--- Chapter 27 ---
The next day, we visited the Wind Prairie Town and rested in the Dreamy Sheep Inn. We didn't go out until noon because I was busy exploring the mystery of spirit bones, and Han Yue recovered after that all-nighter.
Surprisingly, Liu Erlong wasn't that tired. After all, she's a Spirit Saint, and the revelation she had last night makes it easier to have a new mindset.
"Do you have any place to visit after this?" Liu Erlong asked while we were eating at the canteen on the first floor of the Dreamy Sheep Inn.
Han Yue glanced at me and said, "I will follow wherever Xiao Yuan goes."
My mouth twitched as I replied calmly, "Before building the new academy, I must say goodbye to someone. You can follow us there, and then we can go to Tian Dou City, where you can solve Blue Tyrant Academy's problem."
"Well, that's good," Liu Erlong nodded. She didn't have a problem with my arrangement. In fact, she was curious to see which place we would visit, given how little she knew about me and my sister. Besides our name, I don't think she even knows my "real" age.
Hehe, I wonder what kind of face she'd make later.
With that in mind, we finished our decent breakfast before visiting the Merchant Union's branch. We bought some supplies and said "goodbye and thank you" to Manager Kun for his generosity.
The puzzled Manager Kun doesn't know why I thanked him, but a few more plots of land in Gengxin City made him happier than ever.
In the evening, we left for Free Leaf City.
...
...
At night, we finally arrived at the bustling Free Leaf City. Even though the city is not as busy as I imagined due to my drugs-! I mean medicine, the city still thrives on the possibility of mysterious merchants appearing again.
There were also more agents of noble and spirit masters, which wasn't a good thing as some people might want to or already investigate me, the mysterious merchant.
Thankfully, I'm smart enough to wear a disguise that day.
"Oh, is this a place where you two grow?" Liu Erlong looked around the Free Leaf City in awe.
I shook my head, "No."
Under Liu Erlong's confused gaze, we hired a decent carriage and told the coachman to bring us to the Green Stone Village. As the scenery around us becomes rural and wild, I see Liu Erlong's expression changing from shock to disbelief.
Eventually, we arrived at the Green Stone Village. My sister was excited, telling me she would go to our house and pack a few things.
Liu Erlong and I watched her running to the wooden cabin.
"I thought you're a noble?" Liu Erlong couldn't help but murmur to my ears.
"And what makes you think so?" I gave her an amused look.
"My knowledge? My maturity?"
"Just you know, the village had to gather second, if not third-hand or four-hand books about the world for me because I like to read. I don't know how much the village head spent, but I knew it must be a lot..."
"Although I helped the village, allowing everyone to have stable income and food, the books were worth at least thousands of golds."
"You should know that one gold is the annual income of an ordinary family in the village."
Liu Erlong was stunned. She didn't expect my origin to be much humbler than her.
I continued, "My sister and I are the only ones left in our family. I must be mature to help her."
"I don't want her to shoulder too much weight."
"I want her to have a happy life."
"Before awakening my martial soul, I read books to learn more knowledge and new skills. I want to help her. So we could have enough food on the table."
"Everything I did so far is for our little family."
After saying that, Liu Erlong suddenly hugged me and sobbed. "It must be tough..."
"Don't worry, I will protect you two from now on!"
"..." Me.
Oy, silly woman!
You get the wrong idea about my life.
I don't need your fucking sympathy.
"Get off me!" I pushed her soft mountain away. Phew, those things are dangerous because my handsome face almost gets crushed.
Liu Erlong finally released me and said warmly, "Okay, don't be shy. I will be responsible for you and your sister, Xiao Yuan."
"Come on, call me mommy."
"Fuck you!" I ran away from this crazy woman.
"Come here, Xiao Yuan!" Liu Erlong's joyous laughter followed me.
That day, Liu Erlong never left me alone. She even wanted to sleep with me and my sister, which Han Yue rejected with cold eyes.
...
The next day.
Grandpa Mu walked us to the village's entrance.
"Xiao Yuan, Xiao Yue, you should listen to Lady Liu well from now on and become a fine Spirit Master."
"Don't forget to send letters to me occasionally. I want to know some of your journey as well, haha."
"Yes, Grandpa Mu." My sister and I replied, smiling at the kind village head.
Grandpa Mu looked at Liu Erlong and kneeled, "Please take care of these children. Although they lost their parents at a young age, they are good children, polite and smart."
"If not for Xiao Yuan's genius mind, our village would suffer from the lack of food years ago."
"Leave it to me, Village Head." Liu Erlong patted her chest. "These children will become title douluo in the future!"
"Haha, that would be nice. That would be nice." Grandpa Mu laughed in longing. "Our village has never produced spirit masters before."
"See you again, Grandpa Mu!" I shouted as the carriage took us to the Free Leaf City.
Grandpa Mu watched us leave and sighed, "I didn't expect your son and daughter to leave so soon, Han Bing, Han Jue."
"They even have a Spirit Saint teacher."
"If you two weren't so reckless and had a conflict with Clear Sky Sect's members that day, you could have watched them grow up..."
"Aih, I just hope Xiao Yuan wasn't too ambitious."
"He's always been a smart boy."
...
...
Three days later.
We arrived at Tian Dou City.
As my sister and I gazed at the massive and grand city entrance, we couldn't help but marvel at its splendor. Everything around us—the buildings, thick walls, paved stone street, and even the decorative trees—seemed to be worth a fortune.
In comparison, Free Leaf City felt like just a small town.
I glanced at Liu Erlong in the carriage and asked, "So, what are you planning with Blue Tyrant Academy?"
Liu Erlong shrugged, "What else? I will resign as the dean and write a few letters explaining my difficulty to my father and some friends."
"If possible, I want to recruit a few teachers I'm familiar with, who I can trust, and a few talented students around your age."
"Wait, talking about age."
"How old are you exactly?"
Han Yue and I glanced at each other with funny expressions.
I stretched my hand and said mischievously, "Well, why don't you check my bone age?"
"Hmph, you brat is planning something bad." Liu Erlong learned one or two things after knowing me all these days. Even then, she still grabbed my hand and checked my bone age.
In fact, she has done this a few times, but I protected my body with spirit energy and spiritual power, obscuring any detection ability.
Liu Erlong gradually infused her spirit energy into my arm, and her face twisted in a look of sheer shock. She looked at me like I was some ghost or monster, "Y-You..."
"YOU'RE SIX???!"