For a moment, the heat and greed in countless eyes gave way to shock at the terrifying aura Zi Yan unleashed. Those who had been thinking of approaching her lowered their heads, stared straight ahead, and no longer dared to give her another glance.
Satisfied that she had made her point, Zi Yan gave a soft snort. Her intimidating aura receded like the tide, as though the pressure that had silenced the entire street had been nothing but an illusion.
Then she reached out and took Lin Ming's hand in full view of everyone on the street, leaning slightly against him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
The gesture said everything without a word, crushing the last shred of hope in anyone who still harbored it.
Lin Ming could only smile helplessly and reach up to stroke her soft purple hair.
Ignoring the uncertain looks around them, he led Zi Yan forward by the hand.
Long Qingyue followed behind them, then quickened her pace. Her gaze lingered for a moment on their backs as they walked side by side, and a flicker of envy passed through her eyes before she could even recognize it.
As the only daughter of the Dragon Battle Palace's master, she was one of the Northern Domain's most favored young talents. Yet walking behind the pair, she felt, for the first time, the strange sense that she was intruding.
She quietly suppressed the feeling and hurried after them.
The three of them passed through the bustling old street. Along the way, Zi Yan's violet-gold dragon eyes kept wandering over the rows of shops. Now and then she stopped at a stall selling unusual Spiritual Fruits, or offered her opinion on a spirit artifact with an interesting design. She looked more like