pleasure, not to investigate this Heaven-ranked killer from the Wind and Rain Pavilion.

Zhou Xianming stared blankly at Li Yue’s retreating figure.

“Xianming, come have a drink,” Li Fuzhou called out.

“Okay.”

Zhou Xianming sat down and muttered, “Once I finish this pot of wine, Miss Li Yue will probably come out.”

Li Fuzhou said exasperatedly, “There are plenty of fish in the sea, why fixate on just one?”

Zhou Xianming poured his own drink and said, “Mr. Li, this is like three thousand weak waters, but I only drink from one gourd.”

Upon hearing this, Li Fuzhou was speechless. When he usually lectured people, most dared not talk back, a small portion didn’t know how to refute, and only the useless An Jing and the current Zhou Xianming left him utterly speechless.

About half an hour later.

Li Fuzhou looked at the slumped Zhou Xianming and shook his head, “You’ve finished all your wine, and she still hasn’t come out.”

In that half an hour, Zhou Xianming had downed pot after pot, even an old libertine like Li Fuzhou was secretly amazed after seeing it.

“I… I must not have drunk enough.” Zhou Xianming’s face was flushed, and several wine pots on the table were already empty.

Li Fuzhou: “…”

The surrounding geishas: “…”

“Hmm?!”

Li Fuzhou’s brows furrowed. He felt a slight ripple in the water. He tapped his finger lightly on the table, “It seems there are masters fighting fiercely.”

As night deepened, the Yuzhou River was still very lively.

Jiang Sanjia sat cross-legged on a futon, his hands resting before his navel. The Ghost Valley Heart Sutra circulated, having already completed dozens of cycles.

Somehow, he suddenly felt a tremor in his heart, as if a sense of crisis surged within him.

Then he slowly opened his eyes and looked out of the pleasure boat.

Singing and dancing filled the air, and red lanterns illuminated the shimmering Yuzhou River, a scene of peace and tranquility.

“Mu Xiaoyun, Mu Xiaoyun…”

Jiang Sanjia turned around and called out.

“What’s wrong?” Mu Xiaoyun pushed aside the curtain and asked with a frown.

“I feel something is not right,” Jiang Sanjia said, taking a deep breath.

“What’s not right?” Mu Xiaoyun asked.

“Look around you, it’s too quiet.”

Jiang Sanjia pointed to the surroundings.

Upon hearing this, Mu Xiaoyun looked around, then suddenly saw ripples on the water’s surface.

In the silent night, because the pleasure boat was a bit far from the bustling area, the water was pitch black, making it impossible to see anything, as if they were in a world of darkness.

“Not good!”

Mu Xiaoyun’s pupils suddenly contracted.

No sooner said than done, dozens of arrows shot rapidly from a distance.

“Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!”

Some arrows plunged into the water, while several others directly pierced into the boat cabin, embedding themselves firmly.

Jiang Sanjia waved his sleeve, his Internal Energy-covered sleeve sweeping back with a fierce wind, deflecting all the arrows.

Mu Xiaoyun’s face suddenly changed, and she whispered, “It’s the Cao Gang.”

Immediately after, the surrounding arrows came like a torrential downpour, and the pleasure boat was like a small boat in a storm, countless arrows sweeping over, turning it into a porcupine.

Ripples spread across the entire river surface.

Mu Xiaoyun and Jiang Sanjia were both Second-Rank cultivators, so they naturally wouldn’t be harmed by the arrows. They blocked the arrows in an instant.

After a volley of arrows, there was no more movement.

“Madam, the Gang Leader requests your presence.”

Just then, a chilling voice rang out.

A pale-faced scholar, frighteningly white, was seen stepping on the water, much like the water ghosts rumored to have drowned in the river. His eyes were exceptionally gloomy.

The person who came was none other than the Poison Scholar, Guo Yuchun.

The moment he saw that person, Jiang Sanjia’s heart sank to the bottom. He then looked to the side.

Since Guo Yuchun appeared, it was impossible for him to be alone.

“Is this how you treat this Madam?”

Mu Xiaoyun’s brows furrowed, and she coldly demanded.

Guo Yuchun cupped his fists and sneered, “I apologize for the offense this time, and I hope Madam will be lenient. I hope Madam will not make your subordinate’s task difficult.”

Although his words were an apology, his eyes carried a strong sense of threat.

“Good, good, a ‘subordinate’s task difficult’.”

Mu Xiaoyun’s eyes narrowed into slits. “If I am unwilling to return, will you shoot more arrows and offend me further?”

“What do you think, Madam?”

Guo Yuchun’s gloomy face curved into a smirk, his sharp eyes holding a hint of ferocity, and the Killing Intent emanating from his dark pupils seemed capable of putting someone to death.

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