Volume 1, Chapter 22 – Departure

Lu Yueqing’s impression of Shi Lan was still fairly good, but as for whether she should truly go through with the engagement, that was something to be considered at length—there was plenty of time in the days to come.

With Lu Yueqing speaking to this extent, Shi Lan didn’t press the matter any further, but in her heart she once again cursed that so-called transmigration god out, flaying him up one side and down the other.

If she were a man right now, carrying two Systems on her person and with such a stunning fiancée to boot, what kind of dream opening would that be?

Unfortunately, there was no such thing as “if” in this world……

……

Shi Lan left the hall together with Lu Yueqing and went to the place where Shi Tianlu had arranged the banquet.

After the toasting and small talk at the feast were over, Lu Yueqing brought up taking her leave to Shi Tianlu.

“You’re leaving already? Did you not get along well with Shi Lan?” Shi Tianlu was secretly delighted, yet he still furrowed his brows on the surface.

“There’s been no end of unrest in Nine Skies City lately, and the Lu family is short on hands. This trip of mine was already squeezing out what little time I could spare, so I must ask Uncle Shi not to take offense,” Lu Yueqing replied gently.

“Oh? Something has happened in Nine Skies City? Do you need any assistance?” Thinking of the letter he had received earlier, Shi Tianlu couldn’t help feeling a touch of surprise. Had something really gone wrong in Nine Skies City? How had he not heard a single word of it?

This time Lu Changfeng hadn’t come in person. Shi Tianlu had originally assumed it was because he knew Lu Yueqing might break off the engagement and felt too embarrassed to show up himself. Now, though, it seemed he truly couldn’t get away.

“Thank you for your kind offer, Uncle Shi. My Lu family can just barely manage,” Lu Yueqing said, giving a slight shake of her head. She then glanced at Shi Feng, who stood beside Shi Lan, and said with meaningful emphasis, “The Shi Residence truly is full of talent. This time, I, Yueqing, have really had my eyes opened.”

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Shi Tianlu acted as though he hadn’t noticed anything, smiling as he shook his head. “You flatter us, Yueqing. Tenglong City is just a tiny place, hardly comparable to Nine Skies City, that blessed land of outstanding people.”

After a round of polite small talk, Shi Tianlu escorted Lu Yueqing and her two companions to the gates of the Shi Residence.

“Uncle Shi, there’s no need to go any farther. Seeing us off to here is enough.”

Lu Yueqing flicked her sleeve lightly, and a streak of spiritual light flew out from her cuff, condensing into an azure flying sword.

Once the flying sword appeared, it swelled as it met the wind, in the blink of an eye becoming a giant sword nearly ten feet long.

Lu Yueqing stepped onto the flying sword. Lu Yuan followed right behind her, leaping up onto it as well.

At the side, Lu Yueqing’s Third Granduncle unhurriedly summoned a jade-pendant-shaped artifact and stepped onto it at a leisurely pace.

Shi Lan couldn’t help widening her eyes. Although there were scenes of people riding artifacts through the air in Shi Lan’s inherited memories, it still couldn’t compare to the impact of seeing it with her own eyes for the first time.

“Uncle Shi, we’ll be taking our leave first,” Lu Yueqing said, cupping her fists once more in salute.

“Patriarch Shi, farewell.”

“Go slowly, and take care on the road.”

Only when the two streaks of rainbow light vanished at the horizon did Shi Lan reluctantly withdraw her gaze, her eyes filled with longing.

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Innate Realm……

“What are you still standing here for? Your confinement isn’t over yet. Go back and reflect properly!” Shi Tianlu shot Shi Lan a glare, then turned and walked back into the residence.

Shi Lan curled her lips, turned, and headed toward her own quarters. Even if Shi Tianlu hadn’t said anything, she still needed to go back and continue her martial training.

……

“Sister Yueqing, that Shi Lan is nothing but a good-for-nothing playboy. Don’t let that pretty face of his fool you. Looking good doesn’t mean he’s a good person.”

As Tenglong City disappeared from view, Lu Yuan finally couldn’t hold back the words he’d been bottling up all day.

“You haven’t actually spent any time with him. How do you know he isn’t a good person?” Lu Yueqing countered.

“I…” Lu Yuan was momentarily at a loss for words, then resorted to stubbornness. “Those rumors can’t have come from nowhere. Even if they’re a bit exaggerated, there’s no way he’s worthy of you, Sister Yueqing.”

Lu Yueqing gave a slight shake of her head. “Rumors repeated by enough people become ‘truth’. Street gossip is the least trustworthy thing in the world—yet laughably, people always love to treat it as real.”

“Yueqing, what Lu Yuan said isn’t entirely without reason. If you truly don’t like this Shi Lan, you can just say so outright. I’ll speak to Changfeng for you,” her Third Granduncle said.

“Thank you, Third Granduncle. For the moment, I don’t want to think about this matter. Shi Lan is not an evil person—that much I can be certain of. As for whether he’s qualified to be my husband, I’ll judge that for myself in the future.”

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“Very well, have it your way.”

……

Shi Feng followed Shi Lan all the way back to the courtyard.

Putting on an air of mystery, Shi Lan dragged Shi Feng into the room, pointed at the wooden box holding the blood ginseng, and asked, “This blood ginseng—can you think of a way to get me some more?”

The bit of blood ginseng left probably wouldn’t even last her a day. Shi Lan had originally wanted to ask Su Lanyue for help, but Su Lanyue had already given her a cultivation art and even sent medicinal dishes.

To trouble her again made Shi Lan feel rather guilty. She wasn’t the original Shi Lan, and her feelings toward Su Lanyue were complicated to begin with. To go and ask her for medicinal herbs on top of that—Shi Lan truly found it hard to bring herself to do it.

Looking at the tiny remaining bit of blood ginseng still attached to the roots, as well as the clearly visible tooth marks on it, Shi Feng’s expression changed slightly.

Then, with some disbelief, he said, “Young Master, I already told you about this blood ginseng. With your physical condition, you can take at most half a qian at a time. It’s been not even two days, and you’ve already eaten more than half of it?”

Shi Lan looked a little embarrassed. “I thought it tasted pretty good, so I ate a bit more……”

“You haven’t felt anything wrong?” A trace of worry appeared in Shi Feng’s eyes.

Blood ginseng was an extreme tonic. With Shi Lan’s original physique, taking so much in less than two days would easily result in over-nourishment and backfire on her instead.

“Young Master, let me examine you, just in case. We don’t want any hidden problems left behind,” Shi Feng said, growing more anxious the more he thought about it.

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Hearing this, Shi Lan shook her head repeatedly. An examination? What if he discovered something that absolutely shouldn’t be discovered?

“I don’t feel anything unusual—if anything, I just feel more energetic. First tell me this: can you help me get some more of this blood ginseng? Roughly how much silver does one root cost?”

“Blood ginseng might not be available, but I can help you find some similar herbs that replenish blood and qi. How much do you want?” Seeing Shi Lan so insistent, Shi Feng didn’t press the previous issue further.

“Twenty or thirty roots. The more, the better.” Shi Lan roughly calculated the speed at which the Jade Tempering Art refined medicinal power and gave a ballpark figure.

“Twenty or thirty roots?! Do you think this is like buying cabbages?” Shi Feng sucked in a sharp breath. A hundred-year-old medicinal herb might not be some priceless treasure, but it was definitely not something you could find all over the streets.

Seeing Shi Feng’s expression, Shi Lan realized that blood ginseng probably wasn’t so easy to find. After hesitating for a moment, she tried, “Fifteen roots? If not, ten would be fine too.”

“I’ll do my best to find them and bring them to you tomorrow,” Shi Feng said helplessly.

“Thanks!” Shi Lan said with genuine sincerity. At the moment, Shi Feng was truly the only person she could think of who could help her.

“It’s only right that I share Young Master’s burdens.” Shi Feng turned, just about to leave, when Shi Lan called out to stop him again.

“Shi Feng, have you already reached the Innate Realm?”