Hidden Monts
As Xu Shulou had predicted, the sightseeing boat flew at a leisurely pace to allow passengers to enjoy the scenery, occasionally docking in the mortal realm. The two of them chased after it swiftly and soon caught up.
They leaped onto the deck, drawing curious glances from the other passengers.
Bai Roushuang raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of which, what would the guards do if soone boarded without paying, like we just did?"
"No idea," Xu Shoulou chuckled, glancing at her now-energetic junior sister. "You could try hiding your na tag and bracelet to test it out, but I won’t join you."
"Never mind," Bai Roushuang shook her head with a smile, having no real desire to stir up trouble. She then noticed a crowd gathering on the deck. "Huh, what are they doing over there?"
Approaching, they found that the boat crew had set up several ga stalls for entertainnt.
The two stopped at one stall and quickly grasped the rules—a jade-carved fish floated in a large water tank, and cultivators could manipulate it with their spiritual energy, guiding it past obstacles and avoiding attacks from larger fish to reach the finish line. The faster the fish arrived, the better the prize.
The challenge demanded extrely precise control over spiritual energy. As yet another cultivator failed, the onlookers sighed in disappointnt.
Xu Shoulou eyed the array of prizes. "Which one do you want? I’ll win it for you."
Bai Roushuang thought for a mont. "I’d like to try it myself."
Xu Shoulou smiled and gestured for her to go ahead.
Bai Roushuang stepped forward, paid a spirit stone, and pressed two fingers against the tank. The jade fish trembled slightly before shakily setting off.
"Co on, speed it up, miss!" soone in the crowd teased.
"Don’t rush her," Xu Shoulou interjected softly.
At first, the spectators grew impatient with Bai Roushuang’s slow progress, but as they watched, they found themselves drawn into her intense focus. When she narrowly dodged a sudden lunge from a larger fish, they collectively held their breath, exhaling in relief when she succeeded.
By the ti she guided the fish through the coral arch marking the finish line, the crowd burst into applause.
Bai Roushuang startled—she had been so absorbed that she hadn’t noticed their shared tension.
"That was impressive," the stall attendant praised, giving her a thumbs-up. "Go ahead, pick any prize from this row."
She selected one that caught her eye imdiately and handed it to her senior sister. "A token of thanks."
It was a fan pendant shaped like a transparent lantern, filled with tiny, shimring stars. When attached to a folding fan, it scattered radiant starlight with each flick, with an added effect of enhancing attacks.
Xu Shoulou admired it in her hand. "It’s beautiful."
"Oddly enough, I feel invincible right now," Bai Roushuang laughed. "Like I could do anything—wait, senior sister, don’t draw your sword! That doesn’t include defeating you!"
Xu Shoulou gave her a resigned look. "I was just attaching the pendant."
"Oh." Bai Roushuang chuckled sheepishly. "I really want to spar with soone at my level now, to see how far I’ve truly co."
Xu Shoulou was happy to oblige. "Looking for a fight? That’s easily arranged."
Monts later, Bai Roushuang stared blankly at the crowd her senior sister had gathered. "Are they here to gang up on or take turns?"
As it turned out, Xu Shoulou wasn’t quite that irresponsible. "I told them whoever defeats you gets a few hundred spirit stones. One-on-one."
A swordsman stepped forward, and after exchanging polite bows, the two began their duel under the crowd’s watchful eyes.
Xu Shoulou rembered watching her junior sister spar during the Trial Assembly—her movents had been graceful and almost dance-like, evoking the phrase "a gentle sway, soft and supple." Now, however, there were no unnecessary flourishes; every strike was calculated for efficiency.
The swordsman eventually conceded, but Bai Roushuang was still eager for more. After defeating three opponents in a row, she wiped her sweat and grinned at Xu Shoulou. "Senior sister, I saved you so money."
The remaining challengers grumbled in disappointnt, prompting Xu Shoulou to reassure them, "Anyone who still wants a match can try again tomorrow."
Bai Roushuang sidled up, seeking praise. "Well?"
"Your swordplay has grown more resolute," Xu Shoulou praised without hesitation. "I rember during our first spar, you’d dodge the mont I lifted my sword, even if it was a feint. Now, you counterattack head-on, eting the blade without hesitation."
"Really?" Bai Roushuang blinked. "I hadn’t even noticed."
As the boat skimd low over the ocean, passengers crowded the rails to watch the schools of r-sharks below.
Sensing human presence, the sharks began circling the vessel. So cultivators even flew out on their swords, taunting the creatures—when a shark lunged, they’d swiftly pat its head before darting away.
The provoked sharks thrashed in frustration, their tails slapping the water as they attempted—and failed—to leap onto the deck, much to the amusent of the children aboard.
A mortal bystander chuckled. "Cultivators sure know how to have fun."
That voice… Xu Shoulou turned and spotted a familiar face from her mories.
The young man’s eyes lit up the mont he saw her. "Miss, it’s you?!"
"Scholar…"
"Who is he?" Bai Roushuang fell silent upon seeing his face.
The Scholar pushed through the crowd and bowed. "Miss, it’s been so long since Frostless City. Fate has finally brought us together again."
Xu Shoulou smiled. "I didn’t expect to see you here."
"To be honest, I spotted you yesterday when you caught that falling girl—your movent was as swift as a startled swan," he replied warmly. "But before I could reach you, you jumped off the boat. I thought I’d missed my chance."
"Why are you on this ship? I don’t recall it passing near Frostless City."
"I boarded from the capital."
"The capital? So you’ve taken the imperial exams?" Xu Shoulou glanced at the attendant behind him and suddenly recalled sothing. "I heard there’s an official on board heading to his appointed post. That wouldn’t be you, would it?"
The Scholar nodded. "Once we circle this sea, we’ll reach my destination—Rui Qu County."
That was quite remote. Xu Shoulou asked, "What rank did you achieve?"
"First in the imperial examinations—the Zhuangyuan."
"The Zhuangyuan?" Xu Shoulou smiled. "Congratulations. Why didn’t you stay in the Hanlin Academy?"
He scratched his head sheepishly. "Rather than waiting for promotions in the academy, I’d rather take a post where I can actually make a difference."
"I see," Xu Shoulou nodded. "But it’s unusual for you to be on this boat. The court doesn’t cover travel expenses if you don’t use the official roads or lodgings."
"I was truly curious about this cruise ship, and besides, taking the official route would take over a month. I wanted to reach my post sooner," the Scholar answered honestly. "The silver was saved up by myself. Before the results were announced, I set up a stall outside Qilin Pavilion in the capital, earning money by writing for people. I can imitate Pri Minister Su's calligraphy, and it was quite popular."
"Qilin Pavilion? That’s where portraits of this dynasty’s renowned ministers are kept. Didn’t anyone think you looked... strikingly similar to...?"
Xu Shulou trailed off mid-sentence, realizing the answer herself. Pri Minister Su had been enfeoffed as a marquis, appointed as pri minister, and entered Qilin Pavilion in his middle age. The portrait depicted a man with wrinkles and a beard. After so many years, who would rember the dashing, spirited youth he once was?
"Miss?"
"Never mind," Xu Shulou smiled. "Why did you decide to imitate Pri Minister Su’s calligraphy?"
"No particular reason," the Scholar shook his head. "I just thought his handwriting was beautiful. Many young n and won in the capital even commissioned to transcribe love poems in his style."
Xu Shulou chuckled. "Love poems?"
"Yes," the Scholar laughed along. "As if Pri Minister Su would ever write love poems!"
"How can you be so sure? Maybe he really did?"
"I’ve studied all of Pri Minister Su’s surviving poetry and writings—none of them are love poems. Besides, didn’t he remain unmarried his entire life? So I suppose he must have been indifferent to romance."
Xu Shulou sighed softly. "Is that how it is…"
The world only knew him as a man devoted to his people and his country, unaware that in his youth, he had once fallen for a certain lady.
History books would never record the anecdotes between the new dynasty’s powerful minister and the previous dynasty’s princess. That past was sealed away in a hidden corner of ti, rembered only by Xu Shulou—though even she seldom dwelled on it now.
"Ah—"
The cruise ship had already left the school of sharks behind, passing through a pod of whales. One of them spouted a towering jet of water, drenching everyone standing at the ship’s railing.
The Scholar wiped the water from his face, sharing a smile with Xu Shulou.
The spray left a rainbow arching over the sea.
A few dolphins leaped beneath the rainbow, their bodies gilded by the sunlight, looking for all the world as if they were about to vault through the Dragon’s Gate.
The scene was almost too beautiful to be real.
"What a vibrant, magnificent world. This is my first ti seeing sharks and whales," the Scholar gazed at the sea. "I’m so glad I boarded this ship and witnessed such... wondrous sights."
"Seeing these marvels of the cultivation world, do you feel tempted to seek immortality?" Xu Shulou asked.
The Scholar considered it seriously before shaking his head. "Only one in a thousand mortals can cultivate immortality, and I don’t even know if I have the spiritual roots. Besides, as wondrous as cultivation is, my aspirations lie in the mortal realm."
"I understand."
After circling the sea, the ship reached the Scholar’s disembarkation point.
Blushing slightly, he turned to Xu Shulou. "Forgive my boldness, but... may I ask for your na?"
"Xu Shulou. My na is Xu Shulou."
The Scholar smiled. "Miss Xu, in this vast world, may we et again soday."
"May you soon achieve greatness and fulfill your ambitions."
Xu Shulou watched him walk away, only to turn and find her junior sister making a face at her. "What?"
"The top scholar! I saw him in your heart demon trial," Bai Roushuang said excitedly. "Out of millions, you t his reincarnation. How rare is that?"
Xu Shulou understood her aning and tapped her forehead with a laugh. "He’s a mortal."
"So what? I’ve heard plenty about powerful female cultivators in our world keeping handso mortal n by their sides."
Xu Shulou laughed.
Bai Roushuang paused, then sighed. "But you’re right—you’ve never been the type to do such things."
"The past is the past. No need to dwell on it," Xu Shulou said, pulling her along. "I just saw the ship’s attendants hauling in enormous crabs and sea urchins. Hurry, we’re in for a feast today."
"Alright!"
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