“Just looking around?” The man was startled, then burst into a hearty laugh, not forgetting to poke some fun as he did.
“Well, old man, those feet of yours certainly work well! To have actually walked all the way from the Central Plains to this city—impressive, truly impressive!”
Elder Li waved his hand without offering much explanation, merely looking toward the towering city gate standing erect in the snowy white world.
“The gate is opening.”
Hearing this, the man instantly stopped laughing and looked in the direction of his gaze. He saw the tightly shut city gate slowly opening, sending snow flying in all directions—a spectacular scene never before seen in the Central Plains...
“It’s really opening! It’s really opening!” the man exclaimed, his face filled with excitement and thrill.
He had arrived last night. By asking around, he had learned that this was a living city with over a hundred thousand residents. Though that number seemed massive, it was quite insignificant compared to the sheer scale of this grand city.
The city had its rules: the gates would open at a specific time in the morning and close only at dusk.
Furthermore, there was an inviolable iron law—there were no inns in the city. If these outsiders did not leave before the gates closed, anyone caught on the streets would be executed on the spot by the city's Enforcement Squad.
In short, this was a city that did not welcome outsiders.
Only when the city gates were open could outsiders freely enter and leave.
“I won’t chat with you anymore. Old-timer, you should head back early. Don’t go mixing yourself up in the affairs of the jianghu at your age!”
Elder Li said nothing, watching the man's figure blend into the crowd as they swarmed into the city...
...
“We’ve arrived.”
The group looked at the towering city in the distance. The continuously swirling snow in the sky made the city appear even more solemn.
Ning Qingzhu let out a soft breath, exhaling a puff of white mist. As she watched this scene, her lively eyes curved like crescent moons.
“It’s so cold...” Zhang Wuji rubbed his hands together, suddenly feeling like coming here was a bit of an ordeal.
The group had already bundled up in thick clothes, which they owed to a 'kind-hearted' person they met along the way, from whom they had 'borrowed' several garments by force.
Jiang Moran stepped down from the carriage wrapped in a fox-fur coat. Dressed like a noble young master from an influential family, his handsome face was set off to perfection. Along the way, Ning Qingzhu had lost count of how many times she had stared at him in infatuation.
Upon seeing the city, a hint of vitality finally returned to his lazy face.
Damn it, they had finally arrived. Sitting in the carriage these past few days had practically worn his backside raw; there had been no official highway on the route, only gravel paths.
The biting cold air rushed at him, only to be blocked out entirely by his fox-fur coat.
“Ah, I have to say, this coat is exceptionally comfortable to wear.” Jiang Moran rubbed his face against the fox-fur collar, highly satisfied with the soft texture.
“Old Chen, which family's clothes are these again?”
“Uh, I heard them shouting something, seemed like they're from some influential family,” Old Chen said, sounding somewhat uncertain. After all, he was getting on in years and was a bit hard of hearing.
“An influential family, huh? Next time we run into one, we should borrow a few more to wear,” Jiang Moran said, rubbing his chin.
Fengqingzi was also clad in a mink coat. While it wasn't as luxurious as Jiang Moran's, it was still of decent quality.
Thinking back to when they 'borrowed' the clothes, he could not help but sigh with emotion.
These influential families were truly wealthy. Even the wooden beams of their carriage were made of golden-thread nanmu wood, and the young master's personal escorts were two first-rate masters.
It seemed first-rate masters were becoming as common as cheap cabbage; following Senior, he encountered several of them every other day.
The group left their carriage outside the city and chose to walk inside.
The moment they entered the city, they were drawn to the various styles of cold-weather clothing. Compared to the attire of the Central Plains, the clothing here was much more diverse.
Many jianghu figures wandered the streets, adding a heavier martial atmosphere to the city.
“Sigh, this is just an ordinary city. There are no treasures, and no ruins left behind either.”
“I know, right? What a waste of my time traveling so far.”
Just then, a few people passed by Jiang Moran, their voices thick with unavoidable disappointment. The reality fell far too short of their expectations.
According to the narrative they had imagined, there should have been some ancient ruins here, concealing a divine sword.
Or at the very least, some peerless martial manual.
Yet there was absolutely nothing. It truly had been a joyful expectation that ended in vain.
Jiang Moran shrugged. Although he was the one who had released the parchment scrolls, the rumors had been spread entirely by themselves. It had absolutely nothing to do with him.
If they wanted to blame him, they would just have to suck it up.
“Senior, should we find an inn first, or locate a place to eat?” Fengqingzi came over to ask.
“I’m going to look around. Do as you please,” Jiang Moran said with a wave of his hand, turning to head off in a random direction.
Fengqingzi smiled helplessly as he watched him leave. How could he not know what Senior was going to do? It was undoubtedly to taste how the local liquor was.
The snow crunched beneath his feet as Jiang Moran walked down the street with his eyes closed.
The scent of good liquor could travel a long distance. At times like this, using one's nose was far more effective than using one's eyes to locate a fine tavern.
Before long, a crisp scent of plum blossom wine wafted into his nose, carrying a chill that refreshed both mind and body. It wasn't as intense or heavy as strong liquor, but it was unforgettable.
“Found it.” Jiang Moran opened his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Following the scent, he arrived at a distillery. While not exactly secluded, it wasn't in a very conspicuous spot either.
The moment he stepped inside, the aroma of plum blossom wine grew even richer, mixed with a rush of cold, crisp air that instantly made Jiang Moran’s eyes light up.
“What would you like, Big Brother?” Only half a head peeked out from behind the counter, long bangs covering most of her face.
Jiang Moran stared for quite a while before he finally spotted the little girl. She had delicate features and was petite and cute, clearly a beauty in the making.
“Give me some recommendations,” Jiang Moran said with a smile, leaning against the counter.
“We have three types of wine: plum blossom wine, Bamboo Leaf Green wine, and sorghum wine.”
“What are the characteristics of these three?”
“We do. The plum blossom wine is delicious, the Bamboo Leaf Green is delicious, and the sorghum wine is expensive.”
Jiang Moran’s lips twitched. So the special characteristic of the third wine was just that it was expensive...
“Give me a pot of plum blossom wine.”
“Oh, okay,” the little girl replied, turning around to head into the back to pour the wine.
Jiang Moran found a random seat and sat down to wait. But before the wine could be served, a loud commotion erupted at the entrance.
“Tired of living, are we?”
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