"Fen Xuan, wake up, we're almost there."

Zhang Fei called out to the other side of the carriage. However, what greeted him back was only deep silence followed by occasional snoring. Annoyed, the young master stood up and started moving toward the source of the noise, carefully navigating through numerous spice jars and silk scrolls scattered all over the wagon's floor.

"You have got to be kidding me... "

A large urn sat in front of him, rice grains could be seen littering all over the base. Right in the middle of it lay Fen Xuan, with arms and legs dangling off the edge and body half submerged in rice. Drools were dripping down her face like a waterfall. The girl had somehow tumbled her way into the urn during her sleep. Zheng Fei could feel his hand unconsciously pinching his forehead.

"This girl..."

The expression on his face was something akin to disappointment mixed with resignation.

"For the last time, wake up!!"

Zheng Fei shook the girl's shoulders to no avail, she was in too deep of a slumber.

"Fine... you gave me no choice then. You only have yourself to blame for this."

After a long sigh, he proceeded to pinch Fen Xuan's nose shut. The girl started thrashing about like a wild animal, her face distorted into a frown. Suddenly, she screamed out.

"Who are you calling a PIG???"

Before Zheng Fei could react, Fen Xuan swiftly landed a devastating chop on the young master's tender throat. Zheng Fei fell flat on the floor, convulsing and gasping for air. A large yawning sound echoed across the wagon, a pair of arms stretched high up from inside the urn.

"Oh... good morning... What are you doing lying on the floor Zheng Fei? Are you still sleepy?"

Fen Xuan said, still drowsy from the long sleep and completely oblivious to the brutal assault she had just committed. Multiple veins popped on Zheng Fei's forehead, he however quickly decided that it wasn't worth it and calmed himself down. The young master grumpily went back to the other corner of the carriage and massaged his pained throat.

"The merchants just gave me the news. We should arrive in Haixue soon." Zheng Fei muttered, his voice still hoarse from the earlier incident.

"Hm?"

All of a sudden, Fen Xuan got up and began sniffing intensely, which startled the young master.

"You're right!! We should be near the sea now. you can practically taste the saltiness in the air!"

Zheng Fei just accepted what she said as truth even though he couldn't smell anything. It must have been the yaoguai's keen sense of smell, he thought.

A ray of sunlight lit up the dimmed interior of the carriage as their wagon emerged from the forest. The strong scent of salt hung in the air, carried by the gentle sea breeze. The scenery before them were nothing short of breathtaking. Over the hill, The sea lay bare before their eyes, cerulean water flowed beneath the azure sky, all veiled in a thick mist that stretched all the way beyond the horizon.

"Wow! You really can't get such serene scenery anywhere else but Haixue. This makes me feel a little nostalgic." Fen Xuan said in awe, dangling upside down while barely holding onto the edge of the carriage. The girl's always bottomless enthusiasm and crude manner makes Zheng Fei question if she really descended from some wolf yaoguai and not the monkey king himself.

"Hmm..?" The girl squinted suddenly. an uneasiness creeped into her expression.

"That's strange, the mist seems a lot thicker than the last time I was here." Fen Xuan mused aloud.

"I'll take your words for it, I've never been to this place before." Zheng Fei responded.

"Oh... My apology, I suppose I let my enthusiasm get the better of me." The young girl stepped down from the ledge and settled back into her seat, leaving behind a lingering sense of awkwardness in the carriage. After a moment, Fen Xuan broke the silence.

"By the way, judging from your lack of surprise, this isn't your first time seeing the ocean, is it?"

"You're correct."

The young master replied.

"Really? That's surprising. Weren't you from Zhao? I've heard the country boasts many vast plains and mountains. but nothing about the sea."

"It's because there is none. Unlike the Ming or the Yan, our lands are surrounded on all sides by mountains and hills." Zheng Fei explained.

"Intriguing," Fen Xuan remarked, her curiosity piqued. "How did you manage to see the ocean then?"

"My old man took me here to Ming on a diplomatic mission a long time ago." Zheng Fei reminisced "Back when the relationship between the three kingdoms were more amicable." He stopped to ponder for a moment, then continued.

"Though, I can't say I remember seeing any mist at the town we visited."

"Haixue is unique, as far as I know." Fen Xuan cut in "The perpetual mist never creeps this close to the shore except for here in Haixue. Hence why it is called the city of mist." she explained.

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"Perpetual mist?" Zheng Fei repeated with curiosity.

"Ah, right, you probably didn't know, but essentially..."

The exchange was cut short when their carriage came to a sudden stop. Lost in conversation, the two didn't realize they had finally arrived at the destination. Towering above them now was the gate of Haixue, the city shrouded in mist. Before the two could get off, the merchant man stumbled toward them, his eyes darting nervously from side to side, avoiding direct contact with the young master. It was clear that Zheng Fei's threat of violence back in Língzhi still loomed over his mind.

"We... we've finally arrived, young master and young miss. I wish you a safe journey from here on out." The man said nervously.

"Who said we're done with you?" Zheng Fei's voice cut through the air, sharp and threatening

"Plea... Please have mercy, young master! We've already lost a third of our goods back in Língzhi due to our hasty departure. If we don't stick to our schedule now, we'll be in even more trouble." the fat merchant pleaded in desperation.

"That is none of my concern." Zheng Fei replied coldly.

"Wait, Zheng Fei, perhaps it's best to let them go," Fen Xuan interjected, her voice calm but firm. "They've already risked a lot by helping us, and staying with them would only attract unwanted attention, especially considering our recent troubles at the capital. I'm certain our transgression didn't sit well with the Five Elders." Fen Xuan continued. "If worse came to worst, they might have even dispatched a Jade Knight captain after us, it would be unwise to remain in the same caravan for too long. They likely have records of the merchants we've been traveling with."

Zheng Fei hesitated for a moment, weighing Fen Xuan's words before finally relenting. "Tch... fine then, you're free to go," he conceded with a begrudging tone.

"Thank you, my lord! Thank you!" The merchant exclaimed with relief, he then hastily drove the wagons away before Zheng Fei could change his mind.

As Zheng Fei and Fen Xuan stepped through the gates, the two were greeted with the bustling sound of life. The narrow streets stretched out before them, numerous stalls and merchants lined up on each side. Fishmongers called out their wares while carts and wagons filled the street with activity. Despite the gloomy mist hanging over, the atmosphere was vibrant and pulsing with life.

Without hesitation, Fen Xuan darted towards the nearest food vendor, a small strip of drool dripped down her chin. Zheng Fei couldn't help but feel a twinge of embarrassment, the young master shot a judgemental glance at the young lady. She quickly procured a skewer of seafood and held it out to Zheng Fei with a grin.

"Come on, loosen up a bit," she urged with enthusiasm. "It's not every day we get to indulge in Haixue's specialty cuisine – the electric eel kebab!"

The young master reluctantly took the skewer from the girl's hand. A distinct fragrance filled the air, enticing his senses. Before he realized, he found himself devouring the meal before him.

"It's... actually quite good." Zheng Fei was caught by surprise.

"Right? And these eels aren't just used for food, I've heard the oil they produce is quite valuable and highly sought after, especially by the Thunderspear Sect."

"Thunderspear Sect? Never heard of them before, must have been smallfries." Zheng Fei scoffed.

"Don't underestimate them. They may not belong to the Great Nine Sects, but they're still the one running this town, one of the Ming's largest ports. Crossing them would be stupid, very stupid" Fen Xuan made sure to put as much emphasis on the word "stupid" as possible while shooting a pointed glare at Zheng Fei. His past troublemaking at the capital still ingrains in her memory.

"As long as they don't cross me first." Zheng Fei retorted.

"Zheng Fei!!"

"Alright, alright, I won't get into unnecessary fights. Happy now?" He grumbled, relenting to the girl's insistence.

"Good, now let's discuss our next move, shall we?" Fen Xuan smiled. The girl can be terrifying when she's angry, Zheng Fei thought.

"First and foremost, lodging. Haixue is quite a big place, it may take us some time to gather information." She said with a practical tone. "Then there's the information gathering itself..."

Fen Xuan noticed Zheng Fei raising his hand and gave a light nod.

"So... Do we just go around asking if anyone here has seen an immortal 3000 years old white wolf?" The young master asked so bluntly that it came off as almost sarcastic.

"Of course not, what kind of question is that?" Annoyed, Fen Xuan pointed at the necklace she was wearing "I still have this relic, remember? The nail will react in the presence of someone who has been in contact with my great progenitor."

Zheng Fei furrowed his eyebrow.

"Huh? Didn't it react to me back in the capital? I'm fairly certain I have never met anyone like that."

Fen Xuan shook her head.

"That can't be it, you definitely must have come across her or something connected to her, even if you don't recall." She insisted.

"Whatever you said." Zheng Fei conceded with a shrug.

"Before we proceed with those plans, there's something more pressing we need to address." He continued.

"Hmm? What is it?" Fen Xuan inquired.

"The Silver Staff." Zheng Fei replied, tapping at the weapon on his back. "It's out of bullets, spirit stone bullets to be exact. Without them, it's a little more than a fancy stick."

Fen Xuan paused with a hand on her chin as she considered their options.

"We should split up." The girl proposed. "Since we only have one relic anyway, I'll handle gathering information and securing lodging, while you take care of replenishing the bullets. Isn't it just the perfect plan?"

With a bright smile, Fen Xuan struck a double V sign, clearly proud of herself. Zheng Fei could only nod in agreement.

"Then that's settled, we'll regroup at that tea house over there before sundown." Fen Xuan pointed to a small but fancy tea house nestled in the corner of the street.

"Oh, and one more thing." Fen Xuan took out a purse and handed it to Zheng Fei.

"There are about ten gold ingots in there. It should cover the cost of the spirit stones."

"Excellent," Zheng Fei replied with a grin as he reached out to take it.

But just before he could grasp it, Fen Xuan pulled her arm back.

“We don’t have much money left, so these are incredibly precious. Don’t squander them on anything other than the essential.”

“Am I perhaps being mistaken for a child?” Zheng Fei replied with annoyance.

“That’s not what I’m implying, It's just that wealthy young masters like you have a knack for… shall we say, being rather generous with their spending. Remember, you're not wealthy anymore, you're simply an exile now.”

“Fine… I understand.” Despite the sting in Fen Xuan’s words, Zheng Fei nodded in agreement.

“Good, let's get to it, then." Fen Xuan said, finally handing over the purse to the young master.

The duo then parted ways, fading into the bustling, misty streets of Haixue.