In the late afternoon, hot sunlight poured onto the banks of the *Heavenly Gate River* through the surrounding willows.
A boatman steered a small boat on the river. Young couples on both banks, either holding umbrellas or fans, walked back and forth between the shops and pavilions.
Holding an oil paper umbrella, Ye Anping walked alone along the bank as he watched the bustling activity in the western part of **Heavenly Gate City**.
He went out alone to enjoy the spectacular scenery of the city but mostly, he expected to run into Si Xuanji somewhere on the streets.
Si Xuanji lured him into the ***Imperial*** Sect, so after he arrived at the **Heavenly Gate City**, she would naturally come to find him and guide him to understand what the **Central Region** Emperor had done.Although he knew everything that the **Central Region** Emperor had ever done, Si Xuanji was unaware that he knew.
In other words, he now had no choice but to step into his role and play to Si Xuanji's tune.
Thinking of this, Ye Anping sighed and went over the role he had to play in Si Xuanji's script in his mind.
*---After I returned to the ***Black Star*** Sect, I was going to return the jade pendant Si Xuanji gave me, but Qiu Shuirou told me that she had sneaked out of the sect, so I chased her to the **Central Region**.*
After a moment of silence, Ye Anping took out the *Heavenly Return Bell* from the storage bag on his waist and gently shook it.
*Jingle jingle~~*
The crisp ringing was drowned out by the noisy sounds of people on the streets.Looking around, he saw several cultivators gathering around a merchant and saying, "Did you hear that the ***Demon Clan*** has passed the **Tiger Pass** and is heading toward **Heavenly Gate City**? All the official roads to the west are sealed. No one can pass now."
"Yeah, I don't know why those demons suddenly broke up the old agreement. I'm afraid this will make the Immortal Family join forces to encircle and suppress them. The **Western Region** must have already heard the news, and the world will be in chaos."
"When is it not in chaos..."
... ...
**Tiger Pass** was three thousand miles away from **Heavenly Gate City**, but the ***Demon Clan*** was not affected by the imperial ban on flying swords, and their traveling speed was definitely not slow. There were two more Immortal Cities between **Tiger Pass** and **Heavenly Gate City**.
Ye Anping estimated that within a month and a half, the ***Demon Clan*** should reach the city and besiege it.
After listening to a few more sentences, he continued to walk forward with his umbrella.
Shortly after he started walking, some shouts were suddenly heard from behind. "You little girl, stop right there!!"
Hearing the commotion, Ye Anping turned to look back.
As soon as he turned around, a small figure bumped into his chest, with such impulse that he staggered and fell back on his ass, landing on the ground while the small figure plopped onto his chest.
Ye Anping looked down and didn't see the face, but as soon as he saw the black and white hair, he roughly understood what the fuss was about.
The old woman would probably say, *"Hey? What a coincidence, why is Young Master Ye here?"*
Si Xuanji covered her forehead and started to stand up. When she saw Ye Anping's face, she pretended to be surprised. "Eh? Master Ye?"
But before Ye Anping could answer, the burly man chasing her had already arrived in front of them, thinking that Ye Anping had helped him stop Si Xuanji.
"You brat!!"
The burly man cursed and reached out to grab Si Xuanji.
Ye Anping quickly raised his hand to stop him, then helped Si Xuanji stand up and asked, "May I ask what happened?"
"This little brat broke the teapot on my stall, ran away without paying, and even made faces at me."
"So..." Ye Anping looked at Si Xuanji, who was now hiding behind him. "How many spirit stones for that teapot?"
"What? You want to pay for her? Two thousand spirit stones for a spiritual jade teapot."
Listening to him, Ye Anping sighed slightly, thinking that he was probably a scammer. So, while he took out two thousand spirit stones from the storage bag, he pretended to accidentally drop his identity badge as a ***Black Star*** Sect disciple.
When the burly man saw it, he was dumbfounded, and his original fierce tone turned mild. "... Ah, so you're a fellow cultivator from the ***Black Star*** Sect. In that case, just give me fifty spirit stones."
"Hehe..."
Ye Anping laughed and threw him fifty spirit stones. After seeing the man run away, he frowned at Si Xuanji, who was now pulling on his sleeve and hiding behind him. "Miss Xuanji..."
"Thank you, Mr. Ye, for your help." Si Xuanji pursed her lips, blinking. "When I went out, I didn't bring too many spirit stones with me, so... But then again, why did you come to the **Central Region**? What a coincidence that we met here."
Ye Anping recited the script. "When I returned to ***Black Star*** Sect a few months ago, I wanted to pay a visit to return the jade pendant that you lent me last time, but I was told that you had followed Young Miss Xiao and sneaked out of the ***Black Star*** Sect. Sister Qiu gave me this bell and asked me to bring you back."
"Ah, yes... I'm sorry to trouble you, Master Ye." Si Xuanji smiled. "I have always stayed in the ***Black Star*** Sect, and the sect leader forbade me to wander around, so I thought I would take advantage of this time when my sister left and come with her to change the air."
Ye Anping thought about how he should cooperate with her acting, then frowned and reprimanded her. "Miss Xuanji, this **Central Region** is full of bad people. If you wanted to come out, you should at least let Sister Qiu accompany you, right?"
Si Xuanji smiled slightly and retorted, "But nothing happened, right?"
"But what if it did?"
"Then, Master Ye will protect me." Si Xuanji tilted her head slightly and narrowed her eyes with a smile. "What do you say?"
Ye Anping sighed helplessly. "Miss Xuanji, you gave me the feeling of a gentle, refined, and educated girl. Today was an eye-opener to see that you have such a mischievous side, sneaking out of the ***Black Star*** Sect to come so far away."
Si Xuanji smiled crookedly as she replied, "Well, I'm just a girl of only fourteen, fifteen years old. Isn't it normal to be a little playful?"
*Right...*
Ye Anping pursed his mouth, picked up the oil paper umbrella that Si Xuanji had knocked away, then looked around. "Where's your sister? Didn't she come out with you?"
"Huh? She..." Si Xuanji looked around. "I remember she was following me just now. Why is she missing? That's strange."
"..."
"Forget it, let her be. Master Ye, how about accompanying me around the city? Just think of it as making up for the fifty spirit stones you paid for me."
"It's only fifty spirit stones. Didn't you also let me borrow the jade pendant?"
"That's two different things." Si Xuanji squinted and smiled. Looking at a theater stall not far away, she headed there. "Do you like watching theater? I heard that the theater in the **Central Region** is different from the one in the **Western Region**."
"Can I say I'm not interested in drama?"
Si Xuanji smiled and said, "Then, Master Ye, would you be interested in strolling down with a girl like me?"
*No one would be interested in strolling around with an old lady, would they?* ...Ye Anping secretly complained in his heart, but he still raised the oil paper umbrella above Si Xuanji's head.
"Well, it would be rude of me to refuse again."
