This report left Xiang Lan'er and Madame Fengchi utterly stunned.
The term "Scruffy Old Man" seemed a bit provocative for them, prompting Madame Fengchi to immediately inquire what this scruffy old man looked like.
The attendant gave a rough description, mentioning a wine gourd and a bright red, claret nose.
Not only Madame Fengchi, but even Xiang Lan'er's face turned pale all of a sudden.
"That thief is indeed in cahoots with that old man. Miss, it's not safe here anymore. We must leave quickly," Madame Fengchi hastily suggested, sounding like someone who had once been bitten by a snake and remained cautious for years thereafter.
Xiang Lan'er also felt a bit flustered, but she believed her earlier instincts should have been correct, so she carefully asked the attendant for more details.
Upon hearing that Shi Chun had turned around and left immediately upon seeing the Scruffy Old Man, only to be caught up and stopped by the latter, both Xiang Lan'er and Madame Fengchi sighed in relief and realized they had been needlessly worried.
The two calmed down to think it over.
Even without the attendant's further explanation, it was clear from the initial report that there was a problem.
If Shi Chun were truly accomplices with that Scruffy Old Man, would they be arguing in the street, much less sitting openly to drink together? Did they think the demonic path was blind?
Understanding that Shi Chun acted out of helplessness, Xiang Lan'er further inquired, "The Scruffy Old Man didn’t trouble him, did he?"
The attendant replied, "He didn't seem to. They were just eating, drinking, laughing, and getting along quite happily in the tavern hall."
Madame Fengchi waved her hand and said, "Alright, keep a close watch. Report to us instantly if anything changes."
"Understood," the attendant accepted his instructions and left.
With the door closed, Madame Fengchi said, "The issue doesn't seem too big. Based on the newly gathered detailed information about that fellow, he's not someone to mess with lightly. He was already the Big Boss in the Exile Lands by the age of twenty, crafty enough. Considering how he managed to pull off such schemes to extract ransom money, he should handle that Scruffy Old Man just fine. But just in case, Miss, we should still evacuate and avoid trouble."
Decisions are not absolute; there's no need to take risks when there are safer choices.
Xiang Lan'er nodded in agreement.
Thus, the two left the location.
At the entrance of the tavern, the attendant bowed and politely saw the guests off.
As the Scruffy Old Man left, he didn't forget to turn around and curse the attendant for being short-sighted.
Afterward, he and Shi Chun bid farewell, saying he was full and would go sleep.
Shi Chun, of course, did not persuade otherwise.
Watching the man walk away, Shi Chun touched his own stomach.
While the guest was full and satisfied, he was only half full.
Looking back at the tavern's signboard, he pondered going back for another meal.
Seeing the smug grin on the attendant who looked down on others, Shi Chun decided against it, thinking it might reflect poorly on him from the Exile Lands.
Puffing out a breath heavy with the smell of alcohol, he continued to stroll down the street maintaining his scholarly demeanor, not daring to return directly lest the old man watch him.
After some aimless wandering, a beautiful girl emerged at the corner of a street he passed.
The girl wore a dress of purple gauze with sharply defined features.
She had no painted eyebrows, slightly exhibiting sword-like brows paired with bright eyes brimming with spirit.
Her nose was high, her lips naturally soft red, with a subtle double chin.
Her complexion was fair and flawless, exuding a fresh and noble aura that carried a touch of heroism.
Her hair was simply tied in a ponytail, clean and devoid of adornments.
With a taller than average build among women, her figure was both gracefully full yet slender where needed—a truly pretty girl with a rare blend of dignity and poise.
However, this girl's bright eyes were firmly locked onto Shi Chun’s swaying silhouette.
A neatly dressed young girl in a blue outfit approached quietly, saying, "Miss, it's him—Shi Chun, just reportedly out of the Exile Lands."
Another blue-dressed round-faced girl quickly arrived, reporting softly, "Miss, Young Master Bian was denied entry to the sect and is currently kneeling outside the mountain gate."
The corner of the purple-dressed girl’s mouth curled into a disdainful smile as she responded, "No need to follow me. Investigate the identity of that scruffy drunk."
"Yes," both blue-dressed girls acknowledged in unison.
The girl cloaked in purple strode off, following Shi Chun’s direction.
Passing through an open space used for trade, Shi Chun noticed that the merchants were dealing in a kind of blue shrub-like plant, clearly processed and dried.
The scale of trade was significant, with large heaps everywhere.
Curiosity piqued, he approached one heap, sniffing to identify a peculiar decayed scent.
As the site lacked strict supervision, he picked up a dry leaf to examine.
He was about to inquire about this unusual commodity when a clean, brisk woman's voice interrupted, "This is 'blue bamboo,' found in the icy ravines of the canyons. It emits a faint blue glow at night and is often used by the people of Wukang Mountain for crafting talismans."
Turning towards the voice, Shi Chun gave the speaking purple-dressed woman a quick once-over.
Her speech was as unpretentious as her appearance.
Noticing her beauty, Shi Chun's eyes brightened.
He bowed slightly with scholarly decorum, thanking her, "Thank you for the guidance, Miss."
He also noted an interesting thing—nearby merchants silenced at her presence, faces full of respect.
Not resisting the curiosity, he pointed to everyone’s reaction, "Might I know who you are, Miss?"
"I am Bian Weiying. Bian Weikang is my brother, and I am currently overseeing Skyward Gaze City. You're Shi Chun?" she replied.
"..."
Shi Chun was momentarily surprised, having heard about her from Bian Weikang.
Bowing once more, he said, "Ah, so you are the City Lord. Pardon my lack of manners. I am Shi Chun."
Bian Weiying said, "You seem unfamiliar with this place. Since I’m out for inspection, I can accompany you for a bit. Feel free to ask anything you're curious about."
Alright then, on her turf, the guest goes with the flow.
Besides, Shi Chun wanted to see what her real intentions were, rather than be left in the dark.
As they walked and conversed, they attracted considerable attention.
It was plain that Bian Weiying didn't merely host him out of courtesy.
She was unmasked, directly questioning Shi Chun’s reasons for redeeming the top performer of the Graceful Cloud Pavilion and their purpose for coming.
What could Shi Chun say? Vague pretenses were all he could muster, pushing everything onto Bian Weikang, claiming it was at his invitation that he had come.
Meanwhile, news of their meeting quickly spread to a pavilion in the city—the temporary hideout of Xiang Lan'er and Madame Fengchi.
"What’s up with this guy? First time here, and he’s busier than us. Why did even Bian Weiying go looking for him?" Madame Fengchi expressed her utter bewilderment.
Xiang Lan'er frowned in equal confusion.
To be honest, even Shi Chun couldn't grasp what Bian Weiying was up to.
Despite that, he handled it with grace, making do with what he could.
Just when both felt the conversation should end, Shi Chun suddenly paused in front of a shop due to a sign advertising "whitening" that caught his eye, prompting him to enter for a look.
Only on inquiry did he learn that the so-called whitening item comprised pearl powder mixed with certain herbs.
“Does it really work? The City Lord is here; you can't deceive me,” Shi Chun joked, using Bian Weiying as a leverage to press the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper forced a smile, "I dare not lie; it does have some effect."
Bian Weiying couldn't help asking Shi Chun, "Do you want to use this whitening product?"
Waving her concerns away, Shi Chun explained, "Don’t misunderstand, it’s for a friend."
Instinctively, Bian Weiying glanced at his dark complexion but wisely chose not to comment.
After confirming the price and how to use it, Shi Chun decisively concluded, "Alright, shopkeeper, I'll take two jin."
Bian Weiying's lip twitched slightly.
Oh my, this thing is purchased by the jin.
The shopkeeper naturally obliged with pleasure, weighing a generous amount considering the City Lord’s presence.
The transaction ended with Shi Chun handing over a hefty amount of Sandalwood Gold.
Not bothered by spending a bit of money, Shi Chun still possessed a bank note that could cash out fifty thousand.
Once outside the shop, Bian Weiying had no interest in further accompany him, excusing herself with other commitments.
Shi Chun watched her leave, holding back the words he longed to say.
Cashed in on a whim, he had considered asking her if she wanted to help her brother repay his debt.
Following that, he went nowhere else, heading straight back to the inn.
Hoping to alert Xiang Lan'er about the skilled arrival of the Scruffy Old Man, he knocked on their door but received no response.
The inn attendant mentioned they had gone out.
"Let me know when they return," Shi Chun instructed, before returning to his own room.
With the door closed, he eagerly opened his purchased pearl powder, mixing a portion with water before sitting in front of a mirror and applying the concoction to his face, all the while mumbling, "The whiter, the more cultured I appear."
Creating a ghastly white face, he noticed his ears stood out with their darkness and didn’t spare them in the end.
With nothing better to do afterwards, he took out the book "Lanterns of Mountains and Seas" from his luggage and began reading.
Sometime later, without knowing what he’d stumbled upon, a surge of excitement lifted him to his feet, muttering repeatedly, "Willing to hunt the horizon with you... This is how you phrase it for grandeur! Willing to hunt the horizon with you..."
Pacing back and forth across the room, he soon ended up before a mirror, confronting his own ghostly white visage, and rehearsed, “Willing to hunt somewhere with you, dare you?”
At that exact moment, the door was magically opened as two figures rushed in, closing the door behind them.
It was none other than Xiang Lan'er and Madame Fengchi.
Caught with the book in hand, Shi Chun froze, pondering the etiquette of knocking before entering—weren’t people from outside reputedly well-mannered?
The two women instinctively struck defensive poses, then both froze, staring in daze at Shi Chun's ghostly face.
“Madam, you’re alive, as expected! Be cautious…” Shi Chun swiftly alerted them about the Scruffy Old Man’s tracking, to shift focus off his current state.
This timely revelation finally eased both women’s concerns.
However, they couldn’t help but question his appearance with Madame Fengchi asking, “What’s with your face?”
Shi Chun replied, "Nothing much, just applied some medicine."
Xiang Lan'er asked skeptically, “Did that old man slap your face?”
Shi Chun hurried to clarify, “No, just some skin cracks. I happened upon a medicinal seller in the city. But enough about me, how’s Bian Weikang’s situation? His sister just cornered me and questioned intensely.”
(Chapter End)