Kyrian walked a few steps behind Mei Li while observing the small figure ahead.
Xue Yin seemed far too excited for someone who had almost been robbed minutes earlier. Her steps were light, almost bouncy, but what truly caught Kyrian’s attention was something else.
’Peak of the Body Refinement Realm...’ Kyrian thought.
She continued to cast furtive glances at him, a mixture of shyness and intense curiosity, while Mei Li, with unshakable patience, guided the small group directly back to the elegant shop.
Mei Li maintained a constant flow of light conversation with the child, talking about fabrics and colors, while Kyrian walked a few steps behind, flanked by the city guards whose expressions ranged from professional resignation to barely concealed anxiety.
The walk was short. The shop’s light and golden façade reappeared.
Mei Li entered, followed by Xue Yin, who tugged at the hem of Mei Li’s new dress. Kyrian entered behind them, his gaze sweeping over the elegant interior once more.
The guards remained outside, forming a discreet but visible barrier.
Inside, the silence of the luxurious environment was broken by their arrival. The same attendant who had served them before bowed lightly upon recognizing Mei Li and then made a slightly deeper bow when her eyes landed on Xue Yin.
It was clear that the attendant recognized Xue Yin and knew her identity.
Xue Yin, without ceremony, pointed at Mei Li’s dress.
"I want one just like that!" she said, her clear voice echoing in the silent shop.
The attendant smiled, understanding perfectly.
"Of course, young miss. This way, please." She guided Xue Yin to a fitting area, separated by heavy silk curtains.
Kyrian stood beside Mei Li, his arms crossed, simply observing. He showed no impatience, only passive attention.
Mei Li cast him a quick glance, a slight arch of her eyebrow conveying a mix of amusement and disbelief at the situation. She already understood what was happening in the little girl’s mind.
They heard the soft sound of the curtain being opened and closed, and then, a few minutes later, Xue Yin emerged.
She was wearing a miniature replica of Mei Li’s dress, a dark blue tone that contrasted with her black hair. A nervous smile played on her lips.
She turned lightly, her gaze first seeking Mei Li’s approval, but then, inevitably, sliding toward Kyrian, a blush rising to her cheeks.
"How is it?" she asked, the question directed at Mei Li, but her fixed gaze on Kyrian betrayed her true interest. The fact was obvious to everyone in the room.
Mei Li, with her usual grace, smiled.
"It’s perfect on you, Xue Yin. The cut suits you very well."
Xue Yin smiled, but her eyes were still locked on Kyrian, waiting. He noticed the weight of the silence that followed, the hopeful look in the girl’s eyes.
With an almost imperceptible internal sigh, he offered his assessment, his voice neutral as always.
"It’s good. It suits you."
It was enough. Xue Yin’s face exploded into a deep red, and her smile widened, radiant, before she turned and disappeared behind the curtain again, as if fleeing from her own boldness.
The pattern was then established. In the following minutes, Xue Yin reappeared repeatedly, each time wearing a different dress.
An emerald green, a ruby red, a silvery white. With each new appearance, she increasingly ignored Mei Li and directed her question straight at Kyrian, her face a banner of embarrassment and expectation.
"And this one?"
"Good. The color is strong." Kyrian replied.
Then, redness. Smile. And another dash back behind the curtain.
"And this one?"
"Too simple." Kyrian answered.
A quick nod, a thoughtful look, and another disappearance into the curtains followed.
Kyrian sighed but continued to offer his short and honest opinions. It was a strange exercise, but harmless.
He noticed that with each dress to which he gave a nod or even a minimally positive comment, the attendant’s eyes shone with the certainty of a sale.
The process ended when Xue Yin, finally satisfied, or perhaps exhausted by her own nervousness, announced that she wanted all the dresses Kyrian had approved.
The bill, when silently presented to Xue Yin, amounted to several thousand low-grade spiritual stones. A fortune for most, but a trivial sum for the daughter of a duke.
When they left the shop, the girl’s spatial ring was now a little heavier.
Then, the scene on the street had changed. The normal bustle of the avenue was suddenly overshadowed by the silent arrival of a carriage.
It was a vehicle of discreet appearance. Made of a dark wood so polished that it reflected the clouds above, with matte silver details and wheels wrapped in a substance that completely absorbed sound.
It was not loud, but it exuded presence. And from it emanated a pressure that made Kyrian and Mei Li stiffen instantly.
It was a dense, heavy spiritual force that settled on their shoulders like a cloak of metal. It was not hostile, just... declarative.
The carriage door opened without anyone touching it.
Xue Yin let out a small cry.
"Daddy!!" And before Kyrian or Mei Li could react, she lunged toward the vehicle. From inside, an arm wrapped in light blue silk emerged, catching her in midair with ease and lifting her inside.
The man holding Xue Yin was tall and solidly built, without being bulky. His features were noble, with black hair flecked with silver tied into a severe bun.
His dark brown eyes passed over Mei Li and then fixed on Kyrian.
This was the source of the pressure. Kyrian calculated quickly. The man before him, who must undoubtedly be Duke Rong, was at a high stage of cultivation.
Probably not very far from Dong Zhen.
The duke greeted his daughter with a smile that transformed his severe face, stroking her hair.
Xue Yin then stood on her tiptoes and began whispering frantically into his ear. Kyrian watched as the duke’s expression changed.
The initial reproach, the relief at finding her safe and sound, and then... something else. An intense curiosity, followed by a quick recalculation. His gaze returned to Kyrian and Mei Li, and the oppressive pressure emanating from him disappeared completely, withdrawn as abruptly as it had been applied.
It was as if a heavy door had been closed, leaving only the polished man behind it.
"My daughter said that you are friends who helped her today." Duke Rong said, his voice deep and clear, carrying a natural authority that needed no volume.
"I am very grateful for that. I invite you to my residence to thank you personally." His tone was genuinely cordial.