After taking out five silver from the System and handing it over the counter, Luo Taozhi slipped the garment over herself.
With this outfit on, she suddenly blended in with the surrounding crowd.
As for the equipment on her…
The appearance of equipment could be hidden. She had only refrained from hiding it before because otherwise she would have been naked underneath.
But now that she had clothes, there was naturally no problem.
This sharp, neat attire made Luo Taozhi’s figure appear even more upright and slender.
Her pinkish-white hair hung loosely over her shoulders, setting off her skin until it was luminous. Her peach-blossom eyes had slightly upturned corners, lending her an unaccountable touch of soft charm.
Yet the aura surrounding her was like an eternal glacier perched atop the clouds, frozen for ten thousand years.
Standing before the bustling Cloud Garment Pavilion, she seemed separated from the clamor by an invisible veil.
If before, Luo Taozhi’s temperament had merely seemed somewhat aloof, and people couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was…
Now, dressed in the most ordinary moon-white martial attire, it looked exceptionally striking on her. Her bearing reminded those noblewomen why they had been intimidated by that aura earlier.
An Immortal!
This was the kind of Immortal they could only glimpse from afar, lofty and untouchable!
Return City was not without cultivators, but those could only be called cultivators—far from qualifying as Immortals.
Only those from the same sect as the Empress of the Dragon Origin Empire, likewise disciples of an Immortal Sect, possessed such pure, ethereal grace—only they could be called Immortals.
And the person before them was a textbook Fairy!
“Im… Immortal?”
A woman tremblingly addressed Luo Taozhi.
“Hm? I’m not an Immortal.” Luo Taozhi turned to glance at her, her tone flat, without the slightest air of superiority. She gave a brief explanation, then asked,
“By the way, do you know where the official inn of Return City is?”
“You’re… not an Immortal?” The woman first froze, then her eyes lit up at Luo Taozhi’s words. She quickly nodded.
“Mmhm, I know it! I’ll take you there!”
The woman squeezed out of the crowd, nearly tripping as she emerged.
“All right, then I’ll trouble you to lead the way.”
Luo Taozhi nodded at the woman, then led her out of the Cloud Garment Pavilion.
Once outside, Luo Taozhi could clearly feel more eyes from passersby fixed on her.
But she didn’t care. She turned to look at the woman who had volunteered to take her to the official inn.
Pretending to reach into her sleeve, she retrieved the Advanced Pass of the Dragon Origin Empire from her System inventory and waved it in front of the woman.
“Do you recognize this?”
“A Dragon Origin Empire Pass!” The woman’s gaze toward Luo Taozhi shifted again after seeing the pass.
“The Fairy is indeed from an Immortal Sect!”
“I’m not.” Luo Taozhi shook her head in denial again.
“But… but…” At Luo Taozhi’s denial, the woman’s speech became hesitant again.
“But this kind of Advanced Pass with the Empress’s personal seal is only owned by the Immortals of the Immortal Sect…”
She left the second half unsaid.
‘If it’s not held by someone from the Immortal Sect, then it can only mean it’s stolen.’
If this Fairy didn’t look absolutely nothing like that kind of person, she might have considered reporting it to the authorities.
If such a thing were confirmed, not only would imprisonment be unavoidable…
If an Immortal were angered, even with the Empress’s protection in the Dragon Origin Empire, they would still suffer a sound thrashing.
“I see. Don’t worry.” Luo Taozhi nodded and smiled at the woman.
“Although I’m not from an Immortal Sect, this pass in my hand is indeed mine.”
“I—I see…”
The woman felt as if her thoughts were completely laid bare before this Fairy, seen through at a single glance.
Along the way, she dared not say much more. Occasionally she would sneak a glance at Luo Taozhi, then quickly look away, her cheeks flushed.
She clutched the hem of her clothes and obediently walked half a step ahead of Luo Taozhi, neither too fast nor too slow.
Before long, the two turned a corner off the main street, and a stately, well-organized two-story building appeared before them.
“Fairy… Miss Luo, we’re here.”
The guide let out a sigh of relief, pointing at the two-story pavilion as she spoke to Luo Taozhi.
“This is Return City’s official inn—the Bright Immortal Inn!”
A gilded plaque hung from the eaves of the pavilion, bearing the four characters “Bright Immortal Inn” in bold, vigorous strokes.
Though it was daytime, plain lanterns stood on either side, faintly glowing.
The moment she stepped over the threshold, the clamor from outside seemed cut off, leaving only the faint scent of sandalwood and pine lingering at the tip of her nose.
The lobby was spacious and bright, the blue floor tiles polished to a shine. Raw wood tables and chairs lined both sides, their corners rounded smooth. A few travelers sat scattered about, their voices low, all keeping the silence by mutual accord.
Behind the counter at the front stood a clerk in a blue uniform, his expression humble. When he saw the woman and Luo Taozhi enter, he quickly bowed in greeting.
“Second Miss.”
“Oh, oh—never mind me. Come attend to this honored guest beside me.”
The woman quickly waved her hands, stepping aside to reveal Luo Taozhi behind her, signaling for him to attend to her instead.
Luo Taozhi paused at this, her gaze drifting lightly over the girl beside her.
‘What a coincidence? The passerby I randomly asked at the Cloud Garment Pavilion is actually the Second Miss of the Bright Immortal Inn?’
She couldn’t help raising an eyebrow slightly, a flicker of surprise passing through her mind.
Before she could dwell on it, the curtain behind the counter rustled open, and a middle-aged man in dark-patterned brocade stepped out. His brows and eyes bore the marks of worldly experience—clearly the innkeeper.
Without even casting a glance at the Second Miss beside him, his gaze landed directly on Luo Taozhi. After sizing up her attire and aura, he approached unhurriedly, though his tone was not particularly warm.
“A distinguished guest has come from afar. I have been remiss.”
The innkeeper gave a slight nod and gestured for the clerk to step aside.
“May I ask if the honored guest carries a pass of our Dragon Origin Empire?”
Before Luo Taozhi could speak, the Second Miss in front of her had already answered for her.
Luo Taozhi had just raised her hand to retrieve the pass, but the Second Miss rushed to speak on her behalf, trying to verify Luo Taozhi’s identity:
“Of course she does! I’ve seen Miss Luo’s pass with my own eyes—it’s the kind that—”
“Second Miss!”
The innkeeper cut her off sharply, his tone carrying undisguised impatience.
“The inn’s rules are not something you can meddle with. You’re young and inexperienced. Don’t spout nonsense in front of our honored guest and cause trouble. If you delay important business, I won’t be able to answer to the main family.”
The Second Miss’s face flushed crimson in an instant. The smile on her lips froze rigid. Her fingers dug into the fabric of her clothes, her head drooping slightly.
“Yes…”