Chapter Thirty-Six: Zhuang Yuechan

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After returning to Treasure-Seeking Pavilion to report the situation to Song Luyuan, Song Changsheng set out at the agreed time the next day to meet with Zhu Yiqun.

“You’re here. Put on this black robe first.” As soon as Zhu Yiqun saw Song Changsheng arrive, he immediately handed him the black robe in his hand.

“What is this?” Song Changsheng asked, puzzled.

“Heh, you’re quite the celebrity in this marketplace. If you don’t hide yourself, I’m afraid our movements will be exposed. This is a concealing robe—it blends with the surroundings and hides your tracks,” Zhu Yiqun said in a low voice, glancing out of the corner of his eye toward the distant bamboo building.

Song Changsheng instantly understood what Zhu Yiqun meant. He wasn’t a fool; over the past few days, he had often felt someone watching him from the shadows. It seemed Zhu Yiqun had noticed as well.

The two of them slipped into a secluded corner. The spy lurking in the dark quietly followed, but when he arrived, the place was already empty.

“Damn, I lost them,” the spy realized, hurrying back to Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

After he left, the shadows in the corner began to ripple. Before long, two figures in black robes emerged.

Zhu Yiqun smiled, “This trick is called ‘darkest under the lamp.’ Now there are no idle eyes on us. Changsheng, let’s go meet our companions.”

Song Changsheng nodded slightly, but the haze surrounding Zhu Yiqun in his heart only thickened. The man stood there, impossible to see through.

The two hurried along and finally arrived at an inn.

Climbing to the third floor, they pushed open a door and were greeted by a group of more than a dozen diverse individuals.

“You’re finally back. Are we leaving or not?” As soon as the door closed, a burly man barked impatiently.

Zhu Yiqun pulled back his hood and smiled, “Friend Li, no need to worry. I went to invite the formation master. We’ll set out shortly.”

He then turned to Song Changsheng, “Fellow Daoists, allow me to introduce Song Changsheng. He is a first-rank supreme formation master and will be joining us for this venture.”

Song Changsheng also removed his hood and clasped his hands in greeting, “Greetings, fellow Daoists.”

“No wonder Zhu said he’d add someone at the last minute—it’s you, Song. With your mastery of formations, our odds have certainly improved,” said a gray-robed cultivator with a sword on his back, clearly pleased.

The others also offered Song Changsheng friendly looks. After all, he was a bit of a celebrity in Liuyun Market.

“Changsheng, let me introduce you. This is Li Hu, a ninth-stage Qi Refinement cultivator and a rare body cultivator.

“That’s Xu Yunhe, at the peak of Qi Refinement, and a sword cultivator.”

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“…And finally, this is Xu Yun, seventh-stage Qi Refinement, also a first-rank supreme formation master.”

Zhu Yiqun made the introductions, so everyone became at least somewhat acquainted. There were thirteen in total, all late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators—a formidable group.

Only then did Song Changsheng realize, from Zhu Yiqun’s explanations, that there was already a first-rank supreme formation master in the group besides himself.

Based on Xu Yunhe’s earlier words, it was clear he had been added at Zhu Yiqun’s insistence, which warmed him a little.

“Hey, is Daoist Zhuang not here yet?” Zhu Yiqun looked around and finally turned to Xu Yunhe.

Xu Yunhe shrugged, “Daoist Zhuang always comes and goes alone. None of us know her whereabouts, but since she said she’d come, I doubt she’ll break her word.”

“We’ll wait another hour. If she doesn’t come, we leave without her,” Zhu Yiqun decided.

The room fell silent once more. Some sat, some stood, all closing their eyes to rest.

Creak—

The tightly closed door was pushed open.

Everyone looked over and saw a tall woman enter, dressed in a pale blue skirt that reached her waist. Her skin was as fair as jade, her figure graceful and curvaceous.

A thin white veil covered her face, revealing only the faintest outline of her features and a pair of lively eyes.

“My apologies, fellow Daoists. I, Yuechan, am late,” she said with a hint of apology.

“Not late at all, Daoist Zhuang. This is the Song I mentioned earlier,” Zhu Yiqun replied with a cheerful smile.

“Song…” Zhuang Yuechan’s eyes flickered briefly, but she made no move to greet Song Changsheng.

Song Changsheng frowned. Though her demeanor was restrained, he sharply sensed a shift in her attitude after learning his name—a sudden coldness.

“Did I ever offend her?” Song Changsheng racked his brain, but could not recall any connection, which left him bewildered.

Zhu Yiqun sensed the subtle tension and quickly said, “Since we’re all here, let’s prepare to depart.”

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“As always, to avoid drawing attention, we’ll leave the market in groups at different times. Remember to keep hidden and meet up in the woods outside.”

Everyone agreed in unison and began to leave in batches, descending the stairs and heading out of the market in different directions…

Inside Hundred Treasures Pavilion, the spy knelt trembling before Elder Cheng, his voice quivering, “Elder… I lost them…”

“You lost them?” Cheng Yunfei’s tiger-like eyes flashed with fury, his aura erupting like a wrathful lion, making it hard for the spy to breathe.

“Spare me, Elder!” The spy fell flat on the ground, shaking uncontrollably.

“Useless! What does the sect feed you for? Get out there and search! Even if he crawled into a crack in the earth, drag him out for me!” Cheng Yunfei roared, slamming the table.

“Yes… Yes, sir!” The spy scrambled to his feet and fled the room.

Soon, Earthfire Sect’s people—both overt and covert—mobilized throughout Liuyun Market, searching for any trace of Song Changsheng…

But what they did not know was that Song Changsheng and Zhu Yiqun, wearing their special black robes, had already slipped out of the market’s eastern side.

On the road, Zhu Yiqun kept glancing at Song Changsheng, clearly itching to ask something.

Song Changsheng shook his head and said helplessly, “If you have something to ask, just ask. Don’t hold it in.”

“Heh, what’s the story between you and Daoist Zhuang? Did you do something to her?” Zhu Yiqun asked with a mischievous grin.

Song Changsheng stopped in his tracks and looked at him, exasperated. “Enough. I’ve never even met her, let alone done anything to her.”

Zhu Yiqun’s beady eyes sparkled with sly wit as he shook his finger, “No, that can’t be. I’ve known Daoist Zhuang for nearly two years. She may be aloof, but she’s always courteous and proper. She would never be this cold to someone for no reason. Something must have happened between you two. Don’t tell me… you won her heart and then abandoned her?”

Song Changsheng’s face darkened immediately, as black as the bottom of a pot.

…