206 Departure, to a paradise of hellish arrogance 2 (1/2)

”So? Why do I have to travel with you, of all people?”

An Fei grumbled as she walked throughout the Purity Road, a large leather bag slung over her shoulders.

The young girl pursed her lips in dislike as she gazed at the street of extravagance and lavish influence, her heart itching to tear apart the arrogant signboards that displayed no respect for the viewer's eyes.

”Why do you have to say it like you're the only one suffering a grievance?” Shen Haoren rolled his eyes.

”I have to depart from my wife's side for a prolonged period of time that I can't even be certain about, with only my son as company. You think I can remain without grievances?”

”Old potbellied man, keep pretending, ah.”

The young girl gave him an eyeroll, her countenance suffused with disdain.

”Your Second Elder Sister was the one who tole me that you volunteered on this trip to proliferate your popularity – and who said that your family wasn't coming along?”

An Fei sighed, before tossing the overfilled bag into Shen Haoren's arms.

The middle-aged man stumbled backwards at the unexpected projectile colliding against his chest, and glared towards An Fei once he had regained his balance.

Shen Haoren shook the leather bag that was almost the same dimensions as his stomach, his brows furrowed in confusion.

”What do you mean by this?”

”What else do you think I mean by this?” the young girl waved towards the Young Master of the Shen Family, before racing off into an accessory store next door.

”Your Second Elder Sister said that you'll have to comply with my requests, so carry that bag for a while, old potbellied man!”

An Fei snickered as she entered the exquisite store, her countenance beaming with the relief of having removed herself of a burdensome weight.

To make it so that she would appear to be a traveling person, the young girl had purchased a large leather bag at the Harmony Road, before stuffing it to the brim with a wide variety of tools, clothes, and ointments.

The majority of which she already possessed in the Sanctum; the bag she had tossed to Shen Haoren was merely the disguise to present to the Shen Family.

”Xiao Hei, what else do you think I would need?” the young girl didn't bother to glance around the gleaming store's interior, instead leaning against the corner of a wall and conversing slightly to the freeloader perched on her shoulder.

Caw!

The little raven waved its wings around in an energetic manner, the pair of crimson eyes flashing with an abstruse glint as it gazed at An Fei's exposed nape from the side.

The young girl released a heavy sigh, her fingers reaching into the mouth of a smaller bag of leather slung over her shoulder.

”What to do with you…”

With a single statement from the Shen Family's Second Elder, An Fei had been successfully roped into the conflict that spanned the entirety of the Hundred Clan Coalition that oversaw the lower echelons of Great Yong.

Not only that, her presence was the central reason for the conflict to even plague the lands, one that foreshadowed a massive spillage of vitality and blood.

…all because of the seven-tailed fox in her possession, and the jianghu's annoying martial arts techniques capable of divination.

Before the Second Elder, An Fei had maintained the position of not being aware of the presence of a seven-tailed fox to the final resolution.

Thus, the young girl had managed to obtain a compromise with the Shen Family without much difficulty, though An Fei failed to discover much benefit for her anyways.

The Shen Family was to escort her out of the Du Zhou Province into a neighboring territory, and was tasked with the additional responsibility of ensuring her safety from the interference from the other clans that were privy to the unsettling information.

On the other hand, once An Fei encountered a seven-tailed fox, she was to present a drop of its blood to the Shen Family.

After which, the two had agreed to a simple pledge of peace and avoidance of a conflict between interests.

Only…

”Xiao Bai, I need you to do me a favor, ah?”

The young girl tickled the small fox's soft fur within the leather bag, her eyes instinctively closing at the indescribably pleasant sensation of the small creature trembling from her touch.

An Fei toyed with the small fox for a while, her eyes expectantly awaiting its response.

…Yip!