Running Away (Seeking Recommendation Tickets)

Chapter 28: Running Away (Seeking Recommendation Votes~)

Shi Lan spread out a square cloth. First, she took out several sets of clean clothes from the wardrobe, folded them neatly, and placed them inside before putting the dry rations to one side.

After a moment's hesitation, Shi Lan opened a hidden compartment in the wardrobe and took out several white cloth strips. She folded them and put them into her bundle.

She hadn't reached the Foundation Realm yet, so monthly occurrences were unavoidable. These were essentials.

Thinking for a moment, Shi Lan took out the White Crane Dress from the bottom of the cabinet and stuffed it into her bundle.

Finally, Shi Lan took out her little treasury and took out all the silver coins inside. After storing them properly, she shouldered her bundle, extinguished the candle in the room, and tiptoed out the door.

Seeing Shi Lan sneaking around in the moonlight with a bundle on her back, Shi Feng was surprised. Where was she going at this hour?

Shi Lan turned left and right, dodging two patrols of guards, and quickly arrived at a secluded corner.

This was a spot Shi Lan had scouted earlier. It was located at the junction of the front and back courtyards, with few people passing by. The courtyard wall was less than two zhang high.

Compared to the other courtyard walls that were three or four zhang high, this section, which was less than two zhang high, could be considered the easiest place to climb over.

Shi Lan took a few deep breaths, stepped back two paces, and sprinted forward. She leaped up and kicked off the courtyard wall, exerting sudden force and shooting up nearly a zhang high!

Then, Shi Lan's fingers gripped a crack in the wall tightly. Her feet pushed against the courtyard wall, and her thighs exerted force again, propelling her body upward another section.

With two climbs, Shi Lan's hands finally reached the edge of the courtyard wall. With a heave of her arms, she swung herself high and instantly cleared the wall.

"Bang—"

With a muffled thud, Shi Lan rolled upon landing, absorbing the impact of the fall from a height.

Shi Lan stood up, brushed the dust off her clothes, and glanced back at the towering courtyard wall, a smile appearing on her lips.

Goodbye, Shi Manor.

"Young Master, where are you going?"

The voice that suddenly came from behind made the smile on Shi Lan's lips freeze.

Shi Lan stiffly turned around and saw Shi Feng, his face full of confusion.

"Why are you here?!"

Shi Feng was taken aback by the question, then replied, "This subordinate was patrolling here at night. But Young Master, why aren't you resting so late?"

"The world is so big, and I want to go out and see it." As she spoke, Shi Lan began to slowly retreat.

Shi Feng stared at Shi Lan for a while, then said softly, "Young Master, if you go like this, you won't get far before you're caught. At most by tomorrow noon, the Madam will discover you're missing and send people to look for you. With their speed at the Foundation Realm, unless you run thousands of miles away overnight, finding you will be effortless."

Shi Lan's footsteps faltered, and her expression fell.

The atmosphere became awkward for a moment.

Suddenly, Shi Lan's eyes lit up, and she looked at Shi Feng with anticipation.

Shi Feng took two steps back and shook his head firmly, "Young Master, you should go back and rest."

Shi Lan sidled up to Shi Feng and patted his shoulder, "Shi Feng, as the saying goes, 'Attend to someone's urgent needs and provide what they require.' Help me this once, and I won't forget it."

"Young Master, I've never heard you say that before. And where exactly do you want to go?"

"I have some urgent matters, and I must leave Tenglong City. It's very urgent."

"I..."

Shi Feng really wanted to refuse, but looking into Shi Lan's eyes, the words of refusal got stuck in his throat.

Seeing that Shi Feng remained silent, Shi Lan took two steps back. "If you don't want to help me, I won't force you. Just pretend you didn't see me today. People have many things to forget in their lives; one more or less doesn't matter."

With that, Shi Lan turned and ran before Shi Feng could react.

Even though Shi Feng had said that, Shi Lan still wanted to try. She would get out of Tenglong City first.

Shi Feng raised his hand, but the words of retention never left his lips. With a sigh, he followed her from a distance.

Shi Lan didn't dare to stop for a moment. After running out of Tenglong City along the streets, she randomly picked a direction and ran at full speed.

Shi Lan didn't know how long she had been running before she finally saw a small town.

The sky was already faintly turning white.

Shi Lan slowly stopped. Her sides ached faintly, and she couldn't catch her breath.

If she kept running like this, something would definitely happen. Shi Lan slowly walked into the town, deciding to rest first.

The town wasn't large. Shi Lan circled around and found the only inn, then knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

The waiter sleepily opened the door. He yawned upon seeing Shi Lan, who looked weathered and travel-worn.

"Guest, please come in."

Shi Lan walked into the inn and threw a piece of broken silver to the waiter. "A superior room, and bring me a basin of hot water."

Upon seeing the silver, the waiter's sleepiness vanished. "Alright, please go upstairs!"

After entering the room and washing her face with hot water to clear her head, Shi Lan lay down on the bed and closed her eyes for a short rest.

No sooner had Shi Lan lain down than Shi Feng strode into the inn.

"Innkeeper, may I borrow some paper and a brush?"

Twenty li east of Nine Heavens City, in a makeshift military camp.

Shi Tianlu emerged from the general's tent, his expression grim.

"Patriarch, Shi Feng has sent a letter." A Foundation Realm martial artist, who had been waiting outside the tent, stepped forward and handed the letter in his hand to Shi Tianlu.

Shi Tianlu took the letter and scanned it. His already furrowed brows tightened further. He quickly walked out of the military camp, took to the air, and transformed into a streak of light, charging towards Nine Heavens City.

Upon entering Nine Heavens City, Shi Tianlu went straight to the inn where he was temporarily staying. He took up his brush, wrote two letters, and sent them out respectively.

"Still haven't found him?"

Su Lanyue sat in the main seat of the hall, her face ashen, her eyes filled with deep worry.

"Madam, we've searched the entire mansion and scoured the city. There's no trace of the Eldest Young Master." The guard standing below the steps replied respectfully.

Su Lanyue closed her eyes and waved her hand. "Dispatch more men, search outside the city!"

"Yes." The guard acknowledged the order and left.

A streak of lightning darted into the hall, transforming into a small, silver-white bird that perched on Su Lanyue's shoulder.

Su Lanyue frowned slightly and reached out to retrieve the letter tied to the bird's leg.

"A'lan is safe, do not worry."

Looking at the familiar handwriting on the letter, Su Lanyue called back the guard who was about to leave.

"Recall the men, no need to search anymore."

The guard was taken aback, then nodded in assent.

Su Lanyue clenched her fist, gripping the letter tightly. For the first time, she felt a rare sense of panic.

What exactly is going on?

After resting for a while, Shi Lan went downstairs and had a meal.

While resting, she saw the horses tethered in the inn's backyard. She haggled with the innkeeper and bought a black horse.

At first, she was a little unaccustomed to riding a horse, but Shi Lan was a martial artist now, and she quickly adapted to the jolting of the saddle.

Shi Lan rode her horse westward, heading in the opposite direction of Tenglong City.