Seeing Aunt Lin nod in agreement, Zhou Jinyun was instantly filled with joy. Carrying a delicate, warm meal, she walked toward Ye Ling.
Ye Ling's Divine Sense had been active the entire time, and she clearly detected the young girl's approach.
However, she did not point it out, pretending to be completely unaware.
Her fingertips gently brushed past the blue-green sword tassel hanging at her waist. This tassel had been handed to her by Senior Sister Nalan under the orders of the Sect Master.
Since it was a gift from an elder, she could not refuse it. From then on, Ye Ling had hung it on her Qinglan Sword.
“H-Hello...”
A crisp voice tinged with a hint of timidity sounded from behind. Only then did Ye Ling turn her head to look at the newcomer.
At this moment, Zhou Jinyun's face was filled with awkwardness, and her expression was nervous. She stood there hesitating, her words halting.
Ye Ling's tone was calm and soft as she said gently, “It is fine. No need to be nervous. You can speak freely.”
Comforted by this, Zhou Jinyun finally calmed her mind and managed to state her purpose clearly.
“I noticed you did not start a fire. Did you not prepare any food?
“I happen to have an extra portion here. This is for you.”
As she finished speaking, she held out the food container with both hands, presenting it solemnly.
Her eyes were bright and filled with anticipation, staring intently at Ye Ling in hopes that she would accept the gesture.
Looking at the young girl's pure, enthusiastic eyes, which were completely devoid of any hidden motives, Ye Ling reached out and took the food container.
“Thank you.”
Seeing Ye Ling accept it, Zhou Jinyun's eyes instantly crinkled with joy, filled with delight.
She then asked cautiously, “Can I sit beside you for a while?”
Ye Ling nodded slightly, giving her silent permission.
Zhou Jinyun immediately sat down obediently. Ye Ling opened the food container, revealing three dishes and a soup, with a specialized heat-preserving artifact placed at the bottom.
The night wind was slightly chilly, but the food's temperature had not dropped at all. It tasted fresh, rich, and absolutely delicious.
“Aunt Lin made this herself. Her cooking is the best,” Zhou Jinyun said with a beaming smile from the side.
“It is indeed very good.”
Ye Ling agreed, quickly finishing off the entire meal in no time.
After the meal, Zhou Jinyun suddenly grew awkward again, seemingly at a loss for words, and secretly contemplated taking her leave.
However, as her gaze fell upon the long sword at Ye Ling's waist, she ultimately could not suppress the yearning in her heart. Mustering her courage, she spoke softly.
“Um... Big Sister, you must be a martial hero who travels the world, right?”
Ye Ling paused slightly. Not wishing to easily reveal her identity as a disciple of the Qinglan Sword Sect, she did not elaborate.
“I suppose you could say that.”
Hearing this, Zhou Jinyun became even more thrilled. The light in her eyes grew brighter as she said with a face full of yearning.
“Then can you tell me some of your stories from the Jianghu?
“I really love martial heroes. My greatest dream in this life is to travel far and wide with a sword, wandering the mountains and rivers.”
Speaking of her wish, the young girl's emotions grew visibly excited, but in the next instant, the light in her eyes slowly dimmed.
Her voice turned downcast and helpless. “It is just that my parents never allow it. They say the Jianghu is too dangerous and refuse to let me wander out there.”
“I also understand that they do it for my own good, out of love and protection for me.”
She looked up at Ye Ling, her eyes filled with envy and regret.
“So, Big Sister, could you please tell me about your experiences to help fulfill my wish?
“Even if I can never step out of my home for the rest of my life, I would be content just hearing about the real Jianghu.”
Seeing the young girl's unfulfilled longing, Ye Ling froze for a rare moment.
The girl before her suddenly reminded her of her past life. In her previous life, she had loved the Jianghu just as much.
She could not help but feel a touch of inexplicable empathy and goodwill toward Zhou Jinyun.
Softening her tone, Ye Ling began to speak, recounting what she had seen and heard during her recent travels.
She spoke of the simple mountain villages along the way, and the merchants traveling between the two commanderies.
She also mentioned the bandits who blocked the roads to rob travelers, sharing the details of how she had stepped in to clear out the outlaws and restore peace.
When she heard about Ye Ling encountering bandits late at night, fighting alone, and slaying every single one of them, Zhou Jinyun could not help but let out a soft cry, her expression filled with shock and admiration as her heart raced with immense excitement.
As the night deepened, the campfire in front of the ruined temple flickered and danced, while a gentle night breeze blew.
The two of them conversed for a long time, one asking and the other answering, one telling and the other listening.
Ye Ling, who was usually cold, taciturn, and distant, was exceptionally soft and relaxed tonight. The usual sharp edge in her eyes was replaced by a touch of quiet melancholy.
Zhou Jinyun was highly perceptive. She could faintly sense that this free-spirited and sharp older sister seemed to harbor a secret past deep in her heart, as if she were reminiscing about something incredibly precious, a past she could never return to.
Being extremely sensible, she did not wish to pry into another's private thoughts.
She immediately suppressed her curiosity, stood up to bid her farewell, and reluctantly retreated to the carriage.
Not far away, Aunt Lin had been quietly watching the two of them.
Seeing Zhou Jinyun return, she immediately walked forward with a smile to meet her, advising gently, “Now that you have heard real stories of a Jianghu hero, you should settle your mind and be obedient from now on. Follow the arrangements of the City Lord and his wife, and do not be so stubborn about traveling far away.”
Zhou Jinyun nodded gently, quietly following Aunt Lin back into the carriage to rest.
The clearing fell silent once more, leaving only Ye Ling.
She stood quietly for a moment, letting the myriad emotions of her past and present lives surge within her as she briefly emptied her mind.
Only after a long while did she sit cross-legged to meditate and regulate her breathing.
The night passed peacefully without further incident.
Before they packed up to depart, Zhou Jinyun warmly invited Ye Ling to ride in the carriage with her, but Ye Ling politely declined.
Thus, along the way, Ye Ling rode her Green Scale Horse, maintaining a leisurely pace behind the carriage, slowly following the group.
Through their chat the previous night, she had already learned that this innocent girl was the youngest daughter of the Tianfeng City Lord.
Zhou Jinyun possessed a pure heart and lacked worldly experience, showing absolutely no guard against others. During their brief interaction last night, she had completely revealed her background, family status, and the reason for her trip.
Ye Ling sighed inwardly, finally understanding why the City Lord and his wife were so adamant about not letting her travel the Jianghu alone. With such a simple, sincere nature that was completely ignorant of danger, she would easily fall prey to schemes and encounter peril if she ventured out alone. Her parents' control and protection were indeed not without merit.
Zhou Jinyun kept thinking about Ye Ling behind her, occasionally lifting the carriage curtain to stick her head out and wave. Her eyes would crinkle in a sweet smile, looking incredibly innocent and adorable.
The group traveled until noon. Under the high, blazing sun, they arrived at the intersection at the foot of two massive mountains.
Here, the mountain pass was flanked by peaks on both sides. The canopy was dense, with overgrown vegetation and scattered jagged rocks. The mountain path was narrow and deep.
It was a textbook desolate and dangerous terrain, and an absolute prime spot for an ambush.
With her Divine Sense constantly active, even before the group approached the mountain ravine, Ye Ling had already clearly detected a large number of bandits lying in wait within the dense forests on both sides of the mountain path.
She remained unperturbed, continuing to follow them at a leisurely pace as she waited to see how things would unfold.
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