At the heart of Dayi City, the central street ended at a mountain wall. Clouds swirled around it, and a rainbow formed a bridge. A woman stepped down from the rainbow, followed by an old woman. They were Qing Yun and Granny Yin.
Luo Ning came to greet them.
"Why aren't you out killing bugs? What do you want with us?" Granny Yin asked Luo Ning.
Luo Ning bowed. "My lady, we're heading to Black Marsh City."
Qing Yun looked puzzled. "Why?"
"The contest for First Young Master Lord is being held in Black Marsh."
Qing Yun and Granny Yin exchanged glances. "Who said so?"
"Senior Bai Xia."
"My lady, shall I ask him?"
"No need. I'm not interested in becoming First Young Master Lord," Qing Yun said. She, too, had slept in the Young Master Lord Tower, in the due south position, but she had no interest in becoming First Young Master Lord.
Whether or not she held that title, she occupied a uniquely important position in the Nine Heavens Universe.
Qing Yun looked at Luo Ning and smiled. "Thank you for coming all this way to tell me. When are you heading to Black Marsh?"
Luo Ning thought for a moment. "Young King Qing has already set out. I'll leave as soon as I've seen you."
Qing Yun nodded, gazing intently at Luo Ning. "I have two things to remind you of."
Luo Ning bowed again, his expression solemn. "Please, my lady."
Qing Yun looked toward Black Marsh. "The Young Master Lord Tower supports you for a simple reason: it hopes that, a hundred or a thousand years from now, one of you will be able to match Lu Yin. No one in this era has managed it, so all our hopes rest on you. Each of you