“Wow, is that the carriage of Li Jianxian?!”
“Somebody said you’re the reincarnation of a sword immortality, is that true?”
“The sword marks from Hengyun Sword City—did you really create them?”
Upon returning to Yunzhou City, the crowd erupted in fervent cheers.
Even the massive city gates were jam-packed, as if not even a drop of water could escape.
People’s sorrows and joys were worlds apart, and at that moment, Little Li just found their noise annoying.
Li Mo was deeply experiencing the old saying: famous people are like pigs—they can’t handle all the attention.
“So this is what it’s like to be seen as a famous swordsman… exhausting, isn’t it?”
Suddenly, the fame hit him, and he felt his mental fortitude faltering.
As the carriage could no longer move, Li Mo turned to glance at Ice Chunk, who calmly sipped tea, her eyes half-mast and clearly uninterested in the chaos outside.
“It’s getting dark.”
“We still want to explore Yunzhou City,” Li Mo brainstormed.
Yet, he hadn’t thought of a good plan yet.
Suddenly, Ying Bing stood up and lifted the carriage curtain.
Her expression was blank, yet her serene gaze swept over the crowd.
With her presence, the lively city gate instantly turned silent.
The oppressive aura from Ice Chunk was no joke.
If they were to hold a martial arts assembly and pick the most eye-catching person, that would definitely be Li Mo.
However, the unreasonable Ying Bing also left a deep impression.
No one had successfully taken on her three strikes, not even the disciples of Hengyun Sword City.
In the end, no one dared to challenge her in the arena.
Her melodious voice broke the silence:
“Let’s go.”
“Okay!”
The carriage moved slowly once more.
As they passed through, the crowd parted like the Red Sea.
Before long, they arrived at the bustling Yulong Street.
“Roll the donkey~”
“I love you~ You love me~ Honeydew ice cream, so sweet~”
“Excuse me, coming through! I’m about to miss my deadline!”
“Exclusive leak of ‘The Overbearing Empress has Fallen for Me,’ ten taels of silver to sneak a peek~”
Because of the martial arts summit, the nightlife in Yunzhou City was even more vibrant than during the day, several times more lively than Ziyang Mansion.
Perhaps because there were many sword users here, even the architectural style bore a unique refinement that reflected their character.
The streets were lit up, resembling clusters of fire trees and silver vines beneath the night sky.
Whoosh—
The flickering lights occasionally spilled from the swaying carriage curtains, casting a play of light and shadow in the interior.
“So lively…”
Jiang Chulong, her petite body shrinking back, carefully watched the earthly merriment from the dark inside the carriage, as if wanting to memorize every scene.
Ying Bing took in the flourishing scenery, but her mind was elsewhere.
Yunzhou…
In her past life, not long from now, a wild tide of disaster beasts would erupt in the South Border, leading to the demise of the King of South Border.
At that time, Hengyun Sword City would be left with only a dozen faded sword marks, a shadow of its former self.
With disaster approaching, the sword city could have relocated to Tian Mountain Sword Manor for safety.
Unfortunately, the current city lord stubbornly chose to defend Yunzhou, fully knowing the risks.
The accumulated favors of many came into play; they were not alone and had several heroes and powerful clans standing with them against their enemies.
In a span of three years, the city lords changed several times, sequentially from Cao Mu, Bai Jinghong, to Wu Chushu.
Before the reinforcements from the court arrived, Wu Chushu self-destructed his sword body, leaving the once-mighty sword city in ruins.
Later on…
The splendor of Yunzhou, the fine wines of the Jianghu, and the charm of the swordsmen could only be gleaned through the recountings of the few who escaped, alongside the ever-greening ruins.
The vibrant scenes sprawled before Ying Bing, invoking a sensation of unreality, as if separated by lifetimes.
“Thanks for earlier!”
A young man’s voice suddenly chimed in.
With so many people surrounding him earlier, Li Mo didn’t know how to escape.
“Mm…”
Ying Bing snapped back to reality, shaking her head:
“I just want to go back to practicing as soon as possible, but…”
“I see.”
Li Mo seemed relieved as he pulled out two copper tokens from his pocket:
“I only managed to snag two tickets to the Mei Hua Pavilion.”
“Tickets?”
Ying Bing’s eyes paused, her slightly parted lips closing again.
“Listen to a play?”
Jiang Chulong’s eyes lit up, but after glancing at Brother Li and then Ice Sister, she timidly said:
“I still… still have things to do tonight… maybe next time Brother Li can take me out to play… too…”
“What things?” Li Mo asked, puzzled.
Jiang Chulong mumbled, her voice shrinking smaller:
“I still… have to pick up… trash…”
Li Mo: “…”
So Little Princess Jiang thought long and hard, and the best excuse she could come up with was to go pick up trash.
She really just wanted to tease Ice Chunk.
“Actually, I’m a magician. Chu Long, do you believe me?”
Little Li’s performative personality took over, his face cloaked in mystery.
“I believe!”
Jiang Chulong nodded vigorously, her eyes shining with determination.
“Since you don’t believe, then I… huh?”
Li Mo was momentarily choked, helplessly saying: “… You were supposed to say you don’t believe.”
“But… but… I still don’t know what a magician is…”
Little Princess Jiang tilted her head in confusion.
As long as it was Brother Li, she would believe it!
“A magician is someone who can suddenly make things appear.”
He explained, rubbing his hands together, and from behind the two copper tokens, he pulled out another one with a flourish:
“Ta-da!”
“Now I have three!”
Ying Bing: “…”
So childish.
Jiang Chulong: “Wow… so amazing!”
……
Before listening to the play, Li Mo first took the two girls to browse a clothing store. Here, the styles and materials surpassed what was available in the mansion, even the dark cloud gauze was displayed prominently for sale.
Of course, the prices were significantly higher, but for Li, who was rich and generous, it made no difference.
There’s no woman who doesn’t love beautiful clothes.
Little Princess Jiang had never been to a clothing store before and stood dumbfounded in front of the dazzling racks.
“Chu Long, which one do you like?”
“I… don’t know…”
“Come on, which one do you dislike?”
Li Mo changed tactics.
After Little Princess Jiang cautiously pointed to an unsuitable style, Li Mo turned to the shopkeeper:
“Let’s skip that one, wrap up the rest.”
“Huh?”
The shopkeeper felt a bit shocked.
He even suspected this handsome young man was a spy sent from a rival shop to cause trouble.
Until Little Li produced a large box from his space and began counting silver notes.
“One, ten, hundred, thousand, father, grandpa, ancestors…”
“Can the wrapped items be delivered to my doorstep?”
“After hiding for many years, my iron legs are now ready to re-enter the realm!”
“?”
Looking at the chubby shopkeeper, Little Li had no idea how that would work.
…..
The two girls went in to change clothes.
Li Mo gazed up at the bright moon in the sky, waiting for a moment until he finally heard footsteps behind him.
Turning around, they were both in new outfits.
Ice Chunk had a bit of a contrast, wearing a blue-and-white porcelain colored dress that came just above her knees, showcasing her long, graceful legs like white jade.
And… did she even put on a flower hairpin?
She frowned, seemingly unsure about it herself.
“Maybe you should change again…”
“Pfft…”
Li Mo had never seen such a contrast; the shopkeeper was really on point with the outfits.
“You look great like that, no need to change!”
What about Little Princess Jiang?
She had changed into a striking red dress, her decorative ribbons already removed. With her small hands clasped behind her, her eyelashes fluttering, she didn’t dare look up.
The dress was luxurious and fitted, enhancing her pure and delicate aura, adding a dash of extra charm and elegance.
How did the shopkeeper manage to put this together so perfectly?
“Do you like it… Brother Li?”
“For tonight’s dream material, this is it…”
“Ah?”
“By the way, can your boss’s wife deliver to my doorstep?”
“Uh, this…”
…..
P.S.: One more chapter will be posted a little later; thanks for your patience, everyone!
I wanted to write this particular scene a bit more detailed, so it took me a little longer. Mwah! Orz
