North Desolation City was not large. It had only two main streets, and just a single brothel.
At its center stood a bustling plaza where crowds gathered.
Around the square grew several old locust trees, their branches hung with lanterns. Beneath them, stalls were arranged in a wide circle.
Ye Wudu held Murong Wanyin’s hand as they walked through the crowd.
Though he wore only coarse cloth and lacked any luxurious attire, his handsome face and jade-like pale skin still drew the attention of many women.
Murong Wanyin walked beside him, her white dress like snow, her bearing extraordinary. At a glance, she seemed far removed from the mundane world.
Most of the townspeople already recognized them. Their appearance was simply too striking to forget.
However, it was the first time anyone had seen them strolling together.
Murong Wanyin had long grown accustomed to being watched and remained completely unfazed. Wherever she went, she was the center of attention.
Ye Wudu, on the other hand, felt slightly uncomfortable. It seemed as though everyone’s eyes were on them.
Curious, he asked, “Why are there so many people on the streets today?”
From memory, the city was usually far quieter.
Murong Wanyin glanced at him. “Today is Mid-Autumn Festival.”
She had thought he brought her out because of the festival.
Yet he didn’t even know.
Ye Wudu nodded slightly, thinking that even this world celebrated Mid-Autumn.
“It looks lively over there. Let’s go take a look.”
He led her forward, still holding her hand. Murong Wanyin let him, appearing gentle and compliant.
But her heart was not as calm as she appeared.
After all, this was their first time holding hands while walking together.
It felt strange… yet somehow natural.
They had already been married for years. Holding hands wasn’t excessive, and she couldn’t find a reason to refuse.
Ahead, a crowd had gathered in several layers.
As they approached, they realized it was a riddle-guessing stall.
A tall bamboo frame stood there, hung with over a hundred red slips, each bearing a riddle.
Beside it sat an old man, a wooden box placed near him, filled with prizes.
“Two copper coins per riddle. Guess correctly, and you win a prize,” the old man announced, tearing down a red slip. “Half scales, half fur. Half leaves water and cannot live. Half enters fire and cannot survive. Guess a character.”
As the riddle was read aloud, the crowd fell into thought.
Especially the young men with sweethearts beside them, all eager to try.
Murong Wanyin turned to Ye Wudu. “Let’s go.”
He looked puzzled. “Why leave? Aren’t you interested?”
She shook her head. “I can’t solve it. You can’t solve it. It’s pointless.”
As a sword fanatic, riddles were hardly her strength.
Ye Wudu smiled faintly, thinking she was underestimating him.
He tossed two copper coins forward. “Is it the character ‘fresh’?”
The old man stroked his beard and laughed. “Young master, excellent insight! It is indeed ‘fresh.’ Please choose a prize.”
As he spoke, he pushed the wooden box forward.
The surrounding crowd looked at Ye Wudu with surprise. They hadn’t expected this stingy pretty boy to have some wit.
Ye Wudu picked up a small box and left with Murong Wanyin.
She glanced at the box curiously.
He smiled. “Want to know what’s inside?”
She shook her head. “No.”
Not interested… yet you keep looking?
What a contradictory female Sword Immortal.
Ye Wudu opened the box. Inside was a delicately embroidered sachet.
He handed it to her. “It’s for you.”
Murong Wanyin hesitated before accepting it.
Nine years… this was the first time he had ever given her anything.
“Let’s check over there,” Ye Wudu said.
On the other side of the plaza, another crowd had gathered.
Several tables were joined together, covered with coarse paper. Brushes, ink, and inkstones were neatly arranged.
A few young scholars stood around, some composing with furrowed brows, others swaying as they recited.
A wooden pole stood nearby, with a silk banner hanging from it… Mid-Autumn Poetry Gathering.
In truth, it was nothing more than a pastime for the town’s literati.
Most of the onlookers were common folk. They might not understand poetry, but whenever a line was recited, they would cheer loudly for the excitement.
Among the crowd, a handsome young man spotted Murong Wanyin, and his eyes immediately lit up.
“I’ll give it a try.”
He stepped forward, picked up the brush, and wrote in one smooth motion.
“Mid-autumn in a small town, osmanthus begins to bloom,
A thousand homes alight, the night stretches on.
Say not the frontier lacks a beautiful moon,
Here, its glow surpasses all lands beyond.”
As he set down the brush, silence fell for a moment… then loud applause erupted.
“Young Master Liu truly has talent!”
“Of course! He’s the number one scholar of North Desolation!”
“He hasn’t composed in years. We’re lucky to witness it today!”
“This will surely be the best poem of this Mid-Autumn!”
…
As the crowd buzzed with excitement, Ye Wudu searched the original owner’s memories and recognized the man.
His name was Liu Long, and he had once clashed with the original owner.
Back then, Liu Long had been captivated by Murong Wanyin’s beauty and approached her under the pretense of buying nougat.
Murong Wanyin ignored him, but the original owner saw it.
He had stormed over and berated Liu Long mercilessly, caring nothing for his status.
If he had cultivation and his lackeys present, he would have killed Liu Long on the spot.
Naturally, Liu Long couldn’t out-argue him. The original owner was, after all, the notorious young master of the Demonic Sect.
Unable to speak to Murong Wanyin and humiliated instead, Liu Long harbored resentment.
Though he didn’t act immediately, the original owner eventually forgot about him.
Liu Long now stepped forward, flashing what he thought was a charming smile. “Miss Xiao Wan, why are you out today?”
Aside from Ye Wudu, no one knew Murong Wanyin’s real name. They only knew her as Xiao Wan.
Liu Long completely ignored Ye Wudu, his gaze fixed on her.
The crowd fell silent.
Many wore expressions of anticipation, clearly eager to watch what would unfold.
Anyone could see Liu Long’s interest in another man’s wife.
But it was only natural. Who wouldn’t be drawn to someone as beautiful as Xiao Wan?
Yet her noble aura, combined with her married status, meant few dared to truly harass her.
Murong Wanyin did not respond. She simply said to Ye Wudu, “Let’s go.”
He nodded, glanced at Liu Long, and allowed himself to be pulled away.
Liu Long was slightly surprised. Why didn’t this man explode in anger as before?
Watching Murong Wanyin’s flawless figure recede, the fire in his heart burned even stronger.
Only such a beauty was worthy of him, the number one scholar of North Desolation.
If Ye Wudu were capable, he might have restrained himself.
But Ye Wudu was nothing more than an ignorant wastrel who spent his days idling and gambling.
A flower in manure… how could Liu Long not be tempted?
After they had walked far away, Ye Wudu asked, “Why the hurry to leave?”
Murong Wanyin replied softly, “Stay away from him. He’s not as easygoing as he seems.”
Ye Wudu frowned. “How do you know?”
She did not answer and continued walking toward Tingwan Courtyard.
He stopped and asked seriously, “Are you hiding something from me?”
Murong Wanyin still said nothing, only looking at him quietly.
He cupped her pale face with both hands. “I’m the one who loves you most in this world. How can you hide things from me? Speak.”
Even he didn’t notice how much his tone resembled the original owner’s manipulative style.
Meeting his gaze, Murong Wanyin spoke softly, “He once sent people to trouble you.”
Ye Wudu froze. “Why didn’t I know?”
She lowered her head, silent again, as if afraid to say more.
At that moment, Ye Wudu understood.
After being humiliated, Liu Long had sent people to teach him a lesson… or even kill him.
But those people… had likely been killed by Murong Wanyin.
Because of the rules the original owner had set… forbidding her from using cultivation or speaking to other men…
She had hidden everything, afraid of angering him.
Now it all made sense.
Earlier, Ye Wudu had wondered why Liu Long seemed so restrained after being insulted.
It wasn’t that he had no reaction… it was that the danger had already been eliminated before it could grow.
Liu Long must have assumed the original owner was secretly powerful, able to deal with his men so easily.
So he had waited, observing.
But now, seeing Murong Wanyin again, unable to resist her beauty, he composed a poem to show off and approached her once more.
After waiting so long without seeing any real ability from Ye Wudu, his desire had resurfaced.
Ye Wudu turned his head.
In the distance, Liu Long’s gaze was still fixed on them.
His dark eyes turned completely cold…