A Garden of Flowers

The place was silent for some time with only the nauseating blood scent assaulting anyone in the vicinity and the sounds of it gushing out in large quantities.

The sect elders and protectors looked at Wu Long with not just dumbfounded eyes, but even terror, as they never thought such a dangerous person was quietly traveling with them until now.

Liu Li, however, had an enlightened look on her face as a profound light flickered in her eyes. Seeing this scene, Wu Long smiled.

"Congratulations, elder Liu on your breakthrough in your Sword Dao" he said to her with genuine care in his eyes, which was extremely weird to see on his face for others as they could not match his actions just a mere moment ago, but incredibly heartwarming for her.

"Mm, thank you, it is all thanks to your sword intent" she nodded with a happy smile.

"No, what my sword intent did, was just giving that little opportunity, what seized it was entirely your talent and dedication, and more importantly your own effort," he said with a charming smile.

Her smile turned a bit bashful, as her fair cheeks turned a bit rosy. There was an inexplicable feeling in her that made her heart flutter. He was becoming more and more unfathomable the more she knew him, but for some reason that did not scare her or raise any doubts, as if her inherent trust in him was etched into the depths of her soul.

"This friend, could we perhaps take a little of your time?"

At this moment, a voice resounded from behind Wu Long and across the street, where an elderly man stood in front of those who were defending the inn.

The old man looked like an ordinary mortal to everyone else, but Wu Long could see that he was impressively a Core Formation Realm practitioner, the first one he had ever seen in this world, when he had never even seen Foundation Building Realm practicioners yet. It was estimated that there were only slightly more than a hundred Core Formation Realm practitioners in the entire world, so this old man was a rare figure to meet. He was wearing a wooden mask like the rest of them, and his clothes were also plain.

If he moved in the earlier attack, all of the attackers would be dead long ago, but it seems he did not dare to leave the side of whoever they were protecting for fear that while he was gone for a moment, a thunderous strike could harm them. Even now, there was a shadow of a figure not far behind the old man, blocked from sight by the sliding door of the inn and people, so he was not far from their protection target.

And he indeed was right to do so, as Wu Long felt both this old man's presence, and the presence of a hidden practitioner at the same level as him not far from here, who disappeared after the attack failed. He was most likely waiting for the old man to join the defense to make his move.

"We will be staying here for the night, it is already late and I am quite tired, we can talk tomorrow" Wu Long said to them, and left to the depths of the inn while speaking to the people beside him "I will have to trouble elders to deal with the imperial guards when they arrive to investigate"

The two elders nodded in a daze, while Liu Li also excused herself as she had to consolidate her new understanding and achievements.

The people around the old man were visibly displeased by Wu Long's dismissive attitude, which was apparent from their body language even if they wore wooden masks, but the old man merely waved his hand to quell them and returned to the inside of his own inn.

Not long after, a squad of imperial guards from the city manor arrived with officials, who started investigating and cleaning up the scene.

They first came with an attitude, but once they talked a bit with the guests of the inn opposite Wu Long's group, their behavior took a sudden turn as they suddenly focused on cleaning up the scene and shooing off any onlookers, rushing the investigation with a few simple questions to the Yin Yang Unity Palace people to hurry up and close the case.

Since there was such a big incident well into the night so the group could not get much rest until morning, as well as elder Liu needing some time to meditate and consolidate her gains, it was decided that their stay would be prolonged for a day or two in this inn.

The inn offered them complementary service, a discount on their additional stay and was overall a level more polite and meticulous in dealing with the Yin Yang Unity Palace people. Their manager, a man that could only be described as 'round' as everything about him was round, was bending over backwards (as much as it was possible) to make their stay more comfortable, while constantly smiling, speaking flattering words and wiping off sweat with endless handkerchiefs.

Wu Long returned to his room, and the cold sweat that he was holding in broke out from him, even with his improved physique, and the fact that he did not use more power of the sword intent than he previously slayed the Blue Tongue Purple Lizard with, he still used it on a larger scale so his body received a strain that now numbed and pained him all over.

He took some recovery pills 'inherited' from Zhao Wuji, and meditated to recover. He had to take a break from cultivation for today, as he still had to sleep, otherwise he could not completely relieve the fatigue.

The next morning Liu Li did not have training as she was busy with meditation and could not be distracted, but Wu Long woke up as usual, so he just sat in the inner courtyard of the inn with a stalk of grass in his teeth looking at the passing clouds and feeling the aroma of breakfast being cooked in the inns, restaurants and households all around.

His stomach rumbled with anticipation which caused him to chuckle, not hearing such sounds from his own body for what it felt like eternity. Though, strangely, he was not as dismayed or lamentful at it as he was at his needs of eating and drinking water at the beginning of his new life.

He even welcomed this feeling as it gave some kind of anticipation. He soon saw something round and flashy approaching him from the corner of his eye, and turned his head to see the inn manager in his colorful robes with a few servants carrying food. The manager had a habit of wearing an extremely long hat, making his whole figure look like a boiling flask sometimes used in alchemy.

"Esteemed guest! Since you seem to prefer this outdoor spot we have brought your breakfast out here for you" he said with a smile plastered to his face, seemingly from one ear to another.

"Thank you, I appreciate the hospitality, but I don't need anyone to wait on me, just put the food and leave it" he said as he was indeed anticipating the food from all the fragrance around him.

"Certainly, esteemed guest, we shall do as you wish, please enjoy your stay" the manager nodded many times in quick succession, sending waves all over his round surface, and made a sign to the servants who placed the food that seemed to be prepared for ten people on the stone table in the garden of the inner courtyard and left with them.

The servants who were all only the prettiest female servants in the inn despite there being many male servants here, looked with a bit of reluctance and regret when they were about to leave, but did not dare to linger.

"Though, if you are not waiting, but wish to join me, I will never refuse the company of beauties" he added with a charming smile.

"Of course, you are all excused for the day" as joy and bashful expressions appeared on their faces, the manager also looked happy that his thoughtfulness seemed to have paid off, and he quickly scurried off.

Wu Long sat at the stone table, and started eating, savoring the food and the sight and company of the beauties around him. They all talked and laughed like a flock of exquisite birds singing.

Not long after, he saw a figure appear in the inner courtyard who seemed to be looking for someone, but as soon as she saw him, hesitated whether to disturb him.

He smiled and waved his hand in a welcoming gesture.

Hua Ziyan approached him with graceful movement.

"Good morning, Wu Long" she greeted him with a smile.

"Good morning, if you hadn't had breakfast yet, please, join us" he nodded with a smile as he gestured to the stone table that was too small to hold so much food so it looked quite comical.

"Hehe, I guess we really became important guests after your performance last night" she said as she looked at him with curiosity and a hint of admiration in her eyes, taking a seat at the table that was now completely full.

"Well, it's just how life works I guess, ladies, you do not have to be so reserved, Fairy Hua here is my fellow disciple at our sect, a very kind person and is not someone who will make it hard for you" he replied, and then soothed the servant girls who seemed to be feeling slightly out of place when such a heavenly beauty with a much higher status appeared and seemed to be close to Wu Long.

Hua Ziyan also smiled toward them and reassured them that it was okay to keep laughing and enjoying their time. After some time, the sounds of laughter returned to the inner courtyard garden that now seemed to have a lot more flowers.

When they were done, the maids left smiling and giggling among themselves, while Wu Long and Hua Ziyan went for a walk through the garden.

"By the way, you told me to address you as just Wu Long, but still call me 'Fairy Hua', could you lift that disparity?" Hua Ziyan suddenly said as they talked.

"Certainly, how should I call you?" he asked with a light smile.

"...Ziyan, you can just call me that" after some silence and hesitation, she said in a tiny voice, looking down to the ground.

"Haha, very well, you should know that it is very hard for me to refuse this request" he said with a chuckle, and continued their idle talk with a hint of laughter in his eyes as she avoided looking at him directly.