You Promised to Be an Idle Son-in-Law, How Could You Become a Land Immortal?

’But because of the so-called Pirate Alliance in Poshisu Country, Lv Jiunan hadn’t taken them out of Shu State, which was why he planned to ask the Bright Moon Building for help.’

’Of course, Liu Hong and his people might have been the ones who requested this.’

’Second, Lin Huai’an and Liu Taofang had teamed up to manipulate grain prices in Shu State. When Liu Hong found out, he then conspired against Lin Huai’an.’

’That’s not right.’

’The sequence of events is wrong.’

Chen Yi shook his head to himself. ’The timing is wrong.’

’Liu Hong must have found out what Liu Taofang was doing ahead of time, which is why he had those barbarian slaves burn the granary before they escaped.’

’That would make sense.’

At this thought, a cold, sharp glint flashed in Chen Yi’s eyes as he looked at the Painted Boat.

’He hadn’t expected Liu Hong to be audacious enough to collude with the Barbarian Race.’

’He had originally thought that someone as calculating and deeply scheming as Liu Hong would be a ”Powerful Minister” solely focused on the pursuit of power.’

’But now it seemed he was also a treacherous official who betrayed his own country and would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.’

Just then, Liu Taoyao’s smiling voice came from within the Painted Boat. ”...In any case, this affair is beneficial to you, Brother Lü.”

”My father promised your King that once this is accomplished, he will gift you and your people the horses and carriages of several trading companies that often travel the Ancient Tea-Horse Road.”

”This business alone will be enough for you to make a fortune.”

Lv Jiunan’s tone was as cold as ever. ”My Peacock Banner is fond of wealth, it’s true, but we don’t take just any money.”

”If your father hadn’t written to the King, and if this matter didn’t involve the Barbarian Left King Mu Hage, you couldn’t have offered enough silver to make our leader break the rules of the Pirate Alliance.”

”Of course.”

”That is why my father ordered me to cooperate fully with you and Brother Ge Mu, and to let you take the lead in all things.”

Liu Taoyao then asked, ”I wonder, is the Spring Rain Building willing to take this job?”

Before Lv Jiunan could speak, Ge Muxiao snorted, ”Someone’s interfering.”

”Oh? Who would be so bold as to ruin things for you two?”

”’Sword Madman’ Liu Lang. Some worthless punk from the Jianghu!”

”Him?”

Liu Taoyao sounded slightly puzzled. ”If I recall correctly, isn’t the ’Sword Madman’ about as powerful as you two?”

”His skill with the blade has reached Great Success. My big brother and I can’t take him down quickly.”

”Hmph. If that weren’t the case, he’d already be a dead man!”

”I have no doubt about your strength, of course, but the top priority right now is to get Asutai and his men back to barbarian territory.”

”You two must not act rashly.”

”As for Liu Lang...”

Liu Taoyao paused for a moment before continuing with a smile, ”With your strength, Brother Lü, you were able to control that runaway groom right under the Xiao Family’s noses. How could a worthless Jianghu Swordman be any different?”

Lv Jiunan remained silent.

But a deeper chill had already settled in Chen Yi’s heart.

’So it was the Liu Family!’

’A moment ago, he wasn’t certain if the Liu Family was involved when Lv Jiunan used Black Magic to make his predecessor flee the wedding.’

’Now, he was certain—the Liu Family was behind it!’

’No wonder.’

’With Liu Hong’s ambition, he must not want to see Xiao Jinghong remain secure within the Xiao Family.’

’If he could get rid of her live-in husband, Liu Hong could then find other ways to make the Xiao Family cast Xiao Jinghong out, further weakening their power.’

Seeing that Lv Jiunan and Ge Muxiao had no intention of speaking, Liu Taoyao continued with a laugh:

”It’s a pity that the Xiao Family’s son-in-law was lucky enough to escape with his life. Otherwise, my father would have sent a generous gift.”

”Speaking of which, I have a few questions. I wonder if you could enlighten me, Brother Lü?”

”Speak.”

”That day, you told me you had succeeded. Why didn’t the Xiao Family’s son-in-law die? Is there someone in the Xiao Family who can bring the dead back to life?”

There was a moment of silence.

Lv Jiunan finally replied coolly, ”It must have been Xiao Jinghong.”

”Oh? Don’t tell me she’s skilled in the Medical Dao in addition to Martial Arts?”

”Xiao Jinghong arrived too quickly that day. I hadn’t yet made that piece of trash kill himself before I had to sever the connection. She must have used some Secret Technique to revive him afterward.”

”Or perhaps...”

”Agrippa!”

Chen Yi was about to listen further when he heard Lv Jiunan utter something in the Poshisu language.

It was brief and its meaning was unclear.

Immediately after, the sound of their conversation vanished.

Faintly, he heard two muffled whooshes.

Chen Yi frowned slightly. Keeping himself hidden, he looked over from a distance.

He saw that Lv Jiunan and Ge Muxiao had left the Painted Boat and were hovering in mid-air, scanning their surroundings as if searching for something.

’Hm? Did they discover me?’

Before he could ponder it further, Chen Yi heard a laugh ring out by his ear.

The laugh was as high-pitched and innocent as a child’s.

’Huh?’

Chen Yi turned his head and saw a foot-tall Wooden Man rushing toward him from the grass not far behind.

Finger-thick bronze chains hung from the Wooden Man’s body, making a rattling sound as it ran. RATTLE, RATTLE.

Even more unnerving, its eyes were blood-red. Paired with that shrill, childish laughter, it was a bizarre and horrifying sight on this dim, rainy night.

Just then, Lv Jiunan’s voice came from the distance: ”Die!”

Chen Yi’s eyes narrowed, his entire aura changing in an instant.

Sharp Metal Qi surged toward the heavens, erupting in a dazzlingly brilliant golden light.

In the blink of an eye, a flash of spear light shot through the Wooden Man, splitting it in two.

With a HISS, the shrill, ear-piercing laughter and the rattling of chains vanished.

All that remained was the din of the rain and the slowly fading glow of Spear Intent.

This time, Chen Yi did not use his Saber Dao. Instead, he directly used the Spear Intent of the Perfection Realm to break Lv Jiunan’s Black Magic.

At the same time, he removed the black cloth from his face and used his Pile Skill to bulk up his frame, making himself look two sizes larger to prevent Lv Jiunan and the others from realizing he was ”Liu Lang.”

”Perfect Spear Dao?!”

”Who are you?!”

When Lv Jiunan saw the brilliant light pierce the dark clouds and rain in the night sky, his expression changed dramatically.

Beside him, Ge Muxiao looked as if he were facing a powerful foe, and had already drawn the long blade from his waist.

Hearing this, Chen Yi raised a hand to pull his bamboo hat back, letting it hang behind him. He stepped slowly to the edge of Quchi and looked toward the Painted Boat, asking impatiently:

”I’m the one who should be asking who the hell you are.”

”I was just stopping here to rest. Why’d you attack me for no reason?”

A fierce light flashed in Lv Jiunan’s narrow eyes. ”Resting?”

”Then why were you just standing there, not moving?”

”Damn it! It’s the middle of the night. Was I bothering you by trying to get some sleep here?”

Chen Yi made no mention of having heard the conversation inside the Painted Boat, continuing to curse angrily:

”What? You Black Magic Masters from Poshisu Country really think Shu State is your personal desert? You think you own the place?”

”Instead of keeping your tails between your legs like the dogs you are, you turn around and try to bully me?”

”You!?”

Just then, Liu Taoyao’s voice came from inside the Painted Boat: ”Brother Lü, please stay your hand.”

”In my opinion, this gentleman is no villain.”

After a pause, he continued, ”Besides, this is Shu State territory. If you two make a scene here, you will inevitably attract the attention of others.”

He didn’t need to say it.

Lv Jiunan had already decided to stand down after seeing Chen Yi’s Perfect Spear Dao.

The reason was just as Liu Taoyao had said—making a move here would only draw unwanted attention.

In fact, if it weren’t so late at night, with the sounds of revelry from the other Painted Boats on Quchi masking the noise, their earlier commotion would have already alerted many people.

Even so, Lv Jiunan could already hear footsteps approaching in the distance, likely belonging to the Imprisonment Officer and other government officials on night patrol.

At this thought, Lv Jiunan signaled for Ge Muxiao to return to the Painted Boat while saying coldly to Chen Yi:

”My apologies. I misunderstood the situation.”

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow. His gaze swept over the Painted Boat, and seeing that Liu Taoyao had not shown himself, he continued to curse, refusing to let the matter go.

”A simple ’misunderstanding’ and that’s it?”

”If I hadn’t been strong enough just now, I would’ve fallen victim to your Black Magic!”

”You...”

Before Lv Jiunan or Ge Muxiao could speak, Liu Taoyao interrupted, ”What would it take for you, good sir, to forgive these two brothers of mine?”

”Brothers? You’re from Poshisu Country too?”

”No...”

”You’re not from Poshisu Country, yet you call them your brothers? Have you no shame?”

Chen Yi berated him, and seeing the looks on Lv Jiunan’s and Ge Muxiao’s faces grow even more furious and embarrassed, he abruptly changed the subject.

”Pay up with silver.”

Perhaps because his change in topic was so abrupt, no one on or off the Painted Boat responded.

After a few moments, Liu Taoyao finally said with a laugh, ”Of course.”

”How about one thousand taels?”

”Are you trying to wave off a beggar?”

”Three thousand.”

”Heh, I am a famous and powerful master of the Jianghu. Do you think a mere three thousand taels is enough to dismiss me?”

Hearing this, Liu Taoyao seemed to get angry as well. His voice deepened as he asked, ”Then name your price, sir.”

”Not much. Five thousand taels of silver will suffice.”

”Fine.”

”You may come aboard the Painted Boat to retrieve it yourself.”

Chen Yi paused for a second, glancing at Lv Jiunan and Ge Muxiao, who were glaring at him like tigers from the Painted Boat. Then, he broke into a wide grin.

”I doubt you’d dare try any tricks. I’ll come aboard!”