Chapter 69: Origin (IV)

The cold wind of the snowy plains howled.

Having traveled for half a day, Lin Fan remained silent, following behind Bai Yi, glancing from time to time at the little fox nestled at Bai Yi's feet.

"Brother Lin, are you still holding up?"

"It is fine."

Bai Yi raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, his tone carrying a hint of relief:

"Brother Lin, once we cross this mountain peak ahead, we will have reached the end of the snowy plains. If we continue for a few more miles, we will be able to step into the territory of Liangjing."

Lin Fan responded softly.

Yet, he sneered inwardly. For the past half month, they had been continuously traveling through this endless snowy plain, crossing countless mountain peaks.

"The territory of Liangjing? Heh… I can guarantee that behind this mountain, there will still be endless mountain ranges."

He sneered in his heart, but kept a polite smile on his lips.

However, just as they crossed this snowy peak, Lin Fan's footsteps came to a sudden halt, his eyes widening, his pupils contracting sharply.

Before him lay a vast oasis!

The tender green grass shimmered with a lustrous glow under the sunlight, as if it were a treasure bestowed by the heavens.

A clear stream meandered through the grass, and a few spirit deer were leisurely lowering their heads to drink.

Flowers were in full bloom, their fragrance filling the air, and as far as the eye could see, there was not a single trace of snow to be found.

"This…" A look of shock flashed in Lin Fan's eyes, and he murmured in disbelief.

He was too familiar with it; the shape of this mountain peak, the texture of the mountainside, and even the positions of several protruding boulders were exactly the same.

That's right, he had been to the place where they were standing now no less than ten times—on the other side of the mountain, there had to be an endless snowy plain!

But what was going on with this oasis before him?

Bai Yi chuckled, as if he hadn't noticed Lin Fan's strange behavior, and simply gently stroked the fur of the little fox in his arms.

"Brother Lin, we have arrived." He raised his hand to point at the silhouette of the city walls in the distance,

"There is still some time before the examination, so why not find an inn near the city to stay, review what you have learned, and wait for the assessment to arrive."

Lin Fan responded softly, but his heart was in turmoil.

He had been trapped in this snowy plain for over half a month, yet with Bai Yi, he had made it out in just half a day.

"Is that really how it is…"

He couldn't help but take a deep breath, looking at the oasis once more, his shock not diminishing in the slightest.

Could this world repair its own landscape? Or was the real landscape hidden?

If the snowy plains from before were just a product distorted by the memory world, then what did this oasis signify?

Was it the real Liangjing, or just another false illusion?

For a moment, Lin Fan's thoughts were in a whirlwind, impossible to fathom.

Bai Yi seemed to have sensed his doubts and smiled, patting him on the shoulder.

"Brother Lin, there is no need to be anxious. Since you have chosen to come to Liangjing, you need not think too much about the rest."

He looked directly at Lin Fan, a profound meaning seemingly in his eyes.

"As long as you demonstrate what you have learned and realized, leave the rest to fate."

Looking at Bai Yi's calm expression, Lin Fan's confusion and wariness deepened even further.

The scholar before him, who appeared so gentle as to be almost harmless, was the culprit who had pushed Bai Youyou into the abyss.

"Fate…" Lin Fan repeated the word in a low voice and nodded slightly, "I hope so."

The two continued on their way, passing through the imposing city gates, crossing the walls that towered into the clouds, and stepping into the bustling city.

On both sides of the street, various vendors were lively, calls and cries rose and fell, and the air was filled with the aroma of delicious food.

Bai Yi walked and stopped, his expression appearing somewhat hesitant, his fingers repeatedly rubbing the money pouch in his sleeve, as if weighing the decision of every step.

The bustling scene before him made him somewhat uneasy for a moment, his lingering gaze occasionally sweeping over the grand shops and pedestrians.

In the end, Bai Yi chose an inn that was dilapidated and as small as it could possibly be.

"Brother Lin, I think this inn is quite suitable, why don't we stay here?"

Bai Yi smiled gently and refinedly, but a trace of unease could not be hidden in his voice.

"This inn is indeed nice, but why not choose the more spacious one ahead?"

Bai Yi gave a dry laugh, looking somewhat embarrassed:

"Brother Lin, you may not know this, but I usually only carry silver coins with me, and I do not have many Spirit Stones."

"Advanced inns like that all settle payments with Spirit Stones. Sigh, as a student, I am destitute and truly cannot hope for such things."

Lin Fan nodded, his gaze sweeping over Bai Yi, a half-smile on his face:

"I never expected Liangjing to use Spirit Stones as its main currency. That is truly difficult for you, Brother Bai."

Bai Yi nodded slightly, a wry smile on his face:

"Brother Lin, you flatter me. Spirit Stones are divided into four types: Low Grade, High Grade, Supreme Grade, and Immortal Grade. Practitioners mostly use Spirit Stones for transactions, while ordinary people use gold and silver."

"A scholar like me can only rely on some copper coins to make ends meet, so naturally, I cannot compare to the wealth of those practitioners."

Speaking of this, Bai Yi took a string of copper coins from his sleeve and handed it to the innkeeper, his tone full of apology:

"Innkeeper, give us an ordinary room, anything will do, as long as it can keep out the wind and rain."

The innkeeper picked up the string of copper coins and weighed it, his brows slightly furrowed, seemingly somewhat dissatisfied.

"Young Master, this string of copper coins is not enough. Right now, there is an influx of examinees in Liangjing, and we only have two rooms left in our inn."

"The cheapest one is 10 taels of silver per night!"

Upon hearing this, the smile on Bai Yi's face froze for a moment, and he hurriedly explained:

"Innkeeper, look, this is all I have on hand, I truly cannot produce more silver. Could you please make an exception? I will definitely pay you back in the future."

The innkeeper, however, shook his head, his face full of disdain:

"Your copper coins aren't even enough for half the rent, yet you speak such nonsense."

"Do you think this is some corner on the street where you can just find a place to stay?"

"This is Liangjing; if you don't have money, don't stay at an inn."

Saying this, the innkeeper disdainfully threw Bai Yi's copper coins onto the ground.

Seeing this, the little fox bared its teeth and hissed, roaring at the innkeeper's disdain.

Bai Yi hurriedly stroked the little fox's forehead.

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid."

The innkeeper's gaze lingered on the little fox, his eyes lighting up, and a greedy smile curled at the corners of his mouth.

"Oh? A Snow Fox! Scholar, give it to me, and I will let you stay at this inn!"

A cold glint flashed in Lin Fan's eyes; Bai Youyou was his future perfect harem, and she was not someone he could touch.

He reached out, wanting to grab the innkeeper and give him a few hard slaps.

However, the world rules were like an invisible giant hand, suppressing Lin Fan, making him unable to move an inch.

Clearly, this was also a key memory of Bai Youyou, and he could not interfere no matter what.

"No, I will not give the little fox to you!" Bai Yi refused.

"Hand it over, and I will let you stay at this inn. You are getting a massive bargain."

Saying this, he reached out to grab the little fox.

Bai Yi hugged the little fox tightly and took a step back. "What are you doing?"

"Refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit." The innkeeper shouted, the smile on his face vanishing instantly, replaced by an insidious look.

"Someone come! Bring the clubs!"