Xue Qinghe

The next morning, the caravan handed the two plundered Spirit Masters over to the Branch Hall for processing, and Han Lie led the group to continue the journey.

For the next few days, the caravan followed its established route through the remaining two branch halls. One stop involved only half a day of material handovers before setting off immediately, while the other involved staying overnight to rest for a day; the rest of the time was spent entirely on the road. Sitting in the carriage for days on end, Lu Yuan would occasionally get out to walk alongside, observing the town scenery and passing Spirit Masters along the way.

The further they got from Spirit City, the more complicated the world became. Along the road, Spirit Masters guarding merchant caravans and hunting groups searching together could be seen everywhere, and in large towns one could even run into academy Spirit Masters in uniform, many of whom were about Lu Yuan's age. These varied people and sights were a vibrant world rarely seen when secluded in Spirit City.

After several days of galloping, the official road ahead grew broader and smoother, with a continuous stream of carriages, horses, and people, and a prosperous atmosphere hitting them head-on.

Han Lie reined in his horse to a stop, gazing out at the outline ahead. "We've arrived."

Lu Yuan followed his gaze as towering, heavy city walls spanned the end of the official road. As the caravan steadily approached, the lofty gates and rolling walls became clearer. Carriages and horses queued up to enter the city outside the gates, and armored soldiers verified passes one by one in an orderly fashion. Traveling day and night for many days, they had finally arrived at Tiangou City.

The Spirit Hall caravan held an exclusive pass, and the entry process was smooth and unhindered. Passing through the city gates, the scene inside suddenly opened up. The long streets were wide and orderly, shops lined both sides in a continuous stretch, and pedestrians and carriages flowed in an endless stream. Occasionally, richly dressed noble youths with retinues threaded through the streets, fully displaying the magnificent scenery of the imperial capital.

"Head straight to the Sanctuary; everyone keep close to the group and do not stray." Han Lie gave a warning instruction at the front, and the caravan continued deeper into the inner city.

As someone newly arrived in the Tiangou imperial capital, Lu Yuan silently noted the street layouts and striking buildings along the way. The map given by Qian Daoliu only marked the overall orientation of Tiangou City and did not detail the streets within. Since he needed to be stationed here for the long term in the future, getting a grasp of the terrain was the foundation for establishing himself.

After passing through two long streets, the traffic on the road suddenly slowed, and pedestrians along the street hurried to give way to both sides. Soon, a team of silver-armored knights protecting an exquisite carriage drove out from the street corner, the body of the carriage engraved with the exclusive crest of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, grand and solemn.

Someone nearby whispered, "It's His Highness the First Prince."

Lu Yuan naturally raised his gaze to look. Just then, the carriage curtain was gently lifted at a corner, revealing the refined and gentle face of a youth. His light golden short hair was neat and crisp, his brows and eyes soft and elegant, and his plain formal wear was simple and grand. As passing pedestrians bowed to show respect, he nodded gently in response, his demeanor poised and affable.

At that exact moment, familiar grey text quietly appeared in Lu Yuan's field of vision.

[Qian Renxue]

[Identity: Xue Qinghe]

[Fate Node: Latent]

Lu Yuan's fingertips tightened slightly, firmly pressing against the carriage edge. If not for the Eye of Destiny pointing directly to the origin, based purely on visual perception, he almost could not overlap the person before him with Qian Renxue from Spirit City. Appearance, demeanor, posture, and the way she handled people and matters were entirely different, perfectly blending into the identity of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.

The imperial carriage slowly moved closer, and Lu Yuan only glanced at it indifferently before naturally withdrawing his gaze without showing the slightest anomaly. The surrounding crowd was surging, and Qian Renxue had been latent for many years, cautious at every step. He would never show the slightest familiarity or strangeness in public.

As the two carriages passed each other, he vaguely sensed a gaze sweeping lightly across the Spirit Hall caravan from behind the carriage curtain, lingering briefly before quietly moving away.

Han Lie rode closer, asking casually, "First time seeing someone from the Heaven Dou Imperial Family?"

"Mhm." Lu Yuan nodded in response.

"Once you're stationed in the city for a long time, you'll get used to it after seeing them more often." Han Lie didn't think much of it, gave a brief warning, and returned to the front of the group to lead the way.

Lu Yuan leaned back into the carriage, his thoughts calm. Half an hour later, the caravan stopped steadily outside the gates of the Sanctuary.

This sanctuary far surpassed all the branch halls along the way; it was grand in scale, with an endless stream of passing Spirit Masters and bustling life. Han Lie led the team to hand over supplies and report their itinerary, while Lu Yuan was led by an attendant to the backyard to settle into his quarters. The room was simple and tidy, complete with tables, chairs, and a bed, enough for daily living.

He had just put down his luggage when an attendant brought in hot water. After putting down the kettle, the attendant bowed and retreated, gently closing the door.

With only one person left in the room, Lu Yuan stepped up to tidy the kettle and suddenly discovered a neatly folded slip of paper pressed beneath the bottom. He raised a hand to pull it out and unfold it; the surface of the paper had only a single line of concise handwriting, with no signature and no name:

Tonight at the Hour of Xu, White Stone Alley in the West City.

Lu Yuan gazed at the handwriting for a moment, quietly folding it up and tucking it into his sleeve. The chance encounter of the two carriages during the day, the timing, the identities, and the setting completely matched; the person who sent the message went without saying.

Toward evening, he dined with the group as usual, then sat quietly in his room waiting for night to fall. When the sky darkened completely and the street lights lit up one after another, he changed into a plain, unassuming outfit, avoided the guards' line of sight, and quietly left the courtyard from the back door of the Sanctuary.

During the intervals of settling in by day, he had already scouted the surrounding streets in advance and memorized the location of White Stone Alley, so there was no need to ask for directions along the way.

The night market of Tiangou City was bustling, and the long streets around the Sanctuary were brightly lit, with restaurants and shops full of guests. Heading west all the way, the noise gradually receded, and the streets grew quieter. White Stone Alley was narrow and deep, with only two dim lanterns hanging at the entrance, casting hazy light and shadows.

Lu Yuan slowly walked into the alley. After moving forward dozens of steps, a courtyard gate ahead quietly cracked open a sliver. The courtyard inside was pitch-black and silent, with no one coming out to greet him.

His footsteps paused briefly, and then he stepped forward and gently pushed open the courtyard gate.

The courtyard was not large, quiet and secluded. The courtyard gate closed quietly behind him, cutting off the sporadic noises of the outside world, and the courtyard was dead silent. Lu Yuan raised his eyes. The figure of the gentle youth from the carriage during the day was standing quietly under the eaves, still wearing the appearance of Xue Qinghe.

The two looked at each other in silence across a small courtyard, the air tranquil and distant.

After a long while, the person under the eaves spoke first, with a gentle tone carrying a trace of faint amusement:

"You really came."