Chapter: Return to Bailu Town
Black Stone City Magic Association.
There were many shops selling magic materials on the streets near the Magic Association.
However, those shops were all empty—only one clerk left to guard the shop. The others had gone outside the city to see the miracle of the Goddess of Light descending.
Cheng Yu walked into a magic material shop, came to the counter, and asked a skinny clerk, "Friend, do you sell Wood Dragon Roots and Heavenly Vanilla here?"
The clerk greeted with a smile, "Yes, yes, yes! Wood Dragon Roots are fifty silver coins each, and Heavenly Vanilla is twenty silver coins per catty. How much do you want?"
"Give me ten Wood Dragon Roots and twenty catties of Heavenly Vanilla."
Cheng Yu always bought more magic materials. He could use them more often if he had more.
Nine gold coins were lined up on the counter.
The clerk collected the money and put ten Wood Dragon Roots and twenty catties of Heavenly Vanilla in a cloth bag for Cheng Yu.
After purchasing the materials, Cheng Yu and Aphra walked out of the magic material shop.
"Human cities are warmer than demon cities."
Looking around, Aphra had come to a human city for the first time and felt the atmosphere of the human main city.
Cheng Yu had never been to the Demon Realm. "Is the demon city cold?"
"It snows in the Demon Realm all year round. Do you think it's cold?"
"Really a bitter cold place in the far north."
"The Demon King also used this as an excuse to call on the demons to expand southward and occupy human territory."
"This contradiction is unsolvable."
It was understandable the demons expanded southward for survival, and it was also reasonable for humans to defend their homes from being invaded. Such a contradiction couldn't be reconciled.
The business of coming to Black Stone City was completed. Cheng Yu planned to return to Bailu Town today.
Bailu Town was to the east of Black Stone City. Cheng Yu and Aphra chatted while walking toward the east gate of Black Stone City.
When the two came to the east gate, it was empty—only one carriage. The driver squatted beside the carriage wheel, covering his face with a felt hat, taking a nap.
"Friend, why is there only one carriage here?" Cheng Yu walked over to ask.
Logically, there should be many carriages gathered at the city gate.
Taking off the felt hat on his face, the driver glanced at Cheng Yu. "Everyone else went to worship the miracle of the Goddess of Light."
"Why didn't you go?"
"I don't believe in the Goddess of Light."
Not everyone in the Black Sun Empire believed in the Goddess of Light.
"We two want to go to Bailu Town. How much?"
"Five gold coins per person. Ten gold coins for two."
"Damn, so expensive?"
Cheng Yu had taken a ride on the caravan to Black Stone City for only five silver coins, but this driver asked for five gold coins right away. Simply a black car.
"Cheng Yu, are you going back to Bailu Town? I can fly."
Aphra on the side said.
"Right! You can fly!"
Cheng Yu remembered he'd met a vampire before. A pair of big red wings could grow from the vampire's back.
Aphra was the leader of the vampires—she should have them too.
Flying was much faster than riding in a carriage.
The two came to a forest outside Black Stone City. The forest was dense. There was no one around.
Aphra stood there, closed her eyes slightly. The powerful blood-red magic overflowed from her body, condensing into a pair of translucent red energy wings behind her.
"Which direction is Bailu Town?"
"East."
Aphra grabbed Cheng Yu's hand. The red energy wings behind her flapped hard, raising a whirlwind. She took Cheng Yu out at very fast speed.
Cheng Yu held Aphra's slender hand—soft and delicate—with a funny smile on his face.
Ten minutes later, Aphra took Cheng Yu to the woods outside the west gate of Black Stone City.
Looking at the west gate of Black Stone City outside the dense forest, Cheng Yu was speechless. "No, beauty, you flew east. Why did you fly to the west gate of Black Stone City?"
"My sense of direction is too poor."
Aphra's pretty face was a bit embarrassed.
Flying at low altitude in the dense forest, it was difficult to tell direction. The flight would be off course.
"You really are directionally challenged."
"Yes."
Aphra wouldn't tell Cheng Yu she often got lost in the Demon Realm. Every time her subordinates tried to find her, they'd turn the territory upside down.
"Let's go to the east gate again. I'll help you correct the direction."
"Okay."
Cheng Yu and Aphra returned to the woods outside the east gate of Black Stone City.
Like before, Aphra flapped her wings and flew low to the east.
Aphra's sense of direction was very poor. She began deviating from the course after flying for less than a minute.
"Fly a little to the left."
"Right. A little more to the right."
"Left."
Every ten seconds or so, Cheng Yu helped Aphra correct the direction.
It would take two days and two nights to get to Bailu Town by carriage. Aphra flew quickly for half an hour and brought Cheng Yu to the vicinity of Bailu Town.
Cheng Yu discovered Aphra's sense of direction wasn't ordinary poor. If she's thrown into a primeval forest, she'll probably never get out in her lifetime.
Aphra put away her red wings and followed Cheng Yu to his manor.
Walking into the manor, several middle-aged men were sitting in front of the stone table in the manor's garden.
Mina was pouring tea for those middle-aged men.
"Cheng Yu, you're back!"
Seeing Cheng Yu come back, Mina put down the teapot, ran over in surprise, jumped on Cheng Yu, clamped her legs around his waist, hugged his neck with her arms, and threw herself into his embrace.
A pair of big hands supported Mina's buttocks.
Cheng Yu looked at the people in front of the stone table. He knew two of them—General Barney, the supreme commander of the Northern Fortress, and Abel, the deputy head of the Magic Corps.
Though he didn't know the other few people, they looked familiar. They should be senior officials of the Northern Fortress.
"Cheng Yu, you're finally back!"
Barney's rough old face was smiling.
Cheng Yu was puzzled. "What are you doing here?"
"Senior officers are going out for training and strengthening team cohesion."
Barney had brought several high-level officials from the Northern Fortress to Cheng Yu for dinner. In name, they were strengthening team cohesion, but in fact, they were just here to have a feast.
"Aren't we fighting now? Are you so free?"
Tight at the front and loose at the back?
"After the disappearance of Blood Queen Aphra, the demons attacked the Northern Fortress less and less frequently. We're free."
"So that's it."
It seems Aphra's running to the Black Sun Empire is a good thing.
At that moment, Barney noticed Aphra beside Cheng Yu. He opened his mouth slightly, widened his eyes—so shocked he couldn't speak.
Cheng Yu saw Barney's shocked expression and exclaimed internally that it was bad. This old guy seems to recognize Aphra!
Except for General Barney, who was a tier-five, the other high-level officials from the Northern Fortress present were all masters.
If they fought with Aphra here, the beautiful manor would directly become Syrian war-damaged style.
Not only that, he might also be charged with colluding with the demons.
Cheng Yu hurriedly said, "General, don't do anything yet! Listen to my explanation!"
"Young friend Cheng Yu has hooked up with another stunning beauty. Are your kidneys made of steel?"
Last time, Barney had seen Cheng Yu hugging Ivennie and Mina and warned Cheng Yu that young people should be restrained. If you don't know the value of vitality when young, you'll cry when you look at the sky when old.
Unexpectedly, Cheng Yu hadn't listened to the warning and hooked up with beautiful women again.
"Huh???"
Cheng Yu breathed a sigh of relief. I thought Barney had discovered Aphra's identity, but it turns out he was surprised by this.
"By the way, have you seen Aphra?" Cheng Yu asked Barney and the others.
"No."
Everyone shook their heads.
Aphra didn't like war. Every time the demons attacked the Northern Fortress, she'd throw a super-large-scale domain skill to the battlefield from the rear. The Bloody Domain covered the entire battlefield, causing the Northern Fortress soldiers to continuously lose blood. Then she'd start lying down and slacking off.
Therefore, though everyone in the Northern Fortress had heard of Aphra's fierce reputation, no one had seen her real body.
Aphra looked at the high-level officials of the Northern Fortress. She wasn't a war advocate and wasn't interested in the Northern Fortress high-level officials.
"Friend Cheng Yu, please help us make something delicious," Barney said.
"I'll make you braised bear paw, but the price may be a bit expensive."
Last time Cheng Yu went to the Labyrinth of the God of Order, he'd gotten a pair of bear paws from the Ice Demon Bear—plump and delicious.
"How much?" Barney asked.
"We're all acquaintances. I'll charge you fifty gold coins," Cheng Yu said.
"Fifty gold coins isn't expensive."
Barney and the others were high-level officials of the Northern Fortress—very rich.
Eight people, fifty gold coins—evenly divided, each person only had a few gold coins. Not too expensive.