"There’s also excellent pastries! I want to personally attend to the chief steward!"
Qing Jun hurriedly reminded the old steward, glancing at his master’s worn-out clothes.
Heh heh...
The master looks so sturdy, so appetizing!
Must be quite chewy!
"Yes, yes, quickly go prepare!"
The old steward agreed without a second thought.
After giving the orders, he instinctively glanced down at the "servant" clinging to Chen Ye’s leg.
With just one look, the old steward was taken aback.
Although this servant was dressed in coarse cloth with an odd little round hat, his fair skin, delicate features, and elegant appearance were even more exquisite than a painting.
The old steward had seen a lot in his lifetime, experienced many ups and downs.
His gaze shifted between Chen Ye and the servant, secretly contemplating: Does this powerful Steward Chen really keep such an exceedingly beautiful attendant by his side because those mighty Great Cultivators have this special "preference" in private?
Or perhaps... this is Steward Chen’s illegitimate child?!
Feeling the old steward’s increasingly peculiar and suddenly understanding gaze, Chen Ye’s eye twitched slightly, clearly aware of the nonsensical ideas brewing in this seasoned man’s mind.
"Ahem... Thank you, steward. I shall retire to my room to meditate."
Chen Ye coughed lightly, grabbed the back of Little Qingjun’s collar, and quickly headed into the cabin under numerous respectful gazes.
...
After the crocodile-jiao incident, the merchant ship’s journey continued surprisingly smoothly.
The ship sailed along the Cang River into the heart of Changqing County.
As night fell.
Chen Ye changed into a clean robe and walked alone onto the deck, leaning against the railing, gazing into the distance.
As he looked at the rolling mountains on both sides that stretched into the night, a flicker passed through Chen Ye’s eyes, and ancient memories resurfaced in his mind.
This was once the territory of the Yuan family.
The Changqing Yuan family was once an unchallenged force in this region.
Compared to the major families of Yuexi Lake, the Yuan family’s overall strength was only slightly weaker than the Xu Family, far surpassing ordinary Cultivation Clans, and boasting numerous experts within their ranks.
Chen Ye held a deeply profound impression of these waters.
Years ago, near the Cang River, he had slain three Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators of the Yuan family.
Sadly, the once-thriving Changqing Yuan family ultimately faded into history’s dust.
And the one who destroyed them was none other than Bai Susu.
"To single-handedly annihilate even such a colossal force as the Yuan family..."
Chen Ye gripped the ship’s railing with both hands, his brows furrowed,
"Such keen and decisive actions, how could she vanish without a trace in the Celestial Abyss?"
...
Another day passed.
The waters of the Cang River grew calmer, easing the expressions of the Mao family cultivators considerably.
"Master, look ahead!" Zhiwei pointed to the horizon where the water met the sky.
At the horizon, two towering cliffs, as dark as ink, rose abruptly, effectively sealing the vast river’s expanse.
And between those cliffs, at the river’s mouth where it met the sea, a majestic city lay quietly sprawling over the expansive earth.
Chen Ye adjusted the hat on his head, his gaze penetrating the array’s spiritual light hovering above Black Cliff City, looking towards the far north.
Beyond this city, across the Cang River, lay the ancient battlefield where even the sky was torn asunder.
"Steward Chen, there’s a checkpoint ahead on the river, we must dock for inspection."
The old steward approached Chen Ye, speaking in a low voice.
"Hmm, conduct as per the rules." Chen Ye nodded slightly.
The merchant ship entered the enormous port of Black Cliff City, with the deafening noise hitting them head-on.
The port was packed with sails, with all kinds of oddly shaped merchant ships and warships crowding the water.
Passing cultivators hurried about, with Lingyin disciples frequently maintaining order.
Among them,
there were even a few people Chen Ye had encountered before,
The Mao family’s merchant ship pulled into a berth at the port’s edge.
The routine inspection went smoothly.
The cargo the Mao family transported comprised legitimate magical artifacts, which the city guard cultivators briefly checked, pocketed a bag of Spirit Stones slipped by the old steward, and waved them through, viewing it merely as another shipment heading to the Loose Cultivator Islands overseas.
Once the ship docked, the cargo was swiftly unloaded and moved into a warehouse bearing the "Mao Trading House" plaque within Black Cliff City.
Upon entering the warehouse, the Mao family cultivators immediately sprang into action.
"Move quickly!"
The old steward calmly gave low-key directives.
An enormous quantity of magical artifacts was rapidly redistributed into over a hundred ordinary storage bags; these artifacts were the result of years of acquisitions by the Mao family from various markets, individually priced modestly, yet remarkable in their sheer numbers.
The once-large merchant caravan was divided within the span of an incense stick’s burning into more than a dozen small teams of merely three to five members each.
This was the true operation of the Mao family’s caravan, feigning a seafaring venture into the city, then dispatching part of the crew to covertly carry magical artifacts across the border into Qi Kingdom!
Meanwhile, several black-robed cultivators silently emerged from the warehouse.
Each of these figures wore a ghastly white mask devoid of facial features.
"The Formless Ghost Collection people have arrived."
The old steward walked over to Chen Ye, explaining in a hushed voice,
"The border’s heavily guarded; to slip through undetected, we must rely on the Formless Ghost Collection. The Family Head has paid a handsome price, and they will escort us across the border."
The Formless Ghost Collection spans both Yan and Qi territories,
naturally possessing the means to traverse the border between the two nations seamlessly.
The black-robed individuals wearing faceless masks approached and wordlessly tossed several dozen black cloaks.
"Put them on, stay silent, and keep close."
The leading member from the Ghost Collection instructed.