Wandering the busy streets over the next few days, Chen Xuan explored Baishi City.
He visited crowded restaurants and teahouses. He listened the gossip spreading among the common folks.
Inside a bustling tavern, he learned about a grand auction.
The Hundred Treasures Pavilion planned to host the massive event next month. Rare spiritual herbs, high-tier weapons, and spiritual beast eggs were expected to appear.
On another street, cultivators eagerly discussed an upcoming alchemy competition.
The Pill Tower organized this prestigious event for two months later. Passing the exam granted the title of a recognized second-rank alchemist.
Successful candidates would receive an official badge respected across the Tianwu Empire.
Chen Xuan kept all this information in mind.
Seeking deeper knowledge, he eventually visited an secret information broker pavillion. He paid a hefty sum of spirit stones to purchase detailed intelligence reports.
Returning to his cultivation cave, he sat on the jade bed and opened the scrolls. They detailed the city's power structure.
The Lin family controlled much of the medicinal herb trade. The Ma family dominated the inn industry by owning the best of them.
The Wei Family was new but maintained authority through City Lord Wei's military connections and imperial backing.
Beyond the major clans, the report listed dozens of significant businesses. Chen Xuan reviewed the artifact shops and pill refineries one after another.
His suddenly stopped after finding a specific information.
The Jade Melody Pavilion. It was a famous entertainment house known for high-quality spiritual wine and elegant zither music.
The owner's name was written clearly below the summary.
Ye Qingyu.
Chen Xuan raised his eyebrows in genuine surprise. He pictured the devastating ice sword attack she had executed during the ambush.
This is truly unexpected, he thought.
He simply never imagined her running a drinking and singing establishment after seeing her fighting skills.
She did not give the impression of someone skilled in playing the zither. A faint smile touched his lips.
…
Meanwhile, deep inside a heavily guarded estate.
The handsome man in the black robe lined with gold threads sat quietly. An old man stood respectfully before his high chair, handing over three jade slips.
The handsome man injected his spiritual sense into the first slip.
The city gate logs confirmed that Ye Qingyu had entered Baishi City safely. A disciple of the Flowing Cloud Sect registered his entry right alongside her group.
He checked the second slip. Spies stationed near the Pill Tower reported seeing Ye Qingyu later that afternoon.
She accompanied the alchemist Sun Mo. They used an inner furnace room to refine a pill. There was no mysterious young man with them.
Picking up the third report, the man scanned the property rental records.
A person showing a Flowing Cloud Sect token had rented a high-level cultivation cave that exact same morning.
The man tapped a pale finger against his wooden armrest. A slight frown formed on his face.
Was it the exact same person, or just a mere coincidence?
Baishi City was a major hub. Massive ferries frequently docked here to transfer goods and passengers.
Seeing Flowing Cloud Sect disciples wandering the streets was very normal.
Furthermore, the mysterious youth from the ambush was at the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm.
Very few spies inside the city could track an expert at that level without getting caught.
"Has this sect disciple been seen near the Jade Melody Pavilion?" the man asked coldly.
"Has he tried to contact Ye Qingyu?"
The old servant shook his head.
"No, my lord. After leaving the Pill Tower, Madam Ye returned directly to her pavilion. She has not been seen in public since. No new faces have visited her establishment either."
Sending people to investigate a high-grade cultivation cave directly was too risky.
Alerting a peak Foundation Building disciple of a major sect over a mere suspicion was unwise.
Since this person had shown no connection to Ye Qingyu over the past few days, it should be fine, the man concluded.
"You can go now," the man ordered.
The old servant bowed deeply and exited the grand hall.
Leaning back in his chair, the man listened to the heavy doors click shut. He sighed softly in the dark room.
"This time, it was simply bad luck on our side."
...
Inside a simple and elegant room, a quiet atmosphere lingered. Unlike the Pill Tower, this place carried no scent of medicine.
Only the faint aroma of spiritual tea leaves floated in the warm air.
Sun Mo sat near a wooden table. He slowly raised a small porcelain cup and took a sip of hot spiritual tea.
Sitting across from him, Ye Qingyu remained very still. A white veil still hid her half face.
"Senior Sun," she asked softly. "Can you do it?"
He set the cup down with a soft clink. A heavy sigh escaped his lips.
"In the past few days, I have tried every method I know."
He shook his head slowly. "I cannot help you with this. My skills are limited."
Her dark eyes quickly lost their light. A deep and crushing sadness filled her gaze after hearing his words. She lowered her head.
Silence stretched across the room for a few moment.
"But it is not impossible," the old man suddenly said.
She quickly looked up. A tiny flicker of hope returned to her dark eyes.
"You still have two years," Sun Mo explained. "You should start looking for the Nine-Leaf Marrow Orchid. It can nourish and repair damaged meridians."
He poured himself another cup of tea. "You also need the Golden Sun-Flare Flower."
Ye Qingyu felt a heavy weight drop onto her chest.
"Both of those are third-grade spiritual herbs. The Marrow Orchid is so rare that it doesn't even appear in markets."
Her voice carried a bitter tone.
"Two years is barely any time. Someone like me cannot get my hands on even one of them. Where will I find such things?"
Sun Mo stared at the rippling green liquid in his cup.
"I have a suggestion," he said quietly. "This method will greatly increase your chances."