Nothing was said that night.
The next morning, the first ray of sunlight filtered through the cracks in the cave ceiling and shone on Jiang Xuelan.
His breathing was much more stable. Even though he had not fully recovered, at least he was able to channel his spiritual energy to nourish his own meridians, and his facial skin became even more rosy.
David set up several layers of protective barriers around him, left some healing pills from his storage ring on the stone platform, told him to rest and recuperate, then turned into a gray-purple beam of light, shot out of the cave and sped towards the southwest.
Qingshuang City was several thousand miles away from the valley where they were hiding, but David arrived there in just half an hour with his speed.
From the air, this city looks medium-sized with walls made of whitish-grey ironstone.
A thin layer of frost, which never melted, stuck to the walls, glinting coldly against the gray sky and giving off an aura of silence.
There were cultivators standing guard and patrolling the city gates. There were not many pedestrians coming and going, and they all seemed to be in a hurry, with their heads lowered. The entire city was filled with a tense and alert atmosphere, which meant something had happened.
David concealed his aura, suppressing his chaotic origin to the level of an ordinary early-stage Gold Immortal. His spiritual energy fluctuations were weak as he mixed in with some wild cultivators who entered the city and passed through the city gates.
His divine sense spread out quietly like invisible tentacles, inch by inch sweeping through every corner of the city, capturing faint traces of that mighty sword intent.
Most of the shops on both sides of the street were closed. Occasionally a few shops opened, but the owners were all wary and would observe foreigners closely, for fear of getting into trouble.
He followed the direction with the strongest scent, passing through several narrow streets and alleys, avoiding patrolling guards, and finally stopped in front of a dilapidated tavern.
The shop’s nameplate was hanging crookedly, the paint was peeling and the writing had long been unreadable.
The wooden stairs at the entrance creaked when stepped on, and the air was filled with a mixture of the aroma of cheap beer and damp wood, making the place feel very quiet.
David pushed open the door and entered. The tavern was empty except for a thin, middle-aged owner sitting behind the counter, casually wiping a wine glass with a cloth, his eyes occasionally glancing towards the door with a hint of wariness.
David’s gaze swept across the corner of the tavern, and under a table that was missing a leg, he found a small fragment of a broken talisman.
The fragment has a unique texture and holds a faint aura of truth, which is indeed the work of Xuanzhenzi.
He walked over, bent down, and picked it up. His fingertip traced the Daoist patterns left on the surface of the fragment, and he could still feel faint traces of blood and burn marks.
There were rips and gaps along the edges, as if it had been torn and thrown away in a hurry. It was clear that Xuanzhenzi had lived here and most likely had an accident.
The tavern owner watched David’s movements, a hint of wariness flashed in his eyes. He put down his wine glass, coughed lightly, and casually asked, “Master, that was something left behind by an old Daoist priest. Do you know him?”
While speaking, he secretly glanced at David, trying to glean some clues from his expression.
David raised his eyes, his purple eyes filled with a sharp look, and said calmly, “Where is she? I’m her friend, and I came here specifically to look for her.”
The sound was not loud, but it contained an invisible sense of oppression, making the tavern owner’s skin crawl and his Adam’s apple twitch.
After hesitating for a moment, he said in a low voice, “The old Daoist priest was taken away by the city lord’s patrol team at the city gate a few days ago.”
The old Daoist priest was accused of ‘possessing a forbidden magical artifact and suspected of stealing spiritual veins’. He denied the accusations and even injured several guards. As a result, the head priest of the city lord’s residence intervened and arrested him, then imprisoned him in the dungeon.
I heard that the residents of the city’s mansion are planning to look for treasure on him, and they’ve been interrogating him in the dungeon these past few days.
The tavern owner’s voice grew lower, his eyes filled with anxiety, clearly afraid that the city lord’s men would find out that he had leaked the information.
Although David’s aura did not change significantly, the temperature within his purple eyes slowly decreased at a speed invisible to the naked eye. The surrounding air felt increasingly heavier, and even the trajectory of the falling dust slowed.
He stuffed the talisman fragment into his sleeve, turned around, and walked out of the tavern, his steps steady, but revealing pent-up anger.
FAQ Novel
Q: Who is David?
A: David appears to be a central figure with a commanding presence and keen observational skills.
Q: What is the significance of Kota Qingshuang?
A: Kota Qingshuang is a location of interest where a trace of a powerful sword intent was detected.
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