On the post road leading to Luoxing City, a team of riders was approaching from afar.
Upon closer inspection, it was apparent that this was a rger of two teams, as their attire differed. The banners they carried bore two different surnas.
One was Ying, the other was Ji.
These two families, whether in the West Continent or the Northern Continent, were renowned ancient clans, prompting onlookers to step aside and bow in respect.
"Luoxing City? I’ve never heard of this city before," Ji Yaohua remarked with a smile, riding a Spirit Beast and looking at Ying Ze beside her.
The two were representing their respective families at the gathering.
In their possession were invitations from both the Sang Clan and Luoxing City.
Ying Ze gazed ahead, his deanor calm. Upon hearing Ji Yaohua’s words, he responded coolly, "I researched the history of the West Continent, this Luoxing City existed ten thousand years ago, later destroyed by its City Lord, turning it into ruins from then on."
"A city from ten thousand years ago?!" Ji Yaohua exclaid in surprise.
Surprised, he asked, "A city in ruins for ten thousand years, is Qingge out of his mind choosing such a place? With his strength, and my assistance, couldn’t he dominate any city he wanted?"
Ying Ze cast a cold glance at him, a clear warning evident in his eyes.
Ji Yaohua imdiately grinned, "Just kidding."
He straightened up, musing aloud, "But, since Qingge chose it, it must not be too shabby. I’m now quite intrigued by this Luoxing City."
Ying Ze, though not as talkative, displayed a hint of curiosity in his cold eyes.
After all, the ancient records barely ntioned Luoxing City from ten thousand years ago, only vaguely noting its past prosperity and power.
He was also curious why Mu Qingge knew about this city that vanished a millennium ago and chose it as her dominion.
"Hey, isn’t that the Xi Family’s Goddess?" Ji Yaohua suddenly exclaid in surprise.
He instinctively straightened, looking ahead.
Following his gaze, Ying Ze saw another team ahead, composed of two forces like their own, but led by a solitary figure in a snowy dress.
"Those are the people from the Divine Hall and the Xi Family, naturally, the leader is Xi Qianxue." Ying Ze stated calmly.
Ji Yaohua laughed playfully, "How amusing, what kind of wind is blowing today to bring out even the reclusive Goddess! It seems Luoxing City has quite the allure!"
With that, he turned to Ying Ze, teasingly saying, "Three of the top five on the Green Talent List are already here, wonder if the other two will show up."
Ying Ze remained silent for a mont before speaking in an indifferent tone, "Perhaps, this Luoxing City will be more lively than you imagine."
...
In the City Lord Mansion, Mu Qingge raised her eyebrows as she observed the two people standing before her.
Han Caicai, and that... who...
Mu Qingge rembered the woman next to Han Caicai, soone she had encountered on the Sunset Grassland and seen again by Han Caicai’s side. However, her na slipped her mory.
"Today, arriving at your Luoxing City, as the City Lord, shouldn’t you invite your guests to sit?" Han Caicai remarked with mild irritation.
Upon entering Luoxing City, he was astounded.
The vast and well-preserved city exceeded his expectations. He had assud Mu Qingge selected an obscure town, and thus its scale would be modest.
Who would have thought?
Han Caicai internally chuckled with a shake of his head, knowing Mu Qingge’s character wouldn’t allow for such simplicity.
Moreover, he had spotted in the city a uniquely designed tower with its plaque covered in red silk, the purpose of which he couldn’t discern.
Given his understanding of Mu Qingge, any structure built so conspicuously and with such formality must not be ordinary.
Mu Qingge heard Han Caicai’s comnt.
Her gaze swept over him and Ruan Qinglian before taking a seat in her main chair, gesturing to the empty seats beside her, "Please, take a seat."
Ruan Qinglian looked towards Han Caicai, seemingly taking cues from him, adopting a coy deanor.
Ignoring her, Han Caicai sat down directly.
Once he was seated, Ruan Qinglian chose a chair right next to him, her closeness causing Han Caicai to frown in annoyance, a trace of displeasure flashing in his narrow eyes.
"And this is...?" Mu Qingge directed the question to Ruan Qinglian.
Ruan Qinglian, catching Mu Qingge’s inquiry, gazed at Han Caicai with affection, perhaps hoping he would explain. Yet, Han Caicai acted obliviously, showing no intention of speaking. With a hint of resentnt in her eyes, she bit her lip and stated, "City Lord Mu, I am Ruan Qinglian from the Northern Continent’s Ruan Family, here on behalf of my family and as Caicai’s... fiancée."
Fiancée?
Mu Qingge raised her eyebrows higher, casting an amused glance at Han Caicai. This scoundrel already had a fiancée yet kept pestering her, truly deserving a thrashing!
"What fiancée? Don’t say silly things!" Han Caicai imdiately stood up to explain himself.
He turned to Mu Qingge swiftly, saying, "Qingge, please don’t misunderstand. The Ruan Family and the Han Family intend on an alliance, but the candidate hasn’t been confird yet. I..."
"Young Master Han, there’s no need to explain to ." Mu Qingge raised a hand to interrupt him.
Ruan Qinglian, seeing Han Caicai’s panicked explanation, felt a surge of grievance. Though the Ruan and Han alliance wasn’t finalized, everyone in the Northern Continent knew of her affection for Han Caicai.
Ignoring Han Caicai’s darkened expression, Mu Qingge kindly told Ruan Qinglian, "If you two beco engaged, I’ll present a generous gift for a cup of wedding wine."
Her words left Han Caicai’s face ashen, while Ruan Qinglian bead, her earlier resentnt vanishing. "Thank you, City Lord Mu, for your kind words. We’ll surely send you an invitation."
Inwardly, feeling blissful, she mused: ’Before setting off, Yiren warned to be wary of this City Lord Mu, but he seems very nice to . I don’t see what Yiren was worrying about!’
"Mu Qingge!" Han Caicai couldn’t help but call out.
Mu Qingge slowly turned her eyes towards him, innocently asking, "What can I do for you, Young Master Han?"
Her oil-and-salt-resistant attitude made Han Caicai so angry that his teeth ached. Ever since he realized he liked her, he was ensnared by her, no longer the carefree person he used to be.
Being so intently watched by Mu Qingge, it took him a long ti to muster a sentence, "I’m hungry! Are you, as the host, going to feed or not?"
Mu Qingge was about to say that the guest residences outside the City Lord Mansion each provided als, but suddenly soone hurried in.
The newcor knelt on one knee in the hall, addressing Mu Qingge, "Young Lord, the Young Masters of the Ying Family and Ji Family have arrived, and the leader of the Liege Guest Team, Miss Qin, is also outside, requesting to see you."
They’ve all gathered together?
Mu Qingge was slightly astonished and instructed the person who ca to report, "Bring them in."
Then, she thought for a mont and also instructed to call Mu Xuewu, i Zizhong, and others, and then asked soone to prepare a dinner party. Since everyone she knew had arrived, she might as well host a small banquet to liven things up, as they were all young people.
Before long, the three people entered along with the mansion’s servants.
Each of the three ca alone, without bringing anyone else. On the way in, they were secretly observing, seemingly only eting at the door.
"Qingge, your brother Ji is here!" Ji Yaohua ca in and boldly addressed Mu Qingge.
"Brother Ji? Hmph." This address made Han Caicai snort coldly.
Ji Yaohua imdiately looked at him, and upon seeing Han Caicai’s flamboyant face, she laughed playfully, "Oh, the Young Master of the Han Family actually arrived early."
"Ruan... Ruan Qinglian greets Young Master Ji." Ruan Qinglian stood up awkwardly and addressed Ji Yaohua.
The three families were all in the Northern Continent, with the Ji Family being the most powerful and the Ruan Family the weakest, so it was natural for her to feel nervous seeing Ji Yaohua.
"Ruan Qinglian? From the Ruan Family." Ji Yaohua looked at her, still smiling. "This isn’t my Ji Family’s place, so there’s no need for such formality. Here, we are all guests."
Mu Qingge stood up, walked down the steps, and smiled at the three of them, "You all happened to et each other."
"By the way, Qingge, you haven’t introduced this beautiful lady yet. We t at the gate, and she ca to find you, seeming to be an old acquaintance of yours." Ji Yaohua interjected.
Qin Yiyao looked at Mu Qingge, her beautiful eyes hiding a slight, almost imperceptible emotion.
Mu Qingge also looked at her, smiled, and introduced to Ji Yaohua and Ying Ze, "This is my friend, Qin Yiyao. She now leads a Floating Guest Team."
Qin Yiyao gave a polite yet confident peer salute to Ying Ze and Ji Yaohua, which did earn them so good impressions. Had Qin Yiyao acted timidly like Ruan Qinglian, they probably wouldn’t have even glanced at her.
Then, Mu Qingge said to Qin Yiyao, "Yiyao, these two are the Young Masters of the Ying and Ji Families. I believe you have t them at Sunset Grassland, as not eting in battle, not knowing each other."
Not eting in battle, not knowing each other?
This explained the doubt in Qin Yiyao’s heart. She did rember these two, and because of it, was worried on the journey that they might cause trouble for Mu Qingge.
Fortunately, it was nothing but a false alarm.
Soon, Mu Xuewu and i Zizhong also arrived. Yin Chen and others did not care for such lively events, so none of them ca. Mu Qingge didn’t force them either.
Mu Xuewu had been in Luoxing City for a few days, yet it was her first ti seeing i Zizhong. The two smiled and nodded, both being of cold disposition, there was no great spark when they t again.
Since they were young people, the dinner party arranged by Mu Qingge wasn’t too ostentatious.
They simply prepared a table of good food and wine, and everyone sat around eating and chatting. This al continued late into the night.
Mu Qingge glanced out the window at the sky, put down her chopsticks, stood up, and said to everyone, "Today is your first ti in Luoxing City, so you should see sothing unique to this city."
Saying this, she led everyone to the window, taking in the whole Luoxing City.
"See what?" Ruan Qinglian asked curiously.
Mu Qingge smiled without speaking.
At that mont, starlight began to fall from the celestial canopy, towards Luoxing City.
"Ah!" Ruan Qinglian exclaid.
More and more starlight fell, painting a fantastical scenery over Luoxing City.
"So beautiful!"
"Truly stunning!"
Even though it wasn’t Mu Xuewu’s first ti seeing it, she still found it breathtaking.
Qin Yiyao’s bright eyes also shone with admiration, but she occasionally glanced at Mu Qingge with a complex expression.
"So, this is how Luoxing City got its na?" Ying Ze remarked, looking at the countless falling starlights.
At this ti, countless people within the city were attracted by this spectacular view, stepping out or gazing at the starry night from their windows or eaves, sharing this beautiful sight.
Everyone’s amazed expressions fell into Mu Qingge’s eyes, filling her heart with pride.
Because this city now belonged to her.
"Qingge, your place is truly magnificent! How did such a wonderful spot end up with you," Ji Yaohua exclaid. Then, in a lower voice, he said next to Mu Qingge’s ear, "I saw the Xi Family’s Goddess coming on the way. I wonder if the other two will show up."
Xi Qianxue also ca!
Mu Qingge was slightly taken aback but remained silent.
Elsewhere in Luoxing City, Xi Qianxue stood by a window, looking up at the starry spectacle, amazed by the beauty before her eyes.
In another place, a young man stood under the eaves, with eyes like stars, sword-shaped brows, handso and dashing. He stood with hands behind his back, also admiring the starlight with eyes revealing calmness and serenity beneath the awe.
"Young Master Yao!" soone recognized his identity not far away.
"Isn’t that Yao Xinghai, the third on the Green Talent List? I didn’t expect him to co too!"
...
Mu Qingge stood by the window, turning to face everyone srized by the scenic beauty, spreading her arms with a raised brow, saying, "This is my city, welco to Luoxing City!"
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