Outside Duyou City, Zhao Rong and Zhao Qianer boarded the ship.

The lights in the lonely east city are bustling.

It was even more prosperous because a certain rumor spread quickly among the people in the market.

In Taiqing Xiaoyao Mansion, the young lady named Zhao, whose fame had long spread far and wide, had amazing luck and obtained some mysterious and great blessing, and her sword once again entered the top rank.

He instantly became famous in Duyou City.

Upon learning that Zhao Lingfei had brought the deputy master of Xiaoyao Mansion and her fellow sisters and brothers back to Qinglian Residence on Wutong Street, sword cultivators who wanted to catch a glimpse of her flying sword came there one after another.

The major immortal sects and wealthy families entrenched in Wangque Mountain all sent their important figures with gifts to Qinglianju to celebrate and observe, and to win over the emperor with enthusiasm.

Even Tianya Sword Pavilion and Youlan Mansion sent important figures to the scene tonight.

Wutong Street is bustling with traffic tonight.

The monks and passers-by in the city also talked about it with great relish...

In fact, Wutong Street used to be a quiet place.

Although Duyoudong City has always been the place with the highest concentration of cultivators on the mountain of Wangquezhou Continent, and the forces of all parties are complicated and intertwined.

However, with Youshan as the dividing line, the further east you go in East City, the quieter it becomes. It is filled with palaces and pavilions with carved dragons and painted rafters, and luxury mansions and private pavilions. The lights are on, but there is no noise to be heard.

These are all the mansions of the immortals and wealthy families...

The closer you get to West City, the more bustling the city atmosphere and noise it has, and the closer it is to ordinary cultivators.

Wutong Street is located to the east of Youshan Mountain. It used to have a quiet atmosphere, but tonight, its prosperity is destined to be comparable to the bustling downtown of West City.

However, in sharp contrast to it is a secluded alley beside Wutong Street...

In Jingwa Lane.

The aisles were narrow, the floors were damp, and covered with autumn leaves.

It was quiet and dark.

The noise from the next street could be heard faintly, seeming very far away and yet very close, as if they were two different worlds.

At the end of the alley, in a run-down little restaurant, Zhao Xifu leaned against the wooden door with his arms crossed as usual.

He squinted at the night sky in the direction of Wutong Street next door, as if in a trance.

At a certain moment, the ancient time-telling bell on the top of a distant mountain was struck.

The dull bell sounds that seem to have remained unchanged for a thousand years echoed throughout the lonely place.

The old man in green robe who seemed to have been dozing off on the bench stood up, touched his sparsely haired head, hunched his back, and quickly ran into the Xia Chong Zhai and rang the bronze bell on time.

The shopkeeper leaning against the door ignored the old man in green robe who passed by.

He suddenly turned around with a bright smile and said to the middle-aged woman who came quietly behind him:

"What's wrong, Bingbing?"

Bingniang looked at the sky outside the door with some curiosity, "Is there a wedding taking place in the next street?"

Zhao Xifu shrugged, "Who knows."

At this time, the old man in green robe who came in on time rang the old bronze bell on the wooden door, and the bell sounded throughout the dim hall of Xia Chong Zhai.

Bingniang heard the sound of the bell and was a little surprised. "Ah, it's already 15:45. It's so late. I wonder if Miss Zhao and Mr. Zhao have returned home..."

She muttered and shook her head, as if...she only knew the time when she heard the old man in green robes ring the bell.

And before.

Outside Xia Chong Zhai.

The sound of the great bell resounding throughout Duyou City seemed to be unheard by this middle-aged woman...

At this time, the shopkeeper smiled and nodded.

Bingniang said softly: "It's so late, and it's so lively next door. Why don't we go take a look? I've been in a bad mood since I got up in the morning and haven't been out all day. It's a bit stuffy."

Zhao Xifu walked forward, took her hand, smiled and shook his head, "It's too late, the night is cold, forget it, if you want to go out and see... then let's do it tomorrow."

Bingniang hesitated to speak, then smiled softly, "Okay, I'll listen to you, Xiao Zhao. It's getting late."

She seemed to want to say something else, and rubbed her forehead. "Hey, what did I want to say before? I just came here to ask about this. How come I forgot it again?"

Zhao Xifu smiled and thought for a moment, "Should I ask why that girl Zhao was glowing and why there was a sword flying around her?"

"Yes, that's it." Bing Niang smiled happily, grabbed the shopkeeper's hand, and then whispered: "Zhao Daya and the friends and teachers she brought with her, why do they not feel like normal people..."

"Isn't this normal? Aren't they normal people?" Zhao Xifu asked softly, interrupting the woman in a puzzled tone.

He said seriously, "Flying around with glowing bodies like this is very normal in our city."

"Huh? Is that so?" Bingniang was skeptical.

The shopkeeper nodded, "My family taught me this when I was a kid. Everyone in this world is like this... I can do it too. Do you want to see the glow, or take you flying around? I'm very good at it."

As he spoke slowly, he also laughed, holding her hand and smiling happily.

Bingniang was stunned, but then she was infected by her man and smiled happily.

Then, she reached out to help Zhao Xifu straighten his collar, wiped the dust off his shoulders, and whispered softly: "Then don't shine now, it's too late and it's dazzling, and my eyes are a little blurry now. Well, let's do it tomorrow, tomorrow I want to take a look, hey, how come you all know all these, but I don't..."

There was a hint of frustration between the delicate woman's brows.

Zhao Xifu nodded and said, "Okay."

The man paused, and made a promise he had made countless times: "Tomorrow."

The pretty woman smiled and nodded, then turned around and went back to the kitchen.

But halfway through, she suddenly turned around and said, "Xiao Zhao..."

Zhao Xifu smiled gently: "What's wrong?"

"Tomorrow...if I go out tomorrow, I'd like to go see the sea. Is that okay?"

"Why do you suddenly want to see the sea?"

"It's just... I feel a little bored, as if... I've been here for a long time."

The pretty woman had a confused look in her eyes. She looked around and tilted her head slightly.

"You just can't sit still. OK." Zhao Xifu narrowed his eyes and smiled, "I'll take you there tomorrow."

Bingniang suddenly became happy and turned back.

"I'll go upstairs first. You should also come up and go to bed early. Don't be busy. You can do it tomorrow."

Zhao Xifu nodded and watched her graceful figure disappear.

His eyes were a little absent-minded, as if he felt that he could never look at her enough.

After a while, the shopkeeper let out a long breath and rubbed his face.

He glanced at the old man in green robe who was standing outside the door, behaving himself and ringing the bell for a woman on time every day.

The old man named Yu Bo fell asleep on the bench again.

This has been the case every day for thousands of years. As time passed, the old man with a long lifespan of immortality has grown old, but the ordinary woman named Bingniang still looks the same.

The unshaven-bearded shopkeeper turned around.

He picked up a broom at hand and walked alone into the deserted alley.

He lowered his head and began to sweep the floor silently.

Slowly sweep away the autumn leaves that have fallen into the alley countless times.

In the alley, an old man in a green robe was sleeping and a bearded man was sweeping the floor.

No one spoke.

at night.

A room somewhere on the second floor of Xia Chong Zhai.

A woman said in a daze before going to bed: "Xiao Zhao, I... my memory is getting worse and worse, I always feel like... I can't remember things."

The man shook his head, "No, you're just a little stupid."

"You...you are not allowed to scold me."

The man nodded, "Go to bed early, tomorrow...it will be fine."

"Well... tomorrow... let's go... to see the sea..." She couldn't hold her eyelids open and murmured, "Don't forget..."

The woman fell asleep.

"I won't forget it." In the darkness, the man turned over with a calm expression.

"Tomorrow... do you remember?"

…

The next day, noon.

The sky is clear and the autumn sun is shining brightly.

A tall, crane-shaped ferry pierced through the sea of ​​clouds above the Dali capital Hanjing, and its huge shape slowly emerged.

Zhao Rong took Xiao Qian'er and took a boat overnight and finally arrived in Hanjing.

The Yunhai Ferry Terminal in Hanjing is built on a hundred-meter-high mountain not far outside the city.

At this time, the ferry on the sea of ​​clouds gradually tilted its bow downward, lowering its height in preparation for landing.

On a deck near the front, in front of the crowd, Zhao Rong was leaning on the railing with his arms, looking down.

Xiao Qian'er followed closely beside him, standing on tiptoe, also leaning on the railing with her hands, looking at the scenery below.

The cloud sea ferry slowly descended. At the ferry terminal on the top of the mountain below, there were densely packed figures. It seemed that a welcoming ceremony was being held, but it was unclear who they were welcoming.

"Oh, Brother Rong'er, so many people are here. Are they sent by that pretty widow queen to curry favor with you again? Well, I wonder if that interesting little emperor has come..." Xiao Qian'er looked down curiously, pointing her slender index finger at her pink lips, and muttered.

The corner of Zhao Rong's mouth twitched, "What pretty widow queen? Don't call me that."

"oh oh."

The young scholar glanced at the crowd below and found it was indeed lively. No need to guess, they came for him.

However, Zhao Rong was not surprised. After all, before he took the boat back to Duyou City the day before yesterday, he had greeted all the forces in Dali. Today he returned on time without any delay.

"Hehe...it's all about appearance..." Zhao Rong shook his head and laughed at himself.

Now that the Fengshan Ceremony that he is leading is about to be held, his every move will become the focus of all forces in Dali, and it will be difficult for him to keep a low profile.

"Oh. Where's my 'personal maid'? Could she not be here..." Zhao Qian'er was about to smile, but suddenly she retracted her smile because she saw a certain graceful and beautiful figure. "Hehe, so she's still here. She hasn't sneaked away in the past few days. Okay, okay."

The little girl nodded and looked at Su Qingdai who was at the front of the crowd below with a calm expression and tone.

Zhao Rong was at a loss for words when he heard this.

In fact, Xiao Qian'er hoped that a fairy named Su would take the opportunity to run away. Well, she didn't want her to really run away. After all, she got it for free. Later, she also got a piece of poetry from Nanshan. The Zhao family would never do business at a loss, and the little girl also kept the family tradition in mind.

She wanted to catch Su Qingdai after she escaped, and then she could whip her in front of Zhao Rong with a clear conscience.

In addition, Zhao Qian'er had another thought in her mind. If Su Qingdai ran away while Rong'er and she were away, wouldn't that indirectly prove that she was a seductress who deceived men? The so-called true love was just an excuse...

However, it's a pity.

Su Qingdai didn't know whether she was really determined to follow her Mr. Right, or whether she was just being smart and wouldn't fall for Xiao Qian'er's trick.

At this moment, she was among the crowd below, waiting to receive the boat, and her attire...

Zhao Qianer puffed her lips slightly.

Zhao Rong glanced around and caught a glimpse of the tall, stunning woman in a black dress at the front of the crowd who were solemnly waiting to receive the boat.

Su Qingdai was seen wearing a slim dress as dark as night, with the imagery of stars left by Nanshan Pinshi flowing on it, just like the starry sky.

She had delicate makeup and wore a mysterious and elegant purple veil, revealing a pair of cold and arrogant eyes, with her long black hair draped straight down her head like a waterfall.

It seemed that he knew that a certain young scholar liked this kind of cool look of women with long straight black hair.

Su Qingdai stood proudly at the front of the crowd, like a crane among chickens. For a moment, she became the most eye-catching scenery at the ferry, attracting countless eyes.

However, the stunning ice fairy in the black dress did not even glance at the men around her. Instead, she slightly raised her head and stared without blinking at the cloud sea ferry that was gradually approaching and landing.

Her pretty face, which seemed to be as cold as ice for thousands of years, seemed to reveal some expectation and longing. Especially after meeting Zhao Rong's eyes while he was leaning on the railing of the boat, Su Qingdai's cheeks flushed slightly and the corners of her lips curved up...

The scene of the "melting iceberg" of this beautiful fairy on the Dali Mountain, which was famous far and wide, immediately attracted the attention of countless people at the ferry. The noise in the crowd was suppressed by half, and everyone was stunned: This cold and arrogant Fairy Su is... shy! ?

On the deck, Zhao Qian'er had sharp eyes and was the first to notice the flirting scene.

She opened her eyes wide, looked at Zhao Rong with a calm expression, and then looked at Su Qingdai with a happy expression below. Xiao Qian'er couldn't help biting her lip, puffing out her little chest, and glaring at the latter with her peach blossom eyes.

"Umm, foxy girl...little foxy girl..."

“…”

Zhao Rong briefly glanced at Su Qingdai below him, then quickly looked away without looking at her any more. Instead, he looked at the crowd again to see which forces had come...

On the side, Xiao Qian'er held Brother Rong'er's arm, pouting and humming for a while, and then her expression suddenly became calm.

She remembered the private words the young lady had spoken to her yesterday.

Xiao Qian'er tilted her head, squinted slightly, and looked at the stunning woman in black dress below the boat who had a similar temperament to the young lady but a completely different personality.

Her lacquered eyes moved very smartly, "Oh, can't the young lady and I cure you?"

Zhao Rong turned a deaf ear and paid no attention to the tacit and dangerous little war between these women.

He has more important things to do, especially in the next period of time, which will probably be very busy.

No matter how Xiao Qian'er and that Miss Su make trouble, as long as they are within the scope of his tacit approval and do not cause him any trouble, it's fine.

Otherwise, everyone will be spanked...

As the Yunhai ferry got closer, the noise at the ferry became louder.

Zhao Rong shook his head and turned around to get off the boat.

Before leaving the deck, he looked up at the sunny sky and suddenly recalled some things that happened in the days before returning to Duyou City.

I remember that day, Zhao Rong, Gu Yiwu, Xiao Qian'er and others had just arrived ten miles outside Hanjing when they welcomed a grand ceremony that was ten thousand times more lively than the ferry reception at this time - the Queen Dugu of Dali brought the little emperor, the civil and military officials of the court and 300,000 citizens to welcome everyone...