The remainder of their journey was quiet, with little happening to disturb the steady rhythm of their travel.
Uncle Zhang woke up a few hours after they left the clearing. He wanted to ask many questions, but when he noticed the odd mood between his Young Miss and the man beside her, he kept quiet. This troublemaker clearly wasn't ordinary.
After another long day of riding, they finally reached the top of a broad hill. Down in the valley below, an impressive city stretched out.
Azure Dragon City was finally here.
The city was enormous, its high walls enclosing a maze of streets and neighborhoods. Inside, stone towers and grand pavilions stood tall over the bustle below.
From their vantage point, they could even spot cultivators flying between rooftops on their swords, appearing for a moment like distant birds, then vanishing behind the city's tallest buildings.
A sense of relief washed over Yan Rou and Uncle Zhang. They were finally home.
Lei Feng, however, was just like a child who had found a new toy. His eyes lit up as he started looking at the scene below him in anticipation.
His gaze was fixed on the city gates, where a river of people flowed in and out. "Wow. So this is the Azure Dragon city?" he said, a slow grin spreading across his face. "So many people. This city must be filled with beautiful women."
Yan Rou gave him an exasperated look, but the usual sharpness in her response was gone. After everything they had been through recently, his teasing remarks seemed less important.
"Let's go."
They started their journey down. Once inside, they were surrounded by the sounds and sights of the busy city.
The main roads were wide and paved with carefully cut stones. Merchants shouted to advertise their goods, carriages drawn by strange animals rattled by, and powerful cultivators strode through the crowds, their presence felt even without a word.
Yan Rou took the lead, guiding them through the winding streets. Now that they were home and she was safe, she had regained some of her aura. The surrounding people immediately made way for them as they passed through the busy streets.
She steered them away from the busy common areas and toward the richer northern part of the city, where the important families lived.
"Young Miss. Should we head back to our Manor directly?" Uncle Zhang asked politely.
"No, Uncle Zhang. We need to go to the Shui Estate first." Yan Roud replied, not looking back.
"The Shui Estate? Young miss, but why on earth.." Uncle Zhang was confused.
"Because Lei Feng has something to do at the Shui Estate. Don't worry, we won't go inside. We'll just leave him at the gate." Yan Rou glanced at Lei Feng again but didn't say more. She didn't want any rumors to start and cause trouble for him.
Uncle Zhang glanced at Lei Feng again, still unable to figure him out. He knew it was best not to start a conversation, so he simply followed his Young Miss in silence.
After moving around the city for a bit more time, they finally reached their destination.
"We're here," Yan Rou said, her voice a little soft.
Before them stood an estate that dwarfed the surrounding mansions. A tall wall of pale stone stretched in both directions, and the entrance was marked by two enormous black gates, each easily towering above anyone who approached.
Two serious-looking guards in spotless silver armor stood by the gates. Even from far away, Yan Rou could sense the strong Qi coming from them.
Both seemed to be powerful cultivators in the peak of the Qi refining realm, yet they served only as gatekeepers here.
On the walls next to the left gate was a bold sign which read "SHUI".
This was the Shui family's estate, and even someone new to the city could tell they were probably the most important family around.
Lei Feng dismounted his horse and stretched, acting as if he had just arrived at any ordinary stop. He approached Yan Rou and looked up at her, a pleasant smile on his face.
"Thanks for the company, Rou Rou. It was a pleasure travelling with you," He said with a slight bow. "Go take care of your family matters. Don't worry about me. Just wait, I'll be back soon."
He winked. "After I've checked on this potential wife and sorted everything out, I'll come and find you."
Yan Rou didn't know what to say for a moment, feeling both annoyed and something else she couldn't name. "Who said I'd wait for you?" she replied, trying to sound uninterested, but could not help but leave a few words of caution.
"Just... be careful, okay? Don't get yourself killed."
She didn't wait for an answer. With a quick signal to Uncle Zhang, Yan Rou turned her horse and rode away, picking up speed. The rush of wind helped to hide the warmth rising in her cheeks, and she focused on the next turn in the road.
As they moved down the street, leaving Lei Feng standing alone before the intimidating gates, Uncle Zhang finally broke his long silence.
"Young Miss," he began, "what... what happened back there? After I was knocked unconscious... how did we get away from those cultivators? Did reinforcements from our family arrive?"
Yan Rou stared straight ahead with a distant expression. The sounds of the city faded into the background as she remembered the unbelievable moment when Lei Feng used his 'Ordinary Block.'
"Lei Feng saved us," she replied simply, not offering any further explanation.
After all, who would ever believe her story?
Uncle Zhang stared in disbelief. "Him? That boy?" he repeated, not hiding his skepticism. "That's impossible, Young Miss. He's just a commoner. Someone else must have stepped in—a passing expert, maybe?"
He tried to think of any other explanation as his mind just couldn't accept what she said.
Yan Rou slowly shook her head, a faint, wry smile touching her lips. "No, Uncle Zhang," she said with a voice that was barely above a whisper. "There was no one else. Lei Feng saved us alone. However, he could not stop them from escaping."
She felt ashamed of revealing why Lei Feng really let them go, so she could only lie a bit.
Uncle Zhang stared at Yan Rou's back, his thoughts spinning. He struggled to connect the image of the shameless troublemaker with the person who had just saved them from disaster.
"This man... Young Miss, should I send someone to investigate him?"
"No need, Uncle Zhang. I think it will do more harm than good. Besides, I think we will meet again soon."