On the official road, a carriage sped by, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The driver was a stunningly beautiful woman with an ethereal and aloof demeanor, her face expressionless throughout the journey.
Every passerby who saw this woman driving was left in utter shock.
Who in their right mind would let such a fairy-like woman drive a carriage and eat dust?
Who else could it be?
Naturally, it was Meng Fan!
It's not that Meng Fan didn't know how to cherish beauty, but he cherished himself even more.
So, driving the carriage was naturally left to Ye Qingyu.
After all, Ye Qingyu had a favor to ask of him.
As for hiring a coachman, it was completely unnecessary.
If they brought a mortal along, who would end up taking care of whom?
"Senior Sister Ye, if you feel tired, just call out to me," Meng Fan shouted from inside the carriage.
"Call you, so you can drive?"
"I mean, if you're tired, call out to me so we can stop and rest for a while."
Ye Qingyu's lips twitched slightly.
Endure!
She was usually a very calm and composed person, but Meng Fan's actions were always so unconventional, unlike ordinary people, making it hard for her to stay calm.
For instance, in normal circumstances, wouldn't a man and a woman traveling together have the man eagerly driving the carriage?
But this guy shamelessly lay inside the carriage, saying that since he was invited, he naturally shouldn't have to work!
She thought it made some sense and obediently took the reins.
However, the longer she drove, the more annoyed she felt, but there was nothing she could do about Meng Fan.
She could only endure her frustration!
She kept reminding herself that when asking someone for a favor, this was the attitude to have.
***
Soon, night fell, and the carriage was still on the official road, with no towns or inns in sight.
Driving at night with poor visibility was risky.
They weren't afraid of danger, but if something happened to the horse, they'd have to continue on foot.
So, Ye Qingyu chose a spot to stop the carriage, planning to rest for the night before continuing.
Meng Fan took out some pastries from his storage ring, intending to share them with Ye Qingyu.
Ye Qingyu shook her head.
Meng Fan smiled and didn't insist, eating by himself.
Having reached the Heavenly Origin Realm, they could practice inedia and didn't need to eat.
They could simply meditate and absorb the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth to replenish their energy.
But just because they could practice inedia didn't mean they had to!
After all, the pleasure of eating was an important enjoyment.
Meng Fan was someone who loved to enjoy life and would never deny himself such pleasures.
"Senior Sister Ye, when did you join the Shu Mountain Sword Sect?" Meng Fan asked, lying in the carriage after eating and drinking his fill.
Now, the two of them were sharing a single carriage, which was much smaller than a room, a classic case of a man and a woman alone together.
If they didn't talk, the silence would become awkward.
Ye Qingyu was sitting cross-legged in a corner of the carriage, occupying only a tenth of the space.
The rest of the space was almost entirely taken up by the reclining Meng Fan.
She glanced at Meng Fan's feet without a word and was slightly relieved to see he hadn't taken off his shoes.
She had a bit of a cleanliness obsession.
If Meng Fan had taken off his shoes, she would have lost it, especially in such a small space!
"I was sent to the Shu Mountain Sword Sect by my father when I was five," Ye Qingyu answered.
Meng Fan looked at her in surprise.
"Five years old?
Was it the Shu Mountain Sword Sect or Shu Mountain Kindergarten?"
"When I was five, I was still playing in the mud!" Meng Fan said self-deprecatingly.
And it was true, whether it was Meng Fan from this world or Meng Fan from Earth, he was equally childish at five.
While others were starting their cultivation at five, he was still playing.
No wonder Ye Qingyu was so outstanding now!
"Senior Sister Ye, sitting here doing nothing is too boring. How about we find some fun?" Meng Fan suddenly sat up and asked Ye Qingyu.
"What kind of fun?" Ye Qingyu frowned, looking at Meng Fan warily.
Meng Fan chuckled, "You'll see in a moment."
He lifted the carriage curtain and flicked his fingers.
A streak of Sword Qi shot out of the window like a dragon.
Ye Qingyu heard a tree fall outside and curiously looked out.
She saw the Sword Qi Meng Fan had flicked out dancing in the moonlight.
***
Moments later, small wooden blocks floated in through the carriage window.
Thirty-two small wooden blocks, each with different arrangements of small indentations.
Additionally, there were four small dice.
Thirty-two tiles and four dice.
This was—[Pai Gow].
"Senior Sister Ye, the night is long, and we can't sleep. How about we play some Pai Gow?" Meng Fan said with a smile.
"Pai Gow? What's that?" She was clueless, looking at the wooden tiles with a puzzled expression.
But she was amazed that Meng Fan could create such intricate wooden pieces with a single flick of Sword Qi.
This level of control over Sword Qi and Divine Sense was beyond what a second-level Heavenly Origin Realm cultivator could achieve.
But remembering that she might not even be a match for Meng Fan, she calmed down.
Such a small trick was nothing.
"Pai Gow is a fun little game with wins and losses. The loser has to give Spirit Stones to the winner."
Meng Fan began explaining Pai Gow to Ye Qingyu.
After a while, Ye Qingyu understood.
She frowned and said, "Isn't this just gambling? I'm not interested!"
***
Moments later…
Although Ye Qingyu claimed she wasn't interested, she became increasingly engrossed in the game.
They played through the night.
The next day, Ye Qingyu continued driving the carriage with red eyes.
Meng Fan, on the other hand, happily pocketed over two hundred Spirit Stones into his storage ring.
"Senior Sister Ye, I think you're getting the hang of it. Tonight, you might win back everything you lost," Meng Fan shouted to Ye Qingyu, who was driving the carriage.
He was a bit cheeky!
Ye Qingyu drove without a word, ignoring Meng Fan.
She knew he was mocking her.
But deep down, she felt a bit indignant, convinced she could win it all back tonight!
How could she lose at such a simple "game"?
She wasn't stupid!
But Meng Fan had a completely different thought.
He thought this girl was as dumb as a rock and figured he could win a fortune tonight.
Having not rested or cultivated all night, Meng Fan began meditating to cultivate while Ye Qingyu drove.
"Whoa~~~~~"
The sound of Ye Qingyu reining in the horse jolted Meng Fan awake.
Meng Fan lifted the curtain and asked curiously, "What's wrong?"
Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan