They were not traveling straight from the Heavenly Sword Realm to the Sui Kingdom. There were undoubtedly loads of ambushes set up along the way. Wu Meiying had, in fact, informed him that the Sui Kingdom already knew that Mei Xilan had come to the Heavenly Sword Sect and was the daughter of the former emperor. They had set up several checkpoints and ambushes along the various highways leading toward the Sui Kingdom.
Surrounded by mountains filled with powerful magical beasts on all sides, the Sui Kingdom only had one method of entry--a mountain pass in the southern side of the mountain range. The country through which they needed to travel was the Han Dynasty, where the pass was located. Of course, they would not be going to the Han Dynasty, which was where their enemies would be waiting.
Wu Meiying had used her powers of clairvoyance to see the Undying Sun Sect’s movements. The fact that she could see them said a lot. It meant they were not in league with her enemies and their actions could be predicted. She had already told Wu Jian about what actions the Undying Sword Sect might take, having predicted twenty different futures. Unfortunately, she could not predict every future since he was involved. According to her, his unlimited possible futures made predicting anyone who came into contact with him more difficult.
In either event, their first step was traveling south-west instead of south-east. Their destination was the Southern Tang Dynasty.
They took a flying ship to get there. It wasn’t one of the Heavenly Sword Sect’s flying ships, which could only be used for official reasons, but was instead public transportation owned and operated by the Xia Dynasty. While not every country had its own form of public airship transportation, larger and more wealthy nations did, and they even operated outside of their country to an extent.
Laws were put in place to prevent countries from encroaching upon another’s territory via this method. These laws were further upheld by the Three Celestial Sects, who operated as autonomous, unbiased third-parties. The Three Celestial Sects had a policy of non-interference. They would not act against any country without just cause, but they were allowed to intervene if one country broke an international law, such as unjustly invading another country.
The Celestial Sword Sect would have interfered with the Zhou Kingdom’s unlawful invasion of the Shang Kingdom had they been able to. Sadly, at the time, they had been dealing with numerous fires and the fallout of their loss of face.
After exiting the Heavenly Sword Realm, they traveled to a small city called Fěicuì Huā Chéng. It was more commonly known as Jadee Blossom City and was a prosperous city with a culturally rich history, known far and wide for its lush gardens, intricate architecture, and vibrant markets. It was also one of the hubs for airship travel.
They sadly did not have the time to enjoy the city. Every second they delayed was another second they gave to their enemy to prepare.
All air ships were made by Qin Country and their shipwrights. The secret to building airships was zealously guarded by them. Others had tried to replicate this feat, but not even the Xia Dynasty had succeeded.
There had been attempts at forcing Qin Country to give up the secret to airship building, but the Three Celestial Sects had immediately put a stop to that, claiming it was something unique and special to this country and that forcing them to give up their secret was breaking the treatise that had been created after the War of Reformation. That was the name of the war from which the Three Celestial Sects had emerged.
The airship they boarded was called the Skylark. It was a polished ship with a metallic sheen, its hull made from a lightweight and rare alloy that could only be found in caverns deep beneath the ocean off the Qin Country’s coast. Its hull was adorned with intricate carvings and sealing arrays that served both decorative and functional purposes. Supposedly, that sealing array was what helped airships sail through the air. The reason no one had been able to replicate this feat was because they couldn’t get their hands on the alloy, and also because the full sealing array was not visible.
Vessels of this nature all featured the same streamlined design, resembling the sleek form of a mythical bird with wings outstretched. At its bow was a figurehead depicting the celestial phoenix. This was what marked it as belonging to the Xia Dynasty. While it was hard to get an accurate measurement, Wu Jian estimated the vessel to be at roughly 150 zhang from bow to tern and maybe 50 zhang tall from keel to the tip of its highest mast. Its vast dimensions was what allowed it to carry hundreds of passengers and a sizeable crew.
Because it was public transportation meant for the masses, it lacked the ostentatious decore that Wu Jian had grown accustomed to, but he still much preferred the understated luxury found on this vessel. The Skylark’s deck was spacious and designed for comfort. Passengers and crew could enjoy the sweeping views of the world below from the open-air observation decks, of which there were several.
They were given two adjoining rooms with a shared cabin space between them. The cabins were not luxurious, but they were comfortable and meant for long trips. They came with a bed and some furniture. The shared cabin had a bit more, with a table meant for dining and a sitting area.
After getting used to their new accommodations for the day, Wu Jian and Mei Xilan met up in the adjoined cabin space and had tea together.
“It will take ten days to reach the Southern Tang Dynasty,” Mei Xilan said. “We will want to be on our guard. I doubt anyone will attack a public airship, but that does not mean it couldn’t happen.”
“Is there a chance someone knows we’re on this ship?” asked Wu Jian.
“It is possible. The Undying Sun Sect has been sending out a lot of people lately. At first, I assumed they were trying to expand their influence. I only realized after I was ambushed by one of their groups that they were searching for me. I gave them the slip, but their members are tenacious and they have been tracking me ever since. Just getting to the Heavenly Sword Sect took a lot of effort and I nearly died several times during my journey.”
“Hmmm…”
Wu Jian traced the rim of his tea cup. It was an unglazed cup that matched the teapot he used to steep the tea in. It was called a Yixing Teapot, or Purple Clay teapot, and was highly regarded for its unglazed, porous clay, which absorbed the flavor and aroma of tea over time. He used this tea set specifically for brewing oolong tea with tea leaves that had been grown in his own private garden. The tea leaves were grown in chi-enriched soil and were good for cultivators.
“What did you do to ensure nobody could discover you?”
“You mean aside from hiding my appearance?”
“Mmm.”
“Nothing.” Mei Xilan sighed and shook her head. “There’s really nothing I can do. I know there are artifacts and even techniques that can conceal your identity, but both are rare and expensive. Finding one is hard enough? Being able to afford one after you find it? Good luck. The average price for artifacts like that is the equivalent to at least one month of the Shang Kingdom’s national budget.”
Mei Xilan leaned back in her chair, grabbed the tea cup, and drank. Her prim and proper manner of sipping her drink was at odds with her slouched posture, but he guessed she was tired. Anyone would be if they were on the run.
“Still, this explains why you’re in so much danger,” Wu Jian murmured. Mei Xilan perked up. “By the way, we’re going to be attacked on this airship.”
“… What?”
“I said, we’re going to be attacked on this airship.”
“I heard you the first time. How do you know we’re going to be attacked?”
“Because The Lady Oracle of the Heavenly Sword Sect predicted several futures for me during this trip. In one of them, we are attacked on an airship heading south-west.”
Wu Meiying had said it was just one of several possible futures, but she did predict that if Mei Xilan wasn’t using an artifact or techniques to mask her presence while traveling, she would be attacked on an airship.
“… Do you really think my enemies would attack me here?”
“They won’t attack you the normal way,” Wu Jian said. “An airship is ill-suited for a battle and this one is filled with cultivators. Starting a fight would only invite disaster. They’ll use stealthier means of killing you.”
“Like poison…”
“That is one method, yes. There are poisons out there strong enough to fell cultivators at the Seeker Realm. However, they won’t use that method.”
“What method will they use?”
“Youmei?”
Instead of answering Mei Xilan, Wu Jian called for Youmei, who emerged from his shadow. Her azure robes were a lighter shade that contrasted with her dark hair. They were made from a lightweight yet durable fabric that could stand up to the rigors of combat. A simple yet elegant white sash was tied around her waist. She also had a hairpin that neatly tied up her hair. She wore no shoes, so her tiny feet were laid bare as she stood there. Magical beasts in general did not like to wear shoes.
“What is, Master?”
“Have you noticed any strange presences on the ship with us?” asked Wu Jian.
Youmei nodded. “Un. Youmei has felt the presence of several strange people. They do not seem to like her.”
She pointed at Mei Xilan. Wu Jian nodded.
“And where are they right now?”
Youmei closed her eyes, tilted her head, and furrowed her brow. Wu Jian waited patiently before the young magical beast pointed in several different directions.
“There are three over there, two that way, and one of them over this way.”
“Is that all? That doesn’t tell us much,” Mei Xilan muttered.
“Good girl.” Wu Jian rubbed Youmei’s head, which caused the young magical beast to begin purring as she leaned her face into his hand. “Youmei is not good at judging distances and doesn’t know the layout of the airship, so of course, she’s not going to give us the most detailed information. However, we know the general direction our enemies are at right now, and she can keep track of their movements via the shadows. Her senses are also far sharper than a humans. She can detect even the slightest hint of malice. None of your enemies will be able to hide from her.”
Mei Xilan took in his words with a slow nod. “I can see how that would be useful, but that still doesn't explain how we’re going to deal with this situation.”
“Dealing with this situation is simple.” Wu Jian drained his glass, stood up, and placed a hand on his mask. He slowly removed it and smiled. “Your would be assassins are gathered in a group of six. This is a fairly standard party. Three of them are the main killers, two are being put on reserve in case of emergencies, and the one who’s on their own is the leader. Mei Xilan, do you know what the best way to defeat a group is?”
“…”
“Mei?”
“Huh? Oh. My apologies.” Mei Xilan’s cheeks and ears were somewhat red as she coughed into her hand. “I, uh, didn’t hear the question. What were you asking?”
“I asked if you know what the best way to defeat a group of people is?”
“… To take out the leader?”
“That’s right.” Wu Jian nodded. “So here’s what we’re going to do. You are going to wander around near the area with the two assassins in reserve to purposefully draw their attention. They’ll likely take that chance to try and kill you. Youmei will hide in your shadow in case you need help. Meanwhile, I’m going to defeat their leader.” Wu Jian grinned. “To completely eliminate grass, you must pull it out by the roots.”
I think you mean stern not tern.
I probably do. Misspellings slipping through my chapter
Hmm, Mei Xilan see something she likes? LOL
“To completely eliminate grass, you must pull it out by the roots.”
You must also ensure you get all the roots.