Chapter 66 – What A Coincidence!

  Shen Yuren pulled the head wrapping lower over her brow as she slipped through the quiet streets of Yunlai City with the words of the Foundation Establishment expert still ringing in her ears. The lamps swayed gently in the evening wind, casting long shadows across the stone-paved roads.

  Her robes were plain and designed to disguise her figure and obscure her identity. Everything about her had been constructed to make her appear unremarkable.

  She was pretending to be Shen Yuren tonight, a young man and a wandering cultivator.

  But her real name was Shen Ruolan, and she was the granddaughter of the City Lord of Yunlai.

  Shen Ruolan had long ago learned how to escape her grandfather’s palace and walk the streets of Yunlai City. She assumed her grandfather knew of her activities; it was impossible to conceal anything from a Nascent Soul expert in his own home, but he never tried to stop her.

  Still, the servants and guards would have tried to prevent her from leaving, and she didn’t want to do anything to shame her family name by being caught wandering the streets alone, so she wore a disguise.

  Being the granddaughter of the most powerful man in the city came with constant scrutiny and expectations, along with a multitude of obligations. Every step she took in the mansion had to be carefully thought out and measured, her every move watched.

  But out here, in the City and amongst its people? She could finally breathe and not worry about being constantly monitored.

  And today she had found someone interesting.

  The young man who had been sitting alone at the front of the plaza was unlike anyone she had met before. He was elegant and refined, peerlessly handsome and extraordinary. Shen Ruolan had lived in Yunlai City her entire life, and she thought she knew all of its most prominent young cultivators.

  There were young masters and mistresses from the Clans, talented disciples from the minor Sects, and prodigies who were aligned with the City Lord Mansion.

  But Jun De was not similar to any of them, and she was glad that she had chosen to sit next to him today. His cultivation was too high for someone his age, but he held himself with quiet strength rather than arrogance.

  When she had sat beside him, he hadn’t tried to impress her. He hadn’t even looked surprised or upset at the sudden intrusion. He had simply offered her a cup of tea.

  Shen Ruolan exhaled a slow breath through her nose as she reached the outer wall of the City Lord’s Mansion. The guards glanced at her, but she had a token allowing her unimpeded entry and she had the practiced movements of someone who belonged here.

  Inside her own courtyard, she finally stripped off the outer robe and tossed it onto a chair by the window for her servants to take away later. Her hair, previously bound under a cloth cap, tumbled free to reveal blue-black hair that shone in the light.

  Alone and free from having to hide her identity, Shen Ruolan untied the bindings around her chest with a relieved sigh, finally easing into her own appearance once again.

  Putting on a white dress, she looked at herself in the mirror. Gone was the androgenous young man in plain robes, and in his place was a remarkably beautiful young woman with long, blue-black hair that reached her waist.

  Satisfied with her appearance, Shen Ruolan walked over to the window and looked out across the sprawling City below. The streets were brightly lit, and people could still be seen going about their business.

  “Why are you in Yunlai City, Jun De? Nan Ao City is far away from here. Are you travelling the world, adventuring in search of opportunities? Or are you the son of some far-off clan, and you are enjoying your freedom before you settle down?” Shen Ruolan asked herself.

  She didn’t know why he was in Yunlai City, or how long he would be staying. But she wanted to find out everything she could about him. They had only spoken for a few minutes, less than an hour in total, but she needed to learn more.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Shen Ruolan couldn’t go out as herself and ask him directly. It would draw too much attention, and there would be too much scrutiny.

  “What if my grandfather found out?” Shen Ruolan whispered, half scandalized at the thought of her family finding out that she had snuck out of the palace in order to meet a man.

  “Shen Ruolan may not be able to meet him, but Shen Yuren could.”

  She just needed a reason to see him again. Something natural and convenient.

  The market.

  He had mentioned walking through it today, but hadn’t seen all the treasures it contained. If she went to him in disguise and offered to show him hidden and trustworthy vendors, surely Jun De would accompany her?

  She turned away from the window and paced her room slowly, the hem of her silk dress brushing against the polished floor as she did so.

  ‘Yes, that could work. Just a pair of young men exploring the market. There’s nothing wrong with that, right?’

  Page Break

  The warm smell of congee, fresh steamed buns, and fried scallion cakes wafted through the morning air as Jun De descended into the restaurant below his room the morning after the Lecture. The restaurant was already bustling with people, and the sound of conversation and dining caused a pleasant din.

  Jun De was directed to a private booth by a serving woman, who came over to him quickly. He gave her a friendly smile and she blushed a bright red.

  “Good morning! I’ll have steamed pork buns, salted congee and a pot of Emerald Spring Jadeleaf Tea.” Jun De ordered as he remembered the name of the excellent, and expensive, tea he had drunk the day before.

  While the city around him bustled with life, Jun De’s thoughts were on the lecture from the night before. He sipped the hot tea that arrived moments later, letting its pleasant bitterness settle on his tongue.

  The lecture had contained information that he wished he hadn’t heard. Instead of being able to enjoy his time in Yunlai City and the promised safety that came with having it protected by a Nascent Soul City Lord, he was now terrified to go anywhere!

  He didn’t trust that he wouldn’t be abducted from the street, his body refined by demonic cultivators or robbed for the riches contained in the ring on his finger.

  There was something happening in Yunlai City, something beneath the surface that could erupt at any moment, and Jun De wanted to be as far away as possible when it happened.

  As he bit into the first bun, Jun De tried to forget his troubles and enjoy the excellent meal. He forced himself not to rush and enjoy every bite. When he had cleared his plate, he stood up and left a few spirit stones on the table before heading to the exit.

  He had decided the night before that he needed to let Elder Shen know where he was right away. It would be even better if he could find another teleportation array like the one that had brought him here, one that connected to Tranquil City or the Tranquil Mountain Sect.

  ‘Communication talisman or teleportation array. Preferably both!’ Jun De thought with determination as he stepped out into the morning sun and the busy street outside.

  He had just adjusted his storage pouch and robes, while his thoughts were occupied with communication talismans and transport back to the Sect, when a familiar voice called out to him.

  “Brother Jun!”

  Jun De paused, and turned around to find Shen Yuren standing a few steps away. The young ‘man’ was once again wearing plain robes, with his hair tied up and covered in a cloth wrap. ‘His’ face lit up with a smile when he saw Jun De and tried to appear casual as ‘he’ approached.

  Jun De had figured out what had bothered him about Shen Yurens appearance the night before.

  Now, in the clear light of day, it was obvious that ‘He’ was a ‘She’ in disguise. There was something in the way she walked, how she carried herself and the shape of her figure that gave away her true gender, despite all of her efforts to conceal it.

  Jun De blinked in surprise, while his guard rose, and he was filled with uncertainty.

  ‘She was waiting for me? Does she know that I know that she’s a woman pretending to be a man? That’s none of my business!’ Jun De screamed internally. He didn’t want to get involved in whatever it was that Shen Yuren was clearly hiding from, and he began to think of a way to escape from her.

  “Good morning, Brother Shen. I didn’t expect to see you again so soon.” Jun De replied evenly, studying her reaction. She was pretending to be casual, but was he really supposed to believe that she just happened to be walking by at the same time as him?

  “I’m heading to the market today, and I know that you had mentioned your concern regarding the sincerity of the merchants there, so I thought you might appreciate a guide. I know several of the reputable shops in the district.” Shen Yuren said as she came up beside Jun De.

  Jun De’s eyes narrowed slightly. Her words were casual, and he didn’t sense any ill intent from her. Still, her seeking him out after only a brief conversation the night before, and her still in disguise, made him uneasy.

  ‘I can’t just tell her no, go away and leave me alone. Right? Besides, I do need to find a communication talisman or teleportation array as quickly as possible.’

  Jun De nodded.

  “I would be grateful for Brother Shen’s assistance. I was actually just heading that way myself.”

  Shen Yuren’s smile widened, and she turned toward the direction where the mark was located.

  “Excellent. You’ll thank me once you see what opportunities are waiting for us there today. I know where all the best items are located."