“Good morning, two Daoist Friends, and little Rongrong. You all look like you are in high spirits today.”
Once the group finished the knife-shaved noodles—which finally had some flavor after Hua Yan seasoned them—Qu Linglong walked in with a smile, carrying a box on her back.
Lin Qianqian followed closely behind her.
“Good morning, Senior Sister, Daoist Friend Hua, and little Rongrong,” Lin Qianqian said, nodding with a smile.
“Morning.” “Good morning.” “Good morning, Auntie Qu and Auntie Lin!”
The well-behaved and adorable Hua Xiangrong earned a sparkling look from Lin Qianqian and a reward of a gentle head pat.
“Ladies, I won’t beat around the bush — today we should first pay a visit to the Fulong City Lord’s Manor. We need to gather detailed intelligence regarding the Evil Cultivators within the borders of Great Chu. What do you think?”
As Qu Linglong spoke, her gaze shifted directly toward Yun Xuechang and Hua Yan.
They originally should have visited the City Lord’s Manor when they first arrived at Fulong City yesterday.
However, Yun Xuechang had gotten separated shortly after entering the city, followed by the series of events involving the search for and recognition of her daughter.
Thus, the visit had been delayed until today.
“That works,” Yun Xuechang replied indifferently.
“Just follow your plan,” Hua Yan added with a nod.
“Then there is no time to lose. Shall we set out now?”
“Yes.”
Hua Yan agreed first, then turned to look at the pink-haired girl beside her.
The little one had just been handed a bag of preserved fruits by Lin Qianqian and was eating with her eyes curved in delight, looking incredibly happy.
“Sweetie, Yun Xuechang and the others are going out to gather news about the Evil Purging. You stay in the courtyard today and practice your cultivation diligently.”
“Remember, you are not allowed to run off again,” she cautioned once more.
“Mhm! I know!”
The girl nodded obediently but then reached out her hand. “Then… Mother, I want to buy some toys. Can I?”
“What toys?” Hua Yan asked, feeling a bit confused.
“The toys from Auntie Qu! she has so many — birds that chirp, fireworks you can set off, and even a mechanical puppy… Just buy them for Rongrong, please? Pretty please?”
Hua Xiangrong tugged at Hua Yan’s sleeve and shook it gently, her small face looking up with anticipation.
Hua Yan turned to Qu Linglong. The latter’s wooden box immediately made several clicking sounds as multiple mechanical arms extended from it, draped with all sorts of novel gadgets.
Qu Linglong: *Business Mode.jpg*
“Sigh, fine… but you must promise to practice your skills properly and not wander off again.”
Hua Yan rubbed her forehead and gave the instructions one more time.
Seeing the pink-haired girl nod rapidly, she felt relieved and said to Qu Linglong, “Daoist Friend Qu, how much for all of these…”
“These are all bestsellers from our Heavenly Mystery Pavilion! Little children who have just started their cultivation journey love them! The original price is 1,500 Low-grade Spirit Stones, but since it’s for little Rongrong, I’ll give you a twenty percent discount. I’ll just take 1,200 from you, Daoist Friend Hua!”
Qu Linglong answered quickly and smoothly.
“Fine, it’s not too expensive anyway.”
The way Hua Yan paid the bill so readily made Qu Linglong’s eyes light up. She was overjoyed: ‘Oh, I knew this Daoist Friend Hua definitely wasn’t someone lacking Spirit Stones!’
After waving her small hand to say goodbye to everyone, Hua Xiangrong hugged her pile of new toys and hopped back to the small courtyard.
“Host, are you not going out to cause trouble today?”
The voice of 099 rang out in her mind.
‘Oh, my two moms have already gathered together, so what trouble is there for me to cause? Can’t you just broadcast their interactions for me? Besides, acting like a good child is very important. Otherwise, how will I be able to buy toys so openly in the future?’
Hua Xiangrong responded while fiddling with a large, fragmented mechanical automaton that required assembly.
‘Wow! 099, look! Toys in the cultivation world are incredible! Auntie Qu said that once this mechanical automaton is assembled, it can even transform and fly! This is way cooler than those building blocks or model kits from my past life!’
“Ah, yes, yes. As long as you’re happy, Host…”
/
The group left the small courtyard and passed through the long streets of Fulong City, which were gradually becoming lively in the morning.
The sounds of vendors, carriages, and the steam from breakfast stalls intertwined into a bustling urban clamor.
Qu Linglong and Lin Qianqian walked in front, chatting and laughing from time to time.
Hua Yan and Yun Xuechang trailed behind, a silent awkwardness lingering between them.
Fortunately, the awkwardness did not last long. The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion’s courtyard and the City Lord’s Manor were both located in the city center.
In less than fifteen minutes, an impressive mansion appeared before them.
It featured green stone steps, vermilion-painted gates, and two stone lions standing majestically in front.
Above, the five gold-painted characters for “Fulong City Lord’s Manor” gleamed on the plaque.
The guards at the gate saw them and quickly recognized them as cultivators sent by the Righteous Path for the Evil Purging.
Without much questioning, they went inside to report.
Before long, a middle-aged man dressed in brocade robes with a round face and a short beard hurried out to greet them, followed by two clerks carrying documents.
“Fairies, please forgive my lack of a proper welcome! I am Zhang Lide. Greetings, Fairies!”
He bowed with a face full of smiles. After his gaze swept over everyone, he hesitated for a moment and landed on the strikingly beautiful Hua Yan standing beside Yun Xuechang.
“I presume you must be Daoist Friend Qu of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, and Daoist Friend Yun and Daoist Friend Lin of the Xiaoyao Sword Sect! But I am not sure who this is…”
“City Lord Zhang is too polite,” Qu Linglong said, returning the greeting with a smile as she introduced the others.
“This is Daoist Friend Hua Yan’er. She is an old acquaintance of Daoist Friend Yun and has come specifically to discuss the matter of the Evil Purging with us.”
“Oh! I see! It is a pleasure to meet you!” City Lord Zhang nodded repeatedly, his smile becoming even more polite. “Please, Ladies, come inside. Tea is served in the hall!”
Everyone followed him into the main hall. The furnishings inside were simple and elegant.
A few landscape paintings and calligraphies hung on the walls, and several sandalwood chairs were arranged in the room.
Official documents and scrolls were piled on the side tables, giving off an air of practical efficiency.
After the maidservants served the fragrant tea and withdrew, City Lord Zhang took the main seat, rubbed his hands together, and got straight to the point.
“Fairies, you have come from afar. I presume it is regarding the… trouble caused by the Evil Cultivators?”
Qu Linglong set down her teacup, her expression turning serious.
“Indeed. We are under orders from our sects to investigate the evils lurking within the borders of Great Chu. Fulong City is a hub of the northern region, and many cultivators pass through here. Surely the City Lord has some grasp of the unusual movements in this area and its surroundings?”
“The matter of the Evil Cultivators… it does indeed exist.”
City Lord Zhang looked up, his expression growing heavy.
“About six months ago, we began receiving reports of disappearances from several remote villages. At first, we thought it was just ordinary bandits or mountain spirits causing trouble. But three months ago, in a manor on the outskirts of Linjiang City, over 100 people vanished in a single night. Only some dried, dark red marks were left behind — they looked like blood but weren’t, and they exuded a sinister, evil energy.”
The atmosphere in the hall sank slightly.
“The authorities sent cultivators to investigate, and they found a hidden cave in the mountain forest behind the manor. It was filled with baleful energy and contained remnants of an evil formation,” he paused. “In the following month, similar incidents occurred in two villages to the south. The methods were identical. Although the imperial court has increased patrols, those Evil Cultivators are elusive and we have yet to capture their leader.”
“I see. We understand now.”
Qu Linglong’s brow furrowed, her expression solemn.
One had to know that ever since Immortal Siheng established the rules for the cultivation world, those Evil Cultivators who relied on murder and the plundering of blood and souls for their cultivation had long since vanished.
Most of those malicious techniques had been lost to time.
Even if a few petty individuals tried to learn them in secret, they would quickly be eliminated by the combined forces of the cultivation world.
Therefore, most “Evil Purging” missions nowadays were merely hunts for outlaws who harmed fellow disciples, murdered for treasure, or became bandits.
However, the recent string of bloody and bizarre massacres and village-wide disappearances was clearly the work of Evil Cultivators — and they were certainly not comparable to ordinary wanted criminals.
The fact that the various Righteous Path sects had dispatched their disciples down the mountain this time was precisely to pull these evils out by the roots and completely extinguish the rise of these Evil Cultivators.
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