AST 1521 - Moonlight City, The Complexity of Women (1/2)

They used Qing Shui’s Nine Continents Steps to travel. Qing Shui looked over at Qin Qing when he had reached his limit of Nine Continents Steps for that day. ”We can either carry on with our journey or do something else. This way we won't delay our cultivation training. I'll leave it up to you. I'm fine with either!”

Qin Qing didn't specify her status within Great Qin Dynasty, but with her surname, she was likely a member of the royal family. Considering her might, he wondered how high ranking she was in the Great Qin Dynasty. Regardless, with her current level of strength, she would be one of the strongest wherever she went.

Qing Shui didn't know if Qin Qing was at the level of a Peak False God, but he did know that in comparison with the ancestor from Hua Clan, she was in no way inferior.

”We are not in a hurry anyway. Let's just get on with our journey like this.” After a while, Qin Qing responded with a smile.

Qing Shui nodded. ”Alright, we'll go with your decision.”

Qin Qing smiled but her eyes seemed to reflect a hint of displeasure. Qing Shui brushed it off as a figment of his imagination. Looking around, he saw that they had landed in a small city. After asking around, he found out that this was a city that belonged to the Dormant Moon Dynasty.

Moonlight City!

It was a small, backward town in a remote area. If it had not been for the Nine Continents Steps which happened to land them here, he presumed that he would never have stepped into this place throughout his entire life.

”Sister Qin, let's rest here for the night and continue our journey tomorrow!” Qing Shui smiled as he took in his surroundings.

”Mmh!” Qin Qing hummed softly in agreement.

It seemed to Qing Shui that the town was similar to Hundred Miles City, and even the streets that they walked along were alike.Where there were cities in the Main Continent, there would be crowds of people. There was no lack of humans within the Main Continent.

Moonlight City was next to Moonlight Mountain. It was a good environment; the air felt great, and even the arrangement was optimal according to Feng Shui. It was a pity that its location was so isolated and backward.

(T/N: Feng Shui literally translates as ”wind-water” and is an ancient Chinese practice of harnessing the natural forces of nature to promote prosperity, harmony, vitality and constructive changes in our lives.)

Qing Shui felt a stirring of emotions as he looked around; there would always be poor within the richest cities, and vice versa. There were many common folk in this world and in comparison to the other Continents, the Haohan Continent was exceptionally powerful. While it seemed a lot stronger, the level of strength would eventually level out if everyone—weak and strong—was taken into consideration.

Like a couple, the two of them walked side by side.

”Uncle! Why don't buy a flower for your wife?”

(T/N: Uncle, in this case, is used loosely and casually to address anyone significantly older than you.)

It was only when a young voice reached them that Qing Shui and Qin Qing discovered the young girl. They didn't know when she had started walking alongside them. She was about seven or eight years old and scrawny in physique, wearing ordinary clothes that were very clean. The most prominent feature on her face were those bright, big eyes that seemed to hold a kind of ignorance yet determination towards the world.

Qing Shui was a little taken aback as he thought of his own children. Compared to this little girl, they were lucky. While Qing Shui was stuck in his daze, Qin Qing flashed a smile and took a bright flower from the young girl. It was a love flower. This flower in the Main Continent held the same meaning as roses in his previous life.

Qing Shui lightly touched his nose, but the little girl had already bid them goodbye and left.

Watching the petite silhouette of the girl disappear, he was tempted to stop her and offer her a sum of money in order to lead a good life, but he knew he couldn't do so. This would bring harm to her instead.

Even if her life was hard, the little girl was filled with optimism. If he had given her money and the change to her way of life piqued another's interest, then it would only be detrimental for her. Besides, she had lived this way for so long now. If her reality was suddenly altered, then how would she survive without money in the future?

So Qing Shui didn't do anything in the end.

”Here, for you!”

Qing Shui turned around as Qin Qing offered him the bright love flower.

His lips were drawn into a line when he accepted it, and his face flushed with embarrassment. He felt a strange, indescribable feeling. With a chuckle, he said, ”Are you proposing to me?”

”Dream on!” Qin Qing walked ahead, laughing as she did.

Qing Shui followed behind her with the flower in hand. The people milling about even thought that he had just failed in his proposal to Qin Qing.

”Young man, don't give up! You'll succeed after a few more attempts!” A benevolent old man said to Qing Shui.

”Thank you, grandpa!” Qing Shui grinned with a wave towards the elderly man before chasing after Qin Qing.

Qing Shui was confused.The love flower represented exactly as its name suggested: love. Regardless of whether a man or woman gifted it, its meaning remained the same.

This was why Qing Shui was confused; he didn't know what Qin Qing had meant by this gesture. Although the flower was given to him by Qin Qing, he knew that she didn't mean it in that way, or at least not by its literal meaning.

They continued walking and looking around at the streets of hawkers, stalls and shops. Each place had its own unique characteristic. There was even a dedicated street for snacks.

Wherever he was, Qing Shui would make sure to taste the most well-known dish in the area. After all, the desire for food and sex was only part of human nature; hunger breeds discontentment and so eating was an important part of life and a great enjoyment.

Qin Qing had a small appetite but on the other hand, Qing Shui's appetite was huge. It's all about letting go of one’s hunger. Another advantage that martial artists had against the common folk was their ability to eat as much as they wanted. Once they had their fill, they could use their Origin Qi to digest the food, then continue eating again until they're all out of Origin Qi...

Of course, there weren't many who would do this unless the food was delicious enough to have such an effect on a person.

The town was lively and the hawkers were busy with their own stalls. Each one was like a point rotating in a circle; some rotated in a larger circle, and some in smaller circles. They all orbited in such a way, and they all returned to the starting line at some point.

Qing Shui wondered about the meaning to life. Some lived for revenge, others for love, and there were also those who lived to repay their debts...

”Sister Qin, why do humans want to live?” Qing Shui asked.