Chapter 141: Paused!

A short distance from the bustling main street where Hua resides, in an equally lively alley that feels more alive with everyday life, Jing Yuan sits leisurely on a small horse-tying post, a low table before him holding several plates of freshly cooked, steaming street snacks—golden-yellow fried lotus root cakes, fragrant bird skewers, and two bowls of lingering soda bean juice.

Standing beside him, Yan Qing wore the light armor of the Cloud Cavalry, his posture ramrod straight, yet his face showed evident confusion and a hint of unease.

"General,"

Yan Qing couldn't help but speak softly, brows slightly furrowed: "Why would you come to a place like this to eat, General? If you wanted to enjoy fine food, the manor has its own chefs, or there are famous restaurants…"

Jing Yuan picked up a bird skewer, skillfully blew on it, took a bite, and wore a satisfied expression as he interrupted the youth: "Hey, Yan Qing, you just don't get it."

After swallowing, he pointed with his bamboo skewer at the lively surroundings: nearby vendors shouted loudly and moved swiftly, the next table held a few work-clothed men who had just finished their shift, drinking and chatting, while farther off children chased each other, holding sugar figurines.

"The dishes in the manor are certainly exquisite, and the banquets at restaurants are indeed grand."

Jing Yuan's voice carried a lazy tone laced with wisdom: "But some flavors, some atmospheres, can truly be tasted and felt only in these street-side alleys."

He looked at Yan Qing; those eyes, usually half-lidded as if indifferent to everything, now held a serious meaning: "Look at these people—they may have just finished a day's labor, or be taking a break to gather with friends, or simply be passing by like us, drawn by the aroma. This bustling atmosphere is Luofu's most genuine, vibrant vitality."

"We guard Luofu—not only its grand buildings and important institutions, nor merely repelling foreign invaders."

Jing Yuan picked up another snack, handed it to Yan Qing, and said: "What we must also protect is this 'everyday' that lets ordinary people live and work in peace and freely enjoy moments of leisure. This seemingly trivial street‑life aura is the most important foundation of Luofu."

Yan Qing took the skewer in a daze, gazing at the glossy, fragrant food, then at the people around him wearing simple happiness, and seemed to somewhat grasp the General's intention.

He cautiously took a bite; the crisp‑outside, tender‑inside texture made his eyes widen slightly.

"The taste… is not bad."

The young swordsman gave a low‑voiced appraisal, the tension on his face easing considerably.

Jing Yuan smiled, lifted the bowl of soda bean juice that Yan Qing found somewhat "suspicious," took a leisurely sip, and said: "Relax, Yan Qing. As a future pillar, you must be able to wield your sword and repel enemies beyond the Star Sea, yet also know how to bend down and feel the human world's bustle. That is true 'protection'."

Just as the bowl of soda bean juice in Jing Yuan's hand swayed slightly with his leisurely rhythm,

a flash of white with striking dragon horns and tail darted across the opposite street, caught sharply in his peripheral vision.

(That little rascal Bai Lu…)

A hint of realization curled at Jing Yuan's lips, (Looks like the caretakers of the Dan Ding Si are going to have a headache again. Oh well, it's just a child's nature; letting loose once in a while is fine.)

He paid it no mind, raising his hand to bring the uniquely flavored drink to his mouth.

But in the very next instant, his motion suddenly froze!

In his peripheral vision, just where Bai Lu had vanished, another white figure shot past the crowd at breakneck speed!

At the same time, a shout, heavily garbled by the street noise yet carrying a familiar tone, faintly reached his ears.

That fleeting glimpse of a figure, that vague yet soul‑striking sense of familiarity…

"..."

The bowl in Jing Yuan's hand tilted slightly, spilling a few drops of soda bean juice onto the table.

His whole body stiffened as if hit by a Petrification Spell, frozen in place, his usually half‑lidded gold eyes snapping open.

(That figure… could it be… no, impossible…)

"General?"

Yan Qing beside him noticed his abnormality and called out doubtfully.

Jing Yuan snapped back to awareness, drew a deep breath, and forcibly suppressed the surge of shock in his heart.

He slowly set down the bowl, shook his head at Yan Qing, forcing a slightly stiff smile: "Nothing… just seemed to see a familiar shadow, probably… just an illusion."

He tried to convince himself with words, but the racing heartbeat and the tumultuous, hazy face from centuries past that surged in his mind could not be easily quelled.

He shook his head, as if to dispel the untimely illusion, and lifted the bowl again.

(Surely it's just that recent duties have exhausted me…)

He self‑deprecatingly thought, preparing to gulp down the soda bean juice to calm his fright.

Yet fate seemed intent on stirring up a storm on this ordinary night—

He had just lifted his head, bringing the bowl's rim to his lips, when a figure striding straight toward the snack stall flashed into his vision!

It was a tall‑postured, serene young woman (perhaps), her gray hair reaching her waist, clad in simple white‑blue attire.

Her steps were steady, her gaze calmly sweeping over the surrounding stalls, as if merely drawn by the area's bustling atmosphere.

"Pfft—cough cough!"

Jing Yuan was caught off guard, nearly choking on the soda bean juice in his mouth; after forcing it down, he felt a chill shoot from his spine straight to the top of his head!

(Marshal… Marshal?!)

If that earlier silhouette had merely made him doubt his eyes, then this person before him—her appearance and bearing—were unmistakably identical to the Hua Marshal who commands the Xianzhou Alliance! (Praise the Black Curtain Lady!)

That is a status far above his own as a Luofu General—the supreme commander of the Xianzhou Alliance!

Jing Yuan's mind raced wildly.

Why would the Marshal suddenly descend upon Luofu? Or is he making a… private visit in disguise?

The Shen Ce Fu has received no notice whatsoever!

Is it a secret inspection? Or does it involve an extremely important special mission?

The flood of questions almost reflexively straightened his previously somewhat lax posture; the lax aura belonging to the Closed‑Eye General instantly retracted, replaced by the stern, respectful bearing one shows before a supreme commander—even though he now wore ordinary clothes and tried to conceal his presence.

He fixed his gaze on Hua's silhouette, his heart clenched as if by an invisible hand.

However, Hua seemed not to notice him lurking in the corner.

Her eyes swept over the assorted snacks, finally lingering with a hint of curiosity on the fried lotus root cakes at the neighboring stall, without glancing toward Jing Yuan.

(That's it… must be a private incognito visit, not wanting to reveal her identity!)

Jing Yuan's thoughts raced, and he quickly 'understood' the situation.

As a Luofu General, he naturally knew how to cooperate.

Seeing Hua's gaze unintentionally sweep over his direction, he at once adjusted his expression, offering her a knowing smile and a slight nod.

Hua noticed the white‑haired man seated by the roadside, whose bearing seemed somewhat extraordinary, directing his gaze and smile at her.

Though she didn't understand why, out of basic courtesy in an unfamiliar setting she mirrored his gesture, calmly nodding in response, her expression unchanged, then turned her attention back to the steaming snacks at the stall.

(Indeed so!)

Jing Yuan felt certain, realizing he had fully understood the Marshal's suggestion.

(Not wanting to make a fuss, only needing tacit understanding.)

He sat lost in thought in a horse stance, his fingers unconsciously tapping the tabletop, beginning to think quickly about the possible purpose of the Marshal's secret visit this time, and whether Luofu had any oversight recently that needed immediate remedy.