After paying the spirit stones, Chu Lingwei imprinted her spiritual sense onto the jade hairpin, and this magical artifact was now hers to use.
Wearing the jade hairpin on her head, Chu Lingwei could no longer be eroded by the cold air as she walked out of the shop.
After taking a few steps, Chu Lingwei turned to look at the shop she had just been in, but there was no sign of anything unusual.
"Weiwei, is there something wrong with that shop?" The phantom cat sensed Chu Lingwei's puzzled expression.
"Nothing's wrong, let's go back first."
Chu Lingwei shook her head and, with the phantom cat, quickly returned to her small courtyard.
Upon entering the courtyard, Chu Lingwei realized that the barrier around her small courtyard also functioned to ward off the cold air from outside.
"Mao Mao, do you think there was anything different about the shop where we bought the magical artifact?" Chu Lingwei took the magical artifact she had just bought off her head.
This artifact was incredibly suited for her.
"There was nothing different," the phantom cat tilted its head, looking at Chu Lingwei with confusion. The shop had no issues whatsoever, it was certain.
"However, don't you think it was too smooth for me to buy this artifact?" Chu Lingwei looked at the artifact in her hand. One hundred thousand mid-grade spirit stones, a normal price. It was just that she had a feeling the shop assistant had been a bit too polite to her.
The phantom cat was bewildered, not quite understanding why Weiwei felt that way.
"Never mind, you wouldn't understand even if I told you," Chu Lingwei sat on the bed and began to cultivate. The cold air here was biting during the day, and there were few cultivators on the streets, so she could only go out again at night to investigate the situation.
Seeing Chu Lingwei cultivating, the phantom cat ran to the front of the courtyard and sensed the cold air outside.
As the cold air outside gradually receded, the phantom cat immediately returned to Chu Lingwei's side. "Weiwei, the cold air outside has dissipated."
Chu Lingwei opened her eyes and looked towards her neighbor's direction. Ever since she had returned to the courtyard, her neighbor had been casting probing spiritual senses at her, and not discreetly at all.
"Let's go, we're going out."
As soon as Chu Lingwei stepped out of the courtyard gate, the door of the adjacent courtyard opened, and a handsome young cultivator emerged.
"Fellow Daoist, are you a cultivator who just entered Dark Night City?" The young cultivator strode towards Chu Lingwei, scrutinizing her again from head to toe. After sensing her cultivation, surprise flickered in his eyes, "You're actually at the Heaven Fusion Realm."
"Is the Heaven Fusion Realm not allowed to enter here?" Chu Lingwei did not feel any danger from the cultivator in front of her. She happened to need someone to clarify things for her.
"That's not the case. It's just very dangerous to enter here, and cultivators at the Heaven Fusion Realm can easily perish." Nan Mo did not sense any spiritual energy depletion from Chu Lingwei, which meant she had not been injured entering here.
"May I ask your name, fellow Daoist?"
That bird had also mentioned that it was difficult for Heaven Fusion Realm cultivators to enter here.
"Nan Mo." Nan Mo cupped his hands in greeting towards Chu Lingwei.
"Chu Lingwei."
Nan Mo had been here for a hundred years and was completely unaware of the great name of Chu Lingwei in the Profound Sky Continent.
"Fellow Daoist Chu, you are not familiar with this place. Why don't I take you around to get acquainted?" Nan Mo was very friendly. He had finally found a neighbor after a hundred years, and one whose cultivation was so low. He didn't want his neighbor to perish within a few days.
"Thank you, fellow Daoist Nan." Nan Mo's suggestion struck a chord with Chu Lingwei, and she agreed without a second thought.
Nan Mo was a straightforward person and led Chu Lingwei to the main street.
"Fellow Daoist Chu, once you enter here, you can never leave," Nan Mo began by dousing Chu Lingwei with a bucket of cold water, essentially letting her know her current predicament.
"I know."
That bird had already told her about this matter long ago. "However, fellow Daoist Nan, are there truly no cultivators who have left here?"
"I've been here for a hundred years, and I've never heard of any cultivator leaving," a hint of dejection flickered in Nan Mo's eyes. Although this place was not as vast as the Profound Sky Continent, there were many places to gain experience, and as long as one cultivated diligently, they wouldn't find it boring.
However, it still felt like a large cage, and being trapped here caused everyone to lose their will to cultivate.
"Then... what about the senior who lives in the palace?" Chu Lingwei wanted to ask about the bird. This was its territory, and she felt she owed it at least basic respect.
"It is the master of this place. If you wish to leave here, you can go find it." Nan Mo was reluctant to mention the bird; it was the one that trapped them here. "Fellow Daoist Chu, you are still young now. It's best to improve your cultivation first. Those who wanted to leave, once they entered that palace, never returned."
Nan Mo did not believe those people had left safely; there was only one outcome.
Chu Lingwei's heart sank further. It seemed that leaving this place was an incredibly difficult task.
"I know."
Seeing that Chu Lingwei did not insist, Nan Mo led her into the main street. It was almost the same scene as when Chu Lingwei had entered the city yesterday, brightly lit and very lively.
"That is the Mission Hall. If you wish to take on a mission, you can go there." Nan Mo led Chu Lingwei into the Mission Hall.
This Mission Hall was almost identical to the ones in the Profound Sky Continent, and even the method of taking on missions was the same.
Chu Lingwei looked at the constantly scrolling missions ahead, all sorts of strange tasks, with high rewards.
"Fetch Water." Chu Lingwei was attracted by one of the missions. The mission description only had two words, "Fetch Water," but the reward was very high, and no one had claimed it yet.
"Fellow Daoist Chu, the more concise the mission, the higher the reward, which indicates the mission is very dangerous."
Nan Mo saw Chu Lingwei's curiosity about the "Fetch Water" mission and subtly reminded her.
"I know. I'm just curious what kind of mission this would be." Chu Lingwei nodded. She wasn't ignorant; she naturally understood the principle Nan Mo mentioned.
"Deep within the Dark Night Forest, there is a pool of water called Xiu Shui," Nan Mo explained to Chu Lingwei. "Xiu Shui cannot be contained in any vessel. If we cultivators touch it, the place we touch will be immediately corroded."
"That powerful."
She couldn't help but feel that despite only two words, no one dared to step forward and claim it.
"Yes. For a hundred years, no one has successfully completed this mission."
Nan Mo had seen many people take on this mission, but none had ever succeeded.
"It truly is a difficult mission." Chu Lingwei withdrew her gaze. She hadn't come here to complete missions, but to find someone.
Seeing that Chu Lingwei had no intention of taking on a mission, Nan Mo led her out of the Mission Hall. "Fellow Daoist Chu, if you wish to take on missions in the future, we can team up."
"Alright, but I'm not very familiar with this place, so I won't be taking missions for now." If she needed to take on a mission, Chu Lingwei would naturally seek out someone she was more familiar with.
"Good. If you have this intention, fellow Daoist Chu, you can come find me anytime." Nan Mo smiled faintly.