Two Arrows

Li Yuanjiao unfolded the letter and glanced over it. His brow relaxed slightly, and the corners of his mouth curved upward, looking much more at ease. Tucking the letter into his robes, he said nothing more about it, but looked toward Zong Yan and asked softly, "How have the island's revenues and expenditures been these past few years?" "Factoring in all expenses, there is a surplus of two spirit stones... As for the construction of arrays and rewards granted... that is even more..." Zong Yan took out the records, looking somewhat ashamed. Zongquan Island was situated in a remote location, so it had naturally yielded little income over the past few years, seeing only an increase in population. If one factored in the costs of the arrays and spirit rice, they were actually in the red. The Li family had never expected any great returns here anyway; they only wanted a foothold in the Eastern Sea. Li Yuanjiao nodded slightly and replied, "It is no matter." As the group was speaking, the dark, oppressive clouds and mist outside the island parted. A shoal of fish and turtles of various sizes passed through, and down descended a monster with the face of a fish and bird-like wings. Calling out from outside the array, it shouted, "Living beings below, open the array at once!" "It's Huiyao," Zong Yan answered rather nervously. Li Yuanjiao waved his hand. "Let him in." With that, he descended back into the hall and took the seat of honor. Soon, a black carp entered through the doors—it was none other than Huiyao, who had taken bribes and threats from the Li family in past years to conceal the tribute. At the moment, he took human form—a fish-faced man with a pair of scaled wings growing beneath his ribs. The moment he came up, he blurted out, "Li Yuanjiao! You've finally come out of seclusion! A huge matter has occurred!" Having read the letter sent by Li Qinghong, Li Yuanjiao had some grasp of the situation. He sipped his tea and asked, "What? Does the dragon son, the lord of your Zhunan Water Manor, have blood ties to that fallen monster king?" Huiyao froze for a moment. Remembering that this man also had backing, he rubbed his hands and shook his head. "Not blood ties, but the dragon son's faction has never seen eye to eye with the monster king. His Excellency has stayed in this remote corner for so many years, and finally has a chance to return." Li Yuanjiao did not care about the internal shifts among the dragonkin, merely frowning. "You mean... this will affect my place here? Are you returning with the dragon son?" Huiyao shook his head, a look of envy showing on his face as he said, "I'm not even at Foundation Establishment; how could I have such good fortune? It's just that he will take several lords from the manor back with him, and when that time comes... a new master will likely be sent down to replace him." Li Yuanjiao nodded slightly. Huiyao continued in a low voice, "Only, during this period, no one will be guarding the sea territory, which makes it prime time for us to annex territory and expand... I hope Fellow Daoist can... lend a hand..." He added somewhat fawningly, "Once our standing in the manor rises... it will be easier to handle matters for brother... isn't that so?" Li Yuanjiao understood immediately, but had no wish to be used as a pawn by this monster. Shaking his head, he sighed, "I have duties on my hands during this time; I'm afraid I cannot go." "Ai... it is still early... the matter is only a rumor for now. When the time comes, as long as Fellow Daoist joins hands with me to slay a few monsters, the deed will be done... My Hui clan... will surely reward you handsomely." Li Yuanjiao cast a glance at him and gave a perfunctory agreement, thinking to himself, *If the family needs talisman qi when the time comes, it might not hurt to give it a try.* Huiyao nodded and took his leave on the wind in high spirits. Only then did Li Yuanjiao look toward Kongheng. "I must trouble Master to guard the island for a few days. I need to make a trip outside." He intended to visit Fenkuai Island, though Li Yuanjiao did not elaborate. Once the arrangements between the two were set, he stepped outside the island and flew north on the wind. *** The Heshui Sea. The moment Li Xuanfeng spoke those words, Zhong Qian was overjoyed, bowing his head in obeisance. Once the youth's shock subsided, he could not help but wonder: *Could there truly be such righteous ways even within a demonic sect? He wants neither my precious herb nor my compensation! And he even wants to shoot and kill that monster...* Growing up in the Eastern Sea, he was innately guarded. He was ready at any moment to cast aside his pride and bow in submission, and he could be humble and respectful, but it was exceptionally hard for him to believe such righteousness existed. He thought secretly, *Yet this man's aura is too astonishing, and he harbors no ill intent toward me. I can only take things one step at a time... and watch his actions... As long as I am not caught off guard... and can activate this ancient talisman in my hand, I still have a chance to escape.* While he was pondering this, Li Xuanfeng finally spoke, saying softly, "Follow me down to meet them." "Yes!" Zhong Qian had no room to refuse. Exiting the grand array, he looked up and saw the dark, heavy clouds outside, completely devoid of any protective barrier. Shocked and alarmed, he blurted out, "Senior, the island's protective array isn't active! That monster can sense the aura on me, and is probably already on its way!" "I want him to come," Li Xuanfeng replied casually, stepping down the stone stairs. Yuan Hu'e and several others were waiting respectfully at the foot of the mountain. Seeing an unfamiliar person trailing behind Li Xuanfeng, they did not dare question it, merely bowing low. "Greetings, Daoist...!" Seeing the market's stewards wearing looks of deep reverence, Zhong Qian realized that the man before him was not only profoundly powerful, but also held high prestige and exalted status within Qingchi. He secretly surmised, *Could his surname be Chi...?* He paused briefly. Li Xuanfeng had already stepped forward and shaken his head at the stewards. "That monster came for him. If a fight breaks out shortly, you need only protect him." Though Yuan Hu'e was mystified, Li Xuanfeng had come on the orders of a True Person, so he naturally had his reasons. Yuan Hu'e dared not pry, answering respectfully, "Subordinate understands!" Only then did Li Xuanfeng look back at Zhong Qian and say softly, "That monster must loathe you to the marrow. Stay with these lords and do not step outside the array." Hearing this, Zhong Qian finally believed him. Li Xuanfeng could not possibly go through all this trouble just to play games with him. He cupped his hands and said, "May I know Senior's name?" "Under True Person Yuansu: Li Xuanfeng." No sooner had the words left his mouth than enormous winds and waves surged in the distance, sweeping closer and closer, accompanied by roaring like thunder and lightning. Li Xuanfeng looked into the distance with hands clasped behind his back, remarking pointedly, "The territory governed by Qingchi is vast; it does not merely occupy islands to establish a foothold as in the Eastern Sea... Unlike the structures of the Eastern Sea, there are immense distinctions between families, immortal peaks, and True Persons... They cannot be lumped together." Pondering this thoughtfully, Zhong Qian answered obediently, "It sounds similar to the system of the Dragon Palace... Junior is enlightened." A rustling rain began to fall. Beside him, Yuan Hu'e appeared rather uneasy. After all, this water ape was a monster of late Foundation Establishment. If Li Xuanfeng could not match it, sustaining injuries was one thing, but if he perished here, Yuan Hu'e would be in dire straits. The pressure from True Person Yuansu and the Ning family was not to be underestimated, not to mention the Li family's own growing influence. Stamping his foot, he finally made up his mind and sent a secret voice transmission: "Daoist... this monster is not to be trifled with... Perhaps we should return those items to him... make peace between both sides... and let the matter pass." Li Xuanfeng shook his head. Given the friendship between their two families, he was quite polite to the man, replying via secret transmission as well, "The True Person sent me to eliminate the monster." Yuan Hu'e understood immediately, nodding as he stepped back and said respectfully, "If Daoist has any need, you need only call, and we will emerge from the array to meet the enemy." Li Xuanfeng gave a slight nod. He was not being conceited; rather, with Yuansu's previous words in mind, he understood this trip was out of the ordinary, and he had to try facing it alone first. He did not reject Yuan Hu'e's goodwill. Only a few breaths later, a beam of white light flew up from the distance. Drawing near, it indeed proved to be a white-furred water ape, as massive as a pavilion. Its eyes were as large as carriage wheels, glowing with a deep, crimson light. This water ape was quite peculiar. Its white fur carried a metallic luster as it trod the waves, cradling a massive pillar in its hands that looked to be a fine magical artifact. Landing at the edge of the island, it bellowed, "Old Yuan! You've finally come to your senses... Good, good! Once I come down to have a look... then—" Its voice rolled like thunder, vibrating above the island. Zhong Qian felt a tremor of fear, but then saw the middle-aged man before him finally pluck his bowstring. *Swoosh!* From the quiver at his waist, an arrow darted up nimbly like a golden phoenix, obediently resting against the string. In an instant, everyone felt the hairs on their backs stand on end, their faces stinging as though cut by blades. The Foundation Establishment guest elders managed well enough, but Zhong Qian staggered back several paces. His lips cracked, dripping red blood, and blood seemed ready to seep from his face. He thought in sheer terror, *Heavens... this Daoist truly wasn't fooling me! This bow... this arrow...* To the side, Yuan Hu'e was equally startled, freezing for several breaths before reacting and stepping in to protect Zhong Qian. Both self-mocking and appalled, he thought, *It seems this old man worried for nothing! How could someone favored by a True Person be an ordinary fellow? This level of bowmanship... in the entire State of Yue, he is likely the only one...* Li Xuanfeng was completely focused, paying no heed to the crowd's reaction. With the golden gleam pointed toward the sky, he gently released his fingers and shouted, "Strike!" The dazzling golden light in his hand vanished in an instant. Li Xuanfeng drew the bow once more, slowly rising on the wind to adjust his angle, narrowing his eyes as he looked into the distance. Above, the water ape had still been smugly savoring its triumph. Before it could even finish its sentence, the island's grand array flared brightly once more. The water ape was taken aback, stomping its feet in outrage as if toyed with, and roared, "Yuan Hu'e! You—!" Before its furious words could be shouted out, its fur bristled all over. An agonizing pain seized its left eye, and it shrieked in horror, "How dare you! How...!" "Aaargh!" It only had time to summon a halo of light over its face before it blew apart in an instant with a deafening blast. The colossal monster let out an earth-shattering wail, churning the sea waters into geysers and scattering the clouds. *Buzz.* A golden ray as fine as silk swiftly looped back toward where it had come from. Clutching its left eye, the water ape retreated frantically, blood pouring down from the sky like rain, pattering softly. Zhong Qian wiped the silvery-white beast blood from his face. The remaining bloody downpour was blocked outside by the swiftly risen grand array. He heard Yuan Hu'e marvel beside him, "In just a single exchange... an old monster like this loses an eye..." Zhong Qian looked up, watching the radiant golden streak soaring across the sky. For the first time, a hazy conception of the pinnacle of weaponcraft took root in his heart. With rising excitement, he exclaimed, "Everyone says weaponcraft cannot match immortal arts, and immortal arts cannot match divine abilities... But from the look of it... it isn't that weaponcraft falls short... it is the wielder who falls short!" "Hahaha!" Yuan Hu'e burst out laughing upon hearing this, shaking his head. "The Daoist hails from a family of sword immortals... and is merely a junior of the house. Had you been born a few decades earlier to witness the 'Moon Crescent Sword' Li Tongya and the 'Green Spike Sword' Li Chijing... that was what you'd call the pinnacle of weaponcraft! Why, even..." Yuan Hu'e pondered carefully. Though he had never witnessed it himself, he had heard plenty of rumors. While watching the battle in the sky as if enjoying a scenic view, he recounted in detail the tale of slaying the Maha with a sword. This matter was widely circulated in the State of Yue, but seldom heard of in the Eastern Sea. The listeners were all thoroughly enlightened, marveling in awe. *** Above the market. Li Xuanfeng's archery excelled in catching foes unawares, boasting terrifying speed and devastating power. When he loosed an arrow, it almost always achieved great effect. Having wounded this careless monster with a single shot, he was not in the least surprised, riding the wind in pursuit. Wounded, with nothing left of its left eye but a black, hollow socket, the monster glared out of its sole remaining eye with fury and palpable shock. It shrieked, "How is this possible! Who are you! How dare you! I am..." Bawling to this point, its expression suddenly shifted. Its body shrank rapidly like a deflating balloon, and from its mouth it spat several mercury jade command tokens—somber and faintly gleaming with a white luster—which circled around its body. *Buzz!* A second arrow pierced through like a falling star, detonating a mercury jade command token before him with a deafening blast. The water ape let out a frantic howl, spitting a mouthful of blood. *The power of an immortal base? Impressive!* Li Xuanfeng glanced at the profound arrow that had obediently flown back into his quiver. Those mercury jade command tokens were a special spell woven from its immortal base. The arrow had not pierced the water ape's body, but had instead returned after blowing up the mercury jade command token. *It carries the flavor of a death-substitution technique...* Li Xuanfeng had fought monsters in the Southern Border for many years and had seen no shortage of bizarre monster arts. He did not mind it, nocking another arrow and drawing his bowstring once more, drawing and releasing in rapid succession to shoot two arrows. The water ape had never imagined that of the five mercury jade command tokens he had cultivated for so many years, one would be blown to pieces in a single exchange. Panic seized his heart. Forming an incantation seal, he cast a spell just as that golden light bore down on him again, forcing him to sacrifice another mercury jade command token to block it. *Boom!* Yet the power of this arrow fell far short of expectations, merely exploding before him. As the water ape gritted his teeth and endured the blast, he paused abruptly, bursting into a delighted grin: "An attack of this caliber truly cannot be unleashed repeatedly! I was nearly fooled by him!" He was just about to recall those spells, yet unexpectedly, the clear light and astral qi that permeated before him shoved the spells aside by force. Swirling and surging, they left his spells mired as if trapped in mud. *Buzz!* The water ape was gripped by utter horror. Blood trickled from his eyes and ears as an agonizing pain struck his abdomen. A streak of golden light darted past like lightning, tearing open a fist-sized hole from which silvery-white blood poured out. *He wants to kill me! He truly wants to kill me! This is no show of force! This is no mere intimidation!* Driven to this point, the water ape finally realized the truth. Arriving at this island alone, he had completely lost his usual rhythm in combat. From beginning to end, he had been thwarted at every turn, pitting his weaknesses against the opponent's strengths. Struck by two arrows from an unknown expert, nearly half his strength was already gone. The stealth and concealment, sea-fleeing and water manipulation, eighteen secret arts, and monster-controlling talisman crafts he specialized in—not a single one had he been able to bring to bear up to now, and he had already suffered grave injuries. This water ape had backing and understood many things. Seeing that the people of the Qingchi demonic sect acted without the slightest reservation, intent on taking his life, he mumbled under his breath, "His Excellency... His Excellency can barely protect himself... He has abandoned this old ape... No wonder... No wonder..." His immortal base turned at full power as his figure slowly faded into the air, yet he lacked even a shred of fighting will. His heart felt completely hollow, cold as ice water. Looking at the man clad in dark gold armor before him whose face could not be seen, the pain in his heart mingled with a profound, freezing chill. "Today... this old ape's life ends here!"