In the northeastern province of the Jia Ma Empire, Wu Tan City is nestled near the Magical Beast Mountain Range, a no-fly zone for flying magical beasts. Thus, Yun Xian and Nalan Yanran had to land in nearby Te Lan City and travel by carriage overland to reach their destination.
"Ugh…" Nalan Yanran's face paled, her stomach churning as if caught in a stormy sea. "W-what's happening? I've never been carriage-sick before…"
"Haha, in the capital, you rode unicorn-drawn carriages. Those beasts channel Dou Qi to stabilize and cushion the ride, ensuring maximum comfort. Of course, you're not used to these ordinary carriages," Yun Xian teased, gently patting her back. He sat composed, utterly unaffected by the carriage's jolts and sways.
In his past life, he wasn't some pampered young master. To make ends meet, he'd worked as a delivery rider, bouncing along on a rickety electric scooter that left his backside bruised. This is nothing.
"I…" Nalan Yanran started to speak, but a wave of nausea forced her to clamp her mouth shut.
So miserable…
Damn Wu Tan City—what kind of backwater doesn't even have a flying beast relay station?
Her subconscious disdain for the Xiao family deepened.
"Sigh, what am I going to do with you?" Yun Xian said, pulling the queasy Nalan Yanran into his arms.
"Eh?!" She stiffened, enveloped in a warm embrace, the faint, pleasant scent of a man filling her senses. Little Uncle-Master…
Her cheeks flushed, and to her astonishment, her dizziness vanished, her mind clear and refreshed. What's happening? Is this… the power of love? Her heart raced.
In truth, Yun Xian had subtly employed his soul force, stabilizing the space around the carriage to keep it on a smooth, level path.
"Neigh!" The horse whinnied joyfully, oblivious to the spatial manipulation. All it knew was that today, it galloped faster than ever—the shining star of the herd!
As they neared Wu Tan City, more travelers appeared along the road.
"Whoa! What kind of magical beast mount is that? It's outrunning my unicorn!"
"If I'm not mistaken, that's just an ordinary… horse, right?"
"Hush! I've heard Dou Ling and above can condense Dou Qi into objects. That must be a Dou Qi-formed horse created by a master!"
"Indeed! Truly terrifying, the might of a Dou Ling!"
Passersby cast amazed glances at the unnaturally swift carriage.
Among them, a caravan led by a striking woman in a red dress fixed her gaze on the vehicle. She was Ya Fei, the head of the Miteer family's local branch.
"Master Gu Ni, what is that…?" she asked.
"Don't ask me—I've no idea," replied Gu Ni, a second-grade alchemist. He'd probed with his soul force but detected nothing unusual.
"Halt!" barked two Wu Tan City guards, blocking the eerie carriage. "Five gold coins to enter!"
No response came.
The guards exchanged a glance, then cautiously approached. "Please, don't take offense, sirs. We're just following orders…" One lifted the carriage curtain, only to find it empty.
What in the world?
Wu Tan City, a Market District Teahouse
"Yanran, have some hot tea to settle your nerves," Yun Xian said.
"Okay… wait, what?" Nalan Yanran blinked, looking around in confusion. When did we get off the carriage?
"Carriage sickness got you dazed?" Yun Xian sipped his tea, his tone casual.
In reality, before the carriage reached Wu Tan City, he'd used his soul force to tear open space, slipping them into the city unnoticed.
"Is that it…?" Nalan Yanran gave a sheepish smile, accepting the teacup he offered. She gulped it down, only to yelp as it scalded her tongue, puffing out air in a fluster.
"Heh, you're old enough to be engaged, yet still so reckless?" Yun Xian chuckled, amused.
"Ugh, Little Uncle-Master, you're teasing me!" Nalan Yanran shot him an indignant glare.
Regaining her composure, her impatience surfaced. "Little Uncle-Master, when are we heading to the Xiao family?"
"No rush. I've sent a formal visiting card to the Xiao family. We need to give them time to prepare," Yun Xian replied unhurriedly.
Unlike Nalan Yanran's ostentatious annulment in the original story, they hadn't announced their arrival. To avoid attention, they'd even traveled in an ordinary carriage, aiming to keep their visit discreet. A private discussion leaves room for negotiation. If this blows up publicly, both sides lose face.
"Alright, Yanran will follow Little Uncle-Master's lead," she said, her tone docile.
"If you really listened to me, you'd marry into the Xiao family—right now, this instant!" Yun Xian said, feigning earnestness.
"No way!" Nalan Yanran's brows shot up, her refusal adamant.
"Yanran, you'll regret this," Yun Xian sighed. Is this the power of plot destiny?
"Hmph! My marriage, my choice!" Nalan Yanran declared, her eyes blazing as she stared at him.
"What's with that glare? I'm the Hokage here!" Yun Xian quipped, then paused. Oops, wrong franchise.
Nalan Yanran blinked, then rolled her eyes. "Little Uncle-Master, you always say the weirdest things."
"Yanran, you need to think carefully," Yun Xian said, adopting a grave tone.
"Think about what?" She clutched her teacup, pensive.
"I'm just saying, you really need to think it through," he replied, his gaze deepening.
"I've thought it through!" Nalan Yanran shot back, exasperated. "I, Nalan Yanran, will marry a Dou Di someday!" She tossed him a defiant look, as if to say, Who can't boast?
Yun Xian fell silent for a moment, then said solemnly, "Yanran, today is the closest you'll ever get to marrying a Dou Di."
Here he goes again with his nonsense! Nalan Yanran couldn't help but laugh and cry. Shaking her head, she said firmly, "Someone I don't like? Even if they're a Dou Di, I wouldn't care!"
Their eyes locked, a spark seeming to flicker between them.
Crack!
Out of nowhere, Yun Xian flicked her forehead with a sharp tap.
"Ow?!" Nalan Yanran clutched her head, dazed. "Little Uncle-Master, why'd you hit me?"
"Who told you to be so cool?" Yun Xian said, his face stern but his lips betraying a grin. "You're stealing all the swagger!"