The moon-white sword-light had appeared and vanished as swiftly as a dream. Yet, the shock it left behind remained etched deep within the minds of all present.
Ly Thuan, the Grand Steward of the Marquis of Vinh An and a Foundation Establishment expert, stood frozen by the riverbank. His face, already blackened by soot, was now pale with terror. That streak of sword-qi had carried no killing intent, yet the sensation of being utterly seen through—the feeling that all his spiritual energy and defenses were rendered meaningless before it—was the most terrifying thing of all. He stared fixedly at the green-robed fisherman upon the small boat, his heart churning with waves of horror.
Sword Intent! That was the legendary Sword Intent! Who... just who is this man? To think the Manor of the Duke of Dingguo possessed such a terrifying figure!
Tran Kien also stood rooted to the spot, still maintaining his saber-swinging posture. Being the closest, he had felt the subtle marvel of that sword-light most clearly. It had not destroyed Ly Thuan's palm print through brute force, but rather through "dissolution." It had sought out the weakest point in the structure of the spiritual energy and pierced through it gently, causing the entire powerful attack to collapse from within. This was a realm of martial cultivation that exceeded his wildest imaginations.
"Are you still not boarding the boat?"
The fisherman's calm voice rang out once more, pulling Tran Kien back to reality.
Trinh Cong was the first to react. Without a moment's hesitation, he grabbed the still-dazed Lam Vy and stumbled into the river, swimming toward the small vessel. "Many thanks to Senior for saving our lives!"
Tran Kien also immediately sheathed his saber. Without sparing Ly Thuan a single glance, he leaped into the cool water. He swam as swiftly as an otter, reaching the side of the boat in just a few strokes.
The green-robed fisherman said nothing, merely giving his sleeve a light flick. A gentle, irresistible force lifted the three of them from the water, depositing them dryly into the boat's cabin.
On the shore, Ly Thuan watched this scene, his expression turning even more unsightly. He knew that today, the prey had truly slipped through his fingers. With this person here, even if he summoned twice the manpower, it would be futile.
"Your Excellency from the Duke of Dingguo's Manor, you chose to interfere in the affairs of our Marquis of Vinh An today," Ly Thuan said through gritted teeth, struggling to salvage a shred of face. "This debt is one our Marquis will surely come to collect one day."
The fisherman seemed to have just heard a joke. He raised his head slightly, his conical hat tilting back to reveal a resolute, middle-aged face. There were a few wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, but his gaze was as bright and profound as the boundless ocean.
"Go back and tell your master," he spoke, his tone calm yet carrying a majesty that brooked no dissent. "The Crown Princess Consort and the Young Lady of our Duke of Dingguo's Manor are not things a mere shrimp like him can touch. If he dares to play any more shadow games, the next thing to fly forth won't be sword-qi, but his very head."
Having finished, he deigned to look at Ly Thuan no longer. He lightly tapped the side of the boat with his bamboo flute. The small vessel, requiring neither oars nor sails, slowly turned and glided silently across the dark river. Fast as a darting fish, it merged into the night and vanished without a trace in an instant.
Ly Thuan stood there, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles cracked. Crown Princess Consort? Young Lady? He was stunned. Trinh Lam Vy... was actually the daughter of the Duke's Heir who had vanished years ago? This... this was a massive affair!
A profound silence reigned aboard the small boat. It glided through the night soundlessly, save for the gentle lapping of water against the hull.
Trinh Cong and Lam Vy, having finally regained their composure, immediately knelt before the green-robed fisherman.
"Subordinate Trinh Cong greets Sword Uncle!" Trinh Cong said, his voice filled with both reverence and shame. "This subordinate was incompetent, failing to protect the Young Lady and forcing you to take action personally."
Lam Vy also bowed her head, her voice small: "Lam Vy pays respects to Sword Uncle."
"All of you, stand up," the fisherman, Sword Uncle, let out a soft sigh. "This was not your fault. The enemy was at the Foundation Establishment stage while you were only at Qi Condensation. To have protected the Young Lady this far was no easy feat."
He turned to look at Tran Kien, who sat silently in a corner of the boat, regulating the chaotic flow of qi and blood within his body.
"As for this boy," Sword Uncle looked him up and down. His profound gaze seemed capable of peering through both the Primordial Qi and the fragment of the Sun-Star Protection within the youth. "His physical body is tempered exceptionally well, and the aura within him is quite unique—upright and grand. He possesses both resourcefulness and courage in abundance. Not bad. Truly not bad. What is your name?"
"Junior Tran Kien greets Senior," Tran Kien cupped his hands, not daring to be disrespectful. "What happened today was merely a coincidence; Junior does not deserve Senior's praise."
"A coincidence?" Sword Uncle chuckled softly. "In this world, there are not many such coincidences. You saved the Young Lady of our house; that is the truth. Our Duke of Dingguo's Manor owes you a debt of gratitude."
"Sword Uncle," Lam Vy finally spoke up, her face still showing traces of lingering fear but now tinged with curiosity. "How did you know we were here?"
"After you left the Capital, the Duke secretly sent word to me," Sword Uncle explained. "He knew that with Trinh Cong's meager strength, he could never safely escort you to the Indigo Capital. He wanted me to follow and protect you in the shadows. I originally intended to wait until the direst moment to intervene, to give you a chance to temper yourself. I did not expect an interesting variable like this boy to appear midway."
He glanced at Tran Kien again, his gaze full of deep meaning.
Tran Kien remained silent. This chessboard, as it turned out, had another player—a true "fisherman" who had been quietly observing from start to finish. The feeling of having his every action scrutinized made him somewhat uncomfortable, but he also knew that without this man, he and the other two would surely have perished tonight.
"Senior praises me too much," he could only reply modestly.
The boat continued to glide through the night, moving far away from Lac Nam Town, following the great river toward the west.
Tran Kien sat there, watching the water shimmering under the moonlight. His mind was a tangled mess of a hundred threads. The Duke of Dingguo, the Marquis of Vinh An, the Princess Consort, the Young Lady... These noble titles had opened a door to a completely different world—a world of power struggles at the highest echelons, far more complex and dangerous than the simple grievances of the common martial world.
By chance, he had saved a girl, never imagining she possessed such a staggering identity. He had been inadvertently swept into a political vortex without even knowing it.
The journey to the Indigo Capital to seek the Lac Viet legacy was no longer a solitary trek. It was now bound to the fates of other figures and other powers.
The road ahead seemed to grow more blurred and unpredictable with every passing league.