"Let's find an inn to stay at first."
Looking at the bustling scene before her, Chu Lingwei's face was filled with a smile. It seemed she quite liked this lively atmosphere.
"Weiwei, do you think there might be Senior Brother's family's restaurant here?"
The phantom cat perched on Shui Yi's shoulder, its eyes scanning for the Leng family's emblem.
Chu Lingwei: "..."
Hearing the phantom cat's words, she suddenly had a feeling that there might indeed be a Leng family restaurant here.
"Even if there is, we won't stay there."
If they stayed at the Leng family's restaurant, wouldn't it reveal their whereabouts to Senior Brother?
After finally getting out, she would treat it as her own journey of tempering.
"I've already seen Senior Brother's family's restaurant." The phantom cat pointed at a luxurious and grand restaurant in the distance, its eyes full of excitement. It thought, Senior Brother is truly amazing, having a restaurant even here.
"Let's go, we'll go to another street."
Chu Lingwei decisively changed direction and walked onto another street. Chu Lingwei knew that the Leng family didn't just have restaurants; they had many other types of shops. Wherever there was a restaurant, other shops would surely be present as well.
"Weiwei, why don't you want Senior Brother to know we're here?"
Chu Lingwei led them to an ordinary inn to stay. Shui Yi went to rest, while the phantom cat was filled with questions.
"He should have known my whereabouts long ago. I just don't want to rely on him for everything. Don't forget, I still need to find Father." The Leng Xingzhi and the others hoped she would find her father with her own abilities.
In that case, she couldn't stay by Senior Brother's side all the time; he would make her make the wrong judgment.
Thinking of finding them, Chu Lingwei suddenly recalled what Meng Qinghe had told her. That day, he must have had a very important matter that he hadn't told her.
What could it be?
During this time, she wanted to uncover this secret.
After resting for a day.
Chu Lingwei took Shui Yi to the Spirit Tea House, where the latest and fastest news could be heard.
Finding a table by the window, she sat down and watched the cultivators on the street outside. Chu Lingwei cleared her mind of all thoughts, believing that everything would gradually connect.
"Did you hear? Up ahead, it seems..." Kuaiδugg
"Yes, we heard. It's a shame so many people died." Someone interjected before the other finished speaking, their voice tinged with regret. "I heard many people went today, just hoping to get lucky and find some treasures."
"Hmph, even if there were treasures, they would have been taken long ago. How could they be ours?" The first cultivator's eyes revealed sarcasm. "What kind of place is that? A place that swallows people whole."
Upon hearing this, both of them fell silent.
"Honestly, I want to go and see." After a long while, the second cultivator slowly said, "So many people have gone now, and they all returned alive, which means there's no more danger there."
"Heh, I advise you not to. It's a dead end to go there." The first cultivator spoke with absolute certainty. "That's a cursed place. Do you think your life is that tough?"
The second cultivator said no more, and the atmosphere between them became awkward.
Chu Lingwei listened to their conversation. From what they said, it seemed a very strange place had appeared here, and many cultivators wanted to go there to seek their own opportunities.
Not long after, the two cultivators left.
"Mao Mao, go follow them."
An hour later, Mao Mao ran back in.
"Weiwei, that cultivator signed up for a mission to hunt down ferocious dogs at the bottom of the mine." The phantom cat told Chu Lingwei about the second cultivator taking the mission. "That cultivator seemed to have signed up secretly."
"Let's go and see too."
Chu Lingwei's interest was piqued. Since they were here, they might as well go and see.
Upon arriving at the Mission Hall, the most prominent mission on the mission board was to hunt ferocious dogs at the bottom of the mine. For each ferocious dog killed, one low-grade spirit stone could be obtained.
This mission appeared to offer very generous rewards.
Chu Lingwei had only stood there for about fifteen minutes before more than a dozen cultivators signed up.
"How many ferocious dogs are there to kill? They don't even limit the number of cultivators."
Chu Lingwei stepped forward and directly registered her name and Shui Yi's, though they had both changed their names.
After registering, Chu Lingwei directly received five low-grade spirit stones. They were given an hour to prepare and would gather at the Xianmo City gate an hour later to depart.
"Weiwei, a mission that gives spirit stones in advance must be very dangerous."
The phantom cat had never seen a mission that provided spirit stones beforehand, except for privately posted missions.
"Yes, the five low-grade spirit stones are payment for our lives." Chu Lingwei put the five low-grade spirit stones back into her storage bag and went to the city to buy some common talismans and wound medicine to carry.
"How much is this magic robe?" Chu Lingwei looked at the magic robe on the wall, which had a faint defensive formation.
"Fellow Daoist has excellent taste. This magic robe is the best defensive magical artifact in our shop. It can withstand attacks from cultivators below the Tongtian realm." The shop assistant eagerly stepped forward to introduce the robe, seeing Chu Lingwei's liking for their best artifact.
Chu Lingwei waited for him to quote a price.
"This magical artifact costs a thousand mid-grade spirit stones." Chu Lingwei's brow furrowed slightly. A thousand mid-grade spirit stones for this magic robe wasn't expensive, but she couldn't appear too wealthy at this moment. "It's too expensive, I can't afford it."
The shop assistant's expression stiffened. He had thought he had found a major customer earlier.
"It's alright, we have other magical artifacts in our shop. Would Fellow Daoist like to see them?" The shop assistant quickly put on a smile, as there were cheaper magic robes in the shop.
"Never mind, I probably can't afford any of them. Thank you."
Chu Lingwei shook her head, bought some very cheap talismans, and prepared to leave.
"Are you going to hunt ferocious dogs?" The shop assistant noticed Chu Lingwei's intention, his eyes filled with surprise. "You're not prepared at all for this."
The shop assistant's gaze at that moment was as if Chu Lingwei was going to commit suicide.
"Yes, I need spirit stones now." Chu Lingwei nodded.
"But, there..." The shop assistant seemed hesitant to speak. Even if he wanted to earn spirit stones, he shouldn't risk his life. Chu Lingwei was truly...
"I've already signed up. I believe I can return safely."
Chu Lingwei smiled at the shop assistant, paid, and strode out of the shop with her purchases, heading straight for the city gate.
"Master, that place must be very dangerous." Shui Yi reminded her.
"Mm, the more dangerous the place, the faster one can grow." Chu Lingwei nodded. What she needed most now was rapid growth.
Arriving at the city gate, Chu Lingwei showed her mission token and waited. When the time came, they would all depart together.