“Good morning, Your Majesty!” Bai Shuo greeted brightly, as if nothing had happened last night.
Nan Wan turned and headed downstairs. Bai Shuo quickly followed, lowering her voice to ask, “Your Majesty, did you manage to find the place?”
“No.” Nan Wan continued down, with Bai Shuo trailing closely behind.
“Your Majesty, there’s no rush. Why don’t we have breakfast first…”
Nan Wan shot Bai Shuo a cold glance. “Bei Chen left the inn this morning. If we delay any longer, do you think he’ll find the first Wu Tong Heartfire before us, or will we?”
Bai Shuo choked and immediately replied, “Of course, business is more important. I’m actually not that hungry.”
While she was smiling to cover her nerves, a drumstick appeared by her side. Hua Da Tie licked her oily lips and said, “Eat up! I saved this for you.”
“Eat, eat.” Bai Shuo took the drumstick quickly, munching on it as she followed Nan Wan out the door.
Since no one stopped her, Hua Da Tie also followed Bai Shuo without hesitation.
As soon as they stepped outside the inn, Bai Shuo noticed something unusual. The streets were bustling with non-celestial beings, lively and crowded.
These figures were tall, with sharp features; even the women had striking brows and expressions. Unlike the softer, more refined look typical of people from the Central Plains, the harsh sun in these wildlands had given both men and women a rugged resilience.
As they stood at the entrance, Ming Xin approached with a group of disciples, all of whom had noticeable dark circles under their eyes.
“Did you find it?” Nan Wan asked mildly.
“Senior Brother, we searched every tomb in Evil City, but there wasn’t a single one called the Strange One’s Tomb,” Ming Xin reported, casting a skeptical look at Bai Shuo, clearly questioning her predictions.
Nan Wan frowned and glanced at Bai Shuo, who quickly spoke up, “Your Majesty, this Strange One’s Tomb must be well-hidden. Jin Yao Celestial Seat wouldn’t leave the Wu Tong spiritual artifact in a place that’s easy to find, would he? Lord Ming Xin, have you asked the city’s people about the tomb?”
Ming Xin rolled his eyes at her and replied, “Asked? The locals look at us like we’re the plague. They avoid us as much as possible.”
Indeed, as Bai Shuo looked around, she saw that the locals avoided even passing near the inn, not wanting to get close to the celestial and demon disciples.
“We’re running out of time. We have just a day and a half left, and we haven’t even found the first Heartfire. Daoist Bai, are you sure you haven’t divined the location of the Strange One’s Tomb?” Nan Wan’s tone showed a hint of impatience.
“Honestly, Your Majesty, I haven’t figured it out,” Bai Shuo replied with a pleading expression.
“If you’re so useless, Daoist, then what’s the point of keeping you around?” Nan Wan glanced at Bai Shuo, his voice chilling.
Bai Shuo’s heart skipped a beat. She had already extorted a hefty amount of spiritual pearls from Yun Xiao, but now, seeing Nan Wan’s expression, she worried he might want to dispose of her for failing before even starting…
Just as Bai Shuo was about to come up with an excuse, two people suddenly rushed into the inn, followed by a woman of the non-celestial tribe.
“Is Lord Bei Chen here?”
A-Zhao?! Senior Sister Er Yun?!
Chong Zhao was carrying a child around five or six years old, and Er Yun dashed into the inn with him, not noticing Bai Shuo among the Yun Xiao disciples. Bai Shuo, munching on her drumstick, nearly choked in shock upon seeing the familiar faces.
After a long and fruitless search, they had turned up effortlessly!
Due to the strict hierarchy among celestial sects, this inn was reserved for disciples from the prestigious sects of the Three Mountains and Six Palaces. The instant these two unfamiliar faces entered, a disciple of the celestial sect stepped forward to stop them—it was none other than the sycophantic disciple who had flattered Nan Wan last night.
“Who do you think you are, barging in here without permission?” This disciple was Wu Liang Shou An, notorious for his ingratiating ways.
“Senior Brother, this child is gravely ill. We’ve heard that Kunlun is skilled in healing. Could we ask Lord Bei Chen to help save him?”
The non-celestial woman standing beside Chong Zhao looked at Shou An with a pleading expression, her face filled with worry.
Shou An glanced at the child in Chong Zhao’s arms. The child was from the non-celestial tribe and looked pale, his face tinged with a bluish hue as he struggled to breathe.
Shou An shot a disdainful look at the non-celestial woman, then refused to even look at the child in Chong Zhao’s arms. “A non-celestial? Lord Bei Chen isn’t here. Leave.”
“Senior Brother…”
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