Chapter 94

Chapter 94

After grasping the full context of the situation, Yi Xuan deemed it crucial and decided to return to his sect.

The matter was too significant for their small group to handle alone. It would be best to report it to their sect, allowing them to send someone to investigate. If there truly was a conspiracy involving the Danmeng or the Wang family, Wang Qirong included, they could take preventive measures promptly to avoid greater harm.

Yi Xuan left Taizhe City under the cover of night, while Ning Yuzhou and the other two remained in the City Lord's Manor.

Entry into Taizhe City was now restricted, but that applied only to ordinary cultivators. Disciples of the Crimson Heaven Sect, like Yi Xuan, were not hindered. Before leaving, he sought out City Lord Xu to inform him of his departure.

Upon hearing Yi Xuan's intention to leave, City Lord Xu was taken aback, instinctively assuming that something had gone awry. He hastily asked, "Is there an urgent matter, Fellow Daoist Yi?"

"I'm just returning to my sect. Junior Apprentice Brother Ning and the others are staying behind. Please rest assured, City Lord Xu."

City Lord Xu secretly sighed in relief, glad that Ning Yuzhou wasn't accompanying Yi Xuan.

He was a perceptive man and didn't inquire about the urgency of Yi Xuan's sudden departure. Instead, he arranged for the patrol team captain to personally escort Yi Xuan out of the city without causing any commotion.

With Yi Xuan gone, Sheng Yunshen felt unleashed from supervision. Early the next morning, he rushed over to find Wen Qiao and the others, brimming with excitement.

Upon opening the door, he saw the two of them seated in the room. In front of Ning Yuzhou was an alchemy furnace with a talisman fire burning beneath it. Next to it rested the problematic spirit pill in its box. Wen Qiao and Wen Tuttu were crouching nearby, observing his industriousness.

Sheng Yunshen was taken aback and exclaimed, "You two didn't sleep all night?"

When he had left last night, they seemed to be in this exact position, and now they still were. It was evident without even thinking that the pair had been occupied all through the night.

Wen Qiao explained, "My husband said he wanted to see if he could extract the essence of the evil aura from the spirit pill."

Whenever Ning Gege encountered something that piqued his interest, he would dive into relentless research mode, immovable as a mountain. Naturally, Wen Qiao couldn't just leave him be and go to sleep heartlessly. She had no choice but to accompany him at the risk of her own rest.

Sheng Yunshen felt a sudden pang of guilt. His junior brother Ning was so busy, yet he was still preoccupied with other matters. He was clearly not a responsible senior brother. He promptly said, "Junior Brother Ning, if there's anything you need help with, just tell me."

Ning Yuzhou replied without lifting his head, "There's nothing. You and Ah Chu can go have fun."

The eager-to-help Sheng Yunshen was left speechless.

Wen Qiao pondered for a moment and realized she couldn't be of much assistance either. So, she suggested, "Then, Senior Brother Sheng and I will explore the city. If anything comes up, send us a message. Wen Tuttu, stay here and protect Brother Ning."

Ning Yuzhou looked at her amusedly. "No need. What could happen while I'm in the City Lord's Manor? You take Wen Tuttu along with you."

In the end, Wen Qiao, Sheng Yunshen, and Wen Tuantuan went out together.

As soon as they left the guest courtyard and arrived at the main courtyard of the City Lord's Manor, they saw the Tang Clan's Tangtuan group chatting with City Lord Xu.

City Lord Xu had a somewhat indescribable expression, but since the other party was a direct descendant of the Tai Ze Tang Clan, he couldn't ignore them and could only patiently accompany them in conversation.

The Tangtuan group naturally asked about Shui Liyin.

Seeing them, Sheng Yunshen exclaimed, "Little Junior Sister, it's that group of Tangtuan."

Although his voice was low, everyone present heard it, causing an immediate response of: "............"

A few Tang Clan disciples' faces flushed slightly. In all their years, this was the first time they had been publicly called Tangtuan.

The nickname 'Tangtuan' for the Tai Ze Tang Clan had a long history, and it was even coined by their own ancestor. Back then, the Tang Clan's ancestor had pointed at their clan's disciples in public and said, "These are our Tang Clan disciples, always united; let's call them Tangtuan."

Ever since then, the name Tangtuan had stuck with the Tang Clan disciples, no matter how much they were ashamed. After all, it was a name designated by their ancestor.

Fortunately, the ancestor didn't say they were a bunch of "sweet dumplings" back then, which would have been even more comical.

Sheng Yunshen and Wen Qiao approached, greeting the Tang siblings.

The Tang disciples glanced at Wen Qiao, discreetly winking at their youngest brother, Tang Yelin, encouraging him to make an effort to win over the little junior sister of Crimson Heaven Sect – wouldn't they then have access to top-grade spirit pills in the future?

Tang Yelin's face flushed. He wanted to look at Wen Qiao but didn't dare, secretly hiding behind his elder cousins.

Unaware of this exchange, after their greetings, Sheng Yunshen curiously asked, "What were you discussing? City Lord Xu, why is there another search going on?"

City Lord Xu hurriedly explained, "It's not a city-wide search. These few individuals suspect that Fairy Waterlily might have met with misfortune, and the perpetrator could be hiding within the city. They've asked us to investigate."

One of the Tang disciples quickly added, "We're not the ones who doubt it; it's those who came for Fairy Waterlily. They informed us upon hearing we were at the City Lord's Manor, asking us to convey their concerns to City Lord Xu, leaving the decision to him."

The Tang siblings were worried about leaving a negative impression on the Crimson Heaven Sect disciples. What if they thought they were unreasonable? They couldn't afford to jeopardize Little Tang Yelin's marriage prospects.

City Lord Xu privately mused that regardless of who harbored the suspicion, it was a complicated matter.

Still, he reassured them, "Rest assured, our city has patrol guards searching daily, so nothing will slip by unnoticed. As for Fairy Waterlily, I also hope she's safe and sound."

After his explanation, City Lord Xu found an excuse to quickly depart.

Under his brothers' subtle nudges, Tang Yelin, blushing slightly, stepped forward and asked, "Fellow Daoists, are you two planning to venture out?"

"Yes, since it's not often we come to Tai Ze City, my sister and I thought we'd take a stroll around and see how things are here," Sheng Yunshen replied.

"Shall we join forces, then?" Tang Yelin asked, his gaze flickering towards Wen Qiao, who appeared serene and well-behaved beside him.

In her non-combat state, Wen Qiao exudes an aura of gentle tranquility, evoking a sense of protectiveness in others.

Sheng Yunshen, being a sociable person, didn't sense anything amiss and readily agreed, "Sure, more people mean more fun."

Thus, the group set off in a lively and boisterous manner.

The Tang Clan members, aware of their little Tang's intentions, cleverly engaged Sheng Yunshen in conversation, leaving the two youngsters behind to create an opportunity for them to interact. They also shot a meaningful glance at Tang Yelin, encouraging him to seize the chance and communicate more with the young Junior Sister.

Tang Yelin felt a bit nervous; he had never taken the initiative to talk to a female cultivator outside his family before.

With effort, he mustered a question, "Miss Min, I wonder what you enjoy doing in your free time?"

Wen Qiao replied calmly, "Fighting, cultivating, and nurturing spirit herbs."

Tang Yelin: "R-Really? That's quite an interesting hobby. Haha..."

Wen Qiao shot him a glance, and Tang Yelin felt as if she was looking at a fool, which greatly discouraged him, as he also felt like one.

With a heavy heart, Tang Yelin continued the forced conversation with Wen Qiao, but her disinterest was breaking his young heart.

Just as Sheng Yunshen and Wen Qiao spotted a store selling snacks by the roadside and went in to purchase some, the other Tangs hurriedly cheered up their dejected junior, "A true man should not be discouraged by such setbacks! Keep going, you're our Tang family's little Tang! Think of our ancestor who relentlessly pursued his wife for nearly a millennium!"

Tang Yelin found his spirits lifted. If his ancestor could persevere for a thousand years, he hadn't even started yet.

Though Tang Yelin wanted to continue his efforts to win Wen Qiao's favor, fate had other plans.

Along their journey, they encountered a group of cultivators.

These cultivators were all searching for the vanished Shui Liyin, and as they shared a common goal, they naturally formed an alliance. When they crossed paths, they would stop to exchange information.

Wen Qiao and Sheng Yunshen, who were interested in learning more about the situation, eavesdropped on their conversation.

This group had been in Tai Ze City for several days, conducting thorough investigations, even repeatedly searching the inn where Shui Liyin had rested briefly when passing through the city. Their relentless inquiries had driven the innkeeper and staff to the brink of despair, wishing they could quickly be rid of them.

"The inn where Nymph of the Water Lily stayed has been thoroughly inspected, and no irregularities were found. Clearly, she only made a brief stop before departing."

"It's possible that any traces were erased long ago. How could we possibly find them?"

"Yes, Nymph of the Water Lily has been missing for so long."

"I still believe that something unfortunate might have befallen her."

"There's nothing more to discover in this city. Shouldn't we search outside instead?"

"But what if someone hid Nymph of the Water Lily within the city? She might still be waiting for us to rescue her..."

"..."

Among the dozen or so cultivators present, each one chimed in with their opinions, creating a cacophony akin to five hundred quacking ducks. Sheng Yunshen and Wen Qiao, overwhelmed, quickly retreated.

Rubbing his forehead, Sheng Yunshen whispered telepathically to Wen Qiao, "Junior Sister, these people don't have any leads at all. They're relying purely on speculation. Can they really find her?"

"I don't know," Wen Qiao replied promptly. "As long as they don't cause us trouble, that's fine."

Sheng Yunshen concurred; they still had their hands full dealing with the frenzied cultivators in Tai Ze City, let alone indulge in further complications.

However, trouble arrived soon after their conversation.

A cultivator dashed over, urgently shouting, "Duan Haoyan has gone to the City Lord's Manor demanding people again."

Upon hearing this, the group of cultivators hastily rushed toward the City Lord's Manor. Confused, Wen Qiao and Sheng Yunshen joined the crowd, heading to the manor as well, and took the opportunity to inquire about the incident involving the cluster of dumplings.

"Duan Haoyan, a disciple of the Mingyang Duan Clan, firmly believes that Fairy Water's disappearance is connected to Taize City. He demands that the City Lord's Manor hand over Shui Liyin."

Upon hearing this, Sheng Yunshen and the other person finally understood what City Lord Xu had meant that day. A mentally unstable cultivator believed that Shui Liyin's disappearance was connected to Tai Ze City and had rashly come to demand her return from the city.

Upon reaching the City Lord's Manor, they finally laid eyes on the individual with the problematic mind.

The Mingyang Clan's disciples are innately fire-element cultivators, their bodies suffused with intense heat. Perhaps it's related to their elemental affinity and the cultivation techniques they practice; the clan's members are notorious for their fiery tempers, prone to violence at the slightest disagreement, utterly unreasonable.

As they approached, they happened to witness Duan Haoyan interrogating the representatives from the City Lord's Manor, demanding to know when they would hand over Shui Yinyin.

City Lord Xu did not make an appearance in person; only the managers and gate guards were present.

"Duan Haoyan sternly demanded, "Days have passed, yet you still refuse to surrender the person. What are your intentions?"

"Master Duan, it's not that we refuse to hand her over. We have no idea where Fairy Nai Xian is. Her disappearance is unrelated to us."

Though Taize City was an affiliated city of the Crimson Heaven Sect, it still had to show some respect when dealing with disciples of the Mingyang Duans, and avoid any hostile confrontations. Thus, despite the manager's irritation, he could only respond to Duan Haoyan's pressing questions with patience and politeness.

Duan Haoyan was notorious for his short temper, and seeing the manager persistently evade responsibility, his patience finally wore thin.

With a grasp of both hands, he pulled forth a weapon resembling a fiery orb, launching it at the manager.

As the flame emerged, the surrounding air swiftly escalated in temperature, and an aura bearing the essence of an exotic fire brushed against the face.

Wen Qiao's pupils constricted; she hadn't expected that Duan Haoyan's weapon was imbued with an exotic flame. An ordinary practitioner would fare poorly in a clash against it.

The manager was merely at the Primordial Martial Realm; how could he withstand an attack from a Yuan Vein Realm cultivator wielding an exotic flame?

As the exotic flame was about to descend upon him, a whip lashed across the sky, diverting the flame onto the ground beside him. It sizzled upon impact, scorching a hole into the earth.

"Who?" Duan Haoyan bellowed in fury, his gaze turning to the owner of the whip.

Upon seeing that it was an ethereally beautiful girl with a cold demeanor, he was momentarily taken aback. He suppressed his rage and said, "Girl, this doesn't concern you. Mind your own business."

The disciples of the Tang Clan looked at Wen Qiao with worry. It was best not to confront a crazed brute like Duan Haoyan head-on.

Sheng Yunshen hadn't expected Wen Qiao to step in, but as her senior apprentice-brother, he couldn't stand by while someone bullied his junior sister. He shot back, "Who are you calling a little girl? You can act like a madman here, but we're not allowed to retaliate?"

"What did you say?" Duan Haoyan's eyes widened in anger.

Sheng Yunshen harrumphed. "Can't even understand such simple words? No wonder you came here begging for humiliation instead of understanding the situation."

Duan Haoyan's pride was deeply wounded by these words, and he finally erupted with rage, launching an attack on Sheng Yunshen with his weapon.

Everyone gasped in alarm, afraid of being caught in the crossfire, and hurriedly retreated.

The Tang Clan disciples were valiant, but Duan Haoyan was too quick, and his fiery temperament made it difficult for ordinary cultivators to approach him. They were unable to provide timely assistance, leaving them to watch helplessly as Duan Haoyan closed in on the siblings, Sheng Yunshen and Wen Qiao.

"Senior Brother, retreat."

Wen Qiao pushed Sheng Yunshen aside and blocked his adversary's attack with one hand while forming a fist with the other, then delivered a punch directly at Duan Haoyan's face.

Duan Haoyan grunted and stumbled backward.

After retreating more than ten steps, he finally came to a halt. Half of his face swelled rapidly, and his eyes reddened with fury as he glared at Wen Qiao. Roaring, he launched another assault, sending several fireballs hurtling towards her.

The flames, imbued with exotic fire, burned fiercely. Wen Qiao dodged left and right; feeling a heat brush past her cheek, she turned her head just in time as a flame whisked by, singeing a few strands of hair on her cheek.

"Hisssss—"

Wen Tuzi, perched on Wen Qiao's shoulder, narrowly escaped being engulfed in flames and was instantly enraged. Abandoning its fluffy disguise, it hopped forward with a series of chirps, launching itself at Duan Haoyan, its entire furry body smacking against his face.

Furious from the unexpected feline assault, Duan Haoyan reached to grab the creature, but the ball of fur on his face suddenly kicked out, forcefully knocking him to the ground.

Seizing the opportunity, Wen Qiao swooped in, planting her foot firmly on Duan Haoyan's chest, causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood.

"Aaaahhh—"

Duan Haoyan let out a pained cry, attempting to struggle, but Wen Tuzi, the rabbit, would not have it. It effortlessly pinned him down, while Wen Qiao held him in place, delivering punch after punch.

When dealing with someone as foolish as this, the best remedy was a sound beating – until he came to his senses.

Thus, the onlookers could only watch as the rabbit and Wen Qiao subdued the once-arrogant Duan Haoyan, subjecting him to a brutal barrage of punches. This thuggish display left everyone stunned, rendering them momentarily speechless.