Volume 1, Chapter 235 – Old Acquaintance

Although Shi Lan had already been in Xianwu City for some time, aside from making one trip to Nishang Pavilion to mend the Yueji Skirt, she had not gone anywhere else to stroll around.

Xianwu City covered a radius of more than a thousand li. Magnificent and flourishing, it had always been the most prosperous place in Chengtian Domain. At this moment, at least nearly eighty percent of the large and small powers in Chengtian Domain had gathered here. Although the demon calamity had made things somewhat chaotic and disorderly, its prosperity surpassed even the past.

The streets were extremely broad, nearly a hundred zhang wide. From time to time, all kinds of carriages flowing with crystalline divine radiance could be seen rolling across them. Before those carriages were all manner of magnificent exotic beasts, their bodies gleaming with treasure light and auspicious qi, their auras frightening. As they moved forward at a slow pace, the entire street trembled.

These exotic beasts were different from the demon race. Some had been subdued and tamed by humans, while others belonged to bloodlines that had been raised by the human race for generations. Fed with great care on heavenly materials, earthly treasures, and precious spirit-crystal liquids, these beasts had less of the bloody savagery of the demon race, yet their combat strength was no weaker.

Shi Lan had never seen such a marvelous and bustling scene before. Her expression did not change much, but her gaze could not help being drawn this way and that by the sights around her. At her side, Wu Lingkong seemed long accustomed to it all, paying no attention at all to the passing carriages.

From time to time, streaks of light crossed the sky, trailing long streams of air behind them. All were Heavenly Astral Realm experts who had opened the gate of life and death. Although there was a flight-restricting formation over Xianwu City, it could only stop martial artists below the Heavenly Astral Realm.

As for martial artists above the Heavenly Astral Realm, those in the Myriad Phenomena Realm had already grasped part of the power of space and generally would not go darting about in the sky.

There were many shops lining both sides of the street, of every variety.

What surprised Shi Lan somewhat was that there were still mortals in Xianwu City with no cultivation whatsoever. A small number of those shops were opened by such mortals. Although most of what they sold were ordinary worldly goods, quite a few martial artists still came and went through them.

Those martial artists seemed to be wary of something. Most of them slowed their movements and spoke with great politeness.

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After walking for quite a while, Shi Lan and Wu Lingkong arrived at a somewhat secluded street. A faint, elegant fragrance drifted through the air. It carried not the slightest bit of spiritual qi, plain and ordinary, yet it inexplicably made Shi Lan relax.

Shi Lan lifted her eyes toward a winehouse by the roadside. There were not many people inside, but most of them were martial artists with considerable cultivation. Innate Realm martial artists were everywhere, Earth Fiend Realm ones were not uncommon, and Shi Lan even sensed two auras belonging to Heavenly Astral Realm martial artists.

It was an utterly unremarkable winehouse, yet hidden dragons and crouching tigers were gathered within. It was hard not to find that surprising.

These martial artists were remarkably well-behaved inside the winehouse. There was no difference at all between them and the few tables of mortals nearby.

Curious, Shi Lan found herself stepping into the winehouse. The main hall was extremely quiet, with only the sound of bowls and chopsticks lightly striking together, creating an indescribable stillness.

As soon as the two of them entered, they drew quite a few appraising glances. But once those eyes swept over the Demon-Suppressing Tokens hanging at their waists, they all withdrew in unison.

There was not the slightest trace of bustle in the hall. On the counter not far away burned a purple incense stick nearly half a chi long, and that faint, elegant fragrance came from it.

Shi Lan found an empty table and sat down, quietly ordering a tableful of food and wine. She ate unhurriedly as the heartstring that had gone without rest for so long slowly loosened. The growing sense of relaxation made her narrow her eyes slightly.

She could somewhat understand now why those martial artists came here.

Wu Lingkong sat beside Shi Lan, with little interest in the food and wine on the table. Her left hand rested on the table while the fingers of her right hand idly wound themselves around the ends of Shi Lan’s hair hanging down behind her. Her gaze was unfocused as she stared blankly at the purple incense on the counter, not knowing what she was thinking about.

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“Brother Lu’s more than ten years of study have finally borne fruit in a single day.”

“Congratulations.”

“This time, Brother Lu cultivated righteous qi, condensed a literary heart in one stroke, and stepped into the literatus realm, soaring straight into the clouds. All the masters in the academy are quite pleased. I heard a great scholar already intends to accept you as a direct disciple.”

“You all flatter me too much…”

A somewhat noisy commotion suddenly rose at the entrance to the winehouse, breaking the stillness of the hall. Quite a few martial artists put down their bowls, chopsticks, and wine cups, displeasure showing on their faces. Shi Lan, too, slowly frowned.

Several handsome scholars dressed in blue robes entered the winehouse one after another. A current of righteous qi, like a spring breeze brushing across the face, swept through the entire hall.

At the center of that group of scholars was a young man just over twenty. He looked slightly embarrassed. After seeing the scene in the hall, he hurriedly bowed and said,

“My apologies for disturbing everyone’s enjoyment. Today’s bill is on me.”

The expressions of the martial artists in the hall eased somewhat. Disciples of the scholarly schools generally carried themselves with the bearing of gentlemen. In Chengtian Domain, they had always enjoyed a good reputation and maintained some private ties with the various powers.

No one would care about the cost of a single meal, but words like that, once spoken, still made people feel better.

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No one cared to argue over it, but the disturbance had still spoiled much of the mood. Many martial artists rose and left at once without a word.

The young man repeatedly cupped his hands in apology and personally saw each of those martial artists out.

Before long, seven or eight out of every ten people in the hall had gone.

A waiter nearby came forward, addressed the young man as Young Master, and led the group upstairs to the second floor.

Shi Lan vaguely felt that the young man looked familiar, but for the moment she could not place him. The memory seemed somewhat distant.

As for the scholarly schools, Shi Lan could not say she disliked them, but neither could she say she liked them. Lin Yusheng of Taixu Academy, for example, had far too many twists and turns in his way of doing things.

“Let’s go.”

“Miss… pardon the intrusion.”

Shi Lan had just drawn Wu Lingkong back from her reverie and was preparing to settle the bill and leave when the young man suddenly changed direction, came to their table, and cupped his hands in greeting.

“What is it?”

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“My name is Lu Chengye. Forgive my boldness, but your appearance is far too similar to that of an old acquaintance of mine. That is why I came forward to disturb you. May I ask your surname, Miss?”

Before he had even finished speaking, a few low chuckles sounded in the hall. To everyone else, Lu Chengye’s words sounded rather like an excuse to strike up a conversation.

The moment she heard the name Lu Chengye, Shi Lan remembered who the man before her was.

Back then, because of a system mission, she had just left Tenglong City for the first time and had crossed paths once with a brother and sister who were fleeing the demon calamity and making their way to Xianwu City.

Shi Lan’s memory was not poor, but there were many things she did not spend much effort remembering, so her impression naturally was not all that deep. Besides, in the blink of an eye, two years had already passed.

Back then, she had only just stepped onto the martial path, with a cultivation of no more than the fourth or fifth stage of the Body Tempering Realm. Even facing a lowly Ironback Wolf could leave her somewhat disheveled. Now, she was on the verge of great perfection in the Earth Fiend Realm, with the Heavenly Astral Realm within reach.

Too much had happened in this short span of time.

Wu Lingkong cast Shi Lan an unreadable glance, and could not help feeling curious. There were still many interesting things about Shi Lan that she did not know.