Chapter 271
**Still searching for oneself in a dream?**
Perhaps it’s the latter, after all, it’s rare to see someone as cheerful as him with such a deeply furrowed brow, his expression tinged with a hint of confusion and panic.
He had never been like this before.
The girl’s gaze was calm and gentle as she held his hand and softly said, “I’ve always been here.”
Whether he heard those words or not, Li Mo’s brow began to relax, and the sweat that had drenched him faded away, his breathing steadying.
If at that moment, two little figures, one black and one white, were to pop up again, it would likely be the black-clad figure, who was supposed to be his younger brother, that would take the lead.
Ying Bing held his hand, her thoughts drifting in this direction.
Time passed.
The sun climbed higher in the sky.
Li Mo slowly opened his eyes, yawning, feeling that this nap had been quite refreshing.
He wasn’t sure what he had used as a pillow, but it was cool, soft, and springy. He decided he would use this for sleeping from now on...
Hmm?
Li Mo caught a familiar fragrance and looked up.
So, the truly ethereal beauty had no blind spots from any angle; even viewed from below, she was breathtaking.
Her expression was serene, her clear eyes gazing into the distance.
“Zzz…”
Little Li quickly shut his eyes again, trying to drift back to sleep; if all else failed, he could pretend to be asleep...
But the next moment, a delicate hand pinched his nose.
“Are you really asleep?” Ying Bing’s small hand showed no sign of letting go.
“Zzz…”
“Looks like you really haven’t woken up yet.”
“Zzz… Ah-choo!”
Just as he was determined to hold out, Li Mo suddenly felt a tickle at the tip of his nose.
Opening his eyes, he saw the hand that had just pinched his nose now twirling a few strands of silky hair.
The ice princess had just launched a surprise attack with her hair.
“Awake now?” she asked, a teasing smile on her lips.
“Yeah, just woke up. What happened?”
“A bug crawled across your nose, and I chased it away.”
“...Thanks.”
Li Mo wiped his mouth and sat up, but his gaze couldn’t help but linger. He noticed a distinct wet spot on the hem of Ying Bing’s skirt.
The dampness trickled down her thigh a little...
The Ming Jiao clan was known for gathering moisture. He hadn’t drooled in his sleep before; this was a side effect of being a Jiao.
He reached out to wipe her knee and asked, “Our next destination is Qingmu City, right?”
“Should be.”
“Then let’s set off.”
“Before we go, there’s one more thing.”
Ying Bing glanced at him, her expression thoughtful as she tied her hair back and secured it with a jade hairpin.
“There are still two sixth-grade disaster beasts.”
“This time, we’ll tackle them together.”
...
**Yantian Sect.**
In a tower that soared into the clouds, almost touching the stars.
The old woman gently caressed a jade plate in her hand, its sheen reminiscent of the peculiar stones from Hengyun Sword City, her face revealing a complex expression.
Perhaps soon, this item would no longer be needed.
*Tap—*
Light footsteps sounded behind her as a barefoot woman approached, softly calling out, “Master, the latest Nine Heavens and Ten Earths Rankings are here.”
The old woman responded with a hum, and the paper glowed slightly, projecting its information into the void.
Her gaze swept over the lists, stopping at the Qianlong List.
**[Qianlong List, Tenth Place: Ying Bing.]**
**[Qianlong List, Eleventh Place: Li Mo.]**
Their martial arts were about the same as last time.
But the changes in their battle records were monumental, and the additional content was nearly identical.
**[Battle Record: Entered the Southern Wilderness, transformed into the Qingluan Goddess (Ming Jiao clan’s Tianjiao), stirred up a storm in the Southern Wilderness, and together with Sanghu Mountain, defeated four sixth-grade disaster beasts: Xiang Liu, Fei Yi, Da Feng, and Fan Jiang Crocodile... along with several other disaster beasts.]**
**[Qianlong and Chuhuang united, stirring the winds and clouds across the four seas and eight wildernesses.]**
Tian Miao hesitated for a moment and asked, “Should we send this out as it is?”
“Send it as is.”
“Understood…”
...
**PS: Typos will be corrected later.**
**Seeking support (please donate), muah!**
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**Chapter 293: Winter Sun, Qianlong Rankings Released**
**Qingmu City.**
At dawn, the sky was just beginning to brighten, and the first light of day streamed through the gaps in the clouds, illuminating this newly constructed grand city.
The massive city gates stood wide open, swallowing the flow of carriages and horses like a dragon.
Qingmu City marked a boundary in the Southern Wilderness, the first major city of the human race after leaving the heart of the demon territory.
Arriving here meant stepping into the sphere of influence of the Southern Pass.
Above the bustling gates, a massive beast head hung—a trophy from a fourth-grade demon king, personally slain by the King of the South, still looking lifelike after many years.
Inside the city, the flat-roofed houses of Dayu style mingled with the corner towers common in the Southern Wilderness, creating a unique yet harmonious blend of cultural styles.
In the midst of the traffic, inside a horse-drawn carriage.
“Finally back in human territory,” Li Mo said, his expression lightening as if he had laid down a heavy burden.
Qingmu City wasn’t exactly bustling; it couldn’t compare to Yunzhou, let alone Ziyang Prefecture.
Yet it gave him a sense of warmth and familiarity, teeming with life.
“Ice Princess, do you want to eat something?”
“What is it?”
Ying Bing, sipping tea, looked up and followed his gaze.
On the street, an old man sat in front of a cart, dipping bamboo skewers into a pot of syrup, drawing pictures on a stone slab while animatedly telling stories, attracting a crowd of children around him.
Sugar paintings?
Aren’t those just for kids?
“I want to eat.”
“Alright, then I’ll get you one too.”
Li Mo’s smile brightened instantly.
He chatted with the old man selling sugar paintings for a bit, and when he pulled out a gold bean, the old man’s murky eyes sparkled with clarity, recognizing him as a craftsman.
Making sugar paintings wasn’t difficult; as long as you worked quickly and didn’t let the syrup solidify, it was fine.
In no time, a sugar figure resembling a big-headed doll emerged, vividly brought to life by Little Li’s artistic touch.
“Wow, big brother, your drawing is amazing!”
“Is this a picture of you?”
“Grandpa Qi only knows how to draw rabbits and tigers; we’re so tired of seeing those!”
The children surrounded Li Mo, clamoring for him to make more different sugar figures.
The old man’s grandson, a spirited little boy, stood with his hands on his hips, declaring, “My grandpa is the best! If you’re so good, make a few more different ones!”
Li Mo handed the sugar big-headed doll into the cart, raising an eyebrow.
Here it comes, back in human territory, and even the encounters were classic.
The disdain of the antagonist!
So what should he do next? No need to say more, right?
Fortunately, Brother Ouyang didn’t come along; his drawings weren’t suitable for children.
Little Li smirked:
“Today, let me show you what true artistry looks like~~~~!”
And so, fifteen minutes later.
“Wow, this big snake looks fierce! What kind of beast is it?”
“Hmph, you’ve never seen it? This is a Ming Jiao.”
“And this one?”
“This is a Shrimp-Head Man.”
“Wow, big brother, your drawings are so lifelike! Have you seen them all?”
“More than just seen.”
Little Li stood with his hands on his hips, proudly declaring:
“I’ve even been one! Have you heard of the sea selection?”
The winter sun seemed to warm a little more.
The children held various sugar paintings, munching away while listening to stories. Even the spirited little boy was won over, willingly acknowledging Little Li as the leader.
A new king of the street had been born!
Ying Bing, with her long legs crossed, looked like a snow goddess, yet she gently took a bite of the sugar big-headed doll.
It was sweet and delightful.
The scene of the boy shining among a crowd of children, calling the winds and rains, reflected in her eyes.
Making her gaze resemble the warm winter sun.
After bidding farewell to the little ones, the carriage slowly moved again.
As they searched for an inn, they noticed a crowd gathered not far away, blocking the way for the carriage.
“The Nine Heavens and Ten Earths Rankings have been released again, but unfortunately, there’s no Dragon Gate here.”
“Just being able to see it is good enough. Hmm... No changes in the Heaven and Earth Rankings? That’s normal... What about the Qianlong List?”
“Here it comes!”
An officer pushed through the crowd, posting the latest Qianlong List on the bulletin board.
The Heaven and Earth Rankings rarely changed throughout the seasons, and even the changes in the Human Rankings were minimal.
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