Departing from the Misty Cloud Sect, they first headed to the flying transportation center in the Imperial Capital, riding flying beasts.
Wu Tan City is a remote city located in the northeast of the Jia Ma Empire. Looking at the map, the straight-line distance from it to the Imperial Capital is not far, but because the Magic Beast Mountains block the way midway, the group from the Misty Cloud Sect had to detour from the eastern provinces of the empire. They flew for a full seven days, during which they had to transfer twice to other flying beasts in different cities.
"Why Hei Yan City? Isn't our destination Wu Tan City?"
The long journey was even farther than expected, which made Nalan Yanran, who was impatient by nature, show an impatient expression on her face.
"Nalan niece, you may not know. Wu Tan City is remote, just a second or third-tier city of the empire, so there is no flying transportation station established there," explained Ge Ye with a helpless expression. If possible, he wouldn't want to come to a remote place like Wu Tan City.
"Tsk~" Upon hearing this, Nalan Yanran couldn't help but click her tongue. She began to form a bad first impression of this unfamiliar city, Wu Tan City.
"We're not far from Wu Tan City now. We can walk there," said Yun Tianming as he looked at the map in his hand, his gaze falling on the inconspicuous "Wu Tan City" in the corner of the map. At that moment, nobody would have imagined that decades later, this obscure little city would give birth to a Dou God! As the hometown of the Flame Emperor, Wu Tan City attracted strong people from all over the continent to pilgrimage and gradually developed into the "Wu Tan Empire" that dominated the continent!
Of course, all of this is based on the original storyline. Nowadays, with an additional transmigrator on the Dou Qi Continent, the effects of the butterfly effect will magnify infinitely over time.
"The sky is already late now. Let's rest in Hei Yan City tonight and replenish our spirits. We'll set off early tomorrow morning," ordered Ge Ye. He intended to take a Pill, recuperate overnight, and adjust his body to its optimal state. This visit to break off the engagement was equivalent to a severe slap in the face to the Xiao Family, so he needed to prepare for the worst mentally.
---
The next day, the group from the Misty Cloud Sect set off from Hei Yan City, hiring a carriage and heading towards Wu Tan City.
"Here, tell me about the information regarding Wu Tan City," Ge Ye sat in the front of the carriage and casually tossed a First Grade Pill to the coachman.
"Yes, sir!"
"Wu Tan City has three major Families: the Xiao Family, the Ao Ba Family, and the Jia Lie Family," said the coachman, nodding and bowing happily after receiving the Pill. He drove the horses while elaborating on the information about Wu Tan City.
Yun Tianming and Nalan Yanran were sitting together in the carriage at this moment, a man and a woman in the confined space of the carriage. As the carriage swayed, their bodies occasionally brushed against each other. Nalan Yanran's cheeks turned slightly red, and the atmosphere gradually became ambiguous.
Of course, for Yun Tianming, this level of contact was nothing but child's play, and he remained unaffected internally.
"Yanran Junior Sister."
"Yes?"
"Why are you so excited?" Yun Tianming was suddenly taken aback.
"I, I'm not excited!" Nalan Yanran's face turned awkward as she avoided his peculiar gaze. She wondered if she was acting like a silly infatuated girl. Did she really just momentarily fantasize about Tianming Senior Brother confessing to her? Oh, how embarrassing!
Yun Tianming paid no mind, his gaze fixed ahead on the tall horse with a single horn. He recalled a joke from his past life and suddenly asked, "Yanran Junior Sister, do you know about Dou Qi transforming into a horse?"
"Huh?"
"Dou Qi... into a horse?"
Nalan Yanran looked puzzled, then shook her head and replied, "Yanran only knows that a Dou Master can condense Dou Qi into Dou Qi Cloak, a Dou Grandmaster can transform Dou Qi into armor, a Dou Spirit can transform Dou Qi into objects, a Dou King can transform Dou Qi into wings, and a Dou Emperor can manipulate external energy of the same attribute. As for Dou Ancestor and above, Yanran doesn't know."
"Yanran Junior Sister, you're not well-informed."
"Let me enlighten you then. Dou Qi transforming into a horse is a unique skill only mastered by Dou Ancestor-level experts!"
"Once you mount the horse, not even a Dou God can catch up!"
Yun Tianming looked very serious, appearing quite convincing.
"I see, I've learned something new!"
"Dou Qi transforming into a horse is an ability possessed only by Dou Ancestor-level experts!"
Nalan Yanran nodded in sudden realization, then furrowed her brow, sensing something amiss.
"Wait a minute?"
"Tianming Senior Brother, did you just say that even a Dou God expert couldn't catch up once you're riding the horse?"
Nalan Yanran looked stunned. Although the concept of Dou God and the like was beyond her knowledge, she couldn't help but wonder. After all, hadn't she heard of the saying 'seen one, seen them all'? Dou God was the pinnacle of strength on the Dou Qi Continent, so how could they not catch up with this so-called Dou Qi transformed horse?
"That's the truth."
"It is said that over a thousand years ago, the Jia Ma Empire dispatched a large number of Dou Practitioners, a massive group of people riding horses through the snowy lands, to expedition against an evil organization called the Hall of Souls!"
"The leading Dou Practitioner was named Xiao Xuan. He waved his hand and pointed at the distant Hall of Souls Dou God, shouting, 'Dou God ahead, dare you fight?' They both dismounted, engaging in a world-shaking battle between Dou Cultivators and Dou Gods, causing earth-shattering chaos."
Yun Tianming vividly described ta story he watched on TV leaving Nalan Yanran thoroughly entertained.
"So impressive!"
"So, Dou Qi transforming into a horse is this powerful!"
"When we return to the sect, I'll ask our teacher to teach me how to ride a horse!"
Nalan Yanran's eyes sparkled with stars as she fantasized about one day mastering Dou Qi transformation into a horse, roaming the Dou Qi Continent, with even Dou Gods unable to catch up.
Ge Ye, sitting in the front seat of the carriage, listened in utter disbelief.
What in the world is Dou Qi transforming into a horse?
You two, one's just boasting, and the other's taking it all in!
The coachman beside suddenly fell into a trance, muttering to himself.
"It seems like even someone like me, a small figure, has the chance to become a strong Dou God's equal!"
"As long as I practice horsemanship well, one day, I will definitely become the Horse Emperor!"
Ge Ye's mouth twitched as he almost couldn't resist kicking the "Horse Emperor" off the carriage.
You, a humble coachman, where do you get all this nonsense?
Half a day later, the carriage arrived at Wu Tan City, temporarily concluding the story of "Breaking the Sky with Horses."
"Is this Wu Tan City?"
Yun Tianming's gaze swept ahead. The surface of the mottled city wall was filled with various-sized pits, giving the whole city an impression of being shabby.
"The Xiao Family lives in a place like this."
A hint of disdain flashed across Nalan Yanran's brow. Growing up in the bustling Imperial Capital, the current Wu Tan City appeared to her as nothing more than a poor and backward village.
"Hmph!"
"How could a backwater place like Wu Tan City possibly produce geniuses?"
"That so-called genius from the Xiao Family in the rumors is probably just a lie fabricated by the Xiao Family, right?"
Ge Ye snorted coldly, mocking without mercy.
****
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