Mystic Eyes: My Eyes Steal the Laws of Cultivation Chapter 589: Drunk (2)

It was Gao Ziyue. Even hidden beneath her powerful illusion, with her ordinary appearance and her presence blended into the crowd, she still spoke in a naturally calm tone, as though she were completely in her element.

Without waiting for a response, she began guiding him through the crowd, her movements precise and confident.

Kyrian simply followed, trusting her knowledge of the place. She seemed to know the flow of people perfectly, always finding small gaps between groups, always choosing the least crowded path.

When a group of young disciples completely blocked the street, enthusiastically discussing a technique they had acquired, Gao Ziyue discreetly took hold of his sleeve and changed direction without even slowing her pace, slipping into a narrow alley that Kyrian had not even noticed.

Neither of them needed to ask for permission or apologize for brushing against anyone. She simply navigated through the crowd like a fish in its natural habitat.

Within moments, they had already left the busiest part of the avenue behind, the commotion of the city center fading into a distant murmur behind them.

Kyrian cast a curious glance at her, a spark of admiration in his eyes.

"You really know this place well."

She smiled, a smile that seemed more for herself than for him.

"I spent a lot of time exploring the Caravan ever since I was little. When you spend years running away from guards, you end up learning every shortcut."

"The Sky Family allowed that?"

"’Allowed’ isn’t exactly the right word."

She let out a small laugh, light and genuine.

"I used to run away from the guards. It wasn’t a conscious act of rebellion, nor was it something I planned. It was simply... a necessity. The need to breathe, to have a moment to myself."

Kyrian blinked.

"Run away?"

"Yes. There were always dozens of people following me. Teachers, guards, maids, worried elders... It was as if I was never alone, never had a single moment of silence."

She looked ahead, her eyes losing focus as memories resurfaced.

"It was suffocating. I loved my family, and I knew they cared about me. But I needed space. I needed a place where I could simply be an ordinary child."

Her eyes grew slightly distant, lost in the memories of her childhood.

"So I began learning how to use my illusion abilities. At first, it was just a game, a way to hide from the adults for a few minutes. But over time, I gradually refined the technique."

"When you were still a child?"

She nodded, a nostalgic smile on her lips.

"They weren’t very good back then, not like they are now. My illusions were fragile, full of flaws that any experienced cultivator could easily notice. But they were already enough to let me escape for a few hours, to lose myself in the crowd."

A nostalgic smile appeared on her face.

"I disguised myself as everything I could imagine, objects, animals, ordinary people. Then I’d spend the entire day exploring the Caravan’s streets, discovering every corner, every alley, and every secret the city had hidden."

"By yourself?"

"Yes." She answered naturally, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"It was fun. I could go wherever I wanted, do whatever I wanted, without anyone telling me what to do or how to behave. It was the only form of freedom I had."

The two continued walking, leaving the bustling center behind. Little by little, the broad avenues gave way to narrower, quieter streets. The buildings became smaller and more modest, and the noise diminished considerably.

After a few minutes, Gao Ziyue spoke again, her voice a little softer, more personal.

"You know..." She took a few seconds before continuing, as though carefully choosing her words.

"I could take you to any famous restaurant in the Caravan. The finest chefs you can find across the Five Regions work here. Masters who have studied for decades, who have mastered lost culinary techniques, who create dishes worthy of emperors."

She paused briefly, her eyes wandering over the peaceful streets around them.

"But I don’t want to."

Kyrian slightly turned his head, curious. She shook her head with a firm gesture.

"I want to take you somewhere else."

There was something different in her voice now, something gentler, more personal. An intimacy she rarely shared.

"It’s a place I discovered when I was a child, during one of my escapes. Whenever I wanted to get away from the pressure of the Sky Family, whenever I needed a moment of peace, I would go there."

Her eyes shone faintly, illuminated by the memory.

"When I was happy, I went there to celebrate. When I was sad, I went there to comfort myself. When I wanted to think, I went there to find clarity. Or simply to eat something good, something that made me feel normal."

She smiled again, a smile filled with pure nostalgia.

"I always ended up at that same place. It was my refuge, my secret, my own little corner of the world where no one knew me as the Heir of the Sky."

For a brief moment, she lowered her gaze to the sleeping Djiva, the little creature that had already entrusted its life to her. Then she looked forward again, her voice becoming almost a whisper.

"I’ve never taken anyone there. Not my family, not my friends, not anyone I’ve met over the years. It was my place, and I wanted to keep it mine alone."

A brief pause.

Then she spoke almost in a whisper, as though sharing a sacred secret.

"But... I think I’ve finally found someone I want to share that place with."

Her words lingered between them, heavy with meaning.

Kyrian did not respond immediately. His heart beat a little faster, not for any dramatic reason, but simply because he understood exactly how much those words meant.

That restaurant was not merely a restaurant. It was a place that held great importance to Gao Ziyue, a place she had kept entirely to herself for decades, a sanctuary of her soul. And now, she was sharing that sanctuary with him.

A pleasant warmth spread through his chest, a feeling he could not quite describe. It was not joy, nor excitement. It was something deeper, calmer, the feeling of being accepted, of being trusted, of being someone with whom she wanted to share the most precious parts of herself.

Without realizing it, a small smile appeared on his face. Subtle, natural, yet genuine.

Gao Ziyue did not notice. She continued walking a few steps ahead, carefully holding Djiva as she guided Kyrian through the quieter streets of the Sky Caravan.