The stir in Xiling Prefecture gradually subsided, and a few new graves appeared on the wasteland near the suburbs.
Luan Wencheng carved a tombstone.
Before his death, the scholar clutched a piece of cloth torn from the long gown of the former prefect's young attendant. The attendant was the one who had betrayed the prefect.
He could not avenge himself in person, but now, in the netherworld, he should be able to rest in peace!
He burned a basin of paper money, and also burned some for the adjacent graves. Amidst the swirling smoke, he seemed to see the scholar's feigned madness once more.
The matters in Xiling Prefecture came to an end. The Demon Hunter Army returned to the capital to report, and Luan Wencheng and the others accompanied them back.
"Divine Doctor Feng, take care."
After bidding farewell to Feng Luan, Luan Wencheng rode away.
Xuan Yi tightened the reins and turned the carriage around.
...
Fengyu City had been very lively in recent days, with many martial artists arriving from both inside and outside the city.
"So this is Fengyu City~"
A carriage slowly drove into the city. A young girl in red jumped down from it. She looked around at everything, finding it all very novel.
"Walk past, don't miss out~ Freshly baked brown sugar cakes~ Delicious brown sugar cakes~ Miss, would you like to try one?"
"Mhm, I'll have one~"
The girl nodded, took out her purse, and handed a piece of silver to the stall owner.
"Oh my, Miss, I can't break this silver!"
The stall owner looked at it and said helplessly. He didn't know where this girl came from, but she was using silver right away. How could one brown sugar cake be worth so much?
"It's okay, no need for change!"
The girl threw the silver onto the cart where the cakes were placed and reached out for a cake. The owner's face immediately lit up with a smile. He handed her two cakes and gestured for the girl to take whatever she wanted from the cart before pocketing the silver.
A carriage passed by. The window curtain was lifted by a slender, fair hand. The girl, holding a brown sugar cake, looked up and brought it to her mouth. Her peripheral vision caught sight of a face revealed from the carriage window, and she instantly froze, even dropping the brown sugar cake in her hand.
What... what a beautiful person!
"Junior Sister, what are you looking at?"
After unloading the luggage from the carriage, Wei Ruyun waited and waited but didn't see his junior sister. He went out to look for her and saw the simpleton holding a cake in one hand, frozen in mid-air, seemingly mesmerized by something, as if she'd been struck by acupuncture.
The sound that reached her ears startled the girl. The cake in her hand scattered all over the ground. She turned around indignantly, looking at the culprit, her eyes wide: "Senior Brother, you owe me my cakes."
Wei Ruyun shook his head helplessly, saying, "You were the one who dropped the cakes, why are you blaming me?" But he had already walked to the stall owner's food cart.
"It's nothing, it's nothing. If Miss wants more, she can take them."
Seeing Wei Ruyun about to pay again, the owner quickly waved his hands. That piece of silver was enough to buy more than a dozen servings of brown sugar cakes; he couldn't possibly accept more money.
"Thank you!"
Wei Ruyun took the cakes from the owner and thanked him politely.
"You're too kind!"
The owner glanced at the sword hanging from his waist. In the years leading up to the martial arts大会, Fengyu City was at its most chaotic. It was only in recent years that the imperial court had strengthened its control, causing these martial artists to be somewhat restrained. They had always kept their distance from these martial artists. Although they were polite now, who knew if they would turn hostile in the next moment.
However, their money was indeed easy to earn!
Wei Ruyun placed the cake in the girl's hand and asked, puzzled, "What were you looking at just now, Junior Sister? You were so engrossed."
The girl took a bite of the brown sugar cake. Mmm, it was delicious!
"What did you say, Senior Brother?"
She was too busy eating to hear him. Wei Ruyun had to repeat himself.
This time she heard clearly. She suddenly slapped her forehead, groaning, "It's all your fault, Senior Brother, you made me forget to see the beauty!"
The girl threw the brown sugar cake into Wei Ruyun's arms and chased after the carriage, disappearing down the street in the blink of an eye.
Wei Ruyun held the brown sugar cake, looking bewildered.
No, what was his fault?
"Hey, hey, hey, don't run off!" he said, and chased after her.
...
As the martial arts大会 approached, the inns in Fengyu City were almost all full. After much difficulty, they found an inn with a vacant room. The innkeeper took the reins to park the carriage, and Nan Shiying, under the rough care of Xuan Yi and Poison Elder, entered the inn.
The inn was bustling with noise, and people from all walks of life were gathered.
"Did you hear? Ghost Fiend Sect is completely gone. When Wang Sha was leading his team towards Fengyu City, he immediately went into hiding after hearing the news."
"Exactly. Where would the stragglers of Ghost Fiend Sect dare to come here?"
"Divine Doctor Feng is indeed ruthless to have wiped out Ghost Fiend Sect."
"What, are you sympathizing with them now?"
"Not at all. It's just that I didn't get a chance to claim a head! That's medicine personally refined by the divine doctor of Medicine King Valley!!"
"Don't regret it. I heard someone previously brought dozens of heads and went there, but they didn't get the medicine and ended up dead."
"What? Could it be Divine Doctor Feng..."
"Bah, bah, bah, don't talk nonsense. I heard that the person who brought the heads to approach Divine Doctor Feng was from Ghost Fiend Sect."
"Ah? But why?"
"Why? They wanted to assassinate the divine doctor!"
"Hiss, the people from Ghost Fiend Sect are truly insidious and cunning!"
"Speaking of which, will Fairy Qi of Cloud Shadow Hall come to this martial arts大会?"
"Probably!"
"Although Cloud Shadow Hall can't compare to Medicine King Valley, it's said that among this generation, Fairy Qi's medical skills are the best, comparable to the disciples of the 'Qing' generation of Medicine King Valley. It's just that I've only heard of the Fairy's deeds but have never seen her elegance in person, which is truly a pity."
Nan Shiying stepped into the inn. The surrounding voices were noisy. The topics were focused on Ghost Fiend Sect and herself, and then on Fairy Qi of Cloud Shadow Hall.
Cloud Shadow Hall only accepted women, and its disciples were skilled in medicine. In recent years, because Medicine King Valley had not emerged, their fame had grown increasingly prominent. The Fairy Qi mentioned by everyone was the leading figure of this generation in Cloud Shadow Hall.
Fairy?
Nan Shiying raised her eyebrows slightly.
"Qi..."
"Fairy Qi?"
A man in a dark green uniform suddenly stood up excitedly. Nan Shiying turned to look, only to see a face flushed red with excitement.
Fairy Qi?
Nan Shiying turned back, not seeing any so-called Fairy Qi behind her.
The man stared intently at Nan Shiying, trembling slightly with excitement.
Nan Shiying then belatedly realized. So... the other person was calling her?
Nan Shiying couldn't help but find it a little amusing: "Sir, you have mistaken me for someone else. I am not some Fairy Qi."
"No?"
The man was slightly stunned.
Rumor had it that Fairy Qi favored wearing dark purple clothing, with a face as beautiful as a flower, more stunning than all the flowers of spring. And the woman before him was wearing a dark purple long skirt, with a face as picturesque as a painting, beautiful enough to topple kingdoms. This was exactly as rumored for Fairy Qi, so how could it not be her?
The man's exclamation attracted everyone's attention. The inn, which had been incredibly noisy moments ago, was now so silent that one could hear a pin drop. Everyone's gaze was drawn to the figure standing at the entrance, and for a moment, it felt as though everything around them had dimmed in comparison.
Just like the figure who entered the inn behind her.