Inside the carriage, the girls quietly gazed at the grand Heishui Commandery City in the distance, unable to tear their eyes away for a long time, their eyes filled with utter shock.
Liu Daoyao was the first to snap out of it, murmuring, “It's so big, so majestic.”
The others also voiced their awe. After all, it was everyone's first time visiting Heishui Commandery City, so it was only natural to be awestruck.
Standing behind the crowd, Ye Ling's expression was calm, without a single ripple of emotion in her heart.
Having seen the skyscrapers and bustling metropolises of her previous life, this colossal martial city—while vast and grand to others—was merely a different kind of scenery to her.
The carriages passed through the towering city gates and entered the city. The streets were wide and smooth, crisscrossing one another. Buildings lined the roads, shops gathered in abundance, and a constant stream of cultivators came and went, fully showcasing the prosperous atmosphere of a major commandery.
The carriages wound through the streets, stopping about half an hour later in front of a quiet, elegant, and independent courtyard.
Standing in front of the courtyard gates, Uncle Qin looked at the group of youths stepping down from the carriages, his tone calm and gentle.
“This courtyard is the City Lord's private residence. The environment is quiet and peaceful, so it has been lent to all of you to rest and recuperate for now.”
“The Sect Selection Ceremony will officially begin in five days. You may use this time to quiet your minds and adjust your state.”
Everyone nodded in gratitude before stepping off the carriages in an orderly fashion.
The private residence was elegant and quiet, with green brick paving, scattered flowers and trees, a small pavilion, and flowing water. The rooms were tidy and clean, making it an excellent place for quiet cultivation.
There were plenty of guest rooms, allowing everyone to have their own private room without disturbing one another.
Qin Fuyue locked her eyes onto Ye Ling immediately and chose the room right next to hers, her face brimming with joy.
Liu Daoyao chose a room facing east, where her window looked directly out at an old locust tree in the courtyard. Its thick foliage cast a pleasant shade.
Li Wanxi selected a room on the west side, which was quiet and peaceful.
Ye Fei and Su Qinghe each chose adjacent rooms and settled in.
Everyone returned to their respective rooms to rest and unpack. Ye Ling took her clothes out of her storage bag, folded them neatly, and placed them in the wardrobe.
The Breeze sword still rested beside her pillow, its scabbard gleaming with a faint white light in the afternoon sun.
She pushed open the window. There was an old locust tree in the courtyard with lush foliage. A few sparrows hopped around on the branches, chirping away, though it wasn't noisy at all.
She stood leaning against the window for a moment, then sat back down on the bed, closing her eyes to regulate her breathing.
The next day, the weather was clear and beautiful, with a warm breeze brushing against their faces.
Qin Fuyue knocked on everyone's doors early in the morning, inviting them all out to relax and clear their minds.
Ye Ling, Liu Daoyao, Li Wanxi, Ye Fei, and Su Qinghe all gladly agreed. The six girls set off together to explore the bustling markets of Heishui Commandery.
Qin Fuyue walked at the very front. One moment, she would point at a candied hawthorn stall by the roadside and say, “I've never seen this in Baiyun City,” and the next, she would run over to a fabric shop to look at the colorful silks and satins.
Liu Daoyao followed behind, the broad saber strapped to her back drawing frequent glances from passersby.
Li Wanxi walked at a leisurely pace, her gaze sweeping across the shops along the street, occasionally pausing to take a closer look.
Ye Fei and Su Qinghe walked side by side at the very back. One was in pale green martial arts attire, while the other wore simple clothes and carried an iron sword. Their temperaments were completely different, yet they looked strangely harmonious together.
Ye Ling walked in the middle, not saying much, simply following along.
She wasn't used to such bustling crowds, but she didn't dislike it either. Chatting and laughing, they took in all the sights of the commandery city, spending an entire day touring around in a relaxed and pleasant mood.
By the time they returned to the private residence in the evening, Qin Fuyue had several paper parcels in her hands, containing pastries, candied fruits, a few hairpins, and an inkstone.
She said she bought them to bring back as gifts for the City Lord. Ye Ling hadn't bought anything, having simply walked with them the entire day.
In the blink of an eye, the morning of the third day arrived, and there was a gentle knock on the door. Ye Ling already guessed that the visitor was Qin Fuyue.
After spending the past few days together, she had also figured out this young lady's temperament.
She was highly curious and overly familiar with others, but she was not malicious.
Back in Baiyun City, she had been grounded by the City Lord. Having finally managed to get out and follow them to the commandery city, everything seemed fresh and novel to her.
She had never really had any friends, and Ye Ling was likely her first.
When Ye Ling opened the door, Qin Fuyue was standing outside, dressed in a new light pink outfit. Her hair was freshly styled, adorned with a small pearl flower hairpin, and she looked at Ye Ling with eyes full of anticipation.
“Ye Ling, I didn't invite the others today. I just wanted to go out and walk around with you alone. Is that okay?”
Ye Ling originally wanted to decline so she could focus on meditating and cultivating. The selection ceremony was the day after tomorrow, and she wanted to practice her sword techniques a few more times.
But looking into the girl's watery eyes, the words of refusal died in her throat. There was anticipation in that gaze, but also a touch of caution, as if she was afraid of being rejected.
Ye Ling's heart softened, and she nodded slightly. “Let's go.”
Qin Fuyue's face instantly lit up with joy. She grabbed Ye Ling's wrist and dragged her out to stroll along the streets.
Shops lined the long streets, and the jade and jewelry stores were filled with a dazzling array of items.
Filled with enthusiasm, Qin Fuyue pulled Ye Ling to a stop in front of a small accessory stall. She picked up a simple and elegant white jade hairpin, leaning in to examine it closely.
“You have a cold and aloof temperament. A simple hairpin like this suits you best.”
Ye Ling said calmly, “I rarely wear accessories.”
“It doesn't hurt to wear one once in a while.” Qin Fuyue smiled, her eyes curving as she picked out a warm, smooth black jade pendant. She readily paid for it and pressed it into Ye Ling's palm.
“This is for you, as a small gift for our friendship.”
The jade pendant felt slightly cool in her palm, but a gentle warmth slowly flowed into Ye Ling's heart.
She looked down at it. The pendant wasn't large, entirely pitch-black and polished very smooth. It had no intricate carvings, looking simple and clean, which suited her taste perfectly.
In her previous life, she had disliked socializing and had never had a single close friend growing up. In this life, she had dedicated herself entirely to hard cultivation, remaining solitary all along.
Now, being treated with such unreserved warmth by Qin Fuyue, she truly tasted the security and joy of having a friend for the first time across both her lifetimes.
As the two of them chatted and strolled, the sudden sound of rapid hooves echoed from ahead.
Pedestrians on the street panicked, scrambling to both sides to get out of the way. An elderly fruit vendor failed to dodge in time, and his carrying pole was kicked over by a horse's leg. Fruits rolled all over the ground, and the old man tumbled to the floor.
A youth dressed in brocade robes rode a magnificent Green Scale Horse, galloping recklessly through the bustling market. His expression was arrogant and domineering, completely disregarding the safety of the commoners on the street.
The youth had a fair complexion, but there was a trace of hostility between his brows. His lips curled up slightly, as if he enjoyed watching the panic and evasion of the people around him.
Qin Fuyue knitted her brows and muttered in a low voice, “How incredibly overbearing. How can he gallop a horse through a bustling market like this?”
Passersby lowered their voices in discussion. Ye Ling listened closely for a moment, grasping the general situation.
This person was the only son of the Heishui Commandery Lord, surnamed Zhao, with the single name Chen. He was seventeen years old, possessed a Houtian Tenth Layer cultivation, and was ranked among the top ten geniuses of Heishui Commandery, also participating in the sect selection this time.
Born of noble status and wielding great power, he possessed a violent temperament and often galloped his horse through the busy streets. The entire city feared the power of the Commandery Lord, so no one dared to step forward and stop him.
With this incident, the two of them lost their mood for strolling. Understanding each other without a word, they turned around and headed back to the private residence.
Following this event, everyone reined in their minds over the remaining days, and no one went out to wander again.
Everyone closed their doors to cultivate diligently, refining their cultivation, adjusting their state, and quietly waiting for the sect selection to begin in a few days.
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