Myriad Rivers to the Sea

Chapter 1088: A River For Two

Li Yu stood on the balcony of his pagoda and watched the morning mist roll across the surface of the Five Star Lakes. He was finally settled back into his estate and his followers were busy building their own lives within the clan. Li Yu now had the freedom to focus on the one thing that occupied his mind for the last several weeks. It was time to find a nice place for his date.His parents and his grandfather were away dealing with their own matters so he could not ask them for advice on local scenic spots. After thinking it through, he actually preferred this situation because he wanted to find the spot himself. He thought it would be much nicer to discover it on his own rather than simply visiting a location someone else told him about. Li Yu stepped off the balcony and took to the sky while flying south.

He spent several hours soaring over towering mountain peaks and deep valleys across the home realm of the Zhan Clan. He eventually found a good place hidden away from the rest of the realm in a relatively remote area. A wide river flowed steadily through a relatively dense forest of ancient emerald trees and the water was crystal clear and the current was gentle enough to provide a relaxing journey. He followed the river for many miles until it eventually flowed into a beautiful secluded lake. The lake mirrored the bright blue sky and tall weeping willows lined the shore. Li Yu decided on that specific route right then and there, now he just needed a boat to ride along it.

Li Yu headed back to the central merchant district of the Zhan Clan headquarters to find a suitable vessel. He browsed through a few high end pavilions and found several options that were specialized treasures that he could buy. The merchant showed him a small wooden boat that you could hold in the palm of your hand before tossing it into the water where it enlarged into a full sized ship. This was a common way for treasures to be created so they could be stored away easily.

He looked around the display room and picked one that looked nice with a rich mahogany finish. It was large enough that there was plenty of space for two people to move around but not too large so it still retained a cozy atmosphere. He also wanted to make sure that the two had to relatively remain closer to one another. Thankfully for Li Yu, the ship did not cost too much because it was not designed for battle or traversing dangerous void currents. It was simply built for leisurely traveling on the water with no defensive capabilities at all.

He bought the item and then took it to an artifactor located in the crafting district. Master Pwain was an older man who specialized in modifying treasures such as flying ships and defensive chariots. He specialized on making these combat treasures even more powerful or defensive and was well known within the area for his fine work. Li Yu placed the miniature boat on the wooden counter and offered a polite bow.

"Master Pwain, I need you to help me modify this ship for me." Li Yu requested. "I want you to carve in some different types of arrays to make the travel more smooth and stable on the water. I also need some added arrays so I can safely cook on there without burning the boat down and a cooling formation to chill drinks and other things."

Master Chen stroked his white beard and looked at the young man with a raised eyebrow. It was a rare request since the Zhan disciples mainly just wanted things modified for more power and durability in combat. Asking for a culinary cooling array on a boat was unheard of in his shop.

‘What an odd young man, is he someone visiting the Zhan Clan or did they have a family member with usual tastes?’ Master Pwain thought to himself but his face didn’t change at all.

"I can do that for you," Master Pwain agreed and told Li Yu the price for the additions. "The stabilization runes will take some time to carve properly and the temperature arrays require delicate balancing. You can leave it here and come back later this evening to pick it up as I have other things I need to finish first."

“That would be perfect, thank you.” Li Yu thanked the craftsman and paid him ahead of time.

He then spent the rest of his afternoon buying decorations for the boat for his date. He visited various artisan shops and gathered a collection of warm glowing lanterns, plush cushions and soft woven blankets. He came up with several ideas to help him set the mood on the boat and stored all the items carefully in his spatial ring.

Then he walked over to the food markets to buy the ingredients he needed for the meals. He had planned on hunting a really good tasting beast himself in the wild but given his recent trip to the Veil, he did not want to waste any more time finding an animal. He wanted to see Lian as soon as possible so he opted to buy the meat instead and asked the butcher for the best tasting cut available.

Li Yu returned to the artifactor to pick up the modified boat and flew back to his pagoda. He was all set to begin the preparations. He pulled out a communication jade and sent a message to Lian and asked her when she would be free while telling her it was for their romantic evening that was promised. Lian replied a few moments later and said if that was the case, she could be free tomorrow and Li Yu sent a message back saying that it worked great for him.

With the date officially scheduled, Li Yu went into his kitchen to prepare the ingredients for the next day. He cut a piece of the premium meat he bought from the market and cooked a small sample to try. He also pulled out a piece of meat he hunted with his mom a while ago and cooked a sample of that to compare the two. He took a bite of each and the one he hunted with his mom tasted much better so he decided he would use that instead.

It was the meat from a Sunfall Deer, a wild deer species that grew very fat during the summer months so the meat was extremely marbled and delicious when roasted slowly. He prepared the marinades, soaked the lotus seeds for the morning congee and packed his ingredients away for the next day.

The morning arrived with a bright sun, a cool breeze cutting through the emerald forest, the feeling of expectation and anticipation from Li Yu. He tossed the miniature treasure into the river and watched it expand into the beautiful mahogany boat. Li Yu jumped onto the wooden deck and began arranging the silk cushions near the center while hanging the lanterns along the wooden canopy.

He fussed over the placement of the blankets while also adjusting a lantern. He stepped back to look at it and then moved it an inch to the left as he wanted everything to be perfect. The ambient space near the riverbank rippled and Lian stepped out of a spatial tear. She wore a flowing dress of deep crimson silk instead of her usual heavy dragon scale armor and her dark hair cascaded down her shoulders while she looked incredibly beautiful under the morning light.

Li Yu felt his heart skip a beat as he offered his hand to help her onto the deck even though that was completely unnecessary. He was feeling incredibly nervous all of a sudden and his palms felt slightly sweaty as he guided her to the cushions. He unmoored the boat and the gentle current began to carry them down the winding river.

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"You went through a lot of trouble for this," Lian noted with a smile while looking around at the modified boat and the comfortable seating. "This is far more elaborate than a simple walk through a garden."

"I wanted it to be special," Li Yu replied with a stiff smile as he stood awkwardly near the edge of the canopy. "I promised you a romantic evening so I figured a romantic morning and afternoon should come with it to set the mood even better."

Lian took a seat on the plush silk cushions and smoothed her dress while settling in. She watched him standing rigidly and a playful spark entered her dark eyes.

"Are you planning to stand at attention the entire trip?" Lian asked with a soft hum. "Or perhaps you are afraid the boat will capsize if you relax?"

"I am just making sure the stabilization arrays are working," Li Yu defended himself while rubbing the back of his neck. "I have never done anything like this before. I want everything to go right."

"The boat is fine, Li Yu," Lian said while patting the cushion next to her. "Come sit. Or at least start doing whatever it is you have planned. Your nervous energy is going to scare all the fish or beautiful animals away."

Li Yu chuckled nervously and nodded his head. He walked over to the back of the boat and activated the cooking arrays to begin making breakfast as he was still a bit too nervous to stay still. The familiar motions of chopping ingredients and managing the heat helped him settle in and calm his racing nerves.

He prepared the delicate congee using Silver Moon Rice and simmered it with the sweet lotus seeds. Li Yu placed the bamboo shoots and wild mushrooms into a small steamer basket to heat the buns while brewing a pot of fragrant jasmine tea.

The rich scent of the food drifted across the deck and mixed with the fresh air of the forest. He served the food on a small wooden table between them and finally took his seat across from her with his nerves finally calmed by the cooking process. Lian picked up her spoon and took a small mouthful of the congee. Her eyes lit up with delight as the sweet and savory flavors melted in her mouth.

"This is exceptional," Lian praised honestly while taking another bite. "The rice is perfectly tender and the lotus seeds add a very subtle sweetness. You truly have a gift for cooking. You should set up shop instead of raising fish."

"I am glad you like it," Li Yu smiled while feeling good with the compliment. "I soaked the seeds overnight to make sure they were soft enough. I wanted something light to start the day off right."

Lian picked up a steamed bun and took a bite as well. "You spent all this time preparing food, modifying a boat and setting up a private river tour. You are setting a very high standard for the next hundred years."

"I have to work hard," Li Yu joked while pouring them both a cup of jasmine tea. "I am courting a Supreme General. I cannot just offer you street skewers and a walk around the training fields."

"I would not mind street skewers," Lian countered with a smile while accepting the teacup. "But I do prefer this. It is quiet and I rarely get to experience true quiet."

"That is exactly why I chose this place," Li Yu explained while gesturing with a smile toward the passing emerald trees. "Just the river, the forest and us."

They drifted deeper into the woods and the sounds of the outside world faded away entirely for the two onboard. The only noise was the gentle lapping of the water against the mahogany hull and the occasional chirp of a wild bird. Lian relaxed against the cushions and allowed herself to enjoy the moment while her burdens began to melt away.

"So," Lian began while resting her chin on her hand and looking at him with a teasing glint. "Tell me more about this training expedition you just returned from. Did you conquer any kingdoms or did you conquer hearts or did you just find more people to bring back to your estate?"

Li Yu nearly choked on his tea and swallowed hard while looking at her in surprise. "How do you know about that?"

"I am the commander of the Veiled Lotus," Lian reminded him with a smug smile. "My intelligence network extends into the Zhan Clan due to our connection with one another. I heard you brought back a pair of rather beautiful sisters and registered them as your personal followers. Some of the elders are gossiping that you have quite the eye for exotic treasures."

"That was a massive misunderstanding!" Li Yu hurriedly explained while putting his teacup down. "Elder Jin is a true menace and he twisted the entire situation. I saved their lives after a battle and they tried to kill my group to tie up loose ends. Elysia bound them to my service to save me the trouble of fighting them but I did not bring them back for any nefarious reasons. I swear to you on this."

"Is that so?" Lian laughed cutely at his panicked explanation. "Because an inside source told me that Elder Jin gave them twenty five jade slips of highly specialized family manuals. I am told those manuals do not cover martial techniques."

"I shoved those slips into the bottom of my spatial ring and I told the sisters to forget everything they read," Li Yu pleaded his case earnestly. "I swear to you again, I did not bind them for that purpose. I only have interest in you."

The words slipped out before he could filter them and a hot flush crept up his neck. Lian paused her teasing and a genuine blush colored her own cheeks as well. She found his direct honesty incredibly charming even if it had slipped out due to his nervousness.

"I know," Lian said softly while breaking eye contact to look at the passing water. "I am just teasing you and it would seem it is very easy to make you flustered. Definitely a weakness of yours that I have detected back when our parents set up the one hundred year arrangement."

"You are much more bold than I am," Li Yu admitted while taking a steadying breath. "Every time I think I have the upper hand in a conversation, you say something that throws me off balance."

"It is a tactical advantage," Lian smirked while turning her attention back to him. "A general must always maintain control of the battlefield. If I let you get too comfortable, you might get lazy. Keeping you just enough on your toes while also at peace is the perfect balance."

"I promise I will never get lazy around you," Li Yu said while leaning slightly forward with a smile. "But you could go a little easier on me. My heart can only take so much panic before breakfast is over. The day is young and my heart has already been going crazy."

"I will take it under advisement," Lian joked while finishing her steamed bun. "But no promises. Seeing the grandson of the great Worldkeeper panic over a rumor is far too entertaining. You wouldn’t rob a general of her few sources of entertainment would you?"

They spent the next few hours chatting casually while the boat followed the winding path of the river. Li Yu told her about the ancient ruins the other disciples found and the various odd herbs he gathered during his travels. Lian shared stories of her own past, detailing a time she accidentally froze an entire lake while trying to practice a new ice technique in her youth.

The atmosphere between them grew incredibly warm and comfortable. Their relationship had taken a big step once their parents set up the one hundred year arrangement and with Li Yu also recognizing his feelings for her. He found himself laughing endlessly with Lian's musical sounding laughs echoing through the quiet forest. Li Yu felt the lingering nerves fade away completely as he realized she was just as happy to be here as he was.

The sun climbed higher into the sky and bathed the river in bright golden light while the crisp morning air warmed into a pleasant afternoon breeze. Li Yu looked at the position of the sun and then turned toward the cooling arrays he had installed at the back of the boat.

"The morning flew by," Li Yu noted while standing up from the cushions. "Are you getting hungry again? Lunch is coming up."

"If it is as good as breakfast, I am certainly hungry," Lian replied while watching him move to the cooking station.

Li Yu smiled back and began preparing the fresh trout he obtained earlier. The romantic date was going better than he ever could have hoped and the rest of the day stretched out before them like a beautiful dream he wished would never end.