Chapter 3 - Azure Sky Boundary

Azure Sky Boundary

Chen Yang “Wasn’t home in three weeks? Where did he go?”

Steward Wu “City Lord, after your ordered I sent a servant to find Young Master. The servant found that there was already a servant waiting for Seventh Young master outside his court yard, who have been waiting for him past three weeks on order of fifth Young Master. There was no news of him in this three weeks. He tried to contact others but the news got ignored.”

He spoke everything he knew. Everyone near by heard this and were bit confused.

Chen Yue who was near by came to city lord and spoke “Father I went to meet seventh brother and didn’t find him there , so I asked a servant to let me know when he comes back.”

Chen Yang facial expressions didn’t change much. His heart was beating very fast hearing this.

Chen Yang “I will look into this after banquet.” he spoke in dignified expression. Chen Yang immediately went to his own courtyard silently.

Everyone understood something big is going on.

City Lord “Steward Wu, inquire deeper into this. Find every information related to Qi’er. Meet all his friends and acquintances. I want to know everything by morning.”

City Lord sat on his chair , his heart was beating very fast. His heart is telling something big is happening.

Even though he didn’t had much contact with Chen Qi, he is his son after all. He is son of his most beloved woman. Even though he blamed him for her death and didn’t see him much as son. He is still his son. His heart was screaming crisis now. He remembered that lean and gentle face he saw in last banquet. He was just 9 year old. He face looked more like his mother and his eyes were more like him.

There were only 6 instances he saw him. Never met him.

Whole mansion was in chaos after that. Steward Wu along with few loyal servants dispersed from mansion trying to find everything about Young Master.

It was already morning and there was no news about Chen Qi yet and City Lord decided to intervene himself.

He slowly walked towards the north west courtyard that was allocated to Chen Qi. There were over dozen guards following him. When he entered the courtyard he saw a youth there.

Chen Yang “Chen Rou what are you doing here in Qi’er’s courtyard.” Chen Rou was on of his nephews . Chen family is a big family. There are over 50 direct descendants. The huge family has more than thousand people combining main branch and branch families.

Chen Rou “Chen Rou met uncle. Uncle this courtyard was allotted to me after my spiritual root test.” he said confused.

Chen Yang clearly remembered giving the north west courtyard to Chen Qi.He did it personally. Even though it was in corner of mansion , but it was spacious one and free from noices and pollutions, very near to garden. It can be considered as one of best rooms available. He choose is specially for Chen Qi.

Immediatly a steward came and reported to City Lord.

“City Lord, when we were entertaining guest of Nie family , Young Master volunteered to change his courtyard for guests. After that this courtyard was allotted to Young Master Rou.”

When Chen Yang heard this he was furious. He understood what ‘ Volunteer’ here means. He is forced out of his courtyard. Nie family, city lords of Nie city at the center of Qi province. Their visit it has been over three years.

City Lord was furious but did not breakout he wanted to find in depth about it “Where is Qi’ers courtyard?” servant didn’t dare to delay and lead way to Chen Qi’s courtyard.

When Chen Yang saw Chen Qi’s courtyard his heart was bleeding, it is a courtyard in servant quarters. Even lowest of branch families have a better courtyard than this.His fury was raising hot.He is his own son and his treatment is worse than that of a branch family. Equal to servants.

Seeing City Lord coming all the servants in the surroundings gathered there. That servant was still standing guard at courtyard.

Chen Yang “When is the last time you saw Qi’er?”

Servant “Lord, before four weeks, I delivered ,a couple recovery pill to Young Master.”

Chen Yang “Recovery Pills? Why?”

Servant “I heard , Young master had a duel with someone and was beaten miserably. Young Master Po asked us to get medicine pills to him.”

Chen Yang “How serious were injuries?”

Servant ” His right arm was dislocated. He lost lot of blood. He would be able to recover in a week with pills. None of the injuries were life threatening.”

Chen Yang “How often does this happen?”

Servant was silent and didn’t respond to this.” We don’t know lord. Young master hardly comes in contact with others.”

Chen Yang “How many times did you personally deliver medicines to him.”

Servant “Five times my lord.”

Chen Yang “Which medicine?”

Servant “Recovery medicine , standard issue.”

Chen Yang’s heart was bleeding hearing this. That standard issue medicines were for commoners and servants. No one is Chen family use them. He is Chen families Young Master he should get Revival Pills which can heal such injuries in a day .

Chen Yang “Who sends him food and all?”

Servant “Young master prepares them himself my Lord.”

Chen Yang then entered inside the courtyard and found everything neatly arranged. There was dust every where as it was not maintained for around a month. When Chen Yang entered the cooking area and the food items and stocks were left there as they were. His heart was aching seeing everything Even the steward who was following city lord felt a heart ache. He was personal steward of City Lord he used to take care of all things of City Lord so he didn’t have much idea on what is happening outside.

He understood what kind of life was young master living.

Chen Yang left courtyard and went to the main hall , where all the medicines and rations were allotted to everyone.

Chen Yang “Steward Ma ,I want the register of this months allowances.”

Chen Yang didn’t ask him he just took the book before him and started skimming through this.

Chen Yang “Steward Ma, what are the allowances Qi’er receives.

Steward Ma was scared but responded “Young Master should receive 200 gold coins a month, Ten Qi pills and 5 body tempering pills.”

Chen Yang looking at register frowned.

Chen Yang “It has been a month since Qi’er is missing and you noted that he took this months allowances this month. If that is so, you should be the last person Qi’er met.”

Hearing this Steward Ma was thunder struck. His heart skipped the beat and his back was already covered in sweat.

Immediately he fell on the floor kneeling and begging forgiveness.

Chen Yang didn’t bother and just kicked him. Guards already surrounded him and took him to custody.

Chen Yang “Don’t expect you can escape punishment. Tell me what is happening and I may try to lessen it.” his voice was very calm but everyone understood, he already reached tipping point.

Steward Ma “Lord, I did everything on orders of Zhou Man.”

Chen Yang “I thought it is city lord mansion, I didn’t know it is changed to Zhou family.”

Chen Yang “What are Chen Qi’s allowances? What did you do to the rest?”

Steward Ma “5 gold coins.” he said he knew he is going to die for sure.

Chen Yang “What happened to his resources?”

Steward Ma didn’t respond to it directly but he knew he will have to answer it.

Steward Ma “They were distributed to other young masters.”

Chen Yang “Great. What is salary of servants in outer yard?”

Steward Ma was dumbstruck hearing this question.

Chen Yang called for a servant and asked him the same.

Servant “Sir, we receive, 3 gold coins every month.”

Chen Yang “I didn’t know my bloodline is just above a servant.” he said laughing out loud.

Chen Yang “Pills?”

Steward Ma was silent and didn’t respond. Chen Yang didn’t spoke anything and walked away from there. Guards took Steward Ma into custody.

Chen Yang next destination was Martial Hall, where cultivation techniques, martial skills and treasures are located.

The news of Chen Qi missing already spread out across the city. Steward Wu already completed part of investigation.

Chen Yang “Elder Lu, what is Chen Qi’s cultivation technique?” he asked directly without wasting another word.

Elder Lu already understood he is doomed today.

Elder Lu was already kneeling on the ground. His face was pale and shen hearing this.

Chen Yang was already skimming through the registration book. He already expected it.

Elder Lu “Young Master Qi didn’t receive any cultivation Technique from Martial Hall, My Lord.”

Chen Yang ” Why?”

Elder Lu “Young Master’s spiritual root didn’t have any attribute and and.” He know it was just an excuse. With or without Spiritual root Chen Qi being son of City lord was supposed to receive an High Grade Yellow cultivation Technique. At the least he should have gotten a middle grade technique.

Chen Yang “Oh! Just because he didn’t have any attribute, he was made to give up his chance to cultivate.”

Chen Yang even doubted whether his spiritual root test was proper or not.

Chen Yang ” I need the Water Film recording of Qi’ers spiritual root test.

Just as Chen Yang spoke that Elder Lu and other Martial Hall elders rushed to get the recordings.

Steward Wu came at the right time. His face was pale and colorless. Seeing him Chen Yang already understood news was not good.

Chen Yang “Is he alive?” Chen Yang spoke bringing up all his strength.

Steward Wu “We don’t know city lord. But..”

Chen Yang “What happened?”

Steward Wu “Childe Qi didn’t go missing. ”

Chen Yang hearing this felt relieved but seeing expressions of Steward Wu, he understood things are not as simple as he said.

Steward Wu “Young Master Qi left Chen City by himself.”

Chen Yang “Was he forced to go? Did some one threaten him to leave city?”

Steward Wu has tears in his eyes. “No City Lord. He was planning to leave city for long time.”

Chen Yang “What is happening?”

Steward Wu “City Lord. There are very few in the city who know about the existence of Young Master Qi. For past three years young master worked as a helper in Mo families weapon store. He worked as an apprentice there and was learning about forging all kinds of weapons. In two and half years he is already capable of forging all kinds of common grade weapons.He is already considered a grade 1 weapon smith.”

Steward Wu “He also worked at Mo families and apprenticed himself to Pill Refiner Qin, from him I got to know that Young Master Qi is a super genius , he could learn anything seeing it just once. If he practices and Fire attributed cultivation technique and form a fire, He would directly jump to becoming a Grade 1 alchemist.”

Chen Yang “He was a genius then. Does Mo family have anything to do with it.”

Steward Wu “No City lord. They were shocked knowing he is young master of Chen family.”

Chen Yang “And?”

Steward Wu “For past three years , there are three places where Young master was found frequently.”

Chen Yang “What is third place?”

Steward Wu “City Library. He spent most of the time in the library, it is even rumored that there is no book in the library that young master didn’t touch. Including the cultivation techniques and martial skills.” Chen Yang has released all low grade techniques and skills to the city library so that even commoners get a chance to cultivate. This move of his caused a revolution in the province and was slowly adopted by every city in the province. This improved the number of cultivators by 300%increasing the forces of Chen City to face beast tides.

Even though they are just low grade cultivation techniques they allow a person to reach till Qi Refining stage. Which is more than enough for them to roam freely in Qi province without fearing the beasts.

Steward Wu “Three weeks ago, Mo family blacksmith told me that, Young master borrowed the store for three nights continuously and he left fourth day morning. He was carrying a strange looking thing on his back. It looked like a bag but very different from normal ones.

Steward Wu ” He spent around 300KGs of Red Iron in this four days. There was no wastage my lord.”

Steward Wu “He also bought large amount of ingredients and pills from pill house.”

Chen Yang “Where did he get all the money from? All the allowances he got from family are still lying in his courtyard.”

Steward Wu didn’t have to answer that question, Chen Qi worked part time in three places saving every penny for this.

Chen Yang “And?”

Steward Wu “His last sighting was in north port where he brought a fishing boat from an old fisher man.”

Chen Yang almost collapsed on ground hearing this.

Steward Wu “The probable location he left for is , Azure Sky Boundary.”

Chen Yang “Did he also buy a set of new clothes and left the old ones by the bank.”

Steward Wu didn’t reply but answer was clear to everyone who heard this.

Chen Yang “He severed all ties with Chen family. He don’t owe a thing that belongs to Chen family.”

His heart was aching as he said that. He has no attachments to Chen family.