Chapter 947: Boldness

Wei Wuwei had an idea, but his only unsettling thought was his uncertainty about when and where that audacious female cultivator and the man would depart. Given the woman's unfathomable cultivation, Wei Wuwei would not rashly employ any tracking secret arts without absolute certainty; being discovered could lead to serious trouble.

'I can only try to send a message to Madam Ying first,' he thought. 'Perhaps the true dragon has her own means; I'll simply do what's within my power.'

With that thought, Wei Wuwei quickly went downstairs and briefly stepped out, then returned to the Immortal Cloud Tower and proceeded to the private room where Old Grey, Little Grey, and several Wei clan disciples were waiting. Before entering, however, Wei Wuwei did not revert his transformation. While he could freely use the spells contained within the large bronze coin, even amplifying them with his precise control to unleash formidable power, he didn't inherently possess knowledge of these spells himself. This particular transformation spell, personally cast and recorded by Ji Yuan, was truly unparalleled; each use consumed a portion of its power. It would be far too wasteful to retract the spell after merely a single test.

Consequently, Old Grey, Little Grey, and the Wei clan disciples watched as a graceful woman suddenly entered the private room from outside, causing everyone within to pause in surprise.

"Excuse me, miss, I believe you might have entered the wrong room?"

A Wei family disciple offered a polite reminder. Such incidents were not uncommon, as the Immortal Cloud Tower's interior was akin to a maze, and while many private rooms were tastefully furnished, their similarity was quite high. After their initial moment of surprise, however, Old Grey and Little Grey felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, as if they had seen this woman before. Yet, before they could voice their confusion, the woman spoke.

"It's me, Wei Wuwei. I just used a transformation to attend to a matter, and since it's not yet concluded, I won't dismiss the spell for the time being."

"Patriarch?" "Master Wei?"

Old Grey, Little Grey, and the Wei clan disciples all gaped in astonishment. Even though Old Grey and Little Grey had found the woman somewhat familiar, they had never imagined it could be Wei Wuwei. The mental image of Wei Wuwei's original appearance clashed so intensely and startlingly with the current one.

"Hmm, there's no need for such a fuss."

Wei Wuwei raised his hand, revealing a large golden coin peeking from his sleeve. At this, the others finally believed him. He surveyed the table laden with dishes, noting that the Immortal Cloud Tower seemed quite efficient; nearly all the food had been served in the short time he was away.

"Daoist Grey, since all the dishes have been served, let's eat while they're hot. These ten delicacies are truly unparalleled on this island. Don't just stand there, eat!"

"Yes!"

They had been waiting for Wei Wuwei, so with his return, they naturally began to eat. Everyone picked up their chopsticks, though the meal felt somewhat peculiar.

"Hmm, it is indeed delicious. It seems we can have a good discussion about potential cooperation with this Immortal Cloud Tower."

As the woman Wei Wuwei had transformed into ate, she would gently raise her sleeve to partially obscure her face, her eyes curving into smiles when she found a dish particularly delicious. Her dignified and elegant movements, crisp voice, and demeanor were so perfectly executed that even a truly beautiful young lady might not have performed them as well as Wei Wuwei.

"You two, don't just sit there stunned. Daoist Little Grey, your meatball dropped..."

Little Grey, who had been staring blankly at Wei Wuwei, finally came back to his senses. He looked down to see the meatball he had gripped with his chopsticks had just fallen onto the table, demonstrating its inherent elasticity as food, bouncing with a rhythmic sound.

"Thump... thump-thump-thump..."

Little Grey quickly retrieved his chopsticks, picked up the meatball from the table, and put it into his mouth.

"Delicious... delicious... truly delicious..."

Wei Wuwei nodded with a smile, then turned his gaze to the Wei clan disciples, who immediately averted their eyes and resumed eating their food.

"Patriarch Wei, this... this is simply too dramatic. If not for that persistent feeling, I would genuinely suspect someone was impersonating you..."

Old Grey swallowed his mouthful of food and scratched his cheek. While Wei Wuwei across from him remained unperturbed, Old Grey felt a bead of sweat form, particularly as Wei Wuwei's original appearance kept flashing through his mind for comparison.

"Hahahaha... Daoist Grey, you jest," Wei Wuwei chuckled. "It's not a deliberate pretense, nor do I have a particular fondness for it; it's simply a personal habit of mine. Besides, this appearance isn't suited for my previous eating habits, is it? As long as I maintain this form, I am Cai'er, not Wei Wuwei. Remember that, all of you."

The last sentence was clearly directed at the Wei clan disciples, who immediately affirmed their understanding. The Wei family members were never short on wit; those who were genuinely incompetent would not have been qualified to journey through the world.

About half an hour later, the Wei family party departed from the Immortal Cloud Tower. The tower manager, who had been hoping to speak further with Wei Wuwei, was unable to do so, as a Wei clan disciple came instead to settle the bill and collect the previously ordered fine wine.

"By the way, manager," the disciple said, "the Patriarch had to leave early due to an urgent matter. He departed somewhat hastily and apologizes for not informing you, but he specifically instructed us to invite you to the Jade Embrace Treasure Pavilion."

"Oh, Patriarch Wei's affairs are clearly important," the manager replied. "Once the Jade Embrace Treasure Pavilion is established, I will certainly take the liberty of paying a visit!"

"You're too kind, manager!"

"Hahahaha, farewell!"

The Wei family members bowed in turn to the manager before exiting the Immortal Cloud Tower. Wei Wuwei, meanwhile, left the tower alone a short while later.

Although he had learned that the man and woman ultimately chose not to stay at the Immortal Cloud Tower, Wei Wuwei was in no hurry to immediately track down the departed Lian Ping'er and Aze. Instead, he wandered leisurely around the island, adopting the guise of a curious woman who had just arrived, gazing here and there, touching this and trying that — the perfect image of a wide-eyed newcomer to the cultivation world. Yet, during this process, he was actually discreetly gathering information.

"Oh my, this chain is exquisite! If I were to inlay my pearl into it, it would surely be even more stunning!"

Miss Wei gazed at a bracelet in a shop with delight, picking it up to try on her wrist. She even took out her deep-sea pearl and held it up to the bracelet, as if envisioning it.

"Hehehe, young lady, if you wish to have a pearl inlaid, you may entrust it to our master here. We guarantee a perfect fit, without damaging either the chain or the pearl..."

The shopkeeper leaned closer to the woman, then whispered a message telepathically.

"Patriarch, those two passed by here not long ago. They were walking slowly, laughing and chatting as they headed east."

"Thank you. How long would it take to inlay a pearl?"

Miss Wei asked with a cheerful grin. The shopkeeper took the chain, lightly touched its center, creating a small indentation in the silver thread bracelet. He then pressed the pearl into place, gave it a gentle tap, and the pearl was perfectly inlaid.

"There! It's done! The labor fee is ten taels of silver."

The bracelet wasn't made of extraordinary materials, nor did it require much silver thread, but its virtue lay in its refined craftsmanship, making it both durable and beautiful. Ten taels of silver was quite a fair price, considering the island's general cost of living.

Miss Wei paid cheerfully, immediately took the bracelet, and put it on her hand. Then, with lively steps, she set off eastward. However, instead of following the main path, she took a side route and quickened her pace. For Wei Wuwei, who knew the island intimately, he could anticipate the most likely destinations if they were heading east. He chose the most probable spot and went there to wait.

While Wei Wuwei was meticulously trying to uncover the identities of these two mysterious individuals and their connection to Ji Yuan, a flying sword with a gold-wrapped hilt soared over the vast expanse of the sea. However, the Dragon Clan's tide of wilderness-clearing was steadily advancing, meaning the flying sword had to pursue the dragon group. Fortunately, the range and scale of the tide controlled by the dragons were becoming increasingly immense, preventing them from moving too quickly.

Approximately five days later, among the Dragon Clan, some of the elder flood dragons gathered around Ying Ruoli had already detected a faint gleam of sword light high in the sky. Ying Ruoli herself had also looked up towards a specific point in the heavens.

"Your Highness, it appears to be a flying sword."

The female flood dragon beneath Ying Ruoli spoke, and the Dragon Empress nodded in acknowledgement.

"The sword energy lacks intent, swift as lightning yet without a cutting edge. It must be a messenger sword!"

Ying Ruoli extended her hand in a gesture of guidance, and the flying sword's speed suddenly accelerated, transforming into a streak of white light that shot towards her, coming to an abrupt halt in her palm. This flying sword must have been sent by someone with a significant connection; otherwise, even if many knew about the Dragon Clan's wilderness-clearing expedition, the sword would merely circle aimlessly in the sea and be unable to accurately locate her.

The moment the flying sword rested in her hand, Ying Ruoli noticed the gold thread wrapped around its hilt and instantly understood its origin.

'Wei Wuwei's? What could he possibly want with me?'

Ying Ruoli and Wei Wuwei had almost no direct dealings, merely knowing of his existence and appearance. Naturally, she was also aware that Ji Yuan held this plump Wei family patriarch in high regard. Although she was not well acquainted with Wei Wuwei, the Dragon Maiden was still aware of some of his habits. Following a specific sequence, she carefully unwound the gold thread from the sword hilt. The next moment, Wei Wuwei's spiritual message flowed forth from the blade.

The Dragon Maiden's serene face gradually creased into a frown, her expression becoming slightly displeased. After comprehending the message's content, she abruptly turned her gaze back towards the southwest.

"Quite the audacity!"

"Your Highness, what is the matter?"

Ying Ruoli's eyes flickered as she glanced at the vast aquatic communities around her. After a brief deliberation, she spoke.

"I have an urgent matter that requires me to depart for a while."

The female flood dragon beneath her immediately gasped in astonishment.

"Your Highness, the boundary between the two seas is not far. In at most a month and a half, we will reach the threshold of our last breakthrough. How can you leave at such a time?"

"Do not worry, I will certainly return before the breakthrough. All aquatic creatures, heed my command: continue to gather water essence and maintain the tide's direction. I will return within one month!"

"As you command!"

Even with lingering doubts, the aquatic creatures would not defy Ying Ruoli's command. Ying Ruoli herself, accompanied by over ten flood dragons, including the female flood dragon beneath her, left the main dragon formation and flew in the opposite direction.