Chapter 120: Heading to Cangfeng Imperial City
Yun Che spent an entire morning burning away the bloodline curse of all the members of the Phoenix Remnant Clan. Then, bidding farewell to everyone along with Lan Xueruo, he mounted the Giant Snow Eagle and soared into the sky. All the members of the Phoenix Remnant Clan came out to see them off, gazing up at the sky and standing there for a long time even after their figures had completely disappeared from sight.
“Father, is Brother Yun Che truly a messenger sent by the Phoenix God to save us?” Feng Zu'er asked innocently, his eyes still fixed reluctantly on the sky.
Feng Baichuan patted his son’s head and slowly nodded. “Yes. Long ago, our ancestors committed a grave mistake. After so many years of atonement and repentance, the Phoenix God has finally forgiven us. However, I have a strange feeling... perhaps one day, we will meet him again.”
“Really?” Both Feng Zu'er and Feng Xian'er's eyes lit up, their faces filled with anticipation.
“It will definitely happen,” Feng Baichuan said with a smile. Now that the bloodline curse was gone, their Profound Force was no longer restricted, and the Phoenix Mark on their foreheads could be hidden at will. This meant that their next generation would no longer need to hide in these deep mountains and dangerous lands. “But by the time we see him again, perhaps the level he stands at will already be a height that everyone looks up to. So, Zu'er, Xian'er, if you truly wish to see him again, you must begin training diligently from now on. As we are now, we have no right to repay his great kindness. But when you grow up and have enough ability, you can leave this place and become his support... Even if it is only a small help, it can still express the gratitude of our clan.”
“Mm!” Both Feng Zu'er and Feng Xian'er nodded vigorously, their young faces filled with determination.
————————————————
“From here to Cangfeng Imperial City, how long will it take?”
“At Little Snow’s speed, flying for seven hours each day, we should arrive in about ten days.”
Cangfeng Imperial City, the capital of the Cang Feng Empire. Back when he lived in Liu Yun City, Yun Che had never imagined he would one day set foot in this place. As the capital of the Cang Feng Empire, it undoubtedly stood at the pinnacle of the empire in terms of wealth, power, and Profound Force. In ordinary cities, tycoons, nobles, and experts who could look down on everyone else would, at best, only rank as upper-middle class once they reached the capital.
The sky gradually darkened. The Giant Snow Eagle continued flying for a long time before finally spotting a moderately sized town. It descended.
“Hello, shopkeeper, do you have any Ten-Thousand-Mile Sound Transmitting Talismans for sale here?” Lan Xueruo asked politely as she walked into the town’s largest trading house.
“T-T-Ten-Thousand-Mile Sound Transmitting Talisman?” The shopkeeper was taken aback by her request. Although Lan Xueruo was dressed plainly, she could not hide the noble aura ingrained in her bones. Coupled with her stunning beauty and the fact that she immediately asked for a “Ten-Thousand-Mile Sound Transmitting Talisman,” the shopkeeper did not dare act carelessly. He said cautiously, “Miss, in a small shop like ours, we don’t even have Thousand-Mile ones, let alone Ten-Thousand-Mile. I haven’t even seen a Ten-Thousand-Mile Sound Transmitting Talisman in my entire life... However, I do have a few Hundred-Mile ones. Would that be enough for your needs?”
“...No need, then. Sorry for the trouble.” Lan Xueruo shook her head in disappointment. She wanted to send a message to the imperial capital, and a Hundred-Mile Sound Transmitting Talisman was far too short to reach that distance.
“Shopkeeper, is there an inn nearby?” Yun Che asked.
“Yes, yes.” The shopkeeper nodded and pointed to the right. “Go north one street, and you’ll find an inn. It’s the only one in this town.”
Yun Che nodded and said to Lan Xueruo, “Senior Sister, let’s stay at the inn here for the night. Little Snow also needs to rest.”
Before long, Yun Che and Lan Xueruo found the town’s only inn. It was already a bit late, and the inn was eerily quiet. As they walked in, under the dim light, only the shopkeeper was sitting at the front counter, dozing off. He quickly opened his eyes when he heard footsteps approaching.
Yun Che stepped ahead of Lan Xueruo, walked up to the counter, crossed his arms, and said seriously, “Shopkeeper, please prepare two guest rooms for us.”
The innkeeper yawned and was about to speak when suddenly, a glint of purple light caught the corner of his eye. His eyes immediately went wide, as big as a cow’s.
Because Yun Che’s right hand, crossed over his chest, had his index finger standing straight up, while between his middle and ring fingers was clearly a shiny purple coin... a Purple Mysterious Coin!!
The shopkeeper’s drowsiness vanished without a trace, and he almost started drooling. Having run this small inn for half his life, he understood immediately. He quickly put on a troubled expression and said, “My apologies, honored guests, but I’m afraid we only have one guest room left.”
“Only one room?” Yun Che turned to Lan Xueruo and said, “Senior Sister, should we look for another inn?”
The shopkeeper immediately put on a serious face and said, “Honored guests, I’m not trying to scare you, but this town only has this one inn. And once you leave this town, you won’t find any place to stay for at least two hundred miles. At this hour, I’m usually fully booked. The fact that there’s still one room today is already your good fortune. Besides, the two of you are a perfect match—a golden boy and a jade girl—clearly a couple made in heaven. Traveling together late at night, anyone can see you’re a sweet young couple. Isn’t one room just right? Why would you need two?”
Yun Che looked troubled and said to Lan Xueruo, “Senior Sister, how about we just make do with one room? It seems there’s no other choice.”
A single man and a single woman... in one room? The sudden image that flashed through her mind made Lan Xueruo’s heart pound inexplicably faster. Flustered, she said, “B-but...”
Before she could finish, the shopkeeper shouted loudly, “Alright! I’ll take you to the guest room right away. Our inn may be small, but I guarantee it’s clean and comfortable and will meet your satisfaction... This way, please.”
Lan Xueruo’s words were cut off. She bit her lip and, recalling what the shopkeeper had just said, had no choice but to comply.
A hint of amusement flashed deep in Yun Che’s eyes. He flicked his little finger, and the Purple Mysterious Coin silently flew into the shopkeeper’s hand. The shopkeeper immediately beamed with joy and happily led the way... His inn did decent business, earning about a dozen Purple Mysterious Coins a year. Yun Che’s single tip was equivalent to a full month’s net profit. The shopkeeper had seen generous people before, but this was the first time in his life he’d seen someone this generous.
He respectfully brought them to the room and, when he left, deliberately closed the door for them. Then he sighed inwardly: That girl... she’s incredibly beautiful, and that young man is rolling in money. I wonder which wealthy family’s young couple is out traveling for fun.
The guest room was not very large but was fairly clean and tasteful. Its furnishings were simple, but the bed was big enough for two people to sleep on without any problem.
Having been exposed to the wind on the Giant Snow Eagle’s back all day, both of them were already tired and sleepy. After Lan Xueruo entered the room, her heart was pounding like a deer’s. Her demeanor was restrained and slightly flustered, completely unlike her usual composed and gentle self. A faint, dawn-like blush tinged her beautiful cheeks, making her look less like her usual noble and elegant self and more like a young girl enchanting enough to captivate any man. Yun Che smiled and said, “Senior Sister, you must be very tired. Why don’t you sleep on the bed first?”
“Then... then what about you?” Lan Xueruo tried to force calmness, but her heart was racing uncontrollably... Could he be thinking... thinking...
“Of course I’ll sleep on the floor. I’m a man; there’s no way I’d let my Senior Sister sleep on the floor,” Yun Che said with a harmless, gentle smile. As he finished speaking, he walked to the corner opposite the bed, plopped down onto the cold floor, leaned against the wall, and said, “You can sleep peacefully, Senior Sister. I’ll protect you from here.”
The turmoil and unease in Lan Xueruo’s heart vanished, replaced by warm currents surging within her. The smile on his face was exactly the same as when he had fallen from the sky, seriously injured and lying on the ground, looking at her with a gentle gaze. That had been the first time she felt him—and the first time in her life—an indescribable palpitation in her heart.
The floor here was not wooden but cold, ordinary stone. Even if she put a blanket down, the bone-chilling cold would seep through after a while. Lan Xueruo shook her head and said, “No, the floor is too cold to sleep on. Your injuries have only just healed... You take the bed, and I’ll sleep on the floor.”
Yun Che was taken aback by her words, then shook his head with utmost firmness. “No, no! Absolutely not! I’m a man; how could I let my Senior Sister sleep on the floor!”
“It’s fine. I’ve slept on the floor many times before, so...”
“That’s different!” Yun Che remained resolute. “It has nothing to do with where you like to sleep. This is a matter of a man’s dignity! I would rather you run me through with a sword than let myself sleep on a bed while a woman sleeps on the floor.”
As he said these words, Yun Che muttered to himself: Huh? Why does this sound so familiar? I feel like I’ve said something like this to another woman before...
“Pfft...” The stubborn look on Yun Che’s face as he talked about “a man’s dignity” struck a soft spot in Lan Xueruo’s heart, and she couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.