Several days later, as the sun began to set, a figure slowly appeared outside Qingchuan City. The figure drew closer, gradually becoming clear, revealing Mu Yun, who had finally arrived outside Qingchuan City after some healing and recuperation.
As dusk settled, his silhouette stretched long, appearing particularly solitary and small before the massive city gate constructed of green stone. Inside the city, lights blazed. People came and went bustlingly, and occasional sounds of revelry drifted from inns, taverns, and other shops along the street.
"Qingchuan City..."
Mu Yun walked through the streets, observing everything around him. He saw fine spiritual patterns faintly etched on the green stone pavements, and every ten paces or so, a琉璃 (glazed) palace lantern hung, its wick burning with an eternal flame, illuminating the carved railings and jade-inlaid shops nearby like a celestial palace.
"This is a mortal city of cultivation civilization. Although its architectural style leans towards ancient, both the city's scale and the presentation of its buildings are incomparable to Earth's ancient civilizations. This is merely a mortal city..."
"'Little Mu Yun' doesn't seem to know where the Treasure Gathering Pavilion is either, so I can only ask passersby..."
...
Clearly, after his recent struggle and battle with enemies, the Earth Mu Yun had awakened.
"Although I don't understand the reason, from the current observations, it seems that 'my' appearance is related to 'Little Mu Yun's' emotional fluctuations."
"As long as there's a significant emotional fluctuation, 'I' will awaken, just like the fear experienced during a life-threatening crisis, or the anger from the previous massacre at the inn."
"And 'Little Mu Yun' will naturally awaken once I enter biological sleep."
"Hmm... there should be a certain logical pattern, it's just that I haven't discovered it yet."
"Furthermore, 'I' and 'Little Mu Yun' exist as one, and after awakening, both retain the memories of what the other experienced while awake. This point is also extremely peculiar."
Mu Yun looked up at the sky. This night view, just like Earth's, filled with countless stars, seemed to conceal countless secrets.
"Defense weapon systems are operating normally. As long as I don't encounter powerful enemies, survival is basically guaranteed."
"Judging from the words of the cultivator surnamed Leng, the current combat power of the armament system should be equivalent to that of a Golden Core cultivator."
"However, Golden Core cultivators are also divided into early, middle, and late stages, and the difference in strength at each stage is unclear."
"Hmm... given my lack of understanding of this world, I'll temporarily set the risk threshold at early Golden Core cultivators and below."
Mu Yun thought while walking towards a shop. After entering the shop, he used the Zeus Genesis Neural System to easily mimic a foreign language and speaking style, conversing with the shop assistant to inquire about the whereabouts of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion.
Qingchuan City was very large. Mu Yun, disguised as an ordinary mortal, would have quite a distance to cover on foot to reach the Treasure Gathering Pavilion. As night deepened, a feeling of hunger from his stomach made Mu Yun slow his pace, intending to find an inn to rest and resume his journey the next day.
What Mu Yun didn't know was that by inquiring about the Treasure Gathering Pavilion's location, he had already become entangled in an unwarranted misfortune, like a stone dropped into a deep pool of surging undercurrents.
...
Somewhere in Qingchuan City, a young man with the appearance of a scholar, dressed in ragged clothes with messy hair, yet possessing sharp, spirited eyes. His fingertips rubbed a chipped coarse porcelain bowl, the residual wine on the rim having condensed into ice crystals. The disheveled scholar tilted his head back, draining the remaining wine, and the ice crystals on the rim rustled down, blooming into frost flowers on the green stone slab. He flicked his finger, and the remaining ice crystals condensed into a sparrow, which flapped its wings and flew away.
Treasure Gathering Pavilion, Suichong Pavilion. At this crucial moment, it appeared quite coincidental. Unsure if it was friend or foe, blessing or misfortune.
Then, in a dark alley in the distance, a short-sleeved man. An ice sparrow landed on his shoulder. As the cold mist dissipated, a green glow appeared in the man's eyes, and he melted into the crowd.
...
Meanwhile, inside an inn in Qingchuan City, the gilded rafters over an unusually empty space. A sparse few individuals were scattered throughout the inn, seemingly leisurely drinking tea, but secretly observing everything around them. They all wore identical raven-blue martial attire, with dark iron tokens hanging from their waists.
On them, vigorous characters were boldly carved:
"Yinsu Sect!"
At this moment, outside a 'Heavenly' class room on the second floor, a man's crisp knock on the wooden floor shattered the silence of the room.
His voice was urgent and trembling.
"Young Master!"
"Hmm?" A lazy voice came from inside the room, carrying a hint of displeasure. The man kneeling on one knee outside trembled. "Disturbing Young Master's peace is a deathly sin, but... your subordinate has urgent matters to report!"
A moment later, a voice came from inside the room:
"Come in..."
The kneeling man quickly stood up, pushed the door open, and entered. He saw a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy sitting upright, neatly dressed, with delicate features, but a pair of narrow, phoenix-like eyes that made him seem rather sinister. Beside him stood a young woman, alluring and charming, adjusting her posture. The man who entered dared not look too much, and in his nervousness, quickly knelt, not daring to look up.
"Speak..." The young boy's tone carried a hint of chill. He casually spoke while fastening his robe: "If your report doesn't satisfy me, you know the consequences".
The kneeling man's face instantly paled as he replied, "Reporting to Young Master, just now, Lord Yumo discovered someone inquiring about the Treasure Gathering Pavilion on Ren Street. Lord Yumo has already dispatched someone to follow secretly".
At this, the young boy sat on a wooden chair, tapping his right index finger on the armrest, and slowly asked, "Why didn't Yumo go himself?"
"Replying to Young Master, Lord Yumo said... he... he hasn't had enough wine yet. He'll go naturally once he's had enough," The man was already drenched in sweat. He naturally heard his young master's displeasure and prayed for this interrogation to end quickly.
The room was silent for a long time. The jade-faced youth remained unmoving, seemingly suppressing his inner anger for a long while.
After a moment, the young boy finally spoke: "Since it concerns the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, you may withdraw".
The kneeling man, as if granted a great pardon, hastily kowtowed and respectfully withdrew.
"Wait!" The boy's words drifted out, and the man immediately turned and knelt down.
"Do you know Xu Yu's movements?"
"Young Master Xu Yu returned to Qingchuan City not long ago, but..."
"But what?"
"Young Master Xu Yu slaughtered some mortals on his way back..."
The kneeling man quickly spoke, reporting the full story truthfully.
The young boy's expression turned slightly cold upon hearing this. He pondered for a moment and said, "Handle the aftermath well. Also, tell that brat not to stir up trouble, and even more so, not to interfere in mortal affairs. Otherwise, once exposed, the sect won't be able to protect him".
After the subordinate left, the boy's expression drastically changed. The chair beneath him instantly shattered, as if he had been suppressing immense rage for a long time.
"Yumo!!" The boy gritted his teeth as he uttered the two words.
"He relies on his bit of skill and doesn't put this young master in his eyes at all. When I return to the sect, I must find a way to get my father to discipline him!" The boy's eyes were sinister as he spoke coldly.