Chapter Fifty-Five: Meeting Aboard the Ship

An arrow had thrown the entire stronghold into turmoil for quite some time. The cry of enemy attack rang out endlessly, stirring up chaos, yet not a single shadow of the enemy could be seen.

It was only when the Chief of Outlaws himself appeared and dispatched many to scout the surroundings, confirming there was neither an imperial army pressing in nor any ambushes nearby, that the uproar finally began to subside.

At that point, as the only evidence of this so-called attack, the arrow was naturally presented to the Chief of Outlaws.

The arrow itself was utterly ordinary and had harmed no one. What truly caught the chief’s attention was the strip of cloth tied to it.

"Upon reading this, you have seven days. When the three mountains are half-shrouded, at midnight, meet by boat. No waiting past the hour. Take good care of yourself."

The cloth bore only a handful of crooked, unsightly words, but they were not difficult to decipher.

"Sir, who wrote this message? What does it mean?" Several around the Chief of Outlaws had already read it and now pressed him for answers.

"I have no idea," the chief replied, shaking his head with a hint of puzzlement on his face. "The handwriting is atrocious—the sender must have used a different hand on purpose. It's impossible to identify them by the script. Quite cautious, I must say."

"What seven days, three mountains half-fallen? Pure nonsense! They must want to lure you there and ambush you. It's a trap! The imperial court can’t catch us and resorts to such childish tricks. Laughable!"

Someone else immediately chimed in.

"It shouldn’t be from the court. Whether to offer amnesty or persuade surrender, they wouldn't act so furtively. And to have found our stronghold, only to send a letter… intriguing," mused the Chief of Outlaws. "Three mountains half-fallen, a meeting by boat. Hah, that place is not difficult to guess."

"Sir, you mustn’t fall for their schemes!"

"No rush. Let’s wait and see."

…

Qianlong Lake.

Beside the three mountains, Ji Wu and Xiong Ba sat in a small boat, lanterns hanging on either side, awaiting quietly.

Legend had it that long ago, a wicked dragon fell from the heavens here, its body breaking into three pieces upon landing, which became the three hills, while its blood pooled into a deep and vast lake.

This place was still a hundred miles from the Chief of Outlaws’ stronghold, but if he wished, seven days would be more than enough to journey here.

The choice of location was deliberate—no proper ambush could be staged here without being immediately detected. Even if there were one, a quick dive into the lake would suffice for escape.

With Xiong Ba by his side, Ji Wu feared nothing. Even if the chief brought reinforcements, he would not be intimidated. It all depended on whether the Chief of Outlaws had the courage to come.

"Seven days," Ji Wu murmured under a starlit sky, a shadow crossing his heart.

If the Chief of Outlaws dared not appear, his entire plan would amount to nothing, and a month’s effort would be wasted.

But there was no alternative. To achieve results swiftly, one must take some risks.

He wanted to impress Mr. Xu the next time they met!

Relying on his own effort, even with Xiong Ba’s help, breaking through would not be easy, nor enough to truly showcase his abilities. But if he could win over the Chief of Outlaws, things would become far simpler.

The premise, of course, was that the chief would agree to meet.

---

Time slipped by, and before he knew it, the moon hung at its zenith.

Silver moonlight, like gauzy silk, shone over Qianlong Lake. The two lanterns on the boat cast a faint glow.

Ji Wu’s expression grew increasingly grim. He glanced up at the sky, then swept his gaze across the lake.

No other boats approached.

"What Chief of Outlaws? Cowardly rat—not fit to plot with me!" Ji Wu’s patience finally ran dry after the long wait, and he cursed aloud.

"Speaking ill of others behind their backs is hardly proper," came a sudden response.

"What?!" Ji Wu started, looking around, and finally, about five fathoms away, spotted a head breaking the surface of the water. Who else could it be but the Chief of Outlaws?

"You came! When did you arrive?" Ji Wu was astonished. The chief had approached by swimming underwater, something he never expected.

"The one who sent me the message—was it you?" The Chief of Outlaws, too, looked surprised. Ji Wu had changed much over the years and shouldn’t have been recognized. But the giant black bear seated behind him was unforgettable; the chief had suffered at its hands before. Naturally, he recalled Ji Wu, the one who commanded such a beast.

"You didn’t come by boat?" Ji Wu looked around curiously, still seeing no sign of any vessel. Though it was midnight, the moonlight afforded a clear view—any approaching boat would have been seen from afar.

"The imperial court is cunning. One cannot be too careful," the Chief of Outlaws replied, glancing at the black bear behind Ji Wu. Then, from his neck, he produced a whistle and blew three sharp notes.

The sound carried far across the water. Moments later, three small boats sped across the lake, scattering silver ripples.

Ji Wu was no fool and realized at once that the chief was probing for danger. He had come first himself to scout for possible imperial ambush, only calling in his men once he found it safe, both above and below the water.

No matter—he had come, and that was enough. Ji Wu let out a breath, making no move as the three boats quickly surrounded his own.

"Quite bold, to insult me to my face," the chief remarked, noting how Ji Wu remained calm despite being surrounded. There was even a hint of admiration in his eyes.

Even with the bear at his back, they were on water, on a small boat, and outnumbered. If a fight broke out, the bear might not be able to protect him. This was true courage—not mere recklessness.

"Ha, I come with sincerity—what have I to fear?"

---

Ji Wu smiled.

Not only was he now a master with ten years’ cultivation, but with Xiong Ba at his back, these men together would hardly be an appetizer.

Of course, in water, Xiong Ba could not fight as fiercely as on land. But this, too, was a token of Ji Wu’s sincerity. For the chief, who had tasted the bear’s strength, meeting on land would have sent him fleeing, contrary to Ji Wu’s intentions.

"Sir, who is this?" asked one of the burly men on the boats, all skilled fighters and expert swimmers brought by the chief as a precaution.

"I’m not quite sure myself," the chief replied, climbing onto one of his own boats. "You invited me—what for?"

"There are too many idle ears here," Ji Wu said. "Let’s have your men squeeze onto the other two boats. You and I meet alone—what say you?"

"Oh?" The chief narrowed his eyes.

"Don’t worry. Xiong Ba will stay behind as well. Only you and I will meet. Are you afraid I might attack you? If that were my intention, on the day I shot the arrow, do you think your men could have stopped Xiong Ba? You’ve seen his power."

Though his words were bold, Ji Wu spoke with conviction, utterly sincere. Reputation is earned, after all. Compared to the notorious chief, his own presence was nothing special, but this speech lent him much-needed gravitas.

"Arrogant brat!"

"A snot-nosed kid, daring to boast before us?"

"Whose child is this, come to make a fool of me?"

Before the chief could reply, his men grumbled in protest.

"No matter," the chief waved them off. "We’re here now. Let’s see what he has to say."

Without the bear, he had nothing to fear from Ji Wu. If he still refused, it would be an insult to himself.

Once the chief’s men had cleared the boat, Ji Wu leapt aboard without hesitation and took up the oar.

The chief watched him silently. Only when they had pushed the boat more than ten fathoms from the others did Ji Wu finally stop.

"Now, can we speak? Why did you summon me here?" the chief asked, curiosity piqued.

"To be frank, I come at an immortal’s command, to invite you to join me in a grand endeavor!"