Chapter 403: Four hundred and two, got caught Chapter 403: Four hundred and two, got caught The others seated around heard what was said and all wore surprised expressions, “How could you possibly know that?”
The man smirked proudly, “My uncle is with the Yuexi Auction House. He told me that various major powers have arranged to meet with the boss of the auction house today, it seems.”
“If it really was those two loose cultivators, they’re just too formidable.”
“I truly wish to see those two loose cultivators, to see just how powerful they are.”
A middle-aged couple at the next table stood up upon hearing this. They had come to the restaurant specifically to gather intelligence, as places like this, where all kinds of people mingled, were absolutely the best spots for eavesdropping.
Exiting the restaurant, the middle-aged couple entered the shop next door.
The assistant greeted them immediately upon their entrance, “Welcome! May I ask what the two of you are looking to purchase? Our shop has elixirs, magic artifacts, talismans—whatever you’re looking for, you can find it here.”
“We’re embarking on a training journey. Do you have a detailed map of the Fengxing Continent for sale?” Qin Yushen asked. Indeed, it was the disguised Qin Yushen and Song Yan Ning.
“Yes, we do. Please follow me.” The assistant led the way with a smile.
Reaching a counter, the assistant bent down and took out more than a dozen maps, placing them on the counter, “All of these are maps. There are detailed maps of various cities, as well as a map of the Fengxing Continent.”
“May we take a look first?” Song Yan Ning inquired.
“Of course.” The assistant nodded, still smiling.
Song Yan Ning picked up one of the larger-looking maps and unfolded it. The map was detailed, marking every city, great dangers, rivers, and mountains, “How much for this map in spirit stones?”
“This map is very detailed, so its price is relatively high. It costs five thousand mid-grade spirit stones,” the assistant said with a smile. Spending five thousand mid-grade spirit stones on a map seemed like a waste when one could buy elixirs of decent quality for that amount, but he still very much hoped they would buy it.
“Let’s take this one,” Song Yan Ning decided.
“Right away!” The assistant exclaimed happily.
Song Yan Ning and Qin Yushen left the shop and found the streets outside under martial law, with guards from the City Lord Mansion scrutinizing the passersby.
A guard approached Song Yan Ning and Qin Yushen, “You two, take out your identity jades.” At this point, they would detain anybody who was the least bit suspicious. The City Lord had said it was better to mistakenly detain a thousand than to let one slip through.
Song Yan Ning and Qin Yushen exchanged a look and produced their identity jades.
After examining their jades, the guard called to another who was checking others, “These two are suspects.” Their identity jades were brand new, and any cultivator with a newly issued identity jade was subject to arrest.
“Why are you arresting us? Don’t I have an identity jade?” Qin Yushen asked coldly.
“This is the City Lord’s command,” the guard said with a cold laugh.
Two guards came forward to Song Yan Ning and Qin Yushen, and one of them said, “I advise you to cooperate willingly, or it’ll be painful. Rest assured, if after review you’re found to have no issues, you will be released.”
“Let’s go, no need to waste time.”
Song Yan Ning and Qin Yushen knew that resistance would be futile and that it was better to wait and watch for now.
Several others were taken away with Song Yan Ning and Qin Yushen, who, like them, had only recently arrived in Tianfang City.
The group was taken to a dungeon in the City Lord Mansion and confined in different cells.
Locked up with Song Yan Ning and Qin Yushen were three youths and two young women.
Two guards came over and pointed to a young man and a woman, “Come with us.”
The two nodded, stood up, and followed the guards out of the dungeon.
Not long after, Song Yan Ning and Qin Yushen heard pitiful screams; extending their divine sense, they saw a Divine Separation Middle Stage cultivator soul searching the two people.
Soul searching was extremely cruel to cultivators. Even if they managed to survive, the damage to their divine souls meant that cultivation progress would be hindered. For a cultivator, this was the end of the road.
Song Yan Ning clenched her fists in anger, attacking the soul-searching Divine Separation Middle Stage cultivator with her divine sense. Although her cultivation was not as strong as his, her divine sense had been tempered in the Spiritual Realm and was stronger than even most in the Divine Separation Late Stage.
The soul-searching Divine Separation Middle Stage cultivator suddenly let out a scream and fainted.
“Elder Yu!” Two nearby guards rushed over to support Elder Yu.
The young man and woman sighed in relief upon seeing Elder Yu pass out. Their divine souls were somewhat damaged from the soul search but the harm was minor and could be healed with some elixirs, not causing too much trouble.
The City Lord, surprised upon hearing that Elder Yu had fainted, asked, “What happened?”
“At the time, Elder Yu was soul searching a young man and woman when he suddenly cried out and fainted,” the guard reported honestly.
After pondering for a moment, the City Lord stood up, “Let’s go see.” He felt there was something fishy about the situation.
Arriving at Elder Yu’s quarters, he saw Doctor Lan, who had come to treat Elder Yu, leaving, “Doctor Lan, how is Elder Yu doing now?”
Doctor Lan shook his head, “Elder Yu’s divine soul has sustained severe damage. It’s unlikely he will awaken.”
The City Lord looked grim, “Have you determined the cause?”
“It’s likely due to the frequency of the soul searches,” replied Doctor Lan, uncertain himself.
“Are you saying there’s no way to heal him?” The City Lord glanced at Elder Yu on the bed. Elder Yu was the Great Elder of the City Lord Mansion and very powerful; without Elder Yu’s support, he could not have ascended to the position of the City Lord.
Doctor Lan pondered, “Unless we find a Level 6 Netherworld Soul Flower and refine it into a Netherworld Soul Pill.”
The City Lord nodded in understanding and sighed deeply in his heart. The Netherworld Soul Flower could be found only in the Spiritual Realm, and now that the Spiritual Realm had vanished, where was he to find the Netherworld Soul Flower?
After Doctor Lan left, the City Lord didn’t enter to see Elder Yu but instead headed towards the dungeon. Now that Elder Yu was incapacitated, seeing him wouldn’t benefit him.
Song Yan Ning and Qin Yushen heard footsteps outside and thought someone else was being brought in; turning their heads, they saw a well-dressed, distinguished-looking middle-aged man.
The City Lord arrived at the cell of Song Yan Ning and Qin Yushen, his gaze falling on the young couple beside them.
“City Lord! Elder Yu was soul searching them when the accident occurred,” a guard by his side recounted the incident in detail once again.