"Wait a second, Old Man Xu, you said you'd go with me? You're not messing with me, right?" Evan Chu asked immediately. The trip to the Royal Capital was thousands of li, and there was no direct teleportation gate here. At best, it would take half a month to get there—unless Goldwing woke up.
Evan knew Goldwing would need at least ten more days to wake up. It'd be convenient, sure, but honestly, watching the girls cry their eyes out every day was just torture. He'd rather leave early and get it over with.
"What do I get out of lying to you? Not just anyone can become a Royal Capital Guard. You still have to pass the test—the best get picked. Honestly, I don't have high hopes for you," Old Man Xu said.
Evan shot Old Man Xu a glare. "If you've got something to say, just spit it out. I can't stand people who only talk halfway."
"The Royal Capital only recruits Royal Capital Guards once every three years, and there are only a hundred slots each time. Applicants have to be between eighteen and thirty, and at least seventh-layer Earth Martial Realm. There are plenty of eighth and ninth-layer experts, and sometimes even Heaven Martial Realm contenders show up. So, tell me—how confident are you?" Old Man Xu chuckled.
"I'm confident I can get in. Oh, by the way, how many people usually apply?" Evan asked.
"Not that many—just tens of thousands. You really think you've got this?"
"Damn, that many? Now I'm really not sure. But whatever, I still have to give it a shot. When do we leave?"
"How about tomorrow? Get a good night's rest tonight. Too bad you're not Heaven Martial Realm, or we could just fly there in under two days. As it is, we'll have to go by horse," Old Man Xu said with a laugh.
Evan headed back, suddenly remembering something that could really help him out—Rhea Yang was a master of disguise. If she could change his appearance, he'd dodge a lot of trouble. And with a new name, he'd be golden.
Back at Roxanne Lin's dorm, Jenny Sima, Lily Tang, and Rhea Yang were talking about something, but their faces were still heavy with sadness. It was clear Evan's departure was weighing on them.
When Evan came in, they all forced out a smile. He said, "I'm leaving tomorrow. But first, I need Rhea to help me with something important."
"What is it?" Rhea Yang asked.
"I need you to disguise me. There's no way I won't run into assassins out there, but with a disguise I can avoid a lot of trouble." Evan said. He had firsthand experience with Rhea's disguise technique—she was the real deal.
Rhea immediately pulled out a bunch of disguise materials from her storage belt. Not long after, Evan had been transformed into an ordinary-looking young man of about twenty—so plain he was instantly forgettable.
Evan looked in the mirror and laughed, "Rhea, your disguise art really is one of a kind. I can't even recognize myself now."
Jenny Sima and Lily Tang were both amazed, honestly a little jealous of Rhea's skill.
"Lin Feng, the disguise will keep people from recognizing you, but you have to remember not to get it wet. If it gets wet, your real face will show," Rhea warned.
"So I can't wash my face or take a bath?" Evan immediately complained. That was going to be a real problem—if he couldn't wash, he'd stink for sure.
"Just take the mask off first, dummy!" Rhea finally cracked a smile.
Then Rhea carefully explained how to take off and reapply the mask. Evan picked it up instantly—his comprehension was freakishly good.
Normally Evan would have flirted with the girls a bit, but with the looming goodbye, everyone was too down to bother. He lied, "Crap, I totally forgot Old Man Xu is still waiting for me. I gotta go."
He really couldn't stay a moment longer—the more he lingered, the harder it was to leave. At the door, Evan turned back and said, "Tomorrow I'm heading out with Old Man Xu. Don't see me off. Just remember what I said—take care of yourselves and get stronger, fast. I'll be waiting for you in the Royal Capital."
With that, he left, the girls' crying echoing behind him once again.
Evan found a quiet spot to cultivate. Before dawn the next day, he arrived at Old Man Xu's place and found him already up and ready.
When Old Man Xu saw Evan, he was startled at first, then realized, "Kid, that disguise really is something. I almost didn't recognize you. Not bad! Not bad!"
"You recognized me?" Evan was genuinely surprised.
"Nope!"
"Then how did you know it was me?" Evan asked, puzzled.
"Nobody else dares come in here—except you. Who else could it be?" Old Man Xu laughed.
Just then, Marcus Gongsun came out and said, "Do your best not to reveal your identity on the road. The ones after you could be Heaven Martial Realm experts—don't get careless."
Evan knew Marcus wasn't just being dramatic—otherwise the dean wouldn't be escorting him to the Royal Capital himself. Evan grinned, "Got it. With Old Man Xu around, you can relax!"
"You finished your business?" Old Man Xu asked.
"All done!"
"Then let's head out!" Old Man Xu said, grabbing Evan by the collar and leaping into the air. They soared through the sky.
About ten minutes later, they landed. For Evan, it was his first time flying like this—it felt nothing like riding Goldwing.
"So, kid, how was it? Pretty fast, huh?" Old Man Xu asked.
"Meh, not bad. Why'd you stop? Keep flying!" Evan joked.
Old Man Xu shot Evan a look. "Flying with someone who can't fly is exhausting. I'm about to drop dead here, and you want me to keep going? It's like you carrying me for fifty li—how would you feel about that?"
Evan was speechless. He'd never thought about it that way—guess you learn something new every day.
Soon, two tall steeds appeared before Evan. "Old Man Xu, you really had everything ready, huh?"
Old Man Xu didn't answer. Evan kept asking, "Old Man Xu, are these horses or demon beasts? I know lots of demon beasts can be used as mounts. Where'd you get them?"
"Will you quit it? Want me to leave you here to travel alone? Stop whining—are you even a man?" Old Man Xu snapped.
Up close, Evan realized these weren't ordinary horses but Windfiend Colts—a kind of demon beast prized by the wealthy for their speed. They couldn't run a thousand li in a day, but they could cover several hundred easily.
Evan swung onto the Windfiend Colt's back, and with a tap of his heels, it shot off. The speed was even greater than his Shifting Position technique.
The two of them raced along, dust flying. After three days, they reached a medium-sized city. Evan felt grimy and exhausted—he needed a bath and a good night's sleep.
"Old Man Xu, how about we rest in the city for the night? I'm wiped out from all this nonstop traveling," Evan said.
"Fine! I want to check out the city too. There's a wine here I love—haven't had it in ages. This time I'll stock up so I don't run out again."
There were guards at the city gate, but Evan got through easily by handing over a few magic crystals.
But after Evan and Old Man Xu entered, a middle-aged man in a black veil quietly followed them in...
PS: No more updates tonight—see you tomorrow!