Page 97

"So..."

"We're just changing our itinerary like this without giving Senior Sister Yuyan a heads up?"

Riding on the little flying deer, Yunjin looked back at the receding Northern Snow Village, feeling an indescribable sense of unease and excitement.

It was like being a well-behaved student who followed the rules all your life, only to be easily lured by some delinquent to skip school on his motorcycle.

"No need. Based on the commuting efficiency of Wangxue, it shouldn't take more than two days. We can rest in Western Province City tonight and should be back at the sect by tomorrow," Yino said nonchalantly.

In his line of sight, the Western Province City that was still brightly lit in the night gradually came into view.

Big cities were different. The lights were already out in Northern Luo Snow Mountain, but the nightlife in Western Province City was just getting started.

Being on the western border, far from the jurisdiction of the imperial court, Western Province City didn't have a strong sense of order. Vagrants and cultivators from various sects came and went on the streets, while the tall buildings and bustling nightlife in the background added a touch of extravagance and contrast.

"Stay close to me later. Don't get snatched away by someone."

As Wangxue landed in the suburbs of Western Province City, Yino surveyed the people in all sorts of Western Region attire and couldn't help but warn her.

As soon as he finished speaking, Yunjin took the initiative to step forward and hold Yino's hand without any hesitation.

Yino glanced back, but Yunjin just nodded calmly. At least when it came to holding hands, the girl had gotten used to it and no longer blushed shyly like she did at first.

"Wangxue, if you're tired, come back and rest."

Just before reaching the city gate, Yino suddenly spoke up.

Beside him, Wangxue raised her little hand and said excitedly, "Wangxue isn't tired yet!"

"No, I think you are tired."

"Huh?"

As soon as Yino finished speaking, he summoned the golden mark on his right hand and sealed Wangxue back in before the city gate guards noticed. Suddenly being sealed, Wangxue couldn't help but start bleating in Yino's ear again.

"Silly deer! What if they inspect you later and find out your origins are unknown? What if they capture you and lock you up in the dungeon?"

Yino started seriously scaring the little deer again.

As soon as he finished speaking, he and Yunjin quietly entered the city. The few guards standing by the city gate didn't check any documents at all.

In fact, the remote border city of Western Province was like this. As a transportation hub connecting the Western Regions to the Central Plains, with so many people coming and going every day, how could the few guards possibly check everyone's identity?

Unless you passed through Western Province City and wanted to continue into the Central Plains, then you would be strictly inspected.

[Yino, you lied to me again! Those guards didn't check at all!]

"I didn't lie to you. It's because we're human, and you're just a poor, silly little deer... Even if you transform into human form, the barrier of Western Province City will see through your disguise, realize you're a little monster, and capture you."

[Then... then Wangxue will go to sleep. I-i suddenly feeling a bit sleepy.]

The little deer deflated a bit, ultimately easily fooled by Yino.

But what she didn't know was that the demonic races being everywhere was the biggest feature of Western Province City. After all, once you passed this checkpoint of Western Province City, the cities in the Central Plains region no longer welcomed the demonic races.

"Yino, can I eat that?!"

Walking on the brightly lit street, Yunjin couldn't help but be attracted by the dazzling array of night market snacks.

As the border between East and West, Western Province City not only had authentic Western Region specialties, but also a variety of traditional snacks. Yunjin, who grew up in the Northern Snow Village since childhood, was naturally curious about these new things in the big city.

"Hold your appetite for now. When we get there, I'll see if I can use Aunty's favor to exchange for a banquet treat. Then we can let loose and eat our fill." Read chapters at Lokepub

"If Aunty's face isn't even worth a meal, then we'll go out to the night market later and pay out of our own pockets."

Yino shook the bottle of favor in his hand and said meticulously.

Hearing that there would be a big meal later, Yunjin also nodded calmly, and even looked at that bottle of favor with more anticipation.

They passed through the bustling night market and finally arrived at the Immortal Alliance Inn that his Aunty had mentioned.

In fact, in his previous life, Yino had frequented this inn quite a bit in the mid-game.

It was called an inn, but it was actually a branch of the Immortal Alliance opened in Western Province City, decorated as an inn to blend in with the local features. In the original storyline, it was the activity hall where players accepted quests related to the Western Regions.

As for the girl named Jinyu that his Aunt mentioned...

Wasn't she the poster girl who always stood at the inn's counter greeting players?

"Greetings, esteemed heroes! Welcome to the Immortal Alliance Inn!"

As Yino pushed open the door and entered, the familiar lines once again rang out from inside the hall.

This Immortal Alliance Inn only had one floor and wasn't very large. It was more like the coffee shop Yino remembered from his previous life. But after all, it was a proper branch of the Immortal Alliance and couldn't be compared to those extravagant and indulgent places like Pleasure Demon Tower or Phoenix Pavilion.

When Yino entered, it was already late, and there weren't many cultivators sitting at the bar drinking. Because no cultivator would choose to come to a serious and proper place like the Immortal Alliance to unwind after a busy day.

Next door, Drunken Immortal Tower and Phoenix Pavilion were engaged in a price war. If you got a drink card, you'd get a free back massage with essential oils from the Western Region girls on the second floor. Wasn't that enticing?

"Esteemed young heroes, here are the latest posted commission tasks. I wonder if you two..."

At the counter, there was only one girl in an apron with a high ponytail in charge of reception.

Yino walked straight up to her, ignoring her formulaic lines the whole way, and placed that full bottle of favor on the counter.

"Ah... what is this?"

Jinyu blinked slightly, startled by Yino's forceful approach.

Even though this young man wasn't very old, and the ahoge girl with cowlicks accompanying him looked naive and innocent, ever since the young man entered the store, he had been clean and efficient the whole time, giving the impression of a rather experienced old cultivator.

And... In the depths of her mind, Jinyu always felt that his face looked very agreeable, with a sense of familiarity despite never having met before.

"Actually, I don't know what this is either."

Yino pursed his lips, also finding it hard to keep a straight face.

He thought for a moment and couldn't help but add, "But my aunty said that as long as I give you this bottle of favor, you'll take me to meet a mysterious VIP."

"Aunty...?"

The girl at the counter seemed to notice the keyword and looked at Yino with some surprise.

She stared at Yino's face with increasing seriousness, her beautiful eyes widening as she couldn't help but lean forward to get a good look at the young man's face.

Yino got goosebumps from her staring and realized for the first time that the poster girl Jinyu at the Immortal Alliance Inn had hidden easter eggs like this besides her few formulaic lines.

"Um, your neck is almost sticking out of the counter..."

Seeing the other party getting more and more entranced by Yino's face, Yunjin couldn't stand it anymore. She puffed out her cheeks and waved her hand in front of Jinyu's face.

"Ah! so sorry!"

Jinyu also woke up as if from a dream. She quickly blinked, her face turning a little red with embarrassment.

She straightened her posture again, then cleared her throat. Even her tone when speaking to Yino became more affectionate:

"Please accept my apologize, young lord! May I take a look at this bottle of favor?"

Just as Yino recognized Jinyu at a glance, Jinyu also almost instinctively switched to addressing him as young master.

"..."

Yino raised his eyebrows slightly, feeling that something was a bit odd.

When he was out and about, even the girls at Phoenix Pavilion in Luo City were used to calling him young master. It was really rare for someone to directly call him young lord like Jinyu did.

Young Lord sounded more like how servants at the Grand Tutor's Mansion would address him.

But if you really wanted to nitpick, young lord emphasized the customer's noble status more, and there was no rule that only one's own subordinates could use it.

-Perhaps the customs in Western Province City were a bit different from the culture in the Central Plains?-

"Go ahead."

Yino nodded slightly.

Jinyu held the bottle of favor, gently unscrewed the cap, and took out one of them, holding it above her head.

Refracted by the dim light of the inn, the material of this favor sparkled like a sky full of stars.

In an instant, Jinyu took a deep breath, her face turning even redder from nervousness. She hurriedly and carefully put the bottle of favor away.

"So you're the young lord that the Pavilion Master often talks about!"

The girl seemed to have finally confirmed his identity. Not only were her eyes shining as she stared at Yino, but the corners of her lips also curved up slightly. Her whole demeanor became excited and affectionate.

Yino had a disdainful expression the entire time. Ever since he took out that bottle of favor, Jinyu's subsequent changes in expression and dialogue had completely exceeded Yino's memory of the original story.

Honestly, he had no idea who this Pavilion Master she mentioned was.

"Pavilion Master?"

Yino asked curiously.

Jinyu was about to nod and answer immediately, but very quickly, she covered her mouth, hesitating as she looked at Yino:

"Ah! Uh, that's right! It's the Pavilion Master! Your aunt and our Pavilion Master have a very good relationship, so when the Pavilion Master heard that you might come to Western Province City, master told me about you long ago..."

"So, who exactly is this Pavilion Master?"

"Young Lord, the Pavilion Master instructed that I can't tell you!"

"So you're also a riddle person, huh?"

The other party beat around the bush for a long time, but Yino felt even more of a headache the more he listened.

Due to his experience as a completionist in "Accompanying Immortals" in his previous life, just hearing the other party's cryptic lines made Yino's head hurt. He already had psychological trauma.