"Boom, boom, boom—"
Amidst the thundering, dark clouds swirled in the night sky, the murky firmant pressing down upon the earth as if oppressing it. Rain threads, cascading from the heavens, swept across the vast wilderness in the howling, bitter wind.
This place was a desolate land in Cangzhou, an expansive wilderness, devoid of human presence, save for an ancient road that stretched from afar and extended into solitude.
As the night deepened, the rain began to fall more heavily.
By the ancient road in the storm-wracked wilderness, stood a lone light that shone, unwavering, no matter how ferocious the storm.
The light ca from an old inn.
The torrential rain and gale cald as they neared the inn, the wind gently stirring the weeds in front of the inn's door, and the rain quietly moistening the ground by the entrance.
"Clip-clop, clip-clop—"
In the sound of horse hooves, a figure cloaked in a straw raincoat and wearing a bamboo hat ca riding through the rainy night, soon arriving inside the inn.
"Neigh—"
With a long whinny, the steed stopped at the entrance of the inn, yet did not draw any closer.
"Eh? Why is this horse so disobedient? I even spent sixty silvers on it."
The person on the horse was, surprisingly, a woman, her voice crisp and pleasant. Then, looking down at her bosom, she said, "Disciple, let's spend the night in this inn."
Apart from the woman, beneath her spacious straw raincoat, in her arms sat a boy of roughly seven or eight years old. The boy peered through the straw coat at the wilderness inn and whispered, "Master, this inn seems a bit off."
The woman sized up the inn and said confidently, "Don't be afraid, your master is here, what's there to fear? Don't you trust your master's martial arts? Even if it's a trap, your master is a second-rate expert in Jianghu and holds so status there."
The boy in her arms said nothing, rely pulling a wry face as if speechless.
After the woman dismounted with the boy in her arms, she tied the horse up beside the inn's entrance before leading the boy toward the inn.
Above the inn's main door was a sign reading 'Sumr Shelter Inn.'
"Sumr Shelter?"
The woman muttered to herself, "Shouldn't it be 'Sumr Coolness' instead? Whoever nad it clearly lacks education... But Cangzhou is always warm in winter and cool in sumr, why the need for a sumr shelter?"
Hearing her mutter to himself, the boy couldn't help but say, "Maybe the 'sumr' they want to avoid isn't the season."
"You're just a child, you don't understand, a seven-year-old boy shouldn't try to act mature in front of your master."
The woman snorted and was about to walk to the inn door when a ripple of invisible power suddenly spread forth. Before she could react, only slightly faltering in her step, she entered the inn.
"Hmm?" The woman turned her head in perplexity.
"What's wrong?" the boy asked with a look of confusion.
"Nothing... perhaps I'm just feeling a bit unwell from traveling for so long."
The woman shook her head and pulled the boy towards the ajar door of the inn, reaching out to push it open.
"Squeak—"
After a grating sound, bearing marks of the passing years, the partially open inn door was pushed open.
As the woman entered the inn, rainwater imdiately started to drip from the edges of her straw coat onto the dry floor, instantly drawing the gaze of those inside.
At this ti, the candles in the inn were burning brightly, illuminating more than a dozen guests already present.
So were dressed in sumptuous clothes, resembling the wealthy and noble, so in worn monk robes, so in Daoist robes, so resembling scholars, and others like martial artists... a diverse mix.
The entrance of the woman, donned in a straw hat and a straw coat and leading a boy, imdiately drew the attention of everyone inside.
Beneath the straw hat, a fair face sared with stains beca visible. Obviously disguised as a male, even dressed as a man, her beauty did not diminish, with eyes clear as autumn waters surveying the guests inside the inn.
And the boy she was leading yawned lazily as if listless.
The eyes of the guests swept over the woman and the boy, first showing curiosity, then caution and wariness.
"Esteed guest."
A flamboyantly dressed, beautiful woman suddenly appeared behind the woman in the straw coat, speaking with a smile, "I am Yin Jiuniang, the proprietress of the 'Sumr Shelter Inn.' Might I ask where you co from?"
The woman was startled inside.
She had been on her guard, yet she hadn't heard how this stunning woman had appeared behind her. The other party must be a profound expert of Jianghu!
"Where do I co from?" The woman feigned composure and said, "What? Does entering your 'Sumr Shelter Inn' require a declaration of one's background?"
The beautiful woman's eyes narrowed and turned cold as she eyed the guest.
In an instant, an invisible oppression spread, but seeing that the woman in the straw coat remained calm, without a ripple, as if she'd felt nothing, the beautiful woman was inwardly surprised.
She quickly resud her smile and said, "If the guest is reluctant to say, then so be it. However, I must clarify sothing in advance, no matter how strong you are, you mustn't start a fight inside my 'Sumr Shelter Inn'... Since you co here so bedraggled, you must understand this, right?"
The woman in the straw coat looked at her and said, "I understand, prepare a clean room for us, we'll rest for the night."
"A clean room?" The beautiful woman revealed a smile and said, "Guest, please head upstairs, I assure you it will be clean and safe, with no foul play involved."
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