"I couldn't ask for anything better."
Yun Che agreed without hesitation. Traveling alone and traveling with a beautiful woman were two entirely different experiences.
Ye Qingshuang nodded slightly, turned, and led the way. Yun Che hurried after her.
He glanced at her profile. Her expression betrayed nothing; she really did seem to be inviting him out to sea without any ulterior motives.
Shaking his head slightly, Yun Che dismissed his unrealistic thoughts. Why would a mighty King Realm expert have any interest in him, especially when he was merely a live-in son-in-law?
Before leaving, the two visited Qin Xiao at the Qin Prince's Residence.
He was still unconscious, but his injuries had indeed improved considerably. Presumably, he would have little trouble waking up.
Practicing her swordplay outside the courtyard, Qin Yelan narrowed her beautiful eyes when she saw her brother-in-law paired up with Ye Qingshuang again.
"Brother-in-law, where are you two going?"
For some reason, Yun Che felt she had deliberately emphasized the words "brother-in-law."
And why was she looking at Ye Qingshuang when she was addressing him?
Ye Qingshuang glanced at Qin Yelan, then deliberately moved a step closer to Yun Che.
Then she lifted her chin slightly, the corners of her lips curving upward as though she were deliberately provoking her.
"Relax! I don't feel that way about your brother-in-law."
Yun Che hadn't expected Ye Qingshuang to have such a mischievous side.
He hurriedly explained, "We just happen to both be heading to the Eastern Sea. Don't get the wrong idea."
Watching them leave the Qin Prince's Residence together, Qin Yelan muttered, "She's even willing to teach you a Top-Grade Movement Technique. I wouldn't believe you were just ordinary friends even if you beat me to death. If you dare betray my sister, I'll cut you down with my sword."
But as soon as she said that, she realized she apparently wasn't a match for her rotten brother-in-law anymore. What realm was he in now, anyway?
"That rotten brother-in-law! How did he suddenly become so powerful?"
Unwilling to concede, she continued diligently honing her swordsmanship in the courtyard. She had already broken through to the peak of the acquired realm. Reaching such heights at sixteen made her an extraordinary genius, and she stood a good chance of breaking Qin Keyi's record of reaching the innate realm at eighteen.
Yun Che and Ye Qingshuang hired a carriage and headed toward Falling Moon City's air harbor.
Walking to the Eastern Sea was clearly out of the question, and even a carriage would take ten days to half a month. Their only option was a Flying Boat.
Every air harbor was the exclusive property of the Great Yuan Empire. Whoever used one had to pay a hefty fee.
That money went directly into the imperial treasury. No one dared pocket it, making this one of the Great Yuan Empire's more lucrative enterprises.
Inside the carriage, Ye Qingshuang rested her cheek on one hand and gazed out the window, her raven-black hair stirring gently.
Unlike Qin Keyi, she disliked extravagant clothing and jewelry. A simple jade hairpin adorned her hair, and she wore jade-colored earrings shaped like osmanthus blossoms. She was still dressed in that same plain white dress.
The carriage was rather cramped. Ye Qingshuang's distinctive, delicate fragrance drifted into Yun Che's nose from time to time, leaving him slightly enchanted.
"If I told your wife and sister-in-law that the way you look at me isn't entirely innocent, I wonder what they'd think?"
Ye Qingshuang's pink lips parted gently. Her eyes remained on the scenery outside as she spoke words that made Yun Che blush a little.
Yun Che rubbed his nose and smiled. "I'm simply admiring you. If I didn't look at you, wouldn't that mean the dean was less charming than the scenery outside?"
The corners of Ye Qingshuang's lips lifted slightly. "My master once said, 'Men always want to have their cake and eat it too.' You're no exception."
Yun Che shrugged and countered, "I'm sure everyone in Falling Moon City knows whether I've ever had any cake to begin with. I became a live-in son-in-law at the Qin Prince's Residence through a twist of fate, nothing more. I expect my wife will send over a divorce agreement before long."
Ye Qingshuang said nothing more, merely muttering inwardly, But before you came to the academy, you hadn't agreed to divorce her.
A little over forty minutes later, the carriage stopped near Falling Moon's air harbor. Ye Qingshuang stepped out and headed toward the ticket counter.
Yun Che hurriedly called her back. "Dean, there's no need for all that trouble. I have a Flying Boat too. We just need to get a flight permit."
Ye Qingshuang froze, looking somewhat doubtful. Even she couldn't afford a Flying Boat. Could Yun Che, whom she had only just promoted to vice dean, afford one?
It wasn't exactly that she couldn't afford one. The main problem was that Flying Boats were difficult to build and relatively scarce.
Whenever a finished vessel became available, high-ranking officials or major sects would snap it up immediately. As the dean of a mere academy, she had no chance to compete with them.
After a moment's hesitation, Ye Qingshuang nodded. Since he had already made the claim, surely he wouldn't embarrass himself.
The two reached the registration desk. Just as Yun Che was about to take out the Silver Shuttle to apply for a flight permit, an unpleasant voice came from nearby.
"Qingshuang, long time no see."
Ye Qingshuang frowned slightly and replied coldly, "Please call me Dean Ye. We're not close enough for you to address me by name."
Yun Che looked over and saw a young man in black martial attire with a sword on his back. He was reasonably handsome, but his eyes wandered inappropriately, constantly sizing Ye Qingshuang up as though he were inspecting merchandise.
Jiang Heng glanced at Yun Che and sneered. "Don't tell me you rejected my marriage proposal because of him! I recognize your Falling Moon Academy uniforms. Isn't that the uniform worn by academic instructors? You actually like weak, useless scholars like this? Your taste really is trash!"
Ye Qingshuang's gaze turned chilly. "Who I like is none of your business. If you have nothing else to say, please move aside. We need to apply for a flight permit."
Yun Che was rather speechless. He hadn't done or said anything, yet he was being insulted like this. Was this what people meant by beauty bringing trouble?
Then he casually used Divine Hand on the man.
Ding! Retrieval successful. Congratulations on obtaining one mid-grade flying vessel.
The corners of Yun Che's lips lifted. He had hit the jackpot. What a cause for celebration!
He had seen this fellow in the records. He was the vice dean of the Northern Abyss Academy in Northern Abyss City, with cultivation merely at the late grandmaster realm. Compared to Ye Qingshuang, he was worlds apart.
The important point, however, was that this fellow had another identity: he was the son of Jiang Haitao of the Divine Sword Sect.
Although the Divine Sword Sect couldn't compare to the Sacred Profound Sect, it was still a fairly renowned sect. Jiang Haitao was its grand elder, a late King Realm expert who couldn't be underestimated.
Hearing that they wanted to apply for a Flying Boat permit, Jiang Heng burst out laughing and declared it impossible.
"Ye Qingshuang, even if you want to reject me, you don't have to use such a lousy excuse!"
"You and I both know there are only a handful of smiths in the Great Yuan Empire capable of building Flying Boats."
"And only Master Jin and Master He are willing to sell them to outsiders."
"Just half a month ago, Master Jin finished building a mid-grade flying vessel, and my father bought it for the hefty sum of a hundred and fifty thousand gold coins."
"So tell me, where did you buy your Flying Boat? At least come up with a plausible story before you brag!"
"Here, let me show you what a magnificent Middle-Grade Flying Boat looks like."
As he spoke, Jiang Heng extended his right hand toward the sky. Everyone nearby craned their necks, eager to catch a glimpse of a Middle-Grade Flying Boat.
Yet three, four, five, six, seven, eight seconds passed without so much as a shadow of a Flying Boat appearing. Instead, a bird flew past and dropped a load of shit onto Jiang Heng's forehead.......
Before you continue