How come I'm the one being conquered?

"Well, after spending some time together, I can tell there's a slight difference between you and your usual self," Song Yan said, stroking his chin and leaning closer to Bai Jun. "How about it? I'm actually a pretty sharp observer, right? Don't I have that great detective vibe?"

"Not at all! And you're so gross, why are you always staring at me?" Bai Jun retorted with a disgusted, cat-like pout. He immediately grabbed a document and slapped Song Yan's approaching face away as if swatting a fly.

"Hey, you're really unreasonable! I was trying to comfort you out of kindness, and you call me disgusting? My heart aches from anger," Song Yan clutched his right chest, looking dejected and deeply hurt. He retreated to the window.

"Your heart is on the right side?"

"Oh, my apologies, I touched the wrong spot." Song Yan blinked, then moved his hand from his right chest to his left.

Bai Jun sighed, too lazy to continue their nonsensical banter. He tidied the documents on his desk with his left hand and offered his teacup to Song Yan with his right. Amidst Song Yan's confused gaze, he explained, "What are you still standing there for? Make me a cup of tea."

"Sigh, alright, alright. I guess I'm just destined to be a hard worker." Despite his grumbling, Song Yan obediently went to make Bai Jun a cup of tea. By the time he returned from the water dispenser, Bai Jun's desk had already been tidied.

Bai Jun thanked him and took the tea. He hadn't had any water since morning, so he didn't mind the heat. After blowing on it gently to cool it, he slowly began to drink.

"Hey! I remember you, Qing Yan, you stayed in Zhuming for a while, right? I suddenly remembered a fun anecdote about Zhuming!"

While Bai Jun was drinking, Song Yan, who had nothing else to do, suddenly had an idea. Although he was usually lazy and pessimistic, he always showed surprising enthusiasm when sharing gossip and stories. He cleared his throat and, with considerable stammering, began to recount a story he'd heard from Mr. Xiyan a few days prior:

"Have you heard of the 'Ballad of the Wandering Swordsman'? Legend has it that those who reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship and craftsmanship on the Zhuming Xianzhou were renowned as the 'Eight Petals of the Flaming Wheel.' They all hailed from the Zhuming Cloud Cavalry and the Crafting Department, studying craftsmanship and swordsmanship under Huai Yan. They were the divine generals of the Flaming Wheel Forging Palace, in charge of all sorts of weaponry, truly the pillars of Zhuming at the time."

"However, in Yuanhe Year 2... uh, no, it should be Stellaris Year 8094, Zhuming produced a mysterious master from an unknown origin. Their name, origin, and lineage were all unknown. But with just one person and one blade, they swept through the Eight Petals of the Flaming Wheel in a single night. Logically, such a remarkable feat should have been widely publicized, but this great hero simply brushed off their accomplishments and disappeared, their name and deeds hidden away. To this day, it remains a great mystery of Zhuming."

"Pfft—! Cough, cough, cough, what the heck is this nonsense!"

Bai Jun suddenly coughed, and a mouthful of tea uncontrollably sprayed onto Song Yan's face. Song Yan, who had been speaking eloquently, was caught off guard and instantly drenched, his expression shifting from surprise to helplessness.

"Was the story that moving? Or did you hear about this in Zhuming too?" Song Yan wiped the tea from his face, his tone a mix of exasperation and amusement.

"It's fake, I've never heard of it," Bai Jun replied, wiping his mouth, denying it without hesitation.

"But... Mr. Xiyan told it so convincingly, it felt very real. Maybe you should go listen to him sometime?"

"I think people who seek realism in fictional stories have something wrong with their heads," Bai Jun said, pointing to his temple and handing Song Yan some tissues as an apology.

Song Yan didn't argue, just chuckled and took the tissues, wiping his face. "You're right, I suppose. But it doesn't matter, whether it's true or false, it's just for fun. Even if that swordsman really existed, what does it have to do with us?"

As he spoke, he pulled out a photo from his pocket and thrust it into Bai Jun's hand without explanation.

"What's this?"

Although confused, Bai Jun took the photo. It showed a small white cat, its fur fluffy like flowing clouds reflecting snow, its features round and majestic.

"If you're feeling really down, you can use finding my cat as an excuse to apply for a morning off-duty. You don't actually have to look, just find a teahouse and relax," Song Yan yawned and continued with a smile. "I've been looking for this cat for a week and haven't found it. I'm starting to suspect someone snatched it up to stew it."

"How can you curse someone's cat like that... But thank you for the offer."

"No problem, no problem, don't worry about it." Song Yan waved his hand dismissively, turning to walk back to his seat. He added as a reminder:

"Oh, right, if you hear of any jobs walking dogs for rich ladies, let me know. I can quit my job at the Department of Earthly Rulings anytime."

"Dream on. If there were such a job, I'd be the first to apply," Bai Jun quipped with a smile. He put the photo in his pocket and stood up again.

He felt Song Yan was right. Instead of being bothered by troubles in the office, it would be better to go out for a stroll. He could read some books at the Sanyou Bookstore, listen to stories at Mr. Xiyan's place, or if he got tired of drinking tea at the Nightless Lord, he could play cards with Qing Que. When he had some free time in the coming days, he would ask Jing Yuan about the Medicine King's Legacy; he should know something.

Oh, right, and he also needed to find time to clean the newly rented apartment in Jiren Alley.

With his plans decided, Bai Jun felt much better. He then used the excuse of looking for the cat to apply for off-duty with Jing Yan.

Jing Yan didn't say much. In fact, she had long been quite annoyed by Song Yan's week-long search for the cat. Handing the task over to Bai Jun made her feel relieved.

Leaving the office, the street scenery was lovely. The seasonal spring flowers lining the road were in full bloom, dancing with the gentle breeze. Falling petals fluttered down like snowflakes, scattering soft tenderness.

Crossing the bustling road, Bai Jun held a string of bright red, plump, and crystal-clear sweet treats, which Luofu locals often called Qiongshi Bird Skewers.

Bai Jun wasn't particularly interested in them, but he usually saw Qing Que and Bailu enjoying them. For some reason, he felt a sudden urge today and bought a string to try.

"Not bad, quite tasty..."

Bai Jun pondered whether to visit Sanyou Bookstore to check out new arrivals or go for tea at the Nightless Lord, giving a simple evaluation of the skewer.

Forget it, he decided to head to Xuan Ye Avenue at the Starcruiser Sea Hub. He heard the Nightless Lord had acquired a batch of excellent Dan Ding Su Zhen. Drinking it brewed with a gaiwan, the boiling water quickly extracted the soup, resulting in a tea that was neither too strong nor bitter, but perfectly fresh, fragrant, and mellow.

He hailed a taxi-cruiser in Chahai, and soon arrived at the Chahai dock in the Starcruiser Sea Hub. It was crowded with Outworlders who had just entered through the Jade Realm Gate. Most of them had varied appearances and wore cameras on their chests. They were enthusiastically taking pictures of the stone lions at the Chahai dock and the Jade Realm Gate behind them, looking as curious as toddlers learning to walk.

A woman in a lavish formal gown sighed, covering her forehead. "Oh my goodness, this is simply too beautiful. Everything looks so exceptionally unique. This is a sight you'd never see in Penacony!"

Her male companion, dressed in a suit, excitedly stopped Bai Jun, who had just disembarked from a taxi-cruiser. Using his peculiar translated accent, converted by the Synesthesia Beacon, he asked, "Hey, old pal! Please wait, uh, I mean, friend, could we ask a friendly local Xianzhou resident to give us some pointers? I swear, there must be so many rare and wonderful places here, and what could be more exciting than hearing about these interesting locations?"

Bai Jun blinked his eyes wide with surprise, swallowed the Qiongshi Bird Skewer in his mouth, glanced around, and then pointed at himself. "Me?"

"That's right, beautiful Xianzhou friend. Your beauty is truly among the foremost I've ever encountered, surpassed only by that universally renowned family singer." The man, completely oblivious to his rambling, continued to converse with evident enjoyment.

"Who asked you?" Bai Jun impatiently interrupted him, his eyes returning to their usual listless, half-drooping state. He shrugged. "Are you trying to ask about fun places on Luofu?"

"Yes, yes! Those Cloud Cavalry friends and Tianbo Division friends all say, 'What's the point of visiting Luofu's attractions, they're all boring!' But I believe you must know some places, right?"

No, I actually don't know any places on Luofu worth visiting.

Bai Jun thought to himself, then pointed towards Changle Heaven at the other end of Chahai with his right hand. "Go there, the Imperial Jade Card Game hall. It's the best place to have fun in the entire Xianzhou. If you get tired, turn right next door to the Jiren Alley restaurant, have some braised intestines hot pot with fried liver, and finish it off with a big bowl of Soda Mung Bean Milk. That taste, only true Luofu gourmands would understand."

"Oh! Thank you sincerely. I promise my family, you are truly the most enthusiastic and hospitable Xianzhou person I've met. Wishing you a pleasant life."

The man thanked them, and the woman curtsied by lifting the hem of her skirt. Then, hand in hand, they went off to enjoy their rare holiday.

Bai Jun returned the gift, watched the two of them go, then popped another Qiongshi fruit into his mouth and turned to continue walking towards Xuan Ye Avenue.

This wasn't exactly misleading people; those things really were only eaten by the gourmands of Luofu. As for whether other people could handle them... it didn't matter. Weren't people supposed to seek out new experiences when they traveled?

Turning the corner of the street, Bai Jun's peripheral vision caught sight of the right side of the road, and he couldn't help but stop. His gaze locked onto the wooden railing by the roadside. Standing there was a girl with chestnut-colored twin ponytails, dressed in yellow. She stood by the edge of the sea of stars, staring blankly at the sky, watching the stars traversing the sea, and he wondered what she was thinking.

Just as Bai Jun was wondering what was going on with her, the girl suddenly reached her hand out over the wooden railing. Then, half her body leaned over the bridge, her tiptoes gradually lifting off the ground.

Seeing that she was about to go over the railing and fall into the sea of stars, Bai Jun was shocked. Without a second thought, he held the Qiongshi Bird Skewer in his mouth and rushed towards the yellow-clad girl by the bridge.

Chapter 24: Kid, Don't Elbow Me (5k)

The Jade Realm was clear and bright, the Qiong fields vast.

Stars were like clouds and mud entering a sea market, with tourists constantly filling the heavenly gates.

Anyone traveling to or from Luofu would look up and see the wide Jade Gate. The spatial membrane within seemed to be disturbed by swirling currents, and without any support, it spontaneously took in and sent out stars of all sizes. However, these were considered ordinary. What was truly spectacular was the majestic, venerable spirit above the Jade Gate, as if formed from lightning. Resplendent, with formation blades hundreds of feet tall standing in the void, it was truly awe-inspiring.

It was said that this was a gift from the divine power of the Emperor's Bow, named the Lord of the Divine Firmament, Commander of Thunder and Lightning, Exorcist of Demons and Sweeper of Filth. It governed a region of stability, and its current wielder was the General of Divine Strategy, one of the renowned Seven Generals of the Emperor's Bow on the Xianzhou.

All travelers wishing to enter Luofu would look up and respectfully gaze at this divine spirit. The timid and ignoble would not even dare to look directly at it.

Among them was a yellow-clad girl. Judging by her face, she was about sixteen. Her features were delicate and beautiful, and her brows held a hint of spiritedness, making her a true beauty in the making. However, what was more striking was the giant sword she carried, supported by some unknown monstrous strength.

The sword was two feet one inch long, unusually large, and its appearance was vaguely ancient. Yet, its edges were as thin as cicada wings, capable of cutting hair. Onlookers passing by couldn't help but turn their heads and marvel, but the girl seemed burdened by worries, her brows furrowed, revealing a hint of annoyance. She muttered softly, "Oh no, oh no, how did Mother say to recite the Sword Heart Incantation again?"

The girl's name was Su Shang, from Yaoqing. She had come to Luofu to participate in the Cloud Cavalry's combat training in response to the Cloud Cavalry's command. By all rights, it should have been a memorable and important day, but the moment she arrived, she had committed a major offense. She had forgotten the 'Sword Heart Incantation' that her mother had specifically instructed her to recite repeatedly!

The so-called Sword Heart Incantation was taught to her by her mother as she honed her swordsmanship. According to her mother, the heart was the foundation of martial arts. Only when the mind and spirit were refined into formlessness would one know that the sword was merely an external object. Grass, wood, stone, and bamboo could all be swords. With the flow of the mind and strength, one could be free and unrestrained. Only then would the Great Void Sword Art truly be considered mastered.

What should she do? She had pestered her mother for years before being allowed to come to Luofu for the Cloud Cavalry training. If her mother found out she had forgotten the Sword Heart Incantation right after leaving home, she would probably fly here herself to drag her back, and even her father's pleas would be useless.

The thought of returning to the miserable days of fasting, reciting incantations, and practicing swordplay morning and evening made Su Shang feel as if the sky was falling.

Before she could come up with a solution, the Cloud Cavalry at the checkpoint raised their wrists and waved her forward. "Next! Quickly present your Xianzhou Alliance travel permit, Luofu travel permit, conduct certificate, criminal record certificate, and other documents. There are many people behind you, don't delay!"

Su Shang was startled. She tucked the "Luofu Travel Guide" she was carrying into her embrace, her teeth clenched tightly, but she had no choice but to brace herself and step forward.

"Metal and stone can be melted, oaths... uh, what was it again?" Su Shang handed over the relevant documents one by one. She had intended to bow to this Cloud Cavalry senior, but after less than half a second, her words failed her.

"Metal and stone can be melted, oaths are unbreakable." The Cloud Cavalry took the two documents, glanced at them briefly, and then looked up at Su Shang, asking in surprise, "Are you a new Cloud Cavalry recruit?"

"Yes, yes, I am!"

Hearing the girl's Yaoqing accent, the Cloud Cavalry grinned and waved the documents back. "Never mind, never mind. You're cleared, young one. But there are still so many people behind you, so we still need to follow the procedure. What are you swearing an oath to? Name, origin, reason for entry, and so on, let's get it all sorted out."

Su Shang nodded, thinking that she had misused a Luofu saying again.

Helplessly, she picked up the Four-Directional Mirror and reported truthfully as the man requested, writing it down on paper: "Name: Su Shang; Belongings: 'Xuanyuan' one sword; Origin: Residing at..."

The girl chuckled awkwardly and scratched her head, quite embarrassed. "Excuse me, big brother at the gate, how do you write the character 'Yao' in Yaoqing?"

"Radiant light spewing fire, the Yao covering the marsh and obscuring the water. This 'Yao' symbolizes the sun and moon, so the sun's rays are the Yao, understand?" Although the Cloud Cavalry was a bit annoyed, he restrained the urge to kick her away out of consideration for her being a young girl and patiently continued to explain.

"Then... how do you write 'Zhai'?"

This time, the Cloud Cavalry couldn't help but roll his eyes and wrote down "Yaoqing" for her himself. Before Su Shang could finish writing the address of her building on Amber Street, the Cloud Cavalry waved her away, not wanting her to waste any more time. As he sent her off, he reminded her:

"Young ladies should read more books!"

"What! I just forgot for a moment, okay? I just forgot for a moment." Su Shang puffed out her cheeks and mumbled discontentedly. Then, she suddenly realized something. "Oh, right! I just forgot the Sword Heart Incantation for a moment. Maybe after a meal and a nap, I'll remember it!"

With these and other clever methods to overcome her adversaries, Su Shang was satisfied and began to admire the scenery along the way. Luofu's entry procedures were quite complicated, and the numerous checks, big and small, had already made her unable to contain her excitement. She was naturally a restless person, and now she could finally run around and stretch her limbs.

Speaking of which, this was her first time traveling so far from home!

It was the third month, and the spring breeze was favorable.

The Starcruiser Sea Hub was undoubtedly one of the most prosperous areas on Luofu. Centered around the tall buildings of the Sichen Palace, the buildings lining both sides of the streets were teahouses, restaurants, pawnshops, and workshops. In the open spaces along the streets, many vendors with large umbrellas extended eastward and westward, reaching the quieter outskirts outside the city, yet the streets were still bustling with people.

Wandering casually through the lively street, her steps were light. Brilliant sunlight poured down between the green tiles and red walls that met the eye. The abruptly jutting eaves, the high-flying shop signs and banners, the gleaming star chart, the endless stream of pedestrians, and the calm, contented smiles on their faces quickly dazzled Su Shang. She found a high platform beside a fragrant tea tree. The Xuanyuan sword was placed by the tree, and she herself leaned on the wooden railing, standing on tiptoe to survey her surroundings.

"Wow, this is Luofu! It's so much livelier than my home in Yaoqing!"

In her memory, Yaoqing only became this prosperous during important festivals. It was nothing like the liveliness of Luofu.

However, after the initial excitement, she began to worry again – where was the Cloud Cavalry reporting office in Luofu?

"I remember Mother saying the Cloud Cavalry reporting office was at... the General Headquarters?" Su Shang weighed the hilt of the Xuanyuan sword, her brow furrowed as she tried to recall. After a long while, her brain about to overload, Su Shang decided to give up the thought.

She wasn't good at thinking things through. Instead of racking her brain, it would be better to walk around and ask some locals.

Su Shang looked ahead, spreading her index and thumb to form a frame, confining the scenery before her to the rainbow-shaped bridge and the street connecting to the bridgehead. At first glance, it was a throng of people, chaotic and disorderly. But upon closer inspection, she could see many Cloud Cavalry patrolling in formation, which made Su Shang's eyes light up, and she immediately had an idea.

Just as she was about to move to the opposite street to ask the Cloud Cavalry seniors for directions, the petals that suddenly appeared in her line of sight firmly captured her attention.

Such beautiful flowers...

A maiden's heart is always full of romance. Gazing at the falling white flowers, Su Shang subconsciously reached out her left hand towards the falling petals in front of her, trying to catch them.

This white tea tree standing by the roadside grew differently from others. Its branches and leaves extended beyond the wooden railing, growing wantonly towards the boundless sea of stars. The waist-high guardrail slightly obstructed her movement, leaving Su Shang's fingertips only half a step away from the falling petals.

Without thinking, she hooked the wooden railing with her right hand instinctively. Her slender, fair left leg stretched back with effort, and half her body leaned out towards the sea of chá, balanced on the tiptoe of her right foot.

Just as her fingertips were about to touch the petals, a gust of wind blew, and her hair happened to cover her eyelids. She instinctively closed her eyes, but this momentary startle caused her to lose her carefully maintained balance.

"Huh?"

Her consciousness hadn't even registered what was happening before her body swayed and she stumbled forward. Since there was no leverage or support in the air, she was about to inevitably fall into the sea of stars when a warm, strong hand timely grabbed her fair, tender calf hanging in the air, preventing Su Shang from falling into the sea of stars.

The next second, the hand gripping the fair, tender calf suddenly exerted force, yanking Su Shang, who was about to fall, back up. Bai Jun also lowered his body, catching Su Shang steadily as she stumbled.

What should have been a classic and romantic first encounter went awry at the last step. In her panic, Su Shang's elbow happened to hit Bai Jun's chest, and her head then swung towards his nose.

"Guh—!"

With a pained grunt, Bai Jun collapsed to the ground. The Qiongshi Bird Skewer he was holding in his mouth flew out. That wasn't all; the girl's body also landed on top of him.

Fortunately, Su Shang was light and soft, smelling pleasantly. Coupled with Bai Jun's regular training, his firm muscles absorbed much of the impact. Otherwise, he would have been knocked out cold by her elbow.

Even so, the impact on his nose was very real, and the pain brought tears to Bai Jun's eyes. He had no mind to appreciate the warmth in his arms, nor any intention of taking advantage of the girl. He immediately let go and pushed Su Shang, who hadn't figured out what was happening, away from him.

"You idiot!"

Once Bai Jun recovered, the first thing he did was firmly grab the shoulders of the chestnut-haired girl in front of him. Her cornflower-blue eyes stared at her with unusual seriousness. "Do you know how dangerous that was? While falling off the starcruiser wouldn't injure you, did you ever consider how serious the consequences would be if a passing starcruiser hit you!"

At this moment, Su Shang, who had been in a daze, finally realized what had just happened. She blinked slowly, and a look of panic appeared on her delicate and pretty face. It wasn't lingering fear from what had just occurred, but rather she raised a fingertip and tremblingly pointed at Bai Jun's lips.

Under Bai Jun's confused gaze, Su Shang finally managed to squeeze out a somewhat dry, yet guilt-ridden voice from her throat, "Th-that... you, you're bleeding."

Bai Jun froze for a moment before realizing a warm flow on his face. Reacting, he fumbled to cover his nose, but he could still feel the warmth seeping through his fingers. He then tilted his head back to prevent the dripping blood from staining his collar.

He didn't need to think; it must have been caused by the impact just now.

Su Shang naturally understood this. She frantically patted her pockets, intending to quickly take out some paper to wipe her benefactor. However, after searching, her hands were empty. It was then she remembered that the tissues in her pockets had already been used up.

In her haste, a flash of inspiration struck Su Shang, and she immediately thought of an emergency solution. Mustering her courage, she leaned in front of Bai Jun. Under his nearly stunned gaze, she used her own clean white sleeve to press against his nose. Several wipes only made things messier, and the sleeve gradually became soaked with blood. Even so, Su Shang paid it no mind until the sleeve was completely stained crimson and the bleeding stopped.

Well, it seemed that when one was utterly speechless, they really would start laughing.

Bai Jun shook his head with a wry smile, a hint of helplessness in the smile at the corner of his eyes. Looking at Su Shang's blood-stained sleeve, he silently vowed: this kind of idiot was truly a once-in-a-century occurrence.

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault for causing you to get hurt, my benefactor."

Su Shang knelt on the ground with her knees together, her small hands placed neatly on her lap. Her fingers unconsciously twisted the corner of her clothes, and her head drooped slightly. She looked at the ground with a dejected expression, her voice filled with shame and sorrow, making the surrounding air feel heavy.

"Don't call me benefactor."