Chapter 25: This Third Princess Was Truly Impatient p2
Zhao Xianchen frowned as he looked at the demon core. “The resentment in the world is growing stronger. I must return to Yanyang and report this immediately…”
He paused and looked at Mo Yichu, noticing his apparent exhaustion, and asked politely, “Immortal Mo, why were you gone for so long? Was that Luoyu so difficult to deal with? Are you injured? Do you need a physician…”
“No need to trouble yourself, I’m not injured.”
“That’s good, that’s good!” Zhao Xianchen turned to Li Yu. “Immortal, since you’re all fine, how about we depart tomorrow?”
Li Yu looked at Mo Yichu. Although there was no visible evidence, she sensed an air of utter exhaustion about him, the kind that came from excessive overtime.
Out of compassion, she asked, “Do you need a couple of days to rest?”
Mo Yichu bowed. “This disciple does not.”
Li Yu: “Then tomorrow it is.”
“I’ll go and arrange the carriages!” Zhao Xianchen said, turning and hurrying away.
Mu Tao looked up at Mo Yichu curiously and asked the question Li Yu was also wondering, “I heard that Luoyus don’t stray too far from shore. Why were you gone for so long, Senior Brother?”
Mo Yichu: “…”
Mu Tao: “…?”
Li Yu watched the scene unfold, amused.
After a long silence, Mo Yichu bowed to Li Yu again.
“This disciple is foolish. Although I found the Luoyu using the spiritual aura and successfully killed it, when I was about to return… I… I couldn’t remember the way back…”
Li Yu: “…”
Mo Yichu: “Fortunately, Master Li Yu’s message butterfly guided me back.”
This answer was both amusing and a little heartbreaking.
Mo Yichu’s cultivation wasn’t low; he could abstain from food and drink for months.
Now that she thought about it, if she hadn’t sent that butterfly, this blockhead might have been lost at sea for ten days or half a month.
If he was lucky, he might have encountered a passing ship.
If he was unlucky, who knew where he would have drifted.
Li Yu: “You’ve worked hard, go and rest.”
Mo Yichu: “Yes!”
Mu Tao silently watched Mo Yichu leave her master’s room.
After a brief silence, she moved her stool closer to Li Yu and said, “Senior Brother is so unreliable. It’s good that Master is here!”
How strange, hearing the little protagonist call the original male lead unreliable.
Li Yu chuckled and tapped Mu Tao’s nose. “Speaking ill of your senior brother behind his back?”
Mu Tao shook her head innocently. “I wasn’t speaking ill of Senior Brother; I was praising Master!”
She refilled Li Yu’s teacup and offered it to her with a smile.
“Master, have some tea!”
Li Yu took the teacup and took a sip.
She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but Mu Tao seemed even clingier than before.
Usually, when there was nothing to do, the girl would excuse herself.
But these past two days, unless Li Yu told her to leave, Mu Tao would stay in her room, pouring tea, peeling fruit.
Even when there was nothing left to do, she would just sit quietly, showing no intention of leaving.
But this was fine; Li Yu was bored anyway, so she chatted with her.
Not knowing what to talk about, Li Yu asked Mu Tao to tell her about her past.
Two hundred years wasn’t a short time, and the girl had many stories to tell, but almost none of them were happy.
Most of her stories were about being bullied by disciples or spirits on the mountain.
There were so many bullies that she couldn’t even remember their names, often distinguishing them by their race, appearance, or which peak or master they belonged to.
Very few disciples on Mount Chao Yao could become disciples of the Three Revered Ones; most could only study under older immortals.
Logically, disciples of the Three Revered Ones should be respected, but Mu Tao was the sole exception.
But there seemed to be no resentment in her words.
Those big and small grievances, recounted by her, sounded like a puppy’s soft whimpers.
As if she didn’t need comfort or someone to stand up for her, just a gentle pat or a hug was enough to make her happily nuzzle against your hand, wagging her fluffy tail.
Although none of Mu Tao’s stories were individually significant, the accumulation of these grievances over the years was heartbreaking.
Listening to them, Li Yu couldn’t help but marvel at how Mu Tao, having grown up in such a hostile environment, could remain so kind and well-behaved. It was a miracle.
She herself couldn’t do it; she considered herself fragile, a little salted fish with limited emotional capacity, prone to lashing out at others when her own mental energy was depleted.
If she were the protagonist, she would have been throwing tantrums every day, rebelling so fiercely that people would want to slap her to death.
Regardless, it was fortunate that she hadn’t arrived too late.
No one would bully this little girl anymore.
With the Luoyu dealt with, the imperial envoy informed the fishermen of Lan City.
Many people in Lan City relied on the sea for their livelihood. Over the years, countless ships had been lost due to the Luoyu’s storms.
This news was met with great joy, but when people wanted to thank their unknown benefactors, the envoys and immortals had already left.
Li Yu was thrilled when she first rode in a carriage.
If it weren’t for maintaining her aloof immortal persona, she would have stuck her head out the window, shouting with joy.
However, her excitement didn’t last long.
The road to Yanyang was long, and the carriage ride was bumpy, making her head spin.
It wasn’t exactly motion sickness, but it wasn’t much better.
It reminded her of when she was very young, traveling with her family to remote places during summer vacations.
Transportation wasn’t as developed back then; her family couldn’t afford plane tickets, so they would take two or three-day train journeys, followed by long, bumpy bus rides crammed with all sorts of people.
She still remembered the stuffy, hot, bumpy, and smelly buses.
Although the carriage was bumpy, it was spacious and clean, occupied only by her and Mu Tao. And she was no longer as susceptible to heat and cold, so the discomfort was minimal.
But she still disliked the tedious journey.
So, during the trip, she frequently asked the same question: “How much longer?”
Time seemed to pass slowly, yet faster than expected.
Li Yu felt like she had been bouncing in the carriage for half a lifetime, yet also like it was just a blink of an eye.
Her days were a blur, and Zhao Xianchen’s answers gradually changed from “about ten days” to “two or three more days.”
One evening, the seemingly endless carriage ride finally slowed down as they entered Yanyang, the imperial capital.
“Master! We’re in Yanyang!”
Mu Tao excitedly poked her head out the window.
Curious, Li Yu peeked out through a gap in the curtain.
Yanyang, as the imperial capital, was far more prosperous than Lan City, even the market near the city gates.
Carriages and horses filled the streets, but the people here were used to it, calmly making way, not paying much attention.
Li Yu had thought Zhao Xianchen would take them to the imperial palace, but the carriage soon stopped in front of a luxurious-looking inn.
Zhao Xianchen got off the carriage and hurried over, smiling. “We’ve arrived, Immortal.”
“Master, we’re here!”
Mu Tao happily jumped off the carriage and helped Li Yu down.
Just as Li Yu stepped onto the ground, a young woman dressed as a maid hurried out of the inn.
She approached Zhao Xianchen, her eyes widening slightly as she glanced at Li Yu.
Quickly regaining her composure, she placed her hands together, curtsied slightly, and performed a palace greeting towards Zhao Xianchen. “Lord Zhao, the Princess has been waiting for a long time.”
“We’re meeting here?” Li Yu asked.
Although Mu Tao didn’t see anything wrong with meeting here, she tilted her head and echoed, “Yes, we’re meeting here?”
Zhao Xianchen: “This…”
“Please don’t misunderstand, Immortal. The Princess doesn’t mean any disrespect. She simply felt that the palace rules are complex and might be difficult for immortals from the outside world to adapt to. Meeting outside the palace is more convenient. As soon as the Princess received Lord Zhao’s message, she left the palace to wait, afraid of being disrespectful to the immortals.”
The maid’s words were polite, but Li Yu focused on the phrase “left the palace to wait.”
It seemed this Third Princess was truly impatient.
Li Yu glanced back and saw Mo Yichu dismounting his horse and silently joining them.
Although her nephew was a blockhead with a poor sense of direction, he was undeniably handsome. There might be some drama to watch later.
Fortunately, Mu Tao no longer had romantic feelings for him. She could just watch his interactions with the princess for amusement.
Thinking this, Li Yu nodded slightly.
Mu Tao frowned, her gaze following Li Yu’s seemingly approving, yet subtly nuanced look, and landed on Mo Yichu. Her eyes widened unconsciously.
Mu Tao: “…!”
Mo Yichu: “…?”
Zhao Xianchen, confused, asked, “Um…Immortal?”
Li Yu: “Hmm?”
Zhao Xianchen: “Shall we proceed?”
Li Yu snapped back to reality, nonchalantly looked away, and said to the maid, “Please lead the way.”
The maid bowed. “Please follow me, Immortal!”
With that, she turned and walked into the inn.