The night was without light as one man and one woman slowly rode their old horses on the ancient road.
Lin Mu Yu rubbed the neck of his horse and couldn't help feeling a bit of pain in his heart. This old horse was around the same age as him? It still had to do something like this near its time of death.
Looking up into the sky, he couldn't help feeling a bit nervous, “It's completely covered in clouds, is it going to snow or rain?”
Qin Jin bundled her cloak with the buckle on her chest before saying with a smile, “Big brother Ah Yu, since we've come out together, shouldn't we come up with a new name?”
“Alright, what do you want to be called?”
“I don't know……Let's just use your surname. I'll be called Lin Yin and you'll be called Lin Yu, how about that?”
“Lin Yu?”
Lin Mu Yu couldn't help laughing, “It sounds a bit like heavy rain, that a bit ominous……”
When he said this, a drop of rain fell onto his nose. Wiping it off, it was a bit cold. He quickly pulled on his rain and said, “It's about to rain. Xiao Yin, let's hurry along, there should be a small town in front of us.”
“Un!”
Not long after, the winter rain sprinkled down over them. It was a good thing there was a dim light by the side of the road in front of them, there was someone there!
Dismounting, Lin Mu Yu took out a worn out wax paper umbrella and opened it to find that it was covered in holes. He couldn't help smiling, Qin Jin really didn't love his daughter and adopted son. Preparing this kind of umbrella for them, it was like preparing nothing at all.
But he still moved the umbrella over Qin Jin. Qin Jin looked up at him and said with a sweet smile, “No need, I'll just use my cloak to block the rain……”
“But your clock is made of cloth, it can't block the rain at all.”
“Oh, that's right……” Qin Jin stuck out her tongue, as if forgetting that she wasn't wearing her finely crafted princess cloak.
The two of them led their horses towards the light and reached a small town after a few minutes. They could see an inn and a restaurant far off in the distance. There were many merchants, cultivators, and mercenaries on the Yun Zhong Ancient Road, so the business of the town was already very good. Not to mention that it was raining and that they were in the middle of nowhere.
There were more and more people in the small town, but Lin Mu Yu and Qin Yin didn't stand out in the crowd at all. After all, the worn out cloaks they were wearing made them no different from anyone else wandering the land.
They first went to find a place to eat and rest. Lin Mu Yu's eyes fell onto two inns and suddenly his eyes were drawn to the row of letters written on a giant sign. He couldn't help reading it out, “Bull Hating Pot Iron Mountain Arch, wa……A place in the country like this actually has such an aggressive verse…..”
“What verse…..” Qin Jin's lips curled as she pulled his hand, “Did you read it backwards?”
Lin Mu Yu's face was covered in black lines and he wished he could find a hole to jump in as he muttered, “Well written is well written and still saying read it backwards, you really don't understand them…..”
Qin Yin stopped herself from laughing, “Big brother, where are we sleeping tonight?”
“How about this iron wok beef restaurant? Let's eat our fill and then find a place to sleep.”
“No…..” Qin Yin's clear eyes swept over the two of them and she said with a soft laugh, “You think that with our clothes and our professions, we're suited to eating beef?”
“You're right…..”
Lin Mu Yu pointed in front and said, “There is a tavern there that is also an inn, let's live there?”
“Un.” Qin Yin nodded with a smile.
This tavern was filled with people, it seemed like business wasn't bad. There was an Umbrella Dragon head hanging above the door of the inn, it looked a bit fearsome and underneath it was the name of the tavern, “Umbrella Dragon Tavern”. A waiter came over to welcome them with a full smile on his face, “Do the two guests want to eat or book a room?”
“We're eating and booking a room.” Lin Mu Yu asked, “How much for a single night?”
The waiter took the reins to the horses and said with a smile, “Are the two guests a couple? A first grade couple's room is only ten silver coins.”
Lin Mu Yu wanted to answer right away, he didn't want Qin Yin to suffer too much. However, Qin Yin opened her cloak and revealed her “freckled” face. She said with a smile, “Waiter, how much for a second grade room?”
“Three silver coins.”
Give us a second grade room.”
“Alright. Please come in, this little one will help you prepare your room and feed your horses.”
“Many thanks.”
After they entered the tavern, they were hit with a fishy smell. The giant hall had over ten tables and it was already filled with people. There were all kinds of different people, wild mercenaries holding giant axes, as well as weak looking scholars, and there were even merchants calculating their odds of succeeding. Each one off them were minding their own business.
Lin Mu Yu led Qin Yin by the hand to a corner and sat down. He called a waiter before asking, “Xiao Yin, what do you want to eat?”
Qin Yin revealed a smile and gracefully said, “Let's eat something simple, after all, we don't have many silver coins. Waiter, can you give us two portions of bread and a bowl of plain soup?”
“Alright, please wait a minute!”
The waiter left with a nod and not long after, their suppers arrived. Even Lin Mu Yu who was used to the bitter life of living in an army camp was stunned by this. This bread was really thick and it felt as hard as iron, he almost wanted to use the Dragon Spirit Sword to cut it. As for the plain soup, it was already a bit cold. It was no wonder these two meals only needed ten copper coins.
Qin Yin saw Lin Mu Yu's appearance and couldn't help smiling. She dipped the bread in the soup and said, “Big brother, you can eat it like this……”
“Oh, is that so?” Lin Mu Yu looked at her with a smile.
Qin Yin opened her little mouth and bit the corner of the bread, suddenly causing her to freeze. How could she know that the bread was so hard. Her face turned red and she put down the bread, as she said, “It seems to need to soak a bit more…..”
Lin Mu Yu laughed.
In this cold weather, it wasn't easy getting something warm to eat. Moreover, they couldn't show their skills here, otherwise it would be easy for others to discover their true ident.i.ty.
They finished the meal with great difficulty and at this time, the waiter clapped his hands and said with a smile, “All of our friends wandering the land on the Yun Zhong Ancient Road, coming up next is a special show our tavern has prepared for everyone. Our owner has specially prepared a few “top grade beauties” from the western region. They are skilled in playing the zither and ask everyone for their opinion, ha……Please!”
Amidst the sound from the crowd, five girls wearing light clothing came out to the stage at the center of the hall holding their zithers. After a graceful salute, they began playing their instruments and they sang a song that Lin Mu Yu didn't understand. Although he didn't understand it, he felt the melody was still quite good. Qin Yin sat beside him with a smile on her face, as if enjoying this moment of peace.
After the song was over, the waiter came on stage again and placed his hands on the shoulders of two of the beauties. He said with a smile, “Various friends, you can all see that the beauties of our Umbrella Dragon Tavern are all talented. It is currently the middle of winter and in this cold weather, no hero wishes to sleep alone. We have all experienced a lonely pillow, so……The five western region beauties in front of you are willing to accompany you back to your room, but it will cost a high price……Now, who is willing to take back the beauty on the left of this little one?”
A drunk mercenary in the crowd raised his axe high up and said while laughing, “Five, father wants them all! Five gold coins, it's a deal! Who dares go against father, father will cut down with one axe strike!”
The waiter was surprised before he said with a smile, “This master, the beauties in the tavern are limited and one person can't take them all! Moreover, one gold coin for each, isn't this a bit too cheap?”
“Who cares, father wants them!”
The large mercenary walked over swaying with his large axe, but the waiter's eyes sparkled as he suddenly came forward. There was true qi in his palm as he landed it on the acupuncture point on the large man's wrist, pus.h.i.+ng him out the door. He said with a smile, “This master seems to have drunk too much and has gone to rest!”
With a single palm, the large man landed on the mud outside with a groan.
Lin Mu Yu knit his brows, he never thought that he would meet this kind of expert in a tavern. This waiter has a cultivation in the 2nd Earth Tier at least!
“Everyone please continue eating and drinking! Ha, ha, let's continue s.n.a.t.c.hing these western region beauties!” The waiter bowed to everyone as he had a joyful smile on his face.
Very soon, the five western region girls were taken by guests and the tavern fell into an awkward mood. It was most likely they didn't have any other entertainment prepared.
Qin Yin stood up at this time and said to the waiter, “My big brother and I are performers wandering the land…..May we offer a song to everyone in the tavern?”
The waiter's eyes lit up. Although Qin Yin had makeup on, the waiter could still see the beauty of the young girl, so he nodded with a smile, “You can, please miss.”
“Un, many thanks.”
Qin Yin looked at Lin Mu Yu with a warm smile in her eyes and she said with a soft laugh, “It's said we had to earn our living, you can't be lazy. Xiao Yin will play the zither and big brother will perform a sword dance……”
“Alright……”
Lin Mu Yu braced himself to go on stage with Qin Yin. He raised his hand to draw the rusty iron sword on his back and cupped his hands to everyone with a smile as he said in a clear voice, “This one and my little sister are performers wandering the land, seeking our fortune. We offer a song and a sword dance to everyone. If you feel it is good, please give a little and if you feel it is bad, please laugh.”
Everyone's serious eyes fell onto Qin Yin beside him, they were all looking at the beauty, who cared about the handsome man!
Qin Yin elegantly sat down, the aura and grace of the princess was not something any normal girl could have. She took the zither from her back and placed it on her legs. With a soft stroke, the first chord filled the entire tavern. It was melodious and fluid, just like what was hidden in a young girl's heart.
Lin Mu Yu was a bit speechless. He was used to raising his sword to kill people, but to accompany a song…..this made him a bit embarra.s.sed.
Feeling helpless, he followed the melody as he gently raised his sword. It was nothing other than the wind imperial sword art's movements.