Ling Luochеn

Ji Xuan stood some distance away, watching the scene with interest.

When he got a clear look at the cool, elegant profile barely visible beneath the black-robed woman's hood, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.

Ling Luochеn?

The pride of Shrek Academy's inner court, and one of the Shrek Seven Devils.

What was she doing here?

And from the looks of it, she seemed eager to leave Shrek City.

The Soul Power fluctuations around Ling Luochеn grew stronger by the moment. It looked as if she might strike at any second.

Ji Xuan knew he couldn't keep watching from the sidelines.

Having a Soul King-level powerhouse start a fight in the city would be a serious problem.

He walked over at an unhurried pace and stepped between Ling Luochеn and the caravan leader.

"Sir, are you headed to the northern border of the Heaven Dou Empire?"

His calm voice brought the tense standoff to an abrupt pause.

The caravan leader turned at the sound and sized Ji Xuan up.

When he saw the ordinary gray clothes and the lack of any Shrek Academy insignia, he visibly relaxed.

"We are! Little brother, looking for a ride?"

The leader was clearly much friendlier to him than he'd been to Ling Luochеn.

After all, this unremarkable-looking boy seemed much easier to deal with than the mysterious woman beside him, who kept radiating Soul Power pressure.

"That's right."

Ji Xuan nodded, then discreetly activated the Soul Skill he had just acquired.

First Soul Skill: [Reflections in a Mirage]!

A faint black glimmer flashed behind him, so subtle and quick that it was almost impossible to catch.

The next moment, he pulled a bulging purse from his robes.

Ji Xuan handed it to the caravan leader and said,

"This is my fare."

The leader took the purse, weighed it in his hand, and immediately beamed.

"That's enough! More than enough!"

Ji Xuan pretended to glance at Ling Luochеn in passing.

"By the way, is this young lady headed to the northern border too?"

"She is, but..."

The leader glanced at Ling Luochеn, looking troubled.

"I'll pay her fare too."

Ji Xuan took another purse from his robes and tossed it to the caravan leader.

"This..."

Ling Luochеn abruptly raised her head.

Surprise and confusion flashed in her beautiful eyes beneath the hood.

Why would this ordinary-looking boy help her?

The caravan leader weighed the second purse, then nodded in satisfaction.

"All right! Since you're so generous, you can both come along!"

"But this is a freight caravan. You'll have to ride in the last wagon and squeeze in with the cargo. You don't mind, do you?"

Ji Xuan shrugged without a care.

"No problem."

"What? You expect me to share a wagon with the cargo?"

Ling Luochеn's voice turned icy, disbelief and anger coloring her words.

As a Heaven's Pride, when had she ever suffered such indignity?

To be crammed in with that filthy cargo—

It was a tremendous insult!

"Miss, this is a freight caravan, not a passenger coach."

The caravan leader ignored her protest and turned to leave, urging his men along the way.

"Come on, everyone! Get ready to move! We need to reach the next waystation before dark!"

Ling Luochеn panicked and hurriedly turned to Ji Xuan, hoping he would speak up for her.

After all, he'd paid the fare. The caravan leader ought to show him some respect.

But when she turned around, all she saw was Ji Xuan's back.

Without a second thought, he had already climbed into the last wagon.

He found a comfortable spot amid the cargo and closed his eyes to rest.

He had no intention of standing up for her.

"You...!"

Ling Luochеn stamped her foot, gritting her teeth.

When had she ever been treated so coldly?

Wherever she went, people swarmed around her, fawning over her.

And yet this man had paid her fare, then acted as if he couldn't see her predicament!

He was simply... simply...

The caravan had already begun to roll forward.

Ling Luochеn gritted her teeth and followed, unwillingly.

She couldn't very well be left behind.

She took a deep breath, then climbed awkwardly into the last wagon under the caravan leader's amused gaze.

Inside the wagon, the atmosphere was unbearably awkward.

Ling Luochеn frowned and used Soul Power to carefully clean a patch of floor, making sure there wasn't a speck of dust or a single stain.

Then she summoned her Martial Soul and formed a thin layer of ice over the spot, completely separating herself from the "filthy" cargo.

Only after all that did she sit down carefully, doing her best to maintain an elegant posture.

Even in such miserable surroundings, she couldn't afford to lose the dignity of a genius.

Ji Xuan, meanwhile, stretched out casually atop a pile of packages.

He laced his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, looking perfectly at ease.

A wagon full of cargo lay between them, yet it felt as if an invisible chasm separated them.

Ling Luochеn sneaked a glance at the boy who had suddenly appeared and helped her out.

He looked young, perhaps fifteen or sixteen, with delicate features that were pleasant but not especially striking.

He wore the plainest gray clothes, looking like an ordinary commoner's son.

But the composure he had shown earlier, and the calm way he'd acted as if everything were under control, made him seem unusual.

Most importantly, why had he helped her?

In this world, kindness never came without a reason.

Especially when it was shown to a stranger like her, whose identity was hidden.

Could he have recognized her?

At the thought, Ling Luochеn instinctively pulled her hood lower, unease rising in her heart.

The caravan jolted along the rough road.

The sun sank, and dusk began to fall.

Ling Luochеn sat on the ice. Though she felt none of the jolting, unease continued to build inside her.

When had she ever traveled alone, far from home?

This unfamiliar setting left her more uncomfortable than she'd ever been.

What frustrated her even more was that the man who had helped her hadn't said a word since they climbed aboard. He was treating her like air.

Being ignored like that infuriated her.

Time passed, second by second.

Inside the wagon, all she could hear was the wheels rumbling over the ground and the cargo shifting faintly.

At last, Ling Luochеn couldn't take it anymore.

She cleared her throat and spoke as calmly as she could.

"About earlier... thank you."

For someone as proud as her, those three words didn't come easily.

But he had helped her, and basic courtesy mattered.

However...

The only reply was the creak of the wheels and the distant chirping of birds.

Ling Luochеn raised her head in confusion.

Ji Xuan was still in the same position, eyes closed, breathing steady.

He had actually fallen asleep!

"You...!"

Ling Luochеn was instantly grinding her teeth in anger.

She had finally set aside her pride to thank him, and he'd fallen asleep?

How utterly dismissive and contemptuous!

When had she ever been treated like this?

Ling Luochеn took a deep breath, struggling to rein in her anger.

Forget it. I won't stoop to arguing with someone like him.

(Another Ling Luochеn image)