Cen Sen led the City Guard all the way to the area near the Chong'an Auction House, finally forcing the evil cultivator they had been hunting to turn into smoke and flee. They had been tracking him for so long, and now that they had finally cornered the culprit, there was no way they would let him escape. Without hesitation, he called out to the surrounding cultivators for assistance.
The next moment, Cen Sen heard a loud bang, followed by a sharp scream. The metallic scent of blood filled his nostrils.
With a flash of movement, Cen Sen arrived at the scene. There, a female cultivator in a crimson robe stood with an expressionless face, holding a black umbrella. At her feet, the evil cultivator was sprawled on the ground, his entire body coiled tightly by a massive black dragon. The serpent-like dragon constricted its body, and the sickening sound of bones snapping echoed around them, accompanied by the muffled groans of the evil cultivator.
Cen Sen hurried forward and cupped his hands in thanks. "Many thanks for your help, Daoyou. This man cannot die yet. He has accomplices hiding within Chong'an City."
Yunxi immediately understood Cen Sen's meaning. He didn't want her to kill the evil cultivator outright. She responded calmly:
"Based on this Lord's experience, evil cultivators cannot be soul-searched. Their sea of consciousness is sealed with restrictions. The moment you attempt a soul search, they will self-destruct."
Cen Sen spoke with certainty. "Please rest assured, Daoyou. We have our own means. We will make him reveal his comrades."
Yunxi finally gave a reluctant nod. She recalled Hei Yao back into the surface of her umbrella, then turned and left.
Cen Sen gestured, binding the half-conscious evil cultivator tightly with a Immortal Binding Rope. With his men, he immediately took the captive back to the City Guard headquarters. The onlookers, seeing the culprit apprehended, dispersed and returned to their business, each one silently hoping the city gates would reopen soon.
The situation involved evil cultivators, and although none of the cultivators trapped in Chong'an City liked being detained, they understood the gravity of the matter. No one wanted to hinder the investigation or give evil cultivators any chance to exploit the chaos. The Ancient Battlefield was still embroiled in conflict, and the Spirit Realm could not afford disturbances in its rear defenses. That was why everyone endured their displeasure and stayed put.
Now that someone had been captured, there was finally a breakthrough. It would only be a matter of time before all the evil cultivators hiding in Chong'an City were rooted out.
As Yunxi walked away at an unhurried pace, she was secretly communicating with Xiao Meng.
"Xiao Meng, did you pull that evil cultivator into a dream?"
"Rest easy, Zūnshàng. The moment you restrained him, I had already drawn him into a dream."
"Be quick. Once he reaches the City Guard headquarters, they'll use their own methods. Do not let yourself be exposed."
"Yes."
Yunxi chose an inn called Qingyun Soaring Inn and booked an upper room. She sat in the bustling hall, ordered a spirit meal, and began eating as she waited for Xiao Meng's report.
Before any news arrived from Xiao Meng, two male cultivators entered the hall. One was a late-stage Void Refinement cultivator, and beside him was a younger man. The elder approached her table.
"Daoyou, would you mind sharing your table?"
Yunxi glanced up at him and rejected him without hesitation. "No. This Lord does not like dining with strangers."
The man had already been preparing to sit. Hearing her refusal, he gave an awkward smile. "My apologies. That was presumptuous of me."
He turned away and went to another table with the young man. As they left, the younger cultivator glanced back at Yunxi, clearly surprised at being refused.
At that moment, Xiao Meng's voice echoed in her mind.
"Zūnshàng, that man is the one who deceived my sister!"
"I saw. Why do you think I refused him? I'd lose my appetite sitting across from that hypocrite."
Calmly sipping her tea, Yunxi sent her reply through voice transmission.
Xiao Meng spoke through clenched teeth. "If my cultivation matched his, I would have killed him in a dream long ago."
Yunxi remained unruffled. "Forget him for now. What about the young man with him? They share a bloodline connection."
Xiao Meng paused, then asked, "You mean… draw the young one into a dream?"
Yunxi placed her teacup down and said, "Yes. If he values his younger kin, he will seek help. Then I will appear under the identity of a disciple of Yixian Gate and offer to trade for the Fortune Pearl. That way, we won't have to spend a single spirit stone."
"And if he'd rather let his kin die than part with the Fortune Pearl?"
"Then we'll smash our spirit stones at the auction house."
"I understand, Zūnshàng."
After finishing her meal, Yunxi returned to her room. Once she had set up a barrier, she asked, "Any results from the evil cultivator?"
Xiao Meng's voice came softly. "Zūnshàng, the evil cultivators came here for the Fortune Pearl. It's also connected to a cultivator named Mu Zijun."
"Explain."
"The evil cultivators learned that the Chong'an Auction House would auction a Fortune Pearl. They planned to steal it, hoping to use its power to shift their fortunes and break the seal over the Cloudsky Sea.
As for Mu Zijun, they discovered him through special means and marked him as their target for body possession. His physique is unique. If they could secure the Fortune Pearl and contract it through him, they'd achieve unimaginable results.
Unfortunately for them, they met you, Zūnshàng. Even though they quickly stole his corpse, you still annihilated them. Also, there are moles within both the City Guard and the City Lord's Mansion."
With that, Xiao Meng transmitted two images.
Yunxi immediately recognized one of them as one of Cen Sen's lieutenants. She didn't recognize the other, but he was clearly a member of the City Lord's Mansion.
"Zūnshàng, I'll withdraw my technique now. The City Guard just placed the evil cultivator inside a formation."
"Come back. Don't risk being found."
Yunxi didn't know what Cen Sen would learn, but she couldn't exactly tell him, Your lieutenant is a traitor. Without evidence, she'd only expose the existence of the Dream Stone. So, she chose to wait and watch.
Meanwhile, the two men from the dining hall—Mo Jiu and Mo Liang—had also gone upstairs, choosing a room right next to Yunxi's. Mo Liang even cast a glance toward Yunxi's door before following Mo Jiu inside.
Once the room's formation was activated, Mo Liang finally spoke. "Granduncle, that woman was extremely rude. Is her cultivation higher than yours?"
Mo Jiu sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion before answering. "She is on par with me. But her fortune is extraordinary—purple tinged with gold. I have rarely seen a woman with such astonishing luck."
Mo Liang's eyes gleamed at the revelation, and he lowered his voice. "Granduncle, are you planning to…"
"Silence! Do you want the whole inn to hear your nonsense?"
Mo Jiu's tone was cold, displeasure flashing in his eyes.
Mo Liang immediately lowered his head. "Please don't be angry, Granduncle. I won't speak carelessly. Shall we act tonight?"
"This is our only chance. By tomorrow, it will be gone."
"Yes. I will guard you, Granduncle."
Midnight descended.
While Yunxi sat in meditation, Xiao Meng's voice rang in her mind. "Zūnshàng, I've found my sister's aura."
Yunxi's eyes snapped open. "Where?"
"Next door! It's that hypocrite from this afternoon."
Yunxi's eyes narrowed. "So the Fortune Pearl is still on him. No wonder you couldn't sense it during the auction."
"Zūnshàng, he wants to use my sister's Rock Heart to steal your luck! That bastard!"