Chapter 389 - 190: Greeting with Life
Chapter 389: Chapter 190: Greeting with Life
「Northern Domain, Celestial Ice City.」
This was the closest major city to the Great Ice Glacier, and also the last major city on the way north.
Upon entering the city, the streets on both sides were extraordinarily bustling and anything but desolate.
The sounds of vendors hawking their wares echoed endlessly along the streets. However, aside from some common trinkets, the most frequently sold item was a type of flower.
The Blue Ice Flower.
Fang Shuwen had heard Zhao Wuji mention it once before.
But at the time, Fang Shuwen’s mind was on other things, so he hadn’t paid it any mind.
It wasn’t until he arrived in Celestial Ice City that Fang Shuwen learned it was a rare flower unique to the Northern Domain.
Of the Five Domains Under Heaven, only the Northern Domain was capable of cultivating it.
This was because the flower could only grow in an environment of ice and snow. It took a year to mature, its value increasing with age, and transplanting it was completely impossible.
As it happened, many healing medicines required this flower as a catalyst, making its value quite considerable.
The people of the Northern Domain had established city-states and towns in this land of ice and snow, a place where not even grain could grow. Their initial reason was simply to cultivate this flower. But as the population increased, these settlements gradually grew in scale, becoming towns and then cities, making trade much more convenient.
Many traveling merchants would transport rare trinkets and grain from other places over thousands of miles to this land, ultimately leaving with cart after cart loaded with Blue Ice Flowers.
With each trip, they could earn a fortune.
Fang Shuwen learned all this from the inn’s waiter and found it rather interesting.
The young waiter said that if it weren’t for the Blue Ice Flower, this place would be a wasteland.
Fang Shuwen deeply agreed.
The temperature here was even colder than the coldest winter days in the Eastern Domain.
Even though Long Qingzhi had achieved a minor level of Inner Strength thanks to her Glazed Saint Body, she still struggled to withstand such frigid weather.
The local residents, on the other hand, seemed to have long grown accustomed to it.
They were far more resistant to the cold than outsiders like Fang Shuwen.
During the day, Fang Shuwen led Long Qingzhi on a leisurely stroll around the city.
Long Qingzhi was in high spirits, pestering Fang Shuwen to buy her quite a few trinkets, from rouge and powder to hairpins and ornaments.
Fang Shuwen indulged her, and they didn’t return to the inn until nightfall.
However, Fang Shuwen didn’t rest. He lit an oil lamp and then the candles in the room.
He had the waiter bring a stove and water, then began to boil water for tea in his room.
Around midnight, a sudden gust of wind from an unknown source made the candle flames flicker.
In the instant the window opened and closed, another person appeared in the room.
She was dressed in cyan robes, her face obscured by a light cyan veil.
Her gaze was cold. Seeing Fang Shuwen push a freshly brewed cup of tea to the opposite side of the table, she sat down naturally.
She casually lifted the veil from her face, revealing a cool and detached countenance.
Fang Shuwen was taken aback.
"Is... Is that okay?"
The woman in cyan glanced up at Fang Shuwen.
"What?"
"The veil."
Fang Shuwen pointed at the veil the Cyan-robed Saintess had casually tossed onto the table and said,
"I always get the feeling that with people like you who wear veils, if a man sees your face, you have to marry him or something..."
The Cyan-robed Saintess looked at Fang Shuwen silently for a moment.
"My Fang Clan has no such rule, and neither does the Saintess Sect.
"Or are you saying you want to marry me?"
"No, no, just asking."
Fang Shuwen waved his hands repeatedly. Previously, when the White-robed Saintess had spoken with him, she had been vague.
Although she had mentioned a connection and Fang Shuwen had guessed they were from the same clan—that the White-robed Saintess was from the Northern Domain branch—they both had their reservations at the time and hadn’t stated it plainly.
Now, however, the Cyan-robed Saintess was not being evasive and had brought the matter out into the open directly.
’We’re from the same clan. Marry her, my ass!’
’But wait, that doesn’t seem right... To maintain the purity of their bloodline, don’t many clans practice marriage between members?’
’Besides, their branch of the clan split off centuries ago. After hundreds of years of separate lineages, their blood was surely distant enough by now. Even if they married, it wouldn’t be a problem, right?’
"If you don’t want to, then forget it,"
the Cyan-robed Saintess said.
"Actually, after you were born, the main branch intended to find a fiancée for you from one of the other branches.
"Unfortunately, you went missing.
"The matter had to be put on hold. Now that you’ve returned, if you’re willing, you can have your father send word to the main branch to select a suitable woman to be your future primary wife."
Fang Shuwen chuckled upon hearing this.
"Oh? There’s a perk like that?"
"It’s entirely voluntary."
"Then forget it."
Fang Shuwen waved his hand dismissively.
"Finding a wife is something that should be mutual. It can’t be an arranged assignment."
The Cyan-robed Saintess thought for a moment. She didn’t seem to quite understand Fang Shuwen’s meaning, but with her naturally cold temperament, she didn’t press the issue.
Seeing that Fang Shuwen had no intention of dwelling on the topic, she changed the subject and asked,
"Have you found any clues?"
Fang Shuwen looked up.
"Have you ever heard of the Dragon Abyss Order?" he asked.
The Cyan-robed Saintess’s brow furrowed slightly, and she softly murmured,
"The Dragon Abyss Order... a hidden dragon in the abyss.
"It’s an extremely mysterious organization, seemingly originating from the Central Domain.
"However, the Saintess Sect has never had any contact with them... Our knowledge is limited."
Fang Shuwen then repeated what Zhao Wuji had told him to the Cyan-robed Saintess.
The Cyan-robed Saintess’s expression remained unchanged, not even a ripple of emotion stirring in her eyes.
Finally, she nodded.
"I will begin investigating this matter after I return.
"However, you could also send a letter to the main branch. They have been rooted in the Central Domain for many years. They likely know more about this Dragon Abyss than either of us."