Chapter 30: Earth-Fire Horse
The shop assistant stood stunned, staring blankly at the orange spirit crystal. For three months, no spirit crystal had been unearthed here, yet today, a young girl who seemed entirely ignorant of stone-gambling had managed to cut one out—and an orange one at that! This was worth a small fortune.
"Congratulations, Miss. You have won this round of stone-gambling!" the assistant said, bowing respectfully to Zhao Erdong.
Zhao Erdong took the orange spirit crystal from the lapidary. The stone glowed with a brilliant radiance, cool to the touch but not bone-chilling; it would be a pleasant way to beat the heat in midsummer.
"Master Lu, you concede?" Zhao Erdong smiled brilliantly, her delicate, pearly-white teeth biting gently on her lower lip, looking incredibly charming and playful.
At this moment, Lu Tianming had already lost his wits, his entire focus fixated on Zhao Erdong. He didn't even glance at the orange spirit crystal; he only wished to end the bet quickly so he could escort the beauty home, learn where she lived, and plan his next move.
If she were a daughter of an ordinary wealthy family, she might not make a proper wife, but taking her as a beloved concubine would suffice. If she were from a high-ranking noble house, it would be even simpler. In the Great Yue Kingdom, there was no noble lady Lu Tianming could not match; even if he set his sights on a princess, he would be worthy of her.
Zhao Erdong handed the spirit crystal to Baihe for safekeeping, then turned to bid Lu Tianming farewell, claiming it was getting late and she had to return home.
This was the very moment Lu Tianming had been waiting for. He quickly offered with a smile, "My carriage is just outside. May I have the honor of escorting you home?"
"That wouldn't be quite appropriate," Zhao Erdong said, lowering her head slightly. A faint, lovely blush bloomed across her fair cheeks.
Lu Tianming paused, then chuckled and scratched his head. "Forgive me, Miss. It was my lack of foresight. I am truly sorry; I had no intention of causing offense."
She was an unmarried maiden; how could she ride with a man so casually? It would only invite idle gossip. Lu Tianming understood this instantly and did not take the rejection to heart.
"Master Lu, until we meet again," Zhao Erdong said with a radiant smile, though a faint hint of mockery flickered at the corners of her lips.
Zhao Erdong pulled Baihe along, leaving the spirit stone shop in a hurry. She was anxious to get away before Lu Tianming could pester her further. Yet, in Lu Tianming’s eyes, this haste was merely the bashfulness of a young girl in the presence of her suitor.
Fate?
Lu Tianming had never believed in fate before, but today, he seemed to have changed his mind.
He rushed out of the shop, hoping to follow her stealthily, but to his dismay, the silhouette that had captured his heart had vanished from the entire street.
Outside the shop, two of the Lu household servants were tending to a magnificent "Earth-Fire Steed." Besides its ability to breathe fire, the creature was larger and sturdier than a common horse, its coat a fiery red that seemed wreathed in flames. When it galloped, it looked like a cloud of fire, moving with astonishing speed—three times that of an ordinary steed capable of covering a thousand miles a day. While not the finest mount in existence, it was undoubtedly precious. Its temper was fierce; had it not been for the help of a powerful expert, Lu Tianming would never have been able to tame it.
Lu Tianming lunged toward the Earth-Fire Steed and vaulted onto its back. Without a command, the beast shot forward like a bolt of fire, disappearing into the distance in the blink of an eye.
In a narrow alley next to the shop, Zhao Erdong and Baihe were hiding, peering out sneakily. As the Earth-Fire Steed flashed past, Baihe exclaimed, "Wow, that mount is truly impressive!"
Zhao Erdong narrowed her eyes, watching the direction in which the steed had vanished, and said calmly, "If you like it, I will catch one for you in the future. How about that?"