Chapter 273: The Contemplative Taoist Alter Ego
— Sword Province —
Luo Wusheng eventually had to leave the comforting embrace of his beloved wife.
After a brief moment together, the soothing ambiance created by the music and conversation, along with various complex emotions, prompted Ling Shuangxue to take the rare initiative to draw him in for another round of tender lovemaking, after which she fell into a light sleep.
Even though he had only just recovered from his own exhaustion, he realized that if he truly wanted to, he could still continue to have some fun with his sleeping wife, since she doesn't mind him doing so and all... That said, he did feel he could use a bit of the post nut clarity effect to reflect on something.
'She might have sensed something as well...'
Although the timely message from Little Yuli had provided him with a convenient excuse, he knew it wasn't a perfect cover. The message he received had left a deep impact on him.
That bald-headed coachman... he was the first strange encounter Luo had since awakening his memory in this world.
To date, he had met the coachman four times in total: the first two times in person, the third time by using his Antediluvian Nether Eye, and the fourth time through the jade slip given by Yue Xuanji.
This time, the coachman didn't appear before him physically, yet Luo was even more shaken than ever before.
Due to the man's bald head and mysterious, elusive actions, Luo had always chosen to ignore the coachman's presence, merely maintaining a quiet vigilance to avoid falling into any of his traps. In his mind, he mostly suspected the coachman to be some crafty monk.
After all, the man's appearance, coupled with those eerie behaviors, was undeniably unsettling.
But now, Luo was genuinely unsure.
'Without a doubt, judging by his previous actions, that man is definitely targeting me.'
Given that, the coachman's actions that led to Ling Shuangxue's injury likely had a specific goal...
The heartbeat's rhythm pulsed deeply within him.
Luo Wusheng felt that his prior assumptions might need to be entirely overturned. Simultaneously, a new theory began to take shape in his mind.
"Whew... it's too early to jump to conclusions, and these kinds of thoughts are exhausting for my simple mind. Rather than that, I'd prefer thinking about my soft, lovely Shuangxue... makes it easier to stay calm, and less likely to fall into dangerous thoughts."
'Speaking of which, Yao Ji mentioned in her note that listening to music and basking in the sun helps prevent inner demons from manifesting... If only I could relax in some warm sunlight, listening to soothing music, and share a cozy sleep with her...'
Oh, but his wife might not be able to handle the excitement of doing it in the rather open space... Maybe he should think instead about the possibility of setting up an artificial sun in the secret realm.
Luo Wusheng stepped out from the void, and this time, he chose a different exit point from the secret realm to avoid running into someone eager to duel with him.
He'd already spent too much time here, and if he didn't find Little Yuli soon, she might start getting suspicious.
He had deliberately chosen a city in Sword Province far from Royal City, and placed the meeting location at Sword Rain City, even further from Daybreak City, to prevent the Sword Fairy from finding him too soon, in case she overheard rumors and connected the dots.
Now, rumors were probably circulating around Daybreak City, and likely nearby Jianlin City as well, about him and the mysterious Soulblade Specter that had recently appeared.
Though the people didn't yet know who he was...
Just to be safe, Luo had even changed his attire from white to black, concealing his aura to avoid unwanted attention.
But trouble still came knocking.
"...Are you really that free?"
Luo Wusheng's eye twitched as he looked at the muscular man standing before him.
The man across from him merely looked at him in silence, drawing a massive sword as he did so. A faint glimmer sparkled in his gaze.
'Black attire...'
The man before Luo Wusheng exuded a powerful aura.
Although Luo couldn't fathom his strange motivations or how he had managed to track him down, he figured the man must have used some sort of tracking technique.
Despite his hulking frame, this man was still a Nascent Soul cultivator; it would make sense for him to possess such skills.
Luo took a quick look around.
Since he'd deliberately avoided crowds and taken a remote path, this area was relatively isolated, though still not far from Daybreak Mountain.
'If that's the case, I might as well deal with this nuisance sooner rather than later. After all, he's only at the early stage of Nascent Soul—he won't take much time to handle… Besides, this is a good chance to test my new Buddhist Golden Body.'
Luo didn't bother summoning his Artifact, Phantomless 2.0. Instead, he raised his hand slowly, his clothes fluttering slightly in the gentle breeze.
<+>
Meanwhile, in Daybreak City, a cool and serene woman, like a moonlit figure from the heavens, moved gracefully through a bustling street where the crowds had noticeably thinned.
She passed through the noisy scene without attracting a single glance—no one seemed to notice her presence, nor was anyone struck by her breathtaking beauty.
This woman was Ji Yanyao.
She was the current Chief Disciple of the Taoist sect, the Taoist Alter Ego of the Immortal Nation Empress, and the only one who roamed the world under her true name.
At this moment, this unparalleled talent was lost in thought, her gaze contemplative as the surrounding chatter reached her ears.
She happened to pass by a teahouse.
"Honestly, I knew from the start that a storyteller who could tell such legendary tales would be extraordinary himself. I just regret that I'm not well-read and lack his literary flair, so I can't even begin to describe the elegance with which he cleaved the Soulblade Specter's head, or how he effortlessly subdued it, leaving three Nascent Soul cultivators too awed to act… Ah, such regret!"
"If not for his intervention, Daybreak City, being so close to Daybreak Mountain, might've suffered from that terrifying Soulblade Specter's wrath… Although the shadows of that day still linger in my heart, I even managed to break through to the peak of Foundation Establishment thanks to his story, but I still couldn't bring myself to go to Jianlin City to witness his prowess…"
"No need to fret; who said he'd definitely go to Jianlin City anyway? Compared to you, I didn't even get to see the final scene…"
The lively conversations surged through the teahouse until the owner sighed aloud, "If only the storyteller would return to our humble teahouse for another tale, I'd feel fulfilled in this life."
This comment stirred up the tea guests even more. One voice rang clearly in Ji Yanyao's ears:
"Haha! Wishful thinking! That day, he was probably only telling that story to the Sword Sect Immortal. Why else would someone of his caliber be wasting his time at our tiny teahouse?"
The Taoist Sect Chief Disciple, who had already overheard similar conversations around the city, now fell into deeper thought.
'It's been six days since he disappeared. The fourth day... that was two days ago...'
Four days had passed, and it seemed he had already attracted a new companion from the Sword Sect. Yet, this was no ordinary young girl—this new arrival was another extraordinary beauty.
Lost in thought, Ji Yanyao took a single step and vanished from her spot, her gaze fixed with certainty, as if she had already pinpointed a direction.
<+>
Note: Link to the character Illustration:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lkIcPnCxeyuyZA4Kkb621dPC05UvWjhD
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