Zhao Dongqi said he didn’t care anymore and that they would be arriving at the island soon.
He told Qu Yanning to quickly pack up and prepare to disembark.
Qu Yanning yawned and went to wash up. Soon, a notification sounded in the room, reminding guests that the cruise ship was about to dock and prepare for landing.
Qu Yanning finished packing and joined Zhao Dongqi on the top deck. In the vast blue sea, an island stood tall in the middle, with dense trees faintly visible on it.
A thin layer of white mist shrouded the island, and even before getting close, they could already feel the exceptionally fresh air.
“The air on this island is really nice.” Qu Yanning took a deep breath.
Zhao Dongqi looked at him disdainfully and said, “That’s called Qi. See those white mists? That’s vaporized Qi.”
“Looks no different from ordinary fog to me,” Qu Yanning muttered.
Zhao Dongqi sighed in frustration. “With the outside world polluted and destroyed, even deep mountains and forests might not have such dense Qi anymore. Most of this Qi is probably created by the Qu Family using some Feng Shui Secret Method or Magical Treasures. Not only does it extend lifespan, but it also aids cultivation. You just don’t know how valuable it is.”
Qu Yanning thought to himself, ‘I’m not ignorant’. Before coming here, he actually suspected this was some scam gathering.
But Zhao Dongqi seemed quite knowledgeable about this stuff. Curious, he asked, “How do you know so much?”
Zhao Dongqi looked puzzled. “Didn’t I tell you?”
“Tell me what?” Qu Yanning asked blankly.
Zhao Dongqi threw an arm over his shoulder and said proudly, “I’m from the Northeast Zhao Family. The Zhao Family is also a great Feng Shui clan.”
Qu Yanning honestly replied, “Never heard of it.”
Zhao Dongqi was speechless.
After a moment of silence, he consoled himself, “It’s normal if you haven’t heard. I’m just here for the fun of it, don’t have to know too much.”
The ship shuddered lightly as it docked at the island’s harbor. The two stopped talking and followed the crowd down, luggage in hand.
The reception was divided into several groups. People from the major sects and great families were individually received, with attendants in uniform driving cars to pick them up quickly.
People like Qu Yanning, who were just here to join the excitement and had no name, were left towards the back, waiting for cars to arrive one by one.
Qu Yanning nudged Zhao Dongqi with his arm and asked, “You said the Zhao Family is a big clan, so why didn’t anyone come to pick you up?”
Zhao Dongqi snorted and pointed ahead at a Bentley. “The Zhao Family’s representative is sitting right in there. I’m just sneaking in to see what’s going on.”
Qu Yanning recalled the scene on Yue Liang Island last time and said knowingly, “Unruly young master.”
Zhao Dongqi chuckled and put a hand on his shoulder, “You get me.”
The crowd thinned as they got closer. The two climbed into a reception car that slowly drove toward the Qu Family Mansion.
Also in the car were two people wearing yellow Daoist robes and Daoist crowns, looking like Daoists from a temple.
Qu Yanning looked at them curiously, feeling it was a bit unbelievable, but after thinking it over, it made sense.
After all, he used to firmly believe in materialism and thought ghosts and spirits were just myths. But in reality, there were many unknown things in this world.
If ghosts existed, having Daoists didn’t seem so strange.
Looking away, Qu Yanning gazed out the window. It was almost November, yet the trees lining the road were still lush and green.
Wild roses bloomed vividly, bursting with life in the breeze.
It was still some distance from the harbor to the old mansion. The car drove for nearly an hour before arriving.
The attendant parked and opened the door to lead them inside.
Qu Yanning looked at the majestic building before him and admitted that Zhao Dongqi’s words weren’t an exaggeration.
This was a century-old prestigious family, and even the architecture radiated a deep sense of antiquity.
Qu Yanning stared at the imposing stone lion statues guarding the gate, then looked up at the plaque above, inscribed with the words “Qu Mansion” in neat regular script. A strange stirring rose in his chest.
“Lost in thought already?” Zhao Dongqi tugged at him, urging him to keep up.
Qu Yanning suppressed the strange feeling inside and followed along. The attendant led the way through the corridors, heading toward the Guest Courtyard.
At the Guest Courtyard, the attendant arranged their rooms, gave them instructions and the time of the evening banquet, then left.
Qu Yanning wandered around the courtyard. Though the architecture was antique in style, the facilities were quite modern.
In the courtyard’s Serenity Pavilion, there was even a delicate wooden plaque with the WIFI Name and password.
Several people dressed as Daoists gathered in the pavilion talking. One was the yellow-robed Daoist who came in Qu Yanning’s car, and the other two wore black and blue robes respectively.
The yellow-robed Daoist said, “Do you all know why the Qu Family is making such a big deal this time?”
The black-robed Daoist replied, “Isn’t it because the Feng Shui World hasn’t seen a grand event in a long time? The Qu Family is leading it to strengthen ties among the clans.”
The blue-robed Daoist scoffed, “Only you are naive enough to believe those lies. The Qu Family has secluded itself on this island for years, never interfering in Feng Shui disputes. Who would believe it’s all about friendship?”
The yellow-robed Daoist nodded and lowered his voice. “I heard… the head of the Qu Family lost someone close. He can’t find them himself, so he organized a Feng Shui Conference and invited everyone here to help find the person.”
The other two gasped softly and whispered among themselves.
Qu Yanning, having overheard the gossip, quietly edged away while puzzled, asking Zhao Dongqi, “Really?”
Zhao nodded. “Many sects and clans specialize in Push Calculation, and some even have Seeking Treasure items. Bringing everyone together to help find someone should be more efficient, right?”
Qu Yanning hesitated. “But if someone’s missing, wouldn’t reporting to the police be faster? This is still inside the country. Spending money on things like checking bank records would be more straightforward than mobilizing a Feng Shui Conference.”
Zhao Dongqi stared at him for a long moment, then said, “Maybe they reported it but still haven’t found the person.”
Qu Yanning nodded. “That makes sense.”
……
Lunch was served separately in the Guest Courtyard, with five full tables of eight dishes and one soup each. The dishes were exquisite and delicious, and both were very satisfied.
After lunch was free time. Guests could rest or join the attendant to tour the Qu Family Mansion. Since they had already rested on the ship, the two joined the others to explore and nibble around.
The more they walked and saw, the stronger a sense of familiarity Qu Yanning felt. He couldn’t help but tell Zhao Dongqi, “Why do I feel like I’ve been here before? It feels really familiar.”
Zhao Dongqi waved dismissively. “Isn’t that some scientific thing called an optical illusion? This is my first time here; how could you have been before?”
Qu Yanning blinked, thinking Zhao Dongqi’s explanation made sense. There was no way he would have had a chance to come here before.
******
The usually quiet mansion was now filled with laughter and lively chatter. Qu Qing Shui apologized to Xie Qi as he cupped his hands together, “I was just about to talk with Second Master Xie, didn’t expect it to be so lively even here.”
Xie Qi glanced coldly at the carved window overlooking the garden. “It’s no bother.”
Qu Qing Shui poured him a cup of tea. “Uncle has already informed you about my cousin’s situation, right?”
Xie Qi nodded. “I have calculated— it’s true, he is no longer here.”
Qu Qing Shui sighed and looked at the crowd outside, eyes filled with sorrow. “I don’t want to believe that Xiao Ning is truly gone, but the dead are gone. No matter how unwilling we are to accept it, it’s futile.”
“Condolences,” Xie Qi said lightly.
Qu Qing Shui forced a bitter smile. “My Uncle and I have already accepted it, but Aunt… because of Xiao Ning’s death, she is deeply heartbroken and keeps saying Xiao Ning is still alive. I don’t know if that’s good or bad.”
Xie Qi idly twisted a strand of Fozhu beads in his hand, his thoughts drifting to Qu Yanning, the little fool. He wondered what the kid was doing now.
“With time, the pain will naturally fade.”
“Let’s hope so,” Qu Qing Shui stood. “Second Master Xie rarely visits. I shouldn’t trouble you with these matters. Why don’t we move to the study? I heard you like Fozhu. I recently acquired a piece of Sinking Incense, perfect for making Fozhu.”
Xie Qi waved impatiently. “I have other matters to attend to. I can’t be of further help, so I’ll take my leave.”
Qu Qing Shui was about to say something more, but Xie Qi was clearly unwilling to listen and strode out.
Watching his retreating back, Qu Qing Shui’s lips curled into a faint smile.
He turned to leave, but suddenly heard a familiar voice say, “Zhao Dongqi, look, there’s a rabbit here too.”