Returning to Nuoding City

Fasinuo Province, Nuoding City.

A carriage rolled slowly down the main road. It looked like a palace on wheels. Its body was painted a brilliant red, the deep lacquer gleaming like gemstones in the sun. Golden vine patterns climbed from the wheels and wound around every inch of the window frames, where relief carvings showed the delicate touch of a master craftsman. The four corners of the roof curved upward, with bronze bells hanging beneath them that chimed as the carriage swayed. Dark blue velvet curtains hung behind the crystal windows, their tassels stirring to offer glimpses of the splendor inside. Even the wheel spokes were painted white and edged in fine gold. Passersby stopped to stare. For people who had spent their whole lives in Nuoding City, such grandeur was a sight they had never seen. Even the city lord's carriage could hardly compare.

Inside sat Qin Muchu and Xiao Wu, returning from Suotuo City. Xiao Wu watched the pedestrians outside, excitement flashing across her face. "Xiao Chu, this counts as a triumphant return, doesn't it?"

A trace of nostalgia crossed Qin Muchu's eyes. He patted her head lightly. "What goes on in that little head of yours all day?"

"Don't you know exactly what I'm thinking?" Xiao Wu put on a coy expression and winked at him.

"Ahem." Qin Muchu coughed awkwardly, his face reddening, and Xiao Wu burst into giggles. He sighed inwardly. Even after living two lives, he still couldn't help blushing whenever a girl teased him. That probably would never change. Ever since Xiao Wu had discovered it, she had taken every chance to torment him.

"Xiao Wu." Qin Muchu grew serious. "I need to visit the city lord's residence. Want to come along?"

"The city lord's residence?" Xiao Wu thought for a moment. "You're going to see Xiao Chenyu, right? I'll pass. I barely know him, so I'll head home first. Come back early. I'll ask Aunt Wang to make plenty of good food. We've eaten nothing but bland travel rations all the way here. Sister Xiao Wu's tummy is flat with hunger." She gave her stomach a solemn pat.

Her adorably earnest manner made Qin Muchu laugh. He tapped her forehead. "Always thinking about food, aren't you? All right, I'll come back as soon as I'm done. I won't keep you waiting long." He told the driver to take Xiao Wu home first, then head for the city lord's residence. The carriage turned and rolled through most of Nuoding City before stopping outside the house. Xiao Wu hopped down and, just before going in, turned to wave at Qin Muchu, reminding him to come back early for dinner.

Qin Muchu smiled and nodded. Only after Xiao Wu had gone inside did he tell the driver to make for the city lord's residence.

Before long, the carriage stopped at its gates. Qin Muchu jumped down and addressed a guard. "Sorry for the trouble, but please tell the young city lord that Qin Muchu is here to see him."

The guard took one look at Qin Muchu's attire and guessed that his visitor was no ordinary person. He immediately sent someone inside to announce him. Soon, Xiao Chenyu's delighted voice rang out from beyond the gate. "Hahaha! Little brother Xiao Chu! I never thought it'd be you. I was just thinking the other day that all the academies across the continent were on break. I meant to tell the city guards to keep an eye out for your return."

Qin Muchu's face darkened. "How many times have I told you not to add 'little brother'?"

Xiao Chenyu paid him no mind. He slung an arm around Qin Muchu's shoulders and led him inside. "Hahaha! Don't get hung up on details. Listen, your big brother has broken through to level twenty. Impressive, right? My father said that once I reach level thirty, he'll officially name me the next city lord."

"That's great. If I can't make it out in the world someday, I'll come to you for shelter."

"Hahaha! Anytime, as long as my little temple is good enough for you."

They chatted as they entered the reception hall. After ordering a servant to bring tea, Xiao Chenyu clapped his hands. A young woman of sixteen or seventeen, her hair pinned up, emerged from the rear hall carrying a small wooden box.

She bowed gracefully to them both. "Husband. Young Master Qin."

Qin Muchu hurriedly rose. "Sister-in-law."

She was Xiao Chenyu's wife, Ruan Niang. They had married a year earlier, and Qin Muchu had met her once before he left.

"Here, Xiao Chu. This is your graduation gift from your big brother. You left in such a hurry that I never got the chance to give it to you, so I'm making up for it now." Xiao Chenyu took the wooden box from Ruan Niang and passed it to Qin Muchu, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

That sly smile made Qin Muchu suspicious. "That grin of yours is disgusting. Out with it. What's inside? It isn't a Hidden Weapon, is it?"

Xiao Chenyu waved his hands. "What are you talking about? It's just an ordinary gift. Open it and see if you like it."

But the more eager Xiao Chenyu became, the warier Qin Muchu grew. That bastard was definitely up to no good.

He braced himself and slowly opened the box. "Fuck! You asshole! I knew you were up to no good!" The instant the lid came up, a black spider sprang out and landed on his finger. Qin Muchu flung both spider and box to the floor and raised his foot to stomp on it.

Xiao Chenyu was laughing so hard he could barely stand straight. Ruan Niang covered her mouth, unable to hold back a chuckle. When she saw Qin Muchu about to bring his foot down, she grabbed him. "Look at you, scared that badly by a fake spider! Hahahaha, I'm dying!"

In one stride, Qin Muchu reached Xiao Chenyu and pinned him to his chair. He pulled off his shoe and smacked Xiao Chenyu's backside with it until the man begged for mercy. Then, wearing a dark expression, he picked up the box and put it in his Soul Tool. He intended to use it to scare Xiao Wu when he got home.

Once the horseplay was over, Xiao Chenyu finally wiped the grin from his face. "Xiao Chu, how long are you staying this time? How are things at the advanced academy? And where's Xiao Wu?"

"Xiao Wu went home. We'll head back when classes start in a few days. Chenyu, I came to ask you something."

"Oh? What is it?"

"Has anyone come asking about me in the past six months?" Qin Muchu asked. After meeting Qian Renxue in the Star Dou Great Forest, he had expected her to send someone to Shrek Academy soon afterward. But half a year had passed, and not one person from Spirit Hall had approached him or Flender. He couldn't make heads or tails of what Qian Renxue was up to.

"Asking about you?" Xiao Chenyu thought it over. "Plenty of people talked about you at first, since you graduated early from Nuoding Academy with such good results. But they gradually forgot about you. I don't know about the academy, but no one has come to the city lord's residence specifically asking for information about you these past six months. Why? Did you offend someone out there?"

"No one?" Qin Muchu rubbed his chin, lost in thought. If Qian Renxue had sent people to investigate him, surely someone would have come to the city lord's residence with questions. Since there had been no sign of that, she really hadn't looked into him. But why? Was his talent too poor to catch her eye? That couldn't be it.

He couldn't work it out, so he let the matter go. It was a good thing she wasn't investigating him. The later he came into contact with those people, the better. Once he had grown strong enough, there would be no one on this continent he needed to fear.

He changed the subject and chatted with Xiao Chenyu and Ruan Niang about what they had been up to over the past year. Later, he declined their invitation to stay, said his goodbyes, and returned to the Qin Residence.