The Verdant Wood Tribe was located on the border of the Fire Field and the Wood Field. According to the waiter Jiang Chen asked, it would take the fastest horse half a year to arrive in the Xia Dynasty.
Jiang Chen didnât have the fastest horse, but he had Whitty, and that was fast enough.
Besides, it wouldnât be as dangerous outside the Realm of Beasts, only a normal journey for Jiang Chen and Whitty.
At the same time, since they were back in the normal world, Jiang Chen told Whitty to abide by the law. It couldnât be as naughty as it had been in the Realm of Beasts.
He felt lucky that Whitty had been raised as a mount. If it were a wild monster, once it had awakened its fierce beast blood, he wouldnât have had the nerve to take it back to human society.
As Whittyâs intelligence developed day by day, it was like a naughty kid, but always obedient to Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen went back to the Fire Field in half a month.
The interesting part was that he passed by the Vermilion Bird City, where he had gone on an adventure, and saw the mine where he had almost died.
What could have happened to those stone coffins?
It had been a long time ago. It seemed there was a news blackout regarding the underground mausoleum. Outsiders had no way of knowing what had happened there.
The Intelligence Pavilion even sold such information at a high price, not any cheaper than the information for Jiang Chenâs spiritual herbs.
Jiang Chen went into the Vermilion Bird City first and found it less crowded than before.
Soon, he noticed he didnât see any youngsters there.
The people in the city were surprised to see him. Someone asked him, âKid, why are you here? Donât you want to watch the competition of the Sacred Institute?â
âBut it hasnât started yet.â
Jiang Chen estimated there was still more than half a month to go, so he wasnât in a hurry, but the date was set after he was trapped in the Realm of Beasts, so he didnât know precisely when it was.
âI donât know when you think it is, but the primary election has already started. Itâll last for three days. Today is the second day.â
âWhat?!â
Jiang Chen couldnât sit still anymore. He took Whitty out of the city immediately and flew at full speed.
This news disrupted his plan. He had planned to go back to the Hundred Thousand Mountains to visit his family, then return to the Natural Law School and leave with his sibling disciples to participate in the competition together.
Thereâs still time.
Jiang Chen thought about how long it had taken him last time to travel by airship from the Vermilion Bird City to the Natural Law School. It had taken several days, but at that moment, he and Whitty were flying much faster.
He tried his best and managed to enter the territory of the Xia Dynasty before nightfall.
âLetâs take a rest.â
Jiang Chen was pretty satisfied with his progress. He still had the whole night, and he was sure he could arrive in time.
An anxious voice came from behind when he was looking for a place to land.
âMake way! Make way!â
Whitty pushed him aside when he was about to look back.
In the meantime, a sailing ship, flying at its highest speed, flew by where he had been standing.
When he found his balance again, the sailing ship had stopped at the end of his sight.
Jiang Chen soon realized if Whitty hadnât reacted in time, he would have been knocked over by the sailing ship.
Sailing ships couldnât stop immediately when they were at their fullest speed.
He knew sailing ships well. Besides, the crew had also warned him, so he didnât have too many complaints, but Whitty was quite angry. It wanted to destroy the sailing ship.
Jiang Chen comforted it a little and praised it for what it had done. He promised that when they reached the destination, he would buy it honey-glazed ham.
After hearing this, Whitty finally calmed down.
âLetâs take a look.â
The sailing ship had stopped right where Jiang Chen was going, so he flew over, but he put on a mask so that no one would recognize him.
While everyone still thought he was dead, he really wanted to play a prank.
At the same time, some youngsters were in a heated discussion on the deck of the sailing ship.
âDid we hit him or not?â
âIâm not sure, but I didnât hear any screams, he could have dodged.â
âThe shipâs bow isnât damaged. Iâm sure no one was hit.â
âBut he must have been given a good scare. We should compensate him.â
Although many people were discussing the matter, it was the man and the woman in the center who had the final word.
The woman had mentioned the compensation. She had a big and round face, but delicate features.
She was a full-figured woman in a close-fitting black robe.
Her clothes and hair style were so different from the othersâ that it seemed like they were from two different countries.
âPrincess Fragrance, youâre too naĂŻve.â The handsome youngster next to her said, âHuman beings are sinister. That guy will blackmail us if weâre too nice.â
âAh?â Princess Fragrance didnât understand what he meant. She looked confused.
âPrincess, I agree with Apprentice Brother Yun.â
âWe should act tough before compensating him. Otherwise, if we pay him the compensation directly, heâll demand an exorbitant price.â
âOkay.â Princess Fragrance didnât argue. She agreed since others had reached a consensus.
âPrincess, here he is.â A maid ran over.
âPrincess, leave him to us.â
Apprentice Brother Yun and the others immediately looked towards the stern. Jiang Chen soon came into sight on Whittyâs back.
âA flying tiger?â
They hadnât seen clearly how Jiang Chen was flying because it was too dark. They thought he had a device to fly on, but to their surprise, it was a tiger with wings.
After the shock of seeing the tiger, they didnât forget the plan they had made. One of them came forward to shout at Jiang Chen.
âWhatâs wrong with you? Why didnât you watch where you were going? Do you know what a loss weâve suffered by braking?â
Jiang Chen frowned. Hadnât they stopped the ship to apologize?
He shook his head. He didnât have the time to argue with them, so he left in silence.
Those on the ship didnât expect his reaction.
Princess Fragrance looked at those people, puzzled. She became more and more confused.
âHeâs wearing a mask at night. He might have done evil things and doesnât want to expose himself,â Apprentice Brother Yun explained to her embarrassedly.
Princess Fragrance was dubious about his explanation. The sailing ship started again.
Since the sailing ship was fast enough, they soon saw Jiang Chen on Whittyâs back again.
Without waiting for the othersâ reactions, Princess Fragrance said to him out of guilt, âMy friend, we didnât see you just now and almost hit you. Iâm really sorry. It looks like youâre also heading for the capital of the Xia Dynasty. Why donât you come with us and travel by airship?â
Jiang Chen was persuaded by her.
He would save a lot of time with the fast speed of the sailing ship.
âOkay.â Jiang Chen wasnât a drama queen. He jumped onto the deck directly with Whitty.
Whitty closed its wings since it didnât need to fly anymore. That is to say, the wings disappeared. If they hadnât seen it with their own eyes, the people on the ship wouldnât believe tigers like this existed.
âMy friend, what kind of mount is this? Itâs so amazing!â Princess Fragrance was interested in Whitty too, but Whitty didnât appreciate her interest at all. It was breathing hard when she approached it.
âIt doesnât like strangers,â Jiang Chen explained to her, but he knew Whitty bore a grudge against them, since the ship had almost hit them.