Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies

"Be careful, be careful, this is the master's favorite vase."

"The box is too heavy, come give me a hand."

"Someone, go fetch a horse quickly."

At the entrance of the Zhou Family Mansion, the figures of the servants bustled tirelessly, either carrying heavy luggage on their shoulders and hands, or carefully moving delicate porcelain and paintings, constantly loading onto the carriages at the entrance of the mansion.

...

Among the many carriages, one made of sandalwood and inlaid with silver threads was particularly conspicuous.

Zhou Xintong sat within, dressed in a finely-crafted brocade robe, his gaze intermittently passing through the half-open carriage curtains.

"Is everything arranged properly?"

The elderly servant outside the carriage smiled and said, "Back to Young Master Five, everything is now ready."

"Then let's not delay any longer, let's go," Zhou Xintong said, pulling the curtains shut.

The elderly servant stepped forward and exclaimed, "Order from Young Master Five, depart!"

At his command, the well-prepared Zhou family members, as if driven by an invisible force, majestically headed toward the city gate.

The wheels rolled over the bluestone road, making a dull, rhythmic sound.

Zhou Dingwen looked towards the mansion he had strived to build; his heart filled with mixed feelings.

"Father, are we really leaving Taiping County?" Zhou Jishan, sitting beside Zhou Dingwen, said reluctantly.

"Do you think I want to?" Zhou Dingwen replied, gently patting his son's hand, "You do not know the power our Zhou family holds in Yongzhou. Your uncle, your second uncle, any one of them could squash our entire Zhou family with a slap, and we dare not defy the order from the head of the family."

"Besides, the Huang Tian Sect is about to attack the city soon. Staying here would mean losing everything. It's better to preserve our lives in Yongzhou. Once things here settle down, we can come back."

Zhou Jishan's face still showed great discontent, his gaze involuntarily drifted towards the carriage frame ahead, appearing somewhat resentful.

If it weren't for this interference, in a few more years, he would have taken over the Zhou family of Taiping county, calling the shots in the Inner City.

But now, with this situation, all of it had become an illusion.

At home, assets were sold off, and servants dismissed, which caused a more than one-third decrease after this incident.

Zhou Jishan was no fool; he understood that once their family moved to Yongzhou, it meant leaving their hometown behind to depend on others, and the future was bound to be extremely tough.

As the caravan slowly moved farther away, the Zhou Family Mansion gradually disappeared from Zhou Dingwen's sight.

Taiping County was backed by mountains and facing the Yanshui River.

The Yanshui River, like a jade belt, circled around the outside of Taiping County.

The morning sun poured down on the not-so-wide river surface like molten gold, making it shimmer brilliantly.

At that moment, a massive boathouse docked on an slightly aging ferry terminal by the bank of the Yanshui River.

Its deck was wide, and with flying eaves curling upwards, it looked like a floating palace, forming a stark contrast with the simple fishing boats around.

On the deck of the boathouse, Manager Zhou Hao, who was gazing into the distance, suddenly turned serious and instructed the nearby servants, "Hurry and prepare, the Young Master Five has arrived."

At his command, the uniformly dressed servants quickly disembarked from the boathouse, lined up neatly at the edge of the ferry terminal, each with a solemn expression.

Manager Zhou Hao also disembarked and stood respectfully in front of the servants.

The Zhou family's departing caravan gradually approached and reached the boathouse in no time.

Zhou Hao quickly walked to the front of that distinctive carriage and bowed, saying, "Everything is ready for the young master."

"It was a great help from Manager Zhou to assist Lord Jiu. His family had quite the chaotic time relocating back to the county town."

"Yes, Young Master Five, I will certainly give my utmost support."

The carriage started moving again and under the escort of the servants, it was directly led into the tower ship.

"The rest of you help Lord Zhou move the luggage onto the ship," someone commanded.

Under Zhou Hao's orders, the usually deserted ferry terminal bustled with unusual activity today.

On the tower ship, Zhou Xintong familiarly walked into the elegant room on the third floor.

This small chamber, no more than ten square meters, was fully equipped with fruits, pastries, books, classics, stone weights, bows, arrows, and precious swords.

Zhou Xintong sat behind the long desk, lit some incense, and said to the old servant, "Uncle Tai, I'm sorry to trouble you, but please ask Brother Jishan and Uncle Wu to come here."

The old servant did not ask any questions. He directly leaped off the tower ship and found the Zhou brothers, saying, "My young master invites you both up."

Zhou Congwu's eyelid twitched, and he immediately had a bad premonition. He asked, "May I know why the young master has summoned us?"

The old servant smiled and said, "How would I, a mere servant, know the master's business?"

"Thank you," Brother Jishan grasped his brother's wrist, stepped forward, and said, "Let's go."

After Uncle Tai, the old servant, left, Zhou Jishan said to his brother Zhou Congwu, "I don't know why the young master has summoned us, but when we get there, we should respond to all changes with constancy. Make sure not to speak carelessly."

"Alright."

The two went upstairs together, walked into the elegant room, and saw Zhou Xintong savoring his tea.

Zhou Jishan stepped forward and asked, "Young master, you wanted to see us?"

Zhou Xintong put down the tea cup and said to Zhou Jishan, "Uncle, three days have passed. Have you found out what I asked you to?"

Zhou Jishan's expression changed as he explained, "The matter with sister twelve has been long resolved. We had already investigated it at that time, and it was all covert interference from within our family."

As the head of the main branch, Zhou Xintong looked directly at Zhou Jishan and said, "Didn't you follow up on the leads I provided you?"

"I…"

Zhou Xintong sneered, "It seems my words do not carry much weight here, Uncle Tai."

Before he had finished speaking, the old servant standing behind Zhou Congwu had already moved, striking with a speed that was astonishing.

He extended his fingers, which slammed into the back of Zhou Congwu's head like a pair of iron pliers.

Thump.

A crisp sound.

Zhou Congwu's eyes widened instantly, filled with confusion and shock, but these emotions vanished in an instant, replaced by a vacant and bewildered expression.

His body seemed to have had all its strength sapped away, and he collapsed forward limply, his eyes vacant as he gradually lost his breath.

He died right before Zhou Jishan, alive one moment and gone the next.

Zhou Xintong picked up his teacup again, his gaze not lingering on Zhou Jishan even for a second, as if he was merely savoring the aroma of the tea, "Now, Uncle, do you remember what you found out?"

The sudden change caused Zhou Jishan's face to turn deathly pale, his lips quivering slightly.

He clenched his fingers tightly, the knuckles prominent, as if struggling to control his emotions.

Zhou Jishan realized that the man before him did not regard him as kin; he saw them as servants to be merged into his household.

Not mentioning it earlier or later, but just after they got on the ship, this was clearly intentional, using his brother's life to assert his authority!

Investigating the murderer was just an excuse!

Zhou Jishan had already inquired about the young master of the main branch, who was already of the Yu Luo Realm, capable of assimilating nature's spiritual energy, truly a martial artist on the path to transcendence.
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He was no match for him.

A glimmer of despair flickered in Zhou Jishan's eyes.