Dusk had fallen and the lights had just come on. People thronged the streets, filling the air with the bustle of everyday life.
They stood outside the Star Emperor Hotel, with Star Luo Plaza in front of it and the Star Luo Imperial Palace a little farther away.
Xu Jiujiu had changed into a purple outfit and stood beside Yu Tianqing.
She wore an asymmetrical-fronted top over a long pleated skirt. It was traditional Star Luo Empire clothing, a common sight on the streets.
The purple did nothing to steal the spotlight from Xu Jiujiu herself. Her golden hair shone beneath the lights, setting off her porcelain-white face to striking effect.
It had to be said, purple really did have a certain charm.
"Brother Yang, where would you like Jiu'er to take you?"
Xu Jiujiu turned toward him with a smile.
Yu Tianqing was stunned for a moment before he remembered that "Brother Yang" was how she was addressing him. When he checked into the Star Emperor Hotel, he had given his name as Yang Yongxin.
It was his first time traveling the jianghu, and, as custom dictated, he had taken an alias.
But the young hero was inexperienced, after all, and had yet to get the hang of the process.
He seemed to snap out of his daze, sheepishly pinched his nose, and waved a hand casually.
"I'm not very familiar with Star Luo City, Miss Jiu'er. Why don't you show me around?"
"Mm, all right. Then Jiu'er will take Brother Yang for a stroll and show you the local sights and customs of Star Luo City."
Xu Jiujiu walked in front, with Yu Tianqing half a step behind.
They stayed on the crowded main roads the whole time, and Yu Tianqing let his guard down a little.
Xu Jiujiu lingered at various street stalls, and before long, her hands were full.
"Here, Brother Yang, try this!"
She held a paper bag out to Yu Tianqing. Its mouth was open, revealing six golden cakes inside. They had only recently come out of the pan and were still steaming.
"Fish cakes. They're delicious!"
Just as Yu Tianqing was hesitating over whether to eat one, the girl, as if to prove her point, picked up a cake and put it in her mouth. She took a gentle bite, and the crunch rang out especially clearly.
Yu Tianqing followed her example and picked one up. As he bit down, the crisp shell cracked.
A distinctive fragrance filled his mouth, fresh and heady, striking straight at his soul. It tasted a little like lemon and came from a spice unique to the southern part of the continent.
The delicate sweetness of the fish burst across his mouth along with its juices, mingling with the thin, crisply fried shell. It really was an exotic experience.
The two chatted as they ate. Seemingly without thinking, Xu Jiujiu asked:
"Brother Yang, a lot of the ideas in the Soul Tool knowledge you explained to me were things Jiu'er had never heard before. I wonder which teacher you learned from?"
"I taught myself."
"Self-taught?" Xu Jiujiu tilted her head, somewhat taken aback.
"Mm. Books on Soul Tools below level five aren't hard to buy in Heaven Dou City. I asked someone to buy me a few, then went home and leafed through them myself."
"The textbooks that came from the Sun Moon Empire are fine for a casual read, but there are a few mistakes in them. Buy some Soul Tools of the corresponding levels, take them apart and study them, and you can pretty much figure it out."
Yu Tianqing spoke as if it were nothing, seemingly oblivious to Xu Jiujiu's astonished expression.
Although he didn't know how much of it she was acting, a true academic ace never cared about other people's reactions after showing off.
Xu Jiujiu's surprise wasn't an act. Watching Yu Tianqing walk aimlessly ahead, she narrowed her eyes slightly.
An afternoon of consulting him had convinced her that the person before her really did possess considerable knowledge of Soul Tools. But if he was only a theoretical master...
Well, a theoretical master was still pretty damn impressive.
The theoretical master of ten thousand years ago had raised a god.
A master of Soul Tool theory ten thousand years later might well be able to raise a Level 10 Soul Engineer.
This young man who had suddenly appeared in Star Luo City was about her age, and his knowledge of Soul Tools surpassed hers. The Star Crown Martial Soul within her was also faintly telling her that his strength was not to be underestimated.
Although she had never heard of him before, from any angle, he was a talent she, as a princess of a nation, needed to recruit.
It was just that his attitude kept her at arm's length...
Xu Jiujiu hesitated, then hurried forward a few steps to catch up, her face once again full of innocent charm.
"Brother Yang, did you come from the Heaven Dou Empire? Are you from a hidden sect?"
"The Internet Addiction Treatment Center."
Yu Tianqing lifted his chin slightly, a hint of unquestioning pride in his bearing.
Xu Jiujiu was momentarily speechless. "Then... what brings you to Star Luo City this time?"
"To buy a carving knife that suits my hand, then visit an elder at Shrek Academy."
"I see..."
Xu Jiujiu gently bit her rosy lower lip with her pearly teeth and moved close to Yu Tianqing. She lightly wrapped both hands around one of his arms, her soft breasts brushing against him, whether deliberately or not.
Feeling the two squabs pressing against his arm, Yu Tianqing couldn't help but marvel that the imperial family's nutrition really was top-notch.
Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to shake his Dao heart!
But since he had already spent the whole afternoon filling her head with knowledge, he naturally had a purpose of his own.
The Lightning Dharma King could not only "encourage learning," but also knew a thing or two about "The Old Drunkard's Pavilion."
Tianqing's heart was not set on Jiu, but on the duke's mansion.
He turned his head and looked down at Xu Jiujiu beside him, pointing ahead with his free hand. A city gate stood there; the two had reached the northwestern corner of Star Luo City without realizing it.
"Miss Jiu'er, I'm actually quite interested in Star Luo City's history as well."
"I've heard that four thousand years ago, the White Tiger Duke was once the emperor of the Star Luo Empire. Even now, he's a pillar holding up the heavens for the Star Luo army."
"I wonder if you could take me out of the city to have a look at the White Tiger Duke's Mansion from a distance."
Yu Tianqing watched Xu Jiujiu's eyes and could clearly see her pupils contract sharply.
Although there was bound to be some rift between the Star Luo Imperial Family and the military, he trusted his own observations and judgment more when it came to the particulars.
Xu Jiujiu stayed by her emperor brother's side all year round, and her attitude toward the White Tiger Duke, Dai Hao, could also offer him some indirect insight.
Since he would clash with God King Tang sooner or later, the White Tiger Duke's Dai Family was also one of his targets.
"Uh... well..."
Xu Jiujiu reached up and scratched at the hair by her ear, seeming a little troubled.
"Of course, it's quite late. If it's inconvenient for you, Miss Jiu'er, sorry to trouble you, but could you point me in the right direction? I can go alone."
Seeing that Yu Tianqing had swallowed an iron weight and was determined to go, Xu Jiujiu gritted her teeth inwardly and patted her chest.
"No problem. I trust you completely, Brother Yang. Leave this little matter to Jiu'er."
"It's just a little far. The White Tiger Duke's Mansion is about fifty li from here."
"Brother Yang, you have a Flying Soul Tool, right?"
"Mm."
Yu Tianqing nodded and took out his Flying Soul Tool. Together with Xu Jiujiu, he flew northwest, four streams of blue flame shooting out behind them.