Inside Heaven Dou City, the streets were bustling with activity, filled with the sounds of people, vendors hawking their wares, haggling over prices, and the rumble of wheels rolling over the cobblestones—all blending together to create a vibrant and lively scene.
Jiang Zhen and his group blended into the crowd.
They were not newcomers. Whether it was Jiang Zhen himself, Bing Di , Lan Xi , or even Lan Fu Zi, large human cities were no longer unfamiliar places to them.
Every time I come here, I can feel a vitality and energy that is completely different from where I used to live.
"Wow! It's the new Hundred Flowers Fragrant Cake!"
Lan Fuzi, remembering the place she had visited before, pulled Lan Xi and squeezed into a tastefully decorated pastry shop. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the exquisitely shaped pastries in the window, each exuding a different floral fragrance.
She remembered that the last time she came, there was a really long queue at this store.
Lan Xi smiled gently. She also had a fondness for sweets, especially those that were exquisitely crafted.
She turned her head to look at Jiang Zhen, her eyes filled with a hint of inquiry and expectation.
Jiang Zhen smiled and, naturally not wanting to spoil the mood, stepped forward and bought a little of everything.
Seeing their distinguished demeanor, the boss packed their food with extra care.
Bing Di watched from the side, pursed his lips, and seemed to look down on this "childish" dessert.
But when Lan Fuzi handed her a pastry that exuded a cool plum fragrance, she hesitated for a moment before taking it.
She took a small sip, her emerald eyes brightening slightly before quickly regaining their haughty expression. She said indifferently, "Hmm...not bad."
Jiang Zhen found her insincere behavior amusing.
The Bing Di , one of the three great kings of the far north, has become increasingly... adorable as she gradually adapts to the human world.
We strolled along, stopping frequently, and sampled the unique delicacies of several famous snack streets in Heaven Dou City.
Lan Fuzi rubbed her belly without any regard for her image, marveling at how talented humans are when it comes to "eating".
Afterwards, they browsed the clothing stores. Women seem to have an innate love for beautiful clothes; even Bing Di couldn't help but take a few extra glances at a pale green dress made of ice silk, adorned with tiny ice crystals, and shimmering in the light.
Jiang Zhen waved his hand and bought it directly.
Bing Di said, "It's all show and no substance, it hinders our operations," but when they received the beautifully packaged gift box, their fingers tightened slightly.
Lan Xi chose several simple yet exquisite dresses, which perfectly matched her growing gentle temperament.
Lan Fuzi, on the other hand, prefers bright and lively colors. She chose a sea-blue bohemian-style long dress, twirling around, her laughter as clear as silver bells.
Jiang Zhen also bought himself a few sets of casual clothes made of high-quality materials and with a good fit, since he couldn't always wear his combat gear.
As dusk falls, the city lights begin to illuminate the scene.
They found the most luxurious and quiet hotel to stay in.
Jiang Zhen opened four superior rooms, one for each person.
Although Lan Xi was a little shy, she still followed Jiang Zhen into his room as usual.
For her, being by Jiang Zhen's side was the most reassuring place. This had nothing to do with age; it was a reliance and trust that came from the soul.
That night, there was no cultivation, no scheming, and no powerful enemies surrounding them.
Jiang Zhen held the soft, petite girl in his arms, who exuded a faint blue-silver fragrance. The scent of her hair filled his nostrils, and he listened to her even, gentle breathing. Feeling this rare tranquility and warmth, he soon drifted off into a sweet dream.
This was the most restful and relaxing night's sleep he had had in a while.
I felt refreshed the next morning.
After washing up and enjoying a sumptuous breakfast at the hotel restaurant, a fusion of Eastern and Western flavors, Lan Fuzi licked a non-existent milk stain from the corner of her mouth with satisfaction, then blinked her big, curious eyes and asked, "Ah Zhen, what are we doing today? Are we going shopping again?"
Although Bing Di didn't speak, they still cast an inquiring glance at them.
Lan Xi sat quietly next to Jiang Zhen, looking obedient and saying, "I'll follow you wherever you go."
Jiang Zhen thought for a moment. Although Heaven Dou City was large, there were not many places worth making a special trip to visit.
Suddenly, an image of a somewhat eccentric and reclusive old man flashed through his mind, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.
"We'll definitely go shopping again," Jiang Zhen laughed, "but before that, let's find an old man first."
"An old man?" Lan Fuzi tilted her head, looking puzzled. "What's so interesting about an old man? Is he the old man who sells candied hawthorns?"
Jiang Zhen chuckled and shook his head: "No. He's an old poisoner with a bit of a bad temper, but he's a decent person. He's also... one of our own."
"Old poisoner?"
Upon hearing this, Bing Di raised her eyebrows slightly, as if recalling a vague memory.
"Is that the guy who evolved into the Azure Scale Poison Dragon Martial Soul and is covered in poison?"
When she and Jiang Zhen were searching for the Yin-Yang Well of Ice and Fire, she did have a brief encounter with Dugu Bo and even "helped" him resolve a minor issue of poison backlash, which made him "willingly" give up the precious land.
"Yes, it's him."
Jiang Zhen nodded. "It's been a long time. Let's go see how he's doing."
After saying that, he led the three women downstairs to pay the bill, and then followed the route he remembered to head towards Dugu Bo's mansion.
As a guest minister of the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family and a titled Douluo, Dugu Bo's mansion is located in a relatively quiet area of the inner city of Heaven Dou City. It covers a large area, but is usually deserted.
After all, no one would want to easily approach the home of a Title Douluo who is covered in poison and has a bad temper.
However, things seem different today.
Even from some distance from the mansion, Jiang Zhen's keen senses detected something amiss. The area in front of the Dugu mansion, which should have been utterly deserted, seemed... rather lively?
As you get closer, you can see that although the vermilion gate is still tightly closed, there are three luxuriously decorated carriages pulled by strong horned horses parked in the open space outside the gate.
The carriage itself was nothing special, but the small flag stuck next to the carriage shaft made Jiang Zhen pause slightly and narrow his eyes.
The flag had a dark blue background with a flamboyant and lifelike design embroidered in gold thread—a dragon emblem with outstretched claws, a fully visible beard, and the appearance of a dragon about to take flight!
This emblem is recognized by almost everyone in the upper echelons of the Soul Master world on the entire Douluo Continent.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family!
One of the three upper sects, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, known as the strongest offensive type beast spirit in the world!
How did their carriage end up outside the residence of Dugu Bo, the Poison Douluo who was reclusive and eccentric and rarely interacted with sects?
A hint of doubt and amusement flashed through Jiang Zhen's mind.
It seems his arrival has come at just the right time? This is going to be interesting.
...