Yang Guo: I'm invincible in the opening battle against Aunt Guo!

Two days later, at dawn.

The pier on Peach Blossom Island.

A ship is ready.

Huang Rong stood on the dock, her expression calm.

His gaze swept across the familiar island, the lush peach groves, and the rolling hills, finally settling on the two people in front of him, fully prepared to depart.

Guo Fu's face flushed with excitement. She was wearing a brand-new peach-colored riding and archery outfit, carrying a small bundle on her back, with a short sword at her waist, and she kept looking around.

"Mother, when does the boat depart?"

Yang Guo stood a step behind.

Today, he was also dressed in a simple black outfit, with an upright posture and a dignified air.

"Fu'er, calm down."

Huang Rong spoke to her daughter in a gentle voice.

"Okay, Mother." Guo Fu stuck out her tongue, ran to Yang Guo's side, and laughed, looking up at him.

"Brother Yang, I heard there will be many masters at the Xiangyang Heroes' Gathering. Are you going to participate in the competition?"

Yang Guo smiled slightly and ruffled her hair: "Sister Fu, you think too highly of me. There are many capable and extraordinary people in the world. This trip is to assist Uncle Guo in fighting against foreign enemies. Personal victory or defeat is not important."

"Oh..." Guo Fu seemed to understand, but felt that everything Brother Yang said made sense.

It was still that familiar sailboat, over two zhang long.

Huang Rong was the first to step onto the springboard, her gait steady and composed.

Guo Fu followed happily.

Yang Guo was the last to leave, just as he was about to board the ship.

He turned and looked back once more at the island where he had lived for two and a half years.

The peach blossoms are in full bloom, and the blue sea remains unchanged.

Here, he transformed from an uncertain young man into a powerful figure who stepped into the realm of grandmaster.

Here, he forged the deepest connection with the world-renowned female strategist Zhuge Liang.

Leaving today marks the beginning of the true world of martial arts, a world of family, country, and the world, a world of turmoil and danger, and a much broader stage.

He took a deep breath of the sea-scented air, turned around without looking back, and stepped onto the deck.

The gangplank was retracted, and the sailboat slowly left the dock, heading into the deep blue sea.

Peach Blossom Island gradually shrank in the field of vision, eventually turning into a verdant trace at the end of the blue waves.

At this moment, Huang Rong personally stood at the helm.

Inside the cabin, Guo Fu sat opposite Yang Guo, resting her chin on her hand, looking rather bored.

"Brother Yang, it takes several days to travel from the sea to Jiaxing, and then on horseback to Xiangyang. Could you tell me the story again?"

Yang Guo pondered for a moment.

He cleared his throat and began to tell a story that had been adapted to fit the current context.

This story was adapted by Yang Guo, and also incorporated his modern perspective.

It didn't take long for Guo Fu to burst into laughter.

The silvery laughter even reached Huang Rong's ears through the cabin, who was at the helm.

Huang Rong's lips couldn't help but curl up slightly. Yang Guo always had some strange yet captivating stories, and Fu'er was completely under his control.

She shook her head and continued to focus on the course.

"Therefore, in the world of martial arts, sometimes it is not just about being brave and relentless. Assessing the situation and leaving room for maneuver are also ways to survive."

Yang Guo summarized the story with a simple principle.

"Yes! Brother Yang is right!"

Guo Fu nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with admiration. "Brother Yang, you know so much! Tell me another one!"

Yang Guo smiled and stood up: "There will be plenty of time to tell the story later. Sitting for too long is boring. Let's go see if your mother needs any help, and also enjoy the sea breeze."

"Okay!" Guo Fu immediately jumped up and followed Yang Guo out of the cabin.

The two went outside.

Huang Rong remained standing there, her posture upright, focused on maneuvering the sailboat.

The sea breeze was much stronger than inside the cabin, causing her clothes to cling to her body and accentuate her curvaceous figure.

Yang Guo was positioned slightly above the helm, and the ship was gently rocking and swaying in the waves. From this angle, his peripheral vision inadvertently swept over Huang Rong's collar.

As she manipulated the sail ropes and rudder, her clothes were pulled open slightly.

In that fleeting glimpse, a patch of snow-white, delicate skin was faintly visible, its curves astonishing, and the bottomless cleavage became even more breathtakingly alluring amidst the turbulence, as if beneath a calm and composed exterior lay molten lava capable of consuming reason.

Yang Guo's eyes darkened slightly, and he quickly looked away, gazing at the vast sea. His Adam's apple bobbed almost imperceptibly.

The true energy within the body, according to the "Yin Yang Harmony Chapter," seemed to stir slightly.

"Mother, are you tired? Do you need me to help you?" Guo Fu asked, unaware of Huang Rong's presence.

"No need, we'll be there soon."

Huang Rong's voice remained steady, but upon closer listening, it seemed slightly more tense than usual.

She seemed to sense that brief yet penetrating gaze, her ears burning slightly, and she subconsciously pulled her cloak tighter.

Jiaxing, a hidden river mouth.

Huang Rong skillfully steered the sailboat into the previously secluded river channel, moored it, and brought it to a stop.

"The horses and luggage were previously stored at the 'Sihai Carriage and Horse Shop' in the city."

Huang Rong nimbly jumped off the boat and said to the two men, "Let's go into the city to get our horses and have something to eat, then we'll set off immediately. It's more than two thousand li from here to Xiangyang. Without horses, we don't know how long it will take to get there on foot."

The three of them walked into Jiaxing City.

The city remained bustling and noisy, a world apart from the tranquil Peach Blossom Island.

At the Four Seas Carriage and Horse Shop, Huang Rong presented the token and successfully retrieved the two fine horses and a gentle mare she had deposited.

The horses were well cared for and were in high spirits.

After having a simple lunch at a clean restaurant in the city, the three of them didn't linger and mounted their horses.

Huang Rong rode a magnificent white horse, Guo Fu rode a gentle chestnut mare, and Yang Guo rode a jet-black horse with snow-white hooves.

The horses' hooves clattered, raising a light dust. The three of them rode in pairs, Huang Rong and Guo Fu walking side by side, with Yang Guo trailing behind.

After leaving Jiaxing City, we sped along the official road towards Xiangyang.

At dusk, beside the official road, stood the Yuelai Inn.

As dusk fell, with no village or shop in sight, only this inn with the character "悦" (yue, meaning joy) hanging on it stood alone by the roadside.

"Let's rest here tonight and continue our journey tomorrow morning," Huang Rong said, reining in her horse and glancing at the inn's somewhat worn sign.

The three dismounted, handed the horses over to the waiter who came out to feed and clean them, and then entered the inn's lobby.

The hall was brightly lit, but it was packed with merchants and江湖人士 (jianghu figures) from all over the country. The noise was deafening, and the air was thick with the smells of food, wine, and sweat.

"Manager, I'd like three superior rooms," Huang Rong said to the manager behind the counter.

The portly innkeeper raised his greasy face, forcing an apologetic smile: "Oh dear, madam, I'm so sorry, so sorry! Our inn is fully booked today, and we really... only have one superior room left. You see..."

"One room?" Huang Rong frowned.

"Yes, there's only one room left. A customer was in a hurry and cancelled the reservation, otherwise there wouldn't even be this one left."

The innkeeper rubbed his hands together. "Within a radius of twenty miles, this is the only inn that can provide accommodation."

Guo Fu glanced at the crowded lobby, then at her mother's troubled expression, and suggested:

"Mom, there's only one room, can the three of us squeeze in? The bed's big enough!"

Huang Rong didn't speak immediately, her gaze sweeping over the noisy environment.

Three people sharing a room... She glanced at Yang Guo subconsciously.

Yang Guo immediately said, "Master Gan, Sister Fu, you two can stay in the rooms. I'll find a corner in the main hall to meditate for the night, which will be perfect for keeping watch."

His expression was calm, and his tone was sincere, as if he genuinely cared about them.

Huang Rong's heart stirred slightly.

Leaving a young man like him to sit alone in such a chaotic hall all night, not to mention the safety concerns, would also make her master seem heartless if word got out.

Moreover... after the hot spring incident, she could no longer regard Yang Guo merely as a disciple.

That hidden connection made it impossible for her to accept his "grievance" so readily.

Hesitation lasts only a moment.

Huang Rong's cool voice rang out: "No need. When traveling, there's no need to be so formal. Manager, we'll take that room. Also, bring up some hot water and a simple meal."

"Alright! Room number three, please come upstairs!" The manager quickly handed over the key.

Yang Guo said no more, took the keys and luggage, and followed Huang Rong and Guo Fu upstairs.

The room was indeed quite spacious and clean, with a large bed, a round table, a few chairs, and a small clean room separated by a screen.

The weather was hot and humid, and even with the windows open, there was little cool breeze; instead, there were buzzing mosquitoes.

"Ugh, it's so hot!"

As soon as Guo Fu entered the room, she couldn't help but fan herself with her hand, and sweat was already visible on her forehead.

"Mom, I've been traveling all day, and I'm covered in dust and sweat. I feel so sticky and uncomfortable. I want to take a bath!"

Wasn't Huang Rong herself the same?

She was always very clean, and at that moment she felt uncomfortable all over.

She glanced at the bathtub behind the screen, then at Yang Guo in the room, and said thoughtfully, "Have the servants bring up some hot water first. Fu'er, you go first and wash quickly."

Guo Fu happily agreed.

Soon, the waiter brought in hot water and poured it into the bathtub.

Guo Fu took her change of clothes and slipped behind the screen.

Soon after, the sound of rushing water and her humming could be heard.