At this moment, Ma Hongjun still looked a little pale as he turned to Ye Lingling.
"Big sister, thank you so much for saving me."
"If you hadn't helped me today, I don't know what would've happened…"
He walked up to her with some difficulty, speaking in a still-weak voice.
"Yes, miss! You've done a great kindness for our Xiao Hong!"
The surrounding villagers gathered around, echoing his gratitude.
"Let's hold off on the thanks for now. His condition stems from the nature of his martial soul."
"Although I've temporarily suppressed it, I can feel that it will likely relapse in the future—and it may become more severe each time."
Ye Lingling's expression was grave as she gently shook her head.
The moment her words fell, it was as if a heavy stone had been dropped into a calm lake, instantly plunging everyone into gloom.
The villagers exchanged looks filled with concern, and the village chief's brow furrowed tightly.
"Milady, you clearly possess great skills."
"We're just a small place with no way to treat Xiao Hong's illness. If it flares up again, what are we supposed to do?"
"I beg you, have mercy. Please take him with you. Maybe… just maybe, he'll still have a sliver of hope."
After a moment of hesitation, the village chief suddenly dropped to his knees before Ye Lingling with a loud thud, pressing his palms together in desperate plea.
Ye Lingling's expression turned panicked at the sight and instinctively turned to Lin Feng for help.
Behind her, Lin Feng remained outwardly calm, though he was quietly impressed by the scene before him.
From the moment he saw Ma Hongjun, he'd already decided to bring him along. He just hadn't expected things to unfold —before he even said a word, the other side was already begging to follow him.
No wonder children of destiny always gathered their followers so easily.
Of course, this was also partly due to the trait—Ma Hongjun's status as a fated companion would naturally draw him closer.
Looking at the pleading eyes of the village chief, and the hopeful gaze on Ma Hongjun's face...
"Alright, he can come with us."
Lin Feng gave a faint nod.
"Thank you, benefactor!"
"Thank you, benefactor!"
The villagers rejoiced. The village chief was so overwhelmed that he burst into tears and kowtowed repeatedly in gratitude.
That night, Lin Feng assigned rooms to Liu Erlong, Xiao Wu, and the others. Then he entered his own room with Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling.
Lately, he'd either been tied up with school affairs or traveling. It had been a while since he'd had a proper night's rest with the two of them.
All three were excited.
The night passed… rather loudly.
(TL/N - Spicy night with kids???)
Early the next morning, sunlight bathed the village in a golden glow.
"Xiao Hong, you be good while traveling with them, alright? Don't stir up trouble, understand?"
"No need to worry about home. Just take care of yourself out there."
Villagers and relatives gathered to see Ma Hongjun off, offering their heartfelt farewells to the boy's youthful face.
Ma Hongjun waved goodbye, his eyes filled with reluctant emotion.
"Alright, time to go," Lin Feng said.
"Yes, yes, don't keep them waiting," the village chief added.
With that, Ma Hongjun followed Lin Feng's group, setting off for Suotuo City.
As they neared Suotuo City, the road grew busier with travelers, and carriages became more common.
After several hours, they could see the towering city walls of Suotuo City looming in the distance like a giant dragon sprawled across the earth.
Flags fluttered atop the walls, snapping in the wind.
The city gates bustled with activity. People streamed in and out, and the air buzzed with the sounds of hawkers, chatter, and laughter—a noisy yet vibrant scene.
"It's not as glamorous as Heaven Dou City, but it's got a strong local flavor!"
The group voiced their admiration.
They entered the city slowly with the crowd.
As they walked, Lin Feng glanced around at the architecture and the passing citizens, musing silently to himself.
I wonder if Flender's general store is already up and running…
"Lingling, look at those jewelry stores over there with the gold signs! Let's check them out!"
Dugu Yan pointed excitedly toward a row of elegant storefronts.
"Sure," Ye Lingling nodded.
"Lin Feng, Lin Feng, you come too!"
"Quit staring at buildings—what's so interesting about those?"
While he was lost in thought, Dugu Yan suddenly grabbed his arm and tried to drag him over.
What fun is jewelry shopping without a man to accompany them?
Behind her, Xiao Wu and Ye Lingling joined in, pushing Lin Feng into the store with them.
While the girls excitedly browsed accessories, Lin Feng's eyes were drawn to a lavishly decorated hotel across the street.
Above the door hung a massive rose-shaped sign, sparkling in the sunlight.
His eyes lit up in recognition.
Could that be the Rose Hotel?
If memory served, this was where Tang San and Dai Mubai met in the original story.
Just then, a rotund old man stepped out of the hotel, flanked by a pair of dainty twin girls.
Lin Feng's expression shifted with surprise.
Could those be the twins Dai Mubai once played around with?
Already working the streets this early?
"System, Trait Insight."
With a silent command, their information appeared on his system panel.
Curious, Lin Feng looked closer. Sure enough, the two had unique traits confirming his suspicion.
[Witness to Iconic Scene (White)]:
You are known for appearing in a key plot moment, but it does nothing useful for your own life.
[Royal Disaster (Gray)]:
Years later, you will be executed by the Star Luo royal family for "defiling the White Tiger Douluo."
So they were the twin girls.
Seeing those traits confirmed everything.
Unfortunately, meeting Dai Mubai turned out to be more curse than blessing for them.
Being "witnesses to an iconic scene" brought them fame, but no real benefit.
And that [Royal Disaster] trait… to think they'd eventually be killed because of it.
Dai Mubai may be a scoundrel, but he likely wouldn't go that far. More likely, some royals wanted to "clean up" his reputation.
Lin Feng turned away and returned to the group.
"Lin Feng, does this bunny hairclip look cute on me?"
Xiao Wu held up a pink rabbit-shaped clip with a playful smile.
"Really suits you, actually."
Lin Feng couldn't help but be drawn in by her adorable look, praising her repeatedly.
"What about mine, Lin Feng?"
Jealous, Dugu Yan grabbed a random hat and placed it on her head.
"Hmm… Yan'er, I think that purple one over there would suit you better. Want to try it?"
Just as Lin Feng was about to walk over and place the hat on her himself—
"Hmph! I'm done. Let's go."
"Xiao Wu, Lingling, we're going to find an inn."
Dugu Yan suddenly huffed and stormed off.
Lin Feng stood frozen, completely puzzled.
"Slow down, Sister Yan'er."
Ye Lingling and Xiao Wu, having figured out the source of her mood, quickly went after her to calm her down.
Behind them, Liu Erlong watched the whole thing with an amused smile.
"Erlong, come with me. There's a shop I think you'll find interesting."
Lin Feng turned to Liu Erlong, who was walking at the back of the group.
"Oh? What kind of shop?"
"You'll see when we get there."
Her interest piqued, Liu Erlong nodded.
A shop the young master himself found worth mentioning? She had to check it out.
The group split outside the jewelry shop. Yu Kuang led Ma Hongjun and the others ahead to find an inn to rest.
Meanwhile, Lin Feng and Liu Erlong walked in the opposite direction.
They hadn't gone far when Lin Feng spotted an old, slightly worn storefront.
On its sign were the words: "Flender's General Store."
Joy lit up Lin Feng's face as he stepped forward.
Liu Erlong's body trembled slightly at the sight of the sign.
She already knew whose store this was—and her heart stirred.
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