Chapter 164: Xuanguang City

Ruo Qing struggled to crawl toward Ruo Xi under Gu Fan's foot, then grabbed onto her leg with both hands.

“Ruo Xi, my dear sister, it’s all a misunderstanding between us! Please talk to this senior, let me go just this once, I will surely repay you in the future!”

Ruo Xi’s eyes were filled with sorrow, but her resolve did not waver.

“Sister, it’s not that I want you dead, it’s the entire Ruo Family forcing me into a death sentence.”

“It has nothing to do with me! It was Father’s decision, I didn’t want this either! I was just cultivating normally! After I broke through to the Celestial Profound Realm, it was Father who insisted on replacing me with you for the marriage!”

Ruo Xi nodded and, for once, showed a faint smile.

“Sister, you’re right. It was Father’s decision and you can’t be blamed, but I have one question—when did you find out that marrying into the Lan Die Family meant certain death?”

Ruo Qing was at a loss for words, stammering with nothing coherent to say.

“It wasn’t my fault… I was forced too… I never knew the Lan Die Family’s situation… I wasn’t aware…”

Then she suddenly shouted:

“Ruo Xi! You’re so beautiful! If you married into the Lan Die Family, nothing would’ve happened to you. We all thought you’d live a great life… we weren’t trying to harm you…”

By now, Ruo Qing had been so frightened by the shadow of death that she was talking nonsense, her words completely disordered.

She wanted to find an excuse for herself, to beg Ruo Xi to spare her life.

Unfortunately, Gu Fan at the side was starting to get annoyed.

“So much nonsense. I’ll ask you—do you want to return to the city?”

Ruo Qing thought her pleas were working and immediately kowtowed, begging:

“Senior, please spare me. The Ruo Family will surely repay you. I beg you, just take her away, from now on she’s yours. The Ruo Family won’t pursue this matter anymore!”

Ruo Xi found it laughable. In the end, she was still being used as a bargaining chip for survival, deemed valuable enough to be exchanged for another’s life.

But sadly, what Ruo Qing didn’t know was—those very words had truly sealed her fate!

Gu Fan chuckled, then lifted her up with one hand.

“I asked, do you want to return to the city?”

As he spoke, he pointed toward the distant city wall.

“Yes! Senior, I want to go back to the city. Please spare me this once!”

Gu Fan nodded.

“In that case, I’ll send you back. Don’t say I’m unreasonable.”

With that, Gu Fan swung his arm forcefully.

“Off you go!”

In the next instant, Ruo Qing was like an object flung violently toward the city wall.

Ruo Qing only felt the world spinning. As she saw the rapidly approaching Wanlin City, her heart surged with joy!

This stupid fool had actually let her go. Once she returned, she would definitely report everything to Father!

Then she would repay today’s humiliation tenfold!

“Hahaha! Once I return home and gather my strength, I’ll surely wipe out you filthy pair!”

Seeing the city wall getting closer, Ruo Qing could no longer suppress the hope of rebirth. She burst out laughing.

But at that moment, a shrill whistle came from behind!

In the next second, an ordinary tree branch, coated in a layer of gray Mysterious Power, pierced straight through her chest!

The immense force didn’t even give her a chance to scream. She was carried by inertia and slammed into the wall, nailed to it like a corpse.

Just like that, Ruo Qing faced the wall, her organs shattered by the Mysterious Power, and she stopped breathing in an instant.

Gu Fan stood in place and sighed:

“What a shame. She was just a few steps away from beating my tree branch flying sword in speed!”

Ruo Xi lowered her gaze, saying nothing.

“Let’s go. We’re too close to Wanlin City. Though I doubt the Lan Die Family would go to war over you, just in case, we should hurry on to Xuanguang City.”

“Mm, thank you, Gu Fan.”

Gu Fan waved his hand. “I told you, I’m just seeking peace of mind.”

What Gu Fan needed next was mainly a guide and identity protection. Otherwise, before fully adapting and integrating into this world, he wouldn’t withstand a thorough background check.

Just like in his previous life, everyone had a past and traces.

If someone suddenly appeared in society without any identification or traces of past life, it would definitely raise suspicion.

At best, one would be considered undocumented; at worst, one might as well not exist in society!

And this was exactly the problem Gu Fan faced now if he wanted to move around the continent. If someone with some influence took interest in him and couldn’t find any information, it would certainly be strange.

What Gu Fan thought in his heart, of course, couldn't be all said aloud. What he needed was a reasonable identity on the surface.

Only in this way could he ensure his current safety.

Ruo Xi nodded and then pointed in a direction in the distance.

“Head in this direction, approximately over sixty thousand li away, and you’ll reach Xuanguang City.”

“Hm? Didn’t you never leave the Ruo Family?”

Ruo Xi said nothing.

“There’s something called a topographical map. It shows directions!”

Gu Fan: “……”

He then grabbed Ruo Xi’s shoulder with one hand, and the two figures instantly vanished from where they stood.

A journey of sixty thousand li was just a day’s trip for cultivators.

Setting off before dawn, the two arrived at Xuanguang City by afternoon.

After entering the city, they didn’t stroll around. Instead, they directly found an inn, booked two rooms, and settled in, planning to gather information about any households with the surname Qiao the next day.

Early the next morning, they had breakfast at a local breakfast stall.

Gu Fan drank rice porridge while observing his surroundings.

Luckily, no one from the Lan Die Family had shown up along the way. It seemed that to that so-called 'Young Master' of the Lan Die Family, the identity of the bride didn’t matter—what mattered was the number.

Ruo Xi only took a few bites. For her, it was unusual for a cultivator to eat at all.

Clearly, they could already go without food, yet they still consumed mundane food, and afterward had to expend Mysterious Power to digest its impurities—it was really not worth it.

But Gu Fan called it "maintaining humanity," and regardless of her opinion, went off to eat by himself, leaving Ruo Xi no choice but to follow.

“Gu Fan, what should we do next?”

Gu Fan slurped a couple of mouthfuls, eyes narrowed with satisfaction.

“Of course, we look for your uncle. Otherwise, with your current cultivation, I’m afraid you won’t last long in the wild before dying miserably.”

Ruo Xi turned pale from fright and glared at Gu Fan in mild annoyance.

This guy was becoming more and more uncouth with his words!

After enjoying breakfast, Gu Fan took Ruo Xi to a teahouse.

He ordered a pot of tea and sat there drinking for a full half an hour. Finally, when Ruo Xi couldn’t bear it any longer, Gu Fan called for the waiter to settle the bill.

After paying, Gu Fan generously added a tip, then called out to the waiter.

“Brother, since you’ve taken the tip, would it be possible to ask a few questions?”

The waiter was quick-witted and immediately smiled, leaning in close.

“You’ve come to the right person, sir. I’ve been living in this city since I was a child. As long as it’s something about Xuanguang City, feel free to ask!”

Gu Fan smiled with satisfaction.

“My wife and I are here to find an old friend. We only know he’s a resident of Xuanguang City and that his surname is Qiao. Do you know how many families in this city bear that surname?”

Unexpectedly, as soon as Gu Fan asked, the waiter placed the tip back on the table.

His face turned ashen, and his eyes showed a trace of fear.

“You overestimate me, sir. I’m just a handyman in the store—how could I possibly know anything about the Qiao Family!”

With that, he turned to leave, not pausing for even a moment!

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