The abandoned and dilapidated dock, usually desolate, was now teeming with people, presenting a lively scene.
Junzi quietly watched the waves crashing against the shore one after another, his thoughts drifting far away. It was here that Liang He had died years ago, and later, he himself had nearly lost his life. Uncle Liang had desperately saved him but was never able to leave his bed afterward.
He had never imagined when all this would end, and had even taken it for granted that the next generation, and the one after that, would continue to be bullied by Gu'an. But yesterday, he suddenly felt that maybe, just maybe, their next generation might have a slightly better life. Even if it was just a little better, it would be enough.
The sound of horse hooves echoed, "clip-clop, clip-clop." He turned to look and saw a woman in red riding at the forefront. From a distance, she looked like a ball of fire rushing towards them. If, if this fire could ignite them, he would be willing to burn himself to ashes.
"Good morning, everyone!" Zhu Changle leaped off her galloping horse, a move that left the people at the dock wide-eyed. How impressive!
Right behind her, Qiuli landed silently beside Zhu Changle. To the untrained eye, the spectacle was all about Zhu Changle, who had created the bigger commotion.
"Eh? Why just you guys? Where are the others?" Zhu Changle counted, there were twenty-four.
Zhou Zheng stepped forward to reply, "Miss Zhu, this is half of our group. After discussion, we decided to come with our usual shift numbers. The other half can continue guarding the city gates against Gu'an's people."
Zhu Changle was dumbfounded!
She pointed at them, then at her own nose, and turned to complain to Qiuli, "They're underestimating me!"
Qiuli coughed lightly to suppress a laugh, "They don't know how capable you are."
"No way, I must make you believe that dealing with Gu'an's people is just a wave of my hand for me!" Zhu Changle put her hands on her hips. "You, Zhou Zheng, just you, go bring the other half here. All of them, not one left behind."
Zhou Zheng looked at the others, and they looked back at him. No one could offer him advice on this matter.
"If you don't go, I'll go invite them myself!"
Zhou Zheng hastily bowed and ran off.
"How the world has declined, and people's hearts have changed. To think that I, the great little witch, would be so underestimated. No, I can't swallow this."
Qiuli's lips curved upward, not bothering to remind her that these two phrases weren't quite appropriate here.
Zhu Changle paced back and forth a couple of times, still feeling she needed to make a big move. She reached for her waist and remembered that she hadn't been carrying her sword lately to avoid appearing too special.
"Aunt Feng, go fetch my sword."
Without a word, Aunt Feng mounted a horse and rode back to get the sword.
Zhu Changning, who had arrived a few steps behind, asked her, "What are you planning to do?"
"You'll see in a moment."
Zhu Changle walked to the seaside, looking at the surging waves. The tide was rising, and today the wind was strong, making the waves equally fierce.
Qiuli walked to her side and stood shoulder to shoulder with her. "Do you need my help?"
"I haven't properly played with water in a long time. Today I want to have some fun." Zhu Changle turned her head, her eyes curved into crescent moons with a smile. "They need to have a clear understanding of me. Only then can they build confidence."
Qiuli nodded, indeed these two points were very important.
Aunt Feng returned, even faster than the people from the city gate.
Drawing the sword, Zhu Changle looked at her own reflection in the thin blade. "Qiuli, do you know what this sword is called?"
"What's its name?"
"The Tidal Sword."
This name was quite unfamiliar. Qiuli reached out his hand, and Zhu Changle handed over her sword without hesitation.
Looking at the patterns on the scabbard, and then at the blade that was thinner than ordinary long swords, he plucked a hair and it broke when it was still three inches away from the blade. Its sharpness was evident.
Qiuli sheathed the sword. This shouldn't be an obscure sword.
"The Tidal Sword, it sounds water-related."
Zhu Changle looked at the increasingly turbulent sea surface. Those defenses against pirates were completely out of sight now.
At this time, Zhou Zheng arrived with the people. She grasped the hilt of the sword and drew it out, beckoning to those people behind her. Her smile was unrestrained and wild. "Watch carefully!"
Taking a step back, Zhu Changle turned and ran towards the sea, while blowing a whistle.
"Changle!" Zhu Changning was so frightened that he immediately wanted to chase after her and pull her back. Qiuli held out the scabbard horizontally, watching her run into the sea without offering any explanation.
Aunt Feng said from behind, "The young miss grew up playing in water. Her sword technique is even more powerful in water."
"But such big waves..."
Aunt Feng saw that he was genuinely concerned about the young miss, so her tone softened a bit, "It's fine. The young miss spent two years on an island before. She's tried all sorts of things, both appropriate and inappropriate."
Hearing this, and looking at his youngest sister riding the waves, Zhu Changning was at a loss for words.
The others had all rushed to the shore, all forty-eight of them with their mouths agape. Forget about saying anything, they could barely remember to breathe.
At this moment, Little Golden arrived. It was seen diving down with a screech, and Zhu Changle grabbed its claws to fly further away.
"Heavens..."
Zhu Changning murmured the two words that the other forty-eight people also wanted to cry out. Could she really come back alive from this?
Zhu Changle didn't go too far, just to a place that was both scary and clear enough for them to see. She let go and fell into the sea water. Little Golden flew a bit higher but didn't stray far, circling above.
In the water, Zhu Changle became excited. With one sword stroke, she split a path in the water, rushing straight from where she stood to the shore. Following that, she raised a huge wave that soared into the sky, and she was right on top of the wave's crest. After several ups and downs, she raised a second wave, then a third.
As if bored with this, Zhu Changle played new tricks with "Eternal Life". Layers upon layers of waves surged, looking just like the power of the sea itself. If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, no one would believe this was man-made.
After thoroughly enjoying her time in the water, Zhu Changle remembered she had a task at hand. She performed the first eight moves and seventy-two forms of the Tidal Sword technique from beginning to end. At times the waves reached the sky, at times two waves battled each other, at times the sea water formed a wall and the waves became arrows... The entire sea surface no longer showed the power of the rising tide, it was all her stirring up trouble.
More and more people gathered on the shore, yet it was as quiet as if no one was there.
Their expressions were identical, all with mouths agape. Some even had drool running down without realizing it.
Zhu Changle, in her red attire, was brought back to the ground by the golden eagle, appearing like a celestial being descending. This scene would be unforgettable for these people until their dying day.
Some people immediately fell to their knees, and others followed suit. Soon, everyone on the dock had lowered themselves by a level.
The smug smile on Zhu Changle's face froze. Had she... overdone it?
Qiuli took off his outer robe and draped it over her shoulders to cover her visible curves, then glanced at Aunt Feng.
Aunt Feng stepped forward to adjust the outer robe for the young miss, thinking to herself, this is my young miss, why do I need your prompting?
Pushing her wet hair back, Zhu Changle saw her second brother about to drape his clothes over her and rejected it, "No need, no need, I'll go back and change in a bit."
Zhu Changning frowned and glanced at Qiuli. This man had ulterior motives!
