Chapter 97

He Zhizhou and Ye Zongheng were taken away.

The official in charge of punishment showed no intention of leniency. Ning Ning could do nothing to help, so she could only light a candle for her fellow villagers in her heart.

Welcoming the two of them must have been the loving education of the elders of the sects, followed by a banquet laid out for all members of the sect, young and old alike.

The two movie emperors, who often staged accidents for compensation, were now eating prison food in the judicial office. As for He Zhizhou’s fellow disciples, who treated him like a brother, they completely let loose, wandering around the markets of Luan City.

Luan City was a well-known commercial hub far and wide, located at the intersection of six major roads, making it extremely convenient for land transportation.

Plus, the Cangjiang River wrapped around it like a winding dragon, making water transport smooth and unimpeded. It can be said that the main roads are narrow and treacherous, but the luxury carriages carved with BMW logos fill the roads with fragrance.

Row upon row of shops lined up next to each other, with embroidered curtains on the streets, and restaurants, teahouses, shady streets, and flower-filled alleys scattered all over, like stars strewn across the sky. Bright lanes led to dark alleys, and the roads were densely packed like spider webs.

Pedestrians of all walks of life gathered, including the well-dressed young masters, the ragged blind beggars, and the noisy shopkeepers. It was bustling with activity.

The city lord’s mansion, located in the center, was the tallest building in sight, with high walls concealing towering buildings and painted rafters flying like wings, as if ready to soar into the sky.

At the top of the mansion stood a phoenix with jade eyes, which rotated slowly in the sunlight, emitting a continuous, dazzling light.

Apart from the period dramas she had watched before, Ning Ning had never seen such a scene. Her black eyes rolled around, filled with undisguised curiosity and excitement.

Although she didn’t want to admit it, she was indeed not much different from Grandma Liu when she first entered the Grand View Garden.

(T/N:”Grandma Liu enters the Grand View Garden” is a metaphor for a person who has never seen the world come to a strange and novel world of flowers and gardens. It can be used to ridicule those who are shortsighted and ignorant, or it can be used to be self-effacing or self-deprecating.)

But what did that matter! Happiness was the most important thing!

The trip to the tower finally allowed the children to earn some pocket money.

Although the money and goods were divided among them, each person didn’t get much in the end.

But for Ning Ning, who had always been frugal and constantly teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, it was already a considerable asset.

She was in an exceptionally good mood today, and even the noisy shouts around her seemed very cute. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the streets, she, after all, was still a little girl, and she spotted a jewelry store with a glance.

The shops in Luan City were completely different from the crude stalls set up by Zheng Weiqi at the mountain gate. Not only were they beautifully designed and exquisitely crafted, but the materials used were also extraordinary, mainly jade, pearls, and gold and silver, which were visibly expensive.

As soon as she entered the shop, she felt the fragrance of sandalwood floating around, with colorful lights overflowing.

Ning Ning was nearly blinded by the dazzling display.

The shopkeeper was a graceful young woman who warmly greeted them: “Are you all cultivators here to participate in the Ten Methods Assembly? Judging by your demeanor, you must be disciples of a prestigious sect. Feel free to choose whatever you like.”

Ning Ning politely responded and began to inspect the items in the store.

There were golden hairpins with jade ornaments, pearls embedded in emerald feathers, and glass ornaments swayed with colors like ice, untainted by dust, melting like snow under the sunlight, emitting a shimmering watercolor.

Among them, what caught the little girl’s attention at a glance was a delicate and exquisite jade pendant.

Ordinary pendants were often crafted in the shape of Buddhas, dragons, or phoenixes, but this one took a different approach, carved into a crescent moon.

The white jade was as cold as winter snow and as soft as morning frost. At first glance, it truly resembled a small moon hanging in the sky.

But looking at the price, it could empty her little coffer.

Ning Ning felt a pang in her heart. Suddenly, she heard the shopkeeper laugh, “Young man has a good eye. This night pearl is from the Eastern Sea and of exceptional quality. Whether for blessings or decoration, it will be greatly beneficial.”

She looked over and saw Lin Xun standing in front of a round and smooth night pearl. After being named by the shopkeeper, he blushed immediately, and in his haste to decline, he stuttered, “N-no need! I-I…”

He didn’t have that much money.

The more the little white dragon spoke, the redder his face became, and the last few words melted completely in his throat, turning into a vague exhalation and sob.

He was too embarrassed to finish his sentence, so he ended up clutching his clothes tightly, lowering his head, and staring intently at his own ankle.

At this moment, Ning Ning finally realized, albeit belatedly, that dragons seemed to be quite fond of shiny treasures. For Lin Xun, this round and bright Night Pearl was probably equivalent to catnip in a cat’s eyes, possessing an irresistible allure.

Moreover, this pearl was from the sea, which added a sense of homesickness for him.

It’s worth noting that although Lin Xun had social anxiety, he was unexpectedly stubborn in many matters.

The most typical example was that the Xuanxu Sword Sect did not allow disciples to rely on family wealth to make a living.

Lin Xun refused all financial assistance from his family, going from a prodigal son who spent money like water to someone who scavenged for scraps under the moonlight.

Ning Ning had been to his room before. It was typical of him—simple and plain. Not only were there no shiny decorations, but even the candles were down to their last stub, with no telling when there would be a need to eke out some light from them.

It was said that his father couldn’t bear to see him like that,so he brought a huge pile of watermelons in a very down-to-earth manner, only for Lin Xun to distribute them to his senior brothers and sisters.

He hadn’t participated in the tower expedition that day, and now he was penniless. Even if he liked it very much, he didn’t have the ability to buy the Night Pearl.

Zheng Weiqi and Meng Jue were at the other end of the shop and did not hear this conversation. As the senior sister who was good at promoting products, she had long lost interest in jewelry decorations. Seeing that no one was fixated on the items, she casually exclaimed, “Didn’t you find anything good? Shall we go to the next shop?”

Lin Xun blushed and nodded eagerly, like a chick pecking at grain.

So the group started to leave the shop, but Ning Ning suddenly stopped at the threshold and turned back.

She took one last look at the white and shiny little moon, then touched the storage pouch in her arms.

Then she lowered her voice and asked the shopkeeper, “Sister, how much is that Night Pearl?”