Chapter 28

Fu Yilan ran for an entire day before stopping in a small grove. Ripping the arrow from her arm, she swallowed a restoration pill, and watched her skin slowly knit together, closing the wound. It wasn’t enough to perfectly heal the damaged muscle underneath, but she was optimistic that her body could handle that on its own, her being a cultivator. She made sure neither any blood nor the remains of the arrow were left behind, lest they be used to track her down.

Undressing, she let her sect robes slide off her, instead putting on the dress she had packed. It felt good, smooth cloth hugging her figure. It had been a while since she’d worn it, and it took some getting used to, having its length swish around her legs. Still, it offered her enough movability to keep up her pace. Everything was neatly repackaged until she felt safe enough to rid herself of her sect robes.

Fu Yilan slept in nature, away from people. She felt like staying at inns would let her pursuers, and there would surely be some, catch up more quickly. She only slowed down and stopped for small meals that were in her bag, or to replenish the qi her fast pace was eating through. Still, the weight that had been lifted off her shoulders seemed to let her travel just that little bit quicker.

A week of travel and she finally let herself stop at an inn. Her food had run out, and she wanted to sleep in a bed, desperately. The shop owner bowed deep when she entered, seeing am otherworldly beautiful woman that seemed unbothered and not as touched by the dirt and grime of the roads as lone travelers usually were. The blade slung around her hips was the final indicator that confirmed her status as a cultivator.

Fu Yilan sank into the clean sheets of his largest room and was asleep within moments. She dreamt of men using her body, forcibly, while she sucked out seed and energy. When she awoke, the beetle inside her was buzzing gently. Calling up the restaurant owner, she let him fuck her as payment. The possibility of draining his yang energy was tantalizingly close, but he was a mortal man who had only shown respect. And drawing even a single drop from him would exhaust him greatly.

So, she just let him hump his hips into her, a dog in heat following its instincts. Fu Yilan did let her asshole move around her anal beads again, and the combined stimulation was enough to sate her desire, at least for the time being. She didn’t care when the innkeeper shot his load into her pussy that was wringing him dry mercilessly with movements mortal women couldn’t even imagine replicating. As though a demon had gripped his dick, every single drop was extracted. He didn’t mind though, captivated by the flawless face smiling at him, a glint of danger shining through that he either didn’t notice or didn’t care about. When he stumbled out of her room, retying his robes, she had the odd sense that something had been missing.

Fu Yilan tied her hair back when she stepped out onto the road. Men and some women as well were looking at her, some subtly, many less so. She wondered if she would need to cover up again. Fu Yilan decided against it. She was nearing the edge of the Shifting Grass sect’s territory. Finally, the Thousand Sheared-Off Mountains came into sight.

She stood for a moment when she crested a rise and saw them in their entirety. Growing into the sky, it truly seemed like a god had reached down and sliced through them, cutting off the tips. Each mountain had a plateau on it, varying in height. Some were lower, stretching for hundreds of kilometers. Others were higher up and smaller. Still, not a single mountain peak had survived whatever event or natural phenomenon had caused this. Of course, these had only been stories that Fu Yilan had struggled to believe. Yet now she had finally come far enough to see them with her own eyes.

It felt good seeing the corners of the beast’s territory that had trapped her in its cave. Running with the goal in sight, even if it was still far off, gave energy and motivation. The last city before the mountains was slowly coming into sight as well, a bustling and densely packed mix of merchants and workers. Fu Yilan had never seen a city that big before, pagodas in red and black reaching for the sky, trying to rival the mountains in the background. Around those buildings, densely packed and barely organized shops and houses degrading to huts stood, getting more and more shabby the further downstream they were. Enormous boats were moored on both sides of the river. Even from the distance, they were at a scale that boggled the mind. How could a construction that large float? Fu Yilan got only more eager to arrive and find a way across. Then, she could finally feel like she had successfully escaped.

The city only grew in size during the day that it took her to reach the long line of shuffling people making their way inside. Farmers with carts, merchants with wagons, travelers with lighter packs. All wished to enter Greenverge City. They steadily made their way forward, and Fu Yilan decided to blend in by following them. Usually, there was a separate gate for cultivators, and disciples of the Shifting Grass sect didn’t need to wait at all. The city was split by a large river, the Tsutang, dividing it in the middle. On the Shifting Grass side, flags with green grassy spikes rising up were proudly displayed, while those of the Thousand Sheared-Off Mountains controlling Golden Fang Sect ruling the other side of the city held two golden curved spikes resembling fangs attacking downwards. There was a clear rivalry between both sides.

Due to this city being ruled by both sects while being important for trade, there would be quite a few disciples of both sects there. Fu Yilan doubted that they could have gotten the message of her escape that quickly, but she still wouldn’t risk wearing her sect garments. Trying to find a way around the city didn’t feel smart either. With it being the main trade hub of the area, she was unsure how long it would take to find someone else willing to ferry her over. And spending more time in her former sect’s territory was not something she wanted to risk.

Glances were being thrown her way due to her beautiful face and figure, so she stopped at the first higher-quality clothing store she found and purchased a face veil and matching umbrella for herself that should help. Stepping back out on the street, she was giddy with excitement. She truly felt like a wandering cultivator now, something the little Fu Yilan could have only dreamt of. She tried making her way to the shore but turned into a side alley when she spotted her sect’s robes, three disciples at the sixth stage coming towards her. She was perplexed. Did they send second-stage disciples out on patrols here? Or was the level in her branch of the sect just that low that they weren’t anything special here? Either way, she didn’t want to risk running into them. What that meant was taking roads that were less frequented and had several unsavory individuals hiding out within.

“Hey babe, you need help with anything? This brother will help you find all that you need, even if that something would only be some of my plentiful yang energy.” He grinned and Fu Yilan was tempted to cut him down, but hesitated. She was alone in a city filled with enemies. This man posed no threat to her, being a regular mortal. Yet he probably knew the city far better than she did. She decided to give it a try.

“I wish to reach the other side of the river. Do you know anyone who can take me across?” The man seemed surprised that he hadn’t been shut down immediately. But when Fu Yilan held eye contact, mesmerizing gaze boring into him, he swallowed and bowed.

“Yes, right this way, honored cultivator. I know someone who can take you, for the right price of course.” She inclined her head, not denying that she was indeed a cultivator and not just a spoiled and rich young lady who had come off the main road.

She followed the man, elegantly walking through the dirty and narrow alleyways of Greenverge City. She could see the pagodas towering above her, red lanterns sparkling like stars in the evening sky. It was getting dark, but her guide didn’t seem to mind, so neither did she.

Fu Yilan had to admit that she was a bit nervous. She hadn’t ever been in a foreign city like this before, especially not one this size. She had lived as a beggar, but the scope of it all was far beyond anything she had seen so far. She had to admit though that mortals didn’t particularly scare her any longer. Fu Yilan was a cultivator at the fifth stage with a body that could easily crush that of any man that dared lay even a finger on her. Her high heels clacked on the dirty cobblestone as they walked underneath elegant bridges and walkways, bustling nightlife overhead. All anyone would see looking down though was a dirty man in his early thirties, wearing rags, followed by the top of an elegant paper umbrella of black and green with golden petals along the edges.

Fu Yilan completely lost her sense of direction down there. They had been walking for an hour before her guide slipped into a door beneath an incredibly tall pagoda, beckoning for her to follow. Fu Yilan was unsure what to do. It didn’t feel necessary to go inside to find someone who could take her over. But her guide came back out to talk to her before she could decide whether to return to the main roads.

“Regular fishermen aren’t allowed to cross. The relationship of the Shifting Grass Sect and the Golden Fang Sect is a lot worse currently than it might seem, both sides wanting full control of Greenverge City, rumors say. If you truly are a cultivator, they will keep an eye out for you and pull you in for questioning, at least. Luckily, I know a guy that knows a guy that can help with that, not to worry!” He stepped back into the building. Fu Yilan was weighing her options in her mind. She had no way of confirming his words at the moment, but if what he said was true and they truly did catch her and take her aside for questioning, they probably wouldn’t just let her go. Her experiences with cultivators hadn’t painted them as the most forthcoming people. At the same time, she didn’t want to waste too much time here. After all, she was on the run.

Fu Yilan followed him inside. Two guards stood to each side, letting her pass. It was eerily silent, the only sounds her guide’s footsteps and her high heels. Maybe she should consider a different choice of shoe. She had closed her umbrella, carrying it loosely by her side. Walking up a guarded flight of stairs, this time by cultivators, murmurs started flowing towards them. Several women were chatting away, getting dressed, putting on revealing outfits. Some seemed to be content with their situation, doing a job, while others had resignation in their eyes. Everyone seemed to have problems of their own, and she was in no position to help them at this time. They kept going, always up. Through thin, woven partings, she could hear guests play with women, happily chatting, enjoying their evening. Walking further, a kitchen’s clatter could be heard. Small, probably hidden doors led to different parts of the enormous establishment. A small window let her glance at the dining hall, several stories being opened in the middle. A moment later, they had moved on. They passed small rooms that had people enjoying each other’s bodies, moans leaking into the hidden walkway.

Fu Yilan could hear her guide’s heavy breath, the stairs being a challenge as they kept ascending. Their passageway stopped behind a hidden door and they went through, exiting into a lavishly furnished hallway. Small, circular windows let Fu Yilan take in the view; a magnificent sea of twinkling lights split by the smooth blackness of the Tsutang. It was magical, and she couldn’t help but stare. Meanwhile, her guide was talking in hushed tones to a servant with a board. Somehow, she couldn’t overhear their words. Still, she had come so far already. Turning around because of something as minor as that seemed like an overreaction.

She gasped when she was let into the office after waiting for half an hour. Not because of the elegant shelves or the soft carpets, but because of the view. Doors had been pulled open to make the entire back wall reveal the city while somehow none of the wind came in, mixing up the stacks of papers on the heavy, wooden desk. A heartbeat later, her eyes snapped over to the man sitting behind said desk. A beautiful woman was sitting on his lap, looking small in comparison. He definitely enjoyed eating, yet his body’s fat couldn’t fully hide the trained muscle underneath. Silk and brocade draped over his body, sitting loosely, easily taken off. Fu Yilan stood in front of him like prey hoping it wasn’t tasty enough. He was in the ninth realm. When his eyes roamed her body, her hope dwindled. She always was.