After a stick of incense burned, Qin Gengyun supported himself on the wall as he walked out of the rental room with a bun in hand, turning back to the room inside and saying:
"Taoist Friend Qiu, I'm leaving."
There was no response from inside. Qin Gengyun shrugged, coughed twice, released his hand from the wall, ignored the soreness in his lower back, and strode out of Narrow Rain Lane with the gait of a dragon or tiger.
As he passed a breakfast stall selling noodles, he saw Mo Xiaolan sitting there poking at her noodles with chopsticks.
"Taoist Friend Mo, why are you leaving so late today?"
Qin Gengyun was a bit surprised.
Mo Xiaolan works as a Post House Cultivator by day and sets up stalls in the night market, leaving early and returning late every day.
The so-called Post House Cultivator specializes in delivering messages and goods, similar to a courier from Qin Gengyun's past life.
In the Eastern Cultivation Land dominated by the Zhenyang Sect, Feiyun Sect, and Thunder Sword Sect, order is most stable, and there are relatively more ways for low-level cultivators to make a living.
The most laborious yet relatively well-paid among them is being a Post House Cultivator.
All Post House Cultivators in the Eastern Cultivation Land are managed by Flying Post Tower, headquartered in Feiyun City, with branches in every town, including Yunling Town.
Mo Xiaolan, being a Post House Cultivator, is managed by the Yunling Town branch, with her salary based on delivery count, collected daily at the Flying Post Tower branch in Yunling Town.
Post House Cultivation is a race against time; Mo Xiaolan usually leaves before dawn, and now it's almost 7 a.m., so she is indeed a bit late.
Seeing Qin Gengyun, Mo Xiaolan paused her noodling, picked up some noodles and put them in her mouth, then smiled and said:
"There's some business at the night market today, so I took half a day off. Have you eaten, Taoist Friend Qin?"
Qin Gengyun lifted the bun in his hand: "I'll eat on the way. I'm off now."
"Taoist Friend Qin."
Mo Xiaolan suddenly called after him: "Taoist Friend Zheng from the East Market has already found a seller for the Pill Furnace and has arranged to bring the item to the East Market tonight."
Qin Gengyun was delighted and quickly said: "That's great! I'll be over tonight!"
"Alright, I'll wait for you at the night market."
"Thank you, Taoist Friend Mo!"
Qin Gengyun bowed gratefully to Mo Xiaolan.
Mo Xiaolan waved her hands repeatedly: "No need for that, Taoist Friend Qin. You should go; you're running late."
"Alright, see you tonight."
"Yes, see you tonight!"
Watching Qin Gengyun walk away, Mo Xiaolan stayed silent for a moment, looked down at the orchid embroidered on her left shoulder, smiled, and continued eating.
After finishing breakfast, Mo Xiaolan hurried to the night market. The streets were still empty, quite deserted; she went straight to the East Market, where the unkempt Taoist Friend Zheng was napping on a deck chair.
Mo Xiaolan said to him: "Taoist Friend Zheng, we'll come by tonight to examine the goods. Be sure to remember, don't let anything slip."
Taoist Friend Zheng opened his eyes, looked Mo Xiaolan up and down, and suddenly snickered:
"Taoist Friend Mo, is that fellow really your Taoist companion?"
Mo Xiaolan said earnestly: "Taoist Friend Zheng, don't joke; we are merely familiar neighbors."
Taoist Friend Zheng laughed again: "Taoist Friend Mo, we've been collaborating at the night market for years, and we're familiar neighbors too. How come I've never seen you bargain for me or pay for me with Spirit Stones?"
Mo Xiaolan laughed heartily: "Enough, Taoist Friend Zheng, with your wealth, why would you need my help? I'm off!"
With that, she hurried away.
Watching her tall figure with a ponytail sway away, the unkempt Taoist Friend Zheng ruffled his dandruff-filled messy hair, shaking his head with a smile:
"Foolish child!"
...
Narrow Rain Lane.
After Qin Gengyun left, Qiu Zhihe rose, walked to the window, and stood behind the curtain, peeking through the gap towards the house diagonally across on the left.
For two whole hours, till the sun was high, Qiu Zhihe remained motionless.
Suddenly, a dim red light flickered inside that house, flashing by in an instant.
Such a fleeting scene, even if someone passed by, it wouldn't be easily noticed.
But this scene was captured by Qiu Zhihe, a trace of coldness appeared on her face.
"Blood Pill Sect..."
Besides Cyan Lotus Sect, the Southern Demon Land has many sects labeled as evil by the Righteous Path.
Among them is a small sect known as Blood Pill Sect, skilled in alchemy, yet their techniques are strange, with the Pill Furnace emitting a dim red glow during alchemy.
Qiu Zhihe had crossed paths with Blood Pill Sect members before; the fleeting red light naturally couldn't escape her notice.
After pondering for a while, Qiu Zhihe picked up the bridal dress laid by the bed and left the room.
She came to the door of the neighboring room on the left and vaguely heard entrancing sounds inside.
Just as Qin Gengyun said, this Taoist couple had truly abandoned their Tao Heart, indulging in each other daily.
This time, Qiu Zhihe did not leave, but raised her hand to knock on the door.
The sounds inside abruptly ceased, and after a moment, the door opened, revealing a gentle and kind oval face. She had obviously just dressed hastily, with slightly messy hair, but the coarse robe she wore was clean and neat.
Seeing the bridal dress in Qiu Zhihe's hands, the female cultivator instantly understood and smiled:
"This Taoist friend, you must be Taoist Friend Qin's wife? Please come in!"
Qiu Zhihe nodded, holding the bridal dress as she entered the room.
The room was much like Qin Gengyun's, but with different furnishings. The bed was much larger, the table adorned with some flowers and plants, making the whole place tidier, with a hint of life.
Clearly, this was the gentle female cultivator's doing.
"My name is Chen Fang, and this is my husband, Zhang Chengdao. What's your surname, Taoist friend?"
Chen Fang smiled as she spoke to Qiu Zhihe.
The male cultivator beside her had a dull look, nodding somewhat awkwardly to Qiu Zhihe, clearly not good at socializing.
"I am Qiu Zhihe, returning your bridal dress."
Qiu Zhihe offered the dress to Chen Fang.
"Taoist Friend Qiu, you're too courteous to deliver it personally. Please have a seat."
Chen Fang smiled, taking the bridal dress and setting it aside, warmly inviting Qiu Zhihe to sit.
Qiu Zhihe nodded and sat by the table, as Chen Fang chattered familiarly, mostly speaking while Qiu Zhihe listened.
Zhang Chengdao poured Qiu Zhihe some tea then sat silently aside.
After Chen Fang chatted for a while, Qiu Zhihe suddenly asked, "Taoist Friend Chen, I've noticed three people living in the house across the street?"
Chen Fang glanced at the house across the street to the left, smiled, and said:
"Isn't your husband the one who told you? Yes, that house was empty until a few days ago when three male cultivators moved in."
Qiu Zhihe's gaze sharpened: "Such a small space, how can three people live there? Have you met them?"
Chen Fang replied, "Just once, but they ignored my greeting; they seem not to enjoy socializing."
"Oh, right." Chen Fang recalled something and added:
"The night before last, at 1 a.m., I saw them returning from the lane. I don't know what they do."
Qiu Zhihe slightly frowned: "Taoist Friend Chen, you were out at 1 a.m. too?"
Chen Fang glanced at Zhang Chengdao beside her, blushed, moved her chair closer to Qiu Zhihe, and said in a whisper:
"To be honest, my husband and I plan to have children, so that night... we were up a bit late. I saw it while leaning by the window, Taoist Friend Qiu, as a woman, you should understand, right?"
Qiu Zhihe blinked, a bit puzzled.
Such a short matter; why would it take until 1 a.m.?
And why lean by the window?
"Taoist Friend Qiu, is this what you came to ask about?"
Chen Fang suddenly asked curiously.
Qiu Zhihe came back to her senses and shook her head: "No, I came to consult... how to cook porridge to make it taste better?"