Chapter 174
Li Mo was deeply aware at this moment of the saying: "Fame is a double-edged sword."
"So this is what it feels like to be a renowned swordsman in someone else's eyes..."
Suddenly thrust into the spotlight, his mental fortitude was struggling to keep up.
The carriage came to a halt, and Li Mo turned his head to glance at Ying Bing, who was quietly sipping tea, her gaze lowered, seemingly untouched by the outside world.
"It's getting dark."
"We still need to explore Yunzhou City," he said, trying to think of a solution.
However, he hadn’t come up with a suitable plan yet.
Ying Bing suddenly stood up and lifted the curtain of the carriage.
Her expression was impassive, her serene gaze sweeping over the crowd.
In an instant, the noisy entrance of the city fell silent.
The pressure emanating from Ying Bing was palpable.
In today’s martial arts competition, if anyone stood out, it was undoubtedly Li Mo.
But the unreasonable strength of Ying Bing also left a deep impression.
No one had managed to withstand her three strikes; even the disciples of Hengyun Sword City had failed.
In the end, no one dared to step onto the stage to challenge her.
Her melodious voice broke the silence:
"Let’s go."
"Sure thing."
The carriage began to move slowly again.
As they passed through, the crowd parted like the Red Sea.
Before long, they arrived at the bustling Yulong Street.
"Donkey rolling~"
"I love you~ You love me~ Honeydew ice cream, sweet as can be~"
"Excuse me, sir, coming through! I'm about to miss my time!"
"Exclusive leaked version of 'The Overbearing Empress Fell in Love with Me,' ten taels of silver for an early preview~"
Thanks to the martial arts summit, the nightlife in Yunzhou City was even more vibrant than during the day, far surpassing that of Ziyang Prefecture.
Perhaps it was due to the abundance of sword cultivators in the area; even the architectural style reflected their unique and elegant character.
At this moment, the streets were adorned with colorful lights, resembling a forest of fiery trees and silver flowers under the night sky.
Whoosh—
The flickering lights occasionally spilled through the swaying curtains, casting a mix of light and shadow inside the carriage.
"It's so lively..."
Jiang Chulong shrank back slightly, staying in the dark corner of the carriage, cautiously observing the bustling scene outside, as if trying to memorize every sight.
Ying Bing took in the flourishing scenery, but her mind was elsewhere.
Yunzhou...
In her previous life, not long from now, the southern frontier would erupt in the most ferocious beast tide in a thousand years, leading to the fall of the Southern King.
At that time, Hengyun Sword City had already lost its edge for decades, caught in a state of decline.
As disaster approached, the sword city could have relocated its entire population to take refuge in Tianshan Sword Manor.
Unfortunately, the city lord, knowing the futility of resistance, insisted on defending Yunzhou.
Years of accumulated goodwill came into play; they were not alone, as many heroes and sects stood with them against the common enemy.
In the span of three years, the city lord changed hands several times, first Cao Mu, then Bai Jinghong, and finally Wu Chushu.
Before the reinforcements dispatched by the court arrived, Wu Chushu self-destructed his sword body, leaving only a field of flowers in the once-proud sword city.
And then...
The splendor of Yunzhou, the fine wines and the gallant swordsmen, could only be glimpsed through the words of the few who escaped and in the ever-green flower fields.
As the vibrant scenes unfolded before her, Ying Bing felt a sense of unreality, as if she were in a different world.
"Thanks for earlier."
A youthful voice suddenly broke the silence.
Having been surrounded by so many people, Li Mo had truly been at a loss for how to extricate himself.
"Uh..."
Ying Bing snapped back to reality and shook her head:
"I want to go back and practice soon, but..."
"I see."
Li Mo seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as he pulled out two copper tokens from his pocket:
"I managed to snag two tickets for the Mei Hua Pavilion."
"Tickets?"
Ying Bing's gaze paused slightly, her slightly parted lips closing again.
"To listen to a play?"
Jiang Chulong's eyes lit up, but after glancing at her older brother Li and then at Sister Bing, she whispered:
"I still... have things to do tonight... Maybe next time, Brother Li... you can take me out to play again..."
"What things?" Li Mo asked, puzzled.
Jiang Chulong hesitated, her voice growing softer:
"I still... have to... pick up trash..."
Li Mo: "..."
So, after thinking for a long time, Princess Jiang's excuse was still about picking up trash.
He had originally wanted to tease Ying Bing.
"Actually, I'm a magician. Do you believe me, Chulong?"
Li Mo's theatrical personality kicked in, his face full of mystery.
"I believe!"
Jiang Chulong nodded vigorously, responding in an instant.
"Since you believe me, then I... huh?"
Li Mo was momentarily stumped, helplessly saying: "…you were going to say you don’t believe me."
"But... but... I still don’t know... what a magician is..."
Princess Jiang tilted her head in confusion.
As long as it was Brother Li, it was enough to believe.
"A magician is someone who can suddenly produce things out of thin air."
He explained, rubbing his hands together, and from behind the two copper tokens, he dramatically pulled out another one:
"Tada~"
"Now there are three!"
Ying Bing: "..."
So childish.
Jiang Chulong: "Wow... so amazing!"
...
Before the play, Li Mo first took the two girls to browse a clothing store. The styles and fabrics here were far superior to those in the prefectural city, even the cloud silk was openly displayed for sale.
Of course, the prices were much higher, but for Li Mo, who was wealthy, it made no difference.
No woman dislikes beautiful clothing.
Little Jiang Chulong had never been to a clothing store before, and she stood dumbfounded in front of the dazzling array of garments.
"Chulong, which one do you like?"
"I... I don’t know..."
"Alright, which one do you not like?"
Li Mo changed his approach.
After Jiang Chulong cautiously pointed to a style that didn’t suit her, Li Mo turned to the shopkeeper:
"Don’t take that one; wrap up the others."
"Huh?"
The shopkeeper felt a slight shock.
He even suspected that this handsome young man was sent by the rival clothing store to cause trouble.
Until Li Mo pulled out a large box from his spatial pouch and began counting out silver notes.
"One, ten, hundred, thousand, father, grandfather, ancestors..."
"Can you deliver the wrapped items to my home?"
"After years of seclusion, I, Iron Leg, am finally ready to re-enter the world!"
"?"
Looking at the two-hundred-pound plump shopkeeper, Li Mo didn’t quite understand how he was going to float.
...
The two girls went in to change clothes.
Li Mo gazed at the bright moon in the sky, waiting for a moment before footsteps approached from behind.
Turning around, they had both changed into their outfits.
Ying Bing now had a surprising contrast; her blue-and-white porcelain dress was shorter than before, reaching her knees, revealing long, white legs like jade.
And... she was even wearing a flower hairpin?
She frowned, seemingly puzzled by her own appearance.
"Maybe you should change again..."
"Pfft..."
Li Mo had never seen such a contrast; the shopkeeper clearly understood the concept of outfit of the day (OOTD).
"This looks great, no need to change!"
What about Little Jiang Chulong?
She had changed into a stunning crimson dress, the fabric strips removed, her small hands clasped behind her, her eyelashes fluttering, too shy to lift her head.
The dress was luxurious and fitted, enhancing her pure and delicate beauty, adding a touch of vibrant elegance.
How did the shopkeeper manage to match it so perfectly?
"Does it look good, Brother Li?"
"This will be the material for my dreams tonight..."
"Huh?"
"Never mind, does your shop deliver?"
"Uh..."
...
P.S.: One more chapter will be a bit late; thank you for your patience, dear readers.
I wanted to write this plot in more detail, so it took a little longer. Sending hugs! Orz
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Chapter 182: The Sixth Place on the Hidden Dragon List
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