Baiyun City
The losses suffered by the Flying Wolf Mercenary on this journey were indeed devastating.
Thirty-seven people were killed, and less than twenty remained, most of them with serious injuries.
After some thought, Lu Suifeng took out some pills from his follower’s pocket and handed them to the mustachioed mercenary.
“Let your injured soldiers take these quickly. Here is a golden card with ten thousand gold coins. Use it to take care of the deceased.”
The mustachioed mercenary’s eyes welled up with tears, but he couldn’t utter a single word, overwhelmed with mixed emotions.
“I admire your professionalism! I hope today’s events will not be leaked,” Lu Suifeng cautioned solemnly.
“Now, go!”
The valley quickly returned to its original state, with no traces of the battle to be seen.
The caravan set off again, slowly making its way through the deep and secluded valley.
Suddenly, the sky darkened, and snowflakes began to fall, one by one, then two, then three, swirling and dancing, growing denser by the moment.
The world became a hazy blur of snow.
The progress of the caravan slowed down significantly.
Lu Suifeng and his companions decided to separate from the group and make their way to Baiyun City on their own.
Walking on the snow without leaving a trace, the snowflakes swirling around them without touching their clothes, Lu Suifeng gave an impromptu order for special training.
In an instant, everyone gathered their energy and focused their profound strength, forming a shield to protect themselves from the snow.
They traveled a hundred miles, their footsteps swift as the wind. Within two hours, Baiyun City appeared in the distance.
Baiyun City, towering a hundred miles high and stretching for a hundred miles, seemed endless at first glance.
The Tianxiang Kingdom was composed of five major prefectures.
They were the Eastern, Southern, Western, Northern, and Central Counties, with the Central Counties being the largest, encompassing the combined territories of the other four prefectures.
The four prefectures were permanent fiefs of four different noble families.
They only needed to pay a fixed amount of resources each year, while maintaining complete independence in military, political, and economic matters, not subject to the kingdom’s control.
Only in the event of an invasion or other catastrophic disasters would they follow the kingdom’s orders.
This was a legacy left by the kingdom’s ancestors, passed down through generations, and no king had the power to change it.
Baiyun City was the economic, cultural, political, and military center of the Western County, known as its capital.
“One, two, three... a total of thirty-four people, and thirty-four silver coins!”
Reported the city guards at the gate.
It was the rule of Baiyun City that every person entering must pay one silver coin.
Ouyang Wuji casually threw a gold coin to the city guard.
“Thank you for your hard work, soldier! No need for change.”
“Hehe! Thanks!” The city guard happily replied.
One gold coin was worth a hundred silver coins, and he only earned three gold coins a month.
The snow in the sky seemed to grow heavier, and the snow on the streets accumulated to about ten centimeters.
The group couldn’t use their agility to move quickly within the city and had to proceed slowly.
After two hours of walking, Ouyang Wuji showed no signs of stopping, and everyone was covered in snow, resembling a group of moving snowmen.
“This Baiyun City is too big. These streets are so intricate, it’s easy to get lost for outsiders,” Yun Wuying exclaimed in amazement.
“Indeed! Baiyun City has a permanent population of nearly twenty million. How could it not be big?”
Ouyang Wuji replied nonchalantly.
“We will be staying here for a while. Let’s familiarize ourselves with the city as soon as possible,” Lu Suifeng suggested.
Turning a few corners and passing through several alleys, a large courtyard appeared before them.
Their keen eyesight allowed them to clearly see the plaque hanging above the courtyard gate: Mingyue Chamber of Commerce.
“A large courtyard like this, how can there be no gatekeeper?” Yun Wuying was surprised.
“Could it be that they are all hiding from the snowstorm?”
“Perhaps,” Ouyang Wuji replied indifferently.
“No, something’s wrong. I can hear the clash of weapons inside,” Lu Suifeng said, and in an instant, he disappeared from where he stood.
The others were momentarily stunned before quickly following suit.
Amidst the swirling snow, two figures, one white and one black clashed and fought, their movements accompanied by sparks and the resounding clash of weapons.
“Black Tiger Devours the Sky!”
A black shadow let out a thunderous roar, leaped into the air, and swung a sword.
The sword radiated a dazzling light, and in the air, a blurry image of a roaring tiger suddenly appeared, its ferocious jaws lunging toward the white figure.
“Ah!”
A piercing cry echoed through the snowy mist as a burst of blood blossomed in the mist.
The white figure was thrown high into the air, tumbling head over heels.
“Miss!”
Over a dozen guards dressed in protective attire exclaimed simultaneously.
Due to the distance, they were powerless to help, and some closed their eyes, unable to bear witnessing this tragic scene of beauty and demise.
But the scene of blood splattering and jade shattering did not occur.
The descending white figure stopped just a meter above the ground, gently cradled by a cluster of green shadows, silently suspended in mid-air.
Lu Suifeng gently lowered the figure in his hands and swiftly fed a pill into her mouth.
At that moment, figures began to appear one after another beside him.
“Sister! It’s my sister!”
Ouyang Wuji exclaimed in astonishment.
“What happened to my sister?”
“She’s fine! Just some internal injuries,” Lu Suifeng handed the person in his hands to Yun Wuying.
“Take her down for treatment!”
“Who did this?”
Ouyang Wuji’s pupils contracted as he stared fixedly at the black shadow in the snowy mist.
“Who the hell are you? How dare you meddle in the affairs of our Huayun Chamber of Commerce!”
A hoarse voice angrily shouted.
Ouyang Wuji furrowed his brow.
He had heard this voice somewhere before.
“I’m here today to propose a marriage, no, to snatch a bride! How dare you touch me, Xia Yan? And what are you gonna do about me? Hahaha...”
“You are Xia Yan from the Huayun Chamber of Commerce!”
Ouyang Wuji finally remembered.
This guy was the chairman’s only son, who had been pestering his sister for years.
Unexpectedly, he shamelessly came to snatch the bride, igniting an uncontrollable rage within Ouyang Wuji.
“So, you’re Ouyang Wuji!” Xia Yan exclaimed.
“You’re still alive? I never thought this pig-headed fool could come back alive!”
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Wuji made a move to charge forward, but Lu Suifeng grabbed him, wearing a cold smile.
“Stay calm, let’s play with him until he breaks down.”
Ouyang Wuji exhaled a breath and nodded.
“Long Yi! Go and meet this senior!” Lu Suifeng’s face turned serious, “I want to see a pile of bodies!”
“Yes, Young Master!”
Long Yi responded and swiftly stepped into the snowy mist.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of the black shadow.
The man in front of him had a goatee and wrinkled face, whose small eyes gleamed mischievously.
Long Yi frowned in disgust.
“An old fart at the Heavenly Realm, shamelessly bullying the younger generation. Truly despicable!”
“You’re seeking death!”
The old man with the goatee glared fiercely, and his sword emitted a burst of light, slashing down in an arc.
Clang!
The sword shadows flickered and clashed, figures intertwined, then froze.
Long Yi’s sword pointed diagonally towards the ground, while the goatee old man raised his sword towards the sky.
Three sword marks appeared on his wrist, and bright drops of blood splattered onto the pristine white snow, creating a striking contrast.
“It’s not over yet! Great capture...”
Long Yi shouted lightly, his figure continuously flashing.
Like a whirlwind, he trapped the goatee old man within it.
With a scream of agony, every joint in the old man’s body dislocated, and he curled up like a pile of mud, lying limp in the snow.
“Now it’s your turn!”
Startled by the heart-wrenching screams, Xia Yan’s face turned pale.
Suddenly, a voice sounded in his ears, and he was lifted into the air.
Thud!
He fell onto the snowy ground, his eyes catching sight of a pile of mud.
His vision darkened, and just as he was about to faint, someone grabbed him by the hair.
“Tell them! Bring ten thousand gold coins to ransom you, or else, you’ll end up like him!”
“Did you hear that? Hurry and let my father come to ransom me!”
Xia Yan shouted hoarsely.
A wave of people surged in the snowy mist, countless figures fleeing.
...
The room was spacious, exquisite, and elegantly scented with a feminine fragrance.
Yun Wuying was led here by a steward named Cheng, who said it was Ouyang Mingyue’s boudoir.
The woman in white lying on the bed bore a slight resemblance to Ouyang Wuji.
There was no need to guess; everyone knew who she was.
The woman in white was beautiful, exuding a unique and ethereal aura that made people unable to resist stealing more glances.
Her complexion had gradually regained its rosy hue, and the energy within her body had become active.
“Are you awake?” Yun Wuying asked.
“Who are you?”
The woman in white opened her eyes and stared at Yun Wuying as if recalling something.
“Wasn’t I injured by that old man with the goatee? How come I’m completely fine?”
She took a deep breath and activated her profound energy to examine her body.
“How is this possible? I seem to have advanced in cultivation. What’s going on?”
“That’s right! You indeed advanced, and not just by one level!” Yun Wuying confirmed.
“How is this possible? Who are you?” The woman in white asked, perplexed.
“You are Ouyang Wuji’s elder sister, Ouyang Mingyue, right?”
Yun Wuying replied, somewhat evading the question.
“How do you know? Have you seen Wuji? Is he... is he dead?”
Ouyang Mingyue’s emotions surged, tears shimmering in her beautiful eyes.
“Dead? Who told you that?”
Yun Wuying asked, her face filled with astonishment.