Chapter 47

“Taoist Bai, what are you doing here?”

Bai Shuo was already feeling dizzy from Big Iron Flower’s wailing when Ming Xin suddenly appeared, hurrying over with several Yunxiao disciples from the street corner.

At the same time, two powerful spiritual energies surged toward them.

This is bad.

They must not find out about Fan Yue’s condition.

Bai Shuo glanced at the blood-covered Fan Yue and quickly tugged at his sleeve.

“Mumu! Hide, quickly!”

Fan Yue grasped Bai Shuo’s hand tightly, unwilling to let go.

“Listen to me!”

Seeing Bai Shuo’s urgency, a flash of understanding crossed Fan Yue’s eyes.

Reluctantly, he transformed into a small vine and wrapped himself around Bai Shuo’s wrist.

Big Iron Flower let out a gasp of astonishment, but Bai Shuo swiftly covered her mouth.

“Little sister, don’t say anything about Mumu.”

Big Iron Flower nodded repeatedly.

“What’s going on here?”

Two flashes of light appeared as Nan Wan and Beichen arrived on the street simultaneously.

They had been meditating in the inn when the commotion of spiritual energy outside caught their attention.

Beichen’s face remained impassive, but Nan Wan, upon seeing that Bai Shuo and Hua Hong were responsible for the disturbance, narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

Wasn’t this Taoist supposed to be resting in her room?

How is she here now?

Could it be that she had already figured out the location of the Yi’s tomb and was deceiving him earlier?

Bai Shuo noticed Nan Wan’s expression and immediately knew what he was thinking—that she had sneaked out to secretly search for the Yi’s tomb.

What a terrible misunderstanding!

“Lord Nan Wan, you arrived just in time! There… there was a monster! Thank goodness you scared it away!”

Bai Shuo, pale-faced, rushed up to Nan Wan, speaking urgently.

“A monster?”

Nan Wan looked surprised.

“What kind of monster?”

“A human body, four claws, a tail, really ugly!”

Bai Shuo gestured wildly with her hands and feet.

What kind of creature was that?

“As far as I know, there’s no such creature among the demons and spirits,” Beichen said calmly.

Nan Wan, still skeptical, cast a doubtful glance at Bai Shuo.

“It’s true!”

Bai Shuo insisted, growing anxious.

“If you don’t believe me, ask Little Sister Hua! She saw it too! That thing almost ate me!”

Nan Wan looked over at Hua Hong, and Big Iron Flower nodded vigorously in agreement.

“That monster was full of evil energy. It must have been an evil spirit!”

“Nonsense. The city is protected by the Spirit-Sealing Formation. How could there be any evil spirits here?”

Nan Wan interrupted coldly.

“Besides, I sense no trace of such a spirit in this place.”

“I’m not lying! That malevolent spirit was even—”

Before Bai Shuo could finish her sentence, Beichen raised his palm, gathering a ball of immortal light and scattering it across the street.

Instantly, the dark street was illuminated as if it were broad daylight.

Not only was there no trace of any malevolent energy, but even the severed claw and bloodstains from earlier had vanished without a trace.

Bai Shuo’s voice caught in her throat.

She rubbed her eyes, stunned.

What the hell is this!?

Bai Shuo and Big Iron Flower exchanged bewildered glances, and for a moment, Bai Shuo was at a loss for words.

It was true.

With the Spirit-Sealing Formation buried by the late Heavenly Emperor Mu Guang, not even Beichen and Nan Wan’s spiritual energies worked within the city. If an evil spirit had appeared, the formation should have reacted.

But if that creature wasn’t an evil spirit, then what was it?

“What now? Why don’t you continue, Taoist?” Beichen asked coldly.

“Nothing, nothing… I must have been mistaken,” Bai Shuo muttered, while Big Iron Flower seemed about to say something, but her sleeve was subtly tugged by Bai Shuo.

Aside from the three of them, no one else had seen the creature. These disciples from the Immortal sects wouldn’t believe her. An evil creature appeared in the city, and even Beichen and Nan Wan had felt the spiritual disturbance, yet there had been no reaction from the Yi’s Palace.

Something strange was definitely going on in this city.

As a mere half-immortal, Bai Shuo wasn’t willing to get caught up in these murky waters.

As long as Chong Zhao was safe, her plan was to endure the next two days and return to Nanhai City with Big Iron Flower and Fan Yue as soon as possible.

“Mistaken?” Beichen frowned.

He had clearly sensed two waves of spiritual energy earlier, but now, aside from Bai Shuo and Big Iron Flower, both half-immortals, there was nothing.

“Why are you out here at this late hour, Taoist, instead of resting at the inn?”

He turned to Nan Wan, his words implying more, “It seems Yunxiao has already gained something from the spiritual artifact.”

Nan Wan’s expression darkened as he silently cursed Bai Shuo for drawing Beichen’s suspicion.

He was about to speak and take Bai Shuo back.

But Bai Shuo suddenly pulled Big Iron Flower over, acting all coy, her mustache twitching wildly.

“Lord Beichen, you misunderstand! I was merely enjoying a moonlit stroll with my little sister here.”

Caught sneaking out and being confronted by Nan Wan was bad enough.

If she also drew Beichen’s attention, Nan Wan would surely make her life miserable when they returned.

Big Iron Flower, ever the actress, blushed shyly and batted her lashes.

“Yes, Immortal Lord Beichen, I was accompanying Bai Bai for some moon-gazing. Would you like to join us…?”

As she spoke, Big Iron Flower flung herself toward Beichen, causing her face powder to scatter all over.

Beichen’s expression froze as he quickly stepped back several paces.

“No need. If nothing is amiss, I’ll leave you to your own devices.”

Beichen’s voice was cold as he disappeared in a flash of light without asking any further questions.

After Beichen left, only the Yunxiao disciples remained on the street.

Nan Wan glanced at Bai Shuo.

“The moon is still bright. Do you wish to continue moon-gazing, Taoist?”

Bai Shuo quickly shook her head, yawning exaggeratedly.

“It’s too late, far too late! Let’s save the moon-gazing for another day, my Lord. We should head back and rest.”

“You may not know this, Taoist, since you are not from an immortal sect,” Nan Wan said coolly, “but only when a top-tier spiritual artifact acknowledges a master can it be used. Even if others obtain it, it would merely be a pile of scrap metal.”

Bai Shuo acted as though she hadn’t caught the warning in his words, feigning sudden enlightenment.

“Thank you for the lesson. I’ll remember that.”

“See that you do.”

With a snort, Nan Wan said no more and vanished in a flash of light.

The Yunxiao disciples politely escorted Bai Shuo and Big Iron Flower back to the inn.

Once inside, Big Iron Flower tried to follow Bai Shuo into her room, but Bai Shuo quickly shut the door in her face with a loud snap.

Leaning against the door with her iron hammer, Big Iron Flower squatted down outside in her usual manner, wiping off her face powder and rolling her eyes. “Tsk, tsk, what pair of ancestors who cross the river and destroy the bridge.”

As soon as Bai Shuo entered the room, Fan Yue reverted to his human form.

Bai Shuo hurriedly pulled him over and examined him up and down.

“Mumu, let Master take a look. Where are you hurt?!”

Fan Yue shook his head and, without a word, took off his blood-soaked shirt.

“Master, this isn’t my blood.”

Bai Shuo was stunned.

“It’s not your blood? Then whose is it?”

“Just now, I was stopped by someone outside the inn.”

“Who was it? Did they have four claws and a big tail too?”

Fan Yue shook his head.

“No, they looked human, but it was too dark to see clearly. The thing that stopped me didn’t seem to have a mind of its own, and its spiritual energy wasn’t strong.”

“Then where is that thing now?” Bai Shuo asked quickly.

“Gone.”

“Gone? What do you mean, did it escape?”

Fan Yue pouted.

“I was worried about you, so I used too much strength. I slapped it, and it… disappeared.”

No wonder Fan Yue was covered in blood. He had slapped it into a bloody mess.

Bai Shuo’s throat tightened.

If it weren’t for Fan Yue’s simple and obedient demeanor, she would have suspected that this big demon had already regained his memories and was just messing with her!

“Forget it, as long as you’re okay. This city is very strange. Once your uncle master leaves safely in the next couple of days, we’ll return to Nanhai City right away,” Bai Shuo muttered as she lay down on the bed, closing her eyes drowsily.

“I’m going to sleep. I’m exhausted.”

“Master, you sleep. I’ll keep watch.”

Fan Yue dragged over a small wooden stool and sat by Bai Shuo’s bedside.

“Good disciple…”

After being worn out for an entire night, Bai Shuo had no more strength.

She mumbled a few words before falling into a deep sleep, truly at ease.

As for how Big Iron Flower managed to smash the monster’s claw with one hammer blow, Bai Shuo didn’t even bother asking.

Whether it was natural strength or incredible bravery, it didn’t matter.

She had little silver, nothing worth scheming over, and there was nothing she could do about the monsters and spirits coming here and their intentions.

She wasn’t concerned as long as they weren’t after her life.

From outside the door, Big Iron Flower overheard the entire conversation between the two.

She tapped her iron staff lightly with two fingers, but her expression turned distant.

Inside the palace of the Yi King, all was quiet when suddenly, a figure appeared.

The person seemed very familiar with the palace and headed straight toward its deepest chamber.

The moment they stepped into the hall, a blade’s flash forced them to stop just outside.

“Who goes there?!”

Wu Zhao, gripping a long blade, spoke with authority.

But when he saw who it was, his expression shifted.

He quickly sheathed his blade and bowed, a hint of joy lighting up his stern face.

“Little Highness, is it really you?! You’ve returned!”

The person, however, spoke coldly, “Uncle Wu Zhao, I told you when I left all those years ago that the Yi City has nothing to do with me anymore. Don’t call me ‘Highness’ ever again.”

Wu Zhao’s face fell.

“Little Highness…”

“Why are there evil creatures in the Yi City? Have you not noticed?”

“Evil creatures?” Wu Zhao was momentarily stunned.

“Impossible. Under the Locking Spirit Seal, there can’t be any evil spirits in the Yi City.”

The person looked at Wu Zhao with cold eyes.

With a wave of the person’s hand, a severed claw appeared on the ground.

Wu Zhao’s face turned pale, and he avoided the person’s gaze.

“I’m no longer a person of the Yi City. Whatever happens here has nothing to do with me. Disciples from both the immortal and demon clans are gathering in Yi City. I don’t know why he agreed to let Jinyao hold the Wutong Martial Banquet here, but whatever you’re planning, the Yi City cannot withstand retribution from both the Immortal and Demon clans. You’d better think this through.”

The person said no more and turned to leave.

“Little Highness! Aren’t you going to see His Majesty?”

The person steps paused but didn’t turn back and continued walking away.

Wu Zhao picked up the severed claw, his expression shifting as he disappeared from the palace gates.

Deep beneath the palace of the Yi King, in a hall, the Yi King sat on the floor.

The moment Wu Zhao appeared, he opened his eyes.

“What is it?”

“Your Majesty, the Little Highness has returned.”

The Yi King paused but said nothing.

“Little Highness found this.”

Wu Zhao raised the severed claw in his hand.

The Yi King’s face changed, and he frowned.

“Your Majesty, this is too risky. Now that the Little Highness has returned, perhaps we should—”

Before Wu Zhao could finish, the Yi King gave him a cold look, and Wu Zhao immediately fell silent.

“The Yi Clan has been abandoned by the Three Realms for a thousand years. Wu Zhao, this is our only chance… It’s also Yong’er’s only chance.”

The Yi King turned to look at a figure sleeping in the blood pool not far away and closed his eyes again.

In the blood pool lay a creature with a human body and a snake tail.

It had four claws, one of which was missing a part.

By the time the sun was high in the sky, Bai Shuo finally got up, feeling refreshed.

Just as she was about to take Fan Yue downstairs to find something to eat, Nan Wan was already standing coldly at her door, waiting for her.