Chapter Twenty-One: Crossing the Sea

Remembering the peril he was currently in, he refrained from recklessly tasting the tea offered to him. This action drew the attention of Tuoba Mu and Tuoba Ling, but neither commented on it. Instead, the old woman standing nearby, Granny Yan, suddenly asked, “Young friend, why don’t you try the tea?”

“This is fine tea from the Western Regions, quite valuable, and known to invigorate the blood and open the meridians,” she added.

Pei Qiong’s eyes flickered as he replied, “Thank you for your kindness, but I don’t have the habit of drinking tea. I must apologize for not accepting your hospitality.”

Granny Yan’s brow furrowed, and a sharp glint flashed in her eyes. Seeing that Pei Qiong had no intention whatsoever of drinking, she said nothing more.

[In the eleventh year of Jingchong, on the twenty-seventh day of the Cassia Moon, you encountered the envoy from the Western Regions and politely declined the tea, thus avoiding a fatal poisoning and receiving a survival reward—martial arts mastery of ‘Golden Scale Fist’.]

At that moment, a line of golden script appeared before Pei Qiong’s eyes.

A flood of information surged in his mind. It was as if scenes unfolded before his eyes—an imposing figure continuously demonstrating a domineering style of fistwork, battling enemy after enemy in bloody combat.

Time seemed to halt in that instant, or perhaps eons passed in a breath. When Pei Qiong returned to himself, it felt as though he had immersed in this art for a hundred years, mastering it completely, and his vitality had risen significantly.

With a mere thought, he could now rouse his blood and energy, and shatter stone and iron with a punch.

“They were so insistent I drink the tea—there really was something wrong with it!”

“It seems the teapot is double-layered: the tea poured for Tuoba Mu and Tuoba Rong is not from the same layer as the one for me.”

“Thankfully I was cautious, or I would have lost my life right here!”

A surge of wariness rose in Pei Qiong’s heart. He focused all his attention on Granny Yan and the two envoys from the Western Regions, watching their every move.

Since the Marquis of Dongjing’s imprisonment half a year ago, he had suffered misfortunes now and then, but never had calamities come one after another as they did now.

Now, even within the Western Region’s diplomatic mission, there were those who wished to assassinate him!

It seemed that after half a year of plotting, the factions lurking in the shadows could no longer restrain themselves and were ready to weed him out completely!

“The Marquis of Dongjing’s adopted children… the courtiers currying favor with imperial power… the radical Sword Pavilion faction… foreign dynasties…”

“I just don’t know which of these factions sent the Western Region’s mission to kill me this time…”

Pei Qiong exhaled softly, realizing that in the days to come, he would have to face the fiercest of storms.

Meanwhile, Tuoba Ling seemed oblivious to the subtle changes in Pei Qiong’s expression. Gazing across the lake at the verdant mountains, a smile at her lips, she said,

“Brother Pei, the mountains across the lake look quite beautiful. Could we go over later to enjoy the view?”

Following Tuoba Ling’s gaze, Pei Qiong saw the opposite shore was covered in towering ancient trees and wildflowers in full bloom. Yet there were scarcely any Martial Pavilion students to be seen—those were secluded mountains, with no visible paths for walking or climbing.

Few ventured there. It was best avoided.

Especially when the suggestion to go sightseeing came from the envoys of the Western Regions…

Granny Yan’s murderous intent aside, Pei Qiong’s resolve for caution made it impossible for him to agree to visit the mountains across the lake.

Now that he had sensed the murderous intent from the Western envoy, it would be even more foolish to walk willingly into a trap.

Who knew—there might already be assassins lying in wait among those mountains, ready to strike him down the moment he arrived.

“I must find a way to shake off these people from the Western Regions,” Pei Qiong thought to himself. His eyes swept over the three before him, and with an apologetic tone, he said, “Honored guests, I suddenly remembered there are matters I need to attend to. I’m afraid I cannot accompany you to the mountains.”

“How about this: I’ll find some other Martial Pavilion students to accompany you, or perhaps you’d prefer to explore the Pavilion on your own?”

“This…” Tuoba Ling and Tuoba Mu exchanged glances, surprise flitting across their faces. They hesitated, but did not try to insist. “If Brother Pei has matters to attend to…”

The words were barely out of their mouths when a figure moved as swiftly as lightning. The old woman, who had been standing by with a cold, indifferent expression, abruptly erupted with a surge of energy, like a savage beast ready to devour its prey.

In an instant, she appeared before Pei Qiong, her hand forming a claw like an eagle’s talon capable of crushing iron, reaching for his throat.

Clearly, realizing Pei Qiong wanted to leave, she abandoned all pretense and struck decisively, aiming to kill him on the spot.

“What terrifying force! So this is the skill of a first-class martial expert!”

“Still as a boulder, moving like a mountain—she could slay enemies across a thousand miles, take a head in an instant!”

Pei Qiong’s heart lurched; reflected in his eyes was the old woman’s figure. His blood and energy surged, gathering in his fists and palms along his meridians.

Since his transmigration to this world, he had maste