Chapter 23: The Legend of Chongming Isnd
Dawn broke faintly, the sky still cloaked in lingering darkness. A sliver of morning light slipped through the window ttice, carrying with it a trace of the night's chill.
Inside, Sanbao was still fast asleep. The two fierce battles from the night before had drained her completely.
“Sanbao, it’s time to get up.” Tang Mingli’s cold voice jolted her from her dreams.
She opened her eyes groggily to see Tang Mingli already fully dressed in travel gear, brimming with energy.
Yawning, she gnced at her two maids—Yuyu and Xiaon—still curled up together, sound asleep, as if their minds had yet to recover from the horrors of the night before.
She then looked down beside her pillow. Her tricolor cat, Sanhuabao, was curled into a fuzzy ball, breathing softly, one ear twitching now and then, perhaps chasing dream-prey.
“Give me a moment,” Sanbao whispered. She rose gently, trying not to disturb them. Tang Mingli, sensing her intent, stepped outside without a word. *Didn’t expect him to be such a gentleman,* she thought as she began changing.
After the time it took to brew a cup of tea, she emerged from the room. “Let’s go.”
Today, Sanbao wore light battle attire. A deep-blue fitted tunic hugged her form, sleek and streamlined, with silver cloud patterns embroidered at the cuffs and colr. In the morning light, they shimmered faintly, lending her a striking presence.
A pale-gray belt cinched her waist, accentuating her trim and toned figure. On her right hip hung three leather water fsks; on the left, a finely embroidered sachet bearing the rge character “Xu,” releasing a faint herbal fragrance with each step.
Her tailored leather pants hugged her legs, narrowing at the knees for ease of movement. The bck leather was supple and snug, highlighting her athletic form—both protective and agile.
A small portion of her fair calves showed below the pant hems, the lines taut and graceful, exuding the vitality of youth. The morning sun kissed her skin with a soft glow, a delicate contrast to her martial sharpness—valiant, yet vibrant.
She wore short deerskin boots, the shafts embroidered with subtle plum blossoms, each stitch meticulous. With each step, they swayed slightly, a hidden gleam of elegance beneath her strength.
Raising her hand, Sanbao tied her long hair into a high ponytail, securing it with a silver hairpin. A few wisps of hair danced over her forehead in the wind, framing her delicate features with a hint of fierceness. The Seven-Treasure Bracelet on her left wrist gleamed faintly, as if silently bearing witness to her growth.
The battles of the previous night hadn’t broken her—they had only made her stronger. She was determined: only by becoming powerful could she truly take control of her fate.
Tang Mingli’s breath caught as he looked at her. For a brief moment, he seemed utterly dazed.
“Ahem... let’s get going!” Sanbao said quickly, flustered by his expression. “We’re already a day behind. Chongming Isnd is probably swarming with people by now.”
---
The carriage wheels rolled steadily along the main road outside Pingjiang Prefecture.
Tang Mingli sat across from her, calmly polishing his Longyuan Sword as he expined the details of their task.
“This bounty was issued by the Yin Trading Guild of Pingjiang,” he said. “Six months ago, the daughter of Yin Baiwan—the guild’s patriarch—went on an outing to Chongming Isnd with several noble dies. None of them returned that evening.”
“Not a single one?” Sanbao asked, frowning.
“That night, Yin Baiwan and the other noble families whose daughters had gone missing, along with the Pingjiang Garrison, sent out a massive search party. They finally found Yin’s daughter huddled deep in a cave at the foot of a mountain—covered in wounds, terrified out of her mind. Outside the cave, the guards and maids she’d brought along y dead across the ground. And many of the bodies... had been gnawed on.”
“Gnawed on?” Sanbao’s brows furrowed. “And after that?”
“They searched for another half month but found no trace of the other noble dies. Not even bones. Yin’s daughter eventually recovered physically after medical treatment. At the time, they believed a rge spiritual beast had attacked them. The authorities decred it a beast attack, and posted warning signs at the isnd’s entrance.”
“Several other groups ter ventured to the isnd—powerful cultivators and martial artists hoping to sy the beast. None returned. Eventually, people stopped talking about it.”
“Until four months ago,” Tang continued, voice low, “when Yin’s daughter was found dead in her bedroom.”
“In her own bedroom?” Sanbao's voice sharpened.
“Her chambers were deep inside the Yin Estate, protected by yers of guards. After the incident at Chongming, Yin Baiwan even hired extra guards to fortify the estate. And yet... his daughter died inside her room. No one saw or heard anything—except for her personal maid, who was found paralyzed by fear.”
“What did the maid say?” Sanbao asked at once.
“She was incoherent, babbling the same few words: Wildman. Cannibal. Vengeance.”
