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墨書 Inktalez
By the time Qi Xiao arrived in Tongling, two days had already passed. The entire city was shrouded in a desolate atmosphere; the city gates were half-closed, and the number of passing cultivators had decreased by more than half. The once bustling sounds of the city were no longer present.
After paying the entrance fee, Qi Xiao discreetly slipped a spirit stone to the guard to inquire about the situation. Weighing the stone in his hand, the guard smiled and instantly changed his demeanor.
"Ah, you folks coming here now really shouldn't!" he exclaimed. "There seems to be some kind of infectious disease spreading in this city. Anyone who falls ill has a vacant expression, as if they've lost their soul."
The cultivators who were not infected were all on edge. "If I were you two, I’d think twice before entering; Tongling is not a good place right now."
Upon hearing the phrase "lost their soul," Qi Xiao's heart tightened, and he couldn't help but ask for more details. The guard scratched his head, unable to specify what exactly was going on, and instead pointed to an old beggar sitting against the wall.
"Look at him; he could still say a few words yesterday, but today he’s completely like this."
The old beggar was disheveled and dressed in rags, sitting on the ground like a wooden post. Qi Xiao focused intently and nearly failed to sense any breath from him. Standing in front of the beggar and blocking out the sunlight, there was still no reaction from him. Only a faint breath and slight rise and fall of his body indicated that he was still alive.
Qi Xiao crouched down cautiously and gently lifted some of the beggar's hair. However, before his fingers could make contact, Lu Yuan quickly pulled him back.
"Junior Brother! What are you thinking? If you touch him and catch this infectious disease, what will we do? This illness seems strange and troublesome!"
Qi Xiao chuckled softly. "I just find it a bit odd."
"Odd about what?"
"Brother, don’t you think these symptoms are somewhat similar to Yu Miaoyin’s?"
Lu Yuan was taken aback, his face paling. "Could it be that I’ve already contracted it?"
"No way! We need to hurry back!" he exclaimed. "What if we turn into old beggars like him on the way? I don’t want to spend my life like a fool, like a walking corpse!"
Qi Xiao held onto Lu Yuan, reassuring him not to worry. "If we really caught it, we would have shown symptoms by now! Didn’t you hear?"
The first case of the illness in Tongling appeared just four days ago.
In such a short time, it managed to affect the entire city. It was estimated that from the moment one contracted the disease to when symptoms appeared, it would only take a day or two. If we truly had been infected, we would have shown signs by now.
Hearing this explanation, Lu Yuan let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, thank goodness.
However, what puzzled Qi Xiao was that if this was indeed an infectious disease, why were there no unusual symptoms among those around Yu Miaoyin? Logically speaking, since Yu Miaoyin exhibited these symptoms in Jincheng, others in Jincheng should have shown signs of illness by now. Yet when he inquired about the situation at Linlang Pavilion, the supervisor mentioned that no such occurrences had been reported in Jincheng.
Qi Xiao had his suspicions about this and felt he needed further verification.
When they returned and insisted on entering the city, the guards rolled their eyes and let them pass without further ado. He muttered under his breath, “Good advice is wasted on stubborn fools!”
Qi Xiao pretended not to hear while Lu Yuan felt a bit apprehensive and quietly urged Qi Xiao to turn back. After pondering for a moment, Qi Xiao found some merit in this suggestion.
“Brother, why don’t you return first and report the situation here to our sect?”
“Report?” Qi Xiao nodded. If something truly happened here or if there were signs of demonic activity, it would be wise to alert the sect so they could prepare early.
Lu Yuan was not entirely supportive of this idea; it would make him seem cowardly, retreating without a fight. An infectious disease was one thing, but demonic forces were another matter entirely. The demons wreak havoc and threaten the entire cultivation world. As a disciple of the sect, he had a responsibility to maintain peace within the realm.
After some thought, Lu Yuan finally made up his mind. “Since you insist on staying, I will too. If we do encounter any danger, it’s better for us to look out for each other.”
Now it was Qi Xiao who hesitated. “This time I insisted on coming to Tongling; it’s not your fault. If something were to happen to you here…”
Lu Yuan patted his chest confidently. “When it comes to demons, there’s no ‘yours’ or ‘mine.’ This concerns the entire cultivation world! As your elder brother, I cannot allow you to enter alone while I turn and flee.”
“Alright then, we must be extremely cautious from now on.”
“Don’t worry.”
The two made their way through the bustling streets toward an inn. They remained completely unaware that their every move was being closely observed by a pair of beautiful eyes from the second floor.
The young girl stood by the window, clad in a blue robe, fresh and elegant, looking quite youthful. However, her face was cold and serious, adding a touch of frostiness to her demeanor. If Qi Xiao were to face her directly, he would surely recognize her as the maid, Xiao Qing, who served beside the Fairy of the Surging River.
A nearby attendant couldn't help but speak up. "My Lady Qingling?"
Xiao Qing nodded and said, "You continue to keep watch here. Send two skilled in concealing their presence to observe their movements at the inn. Be careful not to let them notice."
"Understood, I will arrange it right away."
Xiao Qing hurriedly stepped into the partitioned room. Inside, a pot of hot tea was simmering, bubbling away. Shen Weixue sat beside the tea table, holding a jade cup, her gaze lowered as she savored the tea, lost in thought.
Seeing her calm demeanor, Xiao Qing quickly restrained her pace and whispered beside her, "Holy Maiden, those two have also come here."
Shen Weixue frowned slightly. "This place isn't suitable. Xiao Qing, find a way to make them leave."
Xiao Qing's small face scrunched up in difficulty. "But how should I do that? Should I send two assassins to scare them?"
Shen Weixue's frown deepened. "Qi Xiao is quite bold; remember at Ju Chun Lou, he dared to take poison without full assurance! From this, you should know that ordinary intimidation won't work on him; it might even pique his curiosity instead."
"Isn't he at odds with the Bai family? You could quietly pass word of his arrival to them and let them take action."
"But what if the Bai family acts recklessly and truly harms him?"
"You send someone to keep an eye on things. If it comes to that point, then let them intervene."
Xiao Qing lowered her head in acknowledgment and quietly retreated.
Qi Xiao and Lu Yuan arrived at the inn and requested two upper rooms. Due to the recent outbreak of illness, business in the city had been rather bleak, especially for inns.
The innkeeper stood at the front desk, wearing a worried expression. Qi Xiao approached him to inquire about the situation in the city.
With a heavy sigh, the innkeeper replied, "How would I know where this illness originated? One day it just suddenly appeared; people of all ages began showing these symptoms."
Qi Xiao's eyes flickered. "Innkeeper, think carefully; are there any areas where those who fell ill seem more concentrated?"
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