Wudingzhou.
Wudingzhou was the closest continent to the Royal City.
It bordered the Royal City to the south, faced Shazhou to the west, and the border of the Great Yue Dynasty to the north.
Although Nian Jiaojiao had reached the Object Manipulation realm, her abilities were clearly not mature enough for precise positioning.
An hour later, after she brought Cui Qingluo to a small town on the edge of Wudingzhou, the wind around them finally subsided.
Nian Jiaojiao released Cui Qingluo's arm and looked at him.
His hair was disheveled, and dust coated his beautiful face, like a pearl dimmed by dust.
After she let go, he made no effort to maintain his appearance and collapsed on the ground, panting.
Nian Jiaojiao asked, confused:
"I was the one carrying you, why are you out of breath?"
After a moment to recover, Cui Qingluo said:
"What was that just now? Are you a cultivator?"
He was born into a prominent family and had some knowledge of such matters.
However, in his memory, the cultivators in his family were at least thirty or forty years old.
He looked Nian Jiaojiao up and down.
Could such a young cultivator truly exist?
Nian Jiaojiao stroked her chin.
Cultivator?
Was that the term for those with extraordinary power in the Royal City?
However, judging by Cui Qingluo's reaction, the matter of cultivators was not a major secret in the Royal City.
This also indicated that there were quite a few cultivators in the Royal City.
"Mhm," Nian Jiaojiao replied vaguely.
She looked up at the sky.
It was already dusk, the sun was setting, and the sky was filled with sunset clouds, casting a golden hue over everything on the ground.
Perhaps because Wudingzhou was closer to the sky, she felt as though she could reach out and touch the rosy clouds in the air.
Cui Qingluo followed Nian Jiaojiao's gaze and was also stunned by the scene before him.
Growing up, the furthest he had ever been was the outskirts of the Royal City, and he had never witnessed such a magnificent sight.
"So beautiful..." Cui Qingluo murmured.
"Grumble..."
Nian Jiaojiao heard her stomach growl and looked towards Cui Qingluo. She saw him suddenly blush and ask:
"What is it?"
Nian Jiaojiao withdrew her gaze and said naturally:
"I think it's time for dinner. Let's go eat."
Cui Qingluo was about to nod in agreement when he seemed to remember something.
He looked down at his dirty clothes and said:
"I need to change my clothes first."
"Okay."
Half an hour later, Cui Qingluo emerged in a lilac-colored dress with a grassy pattern.
As soon as he appeared, the proprietress surrounded him, exclaiming:
"This young sir has excellent taste! These are the finest clothes in our shop, and they look splendid on you."
Cui Qingluo was about to speak when Nian Jiaojiao interrupted him:
"He's not my husband, I don't know him well."
Cui Qingluo felt a pang of discomfort.
He felt as though she should have been the one to say that.
By saying it first, it made him feel rejected.
But her words were not wrong, and he had no reason to be angry.
So, he irritably said to the proprietress:
"These clothes are just so-so. I've never worn anything like this before."
The proprietress's expression stiffened.
However, since it was a substantial sale, she managed to maintain a smile and asked:
"Then, this dress..."
Cui Qingluo nodded and said:
"I'll take this one. I'm hungry and too lazy to pick any more."
In this small town, the purchasing power of the common folk was not high. Apart from a few wealthy families, almost no one bought clothes like these.
The proprietress's smile became more genuine:
"Will you be taking it with you, or..."
Cui Qingluo nodded:
"I'll wear it."
After saying this, he lowered his head to untie his money pouch, but his expression froze midway.
In his haste to leave, and with guards following him, he hadn't brought any money with him today.
Seeing that he wasn't moving, the proprietress asked curiously:
"Young sir? Young sir?"
Cui Qingluo looked at Nian Jiaojiao.
Nian Jiaojiao guessed that he hadn't brought any money.
But what did that have to do with her?
She looked around everywhere but did not look at Cui Qingluo.
After a long pause, Cui Qingluo managed to utter a few words:
"Can you pay for me?"
Nian Jiaojiao looked at him and said straightforwardly:
"Of course, but you'll have to pay me back."
Cui Qingluo could hardly believe his ears.
Did she know how many noble ladies in the Royal City begged to give him gifts?
Even so, he never glanced at them.
He sulked, watching her take out five taels of silver and hand it to the proprietress, feeling an immense sense of humiliation.
Nian Jiaojiao paid no mind to his internal curses.
Was she the type of person to spend money on any man other than her own husband?
A while later, she led Cui Qingluo, who was still sulking by himself, to a restaurant in the town.
"Feel free to order whatever you want. After we settle the bill, just make a note of it and give me half."
Nian Jiaojiao said to Cui Qingluo naturally.
She wasn't one to take advantage of others.
Splitting the bill fifty-fifty was the fairest way!
Cui Qingluo, still feeling resentful, said to the waiter:
"Bring me one of every signature dish in your restaurant."
The waiter glanced at Nian Jiaojiao. Seeing that she didn't react, he happily said:
"Yes, sir! Two esteemed guests, please wait a moment, the food will be here shortly!"
With that, he quickly retreated.
Soon after, Cui Qingluo calmed down again.
He looked at Nian Jiaojiao, who was leisurely drinking tea opposite him, her demeanor completely changed, and said:
"So, you were pretending before."
Nian Jiaojiao smiled slightly, playing with her teacup, and did not look directly at him, saying:
"Oh? Do you want to expose me?"
Cui Qingluo had not suspected that "Qiu Yu" was someone else. He had only assumed that she had been feigning weakness to trap others.
He snorted and said:
"How boring. I don't have so many words to gossip."
Nian Jiaojiao agreed:
"Indeed, I knew that the esteemed Young Master Cui would not be like those gossipy men who chatter behind people's backs."
Flattered by the praise, Cui Qingluo readily accepted Nian Jiaojiao's statement.
After they finished their meal, Nian Jiaojiao said:
"You can rest at this restaurant for the night and depart for the Royal City tomorrow morning."
As she said this, she placed twenty taels of silver on the table.
This amount was enough for him to reach the Royal City.
Cui Qingluo did not touch the silver on the table and asked with urgency in his voice:
"What about you?"
"I was marked with a tracking scent by that person today. I believe he will catch up to me soon. Staying with me would only put you in greater danger."
After saying this, Nian Jiaojiao stood up, preparing to leave.
Cui Qingluo also stood up.
"Don't go!"
Nian Jiaojiao looked at him in confusion.
She saw the proud and radiant man, for the first time, show a hint of vulnerability, and said softly:
"I want to follow you. You, you take me back to the Royal City."
There was no other way. Although he was not familiar with the woman before him, compared to the strange surroundings and unfamiliar people, she felt like a lifeline.