Above the sky, a silver moon hung high, its faint light gradually dispelling some of the darkness.
On top of the dune sat meditation cushions, a small table, a stove, a teapot, teacups, and other items. Wei Yang and Xian'er nestled together, admiring the bright moon overhead. Not far away, Qing Lin sat cross-legged with eyes closed, channeling and refining the battle energy within her. A cold wind mixed with sand blew by, but curiously vanished without a trace upon nearing the top of the dune. The place was peaceful, without any disturbance from wind or sand.
"Brother Yang, are we setting off for Jia Ma's Holy City tomorrow?" Xian'er, half leaning on Wei Yang, asked softly.
"Yes, we'll depart tomorrow morning," Wei Yang replied, taking a small sip of aromatic tea.
"Leaving this time, who knows when we'll return. It's a bit hard to say goodbye to this place..." Xian'er glanced over the vast desert, her tone filled with sentiment.
Wei Yang had mentioned that after visiting the Yun Lan Sect, they would leave the Jia Ma Empire.
"In the future, if you miss this place, I'll bring you back to see it," Wei Yang said, resting his chin on her shoulder, gently inhaling the pleasant fragrance of her body and exhaling warm breath.
"No need," Xian'er shook her head, a faint, fleeting smile of contentment appearing on her face. "Didn't you say that wherever you are, that's my home? So wherever we go, that will be our home. As long as I can be with you, Brother Yang, I don't mind where we go."
Xian'er's face was slightly flushed, her beautiful eyes full of longing, with a hint of satisfaction and languor after the clouds and rain.
"Yes." Wei Yang felt a surge of warmth in his heart upon hearing her words, tightening his arm around her waist.
With such a wife, what more could a husband ask for?
...
The following morning, as the sun rose, its rays spread across the earth. The gentle golden sunlight bathed the sand, coating it in a layer of golden splendour, dispelling the chill.
Four figures draped in black robes quietly left the vast desert, heading towards the morning glow.
In the blue sky, four streaks of light rapidly approached from afar, disappearing across the horizon moments later. When they reached where the desert's golden hues met the mainland's faint greenery, the four streaks paused and turned to look back.
This farewell was indefinite, with no knowing when they would tread this desert again. The sprawling desert, unchanged for centuries, had witnessed their growth from weakness to standing at the pinnacle of the Jia Ma Empire. Now, it was time to leave. Like young eagles, they had to spread their wings and soar into the blue sky, seeking a broader world.
"Let's go," Wei Yang said, silently turning around.
The black wings on his back fluttered, setting him off first. The three figures behind him followed.
...
As they entered the mainland, Wei Yang spoke during the flight, "If we encounter a big city on the way, we'll rest awhile and also look for good medicinal herbs. Especially a fourth-grade Soul Nurturing Lotus, to see if we can buy one to make soul nourishing liquid for Dujiao."
"Okay." Both women nodded, having no objections.
They departed the desert at dawn and continued flying until afternoon, nearing a big city named 'Dongshan'. In the distance, the vague outline of a city came into view. Wei Yang's wings flapped sharply behind him, speeding up until he was a streak of light disappearing from the spot.
The four landed outside the city and then entered the city, still disguised in their black robes, which made them appear somewhat mysterious. However, the strong aura they exuded and the gold coins Wei Yang casually tossed spared them from any questioning by the gatekeepers.
They bought every noticeable herb above fourth grade, whether primary or auxiliary, rare or common, especially those effective for soul recovery. Even if they were only second or third grade, Wei Yang bought them all. However, after half a day's shopping, the yield was not significant. Despite the city's large size, with many herb shops and markets, mid-level herbs were scarce.
After coming out of the last sizable herbal shop, they also visited an auction house, where they finally found three rather rare fourth-grade herbs—main ingredients for refining Zixin Barrier-breaking Pill and Qingling Pill.
By dusk, the four strolled along the streets, with Qing Lin still curiously looking around.
"Let's find an inn to rest for the night and leave tomorrow morning," Wei Yang suggested.
...
Seven days later, Wei Yang and his companions finally reached their destination, the capital of the Jia Ma Empire: Jia Ma Holy City.
Hovering in mid-air, Wei Yang looked down, gazing at the magnificent city appearing beneath the clouds, exhaling softly. Jia Ma Holy City, they finally arrived. Over the years, it was his first time here. Then, he glanced towards the northern part of the city, where a majestic mountain lay like a dragon on the ground, emitting a faint spiritual aura when viewed from afar. That was where the gigantic force of the Jia Ma Empire, its number one sect, the Yun Lan Sect, was located.
"Is that the Yun Lan Sect?" Xian'er asked, her beautiful eyes fixed on the grand peak shrouded in clouds and mist, having long heard of the sect.
Qing Lin was also curiously observing.
"Yes, that's the Yun Lan Sect. In a few days, I'll take you up there for a visit and see the three-year agreement," Wei Yang said with a smile.
"Okay," both women nodded with smiles.
They were quite interested in the three-year agreement. This story, in which a young man's talent had declined, and his fiancée had come to annul the engagement, humiliatingly setting a three-year agreement, was well-known. The young man then worked hard, eventually coming to honor the agreement and battle his former fiancée.
As one of the protagonists of the event, Xiao Yan was also someone they knew, considered a friend. All these reasons made their upcoming visit to the Yun Lan Sect something they looked forward to greatly.
"I support Young Master Xiao Yan," Qing Lin clenched her small fist. "He will definitely win and personally defeat that arrogant Nalan Yanran, making her regret it."
Xian'er nodded in agreement. Both upheld the belief in commands from parents and words from a go-between. They felt that since the elders had personally arranged the engagement, it should be honored. They disagreed with annulling an engagement simply because the fiancé lost his talent. Therefore, even as fellow women, they couldn't support Nalan Yanran's actions and leaned more towards Xiao Yan. After all, in this matter, Nalan Yanran was indeed at fault from the start.
"Let's go, find a place to stay in the city first," Wei Yang said, watching the two women eager to share Xiao Yan's cause.
The four quietly descended to the ground, mingling into the vast flow of people, slowly stepping into Jia Ma Holy City.
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