Bright and early, the inn began to buzz with activity.
There were quite a few young men and women from other families preparing for the day, some practicing their martial arts outside while others were shoveling down breakfast with great enthusiasm.
On the central table, various types of breakfast items were laid out.
Li Mo casually picked up a meat bun, glancing sideways at the person next to him.
In front of the young lady, there was merely a bowl of plain rice congee, as simple and unadorned as her countenance.
“Having just this for breakfast? That’s not enough.”
Li Mo slid over a plate laden with eggs.
Ying Bing said nothing, merely raising her gaze to meet his.
The girl appeared somewhat frail, her lips devoid of any color, giving her an ethereal beauty tinged with delicacy from illness.
But anyone who locked eyes with her alluring gaze would likely feel a touch of guilt creeping in, whether they wanted to or not.
“Hmph.”
Li Mo broke out into a cold sweat.
The things he’d done in the past were things that made him want to dig his toes into the ground out of sheer embarrassment.
Apologizing was the least he could do.
“Sorry about what happened before. I don’t expect a few words to mend fences, but if you’re still upset…”
“It’s fine.”
Ying Bing peeled her egg, her voice light and indifferent as she spoke.
Li Mo blinked, caught off guard.
He couldn’t detect any falseness from her expression.
This wasn’t so much forgiveness as it was apathy.
It seemed those past events weren’t even worth remembering.
If you didn’t care, then there was no need for forgiveness.
“Good.”
Li Mo gave a wry smile.
He’d been letting his head be filled with too many novels, jumping to conclusions once again.
It had to be said, Ying Bing’s reaction was more in line with what the Heavenly Mandate Divine Eye had foretold.
Those who remain unfazed by honor or disgrace often go much further.
And it was true.
Ying Bing took one small bite and completely disregarded Li Mo from then on.
She had seen countless grand adventures and extraordinary events.
For her, other than family, the trivial memories from her youth didn’t even register as a minor page in her life, having long been swept aside into some forgotten corner.
In her distant memories, Li Mo’s aptitude was mediocre at best, barely managing to enter the Qingyuan Sect.
He had spent a year in the outer sect, then got kicked out.
Meanwhile, at that time, she had been the most brilliant among her peers.
Li Mo seemed to have undergone some change.
But it didn’t matter.
His name probably didn’t even appear anywhere on the Eastern Wilderness ranking charts.
They might not even qualify as fleeting acquaintances in each other’s lives.
She never let her focus be distracted by irrelevant people.
On the other side, Li Mo hesitated mid-bite as he ate.
[Investment successful. Investment: One egg, one bowl of congee.]
[Reward settlement in progress…]
[Congratulations, Host, reward: Silver notes worth one thousand taels.]
[Silver notes worth one thousand taels]: “Issued by Hengtong Money House, exchangeable in all major banks.”
Li Mo couldn’t help but feel something strange.
It’d be great if she ate a little more.
Three meals a day, and he could feed her into becoming a millionaire.
He had to prepare a late-night snack tonight!
…
Two days later.
In the distance, an imposing fortress appeared, resembling a monstrous beast sprawling beneath the vast sky.
The Ziyang Mansion was one of the twelve great houses of the Eastern Wilderness, governing nine counties and thirty-six districts. It was said that before the Da Yu dynasty, this place was the ancient capital of the previous dynasty, a time of great prosperity and talent.
Later, an unprecedented wave of disaster beasts ravaged the Eastern Wilderness for centuries, its former glory now a faint memory.
Not until the ascension of the Martial Emperor, who pacified the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, were meritorious ministers ennobled. The first-generation ancestor of Qingyuan Mountain earned their title by following the emperor and was awarded the title of Ziyang.
Through thousands of years of governance, the land was rejuvenated, restoring its former splendor.
The city of Ziyang Mansion, rebuilt upon the ruins of ancient landmarks, exuded grandeur and elegance from every corner.
Just beyond the city’s fifty-li perimeter lay the famed Qingyuan Mountain Range.
“We’ve finally arrived.”
“Is this the mansion city? It’s so massive. Standing under the gate makes me feel like an ant.”
“It’s bustling. A major estate like this must be teeming with life.”
“With Qingyuan Sect opening recruitment soon, there are bound to be many people.”
…
The number of caravans coming and going was immense. The colossal city gates were like floodgates opening, the clamor of horses and carts never ceasing.
Looking toward Qingyuan Mountain, many revealed an expression of yearning.
The Da Yu dynasty established itself through martial prowess, co-governed by sects!
Above the Ziyang Mansion, there was only one cloud in the heavens, and that was the Qingyuan Sect!
Young men from all counties and districts were already extremely excited, shouting and cheering.
The passersby, however, showed little surprise, clearly accustomed to such sights.
“This place truly exudes magnificence.”
Li Mo couldn’t help but marvel.
In his past life, he had seen various international metropolises, yet stepping foot here still made him feel a deep sense of awe.
Compared to skyscrapers made of steel and concrete, this intricately decorated ancient city was undoubtedly more spectacular.
A city capable of housing five million people was not comparable to an ancient metropolis that could do the same; they were on entirely different levels.
“Travel permit.”
The soldiers guarding the city gates were heavily armed, their silver armor gleaming under the sun, standing as immovable as iron towers.
The steward quickly presented the iron badge and paid the city entry fee.
The carriage was allowed entry, stepping into what felt like another world.
Li Mo was like a bumpkin entering the city, finding everything fascinating.
In just these two days, his purse had swelled considerably.
The three daily meals of the icy girl had surprisingly generated over ten thousand taels of silver tickets, even including a thousand taels of gold.
But once inside this land where every inch was golden, Li Mo realized he wasn’t as rich as he thought he was.
“Master, we must behave. The mansion city isn’t like the county.”
The steward urged softly from the carriage.
“We won’t be staying long in the city anyway.” Li Mo chuckled.
Even when traveling far, his father always sent the steward, who had watched him grow up, along, demonstrating how unruly he used to be.
This was to prevent him from causing trouble due to his unruly nature.
“You’re absolutely right, Master.” The steward sighed in relief, agreeing wholeheartedly.
This naughty young man had indeed changed a lot recently.
He could finally give his father a bit of peace.
The carriage passed over a red-painted bridge, overlooking the dense ships below.
Not only was the city larger, but the local residents also had a healthier and more refined appearance. Clearly, more were dressed in luxurious silk robes, and various splendid carriages were visible.
For example, the one coming from the opposite direction was pulled by four fiery red horses adorned with scales.
The carriage was several times larger than the one Ke Mo was riding in, inlaid with gold and jade, exuding an ancient and elegant air.
“Cousin!”
Suddenly, a voice called out from behind.
It was Wang Hu, who leaped off his horse with great joy, running up to the carriage.
A young man stepped down from the carriage, tall and robust, dressed in a white brocade robe.
His limbs were long and well-built with a stable lower body. His gait was quite majestic, almost like that of a dragon or tiger.
At his waist hung a badge engraved with calligraphy inscriptions reading: ‘Inner Sect.’
This indicated he was from the Inner Sect of the Qingyuan Sect!
Everyone who saw Wang Hu began to treat him with extra care.
Despite the numerous travelers present, only a few could even enter the outer sect, let alone the inner sect.
The difference between the inner and outer sects was like the difference between sky and earth. An Inner Sect disciple could command the respect of even a county magistrate.
“Little Tiger, I reckoned you would be arriving soon.” The youth’s eyes scanned the crowd, pausing briefly on Ke Mo.
“You’re new arrivals and probably don’t know where to stay.”
“There’s an innkeeper I’m acquainted with. Why not head there?”
The youth smiled gently and ascended his carriage.
“My name is Wang Hao, in my early thirties, and I’m an inner sect disciple.”
“Following me, you won’t go wrong.”
Wang Hu raised his head, a proud expression emerging as if he himself were already an Inner Sect disciple.
Naturally, everyone complimented him.
Being a stranger in a foreign land, traveling alongside someone from the Falong Valley Inner Sect could save them a lot of trouble.
“Who’s he looking at?”
Ke Mo blinked, then finally understood.
The person wasn’t looking at him but rather at the chilly girl by his side.
It’s true.
Even in the mansion city, Ying Bing’s dazzling beauty remained undiminished.
Wearing plain clothing, she outshone the city’s lavishly dressed ladies.
Over the past few days of feeding her, their relationship had… probably advanced a bit, right?
At least they weren’t strangers anymore.
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, a grand tavern by the canal came into view.
Standing seven stories tall, it emanated a luxurious charm. The local customs of this ancient city reached their pinnacle here.
The waiter’s eyes were sharp, spotting Wang Hao instantly and ushering the innkeeper over.
The innkeeper respectfully served tea and engaged in conversation with Wang Hao while the rest waited uncomfortably.
They had noticed earlier: the most basic room here cost twenty taels of silver; the superior rooms were even pricier, especially since the Qingyuan Sect was about to open its gates, causing guest numbers to surge, and prices to increase.
“Superior rooms for a hundred taels?”
Ke Mo glanced and walked straight up to the counter.
There was no need to be frugal with these amounts.
“Please, two superior rooms.”
One for him and one for Ying Bing.
The stewards and traveling companions had already left, returning with the escort group to the county.
“Apologies, sir. We don’t have many rooms left. You’ll have to make do with just one.” The attendant at the counter apologized.
“Alright.”
Ke Mo thought it over and nodded.
“Room two on the second floor, Qingmei Studio. Please take care of it.”
Just as the money was handed over and the sandalwood room plaque was being pulled out, Wang Hu mocked,
“If someone else has arranged it for you, enjoy your stay without complaint. Even with a hundred taels in Ziyang Mansion, flaunting wealth won’t necessarily get you anywhere.”
Ke Mo: “?!”
It came back to him.
This was the son of the local Six Harmonies Gang boss.
His father was a county magistrate in charge of the area’s security.
In the older generation, one was a rat, the other a cat, and naturally, the younger ones didn’t get along either.
At the same time,
Not far away,
Wang Hao also returned to the anxious group of young men and women, pretending to apologize:
“There are only thirteen superior rooms left. Since all of you are from my cousin’s hometown, you’ll have to make do with sharing.”
“No problem, no problem, we’ll squeeze in.”
“Thank you, Brother Wang, you’re a good person.”
The group was delighted, repeatedly thanking him.
Ke Mo chuckled.
When someone expresses apologies while having their hands behind their back and chins up, something’s amiss.
There are three things men generally obsess over in life:
One: Trying to show off.
Two: This girl is gorgeous.
Three: This girl is gorgeous; I need to try to show off in front of her.
Sure enough, Wang Hao then turned his gaze toward Ying Bing and said,
“Miss, there aren’t enough rooms. Fortunately, I have an elegant private room here that is usually unoccupied and is cleaned regularly.”
“If you don’t mind, Miss, feel free to stay there?”
The tone was filled with confidence.
This was a move he’d pulled successfully many times, especially effective against young ladies from smaller regions.
Haven’t you seen those envious looks in the eyes of the local girls nearby?
A higher status individual offering goodwill is something few could resist.
“Are there no rooms?”
Ying Bing glanced at the innkeeper.
“Er… yes, that’s correct.”
Beads of sweat broke out on the innkeeper’s back as he nodded frantically.
Wang Hao opened his mouth to speak but immediately froze his smile upon seeing what happened next.
The young woman snatched the sandalwood room card from in front of Ke Mo and walked straight up to the second floor, Qingmei Studio.
With a “snap,” the wooden door closed.
“Oof,”
Watching Wang Hao’s face shifting between red and white, Ke Mo instinctively found it amusing yet inexplicably couldn’t laugh.
Watching someone else’s downfall?
Better to reflect on your own situation.
Shaking his head, he then walked up to the second floor as well.
