Going to the City for Noodles

Beiyang Prefecture, Fengshan County.

This county is not far from the prefectural city, but it has never been well-known. The prefectural city has drawn away all the talent and resources, leaving Fengshan County with only a low city wall. It lives a life that is neither rich nor poor, and is not remembered by many people.

At dusk, the city gate was still quite lively.

A man carrying firewood drove a donkey cart into town, a woman selling vegetables carried an empty basket on her shoulder, and several children chased after a yellow dog.

The city guard stood by the gate, a blade of grass between his teeth, his eyelids drooping.

It wasn't until a stranger in gray robes approached that the city guard casually raised his eyes.

He glanced at it for a moment longer, then quickly looked away.

These past few days, wanted posters have been plastered everywhere. The gray-clad thug in the picture has fierce eyes and sounds terrifying, but the person in front of me walks so calmly. He doesn't look like a vicious criminal, but rather like a emaciated scholar.

Just as the city guard was about to wave him through, he suddenly noticed something swaying at the man's feet.

A bluish-white token was being held tightly by two short arms.

Looking further down, there's a round, plump toad.

The grass stalk in the soldier's mouth almost fell out.

"Where did this monster come from?"

Zhaoyue immediately raised the token forward, peeking half of her head out from behind it, exuding a powerful aura.

"What's wrong? Haven't you seen the Teruno Sect's token before?"

The city guard's face darkened, and just as he was about to reply, his eyes had already swept to the back of the token: [Outer Mountain Guest Elder].

The soldier's lips twitched, and he swallowed his words back.

The commotion caused by Teruno Munechika yesterday was heard throughout Toyoyama Prefecture. The Prefect himself led troops up the mountain and fought with Sect Leader Lu, but lost.

At this moment, who would want to provoke Zhaoye Sect's guest elder, even if this guest elder doesn't look like a master at all?

The city guards stepped aside.

Holding the token, Zhaoyue tentatively took a step forward.

No one stopped them.

It took another step.

No one stopped them.

Zhaoyue was still not at ease, so she looked back at the city guards.

The city guard had already turned to check other people's vegetable baskets, pretending he had never seen them.

Zhaoyue's eyes grew brighter and brighter, her mouth gradually widened into a grin, and she pressed the token closer to her chest, as if afraid it would fly away, or as if afraid she was dreaming.

In the small town, Shen Gui walked ahead, with Zhao Yue close behind, her short legs slapping against the bluestone slabs. Every few steps, she would raise the token for him to see.

Yesterday, Lu Guang wanted to ask Shen Gui to stay at Zhaoye Sect, but Shen Gui did not.

Zhaoyue originally intended to treat Shen to the bowl of Yangchun noodles she had promised in the prefectural city, but she regretted it halfway there, saying that the prefectural city was too big and there were too many wanted posters, and it would be bad if she caused trouble for Senior Shen.

Shen Gui then followed it to Fengshan County.

The streets of Fengshan County are not as wide as those in the prefectural city, but there are many shops. The aroma of hot pot wafts from the alleys, along with the smell of hot soup with scallions.

Zhao Yue's steps faltered at the smell, and she couldn't help but exclaim, "People in the city eat so well! Everything smells so delicious. I wonder how good the plain noodles must be."

It asked five people along the way, scaring two children to tears, before finally finding the largest inn in the county.

Two red lanterns hung in the inn. The innkeeper was working on an abacus when he saw a young man who wasn't well-dressed enter. He didn't raise his eyelids much, but when he saw the little demon carrying the token behind him, he paused for a moment.

Zhaoyue jumped to the counter: "Shopkeeper, bring out your best."

The shopkeeper's smile immediately warmed up a bit: "Sir, you've come to the right place for a good meal. Our shop has braised pork hock, roast chicken, fresh fish, and a jar of ten-year-old Shaoxing wine."

Zhaoyue heard the sound of its throat moving, but it quickly shook its head and coughed.

"Two bowls of plain noodles, please! I'll add extra scallions to mine!"

"???"

The shopkeeper's smile froze; he thought he had misheard.

"Sir, would you like two bowls of... plain noodles?"

"Yes, the best plain noodles." Zhaoyue patted her chest loudly. "Don't try to fool me, I am Zhaoyue Zonggai Shan's guest master."

The innkeeper hurriedly said, "No, no, please have a seat, sir, it will be right there."

Shen Gui found a wooden table and sat down. Zhao Yue jumped onto the bench and used both hands to grab the edge of the table, finally managing to straighten herself up.

Several tables of guests in the lobby were secretly glancing over here, whispering among themselves, but no one dared to ask any further questions.

Zhaoyue sat upright, holding the teacup with both hands. She blew on it like an important person, took a sip, and her eyes bulged from the heat, but she still said, "The tea is alright."

Not long after, two bowls of noodles were served.

A large white porcelain bowl holds clear broth and thin noodles, topped with a layer of green onions, with steam rising straight up.

Zhaoyue looked at the bowl of noodles and suddenly fell silent.

It gripped the rim of the bowl with its two short arms and moved the bowl closer to itself.

I ate the first bite very slowly.

The noodles were too long, and they broke halfway through slurping them up. Soup splashed on its face, but it didn't wipe it off; it just squinted and chewed.

Shen Gui picked up his chopsticks and took a bite.

The taste was average; the soup was a little too salty, and the noodles were overcooked.

Ke Zhaoyue ate very attentively.

It would take a few bites, then look up at the door to make sure it was still sitting in the shop, before looking down again to continue eating. When it was almost empty, it even picked up the soup and drank it all.

After finishing its meal, it took out a piece of jade from its pocket. It was only the size of a fingernail and had a slightly bluish color. It had been cherished and kept for a long time, so it was polished to a high shine.

Zhaoyue presented it to the shopkeeper and asked softly, "Is this enough?"

"Enough, enough, more than enough." The shopkeeper's eyes widened.

Zhao Yue breathed a sigh of relief and waved her hand dismissively: "That's enough, no need for change!"

Shen Gui glanced at the jade stone: "Two bowls of noodles, I can't take this."

Zhao Yue said nonchalantly, "Hey, when you're out in the game, you have to be loyal and not petty."

It paused, then said, "I searched the river for years before I finally found this, but it's okay, there are definitely more in the river. I'll look for them later. Treating Senior Shen to noodles is much more important than this stone."

Shen Gui did not try to persuade him further.

The stone pendant on my chest felt slightly warm.

Shen Gui could feel the heat, but his emotions weren't strong enough, and the second crack showed no sign of closing.

He had no regrets, nor did he force anything. There was still plenty of time, and the cracks in the stone pendant would eventually heal.

After the meal, the two left the city.

Holding the token, Zhaoyue walked out of the gate slower than it came in. It looked back many times until the city gate grew smaller and smaller behind it.

The setting sun pressed down on the mountaintops in the west, and the road split into two: one leading to Zhaoye Mountain, and the other going further afield.

Shen Gui stopped at the fork in the road.

Zhaoyue also stopped.

"Let's go back to the mountain," Shen Gui said. "Go to Zhaoye Sect and cultivate diligently."

Zhaoyue held the token, opened her mouth, but couldn't say anything.

It actually prepared many sentences.

For example, when you come to Zhaoye Sect in the future, I will treat you to something even better. For example, I will definitely come to find you after I transform into human form. For example, although you are powerful, Senior Shen, you still need to be careful.

But when the words were on the tip of my tongue, I didn't know which one to say first.

All it knows is to nod.

Shen Gui turned around and chose to walk along the small path.

Zhaoyue stood still, watching him walk further and further away, and then looked in the direction of Zhaoye Mountain.

Beyond the mountain are lights, sect registers, and names that have just been written there—a place I never dared to dream of before.

Shen Gui walked alone on the path, and suddenly it became much quieter and more deserted.

He touched the stone pendant, and then recalled the cold, eerie aura emanating from the ghost-faced token.

After Bai Xingjian's death, the fact that Bei Chezhou could still send such a thing into Dong Jinzhou doesn't seem like a spur-of-the-moment decision; it's more like a net that has been cast for a long time.

Shen Gui walked forward, the wind blew through the roadside weeds, and the grass was full of the chirping of summer insects.

After walking for a while, he suddenly stopped.

A series of rapid slapping sounds came from behind, along with a shout.

"Senior Shen, Senior Shen!"

Shen Gui turned back.

As the sun set, Zhaoyue, clutching the token that was even more conspicuous than itself, hopped and staggered all the way until it came close.

"Quack... Can I... travel with you for a while?"

Shen Gui looked at it.

Zhaoyue hurriedly raised her short hand, afraid of being rejected: "I don't need you to take care of me. I can find insects to eat by myself, and I can go into the water to retrieve things. If something happens, I can run away and won't be a burden."

"Why are you with me?"

"I have no idea..."

Zhaoyue thought this answer was terrible, so she added, "The way you look at me... is different from how you look at others... You don't think I'm ugly, nor do you think I'm stupid... I was very nervous thinking about going to Zhaoye Sect, but when I thought about being with you, I wasn't so flustered... But I can't explain why..."

"I'm wanted by the police. In the future, there will be people ten or a hundred times stronger than Shi Qijiang. At that time, even the slightest ripple will kill you."

"..."

Lai Ge Bao scratched his head. "Senior Shen, could you please let me know in advance if that day comes? I'll run away first... If I can't escape, it's just that I'm not capable enough... I won't blame anyone."

After saying that, it lowered its head, its foot pressed against the edge of the token, and didn't move.

Shen Gui did not reply immediately.

The distant mountain light gradually dimmed, with only a last sliver of red remaining on the horizon.

After a while, Shen Gui turned around and continued forward.

"If you can keep up, then keep up."

Zhaoyue was stunned for a moment.

The next instant, it hugged the token to its chest, and the whole frog lit up.

"I can keep up! I'm at the Body Tempering Realm, after all!"

At the end of the path, two shadows, one large and one small, were stretched long by the setting sun.

The wind came from the north, carrying a hint of warmth.