Chapter 294: Wan’er, Buy a Horse.
*Dong… dong~~~*
The sun set in the west, and the cold night air covering Jade Pass City dissipated. After Ye Anping, Feng Yu Die, and the others returned to their respective rooms, they didn’t sleep, fearing that Su Wan’er might make a surprise return. As morning broke, they checked out and gave the shopkeeper a small sum as compensation, preparing to leave Jade Pass on horseback.
Street brawls like yesterday’s were not uncommon in Jade Pass City and didn’t cause much of a stir. However…
“Last night, it seems like three disciples from the Xing Tian Division were stripped bare by the Immortal Thief? I heard it from Brother Zhou; he lives in that alley up ahead and saw it with his own eyes.”
“No way? People from Xing Tian Division? In Jade Pass?”
“Absolutely true. If you don’t believe me, go ask the shopkeeper at the Jade Sand Pavilion. He saw it himself, three of them flying over on swords…”
Ye Anping had just come down from the second floor of the inn when he overheard a table of patrons discussing last night’s events. He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, noting the vast difference between people.
Liang Zhu must have also been a disciple of the Xing Tian Division in the past.
Just look at his Eldest Brother Liang, and then look at those three people from yesterday…
“Sigh—”
Pei Lianxue and Feng Yu Die were also behind him, now clad in simple long dresses.
Seemingly having overheard the discussion, Pei Lianxue leaned in and asked:
“Senior Brother, we’re leaving now, what about that Immortal Thief? Aren’t we going to catch him?”
“There will be other opportunities, it’s fine.”
Ye Anping replied, rubbing her head, and pondering in his heart.
The appearance of inner disciples from the Xing Tian Division was unexpected, but their presence proved another point: the Demon Race was already closing in on the gates of Jade Pass.
Therefore, Su Wan’er would naturally not stay in Jade Pass for long. Having offended the Sword Sect, she couldn’t return to the Western Regions either, so she could only flee towards the Imperial Sect.
No matter what, he had to capture her and force her cooperation before she reached Tianan City, the capital of the Imperial Sect. Otherwise, things would become chaotic.
Ye Anping recalled the map of the Central Domain in his mind, calculating where Su Wan’er might go next, so he could set a trap in advance with Feng Yu Die and his Junior Sister.
As the three of them walked out of the inn, a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator wearing tattered robes suddenly rushed into the inn, shouting as soon as he entered:
“Brother Zhou!! Something big has happened!”
His shout drew the attention of the patrons and shopkeepers on the first floor. Ye Anping also stopped and looked back.
He saw the man rush to a table and, gasping for breath, say:
“There’s a beast tide on the Gobi Desert outside Jade Pass.”
“Beast tide?”
“I just came back from outside the pass. The Gobi is now swarming with sand dragons and jackal leopards. It’s as if they gained sentience overnight, gathered together, and are now surging towards Jade Pass City. Many caravans have been devoured by these demonic beasts.”
“How could this be?”
“It’s absolutely true. I just saw three Xing Tian Division disciples discussing something with the City Lord on the city gate tower. Jade Sand City is probably in for major trouble…”
Hearing this, Ye Anping withdrew his gaze and said:
“Junior Sister, ask the shopkeeper for more carrots and sugar cubes for the horses. We need to leave quickly. If we delay any longer, the city will be sealed.”
“Okay, Senior Brother.”
Pei Lianxue nodded and went back into the inn to buy provisions.
Feng Yu Die glanced at the man who had just spoken and walked over, asking:
“Young Master Ye, are we just leaving like this? Not going to try and get some profit?”
“There’s no profit to be made,” Ye Anping glanced at her and said, “The City Lord of Jade Pass is an early Nascent Soul Stage cultivator, with over fifty Core Formation Stage cultivators under his command, and only a few hundred Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators. The demonic beast horde attacking them, with over a dozen Level Eight demonic beasts, is more than enough to handle them, let alone the Demon Race behind them.”
“Demon Race?! Won’t the Imperial Sect send reinforcements?”
“It’s too far from Tianan City. The Imperial Sect can’t possibly dispatch people for reinforcements this quickly. Those three Xing Tian Division members from yesterday must have learned of the demonic beast unrest in advance and came as scouts to investigate the situation. As for ‘helping’ us, it was probably just a whim on their part.”
“Oh…”
Ye Anping sized her up and asked, “By the way, where’s Xiao Tian?”
Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Tian poked her head out from directly above Feng Yu Die’s forehead, grinning and winking at Ye Anping:
『Anping, did you miss me?』
“No…”
Ye Anping sighed, then stepped on the stirrup, preparing to help fit the saddle onto the Ferghana Horse he had spent Spirit Stones on.
However, just then, a “dinglingling” sound suddenly rang in his mind.
The next moment, Su Wan’er’s voice came from his ear:
“Young Master Liang, didn’t you invite me for a drink today?”
Ye Anping looked over and saw Su Wan’er, dressed in a yellow gauze skirt and wearing a pair of large fake watermelons on her chest, walking over from across the street, greeting him with a smile.
“… …”
Seeing Su Wan’er approaching, Ye Anping felt a hint of surprise.
He truly hadn’t expected Su Wan’er to dare return to find him after last night’s events…
However, it made sense. From Su Wan’er’s perspective, she didn’t know he was the “Immortal Thief.” Her coming over now was reasonable.
After a moment of hesitation, Ye Anping replied:
“Miss Su, I’m afraid this drink will have to be postponed. I heard there’s a beast tide on the Gobi Desert, and I plan to leave Jade Sand City today to avoid any involvement.”
“That’s true.”
Su Wan’er walked over and unceremoniously pressed her pair of fake watermelons against Ye Anping’s arm, smiling and asking, “Where are you planning to go, Young Master Ye?”
“Tianan City.”
“What a coincidence, I’m also heading to Tianan. How about we travel together? It’s always good to have someone to look out for on the road?”
“Alright…”
Standing beside them, Feng Yu Die, with Xiao Tian perched on her head, watched the two of them, their eyes narrowed into slits. After a long pause, they asked in unison:
“Young Master Ye, who is this?” 『Anping, who is this girl?』
“Hmm?” Su Wan’er feigned surprise and asked, “Aren’t you Liang Xiaoliu? Young Master Ye?”
“It’s best to be careful when traveling. Let’s reintroduce ourselves. I’m Ye Anping.” Ye Anping smiled, withdrawing his hand from her fake watermelons, and added, “Also, it’s improper for men and women to be too intimate. Miss Su, please maintain your dignity.”
Su Wan’er narrowed her eyes, glanced at Feng Yu Die, and said:
“Oh~ You were flirting with me so much yesterday. And now, in front of another girl, it’s improper for men and women? Are you putting on an act in front of the girl you like?”
Hearing this, Ye Anping immediately understood her intention.
She probably felt that “the most dangerous place is the safest place.” Her second motive was likely to seek revenge.
But that was fine; if she was willing to follow, it saved him the trouble of finding her.
Ye Anping glanced at Su Wan’er and said plainly:
“Miss Su, could you take off those fake breasts before speaking? They make me feel rather uncomfortable.”
“… …”
Su Wan’er flinched slightly, her face filled with embarrassment:
“What?”
“Never mind if you don’t understand.”
Ye Anping shrugged slightly, tied the buckles of the saddle, and looked back at the inn.
Pei Lianxue had finished buying the horse feed and walked out with a package. Upon seeing the unfamiliar woman beside her Senior Brother, her gaze lingered on the woman’s chest for a moment.
“Senior Brother, who is she?”
“A young lady I met yesterday, her surname is Su. She’ll be traveling with us.”
“Oh…”
Pei Lianxue looked at Su Wan’er warily, then walked to Ye Anping’s side and took his hand, glaring at Su Wan’er as if to warn her: My Senior Brother likes small ones, you’re too big.
“… …”
Ye Anping sighed faintly, then picked her up onto the horse. He then jumped onto the horse himself and held her close. Finally, he reached out to Feng Yu Die:
“Senior Sister Feng, get on. We’re heading out…”
“Oh!”
Feng Yu Die responded, grabbed Ye Anping’s outstretched hand, and with a combined effort, straddled the horse’s rump sideways, wrapping her arms around Ye Anping’s waist.
Immediately, Ye Anping flicked the reins, and the Ferghana Horse carrying the three of them slowly trotted towards the east of the city.
Su Wan’er, who was left standing there, stared blankly for a long time before quickly chasing after them and asking:
“Didn’t you say you were going my way?”
“Yes, keep up.”
“You’re riding horses? And I’m walking?”
“Don’t you have your own horse?”
“… …”
Su Wan’er pouted, unable to form a coherent sentence for a moment. She turned back to look at the inn, then rushed inside and threw a bag of Spirit Stones at the shopkeeper.
“Shopkeeper, I want to buy a horse.”
… …
