This declaration was like the war cry amongst an army of ten thousand horses. Everyone, shaken by it, turned to look in the direction of the voice.

Li Chengfeng was equally surprised. He turned to see Liu Sumei carrying a bundle, standing tall. Although she was wearing an oversized fox fur cloak, it did not hide her graceful figure. Next to her was another beautiful girl in silver clothing, holding a flask of wine and two wine gla.s.ses.

While the snowstorm had stopped two days ago, there was still a lot of unmelted snow on the ground. From far, Cheng'an city roofs were all covered in a layer of white. Everything was black and white except for this bright red spot.

Liu Sumei's fire red cloak had a lining of white fur made of the softest fur under the snow fox's thighs. It was the most expensive kind worth thousands in gold pieces.

Her beauty stood out against the bright red and icy white.

She had on a light layer of makeup today, in her hair a silver b.u.t.terfly hairpin with various gemstones attached; a bright red blossom print painted on her forehead and red jade earrings hanging from her ears. Everyone felt humbled in her magnificent presence.

She stepped forward gracefully, even the arrogant Zhan Qisheng was shaken by her sheer beauty that he stood on the spot, unmoving.

“Why are you here?” Li Chengfeng looked at the lady he'd only spoken a few words with prior to today with puzzlement and gentleness. He then explained patiently, “You shouldn't have come!”

She smiled. “Didn't you step forward before Miss Zhixi was buried too?”

“That was not the same.”

“You think it's different but I think it's the same. Although I am but a girl from a boudoir, I understand the concept of humility and etiquette. Did you not come the other day to say the people of Cheng'an were people without values?”

Li Chengfeng knew she was using his mockery of Zhou Qingyang at Liu Sumei's boudoir to tease him and smiled. “Aren't you afraid?”

She smiled faintly. “Cultivators may be powerful but they still fear the heavens. The heavens may be powerful but they still fear one thing: reason. Why would I be afraid when I know I'm doing the right thing?”

He was moved, studying her from head to toe as he praised, “You say you're just a girl from a boudoir but your words put men to shame! I'm impressed, impressed indeed!”

Su Yuehan, who was quietly observing everything, had her gaze fixed on an accessory shaped like a phoenix hanging at Liu Sumei's hips.

Little Bell stepped forward carrying the flask of wine and two cla.s.ses. “Sir Li, my Miss warmed this drink just now, I…” Before she could finish, Liu Sumei gave her one look and she immediately corrected herself, “But I carried this flask the entire way here, I'm sure it's still warm. You should drink it while it's still warm! Or it'll get cold!”

Li Chengfeng smiled. “Alright, how could I refuse a drink when Lady Sumei came all the way to send me off? Bring me the wine!”

“Eh, here you go!” Little Bell lived up to her name, for her voice sounded as melodious as silver bells. Her voice was refres.h.i.+ng on a cold day like this.

Little Bell poured a cup of wine and was about to pour the second when Chengfeng swiped the flask and raised it at Liu Sumei. “Lady Sumei, cheers!”

Then, he raised his head and tipped the flask into his mouth as if it was water. Everyone watched as he continued pouring without even closing his mouth, chugging the wine down.

An alcoholic from the crowd could not help but yell, “NICE!” but shut up and retreated back the moment he felt glares from the rest of the gangsters.

Liu Sumei smiled gently and raised her cup elegantly with two hands. Using her wide sleeve to cover her face, she drank the entire cup.

When she was done, Li Chengfeng was also done with his wine and shattered the flask on the ground. “That was good, good!”

Little Bell stomped her foot. “Hey, who told you to break that?! That's an expensive flask!”

He smiled. “I'll just compensate you when I return from my cultivation as a successful cultivator!”

She broke into a smile too. “That's a deal then! You must pay me back when you return!”

Li Chengfeng laughed heartily, then knelt down and kowtowed in the direction of his home. He felt his eyes tear up as he said, “Mother, I'm going off now!” Su Yuehan followed suit. Then, with her following behind him, they set off down the road.

At a corner far on the other side of the street, Madam Xie, who was still worried about him, watched from among the curtains of a horse carriage. A mother would always worry for her son if he had to travel such a large distance. She gazed at his silhouette far away, tears welling up in her eyes. Green Bead, who was next to her, wanted to speak but tears merely flowed before she did. She fell into Madam Xie's arms, sobbing, “Madam, will I ever see Young Master again?”

Holding back tears, Madam Xie hugged her and whispered, “You definitely will, my son is different from the rest.”

Some extremely successful cultivators could ascend beyond death, becoming as powerful as the sun and moon themselves.

There lived a cultivator who lived during the same time as the founding emperor's ancestors. Today, he still looked very young and energetic as ever with not a hint of old age on him!

People like that had long freed themselves from the emotions of the mundane world. Familial connections were past wisps of smoke to them now, all they felt was just an occasional nostalgia when they reminisce about the past.

However, to mortals of the mundane world like Green Bead and Madam Xie, these mortal attachments were their entire lives!

How could they face the possibility of the person closest to them becoming a stranger?

Liu Sumei watched as he left, muttering to herself, “And with that flask of wine, I wish you a smooth journey!”

Little Bell stopped standing on the tip of her toes. “Sister disci….Miss, what was the reason for you rus.h.i.+ng to get here?”

Liu Sumei watched silently as Li Chengfeng slowly disappeared into the distance and sighed. “You wouldn't understand.”

Little Bell complained, “Of course I wouldn't, if you don't tell me! I can't read your mind!”

As they spoke, Zhan Qisheng walked over and glared at them as if he could not wait to rip off their clothes. “How could you both be so… bold?!”

Liu Sumei sighed and looked at him like she was looking at a child. “Zhan Qisheng, do your mother's Shuifen, Yinjiao and Guanyuan meridian points still hurt a great deal during winter?”

[Note: Shuifen: one thumb's width above navel; Guanyuan: four finger's width under the navel; Yinjiao: one thumb's width under navel]

Zhan Qisheng's face fell as if he had seen a ghost, his voice trembling, “Who-who-who are you! Who are you!”

Liu Sumei explained mildly, “You should start acc.u.mulating merits for your mother. She had to suffer so much just to give birth to you. If you continue living your life like this, doing such nonsense, she will not live thirty-nine days past next year.

He screamed, “WHO ARE YOU?!”