Because of his heavy injuries, or perhaps the bath was too warm, Cai Hua’s face was slightly pink. His hair dispersed in the bath, and he lost the heroic spirit. The sharpness inherently present within the person also disappeared somewhere, making the man look like an ordinary person. 

He was a person with a good upbringing, so he could not leave this man alone to drown after fighting off three saints. 

Looking at the bubbles that would burst like thunder, Ovid shook his head rather helplessly. He moved the person out of the water and placed his feet on a broken portion of the bath he destroyed. He began to observe the person very seriously and soon came to the obvious realisation that he was dying. 

The man looked worse than a beggar. The injuries and foreign mana that had burst before in brilliance now revealed itself in his body. He was covered in injuries, injuries that were left by the burning of the purest of mana that only a saint could cultivate. Ovid was not familiar with medicine but had read quite a number of books on how to treat injuries. 

However, the only thing on his body was a towel he used to cover himself, and it could not even wrap around Cai Hua’s burns. As for modern medical equipment such as petroleum jelly, that was even less possible. 

The only thing he could do is to bring him to back to ‘North Weave’. He lifted the person up and steadily left the bathhouse.

He thought that coming here during the night was truly a good idea.

---

Upon opening the door, he was greeted by the sleeping owner. But the next second, her short eyelashes fluttered and her eyes were open. She stared drowsily at the body behind Ovid without revealing anything and said, “Who is this?”

Ovid replied, “He said he is called Cai Hua.” 

Hearing the name, the owner was shocked awake. She took out a golden needle and prepared to throw it at the man’s throat.

Ovid was confused and asked, “What’s wrong?” 

The owner looked at Cai Hua and her hazy pupils dilated slightly. She seemed extremely defensive and said, “He’s very strong.” 

The owner was a strange creature that lived nearly as long as Julia had and seen countless things. Although Ovid had sensed how overbearing those mana fluctuations, and could subconsciously tell the person had reached the epoch of humanity… how did the owner become so agitated upon hearing his name?   

“I haven’t travelled to the north in two thousand years, but I know that he is extremely ruthless.” 

The receptionist placed the golden needle on the front desk after looking at the man for a bit longer. She said after some thought, “I wouldn’t keep the guy here for long. Let him leave the next day. The week should be over for you soon as well, you can leave with him if you want.”

Afterwards, the receptionist retreated to the kitchen and showed no willingness to acknowledge Cai Hua’s existence.

Ovid placed him on a long table, and not long after, he woke up. It seemed that immortals and saints are truly different from others, and such heavy injury did not affect him much. If that’s the case, Ovid could watch the man leave with a peaceful heart.

Cai Hua glanced at Ovid. His expression was cold, and it was indifferent yet dignified, like a scholar meeting a stranger. Ovid could accept this, since the two of had yet to exchange words. It was just that Cai Hua’s glance also carried a hint of appreciation targeted towards a beauty, which made him feel uncomfortable.

In the next moment, Cai Hua’s indifferent and dignified expression melted like snow. Perhaps it was because Ovid had not left him to drown in the bath, and brought him to a safe location. It made the figure rather satisifed. 

“Who are you?” Cai Hua asked.

Before he suddenly collapsed, Cai Hua had given him name twice, but it was to make Ovid know his name and suggest: I am a man above all, how could I have problems? It made Ovid rather indignified since it was only now that Cai Hua asked for his name. 

Ovid thought about it and decided not to hide his relationship with Anna, in fear of angering the immortal if he found out. 

However, before he could open his mouth, Cai Hua followed his own words, “One’s identity is not important. What I want to say is that your talent and temperament is fitting for the path of the sword. Since you have done me a service, I shall pass a sword technique to you.” 

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Cai Hua stood up and stared at Ovid’s eyes. Ovid did not know what was in the immortal’s mind. 

Ovid followed and stood up behind the immortal, his expression slightly confused. 

Cai Hua turned to the door and said, “You don’t need to throw yourself at my in hopes of creating a relationship between you and me. Although I appreciate beauties, I am still a loyal man.” 

The moment Cai Hua’s sentence end, Ovid said without hesitation, “Ovid Lang, a companion of Anna Palaeologus.” 

He naturally did not know that it was Julia that had attacked Cai Hua. But even if he did, he would still respond this way, because he was taught by his mother to never lie. Moreover, the way Cai Hua ogled the body he current possess made him unhappy. So he said it and even increased his voice to the degree it echoed in the room.

The cauponae was warmer than the rest of the city, and right now, it was extremely quiet. 

Cai Hua did not walk toward the door, his voice expressionlessly said, “My hearing must have been damaged. I did not hear that.” 

Ovid looked at the immortal’s back and his hands trembled. However, his outlook as a modern-day man gave him some unknown energy which made him repeat his words. “Ovid Lang, a companion of Anna Palaeologus.” 

His mother taught him to never raise his voice, but he had raised it to just below the limit. 

Cai Hua turned around slowly and stared at his face. He said, “Although you don’t look half bad, it seems like you’re a person who can’t think far ahead.”

---

Ovid had yet to even take the first step toward immortality, aside from injuring that deacon turned bandit, he was, by all means, an ordinary mortal. Even if he could be a strange creature like Anna and gain perfect preception in one day, he was, in the end, still a youth. 

The distance between a youth and an immortal like Cai Hua was greater than the Afiloxenos Ocean. If one were to take ten individuals like Catherines and use them to build a bridge across that ocean, they would at most fill half the gap. An immortal is an immortal, and Cai Hua is an immortal, while Ovid is merely a mortal.

If someone from the clergy or a northern sect were lectured by this immortal, they would have provided him with teach and treat him better than how they treat their ancestors, or they would be frozen on the spot. Ovid now knows of Cai Hua’s amazingness, so he was similarly quite nervous, but his spirit and mind were still calm and firm. “What do your words mean?”

He had been raised by his mother before he could speak to be a virtuous person, so he had never lied before. Likewise, the sentence he just spoke was the truth. He really doesn’t understand what Cai Hua meant by ‘far ahead’. The sword technique he was speaking off? Or that now Cai Hua was aware of his identity, he would forcibly silence the youth infront of him?

Cai Hua looked at him and asked matter-of-factly, “Who am I?”

Ovid was a stubborn and proud youth since he was angry with the immortal, he adamantly kept his mouth shut, unwilling to answer.

Cai Hua was already familiar with this situation, so, without a hint of embarrassment on his face, which was now pointed at by his finger, he answered his own question for the third time, “I am the wayfarer immortal Cai Hua.” 

His voice suddenly grew loud and harsh like a sharp sword. “I could tell the location of the Pope thousands of miles away with a single glance, how could I not know that you are familiar with that woman’s sister? It’s because I know you know Anna that I do not want you to say you know Anna. I let you try twice, so why do you stubbornly insist on repeating her name? Just what is your meaning?” 

In the face of the shout that was like a violent bamboo stick, Ovid felt his blood freeze. It’s because Anna is the only thing that ties me in this world, he cried out in his mind. 

Cai Hua’s eyes suddenly squinted as he looked at him, “If you didn’t know Anna, or if you at least pretend you didn’t know Anna, then at least I could pretend that in a moment of confusion, that I did not realise you knew Anna. Then, for an act of paying gratitude to a beauty, I could pass down the technique to you without worry. But you can only see immediately infront of you.” 

Only after hearing this did Ovid finally understand what this immortal was talking about. After a moment of hesitation, he replied, “I know Anna, so why I can’t say that I know Anna? To be a good person is more important than any opportunity.” 

“Bullsh*t!” Cai Hua fluttered his sleeves in rage. Unfortunately, it was also in tatters, and moreover soaked in water, so they moved in a strange and heavy manner that resembled a wet sock. It was very pathetic, but Cai Hua cared not. He locked his eyes with Ovid’s and said, “To even meet me is a great honour others would kill their parents and siblings for, much less to be instructed in sword technique. Who would be willing to pass such a great opportunity? That would be to cover the skies itself with a black blanket.”

Ovid was once more truly speechless. He thought to himself that this man’s body must be ridiculously strong to contain so much ego, and not yet explode.

Abruptly, Cai Hua looked down, and his expression grew icy. Glaring at Ovid’s feet, which was still a little wet, he said, “I get it.” 

Ovid continued to be speechless. Let what? You can’t even get yourself, much less me.

Cai Hua said to him scornfully, “Just from a look I can tell you are a born seductress. You sort of people are already intelligent, so you must also be intelligent. By purposefully rejecting the opportunity I gave you, you want to later climb on my bed and make me owe you a debt of karma.”

Ovid thought to himself, and just what does that mean? This immortal really likes to rabble on. In addition, his ego is too disgusting - could his favour be that important? 

“It’s well known that I’m a sentimental person. That lass Xiao Heng had tried a similar trick and married me in the end.” Cai Hua smiled at Ovid, “A lass like you… very cunning, very beguiling.” 

It was a cold smile, derisive and arrogant. It was like how a god who understood everything under heaven would smile.

Ovid was silent and rather agonized. He could not continue his speechless ways in this sort of conversation and explained, “You’re overthinking it.” 

“Am I? Do you think men and woman are so virtuous and noble that they would not take advantage of me? Perhaps you think your honour is worth more than an opportunity to become an immortal? Since that’s the case, what are you standing here for?”

Cai Hua looked at Ovid with a false smile, behind it a vast sense of ridicule. “You vixens want to cling on my thigh and live an easy life. If you don’t want to learn a thing from my sword, just go away already? Are you waiting for my mood to sour and behead you and everyone else in this building?

These words were harsher and colder than the Great Dividing Range.

Ovid was not a sage, facing such an overbearing and rude behaviour, he exercised his breathing technique to suppress his anger. He did not even want to say a few words of anger and began walking to the second floor.

With a loud and clear noise, the doorframe was shut. 

“Yeah, just like that! Those who mingle with that crazy woman will never have good endings.”

Cai Hua lifted his head and looked at the door Ovid disappeared behind and said mockingly, “Acting so high and mighty, who’s he fooling?” 

After a while, he grew quiet. He sat on the wooden chair and sighed into the starry skies. 

He took out a jug of strong liquor. Savouring it, he reclined his body against the back of the chair.

Whether drinking from the liquor or sitting down, the entire process took a long time, as if even the smallest of movement was akin to lifting a boulder.

He turned his glance and looked at a small rat in the corner. Who would have known that in such a clean place, these vermins would still be wandering around? 

Cai Hua was a little tired and couldn’t bother thinking over this question. Placing the jug beneath his seat, he proceeds to close his eyes. 

At this moment, Julia and the pope were fighting in the Great Dividing Range, and bishops had been summoned to hunt for him. 

Yet he was like a retired man, drinking and resting at a fancy hotel.