After learning of Yu Qingyao’s whereabouts, Wu Yan didn’t waste any time. She thanked the blue-robed man and left the inn. On the surface, Wu Yan still appeared composed, but her slightly quicker steps betrayed her true emotions.
“Wait.” Ji Xuerou called out to her.
Wu Yan turned back and saw Ji Xuerou asking the blue-robed man for more information.
“Do you know where we can buy maps of Abyss City and its surroundings?”
“Uh, maps? The guards at the city gate probably have one. They often go out to rescue civilians and lone cultivators.”
After getting the information, Ji Xuerou quickly walked over to Wu Yan: “Let’s go to the city gate guards first.”
Perhaps because of her concern, the two of them focused solely on walking and didn’t say a word on the way to the city gate. In no time, they arrived at the south gate of Abyss City.
“Two fairies, may I ask what important business brings you here so late?” The guard was a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Peak, not very strong, but sufficient for this place. Seeing the two of them arriving at the city gate so late, he kindly advised, “Monster beasts roam outside at night. You’d best wait until daytime to go out.”
Wu Yan didn’t answer. She merely revealed a sliver of her Golden Core Stage cultivation, which was enough to shock the guard. “Golden Core Stage! Please, go ahead, fairies.” A Golden Core cultivator was at the same level as the City Lord of Abyss City. It would be presumptuous of him to stop them.
“Do you have a map of the outside?” Wu Yan asked.
“Of course.” The guard quickly took out a map from his storage bag and handed it to Wu Yan. “This map details Abyss City and the surrounding areas, but most of the outer areas are mapped through human exploration. It might change after a few months, so please be cautious.”
After thanking him, the two left the city gate.
“Thank you.”
The night wind swept fallen leaves across the desolate plain. The ground was covered with scratches and droppings from monster beasts, as well as traces left by cultivators in battle.
“Tsk, tsk, you blockhead. Do you think that little white-eyed wolf has already become a monster beast’s meal?” Although she knew it was almost impossible given Yu Qingyao’s strength, that didn’t stop Wu Yan (Inner) from teasing.
Wu Yan (Yan) ignored her.
The jade token in her bosom gradually grew hotter as they went deeper. Its gentle white light was especially bright in the pitch-black darkness of the night.
After about half an hour, Wu Yan stopped at a slope. It was a small slope covered with scattered rocks and overgrown grass. Behind it was a valley obscured by thick fog.
“Is it here?” Seeing Wu Yan stop searching, Ji Xuerou took out the map for reference.
“It is indeed here.” Based on the blue-robed man’s clues and the map’s markings, Ji Xuerou also came to that conclusion.
“Most likely.” Wu Yan took out the jade token from her bosom. It was now like a small sun, constantly emitting dazzling light.
“But how do we find Fellow Yu?” Ji Xuerou’s question hit the nail on the head. They had indeed found the place where Yu Qingyao disappeared, but what then? Yu Qingyao had vanished before others’ eyes inexplicably. Later, the City Lord’s Mansion had sent people to investigate, but they had also found nothing.
“Cough, cough, cough!” The coughing broke the silence like a thunderclap. Wu Yan turned her head to see Wu Yan (Inner) with one hand behind her back and the other lightly covering her lips, looking at her with an air of profound wisdom. “What to do now…”
“Wu Yan, do you have any ideas?” In front of Ji Xuerou, Wu Yan directly asked Wu Yan (Inner).
This scene was novel to Ji Xuerou. It was the first time she had seen Wu Yan communicate with Wu Yan (Inner) in front of her.
“What, do you think she has a way?” Wu Yan (Inner) asked.
“Of course!” Wu Yan (Inner) answered loudly. “Who am I? I am the renowned Demon Venerable! I can scale the heavens and enter the earth, know astronomy and geography—there’s nothing I can’t do!” Saying this, her face changed to a malicious grin. “But why should I help you find that little white-eyed wolf? So you can find her and let her stab me to death again?”
Wu Yan’s reaction wasn’t as angry as she expected. Her expression didn’t even change. She just stared at Wu Yan (Inner) with her dark eyes, completely still. Honestly, that feeling was the most unsettling. Wu Yan (Inner) knew Wu Yan well. If she kept being cheeky, Wu Yan would probably get angry.
So she coughed twice again and straightened her expression: “Ahem! Consider this a gift from me. That big light bulb next to you—she can help you find the little white-eyed wolf’s location.”
“Xuerou?” Wu Yan shifted her gaze to Ji Xuerou, who tilted her head at the right moment.
“That’s right!” Wu Yan (Inner) nodded, and at the same time, her hands formed an extremely complex hand seal. “This is called the Spirit Breath Tracing Art. It’s a top-level tracking technique that won’t be developed until a few years from now. Just use spiritual power as a guide, and it can lock onto the source of the breath.”
“Do it again.” The first time, Wu Yan (Inner) did it too fast, and Wu Yan hadn’t had time to memorize it.
“No need to be so troublesome. I’ll just transfer it to you directly. But, you blockhead, it’s best if a cultivator with a Light Spirit Root performs this technique for the best effect.” After speaking, Wu Yan (Inner) transmitted the hand seal to Wu Yan through their spirit souls.
The sudden influx of the technique forced Wu Yan to close her eyes and digest it carefully. Once done, she took Ji Xuerou’s hand. “Xuerou, I’m going to transfer a new technique to you. I hope you can remember it.”
“No problem.” Ji Xuerou, being a top-tier Heaven’s Favorite, readily agreed even to such an abrupt request.
Under Wu Yan’s lead, their spirit souls gradually drew closer. Wu Yan’s spirit soul felt as cold as she herself appeared, but upon contact, it felt warm and resilient.
At the moment of connection, a new technique surged into Ji Xuerou’s spirit soul. The novel spiritual power circulation path and its powerful effect made Ji Xuerou marvel. ‘Such a powerful technique! If I could use this to capture demonic cultivators, they would probably be even more afraid to cause harm in the world.’
After fully absorbing the technique transmitted by Wu Yan, Ji Xuerou let go of her hand. Her Golden Core Peak cultivation instantly erupted. A golden radiance enveloped the jade token in Wu Yan’s other hand. Using the trace of Yu Qingyao’s spiritual power collected by Xia Lingshuang, Ji Xuerou formed the hand seal.
The light spiritual power spread from the jade token, extending along the ground, and finally converged on a nearby pile of rocks, condensing into an extremely faint point of light.
“Found it.” Ji Xuerou opened her eyes. Her glass-colored eyes sparkled. “Fellow Yu was pulled into a special secret realm.”
“How do we get in, Xuerou?”
“Don’t worry.” Ji Xuerou patted the back of Wu Yan’s hand. “Opening the entrance to the secret realm is simple. Just use spiritual power that is of the same origin as Fellow Yu’s.”
“Same origin…” Wu Yan looked at the jade token wrapped in golden light.
“Exactly. Using this jade token, we can open the entrance to the secret realm again.”
Hearing this, even Ji Xuerou, who came from the Lingxiao Sect, couldn’t help but admire that Wu Yan (Inner), who had lived an extra life as a Demon Venerable, was truly formidable. The technique she produced had such an effect. Truly impressive.