Before this, the Lingxiao Sword had always felt somewhat foreign to him.
It was as if the sword didn't truly belong to him, and using it felt clumsy.
But now, that unfamiliar feeling was gone, though it still didn't feel completely natural either. However, it was far better than before; at least the awkwardness was gone!
Only now did he realize how important it was for a sword to be in harmony with its wielder!
Putting away the sword, Ye Xuan left the Boundary Prison Tower and washed up.
Sleep!
Cultivation was important, but so was rest!
No matter how much he desired strength or how intensely he cultivated, he always made sure to rest. After all, only with proper rest could he have the energy needed for better cultivation.
Outside.
At some point, the cloud ship had silently set off, as if everything had returned to normal.
However, no one aboard had forgotten about the young man, nor the commotion that had occurred outside the ship earlier.
Everyone was curious—had the young man died?
Most assumed he had.
After all, the people of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion weren't easily trifled with.
The cloud ship flew across the vast river, arriving over an endless mountain range. From the deck, one could see countless peaks, and the breathtaking view stretched endlessly below.
Many people had reappeared on the cloud ship's deck, their expressions calm, as if the earlier events had never happened.
The Drunken Immortal Pavilion had issued a warning: everyone was to keep the previous incident a secret, or they would be severely punished.
No one dared to provoke the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
Inside the room.
Ye Xuan felt something tickling his face after some time. He slowly opened his eyes and was met by a pair of lively eyes.
At this moment, Ye Ling was holding a small strand of her hair, gently tickling his face!
Seeing Ye Xuan wake up, Ye Ling smiled sweetly, "Brother!"
Ye Xuan turned to look around and asked, "What time is it?"
Ye Ling giggled, "It's noon! Brother slept in today! But it's okay, you can keep sleeping. I'll watch over you!"
Ye Xuan gently pinched her little nose and smiled, "Let's go out for some fresh air."
With that, he got up, washed up, and brought Ye Ling to the cloud ship's deck.
When the siblings stepped onto the deck, everyone turned to look at them!
Not dead?
Everyone had question marks in their minds.
Killed someone from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion and still alive?
On the other side, Lu Xiaoran gave Ye Xuan a deep look and whispered, "This young man is not simple!"
Next to him, the chubby boy immediately ran over to Ye Xuan and his sister. He looked at Ye Xuan, then knelt on one knee, "Big Brother, take me as your disciple. Name your price—my father has plenty of money!"
Ye Xuan: "..."
Ye Ling covered her mouth and giggled.
Lu Xiaoran walked over to the siblings, kicked the chubby boy, and said with a smile, "Do you have any idea how hard it is to become a sword cultivator?"
The chubby boy looked up, unconcerned, "Who cares if it's hard? Money can solve anything!"
Lu Xiaoran looked embarrassed. He cupped his fists towards Ye Xuan, "Please forgive my lack of discipline."
Ye Xuan smiled, then looked at the chubby boy, "You want to be a sword cultivator?"
The chubby boy nodded quickly.
Ye Xuan smiled, "Alright, but first, you need to lose weight!"
Hearing this, the chubby boy's face fell.
Lose weight?
That was worse than death!
Seeing the boy's expression, both Ye Xuan and Lu Xiaoran burst out laughing.
Lu Xiaoran then said, "Young friend Ye Xuan, are you headed to the imperial capital?"
Ye Xuan nodded, "Indeed."
Lu Xiaoran studied him and asked, "Are you going for the Cangmu Academy admissions?"
Ye Xuan paused, "How did Senior know?"
Lu Xiaoran smiled, "The triennial Cangmu Academy admissions is the most lively event in the Jiang Kingdom. You're young and headed to the capital just as the academy is about to recruit, so I figured you might be going for it."
He pointed to the chubby boy beside him, "This is my son, Lu Ming. I'm also taking him to the capital to see if he can get into Cangmu Academy."
The chubby boy Lu Ming patted his chest, "Don't worry, Dad. I'll definitely get in. If they don't let me in, I'll just buy Cangmu Academy."
Ye Xuan and Ye Ling: "..."
Lu Xiaoran sighed, "I shouldn't have spoiled you like that!"
Ye Xuan nodded. The imperial capital was the most prosperous place in the Jiang Kingdom, full of hidden talents. Lu Ming might be able to throw his weight around in Qianshan City, but in the capital, such behavior would lead to trouble.
Lu Xiaoran looked toward the distant horizon, "We're almost at the Twin Boundaries City."
"Twin Boundaries City?" Ye Xuan was puzzled.
Lu Xiaoran explained, "Young friend Ye, you may not know this, but Twin Boundaries City is located at the border between our Jiang Kingdom and the Tang Kingdom to the north. Our two countries have long been hostile to each other, and this city is the cause. It lies in a highland area with natural volcanic barriers, giving whichever country controls it an advantageous position. The city has changed hands between Jiang and Tang multiple times, and although it's under Jiang's control now, the Tang still lay claim to it. In short... it's a chaotic place."
Ye Xuan asked, "Will we stop there?"
Lu Xiaoran nodded, "The cloud ship needs to refuel, so we'll be stopping for half a day."
Ye Xuan said, "Senior Lu, are you worried there might be trouble?"
Lu Xiaoran smiled, "There shouldn't be any real trouble—it's just annoying to see the situation there. Though the city is currently ours, Tang citizens come and go as they please, even openly taunting us at the gates. It's a mess."
Ye Xuan nodded, saying nothing further.
After chatting briefly, Ye Xuan took Ye Ling to the bow of the ship. Gazing at the vast landscape below, he slowly clenched his right fist, "One day, I will ride my sword and overlook these mountains and rivers!"
With that, he quickly asked in his mind, "Senior, can I ride my sword now?"
"You can!" the mysterious woman replied.
Hearing this, Ye Xuan was ecstatic, but then the mysterious woman added, "In your dreams!"
Ye Xuan: "..."
An hour later, the cloud ship flew over the mountains, and a city appeared before everyone's eyes. The city lay between two towering peaks, looking like a gate between the mountains. Beyond the city was a plain, and in the distance, the silhouette of another city could be faintly seen.
That was the Tang Kingdom!
Suddenly, a voice rang out, "Ladies and gentlemen, the cloud ship needs to refuel. We will be stopping at Twin Boundaries City for two hours. Please make sure to return promptly afterward. Also, the city is quite chaotic, so try not to wander around unless necessary."
As the announcement ended, the cloud ship shook slightly, then slowly descended.
Feeling the ship tremble, Ye Ling clung tightly to Ye Xuan's arm.
The cloud ship drew closer to the ground, and Twin Boundaries City grew larger in their eyes.
Looking down from the ship, the city was less impressive compared to Qianshan City—it looked old, sparsely populated, and somewhat desolate.
The cloud ship landed steadily by a large river, and soon, many people disembarked. Ye Xuan and Ye Ling also stepped off, but they stayed near the rest area provided by the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
The pavilion had set up a large plaza, spacious and near the street, close to the city gate.
The plaza was bustling with food stalls!
Ye Xuan took his sister to a noodle stand, "Boss, two bowls of noodles!"
"Coming right up!" the boss responded. Shortly after, two steaming bowls of noodles were placed in front of them, each with an egg and some minced meat.
Ye Xuan took the egg from his bowl and placed it in Ye Ling's. Ye Ling glared at him and put it back, "Brother, don't tell me you don't like eggs—I'm not falling for it again!"
In their younger years, when the siblings relied on each other, Ye Xuan often claimed he didn't like certain foods and gave them to her. The young Ye Ling believed him until she later realized he wasn't avoiding them; he just couldn't bear to eat them!
Ye Xuan gently ruffled her hair and smiled, "Boss, add two more eggs!"
"You got it..."
Not far away, Han Xiangmeng watched the siblings for a long time, then whispered, "Feelings like that never existed in my family."
The old man beside her shook his head, "He cares too much for that little girl. One day, she might become his weakness."
Han Xiangmeng looked at the smiling Ye Ling and said softly, "That girl is fortunate."
With that, she turned and left.
After a while, the siblings finished their meal. Ye Xuan looked at the boss, "Boss, the bill!"
The boss walked over with a smile, "Four gold coins!"
Ye Xuan, about to pay, froze. He thought he must have misheard, "Four gold coins?"
The boss nodded, "Four gold coins!"
Ye Ling, who had been drinking soup, was stunned, her eyes wide open. Four gold coins? In Green City, a bowl of noodles cost only five silver coins!
The siblings exchanged glances. Finally, Ye Xuan stood up, "Boss, two bowls of noodles and two eggs—four gold coins? Are you sure?"
The boss's smile faded, "What? Are you trying to dine and dash?"
Ye Xuan said sternly, "Boss, this is daylight robbery!"
The boss sneered, "We've been selling at this price for years—how is that robbery? I think you just don't want to pay!"
Ye Xuan was about to speak when a voice suddenly came from the side, "Big Brother, it's on me!"
Ye Xuan and Ye Ling turned to see Lu Ming approaching, with Lu Xiaoran not far behind.
Lu Ming walked up to the boss, took out four gold coins, and angrily said, "This is my big brother—as if he can't afford a bowl of noodles!"
The boss glanced at Lu Ming, said nothing, and took the coins before leaving.
Lu Ming turned to Ye Xuan, grinning, "Hello, Big Brother!"
Ye Xuan couldn't help but smile. This chubby boy still wanted to learn swordsmanship!
Just then, the sound of galloping hooves came from the direction of the city gate. Moments later, under everyone's gaze, a dozen riders clad in black armor charged into the city.
"Tang soldiers!"
Beside Ye Xuan, Lu Xiaoran said in a low voice, "Those should be Tang Kingdom's Black Armored Cavalry. What are they doing here? Are they going to start a war?"
Black Armored Cavalry?
Ye Xuan looked at the riders. After entering the city, they galloped down the street, killing people and looting shops as they went.
Seeing this, Ye Xuan frowned, "No one's going to stop them?"
"Stop what?" the noodle boss sneered nearby, "The city guards are probably hiding in their basements. A word of advice—don't leave the Drunken Immortal Pavilion's territory, or you won't survive!"
Ye Xuan was about to speak when the Black Armored Cavalry suddenly rode out of the city, their horses loaded with bundles and crying women.
"Hahaha..."
The leader of the cavalry laughed wildly, "The men of Jiang Kingdom are all cowards—useless wretches, hahaha..."
As he spoke, he began tearing the clothes off a woman in front of him, stripping her down to her undergarments.
The surrounding onlookers were enraged, but no one stepped forward.
"Hahaha..."
The leader laughed even louder, "The men of Jiang Kingdom, watch as I take your wealth and your women, hahaha..."
At this moment, Ye Xuan suddenly turned to Lu Xiaoran, "Senior, could you watch over my sister for a moment?"
With that, he grabbed a nearby stool and charged out.
Everyone behind him was stunned.