Chapter 220: Jiangning

Outside Jiangning City, one colossal mountain range after another now stood, a stark contrast to how things were before the world-altering changes. Inside the city, it was incredibly bustling, with skyscrapers rising everywhere. Beyond the city walls, immense mountains pierced the clouds.

Chu Feng and his group arrived and found a place to rest in the city. After everyone settled in, Chu Feng contacted Lin Nuoyi.

Meanwhile, the Big Black Ox again urged the Siberian Tiger to quickly head east and join them for the attack on Dragon-Tiger Mountain.

Simultaneously, in Shuntian City, two groups had already set off. Ye Qingrou, Chen Luoyan, Du Huaijin (Clairvoyant), and Ouyang Qing (Clairaudient) formed one group, appearing very relaxed.

As for the other group, Hu Sheng, Xiong Kun, and the others on the plane barely dared to breathe. A woman in black, like a queen, sat not far from them.

These otherworldly beings traveled with the Undying Phoenix King, filled with trepidation. She was currently a supreme master, far beyond the capabilities of even the strongest kings of their own clans.

Despite the long journey, Chu Feng felt no fatigue. As a king-level expert, his physique had evolved to an incredible degree.

That night, stars dotted the sky.

He had already contacted Lin Nuoyi, and she was on her way.

Jiangning City remained bustling that night. Neon lights flashed, many shops along the streets were still open, and entire bar districts were brightly lit and very lively.

A short while later, a sleek blue sedan arrived, pulling smoothly to the side of the road.

The car door opened, and Lin Nuoyi stepped out. She wore a simply elegant, pure light blue dress, cinched at the waist, accentuating her tall, graceful figure.

Often, her demeanor was cool and elegant, like an ice queen. But tonight, she exuded a simple and pure beauty.

As Lin Nuoyi drew near, she looked at Chu Feng, observing him closely. The night breeze tousled her hair, and a surprisingly bright smile appeared on her delicate, flawless face.

“You've become a king?” Chu Feng asked, astonished.

He wondered what had happened recently for Lin Nuoyi to reach this level, much faster than he had anticipated.

Lin Nuoyi nodded. Her skin glowed with a crystalline luster, like a faint aura, and even her hair seemed to shimmer, giving her an ethereal aura.

Unfortunately, she remained as before, like a flowering tree encased in ice; even when she smiled, there was an air of aloofness about her.

“When news of your accident in the West reached me, I was worried,” she said.

She didn't express excessive emotion, but Chu Feng knew she must have been very concerned at the time. Yet, she was inherently a woman of such temperament, making it difficult for her to become overtly passionate.

Unless he were truly her boyfriend, then he might domineeringly 'transform' her. The thought brought a smile to his face.

Lin Nuoyi looked at him, her beautiful, deep eyes seemingly able to discern his thoughts.

“Are you thinking of commenting on my cool demeanor again?”

“You know it well,” Chu Feng replied with a smile. “Sometimes I wonder who could ever conquer your icy demeanor and make you passionate and uninhibited.” He believed that if Lin Nuoyi were to become more unreserved, she would reveal a completely different charm.

At this point, he had already let go of this first love. While they shared mutual care and concern, a true closeness remained elusive.

Chu Feng sometimes pondered what kind of man Lin Nuoyi truly admired.

“Let's go, I'll take you to dinner first,” Lin Nuoyi said.

“You truly know me well, knowing I'm a foodie.”

“Just so you know, I don't have any king-level delicacies here,” she teased.

Lin Nuoyi drove smoothly, perfectly familiar with the city as she had grown up there.

Chu Feng sat in the passenger seat, turning his head to observe her. After a long time apart, she was still beautiful, but her aura had become even more ethereal, almost as if she were detached from the mortal world.

Lin Nuoyi was unreserved, gazing ahead and allowing Chu Feng to observe her freely.

Her skin was fair and delicate, imbued with a barely perceptible glow, and even her hair, smooth and soft, had a subtle crystalline sheen.

She was very quiet. Beneath her snow-white neck, her curves were distinctly outlined by the plain-colored dress, flowing gracefully. Her long legs were hidden from view by her position in the driver's seat.

“Hey, where are you looking?” Lin Nuoyi finally prompted, yet remained perfectly calm.

“Nuoyi, why do I feel there’s a layer of mist around you, harboring unusual secrets?” Chu Feng smoothly changed the subject, showing no embarrassment.

“It's always been this way,” Lin Nuoyi replied.

Chu Feng nodded. “Yes, there have always been secrets, but unfortunately, you're unwilling to share them.”

“It's not that I'm unwilling to tell you; some things… are difficult to explain,” Lin Nuoyi said, without turning her head, focused on the road ahead, driving skillfully and smoothly.

Ultimately, Lin Nuoyi chose a private dining establishment that was quiet, offered excellent food, and was perfect for conversation.

Inside the elegant private room, bathed in soft light, Lin Nuoyi appeared serene. She looked at Chu Feng, meeting his gaze as their eyes locked.

Chu Feng, naturally, did not back down, remaining perfectly composed as he admired her beauty. In terms of looks, Lin Nuoyi was easily comparable to Jiang Luoshen; both were goddess-tier.

“Why are you always so thick-skinned?” A smile played at the corner of her lips. He had been this way even in school, a bit of a rascal.

“And you? Can't you blush just once?” Chu Feng chuckled, as it was exceedingly rare to see Lin Nuoyi blush; she was always so calm, poised, and even perpetually cool-headed.

Lin Nuoyi's vibrant red lips, though striking, still gave an impression of coolness. She smiled and said, “Perhaps I’ve been infected by you; my skin has thickened, making it hard to blush.”

The two conversed softly. Lin Nuoyi inquired about his experiences in the West; it was clear she had been worried about him during that time, though she never revealed excessive emotion.

They talked for a long time. The dishes had all been served, and Chu Feng wasted no time picking up his chopsticks, while Lin Nuoyi simply watched him eat.

“Are you really not going to eat anything at all?” Chu Feng asked her.

“Alright, I'll join you for a bit.” Lin Nuoyi had already eaten dinner, but ultimately picked up her chopsticks.

Afterward, she brought up the jade stone, which was no longer with Heavenly God Bio. It had been borrowed by the Pre-Qin Research Institute, supposedly for research purposes.

“That old guy!” Chu Feng then recounted the details of his transaction with Qi Honglin to Lin Nuoyi, and took out the jade stone for her to examine closely.

“Yes, it's similar to the one at Heavenly God Bio, and it also contains a faint dragon phantom within,” Lin Nuoyi confirmed with a nod.

“This is troublesome now. When can Heavenly God Bio get the jade stone back?” Chu Feng asked.

“They wouldn't dare not return it; it simply requires some time.”

Both could surmise certain things. The Pre-Qin Research Institute held extraordinary expectations for Chu Feng, believing he might be able to decipher the jade stone's secrets, and would then inevitably seek him out.

Their purpose in borrowing Heavenly God Bio's jade stone was clear.

“Are they fearless, waiting for me to come to their doorstep?” Chu Feng mused.

At this point, Lin Nuoyi became serious, her calm, perfect face adopting a slightly stern expression. She nodded to Chu Feng and said, “Some financial conglomerates are far from as simple as they appear on the surface.”

Chu Feng's expression became one of confusion, sensing that Lin Nuoyi was cautioning him to be careful.

“In the post-civilization era, several mysterious changes, perhaps even anomalies, have already occurred. If calculated carefully, this should be the fifth,” she said, looking at Chu Feng.

The previous few instances were too small in scale, some even negligible.

Lin Nuoyi said very solemnly, “The various changes we are encountering now might not have been absent in previous instances; it's just that ordinary people would find it difficult to discern their traces.”

At that moment, Chu Feng was lost in thought, his mind racing with many possibilities.

Suddenly, Lin Nuoyi's communicator rang. She rose and went to the window to answer.

“Nuoyi, where are you?” a woman's gentle voice came through.

“I'm with a friend,” she replied.

“Then don't come back yet. The divine envoy Yaman is still here, and I've already told him you've traveled far away.”

“Alright, I understand.” Lin Nuoyi ended the call.

She walked back, knowing Chu Feng had overheard, and explained, “My aunt called.”

“Divine envoy Yaman?” Chu Feng put down his chopsticks. He was certainly familiar with that name; they had seen him in the Misty Gorge in Xinjiang when they returned from their western campaign.

Yaman appeared polite on the surface, but beneath lay a deep sense of arrogance and pride. Chu Feng hadn't expected him to come to Jiangning City.

Lin Nuoyi looked at Chu Feng. “I can't lend you the jade stone right now, but I'll have my clan press for it. We should get it back in ten days to half a month.”

Then, she offered a faint smile. “You're going to Dragon-Tiger Mountain; you don't mind if I come along, do you?”

“Did that divine envoy trouble you?” Chu Feng's eyes flashed with a sharp light.

“No, I just don't want to deal with him,” Lin Nuoyi replied, shaking her head. She looked at him and added, “He's human; don't think about updating your gourmet rankings with him.”

Chu Feng was momentarily taken aback, then chuckled.

That evening, when he returned with Lin Nuoyi, the Big Black Ox and the Yellow Ox, who had been waiting for him, were greatly surprised.

“Is *this* the real sister-in-law?!” The Big Black Ox, never one to hold his tongue, spoke recklessly, unafraid of causing Chu Feng trouble.

Lin Nuoyi remained perfectly calm, looking at the Big Black Ox with such composure that it made the old black ox a bit uncomfortable, his eyes flickering under her steady gaze.

“Hey, little girl, can't you be a little less composed?”

“Hello, King Ox,” Lin Nuoyi said, surprisingly. “Please take good care of Chu Feng in the future.” This statement even surprised Chu Feng.

“Why the formalities? He's our brother,” the Big Black Ox said heartily. “Besides, you're not leaving him, so why say such a thing?”

The Yellow Ox looked at Lin Nuoyi with suspicion, a golden glow in his eyes, but ultimately shook his head. He secretly conveyed a mental message to Chu Feng, informing him that this beautiful woman possessed a very strange, mysterious energy.

Lin Nuoyi also glanced at the Yellow Ox, gave a slight smile, and nodded.

“The jade stone has been borrowed,” Chu Feng briefly informed the two oxen. “Tomorrow, we'll go to Dragon-Tiger Mountain first to see what the situation is there.” He then arranged a room for Lin Nuoyi right next to his.

“Chu Feng, I sense that this woman seems to be skilled in a legendary breathing technique,” the Yellow Ox quietly informed him. “But that seems unlikely, as that kind of technique doesn't belong to this world.”

Chu Feng was surprised, but he trusted that Lin Nuoyi harbored no ill intentions toward him.

The next morning, while having breakfast at the hotel, Bai Huqi was surprised to spot Lin Nuoyi and immediately glared at Chu Feng. To this day, he still didn't believe his sister's explanation, constantly suspecting something was going on between them.

“Nuoyi!” Apparently, Lu Shiyun also spotted Lin Nuoyi and came over to greet her.