Ye Jun was fine with Meihui's arrangements as he also understood her situation. Even though it didn't look like it, she was heavily injured and needed time to recover.
If she spread her Soul Sense wide, then perhaps someone would detect it. It would just spell disaster since there were many dangerous people after her life.
As for her following him in the shadows, he actually preferred it that way. Having such a beautiful woman beside him would just draw unnecessary attention, which he didn't want at the moment.
Not to mention, the Ye Clan would learn of her, and what they would try to do with her... it brought some painful memories which he suppressed quickly so they wouldn't affect his mood.
He simply allowed Meihui to protect him from the shadows while keeping her Soul Sense coverage small.
Then, Ye Jun visited the outskirts of the Black Wind Wildlands again and collected the necessary items. After packing them in his bags made from loose clothing, he went down the hill.
The bustling city greeted him once again, with the blazing sun above his head.
'How do the seasons work in a cultivation world again?' he wondered.
From Ye Jun's memories, he knew Bright Star City remained pretty much neutral throughout the year. One week every two months, the Black Winds in the Wildlands would grow stronger and bring encroaching coldness to the city.
In a bizarre way, it would even snow, and when the winds ended, they would take the snow with them. Such was the climate of this area in this cultivation world.
'Perhaps there is some strange Qi infused in the winds, so it affects the weather. Or maybe the whole Wildlands is affected. After all, the north is called Frozen Hell.'
He continued to think about many random things about this world while selling the items he brought from the Wildlands. He liked to solve mysteries, as he was used to knowing everything about his targets before striking.
Lastly, he went down toward the favorite spot of his trip, and the crowd grew denser. This side of the market sold things cheaply, so many people gathered here every day.
As he was moving through the sea of the crowd, two soft arms hugged him from behind, but the figure was clearly too short to hug him properly.
A soft smile appeared on his face as he turned around and found a similarly toothy grin aimed at him. He patted the little girl's head and asked, "How do you find me so quickly?"
"It's a talent Wan'er developed through meticulous practice," Su Wan was clearly proud of her skills, as her bubbly cheeks puffed up. "So, I won't share my secret."
"I'll find it on my own," Ye Jun chuckled.
"Hmph! You will never!" Su Wan pouted. "Also, you didn't come beaten up today. Very good!"
Ye Jun messed with her hair, making her try to hit him with her tiny fists. "Stop trying to act like you're my elder."
"I was just concerned about you," Su Wan dropped her hands. "I didn't like seeing you in bandages and covered with that healing paste. It stinks."
Ye Jun smiled and said, "Then Big Brother promises to never get into that state again. Okay?"
"Promise!" Su Wan jumped and held out her hand, with only a pinky finger protruding outward.
Ye Jun shook his head and went along with her childish demand, hooking her pinky finger with his.
"Alright, enough messing around. Tell me where your father is, I got some nice goods this time."
"Big Brother! Will you convince him to rest?" Su Wan said, as she began to lead him through the crowd.
People like Su Yunfei didn't have a permanent spot in this mess. It was always first come, first served, so he had to look for him every time.
"What happened?" Ye Jun asked.
"He coughs a lot," Su Wan said, her voice showing her concern. "Please convince him."
"Alright, I'll talk to him," Ye Jun quickly agreed.
Before long, they arrived at Su Yunfei's stall. His complexion was paler than the last time Ye Jun visited, and he had also set up his stall farther away.
"Uncle Su, are you alright?" Ye Jun asked, crouching near his stall. "What happened?"
"The winds are picking up," Su Yunfei said, coughing once. "Nothing much. I've taken the medicines, so no need to worry."
Su Wan protested from the side, as she scolded her father for not taking care of his health and even asked Ye Jun for help.
Su Yunfei chuckled between his coughs and said, "Look at this child. So worried for me. I have a long life ahead, so don't worry so much. I'll live."
"She's right though," Ye Jun said, taking out the herbs and other items. "Take some rest, Uncle. As for the money, I'll help you out. For now, you can sell these things and I won't take anything."
He knew why Su Yunfei was hesitant about taking rest. In a household like his, every day's money counted.
"It's fine, really," Su Yunfei waved his hand. "It's not the first time I've caught a cold. I'll be fine."
Su Wan nodded. "I'll believe you this time."
Both Su Yunfei and Ye Jun laughed at her.
"Oh, I made rice balls today, Big Brother," Su Wan said, her eyes looking down. "I forgot to bring them here, though. Can you come to my home?"
"Some other time," Ye Jun said, standing up. "I have a lot of things to do."
"Then promise to come next time and play with me," Su Wan held up her pinky finger again.
Ye Jun smiled and hooked her pinky finger with his. "I promise."
She smiled brightly, as dimples showed on her bubbly cheeks.
Ye Jun patted her head once again and left them, while thinking about the technique he was going to practice today. But he couldn't focus on his thoughts.
'This...'
He recognized the ominous feeling he was getting that prevented him from relaxing. Something was off. He could feel it.
'But what...' His eyes widened. 'Wan'er!! No!'
Without any hesitation, he ran back the way he had come from the lower end of the market. He pushed through people without a care as they cursed him, but he simply continued to run.
The closer he got, the worse that feeling became.
He muffled a curse as his heart pounded against his chest.
'Not this again!'