Patreon/Inkcore
"Xiao Lan, when there are people around, you can't suddenly disappear or appear! Otherwise, I won't let you come out anymore!"
"Got it, Big Brother! Xiao Lan will definitely be obedient!"
Heaven Dou Imperial City, city gate.
A young man dressed in blue, accompanied by a little girl, arrived here.
The young man had sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, with noble azure eyes, while the girl was well-behaved and docile, wearing a blue dress embroidered with gold threads.
Her eyes, also azure, darted around, as if curious about everything.
"Big Brother, why is your face so red? Are you feeling unwell?"
"No, nothing!" Ye Qiu once again dodged the seductive glance thrown his way. The Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline was indeed terrifying; its effect was even greater than plastic surgery.
Ye Qiu felt as if he had transformed into a human-shaped womanizer.
Recalling the wolf-like gazes of the older women beside him when he left the clothing store, Ye Qiu felt a chill.
In some crowded areas, he even had bold girls taking advantage of him.
"Let's go, we'll find a place to stay first." Taking her small hand, Ye Qiu slightly lowered his head and walked into the city.
After leaving the Star Dou Great Forest, Ye Qiu and Xiao Lan spent a considerable amount of time before arriving here.
During this period, his spirit power once again broke through to Level 22.
Ever since Xiao Lan condensed her first spirit ring, she could stay outside for extended periods, and strangely, Ye Qiu's spirit power didn't seem to deplete.
He could only attribute this to her own photosynthesis and her bulging little belly after every meal.
Ye Qiu planned to rest here for a few days, let her experience the human World, and then set off for the Sunset Forest to find the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
"Wow, such beautiful houses, and so tall!"
"So many people!" Led by Ye Qiu, Xiao Lan looked at the prosperity of the city, her eyes wide with wonder, praising everything endlessly.
"Big Brother~ Xiao Lan wants to eat that!"
Looking in the direction she was pointing, there was a small shop selling candied hawthorn.
The rock sugar coating on the hawthorn made the red color look very striking, which was indeed very appealing to Xiao Lan.
"You really are a little glutton!" He tapped her head and led her over.
"Boss! Two, please!"
...
"Can I not have it anymore?"
"No~ you've already licked it."
"Alright!"
"Alright! Here's your change, come again soon~"
Watching Xiao Lan stuff both skewers into her mouth, Ye Qiu felt a bit of regret.
On his first day in the city, he was actually ambushed! One gold coin could support a family of three for a month or so, but this thing actually cost one silver coin per skewer!
The prices in big cities were really high, and he didn't have much money left.
It seemed even finding a place to stay would be a problem.
Noticing Ye Qiu staring at her intently, Xiao Lan stopped eating, thinking Ye Qiu was also craving it, and handed him a skewer.
"Hmph! Big Brother is a big glutton! Hehe~"
Ye Qiu didn't stand on ceremony and took it directly.
Seeing the saliva on it, he picked that piece off and put it back into her mouth.
"Mmm~ Big Brother, are you disgusted with me~" She puffed out her cheeks and widened her eyes.
"How could I be? Big Brother wants you to eat more." He took a bite of the candied hawthorn in his hand and was about to lead her towards the inn.
He'd ask if he had enough money first.
"I want to walk by myself."
"Then you watch where you're going!" Ye Qiu swallowed the candied hawthorn in his mouth.
Following behind Xiao Lan, Ye Qiu also looked around, wanting to see one of the most prosperous places in this World.
Passing by an alley, he saw a group of disheveled, unkempt people, like beggars, lying haphazardly.
Ye Qiu's footsteps paused slightly. 'It seems there are quite a few slums in the Imperial Capital too!'
Was this the so-called 'rich indulge in wine and meat while the poor freeze to death on the roadside'?
"Ah~" As Ye Qiu stopped to watch, Xiao Lan's cry of pain came from ahead.
At the same time, there was also an arrogant voice.
"Bastard! Where did this wild girl come from? This young master will sooner or later drive all you commoners out of the Imperial City!"
"Oh! I didn't expect commoners to dress so decently!" Saying that, he reached out his hand towards Xiao Lan's cheek. "Since you dirtied my clothes, you can compensate me with yourself! Haha..."
"Ah! Go away! My candied hawthorn!" *Slap!* Xiao Lan slapped his hand away.
"What's going on?" Ye Qiu quickly pushed through the women surrounding him and hurried forward.
Xiao Lan had fallen to the ground, and her candied hawthorn was trampled underfoot. Tears welled up in her eyes, making her look pitiful.
"How dare you, commoner! How dare you lay hands on this young master!" A luxuriously dressed young master was about to slap Xiao Lan's face.
*Slap!* Ye Qiu grabbed his wrist, anger flashing in his eyes.
"Big Brother..." Xiao Lan softly called out, scrambling up and standing behind him, her small hand gripping the hem of Ye Qiu's clothes.
The young master's attendants also approached Ye Qiu. "Bastard! Release our young master at once!"
"Boy, release this young master quickly! Do you know who I am?"
Ye Qiu looked at him coldly, "Who?"
"I am Sa Bu Chu, the eldest young master of Count Sadio's family. Ah ah ah, my hand, it's going to break! It's going to break!"
After hearing his self-introduction, Ye Qiu's hand glowed with the color of Profound Jade. "Sa Bu Chu? Aren't you afraid of being suffocated?"
"You bastard! Ouch~ My hand!" He usually hated it most when people played with his name; it was a symbol of nobility, how could commoners slander it!
"Boy! Don't mess around, don't bring trouble upon yourself!" The bodyguard beside him already had a long saber in his hand, and four spirit rings, yellow, yellow, purple, and purple, rose from beneath his feet.
He looked at Ye Qiu, ready for battle!
'From a count's family? A bit troublesome.' The blood-red glint in Ye Qiu's eyes flashed and disappeared.
Just as Ye Qiu was about to use his Sharingan to control this scion.
A pleasant voice came.
"Sa Bu Chu, are you bullying people again?"
The newcomer was wearing a goose-yellow long dress, with a good figure, and a thin veil covering her face, so her full features couldn't be seen.
Her eyes showed no joy or sorrow.
"Where, what are you talking about? I... I am..." Seeing the newcomer, Sa Bu Chu was actually a little flustered, seemingly feeling somewhat ashamed, not daring to look at the woman.
"You've hit a snag, haven't you?"
The yellow-clad woman's voice made him lower his head.
Ye Qiu watched quietly, not letting down his guard at all.
"Friend, can you release him now? I can guarantee your safety."
"Lingling... I can handle it myself..." Sa Bu Chu's words were cut off by a single look from her.
"I've already told you, call me Ye Lingling!" Her voice was a little cold.
'Ye Lingling? The Nine Heart Sea棠 possessor, a member of the Royal Fight Team! What a coincidence.' Ye Qiu hadn't expected that the girl who helped him would actually be Ye Lingling, someone burdened with death from birth.
"Alright, Lingling! You guys quickly put away your Spirits, it's not good to scare the little girl!" Sa Bu Chu seemed not to have heard that sentence and began to call his attendants.
Ye Lingling merely raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Boy, didn't you hear Lingling? Let go quickly~ Hiss! Ouch~" Seeing that the other side intended to back off, Ye Qiu pushed him away.
He cupped his hands towards Ye Lingling, "Thank you, Miss!"
"No need, I'm only helping you for the sake of the little girl." Ye Lingling avoided Ye Qiu's gaze and responded indifferently.
"Then I... then I, I thank Big Sister!" Xiao Lan raised her hand and jumped out from behind Ye Qiu, imitating Ye Qiu's actions in a proper manner.
This brought a faint smile to Ye Lingling's eyes.
Seeing this scene, Sa Bu Chu, who had just been released, no longer cried out in pain and shamelessly sidled up to Ye Lingling.
Ye Lingling nodded to Ye Qiu and Xiao Lan, ignored Sa Bu Chu, and walked straight away.
The young man, in pursuit of her, scurried after her.
"Lingling! Lingling~ Wait for me, how was that? Was I obedient just now? As long as you marry me, I promise—"
Watching the gradually departing figures, Ye Qiu shook his head. It seemed there were also many simps among the nobility. The name Sa Bu Chu did not disgrace the Sadio family.
Suddenly, Ye Qiu's eyes narrowed. He noticed the hatred in Sa Bu Chu's eyes when he looked back.
'It seems... I need to be more careful! If he dares to come, I'll send him on his way!'