It took Yun Che an entire morning's time to completely extinguish the bloodline's curse from all the members of the phoenix clan. After bidding farewell to everyone with Lan Xueruo, they both rode the giant snow eagle and left through the sky. Every clansman from the phoenix clan came out to see them off, and looked at the skies as they flew off; they stayed for a long while, even after their silhouettes had completely disappeared from their sight.
"Father, was big brother Yun Che really sent by the Phoenix God to save us?" Feng Zu'er asked innocently, as he reluctantly looked at the sky.
Feng Baichuan caressed his son's head and slowly nodded: "Yes. Since the year our ancestor committed a grave mistake, after so much atonement and remorse, the Phoenix God has finally forgiven us. However, I have a wonderful feeling that one day, we will meet him again."
"Really?" Feng Zu'er and Feng Xian'er's eyes lit up as their faces filled with anticipation.
"Definitely." Feng Baichuan smiled. Without the cursed bloodline, their profound strength would no longer be limited, and the phoenix imprint on their forehead could be hidden anytime as well so the next generation would no longer need to hide in these dangerous grounds deep in the mountains: "However, the next time we see him, perhaps the level in which he will be standing, will be high enough for everyone to look up to . That is why, Zu'er, Feng'er, if you really want to see him again, you must start to train diligently from now on. As of now, we don't have the qualifications to repay his great kindness, but after you two have grown up and acquire sufficient strength, you can then walk out of here and assist him... Even if it is the most miniscule of assistance, it will still show the gratitude of our entire clan."
"Mn!" Feng Zu'er and Feng Xian'er vigorously nodded their heads as their young and tender faces filled with determination.
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"If it's from here to Blue Wind Imperial City, how long would it roughly take?"
"With Little Snow's speed, if we fly fourteen hours a day, we would arrive in around ten days or so."
Blue Wind Imperial City, the national capital of Blue Wind Empire. Since he had previously lived in Floating Cloud City, Yun Che had never thought he would one day step into Blue Wind Imperial City. As Blue Wind Empire's capital, the level of Blue Wind Imperial City's wealth, power, and profound strength were undoubtedly at the top of the empire. The wealthy, the influential, and the strong practitioners that could show disdain to outstanding heros in a normal city, were essentially reduced to the middle class when it came to the national capital.
The sky slowly darkened. After the giant snow eagle flew continuously for a long time, it had finally found a town that was not considered too big, and landed.
"Hello shopkeeper, do you sell any Ten Thousand Mile Sound Transmission Talismans here?" Lan Xueruo asked politely after walking into the the small town's largest trading company.
"Te... Ten Thousand Mile Sound Transmission Talisman?" One sentence from Lan Xueruo was enough to astonish the shopkeeper. Even though what Lan Xueruo wore was quite ordinary in his eyes, it was hard to conceal the noble aura hidden in her bones. In addition with her extreme beauty and asking for "Ten Thousand Mile Sound Transmission Talisman" the moment she opened her mouth, this shopkeeper did not dare to neglect her and carefully responded: "Young lady, this small shop of ours do not even have Thousand Mile Sound Transmission Talismans, much less one of ten thousand miles. I have never seen a Ten Thousand Mile Sound Transmission Talisman in my entire lifetime... However we do have a few hundred mile ones, do you think you can make do with those?"
"...No need, sorry to trouble you." Lan Xueruo shook her head in a somewhat disappointed way. She wanted to transmit news to the imperial city but that was a place beyond the Hundred Mile Sound Transmission Talisman's range.
"Shopkeeper, are there any inns nearby?" Yun Che asked.
"Yes, yes." Shopkeeper nodded his head and pointed in the right direction: "Walk a street up north and there will be an inn. It is also the only one in this town."
Yun Che nodded his head and said to Lan Xueruo: "Senior Sister, let us stay at the inn here for awhile, Little Snow also needs to rest."
After walking for a short while, Yun Che and Lan Xueruo found the only inn in town. The time was also getting late so the inn was also silent. After walking in, only the innkeeper alone was dozing off at the counter under the dim light, he quickly opened his eyes after hearing people walking in.
Yun Che was a step ahead of Lan Xueruo. He walked in front of the counter, crossed his arms against his chest, and asked: "Innkeeper, can I trouble you to prepare two guest rooms for us."
The innkeeper yawned. He was about to open his mouth to answer when a purple light suddenly flashed across his eyes, making him open his eyes so wide that they were bigger than cow eyes.
Because in Yun Che's right hand that was across his chest, was an erect index finger, and between his middle finger and ring finger was a distinctly shining purple... Purple Profound Coin!!
The innkeeper's drowsiness instantly vanished without a trace as his saliva nearly flowed out. He ran this inn for half of his life, so how could he still not understand. He immediately adopted an awkward expression and replied: "Esteemed guests, I am truly sorry, our small inn only has one guest room left."
"Only one room is left?" Yun Che turned over his head and said to Lan Xueruo: "Senior Sister, do you want us to find another inn?"
The innkeeper immediately gave a resolute face and said: "Esteemed guests, I am not trying to scare you, but we are the only inn situated in this small town. Even after leaving our small town, you cannot find a single place to stay in a circumference of two hundred miles. My place is usually full, so to have a room available today is already considered to be your good luck. What's more, our esteemed guests are a talented man and a beautiful woman, a golden couple; you two are practically a match made in heaven. To be together in middle of the night, one can clearly see that you two are a sweet young married couple. Isn't one room just right, why must you need two rooms?"
Yun Che had a troubled face as he looked at Lan Xueruo and said: "Senior Sister, why don't we make do with one room? Other than this, there doesn't seem to be other options."
A lone man and woman... in a room? The scene that suddenly flashed by in Lan Xueruo's mind instantly made her heart beat mysteriously accelerate, and caused her to be somewhat at a loss: "B... But..."
Before she finished speaking, the innkeeper had already exclaimed: "Alrighty! I shall now bring you to the guest room. Our inn may seem small, but I guarantee the cleanliness and coziness will leave you satisfied... Please walk this way."
Lan Xueruo's words was directly hindered. After biting her lips and thinking of what the innkeeper said earlier, she could only comply.
A trace of smile flashed across the depths in Yun Che's eyes. He gently flicked a pinky finger and the purple profound coin soundlessly landed into the hands of the innkeeper. The innkeeper immediately beamed with joy as he happily walked in front of them... His business was not bad since opening this inn, with an income up to a dozen purple profound coins a year. Yun Che's spending, was immediately an entire month's net worth of income. He had seen generous people before, but it was still the first time in his life that he saw someone this generous.
He respectfully took them to their guest room and even intentionally helped them close the door while leaving before heaving a sigh in his heart: This young lady is truly beautiful beyond words. This young man is also rich and imposing, who knows which influential family had this couple come out of to go out on a sightseeing tour.
The guest room was not considered to be big but it was still fairly clean and elegant. The decorations inside were simple, the bed was big enough that it was no problem for two people to lie on.
Being blown by an entire day's of wind on the back of the giant snow eagle had long since made the two sleepy and tired. After Lan Xueruo walked into the room, her heart was like a deer in caught in headlights. Her expression was slightly frenetic, completely lacking her usual magnanimous and gentle attitude. Her beautiful face also slightly flushed like red clouds in the morning, causing her to slightly lose her usual grandeur and elegance while gaining the attitude of a young lady that would make men intoxicated. Yun Che smiled and said: "Senior Sister, you must be tired. Go and rest on the bed first."
"Th... Then you..." Lan Xueruo tried her best to remain calm but her heart was unable to stop its wild beating... He can't be thinking of... thinking of...
"Of course I'll be sleeping on the floor. As a man, how I can let Senior Sister sleep on the floor." Yun Che kindly smiled with a completely harmless face. After he finished saying that, he then walked to the corner opposite of the bed, sat down on the cold floor, laid against the wall, and said: "Senior Sister can sleep at ease, I will stay here and protect Senior Sister."
The disorder and restlessness in Lan Xueruo's heart vanished. What replaced it were waves of warm current that circulated in her heart. The smile on his face was exactly the same gentle gaze he had given her after falling from high altitude, and when he laid on the ground with heavy injuries. That was the first time since seeing him, and also the first time in her entire life, that her heart throbbed with an indescribable feeling.
The floor here was not made of wood, but cold hard rock. Even if a blanket was laid on the floor, a bone chilling cold could still travel through after a while. Lan Xueruo shook her head and said: "That won't do. The floor is so cold, how can you fall asleep. The injuries on your body have just healed... You sleep on the bed, I will sleep on the floor."
Lan Xueruo's words stumped Yun Che for a moment. He firmly shook his head: "Won't do, won't do! Absolutely out of the question! How could I, as a man, let Senior Sister sleep on the floor!"
"It's alright, I've slept on the floor before, so..."
"That's different!" Yun Che's face was still filled with determination: "This has no relation to where Senior Sister likes to sleep. This matter involves the dignity of us men! I would rather let Senior Sister stab me to death than to let myself sleep on the bed while a woman sleeps on the floor."
After saying these words, Yun Che muttered in his heart: Eh? Why do these words sound so familiar? Why do I keep feeling that I've said these words to a different girl before...
"Pffft..." Yun Che's stubborn appearance while shouting the words "dignity of us men", quietly hit a soft spot in Lan Xueruo's heart, and she couldn't help it as she laughed out loud.