!
Ji Shiyu’s ahoge stood up like an antenna, clutching the bamboo tube and hiding to the side, glaring at the two small fries with all her might, her chopsticks moving like lightning.
It was as if if she ate too slowly, someone would snatch her food away, utterly lacking the elegance of a Yunhai Fairy.
The scholarly girl with glasses let out an exasperated laugh, and the slightly chubby maid also looked on with disdain.
“What kind of look is that? It’s not like I want to steal your food!”
“Hmph hmph? Hoo hoo… hahaha!”
Ji Shiyu let out a meaningless mumble, wolfing down her meal.
The two villainous lackeys had failed to pass the promotion selection this year and were still training at Sighing Peak, but back in the Royal Capital, the young ladies who grew up alongside the Princess were all daughters of noble families, proper ladies of high birth.
Nini and Lu’er shook their heads.
This loyal mountain-guarding Dahuang dog was at least a Royal Hound.
It seemed someone needed to teach the Tongfang Maid beside Her Highness some noble etiquette.
The old Ji Shiyu wasn’t like this at all—she was generous, cheerful, and loved helping others.
But ever since she got stripped naked in the newbie village and realized how hard it was to make a living, she became stingy about every coin and every bite.
After spending too long by her Sworn Father’s side, she’d been trained into a hamster.
Passing by the Shanhai Pavilion Branch, the Clear Mist Peak Senior Sister handled some simple affairs, confirmed the schedule, and headed for the Golden Crow Airport.
Spirit Boat routes were one of the most distinctive sights in the Eastern Province.
The Golden Crow Treasure Ships under the Zhusheng Dynasty connected the Four Borders’ capitals, each one costing a fortune to build, like blazing red crows patrolling the East.
From the east of the city came a surge of spiritual energy—the Yufeng Formation was slowly activating.
Qin Cha reminded them, “Time is tight. No point in dawdling. The Spirit Boat is about to depart. Let’s board immediately.”
Jing Tan’er sighed, glancing longingly towards the Sea of Clouds Peaks Forest, and gestured for the maids to move.
It seemed there wasn’t time to summon the County Guard this time either.
Better to return to the Wang Palace early and finish business so she could get back to preparing for pregnancy.
A white tower in the eastern city soared into the clouds, its wings at the top spread wide like giant wings for Spirit Boats to dock.
From time to time, fierce winds howled overhead.
As they neared Tinglin Ferry, what was once a small boat in the distance grew larger and larger, the majestic Treasure Ship looming before their eyes.
It was a massive crimson warship sailing the sky, with the Golden Crow Fiery Sun inlaid on its hull—the symbol of the Zhusheng Dynasty.
Air oars, like wings, formed an enormous wind-spirit formation to propel it, making it look like a fiery bird in flight.
Each voyage consumed massive amounts of spirit stones.
Ji Shiyu looked up, mouth agape, and her shallow opinions shifted a little.
Was the Eastern Province really just a rural-urban mishmash at the edge of the continent?
“Why are you all standing around like idiots?”
Jing Tan’er and the other three boarded the ship first in their cloud sedan.
Miss this flight, and the next one to the Eastern Capital wouldn’t depart for two more weeks.
Nini waved a crimson feather token, her expression proud.
The ship guards’ faces changed instantly as they knelt to welcome her.
The scene left Qin Xing and the others awkwardly following behind, skipping even the ticket check.
Well, if the Princess is here, who needs to pay for expensive tickets anyway?
The Treasure Ship’s deck was crowded with passengers, mostly ordinary merchants and travelers, but also quite a few hidden cultivators—a mix of dragons and snakes.
When several Yunhai Sword Cultivators boarded, all eyes were drawn to them.
Shenhua Sect disciples were a rare sight, especially a group of beautiful young girls.
Ji Shiyu stood on tiptoe, leaning over the railing to look down at the city below, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks flushed.
“Wow, a ship that can fly in the sky!”
“Quit making a fuss.”
Xiao Xinran pouted, leaning against the side as she tidied her ponytail.
Why did she act like a country bumpkin who’d never seen a Spirit Boat?
But then again, wasn’t Yellow Hair really a foreign exchange student from the Outer Realm?
Jing Tan’er yawned, unfazed.
She kept things simple for this trip.
Last time, she’d rented an entire Treasure Ship to fetch people from the Sea of Clouds, nearly scaring the fellow disciples to death.
“Do you like it, Shiyu?”
“I do!”
Ji Shiyu nodded honestly.
“Call me something nice, and this Princess will give you one!”
The little Princess crooked her finger, clearly appreciating the diligent working maid, though she felt a tinge of sympathy, too.
Who knew which mountain valley this foolish country girl had crawled out of, her whole body radiating malnutrition yellow?
“Really? Then I—ow!”
Ji Shiyu’s starry eyes lit up, but just as she was about to accept, she was pressed down by Aotian, who pecked her head until it swelled.
“Idiot! Don’t be bought off so easily! Are you trying to piss off your mama!?”
The Phoenix Hatchling nagged.
The mind of Jing Tan’er was clear to all!
Still, Ji Shiyu had never seen such worldly toys back home.
After all, she was born in the vast Huotian Xingyu, riding Dragon Colts with the stars for company.
If you rode something like this openly on Star Isle, you’d be a walking target, shot down by Nascent Soul cultivators in one strike!
The Liefeng Horn echoed loudly.
Soon, the Golden Crow set sail and began accelerating.
Mountains and rivers blurred past wildly, yet the passengers felt no turbulence.
The Spirit Boat’s journey was smooth and steady.
The trip was long—from south to north, they would spend five days on the Golden Crow before reaching Yudu.
Spirit Boats weren’t as fast as Yu Jian Flight, but they were comfortable and convenient, and the qi seas of three Foundation Establishment girls couldn’t sustain a long journey by sword anyway.
Five days wasn’t too long or too short—enough to cultivate quietly, and the Treasure Ship was like a moving sky city, with all facilities and plenty of entertainment for passengers.
Ji Shiyu wandered around, watching the Sea of Clouds Peaks Forest fade into the distance, shaking her head.
If it were the past, she would’ve been thrilled to go on a mission with the boss lady and little Xinran.
Now, her heart felt unsettled.
Her first assignment outside the mountain was this far from home.
Without the Lucky Boy by her side and no teacher, what would she do?
“Ah!”
Ji Shiyu slapped her forehead as inspiration struck.
She pulled out a pen, quickly sketched a portrait on medicinal parchment, mounted it, and carefully cradled it in her hands, beaming.
“Hu, as expected of me! Now I can feel at ease. Let him accompany Dad in another way!”
“Pfft!”
Qin Xing glanced back and burst out laughing.
The scroll featured a certain lazy, drowsy boy, handsome and delicate—but why did it look so much like a memorial portrait?
Aotian tilted its head, staring at the lifelike drawing in deep thought.
You had to admit, Shiyu’s art really captured the essence.
It was like copying a memory straight onto paper.
This was just like…
Xiao Xinran’s mouth twitched as she choked Ji Shiyu’s neck.
“Stop it, you idiot! Is this a funeral or a wake? He isn’t dead yet!”
“Eh? But I can’t sleep if he isn’t here!”
“Damn it, you still want to sleep hugging it? Hand it over!”
“No!”
The little yellowhead pouted, waving the portrait of her Sworn Father around and making the main wife furious.
She had just calmed down after making it to the Inner Sect, but the green tea drama queen took every chance to overstep her bounds!
The two troublemakers immediately revealed their true natures the moment they left the mountain, circling the boss lady and bickering endlessly, drawing curious glances from the nearby passengers.