Chapter 4740: Trying to pass off fake as genuine

“I’ll take one bottle,” Yue’er said with a bright smile, pulling out ten gold coins and handing them to the old woman.

“Good, good, good, do you want this one, or would you like me to squeeze another for you?” the old woman asked kindly.

“Just this one!” Yue’er replied, recalling how she’d watched the old woman milk the sheep just moments before, assuring herself there’d be no issues with freshness.

“All right, dear. Take it, and give it to your parents to boil. It’ll taste even better with a little salt,” the old woman suggested.

“Yes, I know,” Yue’er affirmed, a memory of having tried it before flashing through her mind.

Clutching the bottle of spirit sheep’s milk, she then spent a few more gold coins to borrow the kitchen of a nearby restaurant. There, she boiled the milk, drank a satisfying bowl, and carefully packed the remainder for her journey.

After exploring the town and purchasing a few necessities, Yue’er was about to continue her travels when something caught her eye. A man was sticking a picture onto a wall. Once he left, she approached for a closer look. Her eyes widened in genuine shock, and with a swift, almost imperceptible movement, she leaped up, tore the picture down when no one was watching, and quickly tucked it into her bosom.

“Those bastards actually want to capture me with a wanted poster!” she muttered, wrinkling her nose. She then glanced down at her current attire, and her eyes lit up with a sly smile. In the next instant, she darted away, a new plan forming in her mischievous mind.

At the same time, wanted posters depicting Yue’er were swiftly being plastered in towns and villages throughout the surrounding region. Muchen, who had just entered a different town, frowned slightly as he noticed the image on the wall at the entrance. He walked closer for a better look, and the longer he stared, the colder his expression grew.

Upon entering the town, he found a place to rest and immediately pulled out his communication jade to inquire if his sister had encountered any problems. Soon, a message came back through the jade. Hearing his sister’s reassuring words, he finally relaxed, though he still urged her to be careful and informed her of his current town’s location. As anticipated, the two had not taken the same route, and the towns they were in were quite far apart. It was almost impossible for them to meet up and continue their journey together, especially since their master had already instructed them to return independently.

When Yue’er set off again, she had undergone a complete transformation. Gone was her beautiful dress, replaced by the simple, worn clothes of a beggar. She had often heard her father recount tales of her mother’s past—how mischievous she had been, how she disliked pretty dresses, and how she loved to wander around disguised as a beggar. With such a rare opportunity, Yue’er decided to emulate her mother and embrace the role of a little beggar herself. Besides, this way, even if those pursuing her appeared, they likely wouldn’t recognize her.

Indeed, Shen Shiqi and his companions truly had not anticipated this little girl’s clever disguise. At that very moment, they were listening to various reports from those who had responded to the reward. Some claimed to have seen the girl they were looking for, while others even boasted that they had already captured her and were simply awaiting their arrival.

However, as they listened to the conflicting news pouring in from all directions, they couldn’t help but exchange bewildered glances. “Shouldn’t we add one more detail,” one of them mused, “that she should be taught a lesson for impersonating someone else?”

“No, it’s the people who posted the reward who didn’t do their job properly. They didn’t check before passing on the information,” Shen Shiqi countered, narrowing his eyes and letting out a cold, sharp smile. “It seems that they didn’t take this matter seriously. Perhaps they think we’re just ordinary cultivators. It appears we have to do something to get results faster.”

Upon hearing this, the others exchanged knowing glances and smiled in unison.