Meanwhile, time rewinds to shortly after Qin Luo's departure. After half a month of travel, on a continent not far from the Shangyi Continent, the scorching sunlight baked the sandstone until it was burning hot, but it did nothing to diminish the hustle and bustle of the streets.
In this city called Wanyi City, which floats above the plains, cultivators of all kinds move among the rows of shops.
In the ubiquitous trading venues, monks either squatted in front of stalls, carefully examining the dazzling array of rare treasures, or argued fiercely with shopkeepers about prices inside the shops.
Street vendors enthusiastically promoted their wares, offering jade slips radiating a strange light and spirit armor shimmering with runes. Some even set up arenas right there on the street, publicly demonstrating the power of their magical artifacts, attracting crowds of onlookers.
The most eye-catching thing in the city is the auction held every other week.
At this moment, a magnificent auction hall stands in the city center, its exterior crafted entirely from crystal-clear jade, radiating a soft glow under the sunlight. Long queues have already formed outside the hall.
Walking through the city, although Qin Luo and his companion were trying to keep a low profile, they still attracted a lot of attention, or more precisely, a lot of eyes, which were drawn to the magnificent curves of Su Yaoyue's body.
Su Yaoyue's graceful figure, wrapped in a pale yellow dress, was already eye-catching. Her high, rounded breasts resembled majestic spring mountains, and with each step, the fabric stretched into breathtaking curves, drawing countless gazes to her like wolves and tigers.
Qin Luo subconsciously pulled Su Yaoyue to the side, his wide sleeves subtly shielding her from those burning gazes.
Even so, the cultivators passing by would still pretend to glance at them casually, their Adam's apples bobbing slightly as their gazes moved downwards. A few hot-blooded young men even knocked over the stalls next to them, drawing curses from the stall owners.
Seeing this, Qin Luo lowered his voice and smiled helplessly:
"Now I finally understand why you brought the island here. It's attracting so much attention that even I'm not used to it."
As soon as she finished speaking, Su Yaoyue suddenly grabbed Qin Luo's arm, her pale yellow dress brushing against his black robe, and her soft, jade-like curves pressed against his arm.
"I used to find those stares annoying; I could never find peace anywhere. But things are different now. Doesn't Yaoyue's appearance make you look better?"
Upon seeing that the beautiful woman was already taken, gasps of surprise rose and fell around them. Several cultivators who had been staring intently turned red in the face, glaring at Qin Luo with hatred, their hands clenching so tightly they cracked.
Qin Luo gave a wry smile, looking down at the softness pressed tightly against his arm, and sighed helplessly:
"It may bring glory, but if this continues, I'm afraid I'll be hated by all the young cultivators in Wanyi City."
"Then let them remember it~ With you here, I'm not afraid of those filthy thoughts."
Su Yaoyue smiled, her eyes crinkling, and gently traced circles on his arm with her fingertips. After speaking, she tightened her grip on Qin Luo's arm and pulled him quickly out of the city.
The two figures swept past the city walls. Su Yaoyue led Qin Luo northwestward until the outline of Wanyi City faded into a sliver of light on the horizon. Only then did she slow down and point to the mist-shrouded mountains ahead, saying:
"A hundred miles further ahead is Cangwu Mountain, where I grew up. When I was a child, the children of my father's wives and concubines always mocked my mother and me for being born to concubines, saying that we were not presentable."
Su Yaoyue gazed at the distant, continuous peaks of Cangwu Mountain, her eyes somewhat lost in thought.
"Back then, I always insisted on leaving the Su family mansion. My mother couldn't persuade me otherwise, so she often brought me back here. After my mother passed away, this is the first time I've come back. Standing here now, I feel like I can hear her calling my name."
Qin Luo stopped, raised his hand and gently wiped away the tears welling up in Su Yaoyue's eyes, his fingertips filled with tender affection:
"Don't worry, there has never been any distinction between principal and concubine here. You are not anyone's appendage, and you don't need to be trapped by those sordid rules."
"Just like Mount Cangwu, no matter how thick the clouds and mist are, they cannot obscure the green mountains; how can rumors and gossip trap the true bright moon?"
Hearing the comfort in his words and his acknowledgment of her future, Su Yaoyue buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled yet tinged with laughter:
"They're just good at sweet-talking people."
She tightened her arms around Qin Luo's waist, burying her face even deeper into his clothes:
"However... I believe you."
“I used to resent my mother for being willing to be a concubine, trapped in that ruthless mansion. Now I understand that if I can be with the one I love, what does it matter if I have to suffer the torment of worldly etiquette? If one day we can engrave our names together, even if I have to endure a thousand grievances, I will gladly accept it.”
Hearing this, Qin Luo's heart softened, and he hugged Su Yaoyue even tighter, gently stroking the back of her neck with his palm.
"Don't worry, with me here, I won't let you suffer any injustice."
Excluding jealousy, since he's said that to everyone... Qin Luo silently added in his mind.
Just as the two were deeply in love, several streaks of light streaked across the sky above Cangwu Mountain.
A faint, flickering azure light led the way, followed closely by three crimson streaks of light, stirring up the clouds and mist in their wake. Upon closer inspection, it was revealed that an elderly man with white hair was coughing up blood, his robes stained with blood, desperately fleeing forward, while three middle-aged men with sinister faces chased after him in mid-air.
As the old man's pace slowed further, the three men began to sneer.
"Old man, you're on your last breath, what are you struggling for? Hand over your stronghold obediently, and I might give you a quick death!"
Seeing that he didn't respond, the other person clapped and laughed, deliberately drawing out the last syllable:
"Looks like you haven't given up yet. Oh, right, I forgot to tell you, not long ago, your pampered granddaughter was... well, let's just say she was..."
He licked his lips, a lewd glint in his eyes:
"Hehe, that taste, tsk tsk tsk."
The words had barely left his mouth when the old man in front suddenly stopped. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, running down his white beard, and his bloodshot eyes stared at the three rapidly approaching figures.
"You beasts! Even if I become a vengeful ghost, I will skin you alive!"
Seeing this, the three exchanged a glance, their eyes full of mockery. The middle-aged man in the lead raised his hand and waved it, and a huge, thin, blood-red shadow shot out from the air, drawing a strange arc in the sky, instantly wrapping around the old man's wrist, and pulling him sharply.
The old man staggered, and the spiritual energy he had gathered in his hands instantly dissipated.
boom!
With a loud thud as the crimson shadow tore, the old man plummeted to the ground like a kite with a broken string, creating a huge crater in the forest.
Dust billowed up, and he struggled to get up, but the three people who had followed him pinned him down by the back, rendering him unable to move.
The leader stepped on the old man's face and grinned maliciously:
"Old man, you're pretty fast, aren't you? Hand over the rest of your men obediently, and maybe we'll spare your corpse!"
At the same time, a sudden scream came from not far away:
"Uncle Pan?!?"
Upon witnessing this scene, Su Yaoyue's expression changed drastically, and she exclaimed in surprise.
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