We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real? Chapter 654: Stone Bridge Village

Within Ning Xue Palace.

Yan Ruxue held a glass vial between her fingers.

Inside the vial rested golden dragon's blood, the essence blood of Sizhu herself. Sizhu had entrusted it to be sent back to the palace when she and the others returned to the Four Seas.

"This girl needs a little more refinement, and her blood would be far purer. Left to her own devices after my departure, I fear she spends most of her time playing." Yan Ruxue shook her head helplessly at the vial.

Still, this dragon's blood was more than sufficient for tempering Xiao Mo's body.

Yan Ruxue even felt she might need to moderate somewhat the dragon blood's overwhelming potency first. Otherwise, Xiao Mo would likely struggle to endure it.

"Just wait a little longer..." Yan Ruxue murmured softly to herself. "When husband is on the cusp of breaking through to the Golden Core realm, this dragon's blood can be combined with a few choice heaven-and-earth treasures to temper his body. That way, it will strengthen husband's physical constitution considerably."

"My lady, do you intend to leave the palace today? Shall this servant go and have the carriage prepared?" the maidservant Xiao Chun stepped forward, asking softly.

Having served her young mistress for so many years, Xiao Chun knew well that every year on this day, her mistress would go to that particular village to tend a grave. This year would be no exception.

"I hadn't noticed how quickly another year has gone by. Let us go then, all of us out together. There is no need to prepare anything, we can simply hire a carriage outside the palace walls."

Yan Ruxue tucked the essence blood away, rose, and made to walk out of the palace.

"Yes, my lady." Xiao Chun nodded in agreement.

Xiao Chun followed behind her young mistress, watching the scattered snowflakes drift down from the sky to settle upon the folds of her mistress's skirt, the small feet beneath it leaving clear, delicate prints in the snow with each step.

Whenever she saw her young mistress carrying herself with this kind of quiet, composed grace, Xiao Chun would find herself momentarily lost in admiration. Her young mistress's air was truly unlike any other woman in the world, carrying a refined and settled elegance that seemed born of long years, and a maturity beyond her years. And yet her mistress was still at the most blooming season of youth...

But just as Yan Ruxue was about to pass out through the rear courtyard of Ning Xue Palace, a maidservant came hurrying in, bowing in haste. "My lady, His Majesty has come."

"His Majesty?" Yan Ruxue blinked with mild curiosity.

"I understand." She nodded, her expression calm and unhurried. "Let us go and receive him."

"Yes, my lady." Xiao Chun and the other maidservants answered in unison.

One cup of tea's time later, Yan Ruxue and the others walked to the front courtyard of Ning Xue Palace, arriving just as Xiao Mo stepped inside.

"This concubine greets Your Majesty."

At the gate of Ning Xue Palace, Yan Ruxue led the palace maids in a respectful bow.

"My consort need not be so formal. Please rise."

Xiao Mo took Yan Ruxue's hand and helped her up.

"What brings Your Majesty to this concubine's Ning Xue Palace today?" Yan Ruxue smiled, her captivating peach-blossom eyes catching the pale light of the winter sun.

"Nothing in particular. I was simply walking and clearing my head, and found myself here," Xiao Mo said with a smile.

"Is that so..."

Yan Ruxue's eyes drifted gently from side to side, as though something had occurred to her.

"If Your Majesty is looking to clear your head, this concubine does know of a rather fine place. Whether Your Majesty has the leisure, I cannot say." She tilted her head and asked Xiao Mo in her soft voice.

"If my consort is the one suggesting it, then naturally we have the leisure." Xiao Mo nodded.

"Then may this concubine trouble Your Majesty to accompany her out of the palace?" Yan Ruxue smiled gently. "This place is beyond the palace walls."

"Beyond the palace? That suits us fine. We truly did need to get out and stretch our legs. Any longer cooped up inside and we would go quite mad." Xiao Mo laughed, then turned to Sili. "Go have the horses readied. We are going out of the palace with Consort Xue. Nothing too conspicuous."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Sili answered and moved to withdraw.

"Your Majesty... whenever this concubine has gone out of the palace before, it has always been by carriage. But today, with Your Majesty's company, if it is permissible, this concubine would like to ride a horse." Yan Ruxue reached out and gently caught the sleeve of Xiao Mo's robe.

Xiao Mo paused at the request but did not refuse. He turned back at once. "Sili, have one horse prepared."

"One horse will be quite enough." Yan Ruxue looked at Xiao Mo with a warm expression. "In truth, this concubine does not know how to ride, and will need Your Majesty to take her."

"One horse, then." Xiao Mo amended his words again.

"Yes." Sili glanced once at Xiao Mo and Yan Ruxue, a flicker of something she could not quite suppress rising in her eyes.

Before long, a strong white horse had been made ready. Xiao Mo and Yan Ruxue changed into plain everyday clothing as well, looking for all the world like an ordinary young scholar and a young lady from a good family.

"Would Your Majesty help me up?"

Standing before the tall horse, Yan Ruxue's enchanting peach-blossom eyes blinked softly, a faint smile at the corners of her lips.

"Of course. My consort, mind your footing." Xiao Mo took Yan Ruxue's hand, steadying and lifting her gently, guiding her up onto the horse's back.

Watching this, Sili could not help but roll her eyes inwardly.

An Ascension realm cultivator who cannot ride a horse? Who would believe that?

What needless affectation.

But Sili could only grumble about it somewhere far inside herself. Even thinking of that silver-white dragon that had blocked her path that night still made her heart beat a little faster.

Once Yan Ruxue was settled, Xiao Mo swung himself up onto the horse behind her.

Truth be told, Xiao Mo was curious where Ruxue intended to take him. And a cultivator of Ruxue's level could certainly ride a horse. Yet today, she seemed to lean on him with a sort of gentle reliance he had not seen in her before.

It struck him as rather odd, though he found he did not at all dislike the feeling.

"Yah!"

With no attendants trailing behind them, only Xiao Mo and Yan Ruxue together, the white horse burst forward out of the palace gates, the light flurries of wind and snow left behind in their wake.

With each rise and fall of the horse's gait, Xiao Mo was keenly aware of the softness of the young woman seated before him, yielding and warm as spring clouds and the waters of some slow river mingled together, as though the slightest pressure might dissolve her entirely.

And the faint fragrance that drifted from the woman's hair coiled about Xiao Mo's senses, quietly testing the edges of his composure. He quietly set the Great Dream of the Yellow Millet running in his mind and steadied himself before he could give himself away.

Otherwise, Yan Ruxue would surely have felt the change in the one seated behind her.

They rode out through the city gates and onto the snow-blanketed imperial roads beyond, where birds circled overhead and merchant convoys passed in a steady stream, more than one traveler looking up at Xiao Mo and Yan Ruxue with idle wonder, guessing which family's young gentleman and lady had such leisure as this.

Following Yan Ruxue's directions, after half an incense stick's time, Xiao Mo drew the reins, and the white horse slowed to a stop before a small village.

Xiao Mo dismounted first, then helped Yan Ruxue down.

"Is this the place Ruxue wished to visit?"

Xiao Mo looked at the small village before them, curious.

"It is. Whenever this concubine feels unsettled, or has a little time to spare, she comes here to look in on it." Yan Ruxue nodded. "Your Majesty, shall we go in?"

"After you."

Xiao Mo and Yan Ruxue walked into the village side by side.

Upon a stone at the village entrance, three characters had been carved.

Stone Bridge Village.