The next morning, Shen Fei went out after breakfast.
He headed south along the main street. As he passed the City Guard barracks, he glanced inside. A few soldiers were cleaning their weapons by the gate, but Su Ming was nowhere in sight. He had probably taken his unit out for morning drills.
He continued onward, passed through the southern side gate, and followed the gravel road toward the Dark Forest for about half an hour before stopping beneath an old Chinese locust tree beside the road.
This was the meeting place he and Xiao Ning'er had agreed on.
The locust tree was enormous, its spreading branches and leaves shading most of the intersection. It was cool beneath its canopy, and the breeze blowing over the wasteland beside the road carried the damp scent of vegetation still wet with morning dew.
Someone was already standing beneath the tree when he arrived.
Xiao Ning'er leaned against a low stone post, wearing the same pale blue-green fitted martial outfit she had worn at the Red Moon Auction House yesterday. A short sword and cloth pouch hung at her waist, her hair was tied in a ponytail, and a small pack rested at her feet.
She raised her head at the sound of footsteps. Seeing Shen Fei, she straightened and nodded to him.
Shen Fei stopped in front of her. Noticing the faint sheen of sweat left at her temples from the walk, he said, "Sorry I'm late."
"You're not late," Xiao Ning'er said. "I just got here too."
Shen Fei nodded and was about to turn toward the forest when his steps suddenly paused. He turned his head to glance at Xiao Ning'er, his gaze lingering on her for a moment.
Her aura was different from yesterday. Her spiritual power fluctuations had