Chapter 573: I Have a Good Idea
Morning in Jade City was just like any other day. The ones who rose early were mostly the locals, with their deep-set features, thick beards, wearing the region’s loose robes and head wraps. The aroma of baked buns and flatbread filled the air, mingling with the rhythmic clang of hammer against iron echoing from some unknown alley, all coming together to form the vibrant bustle of this foreign city.
The Daoist, however, was already packed and ready to leave the city.
He was the same old Daoist in his worn robes, leaning on a bamboo staff, leading a jujube-red horse laden with baggage. Behind him, at the entrance of a quiet alley, the little girl transformed back into a cat, turning her head this way and that as they walked.
Before long, they passed through the city gates.
Some camel caravans were heading out of the city alongside the Daoist, while others approached from afar, having clearly been on the road since much earlier. The camels on both sides stretched in long lines, and the world was filled with the rhythmic jingle of bells and the creaking of gear.
This was, perhaps, the echo of the Silk Road.
The Daoist paused and looked back.
Jade City’s walls were a dusty yellow, and so were the buildings atop them—weathered by wind and sand, faded and yellowed. From the outside, you’d never guess that this city had gathered centuries of Silk Road prosperity.
It had only been a few hundred years so far. Most likely less than a thousand. Who could say how many more years it would last?
And who knew if he would ever see this city again? Whether it would still look the same, years from now?
“...”
Song You shook his head and withdrew his gaze, looking forward again.