When that clear voice suddenly rang out, Lu Ming and the others looked up in surprise and turned their gaze to the back of the huge white tiger, where a slender figure was sitting.
As the white tiger slowly stepped out of the grove, the beautiful figure became increasingly clear and came into Lu Ming's view.
She was a young girl dressed in a striking red dress. The dress was adorned with faint gold thread outlining cloud and brocade patterns, subtly revealing an extraordinary air of nobility. She had an exquisitely beautiful face, with a pert nose, delicate eyebrows, and rosy lips, all in near-perfect proportions. This was the first time Lu Ming had ever seen beauty that could reach such an overbearing level.
If we're just comparing looks, Lu Ming felt that only Jingyi could compare to her, but the two women had completely different temperaments.
What's most unusual is that Lu Ming noticed the girl in red had crimson pupils, which seemed to contain an unusual coldness that contrasted with her red dress.
The red-clad, red-eyed girl riding a white tiger exuded an indescribable aura of nobility.
What a powerful and impactful scene.
However, Lu Ming quickly withdrew his gaze, his eyes filled with vigilance and wariness. To be able to use a white tiger comparable to a Divine Ability Master as a mount was not something an ordinary person could do.
Lu Ming secretly glanced at Zhong Taiyue and found that even his maternal grandfather, who had reached the Nether Spirit Realm, had a somewhat solemn expression on his rugged, aged face, his sharp gaze fixed on the girl in front of him.
Lu Qingyan sensed the other party's strangeness and immediately nervously shielded Zhong Ying behind him.
For a moment, the atmosphere became somewhat oppressive.
The girl in red on the white tiger's back glanced at Zhong Taiyue with her crimson eyes, then turned to Lu Ming, lingering on him for a few moments.
"Please don't panic, everyone. I was just passing by. Xiao Yu was attracted by the fragrance here. Please forgive me for the disturbance." The girl in red parted her red lips slightly, her voice still clear and light, but it contained an inexplicable sense of oppression.
Xiao Yu is likely the white tiger that he rides.
Lu Ming glanced at Zhong Taiyue and then said, "When you're traveling, everyone is a friend. If this young lady isn't worried about the quality of this barbecue, she's welcome to enjoy it."
He wasn't sure where the other person came from, but it was always better to be polite to avoid being used as an excuse to cause trouble. Although they had Zhong Taiyue on their side, Lu Ming felt it was best not to offend such a mysterious person.
Moreover, most sensible people would politely decline such a polite offer.
"Thank you very much."
However, the next moment, the girl in red nodded slightly and agreed.
She lightly leaped off the white tiger's back, sat down by the campfire, reached for the roasted meat on the rack, and tossed it aside. The white tiger opened its blood-red maw and swallowed the meat whole.
The girl in red simply took a naan bread, tore off pieces one by one, put them in her mouth, and ate them slowly and deliberately.
Her movements were elegant and refined.
She's the complete opposite of Lu Mengmeng.
Seeing this, Lu Ming felt somewhat helpless. This girl in red seemed to be acting unpredictably. In this desolate wilderness, how could a girl like you dare to eat other people's food?
But in the end, he didn't dare say anything more and could only sit down to the side.
The white tiger wasn't satisfied with just one piece of roasted meat. It brought its head closer, and with a flick of its scarlet tongue covered in sharp barbs, it swallowed the entire piece of roasted meat off the rack in one gulp.
Lu Mengmeng peeked out from behind Lu Ming. Seeing how greedy the white tiger was, she couldn't help but pout in grievance, but dared not speak. So her gaze fell on the piece of roasted meat that had fallen onto the leaves not far from the white tiger's feet.
Her gaze darted back and forth between the roasted meat and the ferocious-looking white tiger for a few moments before she finally mustered her courage, slowly shuffled over, and reached out her little hand to touch the roasted meat on the leaves.
The white tiger sensed Lu Mengmeng's approach and immediately bared its fangs, while a faint hissing sound came from its throat.
The girl in red watched as the little girl secretly reached for the roasted meat on the ground. A strange light seemed to flicker in her crimson pupils. Then she reached out and touched the white tiger's icy fur.
The white tiger immediately fell silent and quietly lay down beside her.
Lu Mengmeng took the opportunity to bravely retrieve the piece of roasted meat, wiped off the bits of meat, and happily stuffed it into her mouth.
This scene caused the girl in red to pause slightly, as if it had stirred up some memories.
"Where are you from, young lady? You must be from outside Fengyang Prefecture, right?" Zhong Taiyue asked slowly.
The girl in red nodded slightly. Her exquisite face was even more beautiful in the firelight. Her expression remained calm and composed, and she was not moved in the slightest by Zhong Taiyue's subtle display of power.
"Did you come here for the Sacred Ruins in the Black Rain Zone of Qingyuan Market?" Lu Ming asked.
What other purpose could the mysterious person heading to Qingyuan Market at this time have besides visiting that Sacred Ruins?
The girl in red paused, the piece of naan bread she was about to eat swirling in her red eyes as she looked at Lu Ming. Her usually calm voice finally showed a hint of interest as she asked, "Do you know about that Sacred Ruins?"
"I'm from Qingyuan Market. I happened to see it when the Sacred Ruins were revealed some time ago," Lu Ming nodded and said.
"So do you think it's a real Sacred Ruins, or an illusion created by the Eight-Armed Rain Spawn?" the girl in red asked.
"I don't know, after all, I only saw it from afar." Lu Ming shook his head with a smile.
The girl in red nodded slightly and didn't ask any more questions. She carefully finished eating the naan bread in her hand, even picking up the sesame seeds stuck to her palm one by one and putting them in her mouth. She ate it exceptionally cleanly, without wasting a single grain.
This small detail caught Lu Ming's attention slightly. The girl in red exuded an astonishing air of nobility, suggesting she was of extraordinary status. Yet, she ate such a simple and ordinary naan bread with such seriousness, as if wasting food was something unacceptable to her.
After finishing her meal, she took out a gold-threaded cloth from her sleeve and wiped her lips clean with elegant manners.
Then her gaze suddenly fell on Lu Mengmeng, and she said, "Little sister, you did a great job not wasting food."
Lu Mengmeng said proudly, "Of course! The bowl Mengmeng ate from is cleaner than your face, sister."
Upon hearing this, the girl in red smiled slightly and then stood up.
Thank you for your hospitality.
"Excuse me, which way is Qingyuan Market?"
Lu Ming pointed westward and said, "Go that way, and we should see it in about an hour."
Thank you.
The girl in red leaped onto the white tiger's back, looking down at Lu Ming with a condescending gaze, and asked, "What's your name?"
Lu Ming was taken aback, blinked, and said, " Zhou Xuan."
Given the other party's mysterious background, how could he possibly reveal his real name and origins? Right now, all he wanted was to get rid of this mysterious girl as quickly as possible.
" Zhou Xuan?"
The girl in red also paused for a rare moment, her beautiful eyes with crimson pupils staring silently at Lu Ming for a few breaths. Then she seemed to smile faintly and said, "Alright, Zhou Xuan... I hope we can meet again."
As soon as she finished speaking, she didn't linger. The white tiger strode away unhurriedly. Although its steps seemed slow, in just a few breaths, the two of them disappeared into the darkening night.
After the woman in red left, Lu Qingyan and Zhong Ying finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Who is this girl? Why does she have such a terrifying aura?" Lu Qingyan couldn't help but wipe the cold sweat from his forehead and said with some trepidation.
Although the girl in red showed no hostility whatsoever, the inexplicable sense of oppression made Lu Qingyan feel suffocated.
"Because she is indeed terrifying," Zhong Taiyue said slowly.
Lu Ming's expression changed slightly. Even Zhong Taiyue, Nether Spirit Master, said so, so what exactly was the strength of this girl in red? Could it be...?
"She could be a Divine Ability Grandmaster?" Lu Ming asked incredulously.
Divine Ability Grandmaster at such a young age? Isn't that a bit too much?
Zhong Taiyue remained silent for a few moments before saying, "I'm not sure if she's Divine Ability Grandmaster, but I'm certain she possesses methods comparable to Divine Ability Grandmaster, otherwise I wouldn't have sensed a faint sense of threat."
Lu Ming, Lu Qingyan, and the others all gasped in shock.
Who on earth is this person? At such a young age, how could they possess skills comparable to Divine Ability Grandmaster?!
"The Sacred Ruins in Qingyuan Market are really getting bigger and bigger," Lu Ming sighed.
"My barbecue, my bread!"
Meanwhile, Lu Mengmeng stared at the empty grill, silently heartbroken.
Zhong Ying chuckled and patted her daughter's hair, then took out the prepared pastries from her bundle, which finally brought a smile to the greedy little girl's face.
Lu Ming, Zhong Taiyue, and the others waited until the girl had gone some time before returning to their carriage and continuing their journey. About an hour later, the brightly lit Qingyuan Market district came into view.
"Finally back."
Looking at the extremely familiar town, Lu Ming couldn't help but smile.
Although the prefectural city was more prosperous, in his heart, this small ward was the place where he truly entrusted his feelings.