The horses within the convoy grew agitated once more, making their reins difficult to control.
The clattering of hooves and the anxious neighing of horses echoed continuously. Amidst the panic, everyone caught sight of a figure in the distance.
Were they dreaming?
The Grand Princess was returning with a White Tiger behind her, and someone was actually riding on its back?
Cold sweat instantly drenched everyone's backs.
“Y-Your Highness...”
A maidservant's legs trembled as she forced herself to step forward, fighting down her terror.
Gong Chenyue waved her hand, signaling for everyone not to panic.
“This lady is an immortal who has come here to punish evil and eliminate wickedness. The White Tiger is also a spirit tiger that understands human speech and nature. There is no need for alarm.”
After speaking, she could not help but turn her head to look at Jiang Lu. She saw the other woman sitting steadily upon the beast, her every gesture exuding an air of effortless grace.
She truly was an immortal; every movement was so ethereal and otherworldly.
Jiang Lu cast a brief glance at the crowd before closing her eyes again, withdrawing her aura even further.
Instantly, the heavy pressure that had weighed on everyone's shoulders eased significantly.
The White Tiger held its head high, casting a disdainful glance at them. It snorted a puff of white air from its nose, carrying a trace of natural pressure.
A bunch of mortals. Traveling alongside it was a massive privilege for them!
With a wave of Jiang Lu's hand, the White Tiger's oppressive pressure vanished instantly, and the horses in the convoy quieted down.
Jiang Lu slapped a Breath-Concealing Talisman onto the White Tiger. This way, as they traveled, its aura would not disturb the weak creatures in the surroundings.
After traveling a few li, they entered a town. The convoy of carriages and horses proceeded in an orderly fashion, slowly passing through the bustling streets of the marketplace.
The cries of street vendors and the laughter of pedestrians rose and fell in a lively scene. Upon seeing the grand convoy, the onlookers merely spared a few extra glances before stepping aside.
But then, the White Tiger walking beside Jiang Lu took a slow step forward. Its snow-white fur was exceptionally striking in the sunlight. Though its eyes were lowered submissively, it was still a massive, ferocious beast.
Clatter!
A customer at a tea stall was the first to spot the White Tiger. A gasp caught in his throat, and the bowl in his hand slipped, shattering on the ground. He stared wide-eyed at the beast in the convoy.
“A W-White Tiger...”
“There's a tiger!”
“Run!”
“...”
The panicked cries spread like ripples. Sharp gasps of air rose one after another, and the once-boisterous market fell into a sudden, dead silence.
For a brief moment, the entire market was dead quiet. In the next instant, absolute chaos erupted.
The crowd exploded into a frenzy. Terrified commoners scrambled in panic, and vendors overturned their stalls in their haste, sending fruits and wares rolling all over the ground. Men, women, young, and old shoved past one another to flee, their chaotic screams filling the long street.
“Careful!”
“Protect Her Highness!”
The guards immediately halted the convoy upon seeing this and formed a defensive ring around Gong Chenyue's carriage, raising their weapons with vigilant eyes.
Ding—
The Heart-Calming Bell in Jiang Lu's hand let out a clear chime.
Though the sound was not loud, it echoed clearly throughout the streets, carrying with it a soothing power that instantly quieted the mind.
The convoy halted, and everyone turned to look at Jiang Lu.
The panicked, fleeing citizens seemed to be frozen by an invisible force. Everyone involuntarily slowed down and eventually stopped in their tracks, the chaotic scene instantly plunging into silence.
Still shaken, the crowd looked up toward the source of the chime.
At the end of the quieted street, Jiang Lu stood calmly on the back of the White Tiger. Her robes fluttered gently in the wind, her ethereal and elegant figure drawing thousands of gazes.
The commoners stared blankly at her. Amidst their lingering terror, an indescribable sense of awe and reverence welled up from the depths of their hearts.
Was this...
Was this the Goddess?
She looked so pure and divine that they dared not harbor even a single profane thought.
Seeing that the crowd had calmed down, Jiang Lu put away the Heart-Calming Bell with satisfaction.
With a wave of her hand, streaks of colorful spiritual power rippled outward. The fruits, vegetables, and various wares scattered on the ground instantly flew back to their original stalls.
Before everyone's very eyes, the messy, overturned market was restored to its original state in the blink of an eye.
They froze in place, staring at their surroundings in disbelief, their eyes wide with sheer astonishment.
This...
Was this real?
Were their eyes playing tricks on them?
Gong Chenyue's hand froze. Although she already knew Jiang Lu was an immortal, seeing such divine abilities with her own eyes still shook her to the core.
Rumors spoke of cultivators in the world, but only now did they truly witness the reality of their miraculous powers.
“Goddess!”
“Goddess, protect us!”
“Please bless us, Goddess!”
“...”
Once the first person knelt to pray, the rest of the commoners followed suit one after another, their faces filled with pleading and hope.
Seeing this, Jiang Lu frowned slightly.
“I have come to this realm only to slay evil spirits, and I will not interfere in mortal affairs. As long as you remain kind-hearted and harbor no malice, your wishes will naturally be fulfilled.”
After speaking, she patted the White Tiger. A bright light flashed over its body, and its formidable appearance softened and faded in the eyes of the crowd.
To onlookers, it now merely resembled an unusually tall and sturdy steed.
“Let's go.”
Jiang Lu spoke in a low voice. She had grown so accustomed to the cultivation world that she had forgotten a White Tiger was considered a terrifying, ferocious beast in the mortal realm.
She had concealed its aura, but she had forgotten that humans were visual creatures. Even without its oppressive presence, simply seeing such a beast would strike instinctive terror into their hearts.
Seeing this, Gong Chenyue swept a brief glance over the crowd and nodded to the guards.
She lowered the carriage curtain, her expression unreadable but filled with intense excitement.
Cultivation!
Would she ever have the chance?
If she didn't have the opportunity, she would just have to settle for sitting on that throne.
The guards sheathed their weapons and returned to their positions, and the convoy resumed its journey.
The commoners kneeling on the ground only stood up after the convoy had gone far.
They had actually seen a Goddess!
The Goddess must have come to save the world!
“By the way, what did the Goddess mean by those words?”
A quiet question arose from the crowd.
“Could the recent rumors be true?”
“What rumors?”
“You don't know? The rumors say that when a chaotic era rises, anomalies appear! I was so scared that I immediately locked my old hen in her coop.”
“Oh, you mean that! Of course I've heard it. Let me tell you...”
“Aren't you guys getting off-topic? We're talking about what the Goddess meant.”
“What else could it mean? Saying she won't interfere in mortal affairs means she won't bother with us.”
“No, that's not it!”
A crisp, firm voice rang out, startling everyone.
A robust woman stood up, her gaze lingering longingly in the direction the convoy had gone.
“The Goddess said she is here to slay evil spirits, right?”
The crowd nodded.
Changing the subject, she continued,
“But the rumors also said that demons and monsters have entered the world to plunge it into chaos. If the Goddess has come to slay them, doesn't that mean the chaotic era won't actually destroy us?
“Besides, slaying demons is something beyond our sight and reach. Since the Goddess said so, she will surely protect us from falling victim to them.
“I'm going to believe in the Goddess. You guys can do as you please.”
With that, she hurriedly led her maidservants back home, drew a portrait of Jiang Lu's likeness, and began to worship it daily.
Others might not know, but she recognized that it was the Grand Princess's convoy.
For the Grand Princess to return to the capital at this time, accompanied by an immortal and a spirit tiger... it was hard not to overthink things.
Rate on N.U.
