48 The Capitals Young Master (1/2)
The group was very humble when they all handed over one silver coin each to the guard at the front gate of the Inner City, and their hearts were beating rapidly as they entered.
The Inner City was different from the outer city. The roads were fenced, and while it was paved with stones in both outer and Inner City, they were much more leveled-out here. It was clear that someone had gone to great lengths to make the Inner City look much more upscale than the outer city. There, a road had been built for walking and getting from one point to another, yet here it had to suit the overall look of the landscape.
More Fierce Beasts were visible on the roads. Some were used as mounts, while others were walking side by side with satisfied cultivators. No children were running on the street randomly, but a few were walking holding their nanny's hand.
It was clear that everything in the Inner City was orderly. Guards were walking on patrol on the streets, observing everything that happened around them with a keen eye, and many of the guards kept an eye on Xue Wei and the group, as they were newcomers.
Xue Wei was aware that they could not loiter around, so he instead hurried to lead the rest of the group towards an inn he had spotted in the distance.
The inn was named the Black Hancock and seemed to serve as both a restaurant and an inn. It was an upscale place with a steady stream of people entering and exiting.
Outside were small tables, and some experts were seated while drinking wine; youngsters a few years younger than Xue Wei and the others were eating together while boasting about their cultivation base.
As he looked at them, Xue Wei's eyes narrowed. One of these youngsters was already at the ninth layer of the Ordinary Warrior rank.
To reach this stage at the age of fourteen or fifteen was simply outstanding. Had it been in Tiankong City, he would have been seen as the number one genius of the century, if not even a millennia.
Just as Xue Wei looked at this youngster, the youngster also looked at them, and his eyes rested on Luo Zhirou before they brightened.
”Big sister, why don't you come sit with us?” he called out, his voice not low at all, and everyone present heard what he said.
Many of the cultivators who were sitting at the same restaurant leaned back in their chairs with a smile on their faces. They all knew this young master and knew of his position within the capital. It would be interesting to see just how these country bumpkins would react.
Luo Zhirou's face paled, but she quickly regained her wits. She understood the significant difference between Tiankong City and the capital, but she was not willing to go to them.
”I am flattered, young master, but I must decline your invitation. I am in a hurry as you might see, and have no time to entertain a genius such as yourself.”
Her words were flowing like water in a stream, beautiful and clear, calm and collected, with no show of her real emotions. Xue Wei could not help but praise her.
”I asked you to come join me,” the young master frowned. ”Since I asked you to join me, you have no option. Now come here!”
Hearing this, Shen Mu took a step forward. ”I understand that you, young master, is a peerless genius and from a great background, but this does not mean you can snatch whomever you wish from the roads as you please.”
Shen Mu was frowning and considering what was for the better. What he was doing now was simply inviting danger to himself and his family, but his heart told him that if he did not stand up for Luo Zhirou right now, then he would lose something valuable.
Xue Wei said nothing, he just stood at the back, his eyes glistening slightly and showing that, although he had not stepped up, he had everything under control.
”Seems like the feelings are mutual,” he grinned to himself as he saw Shen Mu step forward, and a feeling of relief flooded him. ”I do not have many friends, but those two are true friends. Knowing that they can have a good life together makes me content.”
Having said that, he decided to just watch what would happen between the young boy and Shen Mu. It was not his place to save Luo Zhirou – that was a job for her knight in shining armor.
”You dare go against me?” the young man laughed. He was behaving with an arrogance that made Xue Wei's eye twitch, as it reminded him too much of Li Jian.
”I dare not go against you, but I have to protect the wishes of my companion,” he said steadily. Although Shen Mu knew that what he was doing could be considered wrong, he felt better and better the longer he stood in front of Luo Zhirou.
The young man snorted and shook his head. ”It is that girl's luck that I have taken a liking to her,” he said, and from his voice, he truly believed this.
”If she becomes my concubine, she will get many resources she could never get back in your backwater town. She will live a life of luxury. She will get a life everyone wishes to have. Not only this, her family will benefit greatly from having connections to the capital. And although I have many concubines, I treat all of them well.”
”Even though the young master is giving me such credit, I feel inadequate and unable to accept such grace. I wish not to change my life as it is now.”
Luo Zhirou was still incredibly polite, but she was also steadfast. She knew that no one had the position to tell him off other than herself, and she was already certain as to what she wanted.
Although she knew that what he said made the most sense, she could not lie to her heart, and in her heart, she wanted to marry Shen Mu.
”I see.” The young man said nothing after that, but he looked at Luo Zhirou as if he had seen a very silly person. To reject him was truly the most ridiculous choice she had made, in his opinion.
But this young master was an esteemed genius within the capital, and he knew that it would be beneath his status to snatch a woman off the street. If he did do that, then his reputation would be flawed forever, and thus he just snorted and shook his head before he returned to eating.