At this moment, the morning mist had yet to fully disperse. The villagers scattered in all directions, calling out Liu Niang’s name. Their voices echoed through the empty mountain forest, making one’s heart grow increasingly uneasy.
Failing to find her, the villagers gathered together again.
“Perhaps she already went down the mountain last night to look for a medical hall,” someone speculated.
Jiang Yin thought of how Liu Niang had endured her waist injury last night just to hurry back to Sanshan Village, and felt that it was unlikely she would have gone down the mountain first.
But the villagers had already begun heading downhill one after another. She could only swallow her doubts and quickly follow.
Forget it. Go to the medical hall first. Even if Liu Niang is not there, they could still bring the physician along.
After walking only a few steps, the chick in Xue Zhuang’er’s hands suddenly broke free from his arms, flapping its wings as it flew into the dense bushes by the roadside.
Jiang Yin instinctively chased after it.
She had no idea where this chick came from, but it had played a crucial role in calming Xue Zhuang’er last night. She could not let anything happen to it.
The little chick was unusually agile. Relying on its small size, it darted through withered branches and grass at incredible speed, nearly causing Jiang Yin to lose track of it.
Fortunately, it did not run far. After passing through several patches of dense grass, it stopped in a clearing and plunged headfirst into the dry leaves on the ground.
“Ran this far just because you’re hungry and looking for worms?” Jiang Yin picked it up. Seeing that it was indeed holding something in its beak, she realized it was not a worm but merely a piece of torn cloth. She could not help but laugh. “You can’t even tell worms from cloth, you silly little chick.”
She reached out and took the scrap of cloth from the chick’s beak. It felt smooth to the touch, clearly a piece of fine silk. However, it was soaked through with blood, making its original color impossible to discern.
The moment Jiang Yin saw the bloodstains, her heart skipped a beat, and a bad premonition rose within her.
The little chick chirped frantically in her hands, its claws scraping wildly in the air, appearing extremely agitated.
It was as if it was reminding Jiang Yin that something was hidden beneath the pile of dry leaves at her feet.
Jiang Yin looked at the bloodstained silk in her hand, pressed her dry lips together, and slowly kicked aside the leaves with her foot. The next second, her pupils suddenly widened in shock.
Beneath the dry leaves, the ground was covered in blood. The sight was horrifying.
“Mm—”
She almost screamed out, but a hand reached from behind and covered her mouth in time.
“Shh.” Chu Nanci had appeared behind her at some unknown moment. He drew her trembling body into his arms and said in a low voice, “Don’t make a sound.”
His gaze lowered slightly as he looked at the foolish demon, which had impatiently plunged into the pool of blood and was greedily devouring it. A trace of killing intent flashed through his eyes.
Jiang Yin swallowed down her wildly pounding heart and nodded to show she understood.
Only then did Chu Nanci release his hand. The warmth of her lips lingered on his palm, leaving behind a faint itch. He curled his fingers, forcibly suppressing the urge to rub them hard against the girl’s lips.
“This place is not safe to stay in. We should leave first.”
After absorbing a large amount of blood, the blood demon’s demonic aura would surge greatly. It would certainly attract cultivators. His old injuries had yet to heal, so confronting them now would bring no benefit.
“Wait!” Jiang Yin’s sharp eyes caught sight of something that had been nudged out from beneath the leaves by the chick.
It was a wooden hairpin carved with pagoda flowers, one she had personally given to Liu Niang yesterday as an apology gift. Now, it lay quietly in a pool of blood.
Her hand trembled as she picked up the wooden hairpin. Looking at the young man beside her, even her voice shook. “This hairpin belongs to Liu Niang. Has something happened to her?”
“What? Something happened to Liu Niang?!”
The villagers of Sanshan Village who had followed over just happened to hear this. When they rushed forward to take a look, they were instantly frightened out of their wits.
“Blood! So much blood!”
“Someone’s been killed… Don’t let them escape! They must be the ones who killed Liu Niang!”
Several burly men spoke as they moved to seize Jiang Yin and the other. Chu Nanci sidestepped to avoid them, then wrapped an arm around Jiang Yin’s waist and lifted her up. With a few strides, he leapt over the crowd.
At this critical moment, Jiang Yin had no time to complain about his straight-man handling method. Quick-eyed and quick-handed, she reached down and grabbed Xue Zhuang’er’s hand, lifting him up as well.
The blood demon, finally full, wobbled after them and perched on Xue Zhuang’er’s shoulder.
The added weight did not affect Chu Nanci in the slightest. He held Jiang Yin firmly and, in the blink of an eye, left the villagers far behind.
Suspended midair, Jiang Yin’s mind was blown clear by the wind as she rapidly analyzed, “We can’t go to Shiyuan Town, and we can’t return to Sanshan Village. They will definitely keep searching for us. We can only head in the opposite direction… to Lin’an City!”
Chu Nanci followed her words and changed direction, heading toward the other side of Sanshan Village.
Only after they had completely escaped the villagers’ search range did he set them down.
The moment her feet touched the ground, Jiang Yin immediately let go of Xue Zhuang’er, shaking her limp arms as she cried to Chu Nanci, “Brother Huaian, quickly take a look for me. Did my arm get dislocated?”
It hurt so much. Xue Zhuang’er did not look that big, but he was, after all, a stone demon. His weight was completely disproportionate to his appearance. Lifting him felt like lifting a three-hundred-kilogram rock. Her arm had nearly been torn apart from the strain.
Chu Nanci reached out and pressed on her shoulder bone. As expected, it was dislocated.
Jiang Yin did not dare to move at all. “Then what should we do? Do you know how to set it back?”
Chu Nanci’s brows furrowed slightly.
He had always been more skilled at dislocating bones than setting them. Although he could set them as well, Jiang Yin’s body was far too fragile. He was worried that if he failed to control his strength, he might crush her entire arm.
“Once we enter the city ahead, we’ll find a medical hall,” he said, choosing the safer option and not making a move.
Jiang Yin pulled a long face. “Mm.”
Chu Nanci looked at her tearful expression, then glanced at the bewildered Xue Zhuang’er. “If it hurts this much, why did you still bring him along?”
Xue Zhuang’er still did not understand what had happened. He only knew that Jiang Yin had been injured because of him, and he carefully asked her if it hurt.
“It’s fine. Once we find a physician, it’ll be set back in place,” Jiang Yin comforted the child before answering Chu Nanci’s question. “In this situation, if we didn’t bring him along, should we just leave a child in the village to be bullied?”
Chu Nanci slightly raised the corner of his eyes and let out a soft laugh.
Other than her, probably no one would think a demon beast was weak and pitiful.
But that also made him a little curious. If one day she discovered that he was a demon, what kind of reaction would she have?
Would she accept it just as calmly?
Jiang Yin turned her head and saw the young man staring at her intently, the undisguised anticipation in his gaze almost spilling over.
‘Why is he looking at me like that… could it be that the demonic curse inside his body is acting up again?’
‘This is happening far too frequently.’
It seemed that once they entered the city, she would have to find a way to send a message to the Xuantian Sect.
Lin’an City was located on the other side of Sanfeng Mountain. Unlike the calm and peaceful Shiyuan Town, this place was bustling and prosperous, its scale more than three times that of Shiyuan Town.
Even the physicians at the medical hall were younger than those in Shiyuan Town. The one who set Jiang Yin’s bone was a female physician, gentle and attentive. Seeing that Jiang Yin was a little nervous, she chatted with her for a bit.
“Miss, you look unfamiliar. Is this your first time in Lin’an City?”
Jiang Yin tried her best to ignore the physician’s hand resting on her shoulder and forced a smile. “Yes. I had only heard of Lin’an City before, but I didn’t expect it to be even more prosperous than the rumors say.”
The physician asked again, “Have you come for Huameng Tower?”
Jiang Yin was startled. “How did you… ah, it hurts!”
Taking advantage of the instant she was distracted by shock, the physician swiftly set one side of her shoulder back into place. She did not immediately explain her previous question, but instead posed another.
“There are at least several thousand outsiders entering Lin’an City every day. Miss, do you know why they travel such long distances to come here?”
Jiang Yin answered cautiously, “Because the courtesans of Huameng Tower are exceptionally outstanding?”
“Yes, but also no,” the physician said. “The reason Huameng Tower is famous is not only because of its courtesans. More importantly, its master is all-knowing. No matter what question one holds in their heart, they can find an answer at Huameng Tower. From the moment you entered, Miss, you have been distracted, clearly troubled by something. You have come to Huameng Tower to seek answers, haven’t you?”
Only then did Jiang Yin realize that she had been unconsciously frowning the entire time. She quickly used her newly set hand to rub her brow, lowering her guard somewhat as she faced the female physician. “Yes. This time, I have indeed come to Huameng Tower to take part in the Moonlit Night Tour three days from now.”
Liu Niang had suddenly disappeared, and the wooden hairpin had appeared in a pool of blood. Although Jiang Yin had prepared for the worst, one must see the person alive or the corpse dead. No matter what, she had to find out what exactly happened to Liu Niang last night.
If Liu Niang was still alive, then finding her one day sooner meant one more chance at survival.
For this reason, Jiang Yin immediately thought of Huameng Tower, which had appeared in the original book. As the physician had said, Huameng Tower was not only the most famous pleasure house in the Eastern Profound Continent, but also the largest intelligence organization. As long as something happened on this land, there was nothing Huameng Tower did not know.
However, not just anyone could ask questions at Huameng Tower. The key lay in the Moonlit Night Tour Jiang Yin had just mentioned.
Huameng Tower held competitions every month. The first twenty-nine days were the preliminary rounds, and the final day’s championship was known as the Moonlit Night Tour. Only the one who won in the final would earn the chance to ask the tower master a question.
This month’s Moonlit Night Tour would take place in three days.
“Although the final is in three days, to participate in the Moonlit Night Tour, you still have to pass the preliminary rounds first,” the physician said gently. “I’ve heard that the number of participants this time far exceeds usual, so the competition is truly fierce. However, if you go to participate today, I happen to have a clever method for victory that I can share with you.”
“Really?”
Although Jiang Yin already had her own method to win, having a double layer of assurance would naturally be even better.
She could not help but lean closer. “I was indeed planning to go today. Tell me about it… ah!”
Just as she leaned forward, the physician grasped her other arm, gave it a quick twist and release. The pain flashed by in an instant. By the time Jiang Yin instinctively leaned back to avoid it, her arm had already been set.
The female physician withdrew her hand and, with an amiable smile, gave her four words: “Mutual cooperation, mutual benefit.”
Jiang Yin rubbed her arm, full of grievance. “Physician, you can’t tease me like this just because I look easy to fool.”
Even if it was only the preliminary round of Huameng Tower, only one winner would be decided each day. It was entirely an individual competition.
A sentence floated through Jiang Yin’s mind.
‘Individual competition. What is called an individual competition? How is she supposed to explain to the physician what the hell is an individual competition!’
“Perhaps,” the physician said with a smile, “but what I said might also be true.”
“For the next two days, don’t use your arm with force. Leave anything you need done to the one beside you. From the moment he entered, I’ve noticed his eyes have not left you. He should be quite willing to be at your service.”
On either side of Jiang Yin stood Xue Zhuang’er and Xie Huaian. Hearing the physician’s words, her first reaction was to tilt her head up and look at the young man.
The moment she did, she met his amber-colored eyes. The light hue reflected her figure within them, so focused, as if he could only see her.
Her face flushed red. She hurriedly thanked the physician, then, under the teasing gaze, fled as if escaping.
Before she left, the physician’s voice sounded from behind her.
“Miss, my name is Lin Yueying. I hope that when we meet again, you will remember my words.”
Lin Yueying.
Yueying?
Jiang Yin silently repeated the name, unable to stop the murmur of doubt in her heart.
Could it be that she really had some connection with Huameng Tower?
Then what she said about mutual cooperation and mutual benefit, was that also true? But in a situation where only one person could win, who would be willing to cooperate with her?
Jiang Yin could not help but look ahead. There, a painted boat was moored on the surface of the lake.
A crescent moon entwined with vines was carved into the hull. The cabin was veiled in a layer of gauze, obscuring the view inside and instead stirring the imagination.
This was the flower boat used by Huameng Tower during the Moonlit Night Tour. At that time, all those who passed the preliminary rounds could board the boat. It would travel around the lake once, and after about two hours, it would dock at the entrance of Huameng Tower. The first person to disembark would be the winner.
Jiang Yin gazed at the boat in a daze. Behind her, Chu Nanci was looking at her thoughtfully.
After last night, his injured tail would, from time to time, uncontrollably reach toward Jiang Yin.
Although he had used an illusion to conceal it, making others unable to see his demon form, he himself could clearly see that his fox tail was loosely coiling around the girl’s waist, the tip persistently brushing against her slender figure.
Even if he pulled it back, before long, it would slip out again and press itself against her.
Like this, not only did his injured tail ache from being suppressed, but there also seemed to be an even stranger pain accumulating within his body.
He had a faint sense that if this pain continued to build to a certain point, he might do something even more out of control.
Would he… hurt Jiang Yin?
Frowning, he withdrew the tail that had brushed against Jiang Yin’s neck. This time, he even used a restriction technique, yet the fox tail still refused to behave, rampaging within his body, trying to break free of the restraint.
Jiang Yin rubbed her neck. She did not know what was going on. Today, her neck and waist would itch from time to time. Could it be an allergy?
If she had known earlier, she would have asked the physician at the clinic for some allergy medicine.
But turning back now was already a bit too late. The preliminary round at Huameng Tower was about to begin.
Although Xue Zhuang’er was young, under Liu Niang’s upbringing he had already become very sensible. He had taken in everything the physician said at the clinic just now. Putting it together with what happened this morning, he asked with a pale little face, “Sister Jiang, did something really happen to my mother? You’re going to Huameng Tower to take part in the competition, is it to find my mother?”
Jiang Yin could not bear it. She reached out and rubbed his coarse, bristly hair, forcing a smile. “Don’t worry. Maybe Liu Niang just had something urgent and left first. Once we win the competition, we’ll be able to find her.”
But she said this with little confidence.
She knew clearly in her heart that, in such a situation, the chances of Liu Niang being in grave danger were much higher. Yet asking her to say such words to a child was truly a bit too cruel.
Xue Zhuang’er lowered his small head, no one knew what he was thinking. After a few seconds, he spoke firmly, “I want to take part in the competition too. Sister Jiang, take me with you!”
“Alright.” Jiang Yin did not refuse.
She then looked at Chu Nanci. After hesitating for quite a while, she finally made up her mind. “Brother Huaian, you…”
“I’m sorry.”
The restriction was broken. Chu Nanci swallowed the blood that surged up his throat from the backlash, staring at the fox tail that was also bleeding yet still burrowing toward Jiang Yin. He gritted his teeth and smiled. “I probably can’t go with you.”
“Ah? Alright…” Jiang Yin looked at his somewhat pale complexion and said with concern, “Then go to the inn ahead and wait for me. Get some proper rest. I’ll be back soon.”
“Mm.” Chu Nanci turned and left with his hands behind his back, his fingers tightly gripping the unruly tail.
Watching the young man’s departing figure, Jiang Yin blinked.
She had originally been worrying about what excuse she could use to stop him from going to Huameng Tower. Now, she felt a sense of relief instead.
At this point in the original plot, the female lead, Zhu Nian, would participate in the Moonlit Night Tour to help Xie Huaian recover his memories. However, she would run into the male lead, Xiao Lingchuan, and on the day of the final, the two would mistakenly end up having their first encounter.
Although Jiang Yin had now rescued Xie Huaian ahead of time, leaving Zhu Nian with no reason to participate in the Moonlit Night Tour, what worried her was not Xie Huaian meeting the female lead.
What she wanted to avoid was the male lead, Xiao Lingchuan.