On the vast and boundless Gobi outside Big Market City, two figures walked side by side. The rising morning sun stretched their shadows long, overlapping in the distance.

"Waner, are you really not coming back to the Golden Palace with me?" Luo Feng glanced at Yang Wanyi.

Yang Wanyi awoke from her daze, and gently shook her head.

"I still need a day or two to manage the various enterprises of the Heavenly Position Commerce Alliance. Besides, with the repairs to the city walls and the compensation for the fallen or injured Martial Artist citizens, I estimate father has little money left. Once I tally these assets, I need to make a trip back to Dayang City."

Luo Feng smiled wryly: "I don’t know much about business, so I can’t help you. Sorry."

"Who asked you to help, don’t flatter yourself."

Yang Wanyi rolled her eyes at Luo Feng, then suddenly covered her mouth, chuckling: "But, that expression of yours is quite cute."

Luo Feng was speechless.

After a couple of laughs, Yang Wanyi’s expression suddenly turned serious, her tone solemn as she spoke:

"Husband, your immediate priority is to increase your strength. You defeated Qian Shaofeng, causing the Heavenly Position Commerce Alliance to lose its status as the top commerce alliance. Now that it’s fallen, all the Prince’s plans have gone to waste. The Prince is not someone who will let things go easily and will certainly bear a grudge against you."

"I know that."

Luo Feng nodded. Part of the reason he was hastily leaving Big Market City was indeed related to this.

The Prince blames him the most. If he seeks revenge, he will target him first, so staying in Big Market City was not advantageous.

"Husband, you..."

Yang Wanyi glanced at Luo Feng, wanting to speak, but then suddenly closed her lips.

"What’s up with you, hesitating like this, it’s not like you." Luo Feng smiled.

"Is that so?"

Yang Wanyi pursed her red lips, a hint of an inexplicable smile on her lips, also feeling that she was somewhat different from usual.

Lightly biting her red lip with her teeth, Yang Wanyi gazed at Luo Feng, seemingly casually asking:

"Husband, are you in such a hurry to improve your strength for the new Dragon List conference in a few months?"

Luo Feng pondered slightly, nodded, then shook his head.

Bing Ruolan’s identity was special, and he hadn’t told anyone about it yet, but he didn’t intend to hide it from Yang Wanyi.

Apart from the fact that she was trustworthy, Luo Feng vaguely felt it was not right to keep it hidden.

He stopped and looked at Yang Wanyi, saying:

"Not entirely. A year from now, there’s something I must do, and I have to go to the North Sea waters, to..."

"Ah, I almost forgot about this!"

Yang Wanyi suddenly clapped her hands, interrupting Luo Feng, and with a smile, took out a wooden box and handed it to Luo Feng.

"These are some snacks Xiao Sang made for you. That girl is too shy to give them to you herself, so she asked me to deliver them. Though she’s young, her cooking skills are exceptional."

"Really?"

Luo Feng took the wooden box, opened the lid, and a fragrance wafted out, revealing nearly ten types of neatly arranged pastries inside.

"Thank her for me."

Closing the lid, Luo Feng wanted to continue his previous conversation but didn’t know where to start, so he only said:

"Waner, let’s part here."

"Okay. Be careful on your way."

"Alright. I’ll go first, and you should return to the Golden Palace as soon as you’re done."

Luo Feng stored the wooden box in the Washing Dragon Ring, waved to Yang Wanyi, performed the Sky Cloud Step, and soared into the sky, disappearing into the morning glow in just a few breaths.

Yang Wanyi stood in place, watching Luo Feng leave. She stood for a long time, and gently brushed her finger across the storage ring, retrieving a paper scroll.

The scroll contained lines of text, recording everything that happened during the battle between Luo Feng and Yi Tian in Azure Sky City.

"Bing Ruolan...Saint Soul...North Sea Ice Palace...a year later..."

Yang Wanyi softly murmured, raised her eyes to the direction Luo Feng had gone, and gently pursed her red lips, her expression revealing no joy or sorrow.

"You could have hidden this, why did you have to tell me..."

After a moment of silence, Yang Wanyi flicked her finger, sending the paper scroll into the air, and turned back towards Big Market City.

Whoosh...

The scroll flew into the air, suddenly engulfed by a blaze, disappearing completely in an instant.

...

Leaving Big Market City, Luo Feng picked a direction and hurried on his way, moving as fast as the wind and lightning; a careful commoner could only see a faint shadow.

He hoped that by traveling at full speed, he could hone his Sky Cloud Step and reach the Great Accomplishment of the Ninth Level soon.

After a day passed in this manner, a gigantic city appeared in his view.

On the city gate, were three large, golden characters: East Flame City.

"East Flame City..."

Looking at the vaguely familiar outlines of the city in the distance, Luo Feng paused.

Several months ago, he and Bing Ruolan visited this place.

At that time, he had a minor conflict with the son of the City Lord, which led him to learn about Bing Ruolan’s identity and her connection to the North Sea Ice Palace, as well as the marriage arrangement, from Lengyuan, the City Lord of East Flame City.

With a thought, a translucent pure Demon Core appeared in Luo Feng’s hand.

Bathed in sunlight, the Demon Core glimmered, its interior crystal clear.

In the setting sun.

Beside flowing water.

A young girl slightly bent forward, eyes gently closed, shyly kissed a young man.

Perhaps because she was too bashful and excited, her charming face blushed as invitingly red as the sunset glow, though the smile unfurling at the corners of her lips reflected her emotions at that moment.

This was a memento from Bing Ruolan’s last day before returning to the North Sea Ice Palace, which Luo Feng had carefully kept in his storage ring.

Staring at the scene in the Demon Core, Luo Feng seemed to hear Bing Ruolan’s clear and sweet laughter once again. Though a bit distracted, a faint wry smile appeared on his face as he put away the Demon Core.

He glanced towards East Flame City and hesitated only briefly before flying over.

Apart from wanting to revisit the place, he also wished to see if he could learn anything about the hunting event.

In front of the large city gate, the scene was as prosperous as before, with streams of people coming and going, and among them were many disciples from the Golden Palace. As the hunting event concluded, they all prepared to return to the Golden Palace.

Following the flow of people, Luo Feng paid the entrance fee and entered the city directly.

After wandering the streets for a while, Luo Feng started feeling a bit thirsty. Spotting a roadside tea stall, he walked over.

"Sir, what would you like to drink?"

The tea stall owner, seeing Luo Feng’s distinguished manner, warmly greeted him, wiping the table with a towel until it could almost reflect an image.

"What kind of tea do you have?" Luo Feng asked casually.

The tea stall owner became spirited, "Sir, don’t be fooled by the humble appearance of this stall. As they say, even a small sparrow...what was it again..."

Luo Feng chuckled lightly: "Even a small sparrow has all its vital organs."

"Yes, yes! You’re wise, sir!"

The tea stall owner nodded quickly, feeling relieved, and his impression of Luo Feng improved. Not daring to embarrass himself further, he smiled and said:

"Sir, you seem to have traveled far. Let me brew you a pot of premium Sunny Rain Purple Dew Tea. This tea helps to relieve fatigue and is good for restoring Yuan Qi."

"Alright."

Luo Feng, a bit overwhelmed by the owner’s enthusiasm, nodded and tossed over a silver ingot.

"Oh, thank you, sir! Please have a seat, the tea will be ready shortly!"

The owner beamed at the sight of the silver. With a quick swipe, the silver vanished from the table.

Just as he was about to leave, he leaned down and glanced to the other side, whispering in Luo Feng’s ear:

"Sir, those three over there are known as ’Three Hands’ in the area, and they’re quite vicious. Since you’re alone, be cautious."