578: Lu Xueqi (55)

A gust of mountain wind swept past, stirring the robes of the three people and blowing toward the prosperous yet perilous Heyang City in the distance.

They did not choose to fly high in the sky; that would be too conspicuous.

Instead, they traveled low along the foothills and through the woods, maintaining a moderate speed that allowed them to make progress while also enabling them to regulate their breathing and consolidate their recently recovered cultivation.

Su Han was in the middle, with Lu Xueqi to his left. Her figure was graceful, her white robes like snow, her toes lightly touching the branches and leaves, resembling a Fairy treading on water.

Bi Yao was on the right, her green-clad figure nimble as a fox, weaving through the trees. Occasionally, she would deliberately circle in front of Su Han, turn back with a smile, her eyes flowing with a hint of slyness.

There was silence throughout the journey, yet the atmosphere was even more delicate than when they were in the cave.

The daylight filtered through the dense foliage, casting dappled spots of light that flickered across the three of them.

After traveling for about an hour, an official road appeared ahead. The tracks of carriages and horses grew more frequent, indicating they were nearing a major thoroughfare.

"The official road to Heyang City should be just ahead. There are too many people and eyes there. Let's enter the city on foot," Su Han slowed down and suggested.

Lu Xueqi nodded lightly and landed silently on the grass beside the official road, completely untouched by dust.

Bi Yao executed a nimble flip and landed beside Su Han, laughing, "Walking is good! We can enjoy the scenery. I was getting quite bored after being stuck in these desolate mountains for a few days."

The three of them concealed their auras and walked forward along the official road, appearing like ordinary travelers.

However, their extraordinary looks and temperament meant that even with their deliberate low profile, they could not help but draw the sideways glances of passing merchants and travelers.

Especially the contrast between Lu Xueqi's cold and aloof beauty and Bi Yao's charming and enchanting allure made it difficult not to attract attention.

Su Han felt the gazes—some curious, some astonished, some reverent—and inwardly cautioned, "We need to conceal ourselves a bit; this is too conspicuous."

Hearing this, Lu Xueqi lightly raised her hand, and a thin white veil covered her face, revealing only a pair of eyes as clear as cold stars. Although it diminished some of her world-shaking beauty, it added a layer of mystery and coldness.

Bi Yao pouted, seemingly reluctant, but she knew Su Han was right.

She flipped her wrist, and the heartbreak flower flashed with a faint white light. The aura surrounding her seemed to blur slightly. While her appearance didn't change drastically, the soul-captivating, enchanting quality was significantly toned down, making her look more like a beautiful and lively ordinary young girl.

Su Han himself circulated his Qi, retracting his sharp aura, making him appear more like a traveling scholar or a common Jianghu guest.

After this adjustment, the number of gazes directed at them indeed decreased significantly.

The three continued forward. After walking for about another half hour, the outline of a magnificent giant city appeared on the horizon.

The city walls were towering and endless. The city gate was bustling with traffic and noise, presenting a scene of great prosperity.

This was Heyang City, a vital hub of the Central Plains.

The closer they got to the gate, the more they could feel the city's clamor and vitality.

The sounds of hawkers, bargaining, carriages, and the laughter of Jianghu heroes interwove, creating a world of difference compared to the dead silence of the netherworld or the coldness of the deep mountain ancient cave.

Bi Yao seemed to genuinely enjoy the lively atmosphere, looking around with excitement on her face.

Lu Xueqi, however, frowned slightly, seemingly unaccustomed to the noisy environment, and subconsciously moved a little closer to Su Han.

Su Han felt her subtle discomfort and said softly, "Bear with it a little longer; it will be better once we are inside."

Lu Xueqi nodded slightly.

The three followed the crowd toward the city gate.

Soldiers guarded the gate, but their inspection of the passing people was not strict; they merely scanned them with their eyes, focusing mainly on those who looked suspicious or carried weapons.

Although the attire of Su Han's group was unusual, their extraordinary temperament led the soldiers to assume they were cultivators seeking the Dao, and they were not stopped.

They entered the city smoothly, and the scene before them was even more prosperous.

The wide bluestone streets were lined with shops, banners fluttering. Taverns, teahouses, inns, pawnshops, weapon forges, pharmacies... everything was available.

The air was filled with various scents: the aroma of food, the bitterness of medicinal herbs, the sweet fragrance of cosmetics, and the smell of sweat and dust.

"Wow! I haven't smelled such wonderful things in ages!" Bi Yao took a deep breath, pointed at a sugar figurine stall not far away, her eyes shining, "Su Han, I want that one!"

Su Han smiled helplessly and looked at Lu Xueqi, "Senior Sister Lu, we've been traveling for a long time. Why don't we first find a place to rest before gathering information?"

Lu Xueqi's gaze swept over the bustling crowd, "Let's go to the Qingyun Courtyard first; it's quieter there."

Bi Yao immediately objected, "Oh, Sister Lu, your courtyard is so boring! I know an establishment in the east of the city called the Yuelai Inn. The environment is elegant, and the cuisine is superb! Can we go there?" As she spoke, she tugged at Su Han's sleeve, looking at him eagerly.

Su Han pondered for a moment. While the Qingyun Courtyard was quiet and safe, Bi Yao's identity indeed made it inconvenient.

Going to an inn, although it might be mixed with all sorts of people, would also make it easier to hear news from various sources.

He looked at Lu Xueqi and said in a tone of consultation, "Senior Sister Lu, Bi Yao has a special identity, so going to the Qingyun Courtyard might be inconvenient. How about we first find an inn to settle down? You can also rest a bit before heading to the courtyard to report?"

Lu Xueqi glanced at Su Han, then glanced at Bi Yao. She knew Su Han was right. If she, who belonged to the righteous path, were seen entering the Qingyun Courtyard with this demoness from the Ghost King Sect, it would indeed be hard to explain to her fellow disciples.

Although she disliked the noise of an inn, she was not unreasonable, so she nodded slightly, "Fine."

Seeing Lu Xueqi agree, Bi Yao instantly beamed, grabbed Su Han's hand, and started walking forward, "Hurry up, hurry up, I know the way!"

Lu Xueqi watched as Bi Yao nearly clung to Su Han's arm, her brow furrowing almost imperceptibly, but she still followed silently.

Led by Bi Yao, the three passed through several bustling streets and arrived at a relatively quiet bluestone road.

Willow trees were planted along the road, and a three-story pavilion was built facing the water, with upturned eaves and corners. The sign above read "Yuelai Inn" in four large characters.

The inn looked indeed elegant, and the guests were mostly scholars or Jianghu figures who seemed to have some status, not as noisy as the main street outside.

As they entered the inn, a waiter immediately came forward enthusiastically, "Three esteemed guests, are you stopping for a meal or lodging?"

"Lodging. We need three superior rooms," Su Han stated.

The waiter showed a look of difficulty, "Oh, esteemed guest, I am truly sorry. We have many guests today, and only two superior rooms are left. How about you..."

Su Han paused. Two rooms instead of three—how should they divide them?

Bi Yao, however, had a glint in her eye and spoke first, "Two rooms are fine! Sister Lu and I can share one room, and Su Han, you can take the other one yourself!" As she spoke, she winked at Lu Xueqi.

Hearing this, Lu Xueqi's expression immediately turned cold, and she flatly refused, "Impossible."

Sharing a room with Bi Yao was simply out of the question.