Author Note đź“ť
Before reading this chapter, I changed "fenra" Ye tianlan companion name to "Mei"
So don't confuse my dear readers.
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Chapter 28 – Journey Toward Longxuan City
Morning sunlight broke through the mist, scattering across the valley like fragments of molten gold. The ruins behind them were quiet — broken pillars half-swallowed by moss, and faint echoes of the power that once lingered there.
Ye Tianlan stood still for a long time, gazing back at that forgotten land. His robe fluttered in the breeze, the faint scent of smoke and spirit herbs still clinging to him. The illusion of calmness on his face didn't hide the storm that burned behind his eyes.
The place had given him strength — and memories he would never erase.
"Finally," Mei said, stretching with an exaggerated sigh. "We're out. If I stayed there another day, I'd start talking to ghosts."
Ye Tianlan didn't answer. His attention was still on the horizon.
She squinted at him. "Don't tell me you're feeling sentimental over a pile of rocks."
He gave her a sideways look. "Some rocks hold the bones of history. Others, secrets worth killing for."
"Yeah, well," she muttered, adjusting her pack. "Some of us prefer places with food and beds instead of curses."
Ye Tianlan started walking. "Then keep up. The nearest city should be two days north."
Mei hurried after him, frowning. "You could at least pretend to enjoy traveling with me."
"I could," he said. "But that would be lying."
"Wow. And here I thought you were getting friendlier."
"I said fewer words, not kinder ones."
She glared at him. "You're lucky I can't beat you in a fight."
He didn't even glance back. "You can't beat me in an argument either."
The road wound between forested hills and glimmering rivers. The birds sang high above, and the occasional spirit beast darted through the underbrush, vanishing before Tianlan's sharp gaze.
Mei talked endlessly — about food stalls she missed, the taste of honey tea, rumors of cities built atop clouds. Ye Tianlan listened in silence, responding only when necessary. But she noticed his shoulders weren't as tense as before.
That was progress.
As dusk approached, they stopped beside a stream to rest. Mei crouched by the water, splashing her face with a sigh of relief.
"You know," she said, looking up at him, "you'd look less terrifying if you smiled once in a while."
"I don't see the benefit," he replied flatly.
"The benefit is that people won't think you're planning to murder them every second."
"That's not entirely untrue," he said calmly, setting up a small fire.
She threw a pebble at him. "You're impossible."
He caught it mid-air without looking. "So I've been told."
By the next morning, the landscape changed. Wide plains opened before them, dotted with shimmering jade towers visible in the distance. Caravans rumbled past, merchants shouted from spirit beast wagons, and the air grew thick with life.
Mei's eyes widened in wonder. "That has to be it—Longxuan City."
Ye Tianlan nodded. "The southern capital of the Azure Dragon Realm. A place of opportunity… and vultures."
"Vultures?" she repeated.
"Those who smile while sharpening knives behind your back."
"That's poetic," she said. "And depressing."
"It's realistic."
They joined the flow of travelers entering through the massive gates, guarded by armored sentries in blue dragon crests. The guards scanned cultivators with faint spiritual talismans, ensuring no one carried forbidden artifacts.
Ye Tianlan adjusted his mask slightly, his aura perfectly controlled — low, calm, unremarkable. The illusion art he'd cultivated after the ruins made him blend seamlessly among mortals.
No one suspected that the quiet, masked traveler had once slain Heaven-Slaying assassins.
Longxuan City was a world in itself.
Stone streets gleamed with embedded spirit crystals, powering glowing lanterns that never dimmed. Spices and incense filled the air; laughter and music spilled from taverns. Cultivators of all ranks bartered loudly, each flaunting their sect insignias with pride.
"This place is incredible!" Mei exclaimed, spinning around like a child. "There's a stall selling beast bones! And that one has moonflower tea!"
"Don't touch anything," Tianlan warned. "Half of these stalls sell forgeries or poison."
She grinned. "You really know how to ruin joy."
"I ruin mistakes before they happen."
"Yeah? Then try ruining my hunger. I'm starving."
They stopped at a roadside eatery. Mei devoured dumplings while Tianlan sat quietly, sipping tea and watching the crowd through the reflection in his cup.
Every now and then, a faint pulse of spiritual energy flickered from an alley or rooftop — subtle, trained. Someone was watching, but keeping distance.
He said nothing. He simply kept eating, as though unaware.
When Mei finally noticed his focus, she whispered, "We're being watched again, aren't we?"
"Yes."
She stiffened. "Should we—"
"No." He set the cup down softly. "Let them believe they're in control."
Mei frowned. "You're really calm for someone being hunted."
He looked at her. "You can't hunt a shadow."
As night fell, they checked into an inn named The Silver Crane Pavilion, its white lanterns glowing softly against the deep blue sky. Mei immediately claimed the bed nearest the window.
"I call this one," she said, flopping down dramatically.
Tianlan raised an eyebrow. "We're not fighting over furniture."
"Good," she said, closing her eyes. "Because I'd win."
He turned away before she could see his faint smirk. "Keep dreaming."
"I plan to."
Later, as Mei slept, Ye Tianlan stood on the rooftop of the inn, mask in hand. The moon hung high above Longxuan City, casting silver over its bustling streets.
He whispered to the wind, his voice low and sharp:
"The Azure Dragon Realm… one of the seven pillars that stood by and watched the Xu Clan burn."
His gaze hardened.
"Let's see what secrets you hide behind your golden gates."
Far below, a cloaked figure watched from a rooftop opposite him, a faint communication talisman glowing in her palm.
"Target located," she murmured. "He matches the aura from the market. Awaiting orders."
The reply came faintly through the talisman:
"Do not engage. Continue surveillance. If it's truly him… we'll have the entire Celestial Guard descend."
The moon shone colder that night.
And in the stillness, Ye Tianlan's eyes opened — knowing full well he was being watched.