Chapter 53: Riding Inside a Mount

Chapter 53: Riding Inside a Mount Xu Tao, Henrietta Campbell, and Uriel. The three walked out of the VVIP Room and toward the elevator, heading down to the first floor and out the lobby. They didn’t stop for a moment, but they didn’t seem to rush either. They continued at a relaxed, controlled pace. "Alright, where to next..." As they exited the building and stepped onto the crowded street, Xu Tao frowned, deep in thought. He was new to this world and knew practically nothing about it. He didn’t have a "base" either, so he had literally nowhere to go. "Master, how about visiting my home first?" Henrietta, noticing Xu Tao’s troubled expression, quickly offered. The genuine smile on her lips perfectly matched her beautiful visage—but it still sent chills down the spines of everyone passing by. Those who had seen her flatten a pretty boy with one punch now knew better. She was a beautiful rose with thorns a little too sharp. Yet more than the beauty—no, beauties, including Uriel—the gallery was staring at Xu Tao instead. "Damn! What’s with that bastard, dragging two goddesses around with him?!" "I bet he’s licked their armpits already!" "Fuck, does he think he’s god or something?!" Hundreds of voices blended into a grand murmur, one that even Xu Tao was having a hard time comprehending. "Your home, huh..." He decidedly ignored the crowd and focused on his disciples. "That sounds great. Tell me where it is, and I’ll take us all—" "Oh, please, no need to bother yourself, Master." Henrietta waved her hand, then pulled a familiar key from her purse and pressed a button. The next moment, the red luxury car nearby flashed its lights and let out a loud beep. "Watch out!" Xu Tao moved at once, pulling the two ladies a step back as he took a defensive stance. "This mythic beast just moved! Be careful—I can’t tell how powerful it is...!" His expression was grim. After all, the object before them was something even he—at the Divine Heaven Immortal Realm—couldn’t sense the cultivation of. Which could only mean one thing: it was more powerful than he was! "M-Master...?" Henrietta called out, a hint of confusion in her voice. "This... is my car. It’s not a beast, but a vehicle." "Huh? A... vehicle?" Xu Tao paused, pulling his hands back. "This thing is a mount...? What a weird shape it has..." "W-Well... This is a rare luxury brand car, after all. They did design it intentionally to look like this." Henrietta tried to understand Xu Tao’s confusion, but even she had her limits. Listening to him, she felt like she was talking to a martial artist who had just descended from the mountain for the first time—and her guess wasn’t too far off. Just as Xu Tao stared curiously at the car—and promptly leapt onto the roof, sitting cross-legged with a mix of awe and wonder—Henrietta smiled awkwardly. She quickly moved, opened the passenger door, and gestured inside. "Master, please get in. We shall set off in a few," she said. "Oh, so you ride it from within... Truly, a mysterious mount," he muttered, jumping down before settling into the seat. Thankfully, the car Henrietta brought had generous legroom. Otherwise, Xu Tao would’ve needed to crouch just to fit. ’It must be fate that I chose the McGuren instead of the smaller Fenriri...’ she thought to herself. But just as she closed the door and checked the roof he had stood and sat upon, she noticed an anomaly. Luxury sports cars were built tough—but a man his size should’ve left a dent. Yet the roof looked pristine, untouched. As if Xu Tao was as light as a feather, despite his large build. "..." Henrietta shook her head, brushing off the idle thought. First, she needed to take her one and true "Master" home and receive his instructions. "Uriel, we’ll get going. Come home as soon as your shift ends," she said. Even if she wanted to take Uriel with them, the car was a two-seater. There simply wasn’t enough space. "Yes, Ritta. I’ll be clocking out in an hour, anyway, so you won’t have to wait long~!" Uriel replied, using her usual tone while "undercover." Henrietta smiled and nodded. She circled around and got into the driver’s seat, then turned the key in the ignition. The engine purred softly from within, but a roaring burst of sound blasted outward. She didn’t care about the staring crowd. She shifted into first gear and began driving, watching Uriel wave goodbye in the rearview mirror. "O-Ohh... It’s truly moving..." Xu Tao gasped. "And it’s actually pretty hollow... Made of metal? Hmm... Curious design." "If you like this car, Master, I can give it to you." Henrietta smiled as she offered. "I still have plenty more of this model at home." "...Well, it is curious, but... me running would still be a thousand times faster..." To be fair, they were already on the freeway by then. The speedometer read past 200 km/h—blazing by any normal standard. But to Xu Tao, it felt like a snail’s pace. He could cover this distance in less than a blink, after all. "What’s that gigantic soul mirror?" "Ah, that’s a billboard. It’s used for advertisements and—" "And that thing below us. The mouth of the mountain, swallowing that large metal worm like noodle soup..." "That’s a railway tunnel, and a train. A basic mode of transportation—" "Hooo... And that... giant bird in the sky. What’s that?" "Huh? Where...? Ah, that’s an aircraft. Another form of transportation that—" But instead of boasting how he could outrun a luxury sports car with one leg, Xu Tao was just curious about everything he saw. Like a country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time, he kept asking about this and that. Henrietta didn’t complain even once. She answered every question with a smile, feeling more like a mother teaching her child than a disciple serving her Master. Not a hint of dissatisfaction appeared in her tone, words, or gestures. The 30-minute ride home felt shorter than usual now that she had someone to talk to. Henrietta came to a stop in front of the parking lot and stepped out, opening the door for Xu Tao. The man carefully stepped out, standing tall as he inspected the structure. "Quite a large mansion you have here," Xu Tao praised. "It’s about as big as the main hall of our Azure Dragon Sect." Henrietta smiled at his words. "Thank you, Master. If you like, shall I present you with another mansion of similar size? There are a few closer to the city..." "Oh, no need, no need." Xu Tao waved casually. "Lending me a room here is more than enough." "Is that so... I’ll see to it right now." CLAP! At Henrietta’s clap, figures rushed over and lined up before her, kneeling on the asphalt and bowing under the blazing sun. The almost empty place became filled in a flash, while the air shifted, sharp with discipline. "Listen up! This person here is my new Master! Treat him with the same level of respect you give me!" she shouted, stunning everyone. "And prepare the best room we have for him, ASAP!" CLAP! At the second clap, half of them moved quickly to follow orders. The rest remained kneeling—but were quietly eyeing Xu Tao. All of them had the same thought: ’This man must be another con artist... and worse, he completely fooled the young lady!’ Their hostility was silent—but Xu Tao noticed it instantly. ’How cute.’ Their collective malice didn’t even amount to a breeze to him. If anything, it felt like a bunch of kids pouting after having their candies stolen. "Then, please follow me, Master." Just as Henrietta turned to lead the way— VROOOOM! A loud engine roar echoed from the entrance. Henrietta froze mid-step, her smile instantly dropping into a deep frown. Xu Tao saw the sudden shift in her expression—and understood, without needing a word. Trouble had come again.