Wandering Around Spirit City

The morning sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows high in the Worship Hall, casting dazzling patches of color across the floor.

Lu Jing slowly opened his eyes on the soft bed. After a night of sleep and cultivation, he felt refreshed, and the Soul Power inside the body had stabilized and improved a little further.

He got up, and the sound of simple washing seemed especially clear in the quiet room.

He pushed open the heavy wooden window, and a morning breeze carrying the fresh scent of grass and trees rushed in, dispersing the stillness of the night.

Spirit City's outline became clear beneath the rising sun, while faint voices could already be heard from the distant streets. Looking at this grand city from ten thousand years ago, a thought took shape in Lu Jing's mind.

He straightened his robes, walked out of the room door, and stopped before Wang Dong'er's room next door.

Knock, knock, knock.

Three neither light nor heavy knocks rang out, echoing through the quiet corridor. The room remained silent for a moment before a rustling sound came from within, followed by the footsteps of someone shuffling closer in slippers.

The door opened a crack. Wang Dong'er rubbed her bleary eyes, her powder blue long hair hanging messily around her shoulders. She still wore a silk nightgown, and the flush on her face had yet to fully fade. She looked clearly grumpy from having just woken up, as well as utterly confused at being disturbed.

"...Who is it? So early in the morning..." Her voice carried a thick nasal tone, soft and sweet beyond belief.

"It's me." Seeing the beauty before him, like a begonia still not fully awake in spring, a trace of barely perceptible amusement flashed through Lu Jing's eyes. He softened his voice and said, "You seemed quite curious about Spirit City before. The weather's nice today. Want to go take a look around?"

Wang Dong'er blinked. Her long eyelashes trembled a few times like butterfly wings, and her muddled mind seemed to finally begin working. Shopping? In this completely unfamiliar Spirit City from ten thousand years ago? She instinctively rubbed her eyes again, her gaze focusing on Lu Jing's youthful yet steady-eyed face.

"Take a... walk around Spirit City?" she repeated. Then her eyes gradually brightened, and the lingering sleepiness receded like the tide, replaced by excitement mixed with novelty, curiosity, and a faint sense of adventure.

"Sure! Wait for me!"

Before Lu Jing could respond, the room door slammed shut again with a bang. A frantic rustling of clothes immediately came from inside.

Lu Jing helplessly shook his head, leaning against a corridor pillar as he waited patiently. The morning air of the Worship Hall carried its distinctive solemnity and chill, yet the wait was not boring. About half an hour later, the room door opened again.

Lu Jing's gaze paused slightly when it fell upon Wang Dong'er, who had reappeared.

She had changed into a well-fitted powder blue long skirt, with a thin silver-woven belt around her waist that outlined her slender waist and tall, graceful figure. Her powder blue long hair was not overly adorned, merely falling smoothly down her back with slightly curled ends, making her already fair skin appear even more immaculate.

She wore light makeup, her cherry lips touched with red, her delicate nose straight and refined. Her powder blue eyes sparkled as they moved, carrying the maiden's unique innocence and brightness beneath their liveliness. Most eye-catching of all were the golden, thin-strapped high-heeled sandals on her feet, which made her already tall figure appear even more slender. She swayed gracefully as she walked, every step seeming to tread upon one's heartstrings.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Wang Dong'er smoothed her skirt and smiled brightly, making even the morning sunlight seem a little more radiant.

"Let's go!"

The two walked side by side out of the inner courtyard where the Worship Hall stood. After passing through several heavily guarded gates, they arrived at the more open outer area and happened to encounter Qian Renxue speaking quietly in the courtyard with several people dressed in Spirit Hall deacon uniforms. She appeared to be making her final arrangements before departure.

Hearing their footsteps, Qian Renxue looked up. When she saw the newly transformed Wang Dong'er, even she, who was always composed and calm, could not help but let a flicker of admiration pass through her eyes. Her gaze then settled on the two of them, carrying a hint of inquiry.

"Sister Xue." Lu Jing greeted her naturally.

"Heading out?" Qian Renxue gestured for the deacons to wait, then walked over. Her golden long hair flowed with a luminous sheen under the sunlight, and her bearing was noble and outstanding.

"Mm."

Lu Jing nodded, pointed at Wang Dong'er, then toward the outside, and replied, "I'm taking her out to look around Spirit City, get familiar with the surroundings, and see whether there's anything we need to buy."

His tone was casual, as though they were merely ordinary neighbors going out together.

Qian Renxue's gaze shifted imperceptibly between the two of them, lingering for half a second on Lu Jing's overly calm face in particular.

She sensed no intent to investigate or cause trouble from them. They simply seemed like two young people who had just arrived, curious about a bustling city.

Thinking that she would soon be traveling far away while they remained in the Worship Hall, where every movement of theirs would be under control, the faint doubt in Qian Renxue's heart also dissipated.

She revealed a perfectly measured gentle smile and nodded. "That works too. Spirit City is indeed worth seeing. Go on, have fun."

Her tone held the tolerance of an older sister. Then she added, glancing over the open courtyard and distant walls, "But be careful, and come back early."

"Got it. Thanks, Sister Xue." Lu Jing responded. Wang Dong'er also smiled politely at Qian Renxue.

Qian Renxue watched the two figures disappear beneath the archway leading to Spirit City's main street. Only then did she turn around, her expression returning to its cool indifference as she continued giving quiet instructions to those trusted deacons. Her Milky Way-like eyes once again held the depth and calculations belonging to Spirit Hall's Young Master.

The moment they left the area shrouded in the Worship Hall's majesty, the clamor and liveliness of the city rushed toward them.

The broad streets held several times more people than they had seen yesterday evening. Soul Masters dressed in all kinds of fitted outfits, each giving off different Soul Power Fluctuations, crowded shoulder to shoulder. Some hurried along, while others stopped to converse. Shops lined both sides of the street, selling all manner of items related to Soul Masters: gleaming blades in weapon shops, sturdy armor in defense shops, waves of medicinal fragrance drifting from herb stores, and even shops specializing in Soul Beast materials and Soul Tool components. Hawkers' cries, bargaining voices, and the neighing of Soul Beast mounts mixed together, filling the place with vibrant, thriving street life.

"Wow, there are so many people!" Wang Dong'er widened her eyes and looked around curiously, her face full of excitement. Although technology was advanced ten thousand years later and Shrek City was equally prosperous, this simple commercial atmosphere centered entirely around Soul Masters possessed a different kind of charm.

Lu Jing appeared much calmer. His gaze swept over the shops and stalls as he observed and memorized more than anything else. He held Wang Dong'er's wrist and skillfully guided her around the crowded pedestrians to prevent them from getting separated. Her wrist was slender and soft, her skin delicate and slightly cool. Lu Jing's actions were natural, without any inappropriate intent; he was simply looking after her.

The two wandered about without any particular destination. Wang Dong'er showed great interest in all sorts of novel little trinkets, occasionally stopping before stalls selling exquisite accessories or distinctive snacks. Lu Jing did not urge her on, patiently staying by her side and sometimes casting an extra glance at unusual Soul Beast materials.

After wandering for about half an hour, Lu Jing's gaze passed over a grand shop bustling with customers. Above its entrance hung a black signboard with golden lettering, upon which three characters were written in bold, sweeping strokes—Myriad Treasure Pavilion. A mixed scent of medicine, metal, and special materials faintly drifted out from within, displaying the breadth of its business.