Chapter 290

Chapter 289

As dawn broke, Bone Town gradually came alive with noise.

Wen Qiao pulled open the door, and just then, the door next to hers also opened, and Su Molan and Pei Qiyu walked out.

Her gaze swept over the two of them, making them feel uneasy. Pei Qiyu, in a rather foul mood, asked, "What are you looking at?"

Wen Qiao, never one for beating around the bush, directly asked, "Did you hear any sounds last night?"

Pei Qiyu looked at her warily, "What kind of sounds?"

"The sound of bones moving, like creaking."

Pei Qiyu inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief. He was most afraid of Wen Qiao and Su Xing, who were always so straightforward, making things difficult to handle sometimes. Yet, she often hit the nail on the head with her questions.

He wondered how Ning Yuzhou had raised his fiancée to be this way.

"Yes, we heard it," Pei Qiyu said. "That sound shouldn't be a problem. Didn't the innkeeper warn us yesterday that it would be noisy at night?"

If the innkeeper had mentioned it, it must be normal.

Wen Qiao pondered this for a moment, then let it go with a thoughtful hum.

The four of them descended the bone staircase and saw the plump innkeeper squeezed behind the counter, wiping it with a cloth.

Seeing them, Auntie Hua smiled warmly and said, "Good morning. Are you going out?"

Ning Yuzhou approached the counter and asked Auntie Hua, "Ma'am, we want to gather some information. Do you know who in this town is well-informed?"

Auntie Hua paused in her wiping, her squinted eyes scanning the four of them, her voice softening slightly, "The most well-informed person in this town is the Yin Ghost! But I advise you not to seek him out. This old ghost is not easy to deal with. Dealing with him is like dealing with a tiger, and he demands a fresh human heart for each piece of information."

Hearing her mention the Yin Ghost, they couldn't help but recall how, when entering the town yesterday, the Yin Ghost had directly extracted the hearts of those two men after their fight.

This showed that the Yin Ghost's actions were indeed extreme, and dealing with him would yield no good results.

Moreover, they wouldn't resort to gouging out someone's heart just to get information; that would make them no different from evil cultivators.

"Is there anyone else besides the Yin Ghost?"

Auntie Hua glanced at them, "The Yin Ghost is the most well-informed. Others may have plenty of information too, but none as much as him." She mentioned a few names and advised them to find these people themselves, adding, "No one in Bone Town is easy to deal with. Even the children on the street could be disguised monsters, making it hard to tell friend from foe."

Grateful for her advice, the four thanked her sincerely, sensing her kindness.

"Don't thank me," Auntie Hua waved her hand indifferently. "If someone hadn't recommended you, and if your spirit pills weren't good, I wouldn't bother with you."

After bidding farewell to Auntie Hua, the four left the inn and began exploring Bone Town.

On their second day in Bone Town, they didn't rush into anything. The place was too eerie and dangerous, and rushing would only lead to trouble. They needed to take their time and plan carefully.

Bone Town had a main street running through it, which was the busiest part of the town.

Besides the main street, there were many alleys leading to it. Auntie Hua's inn was located in the third alley, close to the entrance of the town.

On both sides of the street were various shops, mostly taverns and teahouses. Common shops like alchemy or talisman stores were absent in Bone Town. To buy spirit pills or spirit tools, one either needed to know where private trades occurred or go elsewhere.

Even though it was daytime, Bone Town remained gloomy and overcast, with dark clouds covering the sky, making it hard to see sunlight. It was said that Bone Town never had clear skies; its weather was perpetually gloomy.

Despite this, Bone Town was bustling during the day.

Standing at the alley's entrance, they saw many vendors selling food along the street. The aroma of food wafted over, giving a sense of normal life, if one ignored the bone-built houses and ground.

However, they remembered Auntie Hua's warning and refrained from trying any local food.

As they walked down the street, several children, around seven or eight years old, ran past laughing and playing, appearing carefree and innocent. If one didn't know better, they might be deceived.

As they continued walking, time quickly moved to noon.

They chose a tavern and sat at a corner table in the main hall.

"What would you like to eat, esteemed guests?" a waiter approached, asking eagerly.

"Two jugs of wine and a few small dishes," Pei Qiyu said.

The waiter nodded and soon brought their order.

Wen Qiao and Su Molan inspected the wine and dishes on the table, which seemed normal. Wen Qiao sniffed but detected nothing unusual, finding it somewhat strange. They glanced around the tavern, seeing many cultivators drinking, pouring the wine straight into their mouths, filling the air with a clear, fragrant aroma.

"There doesn't seem to be anything wrong," Su Molan muttered softly.

"It's still best to be cautious," Pei Qiyu said calmly.

At that moment, Wen Qiao took out a food box and transferred the wine and dishes into it.

Su Molan asked curiously, "Miss Wen, what are you doing?"

Wen Qiao put away the food box, "Though we won't eat it, we can't waste it. We can give it to something edible later."

"What do you mean by 'something edible'? You don't mean normal people, right?" Su Molan and Pei Qiyu found her words odd, while Ning Yuzhou sat calmly, listening to the discussions among the drinkers in the tavern.

"Hey, did you hear? Teng Liniang is looking for another husband."

"Another husband? How many times has she done this now? What's the reason this time?"

"Could be anything. The previous one died, of course."

"How did he die? Was it because of an enemy? Or was it a crime of passion? Could it be that Teng Liniang couldn't resist killing..."

"Teng Liniang wouldn't kill him. She was very fond of this husband, loved him dearly. How could she bear to kill him? This time, she's announced that whoever can find out the cause of her husband's death will marry her."

"Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up and investigate..."

A group of people chattered noisily, with some even abandoning their drinks to rush out. The others laughed and joked, all the talk centered around Teng Liniang.

Wen Qiao and her companions listened in confusion but didn't take it seriously.

Bone Town seemed to have new topics every day, always bustling with life and vitality.

As they left the inn, Wen Qiao couldn't help but look around.

All she saw were bone houses built from bones, with wide streets paved with white, eerie bones winding away.

If not for these bone structures, it would be just like any other cultivation town.

After wandering the streets for a while, the three returned to Auntie Hua's inn.

Before they could enter, someone flew out from inside. Wen Qiao quickly pulled Ning Yuzhou aside, while Pei Qiyu held back Su Molan. The four of them moved to the side, watching as the person crashed to the ground.

Then came more thuds as several others were thrown out together.

The commotion drew the attention of nearby residents, who opened windows or stood openly at their doors, their faces filled with excitement.

People in this town sure loved a good spectacle.

Then, a handsome man in white robes ran out, his face livid as he shouted, "You're just an old, ugly, fat woman! Don't refuse what's offered; my presence here is a favor!"

"That's right! Look at yourself!"

"Do you know who my master is?"

"Our master is a disciple of the Dragon Crossing Venerable..."

Auntie Hua appeared at the door, blocking it completely.

With her hands on her ample hips, she scolded, "I don't care who you are! Even if a Venerable from the Primordial Realm comes to Bone Town, they must bow down! Take a good look at yourselves before coming here to flaunt your ugliness. My taste isn't that low. If you dare come back, I'll beat you to death and help the Dragon Crossing Venerable clean up after his ugly offspring."

The man in white was enraged and reached for his sword.

"Master, don't!"

The fallen attendants quickly restrained him, eyeing Auntie Hua with fear. They had no idea how they ended up being thrown out, which showed her formidable strength, far beyond their capabilities.

Moreover, she was right; Bone Town wasn't a place for outsiders to cause trouble.

The man in white quickly calmed down, sneering, "Well done, Auntie Hua. I'll remember you."

Auntie Hua waved her plump hand dismissively, "Don't bother. I don't want an ugly man thinking about me."

The man, who prided himself on his looks, was so angry he could barely breathe. He never thought he'd be called ugly by an ugly, fat woman.

Ignoring him, Auntie Hua turned to go back into the inn when a clear voice rang out, "Is this Auntie Hua's inn? We'd like to stay here."

Everyone looked over to see five people approaching from the alley.

Though they wore cloaks, the leading female cultivator's hood was half off, revealing her exquisite beauty.

Wen Qiao and her companions recognized her, surprised.

This female cultivator was one of the five who arrived slightly later than them on the Primordial Continent. Looking at the four behind her, they realized it was indeed them. Recalling the words of the boy named Bai Li, perhaps their destination was actually Bone Town? Or were they also here for the Thirteen Bone Palaces?

Auntie Hua scanned the five newcomers and smiled, "You want to stay here?"

"Yes," the female cultivator replied succinctly.

Before Auntie Hua could say more, the man in white straightened his clothes, cleared his throat, and said arrogantly, "Lady, think carefully before deciding. This fat woman judges by appearance. Even someone like me gets rejected. If your companions don't meet her standards, they won't be allowed to stay."

The female cultivator glanced at him coldly, turning away as if unwilling to look at him further.

The man's face stiffened, and laughter erupted around him.

He glared angrily, but the townspeople, born and raised in Bone Town, weren't afraid of an outsider.

Auntie Hua watched the five with interest, blocking the entrance lazily, "While this ugly man may be ugly, he's right. If you don't meet my standards, you can't stay."

"What standards?" the female cultivator asked.

Auntie Hua replied, "First, pull down your hoods and let me see."

The female cultivator didn't speak but glanced at the four behind her.

They complied silently, revealing their faces.

Three men and one woman, each with distinct features. While none matched the leading lady's beauty, they weren't bad, especially the youngest boy, whose innocent and naive expression easily evoked maternal feelings, making him seem like a lovable little puppy.

Auntie Hua glanced at them and said, "Not bad. Come in."

The five followed Auntie Hua into the inn, leaving the man in white and his group to be mocked by the townspeople. He glared venomously at the inn before leaving in frustration.

Wen Qiao and her companions entered the inn, overhearing Auntie Hua's price: "Three months for one million spirit stones, already at a 30% discount. Will you stay?"

"We will," the leading female cultivator responded calmly. "Please arrange five rooms for us."

"There aren't five rooms. Only three on the second floor. Will you take them? If not, try another inn. My place is small, and I can't accommodate so many guests."

"But isn't there a third floor?" another female cultivator asked.

Auntie Hua leaned against the counter, pointing with her plump finger, "The third floor is rented by them."

The five turned to see Wen Qiao and her companions entering.

The four of them pulled down the hoods of their cloaks upon seeing Auntie Hua. This was a requirement set by Auntie Hua herself; in her shop, there was no need to hide. She enjoyed good-looking people, and seeing the faces of these handsome men and beautiful women lifted her mood.

"It's you!" the young man named Bai Li exclaimed with surprise. "Turns out you're here too."

Ning Yuzhou gave him a slight smile and said, "We arrived yesterday."

Bai Li became even more convinced that Ning Yuzhou and his companions shared the same goal. Instead of feeling threatened, he appeared genuinely delighted by this coincidence, which made the few men and women beside him turn slightly green with envy.

There were no naive fools here; such behavior was truly worrying.

Even Pei Qiyu, who prided himself on his black heart, felt a bit sympathetic towards Bai Li's companions. However, as an outsider with ulterior motives, he found Bai Li to be a delightful little treasure, tempting him to take advantage.

"Oh, so you know each other?" Auntie Hua's gaze lingered on the group for a moment. "Have you made up your minds?"

The leading female cultivator remained resolute. "We'll take three rooms on the second floor."

Auntie Hua cheerfully accepted the spirit stones and retrieved three bone keys, leading them upstairs.

Seeing Auntie Hua blocking the entire staircase ahead, the five of them reacted similarly to how Ning Yuzhou and his companions had the day before, their hearts trembling. As she handed over the bone keys, she warned, "Be careful tonight. Whatever you plan to do, keep it to yourselves. The bone rooms have spirits watching over them."

The five of them: "..."

The four heading to the third floor heard everything clearly.

Pei Qiyu suddenly felt balanced. It seemed this fat woman didn't single them out; she gave the same warning to every guest.

Ning Yuzhou wore a mysterious expression, pulling Wen Qiao into the room.

Soon after, there was a knock at the door.

Both doors opened simultaneously, revealing the young man named Bai Li, looking like a puppy.

Bai Li still wore a cheerful smile, saying, "We meet again. I guess we're destined to cross paths. My name is Bai Li Chi. Nice to meet you."

With certain intentions in mind, Ning Yuzhou and his companions responded warmly, exchanging names with him.

Bai Li Chi already considered them chance acquaintances, smiling as he introduced, "Those others are my senior sisters and brothers. The leader is Senior Sister Liu, Liu Qingyun, and there's also Senior Sister Sang Yufei, and Senior Brothers Ge Rusong and Ge Ruping..."