Another day passed quietly in the sky. The morning sun painted the eastern clouds in warm shades of red.
The towering stone walls of Baishi City finally appeared on the distant horizon.
A translucent dome shimmered above the vast city. It was a strict flight-restriction array. No cultivator could cross directly over the walls.
Descending near the main gates, the group walked onto a wide paved road.
City guards in heavy silver armor checked the entering travelers. Ye Qingyu retrieved a green jade token to prove her identity.
Chen Xuan simply presented his Flowing Cloud Sect medallion. Seeing the prestigious badge, the guards respectfully cleared the path for him.
They walked through the stone gates. A bustling entrance plaza greeted them on the other side.
Sun Mo looked at the pale Tie Shan inside the carriage. The old alchemist turned to Ye Qingyu with an anxious expression.
"Madam Ye, we must head directly to the Pill Tower," he urged.
"Let us go then," she agreed.
The old man then turned and bowed to Chen Xuan. "Young hero Chen, we owe you our lives. If you plan to stay in the city, please allow us to properly thank you later."
Chen Xuan shook his head calmly. "I will be staying in the city for some time. But there is no need to thank me."
He wanted his presence to seem natural. He looked at Ye Qingyu, offering a brief nod and a faint smile.
Ye Qingyu had not spoken a single word of farewell. She simply nodded back in acknowledgment. A white silk veil still covered her face, hiding her exact expression.
Without another word, Chen Xuan turned around.
Navigating through the busy streets, he soon found a pavilion managing the city's spiritual properties.
Showing his sect token made things very easy. He rented a high-grade cultivation cave located on a spirit vein.
Sitting cross-legged inside his quiet cave, he checked his Sea of Consciousness. The Celestial Lineage Painting floated in the dark space.
He probed the artifact again and again. There was no reaction. The painting only displayed the same black ink landscape. His consciousness could not feel anything else.
After hours of trying, he opened his eyes. He sighed deeply.
Do I really have to marry her? he thought with a slight frown.
Her attitude was not cold toward him, but it was not truly warm either. She seemed naturally cautious. Perhaps she was just a guarded person in general.
He had just stepped in to save her life. Women usually showed great warmth or deep gratitude after such a rescue. Ye Qingyu only offered a polite thanks.
His handsome face usually drew lingering stares. His prestigious sect status naturally commanded deep reverence. Yet neither of these advantages softened her attitude.
"What am I thinking? How can a marriage happen in a hurry?" he murmured to the empty cave.
He needed to approach this strategically. He purposefully avoided asking about her background during the flight.
He wanted to give the impression of a wandering disciple, not someone intentionally following her.
I will just gather information about her first, he decided.
...
Inside a grand and empty hall, two people stood in silence. One wore a black robe with a white mask. The other wore a white robe with a black mask.
Seated on a high chair before them was a strikingly handsome man. Rich golden threads lined his dark robe.
A delicate golden ornament tied his long black hair into a neat crown. When he stared at the two assassins, his dark eyes were cold.
He tapped a finger against the armrest. The sound echoed loudly in the empty hall.
"You failed to bring her back, even with the Shadow Flame Cauldron in your hands."
"Yes." The black-robed man lowered his head. "We were moments away from capturing her. But a man suddenly intervened and rescued her."
The tapping sound suddenly stopped. "Who?"
"That... we don't know," the black-robed man said.
"From his clothes and manner, we suspect he must be someone from a top-tier clan or sect," the white-robed man added.
"Someone from a top-tier clan or sect?" The man narrowed his eyes.
"Yes. He was at the peak of Foundation Establishment and possessed a rank-three spiritual sword," the white-robed man explained.
"He did not give us his name or background. So we do not know his exact identity," the black-robed man said.
The man in the high chair kept silent for a moment.
"Give me the Shadow Flame Cauldron," he ordered.
The white-robed assassin took out a black iron cauldron. He passed it forward through the air using Qi. The seated man stored it inside his spatial ring.
"You two can leave now," the man commanded.
After they left, he stayed silent for a while before sending out a spiritual message. Soon, an old man walked into the main hall.
"Check if Ye Qingyu from the Jade Melody Pavilion has arrived in the city," he said.
He tapped a pale finger against his wooden armrest. "I also want reports about anyone traveling beside her."
The old man bowed before exiting the grand room.
Alone once more, the handsome man leaned back in his high chair. He stared into the empty hall.
"Do not make it hard for yourself," he murmured into the dark room.
...
The thick scent of medicinal herbs filled the quiet recovery room inside the Pill Tower.
Sun Mo sat heavily beside a warm bronze cauldron. Sweat beaded on his wrinkled forehead. He looked exhausted.
He opened the heavy lid and retrieved a pale green pill. He handed the fresh medicine to Tie Shan, who was resting on a wooden bed nearby.
Tie Shan swallowed the pill immediately. A faint trace of color finally returned to his pale face.
"You need to rest for a few months," Sun Mo said with a tired sigh.
"That poison was very dangerous. It has affected your meridians. You cannot use your full strength for some time."
Tie Shan nodded his head in understanding. "Thank you for saving my life, Senior Sun. I want to leave after I recover."
Sun Mo gave an understanding nod. "You have done enough, Tie Shan. This trip turned out far more perilous than anyone expected. I will see to it that you are well rewarded."
Tie Shan cupped his hands weakly. "Thank you, Senior."
Dismissing the guard's worries, the old alchemist turned toward the window. Ye Qingyu stood perfectly still. Her silhouette was framed by the afternoon light.
"Madam Ye," Sun Mo asked, "do you really have no clue about the identity of those attackers?"
Ye Qingyu turned around to face him. "I don't have any clue. I don't have any rare treasures. I haven't offended any major powers. This is a puzzle even to me."
Stretching his aching back, Sun Mo finally stood up from his stool. "Then we must attribute it to the chaotic nature of the cultivation world. Just bad luck."
He made his way to the door. "Still, we survived because of that Flowing Cloud Sect disciple. We owe him a lot for this."
Ye Qingyu looked out the window again. The bustling streets reflected in her dark eyes. "Yes," she murmured. "We do."