A few minutes later, the little one moved her short legs at a brisk pace, walking quickly down the prosperous long street of Cangcheng.
Due to its developmental direction, the overall surface area of the Xianzhou Cangcheng was not particularly large, but its interior was extremely complex—a world within a world.
There were numerous Delves. What appeared to be a short street revealed itself to be open and vast once stepped into; pavilions and towers stretched out on both sides, and the flow of people was woven like fabric. It was likely hundreds of meters long.
And it didn't end there. Stepping out of one street led to the next Delve, which was equally bustling.
"How is it? Cangcheng is very prosperous, right!"
Whenever speaking of her hometown, Jingliu always felt a little sense of pride. Although the Luofu was the head of the Xianzhou Alliance that started the Epoch of Long Life, and the Yaoqing was the heavy hitter in terms of martial force, when it came to prosperity and economy, Cangcheng was still number one.
Wangshu's point of focus was rather unique. "Speaking of which, I've always had a question. Does your Cangcheng have a Guardian Spirit?"
The radiance on Jingliu's face froze.
Seeing this, Wangshu immediately seemed to realize something. He nodded and didn't probe further.
"Did you... not know about this kind of thing before?"
Little Jingliu turned around, facing Wangshu, and tilted her head slightly to look at him. Although the street was noisy, it hadn't reached the level where walking backward with hands behind one's back would cause a collision.
Wangshu fell silent for a moment. "Cangcheng is a sore subject for you, after all. I didn't want you to recall that past, so I rarely asked about these things."
Although he was purely curious—after all, the Seven Arbiter-Generals of the Reignbow had been clearly identified as the seven Emanators commanding the six Xianzhou ships.
Jingliu's footsteps slowly came to a halt. She pursed her lips, her eyelids drooping. After a moment, she silently turned back around, resuming her forward posture, no longer facing Wangshu.
"Actually, there's nothing to be shocked about. When the Reignbow Arbiter first descended with miracles, most people believed in The Mender. Our Cangcheng... has always been the most prosperous and kept up with the times."
"Not to mention that Cangcheng believes in valuing harmony. We engaged in deep cooperation with the IPC ages ago. The Amber Palace stands right in the center of Cangcheng. Look, that most magnificent building is it."
Jingliu stood on her tiptoes, pointing toward a palace complex in the distance that resembled a celestial wall. The glazed tiles there reflected the skylight, looking like a palace in the heavens.
Perhaps feeling that her future relationship with Wangshu was very intimate, she didn't continue to act aloof. Instead, she elongated her voice, feigning the opera tone of a storyteller:
"Leaning on rails, the immortal palace gleams afar; One step brings you to clouds within the delving jar. Gazing at The Mender's high wall, so steep; A celestial rampart where no common peaks creep~"
Children growing up in Cangcheng could more or less recite this poem. After all, who hadn't visited the Amber Palace when they were little... reciting this poem waived the entrance fee.
"In other words, after the Reignbow left their traces, the rest of the Xianzhou unified their direction and began to face outward, but Cangcheng was still valuing harmony, right?"
Wangshu roughly understood. "So your Cangcheng was quite cowardly back then."
Jingliu: "..."
Her small cheeks puffed up, but eventually, she admitted it like a deflated ball. "Y-You could say that."
Whether the Reignbow was a Xianzhou hero remained to be verified, but since everyone was willing to believe He was, then He was!
Almost everyone in the universe recognized the Aeon of The Hunt as a Xianzhou native. After all, the Xianzhou had only campaigned for a few hundred years after He left His traces before they possessed seven resident Emanators.
Seven of them!
One wondered if that group of people in Cangcheng who initially decided to avoid war and develop the economy regretted their decision back then when they witnessed the Reignbow's favor and the birth of the seven Emanators.
The next stretch of the journey was relatively quiet. When they could see the Realm-Keeping Commission from a distance, Jingliu suddenly remembered something.
"Do you know the normal reporting process for Outworlders, or special individuals like you?"
After all, she hadn't obtained her adulthood qualification certificate yet, so her understanding of this area was truly not deep.
Wangshu was silent for a while.
[Promising Future Chat Group]
Wangshu: "@Jingliu, Senior, Senior, urgent help! What was the reporting process for Outworlders in Cangcheng again?"
Jingliu: "This process has been in place for thousands of years; it has never changed. Have you been to the Xianzhou before?"
Wangshu: "No."
Jingliu: "Then... are you in a hurry now?"
Wangshu: "I'll probably need to use it in about ten minutes."
Wangshu estimated that after reporting the history stuff, which likely wouldn't be taken seriously, it would be time for his own matters. Ten minutes should be the maximum.
Jingliu: "...Wait for me for a few minutes."
He had asked about a blind spot in her knowledge. She hurriedly called out to Jing Yuan, who had walked far away and was staring into space.
"Is there anything else?"
Jing Yuan turned around, his tone flat. He didn't address her as Master. Times had changed, and people were no longer the same; some boundaries had long been clearly drawn, and they could never return to the past.
Jingliu's expression was conflicted. "If... I'm saying if, I have a friend."
Jing Yuan was silent for a moment, then nodded with a subtle expression. He understood. Hmm, let's just assume you have a friend, Master.
"That friend of mine has suddenly appeared on the Xianzhou. In a situation where he counts as an undocumented resident, where should he go to report first?"
Logically speaking, an old relic like her who had lived for nearly two thousand years should know more or less about this kind of thing.
Unfortunately, Jingliu had never paid attention to this aspect. If it were Baiheng, she would probably know; her warmheartedness had helped many outsiders.
Jing Yuan kept a straight face. "Realm-Keeping Commission, Floating Population Management Department. Every morning from 8 AM to 5 PM, there are specialized Recorders working there."
He hadn't expected this kind of question. Although a General shouldn't remember such trivial matters so clearly, Jing Yuan came from a family of the Realm-Keeping Commission, so it was truly engraved in his heart.
Is Master going crazy from idleness and coming over just to make conversation?
Jingliu muttered for a moment. "Suppose... he is not staying for a short time, but wants to live on the Xianzhou for a long time? Are there any prerequisites or matters to attend to?"
Jing Yuan: "..."
He rubbed the center of his brows and finally couldn't help asking, "Master, do you have a child left outside?"
Seeing how decisive and sharp her actions were before, even carrying a reckless madness, how come at this final juncture, she started worrying about such trivial matters of settling down?
Moreover, for something like immigrating to the Xianzhou, even if I tell you now, what use is it?
The current Jingliu was already a convicted criminal with absolutely no freedom to speak of. Even if everything she said was true, Jingliu likely wouldn't have any normal days left to live.
Older Jingliu was also choked by these words, barely maintaining her composure. "It was indeed a friend who asked me to ask."
Sigh. Jing Yuan sighed, feeling a bit mentally exhausted.
"Master just needs to tell me the name. I will worry about this kind of thing."
This could be considered the last time he would openly call Jingliu 'Master'. For the sake of their past acquaintance, he would help take care of that child.
"No, he... is not on the Luofu."
He is in Cangcheng, nearly two thousand years ago.
"..."
The corner of Jing Yuan's mouth twitched imperceptibly. You are not even... willing to place that child on the Luofu? Do you not trust me, or is there another hidden reason?
"Even if I told you now, how would you transmit the message?"
"I have my own ways."
Jingliu answered briefly and affirmatively.
Jing Yuan didn't know whether he should believe it, but in the vast ocean of stars, perhaps there really were some information transmission methods he didn't know about.
Maybe it was a blood connection...
"Does that child have an acquaintance on the Xianzhou to recommend him?"
"Yes."
...So Master, you considered it quite thoroughly, but missed a spot in your calculations and forgot the simplest reporting question, right?
"That makes it much simpler. I will try to explain it simply."
[Promising Future Chat Group]
Jingliu: "It's not hard. I'll try to explain it simply to you. If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask."
Wangshu: "Senior, you are so reliable!!!"
Asta: "Senior Jingliu is indeed very warmhearted."
Jingliu: "..."
Wangshu: "..."
Jingliu: "..."
Asta: "Hey, hey, hey!"
________________________________________
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