#41 - Goodbye Ji Yinlan

The capital city was majestic and grand, with wide streets bustling with people and a constant flow of carriages.

On the main street, shops stood in rows, and street vendors sold all sorts of novel items, dazzling Xiao Yueyao, whose eyes were filled with curiosity.

Jun Wuxie entered a clothing store and bought several sets of beautiful clothes and small shoes for Xiao Yueyao, and he also bought a few sets for himself.

Now that they had arrived in the capital city, they couldn't dress too raggedly.

He was still wearing coarse cloth shirts, which was really too shabby.

Afterward, he followed Su Lan to the Jubaosai (Gathering Treasures House) of the capital city.

The scale of the Jubaosai here was several times larger than that of Fengtian City, not to mention Qingyang City.

"Young Master Jun, this small courtyard will be your residence. If you have any needs in life or cultivation, you can tell the maids here, and they will deliver them to you."

"Okay, thank you, Su Lan."

"I told you not to be so polite." Su Lan smiled and said, "Young Master, please familiarize yourself with the environment first. I have to go report for duty."

After Su Lan left, Jun Wuxie carefully examined the small courtyard.

The environment here was very quiet, and the layout was very elaborate, with artificial hills, a lotus pond, pavilions, a bamboo forest, and flowerbeds.

All the rooms were built with spirit wood, and the items inside were either made of spirit wood or carved from high-quality jade, making it both luxurious and elegant.

"Wuxie Gege (older brother), there's a swing over there!"

Xiao Yueyao put on her newly bought clothes and ran over like a dancing butterfly.

Jun Wuxie smiled gently, picked her up, placed her on the swing, and gently swayed it.

Xiao Yueyao giggled, overjoyed.

Looking at her bright smile, Jun Wuxie felt a pang of sadness in his heart.

This was the childhood she should have had at her age.

But what had she gone through in those six months to take care of him?

Whenever he thought of it, his heart felt like it was being cut by a knife.

"Young Master, someone wants to see you."

The maid's voice sounded at the courtyard gate.

He paused, calmed his emotions, and said, "Let him in."

Soon, a woman in a silver-white, flower-镂 patterned long dress walked in gracefully.

Jun Wuxie was stunned as he looked at the stunningly beautiful woman walking towards him.

"What, after a parting in Qingyang City, you don't recognize me anymore?"

Ji Yinlan came to the bamboo forest and smiled faintly.

Today, she had less of the heroic spirit she had when wearing armor, and more of the gentleness of a maiden, making it impossible for people to look away from her.

"Seventh Princess?" Jun Wuxie was a little surprised and said, "I just arrived in the capital city, and you already know. However, you like this really makes me feel a little unaccustomed."

"Princess Jiejie (older sister), you are so pretty."

Xiao Yueyao sat on the swing, her pure big eyes twinkling as she looked at Ji Yinlan.

Ji Yinlan squatted down and said to Xiao Yueyao, "Yueyao is also very cute. When you grow up, you will definitely be even more beautiful than Jiejie."

"Really?"

"Of course."

"Ahem, Yueyao, you play by yourself for a while. I have something to say to this Ji Jiejie, be good."

Jun Wuxie touched Yueyao's head, then walked with Ji Yinlan to the pavilion outside the forest.

He looked at the sparkling lotus pond and said, "I just arrived in the capital city, and you came to find me. You must have something to talk about, right?"

"I know everything that Chekov did to you. After I finish dealing with the matters at hand, I will go to the Great River Sword Sect to give you an explanation."

"No need." Jun Wuxie shook his head and said, "Just a Chekov, he is no longer in my eyes. Even if I want to settle the score, I should do it myself."

Ji Yinlan turned around and stared at him quietly, saying, "After seven days apart, your progress surprises me. When I first saw you in the Flame Mountain Valley, you were at the peak of the Houtian realm. It has only been a little over a month, but you have already reached the eighth transformation of the Xiantian realm. You are the fastest cultivator I, Ji Yinlan, have ever seen."

"My realm is already low. If I don't work hard to catch up, won't I be left far behind by my peers?" Jun Wuxie turned around to face her and said, "You came here today, it shouldn't just be to catch up, right?"

"It's rare to see someone I want to talk to. If I could, I would really like to chat with you, but unfortunately, the military affairs are busy." As she said this, she took out a golden invitation card and said, "This is an invitation to the Gathering of Talents. Remember to go to the Gathering of Talents Manor at noon seven days later."

Jun Wuxie took the invitation card and said, "Gathering of Talents, it seems like there isn't anyone I know…"

"I will also go, but I may be a little late." Ji Yinlan said here with a solemn expression, sighed, and said, "Recently, the situation has changed, and there may be war on the southwestern border. In the future, you will be at the Great River Sword Sect, and I may not be able to take care of you."

"Border war?"

Jun Wuxie frowned slightly. The war that made Ji Yinlan so solemn was probably not a small friction. It seemed that something big was about to happen.

"Do you still remember what I once said to you?" Ji Yinlan didn't mention the war again, saying, "I hope that you can come to the army in the future. A martial artist like you who cultivates both the body and the sword is a talent that my army desires."

"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you."

"Consider it. If you come to the army, I will appoint you as a Zhengsanpin (third rank) military counselor, commanding a regional corps of one hundred thousand elite soldiers."

Jun Wuxie shook his head. He couldn't possibly agree.

For no other reason than that he had to take care of Yueyao.

"Forget it, let's not mention this matter. If you want to come to the army in the future, the gates of my military camp will always be open to you."

Jun Wuxie nodded without saying anything.

For a moment, the two fell into silence.

After standing silently for a while, Ji Yinlan took the lead in breaking the silence, saying, "I'm leaving."

"I'll see you off."

Jun Wuxie walked side by side with her and escorted her to the gate of the small courtyard.

"See you at the Gathering of Talents in seven days."

Ji Yinlan stared at him for a moment, then turned and left.

Jun Wuxie looked at her gradually receding figure, and a strange feeling arose in his heart.

Seeing Ji Yinlan again today, this legendary woman of the Great Zhou seemed a little different from before.

This difference was not reflected in her clothes, but in the feeling she gave him.

He looked at the golden invitation card in his hand, which was written with the character 'Lan,' faintly revealing a domineering and sharp spear intent.

At this time, Ji Yinlan had already walked out of the Jubaosai.

She paused slightly in front of the Jubaosai and looked back.

"I still underestimated your potential. A Sword Dao Grandmaster in the Xiantian realm is an achievement worthy of pride…"

She muttered to herself, then turned and left.

…

At the same time, in the main affairs hall of the Jubaosai.

Su Lan, who had been promoted to the position of chief manager, looked at the communication jade talisman in her hand, which was flashing with the light of runes, and said, "Holy Maiden, when will you come to the capital of the Great Zhou? I am worried that something will happen here."

"It should be in a month or two," a somewhat childish voice came from the communication jade talisman. "I can't solve the problem even if I come now."

Su Lan said, "He has a lot of potential and will definitely go very high and far on the path of body cultivation. He cares a lot about his younger sister, so if we want to befriend him, the best opportunity is to help him treat his younger sister's illness."

"Su Lan, I am currently comprehending the Nine Needles of the Beginning. Only by comprehending the first needle will it be possible to solve his younger sister's problem. Last time, you said that his younger sister didn't have a heart, are you sure?"

"Sure." Su Lan said, "At first, I thought I was wrong, but later I repeatedly confirmed it. The area where her heart should be is empty, and there is only a heart-shaped leaf."

"A heart-shaped leaf replacing the heart?" The voice on the other side of the jade talisman was full of surprise. "Could it be the legendary One-Heart Leaf?"

"Holy Maiden, what is a One-Heart Leaf?"

"I am becoming more and more interested in the younger sister of Jun Wuxie that I told you about. I will comprehend the Nine Needles of the Beginning as soon as possible and go to the capital of the Great Zhou."

The voice inside the jade talisman fell silent, and the runes on the jade talisman also dimmed.

Su Lan was stunned for a moment, put away the jade talisman, picked up a golden VIP card, and left in a hurry.