Lian slipped smoothly from the woman's grip.
"What—how did he do that?" she wondered, blinking in confusion.
In the next instant, he was already on the other side, grabbing Wang Gu by the collar and yanking him away.
"Wait—wait, brother! We could get some information—" Wang Gu protested, stumbling backwards as Lian dragged him along.
"Can you get serious?" Lian snapped. "People from our sect are missing, and all you're thinking about is women."
With a click of his tongue, Wang Gu shook him off and began walking on his own.
"Yeah, but think about it," Wang Gu said calmly. "Where do we even begin? This place is massive. They could be hiding anywhere."
Without waiting for a response, he slipped into one of the nearby establishments.
"Tch—where the hell are you going now?" Lian muttered, following him inside.
"Welcome, honoured patrons."
A young woman with pale skin greeted them. She wore traditional robes, her hair neatly pinned high with a single jade ornament holding her bun in place. She bowed respectfully as they entered.
"Yes, yes—lead us to a table," Wang Gu said casually, flicking a single tael of silver toward her.
She caught it deftly and hid it within her sleeve, her smile widening just a fraction.
"This way, sirs."
She guided them deeper inside.
The interior was vast—nearly a hundred tables filled the hall, packed with cultivators, merchants, and nobles alike. Laughter and drunken chatter echoed through the air, cups clinking endlessly.
From the corner of his eye, Lian noticed several city officials drinking openly among the crowd.
The space around them had been deliberately cleared of other patrons. The people seated nearby wore clothing of black and gold, their winged hats resting neatly atop their heads.
Wang Gu and Lian sat across from one another. Then moments later, the young woman returned, carrying a pot of wine, and placed it gently on the table before them.
"Please enjoy our snow wine." She said, bowing before leaving again, Wang Gu's gaze lingered a bit as she walked away.
"Come, brother—let's have a drink."
"It's best we wait here," Wang Gu said calmly as he poured wine into Lian's cup. "Places like this are always full of rumours. Something is bound to surface."
He raised his cup, waiting expectantly.
"Tch… you're such a headache," Lian muttered, taking the pot and pouring Wang Gu a drink in return.
"Ahh!" Wang Gu exclaimed, downing the entire cup in one gulp.
"Not bad—but it's still not the same as the one from that old man."
Lian lifted his cup and drank as well.
"Mmm… yeah. You're right," he said thoughtfully. "The last one had a subtle hint of spirit energy—like it was refined using spirit fruits."
He glanced at the cup.
"This one's bland in comparison… ahh." He sighed. "You've introduced me to too many good things, Wang Gu. I don't think I'll enjoy ordinary wine ever again."
Just then, murmuring drifted over from a nearby table.
"Look at them—drinking like nothing's wrong," one man muttered. "People are disappearing day by day."
"Shh! Keep it down," his companion hissed, grabbing his sleeve. "You'll get us into trouble."
"Tsk… Yùzhàn has gone to the dogs," the first man continued in a lower voice. "Why isn't the royal family doing anything? They have to know what's going on by now, right?"
He leaned closer, voice barely above a whisper.
"Have you heard the rumours? They say the city lord is working with one of the Eight Evils; in fact, it is the blood demons. That's why no one's investigating the disappearances."
"You'll be next if you keep blubbering about things you don't understand."
A hooded figure cut into the conversation, gripping the man by the shoulder as he spoke.
Lian's gaze sharpened the moment the figure appeared.
"Wang—" Lian said, starting to rise.
Before he could move, chaos erupted at the entrance of the drinking house.
"Fire! There's a fire in the northern region!" a young man shouted as he stumbled inside, gasping for breath. "Everything's burning—even the slave stalls!"
When Lian snapped his gaze back to where the hooded figure had stood, the seat was empty.
"What! How did he escape my detection?" Lian muttered.
He turned toward Wang Gu—and froze.
Wang Gu was gone.
A heartbeat later, Lian spotted him near the entrance. In Wang Gu's hand was the very hood the man had been wearing.
Lian rushed over.
"Hey—what happened?"
"He got away," Wang Gu said, inspecting the robes. His eyes were wide, disbelief written across his face. "I had him in my hands—but he just melted away and vanished."
"Let him go," Lian said grimly. "We'll figure it out later. First, we head toward the fire."
He clenched his fist.
"Guǐ Shā Shǒu is wailing. It only does that when it senses demonic cultivators."
"Yeah," Wang Gu nodded. "You're right."
They stepped outside together.
A wave of searing heat washed over their skin. In the distance, a massive blaze roared into the sky—its glow swallowing the horizon, visible from every corner of the district.
Without waiting any longer, the two of them launched toward the flames. Moments later, they arrived at the heart of the inferno.
"Lian…" Wang Gu pointed.
All around them stood iron cages. Inside were people—men, women, even children—coughing violently as thick smoke choked their lungs.
I thought the slave trade was banned… Wang Gu thought grimly. What the hell is happening here?
Merchants rushed about in panic, dragging some cages away while abandoning others.
"That one, don't leave her behind!" a short, round man shouted, pointing frantically. "The beast-girl! Forget the rest—let them die if you have to. She'll fetch a high price!"
Boom!
A crushing pressure erupted.
Lian leapt back instinctively, and he glanced to his side.
The aura was coming from Wang Gu.
His eyes had darkened, his presence growing heavy as he stepped toward the merchant, each footfall radiating murderous intent.
"Stop!" Lian grabbed him by the shoulder. "Calm yourself before you fall for your inner demon."