Chapter 117: The Promise

As the contract formation patterns faded, Ji Jiuxuan felt two distinct connections form.

This was merely a spiritual consciousness contract, requiring no drops of blood, and while the bond was not as profound as a blood pact, it was more than sufficient. Both horses knelt down. Ji Jiuxuan walked over, petting one and then the other, her heart filled with joy. However, she realized that given her current height, sitting alone atop such tall steeds might not be the most practical idea.

"Little sister, Grandfather had this carriage crafted specifically for you. Take a look!" With a flourish, Ji Xiuyuan retrieved a spacious carriage from his storage space. Its exterior was exquisite yet understated, bearing the mark of the Ji clan.

It was clearly a carriage of the artifact grade; no matter how understated the design, the unique aura of such a treasure made it impossible to truly blend into the background.

"It contains a world of its own inside. Grandfather specifically added defensive formations. This carriage can withstand attacks from a practitioner at the Great Perfection of the Refinement Void stage without any issues," Ji Xiuyuan said with absolute conviction, sounding as if he had been personally attacked by such a master.

Ji Jiuxuan thought exactly that and asked, "Have you tested it?"

"Yes, indeed!" Ji Xiuyuan walked up to her and said excitedly, "Little sister, you have no idea—Grandfather made two of these in total. Mother tested one, and it wouldn't break, so Grandfather ended up having to break it himself."

"So one was scrapped?" Ji Jiuxuan was somewhat incredulous. Carriages of this caliber were incredibly rare.

"It's fine! That one can be repaired and reforged into other things, so don't you worry about it, little sister!" Ji Xiuyuan added with a sense of pride, "Grandfather said that whatever the young ladies of other families have, our A-Jiu must not go without, and hers must be even better."

Ji Jiuxuan felt a warmth spread through her heart, and her smile became so sweet it could overflow, making Ji Xiuyuan want to pinch her cheeks.

"Third Brother, does every family have a carriage like this?"

"Oh, the Zhou family's old man brags about his granddaughter to Grandfather every single day. It’s infuriating!" He patted his chest and declared, "Don't you worry, little sister; this one is definitely many times better than the one the Zhou family has."

Standing behind them, Ji Xiugi pressed a hand to his forehead. This simple-minded younger brother was truly a headache.

"Don't worry, Third Brother. When I return, I will certainly make that old man from the Zhou family green with envy toward Grandfather." Ji Jiuxuan found herself infected by Ji Xiuyuan’s enthusiasm, her eyes sparkling just as brightly as his.

"Haha, then Grandfather will surely be overjoyed!"

Ji Xiuyuan took Ji Jiuxuan’s hand and said, "Come, little sister, hurry and bind the contract. Third Brother will take you for a spin."

When the carriage was sent over, their grandfather had given him strict instructions not to damage it, but his curiosity had been piqued. It was originally prepared for their father to bring to the Xuantian Sect personally, but after the eldest brother received news, their grandfather couldn't wait a moment longer and activated a high-level teleportation array. If it were anyone else, they would be decried as a spendthrift, but Ji Xiuyuan had wanted to see his sister sooner and was equally curious about the carriage Grandfather had crafted. Now that it was in her hands, taking her for a ride was perfectly fine.

Ji Jiuxuan nodded; from now on, she was a person with her own transport.

She focused a sliver of her divine sense and formed the contract with the carriage. It was effortless, and the bond was established in moments.

Ji Jiuxuan climbed into the carriage, and upon seeing the interior, she realized it truly held a world of its own. The entire space was outfitted with spatial formations; once inside, the area was incredibly vast, and the decor was exquisite. One could easily live inside this carriage indefinitely. The cushions were soft and plush, feeling exceptionally comfortable to the touch.

Ji Jiuxuan recognized them at a glance as the fur of a Mysterious Fire Red Tiger—a material that was warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Using such fur for cushions was something outsiders would never dare to imagine, especially given its immense defensive properties.

Ji Xiuyuan was about to climb in when Ji Xiugi pulled him back. He looked at Ji Jiuxuan earnestly, "Little sister, we expect to depart and head back shortly." His gaze was gentle, and his voice held a trace of apology. "Next time you return to the Southern Sea Shore, Eldest Brother will take you out to play. There are some things that need to be brought back this time."

Ji Jiuxuan understood immediately; it must be related to the auction.

"Little sister, here, take this. It should be useful when you decide to return to the Southern Sea Shore." Ji Xiugi produced a storage pouch and handed it to her.

Ji Jiuxuan did not stand on ceremony with her own brother. "Alright! Then I will come find you all to play another day."

Their grandfather had once said that after the sect competition concluded, he would take her to the Southern Sea Shore.

"Good!" Ji Xiugi smiled and patted her head, then suddenly remembered something. "When A-Jiu heads to the Southern Sea Shore, remember to come to this villa. I will have Uncle Fang come here to wait for you. He knows the way to the Southern Sea Shore well, so it will be safer."

Ji Jiuxuan nodded at her eldest brother’s instructions. "Then if I decide to go, I will let you know in advance so Uncle Fang doesn't have to come early and waste his time." The specific date for the trip to the Southern Sea Shore was not yet set, so she did not make a definitive promise.

"Fine, just remember to tell me in advance." He looked at Ji Xiuyuan, "Since your Third Brother is so eager to ride in the carriage, you can take him to the Jinda Restaurant and drop him off."

"Understood." She turned to Ji Xiuyuan, "Third Brother, I’ll have to trouble you."

"Then, Eldest Brother, see you at the Southern Sea Shore." Although they had known each other for a short time, Ji Jiuxuan felt a pang of reluctance. Blood ties were strong, and she realized there were many people in this world who cared for her.

"Indeed, see you at the Southern Sea Shore."

Ji Xiugi watched as the carriage drove into the distance. He retracted the formation and said to Uncle Fang, who was approaching, "Uncle Fang, let us prepare. We will depart as soon as our Third Brother returns." The items from this auction were quite important, and although the situation regarding their second uncle was growing increasingly complex, they had begun to see a glimmer of the truth.

"Little sister, here are some fun things for you. You must keep in touch with Third Brother when you get back!" Ji Xiuyuan sat opposite Ji Jiuxuan, holding a storage pouch.

Afraid she wouldn't know how to play with them, he took out a cube. "There is treasure hidden inside this block, but you have to rotate it correctly. As long as the links are correct, the treasure will appear. It's quite interesting."

He then pulled out a small paper doll. "There are many of these inside. If you get bored, little sister, you can activate them with spiritual energy, and they will keep you company."

After speaking, he handed her the entire pouch. "There are many more fun things inside. I wrote down how to play with all of them. It’s quite entertaining; you can try them another day."

Ji Xiuyuan didn't know much about what young girls liked, so he had simply found things he personally found interesting.

"Thank you, Third Brother!" Ji Jiuxuan was captivated by the items before her. She loved them all; she hadn't expected there to be such playful things in this world. Her initial impression of the cultivation world had been that it was incredibly grueling, with everyone striving desperately and wishing they could spend every waking second on cultivation.

Little did she know, the items Ji Xiuyuan had brought were anything but ordinary. Watching his sister smile so happily, Ji Xiuyuan smiled as well.

The mark of the Ji clan was recognized by many in Liangzhou City. The appearance of such an upscale carriage drew the attention of everyone around.

"I’ve never seen this carriage of the Ji family before!" People on the roadside couldn't help but whisper as the carriage passed by.

"The only people in the Ji family who use carriages are the Madam and the Second Young Master, Ji Xiucheng. We've seen their carriages before. Could someone have changed theirs?"

Standing by the roadside, Xue Ningxue watched the carriage with a look of confusion. She met the mocking gaze of Xue Ningyu across the way, and her jaw tightened in frustration.

*That cursed Xue Ningyu, setting a trap for me.*

As they spoke, the Ji family carriage came to a halt. The crowd looked on with curiosity.