Chapter 148: Jia Ma Sacred City
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**
Night fell. Darkness cloaked the land.
High in the sky, a silver moon hung bright, casting down soft moonlight that slowly dispelled the shadows below.
On top of a sand dune—
A simple arrangement of cushions, a small table, a brazier, a teapot, and cups had been set up.
Wei Yang and Xian'er leaned against each other, gazing up at the moon overhead.
Not far away, Qing Lin sat cross-legged with her eyes closed, diligently refining the Dou Qi within her body.
A cold wind swept through the desert, carrying dust in its wake. Yet, when it neared the top of the dune, it mysteriously vanished without a trace.
This place was peaceful—untouched by sand or wind.
"Brother Yang, are we leaving for Jia Ma Sacred City tomorrow?" Xian'er rested her half-curled body in Wei Yang's arms, her voice soft.
"Mhm. We'll head out in the morning," Wei Yang replied, taking a sip of warm, fragrant tea from his cup.
"This time… once we leave, who knows when we'll return? It feels a little hard to say goodbye to this place…" Xian'er's gaze drifted across the endless desert, a hint of wistfulness in her tone.
Wei Yang had already told her that after their trip to Yun Lan Sect, they would be leaving the Jia Ma Empire entirely.
"In the future, if you ever miss this place, I'll come back with you to see it," Wei Yang said, resting his chin on her shoulder, taking in the light fragrance from her hair, and exhaling a gentle breath of warmth.
"There's no need," Xian'er shook her head, a faint smile of happiness blooming on her lips. "Didn't you say? As long as I'm with you, wherever we go is my home. So, from now on, wherever we end up—that's our home… As long as I can be with you, I don't care where we go."
A blush colored her cheeks. Her beautiful eyes were full of longing, and between her brows was a trace of soft contentment and lazy charm—like a flower blooming after the rain.
"Mhm," Wei Yang murmured in response, a warm current rising in his heart. The arm wrapped around her waist unconsciously tightened.
To have such a wife—what more could a man ask for?
...
The next morning—
The sun rose, bathing the earth in golden light.
Soft, golden rays blanketed the desert sands in a warm hue, driving away the lingering chill of night.
Four black-robed figures quietly departed from the vast desert, walking toward the morning glow.
High in the sky, four streams of light streaked from the distance, flashing across the heavens.
A moment later, they appeared once more at the edge of the sky.
When they reached the border where the golden sands met the faint green of the inland terrain, the four figures came to a stop.
They turned back, casting one last gaze upon the desert behind them.
This departure—who knew when they would return again?
The vast desert remained as eternal and unchanging as ever, just as it had been for countless centuries.
Yet it had borne witness to their growth.
From weak and unknown—
To standing now at the very pinnacle of the Jia Ma Empire.
And now, it was time to leave.
Like young eagles, it was time to spread their wings and soar into the boundless sky, to chase a greater world beyond.
"Let's go," Wei Yang said softly, turning around.
His black wings spread wide, and he took off first.
Behind him, the other three figures followed.
...
As they entered the inland regions—
"If we come across any big cities along the way, we'll stop to rest for a bit. Maybe check to see if we can find any good medicinal ingredients. In particular, a Tier 4 Soul-Nourishing Lotus. If we can get one, I'll use it to brew a batch of Soul Nourishing Liquid for Du Jiao to use."
Flying through the air, Wei Yang spoke casually.
"Alright." Both women nodded without objection.
They had set out at dawn and traveled nonstop until the afternoon.
Only then did they approach a large city known as East Mountain.
Far ahead, at the edge of the horizon, the faint outline of a city appeared in their line of sight.
With a sudden flap of the black wings on his back, Wei Yang's speed surged, his body transforming into a streak of light that vanished in an instant.
The four of them landed outside the city walls, then swiftly made their way into the city with dust clinging to their robes.
Though the four were all cloaked in black robes and looked rather mysterious, the faint sense of power they exuded—and the few gold coins Wei Yang casually tossed out—ensured the city guards asked no questions and simply let them through.
Once inside the city, the group began seeking out large-scale medicinal shops, checking them one by one.
Any medicinal herb that caught Wei Yang's eye—whether it was a main or auxiliary ingredient, rare or common—as long as it was of Tier 4 or above, he bought it all.
In particular, anything helpful for soul recovery—even if only Tier 2 or 3—Wei Yang waved his hand and swept it up without hesitation.
But after spending half a day combing the city, the results were underwhelming.
Despite its size and the presence of many medicinal shops and trading markets, there weren't many mid-tier herbs to be found.
After leaving the last large pharmacy, the group made one final stop at the auction house. There, they finally managed to acquire three relatively rare Tier 4 medicinal herbs—main ingredients for refining the Purple Heart Barrier Breaking Pill and the Green Spirit Pill.
By dusk—
The four strolled casually through the bustling streets. Qing Lin, full of curiosity, continued glancing around in wonder.
"Let's find an inn and rest for the night. We'll continue on in the morning," Wei Yang said.
...
Seven days later—
Wei Yang and his group finally arrived at their destination—Jia Ma Empire's capital: Jia Ma Sacred City.
Suspended high in the sky, Wei Yang looked down and exhaled lightly as he stared at the grand city shrouded in clouds and mist.
Jia Ma Sacred City—they had finally arrived.
After all these years, this was still his first time coming here.
His gaze shifted toward the northern edge of the city, where a colossal mountain range—majestic like a slumbering dragon—stretched across the land. Even from afar, one could sense the spiritual energy radiating skyward.
That was the domain of the Jia Ma Empire's giant—its number-one sect, Yun Lan Sect.
"That's Yun Lan Sect?" Xian'er asked softly, her beautiful eyes fixed on the towering peak partially veiled by mist.
She had long heard tales of the Yun Lan Sect.
Qing Lin also looked over, her eyes full of curiosity.
"Mhm, that's it," Wei Yang nodded. "In a few days, I'll take you both up there. We'll see the 'Three-Year Agreement' for ourselves."
"Okay," the two women replied with warm smiles.
They were definitely interested in the Three-Year Agreement.
To women, this was the kind of legendary gossip that couldn't be passed up.
A young prodigy loses his talent, gets publicly rejected by his fiancée, and is humiliated into making a three-year vow.
Then, he trains bitterly, returns in glory, and challenges his former betrothed in a duel.
And the central figure of this whole drama—Xiao Yan—was someone they knew personally. A friend, even.
All these elements combined made the trip to Yun Lan Sect something they genuinely looked forward to.
"I'm rooting for Young Master Xiao Yan!" Qing Lin said, clenching her small fists. "He's definitely going to win—he'll beat that arrogant Nalan Yanran and make her regret everything!"
Xian'er nodded in agreement.
Both girls believed in traditional values—marriages arranged by parental orders and matchmakers' words.
To them, since the engagement was made by the elders of both sides, it should be honored.
They couldn't accept that a fiancée would break off the engagement just because her betrothed lost his talent—especially not in such a public, humiliating manner.
So even as fellow women, they couldn't bring themselves to side with Nalan Yanran. Instead, their sympathy—and support—naturally leaned toward Xiao Yan.
After all, in this situation, it was Nalan Yanran who was clearly in the wrong.
"Let's go. We'll head into the city and find a place to stay," Wei Yang said with a smile, watching the girls' indignant expressions.
The four descended quietly.
Then, blending in with the massive crowd, they stepped into Jia Ma Sacred City.
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