The official road was smooth, and the nearby woods had been plowed through, leaving no obvious shadows. The two were not as tense as they were when in the forest before.
"Jiang Ming, you are quite strange, training alone to this extent..."
"Jiang Ming, why don't you like talking much..."
"Jiang Ming, once you complete your training, buy a house in Evergreen City and bring your parents to live in the city. It's much safer than the rural villages in the wilderness..."
Bai Liu was frolicking ahead like a songbird.
Jiang Ming answered slowly, his tense heartstrings relaxing somewhat since arriving in this world.
"My parents are already dead."
Bai Liu's words abruptly stopped.
"Sorry."
"It's fine. I just have nowhere to go right now. Once we reach Evergreen City, I hope Miss Bai could take me in." Jiang Ming joked to ease the somewhat awkward atmosphere.
Although he inherited some of the original host's emotions and intentions, the parents of this world were not his birth parents, so Jiang Ming didn't feel much sadness.
On the contrary, Bai Liu seemed to empathize with Jiang Ming's situation, perhaps remembering her own deceased parents, her mood turning somber.
With Jiang Ming paving the way, Bai Liu gradually regained her spirits, becoming as lively as a songbird once more.
Compared to Bai Liu's initial wariness and hostility upon first meeting him.
Now Bai Liu seemed to be releasing her true nature.
Jiang Ming touched the jade pendant in his pocket; he had already absorbed the Spirit Points contained within the pendant.
The pendant's luster had obviously diminished quite a bit, indicating that the simulator was indeed extracting some energy from the target and converting it into Spirit Points.
Currently, Jiang Ming's Spirit Points were temporarily abundant, but he did not choose to activate the simulator.
If he were to gain any cultivation growth or similar rewards from the simulator, a sudden rise in his cultivation level would be difficult to explain in front of Bai Liu.
The simulator being Jiang Ming's biggest secret, he didn't wish for others to notice it.
Moreover, since the simulator could be activated at any time, Jiang Ming didn't feel the need to hurry.
The two, traveling light, soon caught up with the caravan ahead.
The people in the caravan greeted Jiang Ming.
However, their gazes at the two were somewhat peculiar, as if wondering why they neither had a mentor nor a mission.
There was no concept of training here.
With insufficient Qi-Blood, it's easy to be killed by Evil Spirits, as the paths between cities and other Human Race strongholds were fraught with danger.
Walking the Jianghu to accumulate experience as Jiang Ming did in the simulator was instead considered an impractical notion.
As dusk approached, a towering giant city finally appeared in their sights.
Although still far off, an atmosphere of human activity distinct from the Wilderness surged toward them, exciting Jiang Ming.
The surrounding pedestrians also began to increase.
Dozens of roads around the city extended in all directions.
With dusk approaching, everyone was headed into Evergreen City, with no one venturing outward.
Everyone sighed with relief upon seeing Evergreen City.
For Evergreen City represented safety, allowing all travelers to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Miss Bai, we're here..."
Jiang Ming smiled and turned to look at Bai Liu.
Only to find Bai Liu somewhat bewilderedly looking at Evergreen City.
"What's wrong, Miss Bai?"
Jiang Ming waved his hand in front of Bai Liu's eyes.
Bai Liu withdrew her gaze. Jiang Ming met her eyes but noticed that her eyes suddenly contained many things he couldn't understand.
"Jiang Ming, thank you for bringing me back to Evergreen City."
Jiang Ming smiled and said, "That was our agreement; you already paid me. Besides, I accidentally hurt you."
Bai Liu shook her head, saying nothing, simply walking towards Evergreen City.
Jiang Ming paid no mind to Bai Liu's oddity, for all his attention was on the majestic city before him.
This city, a small one according to Bai Liu, surpassed any isolated city Jiang Ming had visited in his previous life.
Especially its imposing walls, which Jiang Ming couldn't shoot an arrow over even with his full strength.
The city resembled a silent giant sitting atop the earth, guarding thousands of lights.
"Once I find a secluded spot, I'll activate the simulation—Jiuzhou World, carefree longevity!"
A glimmer of fervor flashed in Jiang Ming's eyes.
Jiang Ming's eyes also turned to the woman in red, grateful to Bai Liu for enabling him to earn such a substantial income.
Objectively speaking, he owed Bai Liu a big favor.
However, as Jiang Ming was deep in thought.
The red-clad figure ahead somehow vanished without warning. Jiang Ming had not noticed a thing.
Jiang Ming's pupils shrank as he quickly scanned his surroundings.
The surroundings were flat and open, allowing everything to easily fall into view, yet there was no sign of Bai Liu.
What happened?
Jiang Ming's steps faltered slightly as the caravan caught up with him.
Unable to find Bai Liu, Jiang Ming resorted to asking the caravan people beside him.
Jiang Ming hurried to the side of a martial artist who was evidently a guard for the caravan and said with clasped fists: "Brother, have you seen the lady traveling with me?"
Nearing Evergreen City, these martial artists were no longer as vigilant as before.
But upon hearing Jiang Ming's words, they appeared perplexed.
They glanced at each other, a mix of perplexity and doubt between them, even casting odd looks at Jiang Ming.
The martial artist Jiang Ming addressed looked at him quizzically, saying, "Lady? What lady? You were alone the entire journey, young hero..."
Alone?
Hearing this, Jiang Ming's pupils contracted to needles, a chill rising from his tailbone to his Celestial Spirit.
Alone?
Impossible!!
"Impossible, have you never seen..."
Bai Liu had clearly been with him all along.
It can't be!
Jiang Ming could only find it absurd.
One of the other martial artists added: "Yeah, we were together at the station that day. You spent the whole night alone."
Alone? Then...
Jiang Ming reached for his chest.
The jade pendant on his chest hadn't disappeared, and the balance of Spirit Points on the simulator panel in his mind hadn't changed.
No, there was something more on his chest.
Jiang Ming pulled out an item from his chest—it was a Purple Wood Token.
It had the two elegant characters "Bai Yun" on the front, and on the back were two familiar characters, Bai Liu.
Except the words "Bai Liu" were slashed across by a deep cut, and the whole token appeared somewhat worn, barely legible.
"Young hero? Young hero?"
"Buddy, what's the matter?"
Several martial artists looked at Jiang Ming, staying frozen on the spot, confused.
Jiang Ming snapped back to reality, thanked the martial artists, then quietly continued toward the city gates, holding the token with a sense of foreboding.
Near the city gates, Jiang Ming's steps paused slightly.
His gaze turned to a figure beneath the city walls.
The lady in red was touching the walls. As if sensing Jiang Ming's gaze, she turned to him, smiling with beautifully crescented eyes.
She spoke silently to Jiang Ming.
Jiang Ming deciphered what she wished to say from her lip movements.
"So, I have already died. Thank you for bringing me back to Evergreen City."
The red-clad figure turned to sand, a breeze blowing through.
Bai Liu's body scattered into grains of sand, carried away by the wind.
Jiang Ming realized that the Bronze Vermilion Bird was watching, but not him.