226: Chapter 224: Bashu Small Noodles 226: Chapter 224: Bashu Small Noodles Perhaps sensing the regret in his eyes, the man’s hand, which had been suspended mid-air, relaxed and dropped to his side.
The black sleeve concealed the beautiful hand from view.
A slow, hoarse voice echoed again around the corner of the long corridor, as if smiling while explaining to him, “I excel in left-handed swordsmanship.”
Baili An grinned, not knowing why the other had to explain this to him, and politely and sincerely replied, “Your Excellency is very formidable.”
The man had sword calluses on the palm of his right hand, which clearly had been trained only after the right hand had beco unusable.
This ntion of ‘excelling’ was truly remarkable.
Like Jin Sheng, such a formidable figure, who had given himself up to despair imdiately after his right hand was rendered useless.
The man smiled again and suddenly raised his left hand, making a strange and unexpected gesture that caught Baili An off guard.
The other’s movents were graceful and habitual, plucking away the bundle of Snow Mushroom Silk by his ear.
Just as Baili An thought the man had recognized the silk and intended to fight over it, he saw the man’s hand skillfully move.
With two slender fingers, he gently grasped the silk, slipped it into Baili An’s embrace, and hid it securely, all while laughing and saying, “On the fifteenth street of Dongguan Town in the border city, there is a Bashu noodle shop with a taste that’s not bad.
If you get the chance, you might want to try it.”
Baili An truly didn’t know what to feel; this person was indeed extrely unique and quirky.
His every word and deed seed all too inexplicable.
Not to ntion that the man’s two fingers were still lingering in his embrace and had yet to be withdrawn.
His pale face blushed slightly, and his ears also felt sowhat warm, but it was not out of embarrassnt, but rather a slight irritation.
If it were impolite for an acquaintance to abruptly reach into another’s embrace, Baili An, with his good nature, could still bear it.
However, when the man had taken the Snow Mushroom Silk, his pinky finger had either intentionally or unintentionally…
gently brushed against his earlobe.
This was no longer impolite but rather frivolous.
Yet, Baili An noticed sothing; the man had recomnded a noodle shop in the border town, and it was specifically Bashu noodles.
Just earlier, he had made an excuse of needing to leave the Seal Keeper in order to have a al.
Bashu noodles.
Specifically, Bashu noodles.
Baili An knew he had culinary skills and had an affinity for spicy foods.
Bashu noodles were a famously spicy snack from various countries, originating from Central Netherworld’s Shu region.
Baili An felt as though a soft thread of a spider’s web had floated past his heart; if he could grasp it, he might be able to pull and find the truth at the other end of the thread.
However, the spider’s web was incredibly delicate; with the slightest tug, it would break, leaving no trace.
Baili An pressed his lips together and fell silent for a mont before saying, “Thank you for your kind offer.
If I have the chance, I will certainly try it.”
The man withdrew his hand from Baili An’s embrace and said no more.
Taking his leave from the robed figure, Baili An crossed the corner and made a ntal note of the man’s physical traits, deliberately keeping an eye out.
He opened the Glazed Umbrella and stepped out of the corridor into the world of snowy white.
Unbeknownst to Baili An, the strange man in the robe behind him had already half-turned to face him.
A smile slowly faded from beneath the hooded eyes, becoming calm and profound.
Fingertips softly twirled, continuing to watch him, watching unwaveringly.
Not until Baili An had walked far away, rounded the palace walls, and his robe had completely vanished at the wall’s edge, did the black-robed figure standing in the long corridor’s corner dissipate into a wisp of illusionary black mist, vanishing there.
…
…
Baili An did not head straight back to the inn.
As soon as he left the gates of the Inner City, he saw a girl in a robe of crane feathers holding an umbrella, standing at the city gate where the wind was fierce.
The relentless wind and snow whipped the girl’s long hair, and the silver ornants within it chid, accidentally catching a few pristine flakes of snow.
She held the umbrella with one hand, and occasionally blew a mist of warm breath onto her palm, seemingly a bit cold.
She had just broken through to the Kaiyuan Realm a few days ago, but after all, one still feels hunger and cold even in the Kaiyuan Realm, not having entirely left behind the mortal coil.
Moreover, beneath the Inner City was the Ghost Realm, and in the thick yin energy of a heavy snow day, the cold was intense.
Fang Geyu’s small face was frostbitten, and impatience was evident in her weary eyes.
Seeing her, it was clear that she had been waiting for quite so ti and showed no signs of leaving.
As soon as she saw Baili An erge, she imdiately greeted him, her eyes filled with a thicker impatience and complaint, “What’s with you?
Even receiving a reward takes so long?”
Noticing that she seed to be terribly cold, Baili An quickly took off his outer robe and draped it over her shoulders, puzzled, he asked, “Why have you co?”
Fang Geyu wrapped herself unceremoniously in his coat, tossed her umbrella aside, and ducked under his Glazed Umbrella.
Her little hands, reddened by the cold, found their way into the pockets of his coat, sniffled, and said, “Why can’t I co?
You’re Baili An of Fang Geyu, after all.
What if you get bullied by others?”
Baili An smiled, tilting the umbrella to block most of the snow and wind for her, “Don’t worry, I’m unhard.”
Fang Geyu rolled her eyes, clearly exasperated, “I’m not blind, I don’t need your explanations.”
Baili An said, “I did not see the Empress today.”
Fang Geyu revealed a smidge of surprise but then understood and said, “That makes sense.
If any old ghost could easily et the Empress, the entire Xianling City would be in chaos.
I guess, the one who summoned you to the city was the Seal Keeper Qing Xuan at the Empress’s side?”
This ti it was Baili An who was surprised, “How co you know so much about the Empress’s affairs?”
Fang Geyu continued with an unamused expression, exhaling sharply at him, “That’s because since Xianling City was built, on the entire Tianyao Continent, among the three thousand realms, only I have been summoned by the Empress, and moreover…
it wasn’t in Xianling City, but on Kunlun Mountain.”
Clearly, it was sothing to be proud of, but when spoken by Fang Geyu, it seed to be taken for granted, as ordinary as a daily al.
Baili An was speechless.
He had always known Fang Geyu was of significant background, but he had never imagined she was so prestigious.
It’s exceptionally difficult for ordinary people even to catch a glimpse of the Empress.
But for this young lady, she had not rely t her in the worldly Xianling City but had been directly summoned to Kunlun Mountain.
Baili An was taken aback by her statent, to which Fang Geyu slapped him on the back.
“What’s there to be surprised about?
It’s only natural for , with my exceptional talents, to be seen in a different light by the Empress.
But I don’t think it’s much of an achievent.
Since I was twelve, she has only called to Kunlun to chat with her and have tea; she doesn’t talk about other matters.
Perhaps in the hearts of the people, she is unattainable.
But in my heart, no matter how remarkable a person is in this world, if they can calmly sit with you and have tea, then you shouldn’t revere them as so lofty existence.
That’s because this is a true show of respect for her.”
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