Although Ye Ling had been deliberately controlling her pace along the way, keeping a loose rein and traveling slowly, the Green Scale Horse was a demon beast after all, with endurance and speed far exceeding those of ordinary horses.
Even with its speed suppressed, its pace was still something no ordinary pack horse could match.
Leisurely admiring the mountains, rivers, and local customs along the way, Ye Ling crossed the borders of Heishui Commandery after ten days and stepped into Yun'an Commandery.
Along her journey, she saw simple villagers farming the mountain slopes and wealthy merchants and travelers bustling between the two commanderies with carriages laden with goods.
She also encountered her fair share of petty thieves harboring ill intent toward lone travelers.
These bandits possessed meager cultivation, all merely in the Houtian Realm.
Ye Ling easily dispatched them all without letting them delay her journey for even a moment.
Upon entering Yun'an Commandery, the surrounding scenery immediately shifted from what she had seen in Heishui Commandery.
The mountains here were steeper and more majestic, with sheer, towering peaks and lush, vibrant forests of deep emerald.
The spiritual energy in the air was also far more abundant and dense than in Heishui Commandery, lending the entire region a completely different, ethereal atmosphere.
After traveling a bit further, a roadside tavern suddenly came into view.
Though situated in a seemingly desolate area, it sat right on the main trade route between Heishui and Yun'an commanderies, making it a necessary stop.
Built specifically as a resting place for wealthy merchants and travelers journeying between the two regions, the tavern was quite lively and bustling.
The establishment spanned three floors: the first was a spacious dining hall, while the second and third housed guest rooms for travelers to spend the night.
Since it was still early in the day, Ye Ling had no intention of staying overnight.
She only wanted to stop for a quick meal of local specialties and rest a bit before continuing her journey to the nearest city, Tianfeng City.
Lifting the entrance curtain, she stepped inside to find three separate groups of strangers dining at different tables.
At the sound of her entry, everyone in the hall instinctively turned their gaze toward her.
They saw a young woman of cold, ethereal beauty, carrying herself with an aloof elegance. With a sword hanging at her waist, she exuded the unmistakable, sharp aura of a martial artist.
Those present were all seasoned travelers of the Jianghu with sharp, discerning eyes. Though struck by her stunning looks, not a single one dared to look down on her.
After a brief glance, they all quickly withdrew their gazes.
A young woman who dared to traverse wild mountains and travel between two commanderies alone was bound to be formidable.
She was either an ignorant fool or a highly skilled expert with absolute confidence in her abilities—and no one in their right mind wanted to provoke the latter.
However, at the table furthest from the entrance, a young girl dressed in fine silk kept her eyes glued to Ye Ling from the moment she walked in, seemingly unable to look away.
It was only when the middle-aged woman beside her, who looked like a housekeeper, gently tugged at her sleeve that the girl finally snapped out of it.
She reluctantly pulled her gaze away, though her curiosity was far from sated.
Unable to suppress her curiosity, she stole several more glances at Ye Ling before finally forcing herself to look away.
The moment Ye Ling took a seat, a waiter hurried over, greeting her warmly.
“Welcome, customer! Will you be dining with us, or are you looking for lodging?”
“Just a few of your specialty dishes will do,” Ye Ling replied calmly, choosing a clean, empty table.
With her Divine Sense active, she had long since noticed the gazes directed at her, including the girl in fine silk who kept stealing glances.
Sensing that the girl's curiosity was pure and entirely devoid of malice, Ye Ling paid it no mind and quietly waited for her meal.
Before long, several dishes of local delicacies were served. The aroma was mouthwatering, and the unique, fresh flavors offered a delightful taste of the mountain wilderness.
At the far end of the hall, the girl in fine silk, Zhou Jinyun, stole another few glances at Ye Ling as she dined in silence.
She leaned in and whispered to Aunt Lin beside her, her eyes filled with yearning.
“Aunt Lin, she must be a real martial hero of the Jianghu, right?”
“I admire people like her so much—traveling all on her own.”
This young girl was Zhou Jinyun, the youngest daughter of the Tianfeng City Lord.
She had spent the last few months staying with her maternal grandparents in Heishui Commandery and was now on her way back to Tianfeng City.
Since childhood, Zhou Jinyun had harbored a dream of becoming a martial hero, yearning for a free, unrestrained life in the Jianghu, wandering the world with a sword in hand.
Unfortunately, her parents were vehemently opposed to the idea, completely unwilling to let her leave the safety of the City Lord's estate to face the perils of the outside world.
They only wanted her to remain by their side and live a peaceful, stable life.
Zhou Jinyun was sensible enough to know that her parents loved her and had only her best interests at heart.
Yet, she could never truly extinguish the dream of the Jianghu buried deep within her heart.
Seeing Ye Ling today—traveling alone with her sword, wandering the mountains and rivers with such effortless grace—was seeing the very embodiment of who she wished to be. She could not help but steal glance after glance, her heart filled with longing.
With a soft sigh, she suppressed her envy and forced herself to focus on her food.
Before long, the other three groups of diners finished their meals, paid their bills, and left the tavern one by one.
As Zhou Jinyun rose to leave, she could not resist looking back one last time, casting a lingering glance at Ye Ling before following her servants out the door.
Ye Ling observed all of this, a trace of mild bewilderment rising in her mind.
She had no idea what about her had captivated the girl in fine silk so intensely, but it was a passing thought that she quickly dismissed.
Once she finished eating, she settled her bill and set off again, leading her horse as she continued toward Tianfeng City.
Before she had traveled very far, she spotted an elegant, luxurious carriage ahead. It was none other than the carriage of Zhou Jinyun's party.
Evidently, their destination was also Tianfeng City.
Sitting inside the carriage, Zhou Jinyun caught sight of Ye Ling riding along the road behind them, and a wave of irrepressible joy surged in her heart.
She secretly hoped she could find an opportunity to strike up a conversation with this cool, elegant young woman.
Hearing stories of her travels across the rivers and mountains would at least bring some fulfillment to her own unattainable dream of the Jianghu.
However, with the wide highway and her numerous servants hovering around, she could not find a suitable opportunity to approach.
She could only suppress her eagerness and keep a quiet eye on the road.
Gradually, the sky darkened as twilight fell.
Spotting an abandoned temple by the roadside, the group stopped, preparing to camp there for the night.
The servants quickly set to work, gathering dry branches to build a campfire and prepare dinner in the clearing before the temple.
Ye Ling also reined in her horse and stopped nearby.
Having already attained the Xiantian Realm, she had mastered the art of fasting; eating ordinary food was no longer a necessity for her.
Her earlier meal at the tavern had been solely to sample the local cuisine of Yun'an Commandery and compare it to Heishui Commandery.
Thus, she simply stood quietly to the side, making no move to build a fire or prepare any food.
Seeing this, Zhou Jinyun, who had been keeping a close eye on her, instantly recognized this as a golden opportunity.
She tugged on Aunt Lin's sleeve, coaxing her to hand over a portion of their prepared food so she could use it as an excuse to strike up a conversation.
Aunt Lin, who had watched her young mistress fret over the sword-carrying girl all the way from the tavern, had long since seen through her intentions. However, she did not stop her.
Having accompanied Zhou Jinyun's mother into the Tianfeng City Lord's estate, she had watched Zhou Jinyun grow up and loved her as if she were her own daughter.
She knew how deeply the girl yearned to be a martial hero of the Jianghu, but like the City Lord and his wife, she feared the dangers of the martial world and did not wish to see her young mistress wandering the world in peril.
Yet, since Jinyun merely wanted to satisfy her curiosity and chat out of admiration, with no reckless intentions of running away, Aunt Lin could not bring herself to dampen her spirits.
Shaking her head with a helpless smile, she relented and let the young girl have her way.
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