Travel · Hangzhou Arc (Twenty-Six): Let's Ride! (Part Three)

The perspective shifts to Xiao Ling and his group.

"Ugh~ I shouldn't have been so curious and come over to take a look..." Aemeath said, looking embarrassed. "I was already hungry, and seeing so much delicious food made me even hungrier. I'm so drooling!"

As for the other little glutton, Dania, she's now completely in power-saving mode, clinging to Xiao Ling's back and refusing to get off.

"So hungry, so hungry, so hungry..." she muttered, leaning on Xiao Ling's shoulder.

Lynae, Chisa, and Sigrika's stomachs were also rumbling, and they had lost much of their enthusiasm for chatting.

"Looks like everyone's starving?" Chun's greyish-red eyes darted around before she suddenly looked at Xiao Ling with a meaningful smile.

"I said, since everyone's starving anyway, why don't we divide up the Fated Seed?"

?

"What do you mean by 'divide me'?" Xiao Ling raised an eyebrow. "Chun, are you Hannibal?"

"Camellia, some jokes are not to be made, you know?" The Shorekeeper's expression remained gentle, but his tone carried a hint of danger.

"Don't worry, I was just kidding." Chun waved her hand, indicating that she didn't have any immoral thoughts.

"However, if the Fated Seed doesn't take us out for something to eat soon, I'll really have to reconsider the feasibility of this plan."

"Alright, I'll take you guys out to eat right away," Xiao Ling said, admitting defeat.

So the group moved faster, after all, they were starving and desperately needed food to heal their bodies and minds.

"Speaking of which, who is Hannibal that you mentioned, senpai?" Sigrika asked Lynae and Chisa beside her.

"Hmm... let me think..." Lynae for a moment, then her eyes lit up. "Oh! I remember now, he was a cannibal."

"What's the meaning?"

"The literal meaning," Chisa continued, "He feeds on humans."

Upon hearing this, Sigrika's composure crumbled instantly.

"Do people really eat people...?" Sigrika asked, her face filled with horror.

"Xixi, this land has a history of cannibalism, you know?" Dania, perched on Xiao Ling's back, said lazily. "'In times of great famine, people eat each other'—these six words perfectly describe the tragic situation at the end of the Ming Dynasty. There were even instances of parents exchanging their children for food."

"But these two are fundamentally different. One is the instinct for survival in chaotic times, while the other is pure crime," Xiao Ling added.

"Hey, there's a shop up ahead, let's hurry over there, then Tsubaki won't have any reason to eat me up."

"Okay, let's go. Let's fill our stomachs first, and then we'll meet up with Yangyang and the others," the Rover nodded.

Finally able to eat, the group of people all showed expressions of joy and ran together towards the nearby shop selling kueh teow noodles.

"My disciple, it's only been a few days, and you've already surrounded yourself with so many beautiful women, each with their own unique charm?" Qingxiao teased expressionlessly. "You've truly broadened my horizons."

"Could it be that you also have thoughts of having multiple wives and concubines?"

One sentence made Xiao Ling, who was eating noodles, choke. Seeing this Aemeath was next to him, quickly put down her chopsticks and patted his back.

"Uh, I mean they are all my wings." Xiao Ling finally managed to utter this sentence after a long pause, then continued to pick at the few remaining noodles in her bowl.

"What about Yangyang?" Qingxiao asked. "What will happen to her?"

"She's living with us now, and we get along very well. No need for you, esteemed Qingxiao Immortal, to trouble yourself further," Dania said calmly to Qingxiao after finishing her third bowl of noodles, ordering another bowl as she did so.

"Speaking of which, Ling, when did you become her apprentice? Explain yourself."

"Oh..." Xiao Ling was about to explain.

"I once taught him the art of sword control, and that's when our master-disciple relationship was established," Qingxiao explained calmly.

"Flying on a sword? Is it like the kind described in martial arts novels?" Lynae showed great curiosity about flying on a sword.

"Further words are unnecessary; let us all witness it for ourselves."

Qingxiao pointed at the chopsticks on the table, and after a tremor, the chopsticks floated shakily in the air.

"It really looks like Sword Control Technique..." Aemeath leaned over and examined the area from all sides, but found nothing unusual except for the Resonance Power effect.

Qingxiao: How could it be fake?

"Speaking of which, why is Sister Qingxiao here?" Xiao Ling asked, puzzled.

"I had only heard that the scenery along the Qiantang River was exceptionally beautiful, so I came here to see it for myself. I never expected to run into you and your family here," Qingxiao replied with a smile.

"Any other plans after this?"

"I haven't decided yet. Do you have any suggestions, disciple?"

"Our destination is the Xiaoshan Beauty Viewing Platform, where we can see the Qiantang River tidal bore," Xiao Ling said with a smile. "If Sister Qingxiao has some free time, why don't you come with us?"

"I have no objection," Qingxiao said with a slight smile.

Dania quickly finished her fourth bowl of noodles, but she looked a little hesitant... perhaps she wasn't full but was too embarrassed to ask.

"Boss, another bowl of noodles, please!" Xiao Ling called out to the shop owner.

When Qingxiao saw that Dania had already eaten her fifth bowl of noodles, a hint of surprise appeared in her eyes.

"This girl seems to really love the noodles made by this restaurant; she ate five bowls at once," she said with a slight nod.

"Uh... actually, I'm just not full..." Dania said a little shyly, "But these noodles are really delicious."

"Not full?" Qingxiao's sharp, knife-like gaze immediately flew towards Xiao Ling, as if silently questioning her.

"I haven't mistreated her, Sister Qingxiao!" Xiao Ling immediately gave a French military salute. "It's just that her previous diet was really terrible, so she can't help but keep eating now that she's eating something delicious."

As you know, the Huanglong people and the Dragon Country have one thing in common: they can't stand hearing the words "not full".

The saying "Food is the first necessity of the people" originated from this land. If a restaurant is criticized for not providing enough food, the locals will raze it to the ground the very next day, without any outside intervention.

In short, after breakfast, Xiao Ling took the newly joined Qingxiao to meet up with Yangyang and her group.

"Eh? Qingxiao Siqi is here too?!" Liang Yu instinctively reached for a military salute.

"No need for formalities. In this world, I am just an ordinary person. You can just call me Qingxiao." Qingxiao gently raised her hand to stop the other party.

"I have to say, Blank, you're incredibly popular with women. You can even pick up a beautiful girl just by going out for a meal," Iuno said helplessly. "I'm really impressed..."

"No problem, the more people, the more lively it will be," Roccia a smile. "Would this young lady like to come with us?"

"I came at your invitation," Qingxiao nodded.

"Then let's not delay." Xiao Ling snapped his fingers. "Everyone, pack up and get ready; we're about to continue our journey."

"By the way Sister Qingxiao, do you have a bicycle?"

"A bicycle? No need for all that trouble."

Qingxiao made a hand gesture and a transparent longsword appeared out of thin air. She lightly leaped and stood on the sword, looking quite ethereal.

?

"Sword Control Technique?" Crimson Snow immediately recognized it. "I had heard Huanglong students mention it before, but this is the first time I've seen it with my own eyes."

"Won't this cause a commotion...?" Suisui gave an awkward but polite smile.

"It's alright, someone cast a spell on me, the people here won't notice my presence for the time being," Qingxiao explained.

Xiao Ling naturally knew who this "person" was, and simply nodded slightly before speaking:

"Let's go! We're almost at the best time to watch the tide, so we need to hurry!"