Proud Sword Soaring Clouds-Chapter 45 - 44: Disguise Herb

Having reached the foot of the mountain and escaped the biting cold wind, the lush forest before them and the white snow behind them seemed like two different worlds. Ling Xiao and Ye Wen Ni glanced back at the majestic Holy Mountain looming behind them.

From this vantage point, the summit was no longer visible. All they could see was the sea of clouds that perpetually swirled around the mountainside. Faintly, they could almost still hear the roars of the powerful Magical Beasts from high up on the Holy Mountain.

"Whew!" They both let out a long sigh. Ye Wen Ni remarked, "It really feels like a dream, Ling Xiao. Is there anyone else in this world besides you who can so accurately pinpoint the edges of those Magical Beasts’ territories? If any Adventurer’s Guilds or Mercenary Corps found out about this skill of yours, they’d probably go crazy, right?"

She then looked at Ling Xiao with a grin. "I wonder if that adventurer team that abandoned you before would regret it to death if they knew what you could do."

Ling Xiao’s lips curved into a faint smile. To be honest, this trip to the Holy Mountain had been perfect. It would have been even more so if he hadn’t been injured. But considering his own strength, he was more than satisfied with the results.

Ye Wen Ni thought to herself, ’If I hadn’t pushed him out of the adventurer team back then, how could I have gained so much now?’ A Tier Six Great Sword Master! Ye Wen Ni felt power coursing through her entire body. She had the urge to find a Magical Beast or some clueless Adventurer to test it on.

Before, Ye Wen Ni was just a Tier Three Sword Master with no decent sword techniques, basically a character who was always getting bullied. Although she could use her thief skills to teach those people a lesson, nothing was as satisfying as possessing true power!

A Tier Six Great Sword Master seemed quite powerful, but in reality, there were countless Magical Beasts in this vast forest that could annihilate her with a single swipe of a claw. That was why Ling Xiao gave her no chance to show off, continuing to lead her along the edges of the Magical Beasts’ territories, carefully avoiding them.

This finally convinced Ye Wen Ni that Ling Xiao truly possessed this miraculous ability!

"In a few more days, we’ll be able to see the outside sun again!" Ye Wen Ni’s eyes curved into crescents as she casually plucked an unknown wildflower. She said wistfully, "I feel like I’m about to become a savage of the forest."

The corner of Ling Xiao’s mouth twitched up. He chuckled, "You’re just eager to go out and show off your strength, aren’t you?"

"You..." Often left speechless by Ling Xiao’s teasing, Ye Wen Ni pouted slightly, her eyes darting around before she grinned. "My strength is greater than yours right now! If you annoy me, be careful or big sister will spank you..." Before she could finish, she couldn’t help but burst out laughing proudly. Seeing the dark expression on Ling Xiao’s face, Ye Wen Ni was secretly delighted. ’I finally got to put you in your place for once. Serves you right for always provoking people with your words.’

Compared to the silver world above, this place was indeed another world entirely. The forest air was fresh and damp, and sunlight dappled through the dense canopy. Occasionally, Ye Wen Ni would spot a beautiful, colorful butterfly and joyfully chase after it, looking utterly happy and full of childlike glee.

Ling Xiao watched Ye Wen Ni with a faint smile, feeling that this was how a young girl should be. He forgot that he himself was also just a teenager.

"Ling Xiao, where do you think we should go after we get out?" Ye Wen Ni released the beautiful, palm-sized butterfly in her hand. The butterfly fled in a panic, flapping its wings, which earned another peal of giggles from the girl. She had never been this happy before, and it wasn’t because of her strength.

"Back to the Imperial Capital," Ling Xiao answered succinctly, his eyes scanning the surroundings for useful herbs. He continuously picked them and placed them into his Space Ring.

"Ah..." Ye Wen Ni let out a soft gasp, a sense of disappointment washing over her. She should have known Ling Xiao wasn’t from some small town, but she hadn’t expected him to actually be from the Imperial Capital.

"What, you don’t want to go with me?" Ling Xiao glanced at Ye Wen Ni’s strange expression. If she didn’t want to follow him, he wouldn’t force her. After all, everyone needed their freedom.

"Of course not," Ye Wen Ni said hastily. She then sighed softly and stopped walking. Her beautiful eyes stared intently at Ling Xiao. "I’ll go back with you, but you’re not allowed to bully me!"

A happy smile appeared on Ling Xiao’s face. Returning to the Imperial Capital didn’t mean he was going home or to an academy. It was because the Imperial Capital had the largest auction house in the entire Lanyue Empire!

Ling Xiao had no intention of keeping the two Tier Five Magical Beasts he had. Even without their Crystal Cores, the two beasts were definitely worth a fortune. Moreover, strange and rare items often appeared at the auction house. Ling Xiao planned to try his luck. The people of this world might not recognize the Heart of the Earth Dragon and Stone Bamboo Grass, but that didn’t mean no one had ever obtained them!

This was especially true for the Heart of the Earth Dragon. Besides being used to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill, it was also a top-grade medicinal ingredient. Anyone who truly understood its properties would have no reason to let it go. It was also common for people to put items of unknown use up for auction, looking for a knowledgeable buyer.

Ye Wen Ni had always suspected her adoptive father was from the Imperial Capital, but she couldn’t tell Ling Xiao something so baseless. She decided to keep it to herself. At worst, she could just disguise herself. In any case, she couldn’t let her adoptive father see her anytime soon. If he discovered her sudden surge in strength, he would definitely become suspicious.

Although the major clans also possessed Elixirs that could rapidly increase one’s strength, they were definitely not something Ye Wen Ni could ever have access to. If her adoptive father thought she had stolen a Top-Grade Elixir and didn’t hand it over, he would certainly cause trouble for her, and even the other children would be in danger.

’That vicious man, that hypocritical man... One day, I will break free from your control!’ Ye Wen Ni swore silently in her heart.

"The Imperial Capital must be very prosperous, right? I’ve never been there before!" Ye Wen Ni cast aside her unhappy thoughts and cheerfully pestered Ling Xiao to tell her about the Imperial Capital.

Suddenly, the sound of a fight came from the distance. Ling Xiao and Ye Wen Ni exchanged a look.

"Should we go check it out?" Ye Wen Ni asked, looking at Ling Xiao with some excitement.

Ling Xiao shrugged helplessly. ’This girl is like a child with a new toy, always wanting to show it off,’ he thought. He nodded and said, "Alright. It might be other Adventurers."

As Ling Xiao spoke, he still felt a bit uneasy. He took an inconspicuous small plant from his Space Ring and rubbed it vigorously between his hands a few times. An almost transparent liquid appeared between his palms. Then he said to Ye Wen Ni, "Come here."

Ye Wen Ni turned her head, and Ling Xiao applied the liquid from his hands to her smooth, delicate face, from her forehead and between her brows all the way down to her jade-like neck.

When Ling Xiao’s hand touched her fair, smooth neck, a strange feeling filled Ye Wen Ni’s heart. The base of her ears turned red as she chided softly, "What are you doing?"

"Disguise," Ling Xiao said, applying the liquid to his own face. Ye Wen Ni was amazed to see Ling Xiao’s face rapidly change. He took on the appearance of a man in his late twenties, with sallow skin as if from malnutrition, and his eyes became somewhat dull.

Ye Wen Ni suddenly felt an itch in her throat, and then she noticed her voice had become a bit rougher. Seeing the changes in Ling Xiao and thinking about herself, she was struck with a sudden panic and asked, "Wh-what is this stuff? Have I become ugly too? How do I change back?"

Ling Xiao pursed his lips slightly. ’Women really are creatures who care most about their appearance,’ he thought. He said nonchalantly, "When you want to change back, you just need to apply another herb. Or it will wear off on its own after half a month. Won’t changing your appearance save you a lot of trouble?"

"Mmm... that’s true." Ye Wen Ni nodded in agreement, automatically ignoring Ling Xiao’s mention of it wearing off in half a month. Now that she was going to the Imperial Capital, she would rather cover her face than make herself ugly. The whole reason she used to disguise herself as a grubby boy was because her face was just too stunningly beautiful. It was not a good thing for a thief to have such a memorable face.

Ling Xiao chuckled inwardly. There was indeed another herb that could quickly restore one’s original appearance. Unfortunately, he hadn’t found it yet.