The scent of food grew richer.
Layered.
Roasted spirit meat mingled with herbal steam and aged essence wine.
The striped-tailed beast glanced back excitedly.
"Lady, you'll like this part."
"There are dishes even Foundation Establishment beasts come here for."
The fox hummed softly.
"I hope so."
Her voice was light.
Almost amused.
But her eyes were already moving.
Every table.
Every conversation.
Every shift in presence.
Because somewhere in this place—
someone would know about Meihu.
Or who had seen her last.
Or where she would go next.
At the top of the stairs, the space opened into a wide terrace carved into the mountain.
A waterfall cascaded beside it, spilling into a glowing basin below.
Tables were spaced far apart, each surrounded by subtle privacy formations.
And at the center, a robed attendant bowed slightly.
"Welcome to Moonroot Hall."
The striped-tailed beast practically puffed up with pride.
"This way, Lady!"
He guided her toward a table near the edge, where the view of Five Veins Hollow stretched below like a living map of lantern light.
The fox sat smoothly.
Graceful.
Unbothered.
Then leaned back slightly, as though she had come for nothing more than a good meal.
But beneath that calm, her mind was already working.
*Now…*
*Let's see who here knows something worth hearing.*
The attendant stepped forward smoothly.
Hands folded within wide sleeves.
Polite.
Measured.
"Would the Lady prefer the usual menu…"
A faint pause.
His eyes flicked over her—quick, practiced, assessing without being rude.
"…or something more tailored?"
The fox's lips curved faintly.
So even here, they knew how to read people.
"Bring me what you'd serve someone worth impressing."
Her tone was easy.
Confident.
No hesitation.
No need to overplay anything.
The attendant bowed slightly deeper.
"As you wish."
He turned and left without another word.
The striped-tailed beast sat awkwardly across from her, clearly uncertain whether he was even meant to.
The fox glanced at him.
"Sit."
He straightened instantly.
"Yes, Lady!"
He dropped into the seat so quickly the chair almost scraped, then caught himself with an awkward smile.
The fox rested her chin lightly on one paw, watching the glowing market lights below the terrace.
Calm.
Relaxed.
But through the mind-link—
her voice slipped quietly to the lizard.
*Stay alert, White.*
A brief pause.
*This place is too polished.*
The lizard remained still between her ears, invisible now, but fully aware.
The fox's gaze shifted back to the striped-tailed beast.
Time to start.
"So."
Her tone was casual.
"You come here often?"
The beast blinked, then nodded eagerly.
"Yes, Lady! Whenever I can afford it."
A sheepish grin followed.
"Mostly the lower floors, though."
The fox hummed softly.
"And who usually comes to places like this?"
The beast's eyes lit up, glad to explain.
"Strong beasts."
"Important ones."
"Envoys."
"Traders from the five territories."
He leaned in slightly.
"And sometimes…"
His voice lowered.
"…people connected to the Demon Kings."
The fox's ears twitched faintly.
Interesting.
She kept her tone light.
"Anyone important recently?"
The beast hesitated, thinking.
Then his expression changed.
Recognition.
"Well…"
He glanced around first.
Then lowered his voice further.
"A few nights ago…"
"A fox came."
The fox's expression did not change.
But inwardly, her focus sharpened.
"A fox?"
The striped-tailed beast nodded quickly.
"Yes."
"She was beautiful."
"Silver fur."
"Three tails."
"And…"
He swallowed slightly.
"…the pressure around her was terrifying."
The fox's eyes remained calm.
But her thoughts locked in.
Meihu.
No doubt.
The beast continued.
"She was with someone from the White Bone Tiger King's inner territory."
"They went upstairs."
He glanced upward.
Toward the higher, restricted levels of the pavilion.
"The inner chambers."
The fox followed his gaze slowly.
So her target had been here.
Recently.
And she hadn't come alone.
A faint smile touched the fox's lips.
At last.
A real lead.
She didn't press it immediately.
Instead, her gaze drifted across the terrace.
Around them, humanoid beasts ate, drank, and spoke in low, controlled tones.
Some had only partial human forms—ears, tails, horns.
Others were nearly indistinguishable from humans, save for the pressure they carried.
Her turquoise eyes narrowed slightly.
Then she looked back at the striped-tailed beast.
"So…"
Her tone remained casual.
"Why are there so many humanoid beasts here?"
A small tilt of her head.
"Is it some kind of trend?"
The beast blinked, then gave a light laugh.
"No, Lady."
He gestured around them.
"It's practical."
"Humanoid forms make everything easier."
"Cultivation techniques."
"Spiritual arts."
"Refining tools."
"Drawing formations."
"Trading."
A grin.
"And surviving."
The fox gave a faint hum.
That made sense.
Precision.
Efficiency.
Control.
Better suited for civilization than instinct-driven forms.
"I suppose."
Her gaze drifted again, then sharpened slightly.
"Actually…"
The beast straightened immediately.
"Yes, Lady?"
She rested her chin on one paw.
"Where are all the pills coming from?"
The beast blinked.
"Pills?"
She nodded once.
"You."
She flicked her tail lightly.
"And many others here."
"Most of you are only Qi Refining."
"Yet you all seem to have access to pills."
Her tone stayed light.
But her eyes were sharp.
"Not just you."
"I've seen it across the Hollow."
"How?"
The beast looked momentarily surprised, then smiled as if it were obvious.
"Oh."
"That."
He leaned back slightly.
"Most pills don't come from beasts."
"They come from humans."
The fox's ears twitched.
Humans.
Interesting.
The beast continued.
"There are human cultivators beyond the Broken Ridge."
"Sects."
"Clans."
"Rogue alchemists."
He gestured loosely.
"We trade."
"Sometimes directly."
"Sometimes through intermediaries."
"Beasts with disguises."
"Or humans willing to risk entering our lands."
The fox's gaze deepened slightly.
A larger world.
Beyond the mountains.
Sects.
Clans.
Alchemists.
Useful.
"And what do beasts trade for pills?"
The striped-tailed beast smiled.
"What else?"
"Spirit herbs."
"Rare beast cores."
"Blood materials."
"Information."
He shrugged.
"Humans always want something."
The fox's lips curved faintly.
That much was true everywhere.
The beast lowered his voice slightly.
"And some stronger beasts even study spirit arts—trading with humans instead of killing them."
"Alchemy."
"Forging."
"Formation carving."
He glanced around proudly.
"That's part of why places like this exist."
"So we don't remain beasts forever."