"You're in luck," the innkeeper said cheerfully. "Tianlin Airship Company in Chongming City is running a massive promotion. For three days only, all cultivators taking any of the new routes get a fifty percent discount on spirit stone fares. Even better, if three people book together, you can bring one guest for free."
Mu Ningzhu's eyes lit up. "That good? What's the catch?"
Cultivators never believed in free spirit stones falling from the sky.
The innkeeper chuckled knowingly. "Of course there's a condition. The offer only applies to three newly established flight routes. It's a first-run promotional deal to attract passengers."
Qin Tongshuang looked tempted. "Senior Aunt Mu, should we go inquire about the routes? If one overlaps with the path back to our sect, we can take the airship. It'll save us time and make it harder for anyone to track us."
Everyone knew who might be trying to follow them.
"Alright. I'll take Zhang Yan and check the routes. If one fits our return path, I'll buy the tickets in advance. If not, we'll rest here a day as planned before heading out."
"Okay. We'll follow your lead."
Yunxi and Qin Tongshuang had no objections.
Mu Ningzhu left with Zhang Yan. Yunxi and Qin Tongshuang took the chance to explore Chongming City.
It was a large place, so they went straight to the street where Loose Cultivators set up stalls, mostly browsing rather than buying. If something caught their eyes, they could decide then.
They had changed into low-key robes and began wandering stall by stall with the crowd.
Qin Tongshuang focused on ice-type spiritual plants, tools, and ores. Yunxi, spotting some spiritual plant seeds, bought a few. She planned to have Zong Hao help her cultivate them later. After all, she had rented a medicinal field in the sect to avoid suspicion.
When Qin Tongshuang bought some ice-type ore, Yunxi followed and picked up two pieces as well.
Midway through browsing, they noticed a large crowd gathered in front of a stall. It looked like an argument had broken out. Yunxi immediately released her divine sense. There was no way she would miss a good spectacle.
To her surprise, she recognized someone. It was the scholarly male cultivator they had met three days ago at the ruined temple.
Right now, he was being grabbed by a female cultivator, who accused him tearfully, "Young Master Zhou, how could you treat me like this?"
The man, addressed as Senior Brother Zhou, sounded impatient. "Zuo Daoyou, what do you mean? How have I wronged you?"
From the way she called him and his response, Yunxi could tell it was a classic case of unrequited affection. She grabbed Qin Tongshuang and squeezed to the front for a better view. When gossip was this fresh, she had to be right in front.
Zuo Die'er snapped, "You accepted my pills, and now you're getting involved with another woman?"
Zhou Langchen sighed. "Zuo Daoyou, I was injured during a mission and had run out of pills. You offered healing pills, which I accepted. But I repaid you with spirit stones yesterday. I owe you nothing.
As for being involved with another woman, where are you getting that from? I cultivate the ruthless path. I do not engage in romantic affairs."
The nearby cultivators pretending to shop all leaned in to listen. Not a single one moved their feet.
Yunxi and Qin Tongshuang stood in the front row, pretending to browse. The stall owner didn't chase anyone away. With so many people crowding around, it was good for business.
While Yunxi was enjoying the drama, she genuinely liked some items on display. The stall owner seemed to be a craftsman; the stall was filled with handmade magical tools, including two spiritual ones. Most were small and delicate, clearly designed for female cultivators.
What caught Yunxi's eye was a pair of earrings shaped like little rabbit heads. The eyes were tiny purple crystals, lifelike and adorable. She pointed at a bracelet instead and asked, "Senior, what does this do?"
"It temporarily alters your appearance. Helps shake off anyone tailing you."
The stall owner even sent a voice transmission with the price.
Yunxi immediately withdrew her finger, feeling her storage pouch tighten painfully.
The stall owner didn't mind. She already knew which item Yunxi really wanted.
Meanwhile, Zuo Die'er was still pressing the issue. "If you're not involved with anyone, why do you smell like makeup and perfume?"
"I don't know."
Zhou Langchen replied stiffly. Then he glanced sideways and noticed Yunxi and Qin Tongshuang pretending to browse. Recognizing them as part of the awkward temple encounter, he turned to leave, clearly not wanting to continue the dispute.
"Hey! Young Master Zhou!" Zuo Die'er called after him in frustration.
Another female cultivator beside her whispered, "Die'er, you're embarrassing Young Master Zhou."
"Xiao Ya, why didn't you stop me earlier?"
"I've been giving you signals this whole time. Didn't you see?"
"No! Let's go, Young Master Zhou already gone."
With that, she dragged her companion into the crowd.
Yunxi and Qin Tongshuang had enjoyed the brief chaos but soon turned their attention back to the stall.
Qin Tongshuang ended up buying the bracelet. Yunxi purchased the rabbit-head earrings, swapping them for the cracked ruby ones she had been wearing.
This time, her storage pouch was truly crying. The ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones she got from robbing those bandits had all gone to this stall. But the earrings had a facial disguise function. Even if it only lasted one hour and each use destroyed one of the rabbit's crystal eyes, they could fool a Golden Core cultivator's divine sense. That alone made them worth every stone.
The stall owner was impressed by Yunxi's willingness to spend. She even bought back the damaged ruby earrings and gifted Yunxi two red bracelets. When worn on both wrists, they ensured the wearers would not get separated, ideal for traveling in pairs.
Yunxi thought they were nice and accepted them. To avoid further attention, the two of them returned to the inn.
Mu Ningzhu and Zhang Yan were already back. Once they met up, Mu Ningzhu said, "I've bought the tickets. We'll take the airship to Shuangshan City, which will save us half the travel time. After that, we'll be within the Haoran Sect's territory, and things should be safer."
"That's great. No more flying sword travel."
Yunxi sighed in relief.
Not that she was being picky, but standing on a sword in midair really gave her anxiety.
With the plan set, Yunxi and Qin Tongshuang handed over the spirit stones for the tickets. They also mentioned seeing the ruined temple cultivator at the Loose Cultivator street.
"Just pretend we don't know him," Mu Ningzhu said casually.
"That's what we did. We were afraid that female cultivator might turn her anger on us."
Zhang Yan frowned. "If he cultivates the ruthless path he's likely from Mingjian Sect. Their disciples are said to serve a single sword for life."
"Mingjian Sect? They're supposed to be strong. How did he get caught off guard back at the temple?"
"He was probably still recovering from injuries. That female cultivator gave him pills and tried to use it as an excuse to build a relationship. He rejected her, and now she's causing a fuss."
They didn't linger on the topic. But the next day, when they boarded the airship, Yunxi spotted the same Zhou Daoyou, Zuo Daoyou, and her friend aboard.