Chapter 91: Huang Xiao Presents Treasure
By Gu Zhenren
February 9, 2013
“Mother, I must leave. I don’t know when I’ll be able to see you again. Although Young Island Master Chu is at the height of his fame, his situation is actually precarious and on the verge of collapse. Since I have pledged myself to him as my lord, I will naturally devote myself to him until death…”
Huang Xiao knelt before the grave, respectfully offered a stick of incense, bowed three times, and then slowly stood up.
“Don’t worry, Uncle Huang Xiao. I’ll come to sweep your grave when you’re gone,” Jiang Xiao Bei said from the side.
“Thank you for that, Xiao Bei,” Huang Xiao nodded, exhaled deeply, took one last look at the hillside, and then turned resolutely.
“It’s time to leave.” Chu Yun looked up at the sky. The battle for the Flying Battleship was still ongoing. However, the other four great generals, including Tie Ao, had stopped taking action.
Clearly, after their attempts, they recognized the power of the Flying Battleship and realized that it was impossible to seize this treasure ship under the current circumstances.
This was already the third day.
In the sky, the original rainbow bridge had turned into vast expanses of blue. Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, violet—this was already the sixth rainbow bridge.
Rainbow Island was surrounded by a dense, five-colored mist. Various ships at the dock were hidden within the mist, appearing as faint silhouettes. This mist was actually formed by Rainbow Demons. Countless Rainbow Demons formed a massive barrier. Ships navigating within it now found it extremely difficult, as if they were moving through mud and oil.
This was the last day Rainbow Island was accessible.
When the final violet rainbow bridge among the seven rainbow bridges descended, the area around Rainbow Island would be enveloped in a dense, impenetrable seven-colored light curtain. Within the light curtain, starlight would twinkle, naturally indicating the treasures that had not been intercepted.
By then, the light curtain would be so thick and dense that without Rainbow Demons in hand, passage would be impossible, let alone sailing a ship.
Therefore, Chu Yun had to leave in advance, or he would be trapped on Rainbow Island for a full year.
Of course, many people chose to remain on the island voluntarily. Their goal was the various treasures floating in the mist. As the Rainbow Demons dispersed outward in large numbers in the latter half of the year, the mist would thin, presenting a prime opportunity to collect treasures.
The profession of Monster Tamer often relied on external forces. A unique Demonic creature could change the fate of a Monster Tamer and dictate their future development.
The mist surrounding Rainbow Island was like a treasure trove that seemed endlessly exploitable. It was common for people from humble backgrounds to find a treasure here, turning their lives around and embarking on a new path. They might even await better offers, garnering attention from various powers the following year.
“East of the rainbow, west of the rain; sons of the Shu family, daughters of the Ning family.” Among the four most renowned islands in the Archipelago, Rainbow Island was ranked first in the hearts of its people.
Rainbow Island was also known as the “Island Where Dreams Begin.” Legends about it, with new variations each year, never ceased.
Upon hearing that Chu Yun intended to leave, Huang Xiao spoke up, “There is still some time before the last rainbow bridge descends. Young Island Master, please accompany me. Xiao Bei, you too.”
The group followed Huang Xiao back to his thatched hut.
“These are treasures I’ve collected over the years, and I wish to present them all to my Young Island Master.” Huang Xiao led them to an underground secret chamber and opened more than ten large chests.
Instantly, the dimly lit underground chamber was brilliantly illuminated. Treasures of all colors—Demon Soldiers, Jade Slips, various rare natural resources—were displayed in a dazzling array, exuding a magnificent aura. Everyone present gasped in astonishment.
Chu Yun was also stunned by the sheer volume. In comparison, the treasures he had arduously collected were less than one percent of what lay before him!
This collection alone could rival the treasury of an ordinary first-rate power.
“Unbelievable…” someone murmured.
“Am I dreaming?” Wu Datou’s eyes gleamed with gold, his mouth agape, clearly losing composure.
“Heavens! Uncle Huang Xiao, you’re the wealthiest person on Rainbow Island! And yet you only live in such a humble hut. You’ve deceived everyone!” Jiang Xiao Bei exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief.
As their initial shock subsided, Chu Yun considered it and found it understandable.
Huang Xiao’s aptitude was poor, but from his past life’s memories, he knew Huang Xiao possessed the combat power of a Spirit Monster. This indicated that he must have consumed many Pills over the years to improve his aptitude.
“I’ve been on the island for 60 years. Apart from studying military treatises, my leisure activity has been treasure hunting. These treasures are quite ordinary, not comparable to a heavy treasure like the Flying Battleship. At best, they are high-level combat supplies. Please accept them, Young Island Master, and acknowledge my loyalty,” Huang Xiao said, cupping his hands towards Chu Yun.
“My goodness, these are ordinary? If the people on the island heard this, wouldn’t they just bang their heads against a wall in anger?” Jiang Xiao Bei felt speechless.
The scene before her was utterly beyond her expectations.
In her impression, Huang Xiao had always been holed up in this simple thatched hut, appearing poor and living an extremely frugal life in every aspect.
She never imagined that Huang Xiao possessed such immense wealth. She felt dizzy, as if she were in a dream.
“Alright, I accept all of these. You’ve earned merit!” Chu Yun exclaimed happily. He turned and ordered his attendants to begin moving the large redwood chests.
The treasure chests were heavy. It required four soldiers each, supporting the chest from the corners, gritting their teeth, muscles straining with all their might, just to move them.
“Be quick and careful.” He couldn’t help but caution. The value of this wealth was immense, making even him feel a little uneasy. If discovered, it would likely incite rampant looting, making him a target, and he would be unable to fend off a crowd driven mad by greed with his current strength.
Fortunately, the Flying Battleship had captured most people’s attention. Chu Yun also ordered the chests to be wrapped in black cloth for camouflage, so they wouldn’t appear as chests. After all, large redwood chests were too eye-catching.
They returned to the battleship without incident, and everyone collectively let out a sigh of relief.
“Huang Xiao, perform well under Young Island Master Chu, and don’t let your mother down…” Uncle Jiang earnestly admonished before they parted.
“Don’t worry, Uncle Jiang. You take care of yourself too. I’ll visit when I have the chance,” Huang Xiao said, his eyes slightly reddening.
Before leaving, he reminded Jiang Xiao Bei again, “The vegetable patch in the yard is the most precious to me. I hope Xiao Bei can help me look after it.”
“Mm-hmm. Uncle Huang Xiao, don’t worry,” Jiang Xiao Bei replied, tears welling up and her voice choked with emotion.
“Set sail!” Chu Yun finally gave the order. The Shu family’s fleet unfurled its sails and slowly began to move. The five-colored mist soon obscured the ships, and the fleet disappeared from the sight of the grandfather and grandchild.
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