Beginning with the Ubume Bird

Chapter 70: Chapter 24: Exchange

Yi Yu placed the “Dongxuanzi” on the desk and quietly examined the Chief Flag Officer standing before him.

There were only two of them in the entire military tent. To one side, a lotus-petal brazier emitted wisps of smoke, creating a very subtle atmosphere.

Li Yan wore a verdigris ancient mountain-patterned armor, with the gleaming Ring Dragon Han Sword at his waist, his gaze steady, his stance erect.

If upon entering Li Yan resembled a fierce, flaunting flame, then now, his head wrapped in a netted scarf, his waist encircled with chainmail, and his feet booted, he was like a surging active volcano, having tamed much of his unbridled ferocity.

After a good while, Yi Yu finally spoke, “General Li visits late at night just to discuss this matter with me?”

“Indeed,” Li Yan replied.

Yi Yu slowly shook his head, “This matter is of great importance, you should go to Governor Li or Lord Minister Song Yingchang. I am not in a position to decide.”

He watched Li Yan with a smirk, “Governor Li’s nephew, Shen Heyan, has always thought highly of you, moreover, your superior, Zu Chengxun, is an old subordinate of Li Chengliang (father of Li Rusong), and you are considered a direct descendant of the Li Clan. If you propose it, Lord Governor would at least give it a try.”

In his heart, Li Yan thought, “Song Yingchang comes from a civil official background, and Li Rusong has been campaigning for years; those two combined don’t have as much interest for me as your Heavenly Master Tao, of course I’ve come to you.”

His expression, however, was very respectful, “Lord Governor’s and Lord Minister’s opinions are certainly vital, but in my opinion, to achieve something in this matter, the consent of Yi Gaogong is indispensable.”

Yi Yu’s face softened, feeling rather flattered, but then he seemed to remember something and said with a queer tone, “One is the Beiwo Governor and the other the Beiwo Lord Minister, where do I, a mere Patrol Inspector and Military Supervisor, get the chance to speak?”

Upon hearing this, Li Yan lifted his head in frustration.

“How can someone like Yi Gaogong belittle himself so?”

Yi Yu was startled at Li Yan’s intense reaction.

Li Yan, feigning the naive simplicity of a clueless soldier, touched his head helplessly before saying,

“When my troops and I first returned to camp, it was your disciple who cast a spell that saved the lives of my brothers-in-arms. I’ve even heard that the silver distributed at that time was actually from Mage Yi’s own pocket, this is…”

“Ahem, such a trivial matter, General Li, you needn’t take it to heart. You and your soldiers risk your lives and shed blood, a few pieces of mere silver are nothing but worldly possessions, what does it amount to?” Yi Yu said with a look of compassion, yet internally he mused, “He probably doesn’t even know I claimed his military exploits for myself.”

“Of course, I know it was you who pulled the strings, submitting the recommendation before the battle report, snatching away my credit.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Li Yan sneered inwardly.

That day, when Li Yan spoke out against the proposition to promote the Patrol Inspector, Li Rusong’s expression remained unmoved, and even Song Yingchang’s face had a trace of a smile. Seeing Yi Yu act unnaturally at that time, it was clear who the scoundrel was that had stolen his military merits.

Li Yan bowed his fist in salute, saying earnestly to Yi Yu, “In any case, Yi Gaogong has shown me immense grace, and after much deliberation, I could think of no one more suitable than yourself. As for Lord Governor, I’d like to ask Yi Gaogong to relay the matter on my behalf.”

Yi Yu pondered for a moment, clearly tempted. It wasn’t Li Yan’s persuasive words; rather, this matter required just a word from him. It wouldn’t take much effort, and there were accolades to be had, unlike old Song Yingchang, who was constantly looking for opportunities to kick him down into the clutches of the Japanese pirates.

“And furthermore…” Li Yan hesitated as if he had more to say.

“General Li might as well speak frankly,” Yi Yu asked with some curiosity.

“I, I have a significant destiny with the Heavenly Master Tao,” Li Yan began, “that year when I was still a coachman feeding horses in Liaodong, I encountered a wandering Taoist…”

Li Yan recounted the event when he protected Deng Tianxiong and the others, leaving Yi Yu bewildered, muttering after a long while, “I’ve never heard of such a person in our Dragon Tiger Mountain lineage.”

After a pause, he continued, “Show me that spell you mentioned in action.”

Li Yan walked over to a withered plum blossom in the vase on the desk, his hands generating ripples of white light.

The shriveled and curled petals visibly regained vitality, and one after another, tender white buds started to sprawl out.

Yi Yu’s eyes narrowed, he hadn’t seen Li Yan use any talismans, nor chant any magical incantations, and most importantly, he felt not the slightest hint of Dragon Tiger Qi.

He remembered that Li Yan was still without official rank.

A spell that could be cast without Dragon Tiger Qi completely overturned what Yi Yu had thought he knew!

Yi Yu’s expression fluctuated, while Li Yan stole a glance at him; he had been taking a chance. Whether the Yellow Turban Talisman belonged to the same sect as the Heavenly Master Tao from Dragon Tiger Mountain was something he couldn’t determine. But judging by the reactions of Deng Tianxiong and others, there seemed to be some connection.

Suddenly, Yi Yu slapped his thigh, his face lighting up with realization.

“Yes, that’s it! This is undeniably a spell passed down from Dragon Tiger Mountain. Now I remember—the unfettered roaming Taoist you mentioned is indeed the legendary Master Hu Shuode from the Heavenly Master Tao!”

Li Yan: “???”

Yi Yu, beaming, clapped Li Yan on the shoulder, “Technically speaking, you should be calling me ‘Senior Brother’. Good Junior Brother, come, take a seat. You’re not going anywhere tonight; your Senior Brother is going to treat you to a feast.”

Li Yan stepped back, instinctively grabbing Yi Yu’s wrist without using force, but instead asked earnestly, “So you’re saying that my old benefactor genuinely belongs to Dragon Tiger Mountain?”

“Indeed, it’s undoubtedly a spell from our Dragon Tiger Mountain!”

Yi Yu replied with conviction, warmly seizing Li Yan’s hands.

Yi Yu’s attitude had taken a 180-degree turn, and in just a few sentences, he went from calling Li Yan ‘General Li’ to ‘Junior Brother Li’.

…

“Don’t worry, Junior Brother, do whatever you wish to do; I’ll speak to Governor Li on your behalf,” Yi Yu said while holding a bowl of millet and Liaodong ginseng porridge, having robustly mentioned “The Twenty-seven Precepts” earlier that morning.

He chatted with Li Yan about family and trivial matters over a cup of tea until his voice turned hoarse. Then he casually asked, “Speaking of which, Junior Brother, to your Senior Brother, it seems like there might have been some omissions in your learning of this spell.”

“How so?”

Li Yan had an inkling of understanding in his heart.

“I can’t really explain it, so how about we validate and exchange our knowledge of this spell to improve and address any gaps…”

As Li Yan was pondering, the voice of Yan Fu started to ring out.

“Master Gaogong Yi Yu from Dragon Tiger Mountain is attempting to exchange skills with you for the ‘Yellow Turban Talisman: Qi Healing’.”

“After the exchange, you will lose the ‘Yellow Turban Talisman: Qi Healing’ skill and gain an exclusive skill from the Heavenly Master Tao of Dragon Tiger Mountain.”

“The exchange list is as follows.”