Half a day later-
The Divine Wind Boat landed outside the gates of Myriad Ancient City, instantly drawing the attention of the crowd there. Everyone looked up at the sky.
This was a high-grade Spirit Artifact! Which great sect or prominent household had sent its people out to gain experience this time?
Aboard the flying boat, four purple-clad figures gradually came into view.
Some sharp-eyed onlookers spotted Jiang Yueyan and immediately exclaimed, "It's the Profound Heaven Sect!"
With the secret realm about to open, the city was a sea of people, and the gates were even more congested. Yet when the four disembarked, everyone parted to make a path. Jiang Yueyan walked through as though he was used to it, with Tang Yao and the other two following behind.
As expected of a major sect. Out in the world, the smaller sects and Rogue Cultivators did not dare offend them.
They entered Myriad Ancient City without incident. Shops lined both sides of the streets, streams of people wove past one another, and a clamor of voices filled the bustling air. Under Jiang Yueyan's lead, the four entered an inn.
The inn here had hiked its prices, too. A night that normally cost ten high-grade Spirit Stones now cost a hundred. Without batting an eyelid, Jiang Yueyan booked four premium rooms and ordered a pot of fine Cloud Mist Tea to go with them.
Everyone looked around the lobby. The upscale inn was exquisitely decorated and even had a dedicated zither player, setting the atmosphere to perfection.
Jiang Yueyan settled into a reclining chair and began listening to the music. Seeming to feel something was missing, he took a fan from his Storage Bag, closed his eyes, and began fanning himself.
The youth said unhurriedly, "We've been cultivating for half a day. Take a break. The secret realm won't open until tomorrow."
Good grief. That whole sequence flowed like drifting clouds and running water, practiced and effortless.
The three watched Jiang Yueyan in embarrassment. They had nearly forgotten that he was also the young master of the Jiang Household, whose wealth dominated the region. He certainly knew all the ways to enjoy life.
Tang Yao followed his example and sat down too. She took a sip of tea and nodded. Good tea.
Tagging along with Eldest Senior Brother is great.
Just then, another large crowd surged onto the street outside the inn, seemingly gathering to watch something. Tang Yao tilted her head to look.
"They're the Azure Cloud Sect's personal disciples!!"
"They say there aren't many female sword cultivators, but this batch of the Azure Cloud Sect's personal disciples actually has two such beautiful fairies!"
"Why is there a man following the two fairies? The fairies are as lovely as flowers, and that man... well, he has a nose and eyes."
Accompanied by the crowd's voices, three people in pale blue sect robes, with silver sword scabbards at their waists, stepped into the inn.
Tang Yao's eyes widened in shock at the sight, and her reclining chair nearly tipped over.
That woman at the very back.
Tang Xin??
She remembered that in the novel, the female lead had become an inner disciple after the new disciple trial. She had not qualified to visit this secret realm then, so the novel had never mentioned the Myriad Ancient City secret realm at all.
Was this some butterfly effect caused by me not reporting to the Azure Cloud Sect?
If she could, Tang Yao would have snatched Jiang Yueyan's fan to hide her face. Other people might not recognize her, but this was the female lead, after all. The female lead might not be as easy to fool as everyone else.
In the end, Tang Yao chose to rummage through her Storage Bag. She actually found a veil inside and quickly put it on.
Chu Song asked in confusion, "Why are you wearing that?"
Tang Yao gave a light cough. "Social anxiety."
Chu Song said, "You?"
Tang Yao said, "..." Uh.
The three from the Azure Cloud Sect also noticed their sect robes and recognized them as Profound Heaven Sect disciples. The woman in the lead gave them a polite nod by way of greeting.
But the woman soon found herself unable to maintain that politeness. Standing at the counter, she knitted her brows in bewilderment. "A hundred high-grade Spirit Stones for one night? And for a standard room at that? Why don't you just rob people?"
The woman turned to the two behind her, a trace of embarrassment on her face. "Junior Brother, Junior Sister, how many Spirit Stones do you have left?"
Tang Xin and the man beside her both shook their heads. They had not expected an inn to be this expensive either, and they pressed their lips together, at a loss for what to do.
Seeing this, Tang Yao leaned over beside Jiang Yueyan as though she was about to say something.
Jiang Yueyan opened his eyes and glanced over from the corner of his eye, noticing that Tang Yao had covered the lower half of her face with a veil.
He instantly found her much more pleasing to look at. At least she no longer looked like the Tang Household's young master. Still fanning himself, he tilted his head to listen.
"Senior Brother, what do you think of that fairy at the very back?"
At her words, Jiang Yueyan looked over. In an instant, even the movement of his fan slowed.
It was as though ten thousand years had passed in a single glance.
Seeing him like this, Tang Yao sighed. Sure enough, the simp supporting male character from the novel would fall in love with the female lead at first sight.
Jiang Yueyan had originally been watching the Azure Cloud Sect's predicament for amusement. Open struggles and hidden conflicts ran between the four great sects; they were not as harmonious as they appeared.
But now, he was about to rise and go "play the hero rescuing the beauty."
Of the three, only Tang Yao saw what he intended and hurriedly stopped him. "I know her!"
"She already has someone she shares mutual feelings with!"
"Is that so?" Jiang Yueyan paused, somewhat dejected. For some reason, the woman before him held an inexplicable attraction for him.
It was like an irresistible force.
Tang Yao recalled that, in the novel, the female lead had qualified to become a personal disciple on the eve of the grand competition. Their first meeting had been during the first round of the inter-sect grand competition.
She and Jiang Yueyan had been trapped in a mountain cave, and she had given Jiang Yueyan all of the few pills she had left. From then on, Jiang Yueyan had begun his life as a simp.
In the end, his love had gone unrequited, and with interference from Devil Cultivators on top of that, he had suffered Qi Deviation...
They have their own female lead and male lead romance. What are you sticking your nose into it for?!
Most importantly, she had not swindled Jiang Yueyan out of his treasures yet. He could not go skipping off hand in hand with Chi Wang to the Devil Realm!
"Senior Brother, what fate has ordained will be yours in time. What fate has denied, you mustn't force!"
Jiang Yueyan listened in utter confusion. He did feel a natural fondness for that woman, but, to put it plainly, this was still their first meeting.
Why did she make it sound as though he was about to seize the woman by force the very next moment?
Did she take me for the Tang Household's young master?
Somewhat annoyed, Jiang Yueyan sat back down, as though proving he was not the infamous Tang Yao.
Tang Yao administered another potent dose. Drawing a deep breath, she said, "Did you know? She's Tang Yao's younger sister. If you like her, Tang Yao will be your elder brother-in-law someday!"
"?"
At that, Jiang Yueyan's face darkened, and he shuddered.
Watching his expression, Tang Yao was very satisfied. The original owner's destructive power was actually this great.
Just then, a teasing voice came from the doorway.
"I told you back at the city gates that if you two fairies teamed up with me, I'd cover all your expenses. Don't you still have to rely on me now?"
The newcomer wore yellow robes with deep purple sleeves and collar, embroidered with sun motifs.
Tang Yao nudged Chu Song with her wrist, her expression seeming to say, Your sect has someone this flashy?
Chu Song shook his head with a complicated expression.
He did not know who this was either. It was probably a newly promoted personal disciple from the new disciple trial.
Only personal disciples had their names embroidered on their robes.
The face of the woman in the lead abruptly darkened, and she spoke bluntly. "Xiao Linyu, can you stop sticking to us like a dog-skin plaster?"