Facing Lierd's mage's salute, Chen Rui bowed, immediately revealing himself as a complete layman. Lola merely tilted her head and returned the salute. However, it was not the return salute one gave an equal, but one given to a junior, leaving Lierd momentarily stunned.
Before the Saint-level mage could react, Chen Rui had already spoken. "My apologies, but we have urgent business and cannot stay here long. We'll have to visit Lord Lierd another time."
Judging from the expression on the female clerk beside them, it was as though ten thousand mythical beasts were stampeding through her heart—this man and woman actually did not know what was good for them and had rejected Lord Lierd's personal invitation!
Lierd frowned and looked at the unruffled pair. They truly seemed not to care about his invitation. After a brief thought, he asked, "You two must be from out of town, yes? Forgive my presumptuousness, but where are you headed?"
"We're going to Emerald Square." The specific meeting place Puluoyue had arranged was the Sleeping Rose VIP Inn within the city. Chen Rui had already learned while entering the city that the inn was near Emerald Square, so this answer was not entirely perfunctory.
"Since you have urgent business, I won't keep you... As it happens, I'm headed in that direction as well. Why don't we travel together? There are still several aspects of the 'Cloud Chain' that I don't understand, and I can take this opportunity to ask you both for guidance."
Chen Rui considered it and agreed. Since her man had said so, Madam Lola naturally had no objections.
The three headed toward Emerald Square together. Mages were an exceedingly common sight in this City of Mages. Lierd normally kept a low profile, and his mage robe was nothing remarkable. Aside