Watching the Soul Duel

The next day, Tang Yuehua had originally planned to leave and continue their journey, but the heavens opened up with heavy rain, forcing the caravan to rest in Baihe City for another day.

In his room, Huangfu Ji gazed out the window.

Outside, the rain poured down, droplets hanging from the eaves like curtains.

At the center of the city stood an enormous lotus pond several hundred meters across. The locals called it Lotus Lake, and Baihe City had been built around it. The lake was filled with white lotuses.

It was now August, the season when lotuses were in full bloom. From the inn, they could see the beautiful lotus scenery not far away, except the lotuses blooming across Lotus Lake were white.

The lotus leaves blanketed the lake in dense layers, seeming to stretch all the way to the sky. The blooming lotuses were crystal-clear and untainted, fresh and elegant. Seen from the inn, the view was magnificent. With today's rain, Lotus Lake was shrouded in mist, adding a touch of mystery.

The rain did not stop until evening. When he opened the window, the fragrance of lotuses rushed toward him, and the air, washed clean by the rain, felt especially fresh.

"Truly beautiful."

Looking at that hazy scene, Huangfu Ji did not know how long it had been since he had last seen such a sight. At that moment, he felt incomparably relaxed. His body and mind both eased completely, and all the pressure on him was swept away.

At that moment, he unexpectedly felt like going out for a stroll.

Once that thought arose, it became impossible to dismiss.

So, he left his room and headed outside the inn.

As soon as he reached the stairs, he saw Tang Yuehua walking up from downstairs.

"Where are you going?" Tang Yuehua asked curiously upon seeing Huangfu Ji. From yesterday until now, aside from meals, Huangfu Ji had spent all his time cultivating in his room.

Now that he had actually come out of his room, it was hard not to be curious.

Huangfu Ji said, "The rain has stopped. It's been a little stuffy staying in the room all this time, so I'm going out for a walk."

"Going out?" Tang Yuehua's beautiful eyes lit up.

"I'll go with you."

She had been stuck in the inn for the past two days and was feeling a little stifled as well. Since Huangfu Ji was going out, they might as well take a stroll together. They had plenty of time anyway.

Huangfu Ji did not refuse.

Tang Yuehua happily returned to her room to tidy up a little. Then the two left the inn. The members of the Clear Sky Sect traveling with them wanted to follow and protect her. After all, Tang Yuehua was only a Level 9 Soul Master and had no combat ability whatsoever.

She was the sort who could not kill anyone even with a blade in her hand.

Throughout the entire Clear Sky Sect, Tang Yuehua was everyone's darling. She was not merely the Sect Master's beloved pearl—she was the treasured jewel of the entire sect.

After all, in a sect full of people who only knew how to swing massive hammers, having a disciple with dignified bearing and elegant manners naturally made everyone want to protect her.

Tang Yuehua was the sort where, if someone bullied her one second, the entire Clear Sky Sect would be at their door with giant hammers the next, ready to tear the place apart.

Of course, nothing like that had happened so far. Mainly because Tang Yuehua was only twelve and had barely ever left home. Whenever she went out, several burly men accompanied her for protection, so no one dared provoke her.

This trip was Tang Yuehua's first journey far from home.

Unexpectedly, they had encountered Huangfu Ji on the way back. And now, the two of them were heading out together without even bringing guards.

As a result, when the Clear Sky Sect members looked at Huangfu Ji, their gazes were filled with hostility. He had better not whisk away the flower of their Clear Sky Sect just after meeting her.

It did not matter if Huangfu Ji was handsome or a Grand Duke.

After leaving the inn, Huangfu Ji asked in confusion, "Why do I feel like the people from your Clear Sky Sect are looking at me strangely, as if they want to stab me?"

"I don't think I offended them, did I?"

Tang Yuehua lowered her head and covered her mouth as she laughed softly.

"It's nothing."

She could guess why, and she knew her sect members had misunderstood. Still, she did not care. She had finally gotten the chance to come out and have some fun—how could she give it up so easily?

Outside the inn, the rain had only just stopped. The roads had been washed clean, and the air was fresh and moist.

The two walked side by side. Tang Yuehua found everything around her novel, and before long, she had bought quite a few things.

When they passed a jewelry stall, she took a liking to a hairpin.

Seeing such a beautiful woman as Tang Yuehua, the stall owner then noticed Huangfu Ji standing not far from her, and his face immediately broke into a smile.

"Miss, with beauty like yours, this hairpin is a perfect match for you."

"It's not expensive either—just one Gold Soul Coin. Have your boyfriend buy one for you."

"No, no, he isn't my boyfriend. We're just ordinary friends." Tang Yuehua waved her hands repeatedly, her cheeks flushing as heat rose to her ears.

The stall owner wore a knowing smirk, as though he had seen through everything.

"I understand, I understand."

Kid, he had been doing business here for over a decade. What sort of people had he not seen? Judging by Tang Yuehua's bashful appearance, he had clearly hit the mark.

Tang Yuehua put down a Gold Soul Coin and ran off with a red face. Water on the road splashed onto the hem of her dress, yet she did not notice at all.

Huangfu Ji was about to follow her.

At that moment, the stall owner said, "Not bad, young man. Your girlfriend is so beautiful."

"You're just not proactive enough. If you're buying jewelry for your girlfriend, how can you let her pay?"

"Huh?" Huangfu Ji tilted his head, looking utterly bewildered.

"What girlfriend?"

The owner pointed at Tang Yuehua in the distance.

"Isn't that your girlfriend?"

"Of course not. Don't talk nonsense; it'll be easy for people to misunderstand." Huangfu Ji hurriedly refuted him.

He had only known Tang Yuehua for two days, and they had always kept their distance. How could they possibly be boyfriend and girlfriend? Besides, he had no such thoughts right now.

"Oh~" The owner wore the same mischievous grin.

"I understand, I understand."

"You young people sure know how to have fun these days."

"What are you even talking about?" Huangfu Ji left in confusion.

After catching up to Tang Yuehua, he asked in puzzlement, "What was up with that owner?"

Tang Yuehua blushed. "N-Nothing. Isn't that just how people do business?"

"True." Huangfu Ji nodded. How could one do business without being sweet-tongued?

As the two wandered around the city, Tang Yuehua's face remained flushed. She did not even dare look at Huangfu Ji's face, and she tried her best to keep her distance to avoid causing any more misunderstandings.

When they arrived at Lotus Lake, the place was packed with people. Tang Yuehua, who had originally come to admire the beautiful lotus flowers, immediately lost interest.

She had come to see flowers, not heads.

Left with no choice, the two could only leave.

They had originally planned to head back, but when they passed the Great Soul Arena, Huangfu Ji suddenly had an idea.

"I'm going to watch some soul battles. Want to come?" he asked Tang Yuehua. If she did not want to watch, he would take her back first before returning on his own.

It had been twelve years since his rebirth, yet he had never watched a soul battle.

"Alright." Tang Yuehua did not want to spoil his mood. After all, he had accompanied her around for so long, so she could not exactly refuse.

Besides, she had not watched many soul battles either. In the past, she had only watched her two older brothers spar within the sect.

As the two entered the Great Soul Arena, they heard people nearby talking.

"Xing Hu has a soul battle tonight. Let's go watch it."

"Then hurry up. Xing Hu's soul battles aren't held every day. We're really lucky tonight."

Hearing the conversation, Huangfu Ji and Tang Yuehua followed those people to buy tickets for the sub-arena where Xing Hu would be fighting.

By the time they reached the stands, the seats were already full.

Xing Hu's match was a life-and-death battle, meaning it would only end when one side killed the other. Such soul battles always drew the largest crowds.