When Su Mo returned to his residence, Yun Hui had already been waiting at the door for quite some time.
“Steward Yun, what brings you here?”
Steward Yun replied respectfully, “The City Lord sent me to inform both immortal ladies that the seal has been lifted. The awakening of the divine artifact can begin at any time. May I ask if the two of you are available tomorrow?”
“I have no issues.”
“And what about Immortal Lady Luo Xiu…”
“You’ll have to ask her yourself. I can’t answer on her behalf.”
“Understood.” Yun Hui turned and left.
As soon as Su Mo entered his room, he locked himself inside and eagerly took out The Flame-Tempering Art to study.
Aside from the basic theories of the cultivation method, the book contained many things that seemed absurd—and indeed were absurd—such as merging oneself with flame.
Uh…
Su Mo wasn’t sure if anyone could actually achieve this, but for now, it was better not to dwell on it too much, lest he risked qi deviation…
He tried cultivating according to the methods described in The Flame-Tempering Art and soon entered a state of deep meditation.
In that moment, his body seemed to merge with the world around him.
He felt his second energy sea boiling—boiling with excitement. The impurities mixed within the Yin flame were slowly being purged.
After what felt like a long time, the dark cyan second energy sea had shrunk by half, but its color had deepened.
Su Mo opened his eyes, and a wisp of Yin flame appeared at his fingertip. He faintly sensed that the flame’s properties had grown stronger compared to before, and its temperature had dropped even lower. In just a short while, mist began to form in the air.
“What an impressive Flame-Tempering Art! Not only was it cheap, but it’s also so simple to cultivate. The shopkeeper really didn’t deceive me!”
……
……
Meanwhile, inside the City Lord’s manor.
“What? She bought The Flame-Tempering Art?” Yun Fei wore an expression of disbelief.
The shopkeeper of the Lingbao Pavilion stood before him, trembling as he said, “City Lord, if the immortal lady finds out that the cultivation method she bought from me is completely impractical and impossible to cultivate, will she… eliminate me?”
Yun Fei narrowed his eyes, his tone peculiar. “Since she is an immortal lady, she is naturally different from us mortals. What we mortals cannot cultivate might very well become a priceless treasure in her hands.”
Hearing this, the shopkeeper breathed a sigh of relief.
Yun Hui, who stood nearby, added, “You just wait for the immortal lady’s gratitude.”
“I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare,” the shopkeeper quickly waved his hands. “I never even thought of such a thing…”
He truly hadn’t thought of it—originally, he had intended to scam her.
Glancing at the sky outside, the shopkeeper tentatively asked, “City Lord, do you have any other instructions?”
Yun Fei knew he was eager to return home and said, “Go back. Wouldn’t want you to get scolded again.”
“You jest,” the shopkeeper replied, his old face flushing red before he scurried away.
Yun Fei stroked his beard and looked at Yun Hui, a smile playing on his lips. “Maybe you should head back too?”
Yun Hui straightened his posture, puffing out his chest. “A true man stands firm between heaven and earth. How can he be easily swayed by a woman?”
“Right, right, Steward Yun fears no wife. Steward Yun is a real man,” Yun Fei teased.
“The City Lord jests…”
Outside the window, the sky had grown dark. Yun Fei ordered the lamps to be lit.
After the joking, Yun Fei turned to serious matters.
“Have we found out where Immortal Lady Luo Xiu went and what she did during the time she disappeared?”
Yun Hui reported, “Not yet. Both of them possess unfathomable strength, making it difficult to gauge their actions. Our people didn’t dare get too close. Moreover, according to the trackers, they were likely discovered. So, it’s inferred that Immortal Lady Luo Xiu disappeared for a period to avoid being followed.”
Yun Fei frowned. “Keep investigating, but be extremely careful. Don’t let yourselves be discovered.”
“Yes.”
The lamplight in the room flickered in the wind, casting the shadows of the two men. One shadow disappeared after stepping away from the light, while the other remained, deep in thought.
In the darkness, people came and went from the room, and the number of shadows inside fluctuated—sometimes one, sometimes two.
The moonlight was as clear as water, casting a chilly glow on the ground. The streets were empty except for patrolling guards. This was different from the bustling cities he was used to—even quieter than the countryside.
Back in the countryside, aunties and grannies would be dancing in the squares, and grandpas would be chatting away.
Su Mo thought about going out for a stroll alone to familiarize himself with the surroundings. If Yun Fei and the others ever turned against him, it would be easier to escape.
The daytime wasn’t convenient, but the night was perfect.
He changed into black clothes and slipped out quietly, only to turn around and see Li Xiaomu climbing over the wall.
As luck would have it, just as she was flipping over, her gaze happened to sweep in his direction. Their eyes met.
Well, this was awkward.
It was like secretly cramming for an exam only to find your roommate doing the same—especially right after both of you promised not to study secretly at night, swearing that whoever did would be trash!
Su Mo rubbed his nose, pretending nothing had happened, and continued with his original plan, vaulting over the wall.
The streets were silent. Su Mo avoided the moonlight, moving through the shadows. His figure was as agile and swift as a ghost, passing by patrolling guards without being noticed.
He headed straight for the city gates, wanting to see what lay outside.
Just like in the dramas, the city gates were heavily guarded, with shifts changing around the clock. The security was strict.
“Why such tight security? Is there something terrifying outside the city?” Su Mo muttered to himself.
But with his current strength, leaving the city didn’t necessarily require using the gate.
No one noticed a slender figure leaping lightly onto the city wall, elegant and composed.
He darted back and forth swiftly, successfully avoiding the sight of the guards on the wall.
Looking outward, under the moonlight, a large empty field lay beyond the city walls, and beyond that was a lush, dense forest. From within, the cries of monkeys could occasionally be heard.
He constantly adjusted his position, ensuring he remained in the blind spots of the patrolling guards.
Suddenly, he spotted dark figures running under the moonlight. Due to the distance, he could only make out their general shapes.
What were those things?
They stood upright, seemingly human, but their bodies were enormous, with long limbs—more like oversized monkeys.
Whatever they were, they certainly didn’t look friendly.
Just as Su Mo was wondering how to alert the patrolling guards, someone appeared beside him. He instinctively prepared to strike, but Li Xiaomu’s voice came through: “It’s me.”
At the same time, the guards noticed them.
“I—” Before the guard could even finish the first word, Li Xiaomu knocked him to the ground and threw him outside the city walls.
“Let’s go!” Li Xiaomu leaped down from the city wall.
Su Mo frowned slightly but followed closely behind.
The sound of the body hitting the ground attracted the attention of the patrolling guards, making their escape much easier than their arrival.
The two of them jumped down from the city wall one after the other, weaving through the alleyways as they hurried back to their residence. Their rustling footsteps were incredibly light, almost unnaturally so for humans.
In the silence of the night, sudden shouts of killing erupted. Torches lit up the city walls, and figures crowded together, preparing for battle.
Gongs sounded throughout the city, summoning all resting soldiers and cultivators with cultivation bases to rush toward the city gates.
Su Mo called out to Li Xiaomu, gesturing toward the city gates with his chin. Just as Li Xiaomu was about to say something, she spotted Yun Hui appearing not far away.
“Quick, quick! Go see what’s happening!”
“Alright!”
Together, they changed direction. To anyone watching, it seemed as though they were heading toward the commotion after hearing the gongs.