Song of Adolescence

Chapter 280 Return to Beili

Very quickly, their little boat floated into the fog.

When they came, they couldn’t see this fog from afar. When they were on the island, they couldn’t see this fog either. But, now, when there were only a few tens of zhang away from the island, they were suddenly caught in this fog.

"This trip was really a daunting experience though we’re mostly unscathed." Now that they were finally leaving the Penglai immortal island, Sikong Qianluo exhaled a long sigh, and she could feel relaxed again.

"It\'s too early to relax yet." Tang Lian rowed the boat with all his strength. "Try and get Lei Wujie to wake up. If I’m the only one rowing, I’m afraid we won’t be able to get there in time."

"But Lei Wujie broke into the next realm forcefully and now he’s unconscious. If I make him wake up, isn’t that a bit unsympathetic?" Sikong Qianluo frowned slightly.

"If we’re going to be sympathetic, then we won’t make it back to the ship on time, and we won’t be able to return to Beili. Whatever injuries are healed will be useless. Hurry up, get this fellow to wake up. See if Xiao Se still has any more of his Penglai Pills and stuff it all into his mouth." Tang Lian had estimated the time and was very anxious in his heart, so he was already somewhat frustrated.

"I\'ll do it." A languid voice spoke up.

The two of them turned their heads in surprise and realised that Xiao Se had opened his eyes.

Xiao Se didn\'t seem any different from his usual self. He still gave off an air of laziness, but the look in his eyes seemed to have changed.

They had become extremely clear, and there was a kind of indescribable spirit.

Tang Lian and Sikong Qianluo could see that much, but Xiao Se felt it even more intensely. He felt a sense of freedom permeate his body that was difficult to describe, and it was a feeling he hadn’t felt in a long time. His meridians had been injured for so many years, his qi and blood flow restricted. He had missed this carefree feeling for a long time, so he couldn’t help but want to stand up and do something.

"But you’ve just recovered from a serious injury…" Sikong Qianluo hesitated.

"I’m fine." Xiao Se walked forward and took over the oars from Tang Lian. "Thank you all for coming with me on this trip."

"Thank you." Tang Lian looked at Xiao Se incredulously. "You actually said thank you."

Xiao Se rowed with the oars and shook his head. "What sort of person am I in da-shixiong’s heart?"

"Arrogant, haughty, stubborn, rude?" Tang Lian recited after a brief thought.

Sikong Qianluo sighed. "Da-shixiong, don\'t be so candid."

"It\'s all right." Xiao Se shrugged and continued rowing the oars quickly.

They didn\'t know how much time had passed but they were finally out of the dense fog. Xiao Se stopped the boat, looked up at the starry sky, and waited for the stars that appeared only once every seven days.

"How long were we paddling in the fog?" Sikong Qianluo was puzzled.

"I don\'t know. I always feel that when we’re inside the fog, time passes differently from the outside world," Tang Lian said faintly.

"Yaoguang rises in the east, Dijun rises in the west." Xiao Se looked at the sky and muttered, "Looks like we’re just in time. It\'s exactly the seventh day since the previous time."

"Dijun looks even more dim now." A tired voice sounded, and everyone turned to look. Ye Ruoyi had also woken up.

"The seventh day?" Tang Lian frowned. "We agreed on seven days with Mu Chunfeng so they could be leaving anytime."

"It’s fine." Xiao Se shook his head. "I trust Mu Chunfeng."

After another half a day, they finally saw the Three Snake Islands again. And next to the Three Snake Islands, the huge cedar longboat was still moored. The flag with the Phoenix Takes Flight fluttered in the wind.

"They’re still here," Sikong Qianluo said joyously.

As they approached, Xiao Se started to frown. "Something’s wrong."

They got even closer, and they could finally make out the scene there.

On the cedar longboat, all the ship’s guards were armed with their bows and arrows and their bowstrings were drawn into a full moon as they faced off against the people below the ship.

And below the cedar longboat, Mu Chunfeng sat cross-legged with his famous sword stuck into the ground in front of him—Moving Mountains.

Dozens of boatmen in peasant clothes stood opposite him, each of them glaring fiercely at him.

"What\'s going on there?" Tang Lian whispered.

"I don\'t know. Let’s go over and take a look." Xiao Se tipped his toes and swept towards the group.

"Be careful," Sikong Qianluo said anxiously, and immediately followed him.

Tang Lian reached out to stop her, but missed. There were still two people lying on the boat, unable to move, so he could only pick up his rowing speed. "A bunch of impertinent kids. Only know how to pit your da-shixiong."

When he saw Xiao Se and Sikong Qianluo arrive, Mu Chunfeng was overjoyed. "You’re finally back!"

Xiao Se appraised the situation around them and asked in puzzlement, "What\'s going on here?"

Mu Chunfeng hurriedly stepped forward and measured his pulse. After checking carefully once over, he broke into a wide smile. "You’re really cured. There’s really such a peerless master on that island. Xiao-xiong must really bring me there next time!"

"Mu-xiong, you’re in really good spirits. You’re facing one another with arms already. Why are you still in a mood to care about some immortal?" Xiao Se looked at the nervous boatmen and the guards on the ship who were glaring down at them.

"Oh. These boatmen that we hired from the harbour were clamoring to leave, and even tried to hijack our ship. So, they were all thrown off the boat by our Mu family’s guards. Manager Tian said that mutiny on the sea was an unforgivable crime and wanted to execute them by arrows. I couldn’t bear to do it. After all, they’d finished their jobs for us. So, I could only sit with them to prevent Manager Tian from releasing the arrows.” Mu Chunfeng scratched his head. “Then, they wanted to come over and kill me, so I could only place my Moving Mountains sword here to deter them. So, that’s the current situation as you see it. It’s been a whole day and night."

"Since we’re back, there is no need to argue further," Sikong Qianluo said.

Mu Chunfeng nodded. "Yes, yes, yes, everyone. We can go home now. Don’t fight, don’t fight anymore."

But the ship guards still did not put down their bows and arrows.

"Manager Tian," Mu Chunfeng called out loudly.

Tian Mozhi got off the boat. "Young master."

"Tie these people up, and after we get back to shore, we’ll let them go," Mu Chunfeng said.

Tian Mozhi thought for a moment. "Fine. Men!"

There was an uproar among the boatmen. "If you tie us up, what will happen to us if you throw us off the boat midway!"

"You shut your mouth!" Mu Chunfeng drew his Moving Mountains, showing a rare display of anger. "If I’d wanted to kill you people, I’d get them to release the arrows now and throw you all on the island to feed the snakes. If the arrows don’t kill you, I’ll hack you to death with one sword. You still want to talk nonsense. Are you complaining the gold is not enough? Once we return to shore, each person gets another ten taels! Any more complaints? Any more nonsense?"

This was the first time the boatmen saw the young master lose his temper and for a while, they didn’t dare to speak.

"Tie them up!" Mu Chunfeng shouted angrily.

"Yes, sir." Tian Mozhi bowed his head.

At this time, Tang Lian also arrived with his small boat, and Lei Wujie also woke up.

He was dumbfounded when he saw the surrounding scenery.

"Aren’t we on Penglai Island? Why are we at Three Snake Islands?

"Where’s Mo Yi? Mu-xiong, we meet again.

"So, what happened in the end?

"Who am I?

"Where am I?"

Lei Wujie looked extremely confused.

"You’d better continue sleeping." Tang Lian knocked him out again with one slap.

Golden Cross, the sails were up.

Tang Lian and others who were all exhausted had retreated to the inner cabin, planning to sleep for a few days and nights before thinking about anything else. Only Xiao Se did not return to the cabin. Tian Mozhi walked past him and Xiao Se said meaningfully, "When we left, I knew there would be variables but as for how the variables played out, it would depend on you."

"Wrong, it didn’t depend on me." Tian Mozhi said quietly. "It depended on the young master."

"Mu Chunfeng?" Xiao Se said softly.

"The young master is benevolent. In my opinion, that’s a weakness. Although the young master is benevolent, he’s also firm in his heart. So he will be a wise master." Tian Mozhi walked past Xiao Se. "The Qingzhou Mu family will belong to the third master in the future."

Xiao Se chuckled and continued to walk towards the bow.

Mu Chunfeng was standing there, looking up at the family flag above his head. "We’re going home."

Xiao Se walked up to him, nodded, and murmured, "We’re going home."

(End Book 3, "Immortal Mountain Beyond the Sea Arc")