Chapter 162: The Seventh Princess

The journey passed in silence.

Three days later, Zhang Xingyu saw a towering, majestic city.

They had arrived at Aolai City, the capital of the Aolai Kingdom.

After paying the tax and entering the city, they followed the bustling crowd forward.

Zhang Kaixin loved excitement and kept clamoring to get out of the carriage and walk around.

Walking, looking, and buying as they went.

After walking for an hour, the three of them arrived outside an inn.

This inn was named "Xiankelai," and its facade looked quite high-end.

Just as the three were about to enter, a burst of rapid hoofbeats came from behind them.

Immediately following, the sound of a bronze gong rang out, and someone shouted: "The Seventh Princess is returning to the city, everyone make way! The Seventh Princess is returning to the city, everyone make way!"

Zhang Xingyu was astonished.

How could there be such a thing as a bronze gong in the Xianxia World?

He turned his head to look and saw a team of people galloping from the end of the street. Leading the charge were eight knights in golden armor. They were shouting while waving whips to drive the crowd ahead of them.

Behind the knights, four dragon-horses pulled an exquisite and magnificent carriage. The carriage was wrapped in gorgeous silk on all four sides, and the golden roof was inlaid with sparkling gemstones.

Following behind the carriage was a group of sturdy guards, carrying spears and halberds, looking majestic.

The carriage flew past, leaving a trail of wailing and crying in its wake.

Zhang Xingyu brushed the dust off his body and pulled Zhang Kaixin into the inn.

The inn waiter enthusiastically opened two "Heaven" grade rooms for the two of them and led them to the backyard.

Finally, they didn't have to sit in the carriage anymore.

Zhang Xingyu sprawled out on the bed in a "big" shape, and that sleep was incredibly refreshing.

When he woke up, the sky was already bright.

He decided to go wake Zhang Kaixin up.

The moment he pushed open the door, a beautiful face, tear-stained like pear blossoms in the rain, appeared before his eyes.

Meng Ruyan?

He didn't expect to see Meng Ruyan here again.

Meng Ruyan's eyes were red and swollen, and her expression was dejected; she had clearly had a good cry.

"Fairy Meng, what a coincidence?"

Meng Ruyan was stunned for a moment.

Meeting Zhang Xingyu again, she was clearly also very surprised.

"Fairy Meng, are you here on business or just passing through?"

Meng Ruyan did not answer.

"Fairy Meng, how many days do you plan to stay here?"

Meng Ruyan remained silent.

"Fairy Meng, are you going out? How about we travel together?"

Meng Ruyan didn't speak; she turned around and slammed the door shut with a *bang*.

This girl, was it necessary to be like this?

That guy surnamed Chen isn't worthy of you at all; I helped you dump him, you should be thanking me!

Zhang Xingyu muttered to himself while going to call Zhang Kaixin.

The two left the inn's main entrance and strolled north along the main street.

According to the inn waiter, the decennial Treasure Appraisal Fair was being held during these few days.

The Treasure Appraisal Fair, also known as the Treasure Battle Fair, was hosted by the Aolai Kingdom's Heaven Patrol Pavilion and would last for nine days.

The first three days were for treasure appraisal, during which all the major immortal sects of the Aolai Kingdom would provide immortal treasures for cultivators to view.

The fourth to sixth days were for treasure battles, where major immortal sects would send young disciples below the Golden Core stage to compete with their treasures to demonstrate their power.

The last three days were for auctions, where every immortal treasure displayed during the fair would be sold at the auction.

Along the way, they encountered quite a few cultivators.

Zhang Xingyu was very surprised; shouldn't cultivators be high and mighty? Shouldn't cultivators be drinking dew and eating wind?

However, the cultivators in front of them were not much different from ordinary people.

Browsing street stalls, buying things, haggling.

Unknowingly, the two arrived near the Altar of Heaven.

The Altar of Heaven was the headquarters of the Heaven Patrol Pavilion.

The members of the Heaven Patrol Pavilion were dispatched by major immortal sects, and their task was to patrol on behalf of Heaven and manage the cultivation affairs of the Aolai Kingdom in place of the King.

Here, mortals were no longer to be seen; everyone coming and going was a cultivator.

The two arrived at the Altar of Heaven and followed others to the Treasure Offering Hall where treasures were displayed.

At the entrance of the Treasure Offering Hall, a row of guards was strictly checking the cultivators entering to view the treasures.

These guards were likely all experts above the Golden Core stage.

The pressure on them was astonishing, yet they wore no flying swords or magic treasures.

In the Cultivation Realm, usually only cultivators above the Golden Core stage could send their flying swords and magic treasures into their acupoints for nourishment.

Cultivators entering the hall needed to present their identification.

Zhang Xingyu was hesitating whether to leave.

Just then, several knights escorting a luxurious carriage stopped at the entrance of the Treasure Offering Hall.

A young girl in red jumped down from the carriage.

The girl was about twelve or thirteen years old, with a phoenix hairpin in her hair, draped in a rosy cape, and holding a snow ferret in her arms.

Seeing the girl arrive, the crowd automatically cleared a path.

The girl held her head high, a faint smile on her lips, and walked into the main gate on her own.

"Brother, who is this girl? Such a big display," Zhang Xingyu asked a man in front of him.

The man in front looked at Zhang Xingyu as if he were an alien.

"The Seventh Princess, you actually don't know the Seventh Princess?"

"Well, I'm from out of town," Zhang Xingyu explained.

He rubbed his nose and asked again, "Brother, is this Seventh Princess very famous?"

"Famous, of course she's famous. The Seventh Princess is the youngest daughter of our Aolai Kingdom's King, deeply loved by the King and Queen. The King once issued a decree saying that he would give the kingdom's wealthiest Jinshi County as the Seventh Princess's dowry," the man said.

"A county as a dowry, that's a big deal in the mortal world. But we are all people who cultivate immortality; no matter how much mortal wealth there is, it's not of much use to us, right?" Zhang Xingyu said.

"Wrong, wrong, wrong! For those who cultivate the truth, it's about wealth, companions, law, and land. Do you know why that county is called Jinshi County? Because there is a Jinshi Mountain in the county, and there is a medium-sized spirit mine on the mountain, which can produce one million medium-grade gold spirit stones every year. Whoever marries into the Princess's mansion wouldn't that mean they have endless spirit stones?" the man explained.

"So she's a rich woman! Who is this Seventh Princess betrothed to?" Zhang Xingyu asked.

The man glanced at Zhang Xingyu: "Don't you go thinking about the Seventh Princess. I heard the King has already sent invitations to the ten major immortal sects, wanting to use this Treasure Appraisal Fair to choose a good match for the Seventh Princess. In a few days, she'll be spoken for. It's a pity I'm not a disciple of the ten major immortal sects."

Zhang Xingyu smiled.

He didn't lack spirit stones, and he wasn't interested in marrying a rich woman.

After the Seventh Princess went in, the gates of the Treasure Offering Hall closed.

The official explanation from the Treasure Offering Hall was that due to the Seventh Princess's arrival, to ensure the Princess's safety, the hall was temporarily closed for one day.

The queuing crowd dispersed.

Zhang Xingyu turned to find Zhang Kaixin, only to discover that this kid was getting along famously with Meng Ruyan.

Meng Ruyan was holding a bag of osmanthus cakes, looking at Zhang Kaixin with a full smile.

Zhang Kaixin had one in each hand, stuffing them into his mouth non-stop.

This guy, he really couldn't resist the temptation of sugar-coated bullets.

As the saying goes, the education of a child must start from a young age.

When they go back tonight, he must educate him properly. ===== CHAPTER 163 =====