Chapter 10: Parting, Arrival at Tiandou Imperial City, Zhu Zhuqing Meets Ning Rongrong

The night passed without a word.

The next morning, Li Zhexian and Zhu Zhuqing left the Star Dou Great Forest and walked along the main road toward the Heaven Dou Empire. About half an hour later, they reached a fork in the road where the two were to part ways.

Zhu Zhuqing's destination was Shrek Academy, located in a small village called Soto City within the Kingdom of Balak, a subsidiary of the Heaven Dou Empire. Li Zhexian, however, was headed for the Heaven Dou Imperial City. He figured that such a prosperous place would surely have fine wine.

"Sister Zhuqing, have a safe trip," Li Zhexian said with a smile as he bid her farewell.

He was the same age as Zhu Zhuqing, perhaps only a few months older. Calling her "Sister" was more of a playful, affectionate gesture. Zhu Zhuqing had resisted it at first, but she had grown accustomed to it.

Looking at the youth, whose white robes were tattered yet could not diminish his free and easy spirit, Zhu Zhuqing suddenly asked, "Li Zhexian, you said that purple has more charm, didn't you?"

"Hmm?" Li Zhexian looked puzzled. Why the sudden question? When had he ever said that? Then he remembered: when they first met, she had asked him why his first spirit ring was purple. He had blurted out, "Because purple has a certain charm." He never imagined that a casual remark would be remembered by her.

Just as Li Zhexian was about to say, "I was just making that up, Sister Zhuqing, don't take it to heart," she continued, "Next... next time we meet, I will wear a purple dress for you to see."

"Fare... farewell!"

Having said that, she didn't even wait to see his reaction. She turned and walked away quickly, as if fleeing. Perhaps she was moving too hurriedly, for she stumbled slightly. With his keen eyesight, Li Zhexian clearly saw that even her fair, swan-like neck had turned a shade of crimson.

"Farewell, Sister Zhuqing." A corner of Li Zhexian's mouth curled up as he hummed a little tune and headed down the other path. He felt no sentimentality about the parting, for he knew that if fate willed it, they would meet again.

...

The Star Dou Great Forest was about eight hundred kilometers from Heaven Dou City. The route passed through the Fasino Province, Balunbu City, and the Sunset Forest. At Bolan City, the closest city to the Star Dou Great Forest, Li Zhexian exchanged the skin and bones of the spirit beasts he had hunted for a good number of gold soul coins, purchased a white-maned colt, and set off on his journey, treating the travel as a leisurely excursion.

Half a month later, Heaven Dou City finally came into view.

The sun hung high in the sky. At the end of the road appeared the silhouette of a rider on a white colt.

"Whoa~~" Li Zhexian pulled on the reins, and the colt's hooves kicked up a cloud of dust. He took a swig of wine, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and gazed at the majestic city that crouched on the horizon like a giant beast, hundreds of meters away.

Even from this distance, Li Zhexian could see the sunlight spreading like gold leaf across the vermilion walls, and the reflection of the gilded corners shimmering in the moat. It was truly magnificent. Anyone who saw it would be moved to exclaim, "What a prosperous city!"

"I hope this Heaven Dou Imperial City has wine that meets my standards," Li Zhexian muttered to himself. Along the way, he had tasted the wine in every city he passed, but unfortunately, none were worthy of being poured into his clear spring wine flask.

Leading the white-maned colt, Li Zhexian reached the foot of the city walls. It was worth noting that one had to pay to enter the imperial city. However, once Li Zhexian revealed his twenty-second-level spirit power, the guards immediately ushered him into the city with great respect. Twenty-second-level spirit power was nothing special, but at such a young age, it was a different matter entirely.

Li Zhexian waved his hand with a smile at the enthusiastic guards, feeling a tinge of regret in his heart. "Don't the novels always say that when you enter a city gate, you get looked down upon and find trouble? Why is it different for me?"

With a playful thought, Li Zhexian entered Heaven Dou City.

As soon as he stepped inside, the noise and prosperity rushed into his view. The ginkgo trees planted along both sides of Vermilion Bird Avenue rustled as they shed golden leaves. Pedestrians stopped to haggle in front of various shops lining the streets. Not far away, the mist rising from tea stalls and noodle shops hung in the air. On the other side, a storyteller in a green robe brought his gavel down, smiling as he bowed to the guests for tips. Under a stone bridge, a painted pleasure boat drifted slowly by, with wealthy young masters drinking and making merry on board.

"Great place!" Li Zhexian walked and watched, his mood becoming increasingly pleasant.

Soon, he found the best restaurant in the Heaven Dou Imperial City—the Fragrant Feast House. It was said to be a renowned top-tier eatery in the imperial capital, where all sorts of jade platters and delicacies could be found.

"Oh, you're a new face, young master!" The waiter, seeing Li Zhexian from afar, immediately draped his white towel over his shoulder and rushed over with a face full of smiles. "Just leave your horse to me, young master; I guarantee it will be well-fed."

The waiter took the reins and handed them to a stable boy nearby, then turned slightly to lead Li Zhexian inside. "Young master, I see you're new here, so you must be unfamiliar with the place. Would you like me to introduce you?"

Li Zhexian looked around the restaurant with a smile. The carved beams, painted pillars, and indoor rockeries and streams were truly exquisite.

"Yes, I'm from out of town. Bring out all your specialties, and bring me two jugs of your best and strongest wine."

"Coming right up!" The waiter didn't show the slightest bit of contempt because of the youth's tattered clothes. He had been in this business for many years and had seen countless people. Though the boy’s clothes were ragged, his bearing was carefree and his eyes were full of confidence; he was certainly someone of inner substance.

"Would the young master prefer a private room or the main hall?"

"The main hall, it’s livelier there."

"You got it!" The waiter called out, greeted Li Zhexian, and was about to leave.

"Wait a moment." Li Zhexian took a gold soul coin from his pocket and placed it in the waiter's hand. The waiter's eyes lit up as he bowed. "Thank you, sir!"

...

Just as Li Zhexian was arriving at the Heaven Dou Imperial City, on the other side, Zhu Zhuqing had finally reached Shrek Academy.

It was called an academy, but it was built in a small village of only about a hundred households. The village was surrounded by a fence, and small groups of people gathered at the entrance. Zhu Zhuqing frowned slightly, a flash of astonishment crossing her cold little face. Was this Shrek Academy not a bit too crude?

A commotion seemed to be happening at the front. A youth had been told he didn't meet the requirements after paying his ten gold soul coin registration fee, and they refused to refund it. The youth and his father were protesting angrily. At that moment, an older-looking blond youth stepped out and released two hundred-year spirit rings and one thousand-year spirit ring. Such a spirit ring configuration at that age made the people in line gasp. The surging spirit power pressured the father and son, forcing them to submit.

In the crowd, a trace of disgust flickered deep in Zhu Zhuqing's beautiful eyes. Such people who bullied the weak were, compared to Li Zhexian, like the difference between heaven and earth. She didn't even look at the blond youth, her gaze casually sweeping over the people in line. In front of her, a black-haired boy and a girl with a scorpion braid were together.

At that moment, a beautiful girl in a white dress with short hair was undergoing testing. The girl seemed to have caught the old man's attention.

"Does your family know you've come here?"

The white-clad girl's voice was clear and melodious. "They say that education should be for everyone regardless of background. As long as I meet the requirements, you have no reason not to accept me, right?"