Early the next morning, just as the sun peeked over the horizon, the morning light cascaded into the Ye family courtyard.
Ye Ling woke up early and stepped out of her room, preparing to pack her bags.
To her surprise, her parents had already risen and packed everything for her. One look at their faces told her they had not slept well the previous night.
With a gentle and reluctant expression, her mother walked up to her holding a thick cloth bundle. She handed it to Ye Ling, her voice slightly choked with emotion.
“Ling'er, these are some changes of clothes I packed for you. Your father and I also put fifty gold notes in the bundle. Keep them safe. Cultivating in a sect is expensive, so you must never mistreat yourself while you are away.”
She raised her hand to smooth Ye Ling’s collar, her eyes filled with deep concern.
“Once you leave for the sect, the journey will be long and arduous, and your return will be uncertain. I do not know when you will be able to come home. You must cultivate diligently out there, but staying safe is the most important thing.”
Her father stood quietly nearby without saying a word, but his gaze never left his daughter.
Usually steadfast and resolute, his eyes were now quietly rimmed with red, unable to hide the reluctance and worry in his heart.
Ye Ling took the warm bundle with both hands. Feeling the warmth of the fabric through her fingertips, a wave of affection welled up in her heart.
She stored the bundle into her storage bag, looked up at her parents, and spoke with sincere earnestness.
“Father, Mother, my return is uncertain as I head to the sect. But no matter where I am, I will always keep you in my heart.”
The atmosphere of departure was too bittersweet. Ye Ling did not dare to linger, fearing she would grow too reluctant to leave.
She gave them a deep nod, said no more, and turned around to resolutely step out of the Ye family gates.
From beginning to end, she did not dare to look back.
Outside the courtyard gates, the morning light was hazy. Her parents stood quietly at the doorway, their gazes following her retreating figure.
They watched her walk further and further away, her figure blurring until she completely disappeared at the end of the road. Yet, the two of them remained standing in place, not moving a single step for a long time.
After bidding farewell to her family, Ye Ling walked to the breakfast stall next to the Ye family gates. Her clansmen Ye Ling, Ye Fei, and Ye Chen were already waiting there.
Seeing her approach, they shared a tacit understanding. Without much idle chatter, they set off together to gather in front of the City Lord's estate.
A quarter of an hour later, they arrived at the entrance of the City Lord's estate. The ten geniuses selected for the commandery selection arrived one after another from various directions.
Before long, all ten had gathered and lined up, waiting to depart.
Soon after, the City Lord stepped out from the estate. His gaze swept across the high-spirited young geniuses, his eyes filled with immense pride and satisfaction.
The City Lord said in a deep voice, “The sect representatives who were originally responsible for guiding you returned to Heishui Commandery yesterday to report after completing their station duties, so they cannot accompany you.”
“For this journey, I have appointed my butler to lead the group and escort you to Heishui Commandery. It will take only two days by carriage to reach Heishui Commandery from Baiyun City.”
“In addition, the butler will be accompanied by my daughter.”
As his voice fell, Uncle Qin, dressed in grey robes at his side, took a step forward. He bowed and cupped his hands to everyone with a humble and steady demeanor.
“My surname is Qin. You may all call me Uncle Qin. I will be leading the escort for this trip to ensure everyone arrives safely in Heishui Commandery.”
Everyone quickly returned the gesture in unison. “Thank you for your trouble, Uncle Qin.”
Just as everyone responded, a pretty and lively head peeked out from behind the City Lord.
The young girl instantly locked her eyes onto Ye Ling in the crowd, her eyes curving into a bright, radiant smile. It was indeed Qin Fuyue.
Ye Ling’s gaze swept over, and she gave a calm nod in acknowledgement.
In the next moment, the City Lord’s daughter broke free from her attendants and dashed to Ye Ling's side, her tone familiar and joyful.
“Long time no see, Ye Ling!”
The gazes of everyone around instantly converged on them, their faces filled with surprise and suspicion.
Ye Ling had a cold and aloof personality, usually keeping to herself and rarely making friends, let alone interacting with someone so intimately and familiarly.
No one expected her to be acquainted with the City Lord's deeply doted daughter, let alone get along so well with her.
Ye Ling felt a trace of helplessness, a wave of discomfort washing over her. Having had few friends in both of her lives, she was not used to such closeness.
She knew very well that the City Lord's daughter was simply overly familiar with others; they were hardly close at all.
However, the other girl was brimming with enthusiasm and harbored no ill intent. As the beloved daughter of the City Lord, Ye Ling could not bring herself to treat her coldly in front of everyone.
Left with no choice, she suppressed the awkwardness in her heart, maintained a calm expression, and took a quiet half-step back, pretending they were just ordinary acquaintances.
After giving his final instructions, the City Lord waved his hand to signal everyone to board the carriages and set off.
The City Lord's estate had already prepared two spacious and exquisite carriages. They were roomy and equipped with soft cushions, easily accommodating everyone comfortably for the journey.
To avoid any impropriety between men and women, Uncle Qin immediately arranged for them to travel in separate carriages based on gender.
Everyone boarded in turn. Once Uncle Qin confirmed that everyone was present in both carriages, he called out for the convoy to depart.
The wheels of the two carriages began to roll, slowly leaving the City Lord's estate behind as they sped toward Heishui Commandery.
Qin Fuyue, who had been exceptionally lively outside, quieted down instead after boarding the carriage.
She did not pester Ye Ling with jokes or chatter, but simply leaned against the window, her bright eyes curiously watching the streetscapes and mountain scenery receding rapidly outside.
Having grown up in the City Lord's estate and rarely traveled far, her eyes were filled with novelty and excitement. She watched the passing scenery quietly, looking remarkably well-behaved and serene.
Seeing that Qin Fuyue had stopped her clamor, Ye Ling quietly breathed a sigh of relief, glad to have avoided further awkwardness.
She adjusted her posture, relaxed her body, and slowly closed her eyes. Immersing herself in quiet meditation, she used the travel time to stabilize her cultivation and settle her aura.
The slight jolting of the carriage actually served as the perfect atmosphere for calming her mind.
The atmosphere inside the carriage was peaceful and quiet. Liu Daoyao, dressed in capable, short-sleeved martial arts attire with a broad saber strapped to her back, had her eyes closed to rest her mind, her features sharp and heroic.
Li Wanxi was dressed in elegant martial arts attire, holding a dark whip resting across her knees as she gazed quietly out the window.
Ye Fei wore pale green martial arts attire, a silver soft whip coiled around her waist, her expression calm.
Su Qinghe was still dressed in her simple clothes, her iron sword resting across her knees, her cool face devoid of any expression. No one spoke; each sat quietly in her own space.
The two carriages traveled smoothly, heading toward Heishui Commandery.
The two-day journey passed in the blink of an eye.
The carriages sped along smoothly the entire way, and the interior of the vehicle remained quiet and peaceful.
Ye Ling kept her eyes closed to regulate her breathing throughout the trip, using the leisure of the journey to stabilize her cultivation. Her aura was deep and serene, completely immersed in her state of cultivation.
Suddenly, a gentle tug on her sleeve interrupted her meditation. A crisp, lively young girl's voice rang in her ear, filled with excitement and surprise.
“Ye Ling! Open your eyes, quick! We're almost at Heishui Commandery City. Look, it's so spectacular!”
It was Qin Fuyue's voice.
This clear, bright shout not only woke Ye Ling but also drew the attention of the other girls in the carriage.
Li Wanxi, Liu Daoyao, Ye Fei, and Su Qinghe all stood up and gathered around the window, gazing out into the distance.
At the end of their vision, a majestic, colossal city loomed between heaven and earth. High, thick walls of green stone rose abruptly from the ground.
The walls had weathered the elements of time, covered in mottled patterns that bore the accumulation of thousands of years of martial heritage.
The city gates were dozens of zhang high, broad and vast, wide enough for several carriages to drive abreast.
Above the city, spiritual energy swirled in dense mists, with layers of rosy light and white fog intertwining and spiraling to shroud the entire giant city. The concentration of spiritual energy in the air was also several times richer than that of Baiyun City.
The official roads outside the city stretched in all directions, with a constant stream of carriages and pedestrians. Countless traveling cultivators, merchants, and martial artists bustled to and fro. The lively atmosphere of daily life blended seamlessly with the grandeur of the martial path, fully displaying the prosperous and bustling scene of a major commandery.
Compared to the small and delicate Baiyun City, Heishui Commandery City was like a colossal beast—magnificent, majestic, ancient, and imposing.
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