The weather was warm. Many flowers bloomed on the withered land. The nutrients in the soil were stored up due to the winter season. When the climate was suitable for the plants to grow, the flowers bloomed. They were large and very colorful. When Mo Fan flew in the sky, he smelled the fragrance of the flower as the wind blew.
‘Was the cold finally over?’
They thought the cold would last for many years. They did not expect the cold to end so soon.
Humans should not simply give up hope. Even though they were trapped in a freezing world, it was not really that scary, after all. If they adapted to the weather and waited for the cold weather to pa.s.s, all the hards.h.i.+p would naturally come to an end.
Mo Fan was glad that the land thrived once again. After the ice and snow melted, the resulting stream water was purer than ever. The land and forest were more fertile than before. On top of that, humans became tougher and stronger compared to the times when they lived in the big cities.
!!The Mages no longer did their jobs only to earn a living. Similarly, the residents did not stay in their comfort zone. They girded up their loins and faced the crisis and natural disasters together.
…
When Mo Fan returned to the Ding City, he noticed that the hardworking Plant Element Mages had turned the barren, rocky city into a Hanging Garden of Babylon. The streets and roads were decorated with different colors of peonies and azaleas. Some of the flowers bloomed in cl.u.s.ters at the street corners, and some scattered on the alley walls.
Mo Fan’s courtyard was planted with laurel trees. The laurel trees usually gave off a strong fragrance, and some people felt uncomfortable with its scent. However, the laurel trees in the courtyard gave off a very light fragrance. The fragrance of the laurel trees was so light that one could only sense its unique smell when they were close enough.
Mo Fan walked into the courtyard and saw that Tao Jing was changing the utensils. She wore a knee-length dress and high heels, revealing her white, slender calves.
“You don’t have to bring me food anymore. I’ve finished practicing my cultivation,” said Mo Fan as he walked over to Tao Jing.
Tao Jing turned around. She stared at him in confusion. Mo Fan had a scruffy beard, and long hair. Even so, he still wore a white s.h.i.+rt.
“You should clean up and eat. I almost poured the leftover dishes into your bowl,” said Tao Jing.
Mo Fan scratched his head in embarra.s.sment. No wonder Clark had mistaken him for Wei Guang. Mo Fan had gained fame in the country. The reason he had been mistaken for another person was because of his appearance which had changed because he had spent a year in cultivation behind closed doors.
“I’ll find a shop at the back of the street. Thank you for taking care of me for so long. Your food was great” Mo Fan smiled.
“My family rears two large Huskies. They don’t eat dog food. We eat homemade food. Since I have to prepare food for them anyway, I don’t mind preparing one more portion.” Tao Jing smiled warmly.
Mo Fan walked out of the courtyard.
“By the way, there’s a young lady staying in the backstreet. She has been asking for you. She stays at the hotel next to the barber shop at the end of the street. After you finish grooming yourself, go and find her.” Tao Jing recalled the young lady and reminded Mo Fan about her.
“A young lady?” Mo Fan tried very hard to recall which lady he had indebted that caused her to look for him in this place.
That was impossible. He did not simply get into a relations.h.i.+p with any woman. ‘Could Zhao Manyan have used my ident.i.ty to cheat on someone?’
Mo Fan was puzzled. He went to cut his hair. He sent a message to his friends and informed them that he had finally finished practicing his cultivation!
…
“Mr. Tony, just cut it short.”
“Your long hair and beard brought out your own kind of style. Do you want me to design a haircut for you that will take the world by storm? It’s going to be exclusively for you. It will capture everyone’s attention.”
“I don’t need any superfluous adornment for my handsome face. That will only cover up my natural beauty.”
“You’re quite funny.”
Mr. Tony took out a razor and cut his hair. He shaved Mo Fan’s thick beard, too. The entire process took Mr. Tony less than five minutes. After the haircut, Mo Fan thought he resembled Hanamichi Sakuragi, especially if he chose to dye his hair red.
The ladies inside the barber shop could not stop themselves from looking at Mo Fan. His short and clean hair made him look spirited, energetic, and handsome!
Mo Fan looked into the mirror and was satisfied with his haircut. A single word was sufficient to sum up his life.
“Hmm… You look like… Are you Mo Fan?” Mr. Tony cried out in surprise.
“Correct! Is there a discount for me?” Mo fan chuckled.
“The fee is $78. I don’t offer discounts to my customers. Can you give me your signature? Please sign it using your flames. That’ll be cool,” Mr. Tony said excitedly.
“With that skill of yours, is it even worth $78?!”
Mr. Tony was unrelenting. He got Mo Fan’s signature in flames and also the 78$ for the haircut.
The moment Mo Fan walked out of the barber shop, he thought he had lost miserably to Mr. Tony. He was about to walk to the hotel to see the young lady who had been looking for him, but he ran into someone familiar. It was Zhou Donghao.
Zhou Donghao looked up to see Mo Fan and pa.s.sed by without a word.
The next moment, he turned around and pointed at Mo Fan in shock. “M-Mo Fan!” Zhou Donghao exclaimed. The crowd on the street turned to them.
Most of the residents in the Ding City came from the Magic City. They were certainly aware of Mo Fan’s ident.i.ty. He was none other than the hero who had come to the rescue with the Azure Dragon!
Mo Fan quickly dragged Zhou Donghao into the hotel lest he stirred up a commotion.
“I finished practicing my cultivation, I heard someone was looking for me, so I came over to see what’s going on,” said Mo Fan.
“Oh, I almost forgot. When Xiao Lan first arrived at Ding City, she said she came to look for you….” Zhou Donghao heaved a sorrowful sigh. “I should have known this. At the end of the day, Xiao Lan still admires you. She rejected me even after thirty-six confessions.”
‘Thirty-six confessions?!’ It was no wonder Zhou Donghao looked so dejected.
Zhou Donghao took Mo Fan to Xiao Lan. She was in the tea house.
She was dressed decently. She looked like an ordinary young lady at first glance. However, Mo Fan sensed her magic aura. It was clear that she had a high level of cultivation.
Mo Fan had never seen her before. According to Zhou Donghao, she had waited for a long time to meet him.
“Are you Mo Fan?” asked Yan Lan.
“Yes, I am. And you are?”
“I’m Yan Lan. There’s something I want to talk to you about. It’s about Mu Ningxue…” Before Mo Fan could say anything, Yan Lan interrupted solemnly, “Please don’t disturb her at the moment. She’ll return when the time is right.”