Chapter 30: Her Request for Help
Qu Weiyin flew her sword with exceptional steadiness. Perhaps mindful of Luo Jinxiao behind her, she maintained a moderate pace. After two hours, however, Lu Fanzhi, who had been lagging behind the entire time, finally couldn’t take it anymore and yelled for a break.
Qu Weiyin glanced back at her with an impassive expression. “There’s a town ahead. Let’s stop there to rest.”
Overjoyed, Lu Fanzhi showered Qu Weiyin with grateful bows before dashing off ahead.
To avoid alarming the townspeople, they landed outside the town. As soon as her feet touched the ground, Lu Fanzhi squatted down, dizzy and exhausted.
“Two hours and you’re already exhausted? Useless,” Yan Ying remarked, landing gracefully in front of Lu Fanzhi after sheathing her sword.
Too tired to argue, Lu Fanzhi angrily waved her fist in a weak threat.
Luo Jinxiao jumped off Qu Weiyin’s sword and rushed over to help Lu Fanzhi up, discreetly channeling spiritual energy into her. “Are you alright?” she asked with a smile.
Lu Fanzhi finally regained her composure. “Why do you get a ride while I have to fly on my own?” she grumbled, pouting.
“How about Junior Shishu carries you next time, and I’ll fly the sword?” Luo Jinxiao suggested seriously.
Lu Fanzhi glanced at Qu Weiyin, who was standing nearby, and shuddered. “No, thanks. I wouldn’t dare,” she quickly declined.
Chang Siyu, who had been circling above the town, finally returned. He landed gracefully and approached Qu Weiyin. “Junior Shishu Qu,” he began, lowering his voice, “their cultivation is still lacking. Traveling through the night might be too much for them. We’re still some distance from Xumi Manor, and there’s no other place to rest for a hundred miles. Why don’t we stay here for the night?”
Qu Weiyin subtly moved away from him and nodded in agreement.
Chang Siyu beamed, revealing pearly white teeth. He turned to the others. “Let’s go.”
The town was small and had no gate, only a two-meter tall wooden signpost at the entrance. The sign itself was weathered and worn, but three characters were still faintly visible: Pingxi Town.
The town seemed to receive few visitors, evident in its desolate atmosphere and the cracked stone path, still slick with puddles from recent rain. The few townspeople they passed stared at them curiously.
Qu Weiyin’s pace unconsciously slowed. Luo Jinxiao, walking behind her, noticed this subtle change.
She seemed… a bit uneasy.
“Excuse me, young ladies, who might you be, and what brings you to our humble town?” An elderly man with a cane and a tattered cloth wrapped around his head approached them. Were it not for his clean clothes, he would have been mistaken for a beggar.
Qu Weiyin instinctively flinched, her expression remaining unchanged, but a flicker of uncharacteristic panic flashed in her eyes.
Luo Jinxiao swiftly stepped forward, blocking the old man from Qu Weiyin. “We’re just travelers passing through,” she said with a disarming smile. “Please excuse us.”
“Travelers,” the old man echoed, nodding. He scrutinized Luo Jinxiao for a moment. “There’s an inn further down the road. But be warned, this town is not safe after dark. Do not venture outside once night falls.”
The old man’s raspy voice had a chilling quality, sending a shiver down their spines despite the bright sunlight.
“Thank you, sir.” Luo Jinxiao nodded politely and started to walk past him, but she realized Qu Weiyin hadn’t followed. Turning back, she found Qu Weiyin still rooted to the spot, staring at the old man with a hostile expression.
“Junior Shishu?” Luo Jinxiao called softly. She walked back, took Qu Weiyin’s wrist, and gently pulled her away from the old man. “What’s wrong?”
Qu Weiyin allowed herself to be led away, then she shook off Luo Jinxiao’s hand. “Something about this place feels…off,” she murmured.
“What do you sense, Junior Shishu?” Luo Jinxiao stopped and looked around. The street was utterly ordinary, marked by the passage of time. Moss grew on the sides of buildings, and a few donkey carts rattled past, their drivers casting curious glances at them.
Qu Weiyin shook her head, her hand instinctively resting on the hilt of her sword. “I’m not sure either. Let’s be cautious and find a place to stay before nightfall.”
Luo Jinxiao nodded in agreement and gestured forward with a smile. “After you.”
Qu Weiyin avoided her hand and continued walking briskly. The two quickly caught up with Chang Siyu and the others ahead.
“Jinxiao, where did you go? We found an inn! We’re staying here tonight!” Lu Fanzhi exclaimed, rushing over with Luo Ning in tow. Both of them looked excited.
Luo Jinxiao relayed the old man’s warning. Lu Fanzhi waved her hand dismissively. “We’re cultivators! What’s there to be afraid of?”
Beside her, Luo Ning’s expression turned apprehensive. “Sister,” she whispered, “maybe we should keep moving. What if there really is something…”
“Even if there is, isn’t dealing with demons and monsters part of our job as cultivators? If we can help them, wouldn’t that be a good deed?”
Luo Jinxiao’s heart skipped a beat. She clapped a hand over Lu Fanzhi’s mouth before she could say anything else about “dealing with demons” with Qu Weiyin right behind them.
“Mmmpph!” Lu Fanzhi struggled, her muffled protests drowned out by Luo Jinxiao’s hissed warning.
“Why are you two making such a ruckus?” Qu Weiyin’s cool voice came from behind them. She fixed Luo Jinxiao with a chilling stare. Luo Jinxiao quickly plastered a bright smile on her face.
Qu Weiyin looked away without a word.
“Welcome, honored guests! How many in your party?” The innkeeper, who had been dozing in a chair, sprang to his feet as they approached, his face breaking into a wide grin.
Chang Siyu counted heads. “Six. Do you have any vacancies?”
Luo Jinxiao watched the innkeeper’s face, bracing herself for the usual trope: a group arrives at an inn only to find there are no rooms available, forcing them to…
“Of course, honored guests! We have plenty of rooms! Please, come in, come in!” the innkeeper chirped, his smile widening.
Luo Jinxiao was speechless.
The inn was surprisingly spacious, with two rows of rooms. Though a bit old-fashioned, they seemed clean enough. The group dispersed to settle in. Luo Ning insisted on staying next to Luo Jinxiao, which for some reason led to Yan Ying choosing the room on Luo Jinxiao’s other side.
The rooms were simple, furnished with only a bed and a table. Luo Jinxiao pulled out the bedding she had brought from the Wuhui Sect and spread it out meticulously before collapsing onto the bed with a sigh of contentment.
As she was about to close her eyes, she saw a surge of spiritual energy pass through the wall, right before her face. It drifted towards the opposite wall and vanished.
A moment later, just as she closed her eyes, another wave of spiritual energy shot back through the wall, this time from the other side.
The exchange of spiritual energy became increasingly frequent, practically crackling with the fury of an argument. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Luo Jinxiao threw off her covers and stormed out of her room.
The moment she stepped outside, the world was quiet. Luo Jinxiao sighed, knowing sleep was out of the question for now. She decided to head downstairs for something to eat.
The common room was almost empty. Qu Weiyin sat alone in a corner, a cup of steaming Yunwu Tea, conjured with a flick of her wrist, before her. The aroma of tea filled the air. Luo Jinxiao paused on the stairs, catching Qu Weiyin’s eye as she looked up.
Luo Jinxiao rubbed her head sheepishly and made her way down.
“Why are you down here? Shouldn’t you be resting?” Qu Weiyin asked.
“I can’t seem to settle down,” Luo Jinxiao replied, approaching the table. “What brings you down here, Junior Shishu?”
“I don’t need rest,” Qu Weiyin said simply, lifting the cup to her lips. Her red lips parted slightly as she sipped, a gesture both elegant and alluring.
Luo Jinxiao quickly averted her gaze. Just then, the innkeeper approached their table, intending to refill Qu Weiyin’s cup. Qu Weiyin quickly stood, avoiding his touch.
“My, my, what a beauty,” the innkeeper said with a grin. “I’ve been running this inn for over a decade, and I’ve never seen anyone as lovely as you, young lady.” He chuckled. “You all seem like wealthy travelers from afar. What brings you to our humble town?”
“Just passing through,” Qu Weiyin mumbled, avoiding his gaze.
“This place is quite remote. Where did you come from?” the innkeeper pressed, seemingly oblivious to Qu Weiyin’s discomfort. He was a chatty sort, while Qu Weiyin clearly preferred to keep to herself. She sidestepped again, glancing at Luo Jinxiao for help.
Her phoenix eyes, usually unreadable, held a hint of pleading. Luo Jinxiao’s heart softened. She stepped forward, placing herself between Qu Weiyin and the innkeeper. “We’re traveling from Wuzhong to the Sea of Exile,” she explained with a smile.
“Wuzhong? That’s quite a distance! I’ve lived here my whole life and never ventured that far,” the innkeeper exclaimed, his eyes widening in awe.
Luo Jinxiao glanced back at Qu Weiyin, who was hiding behind her, her head lowered, concealing her expression.
“But that’s how it is for us folks here. Stuck in this town our whole lives,” the innkeeper sighed. Suddenly, his voice boomed across the room. “Xiu’er! Where do you think you’re going?!”
Luo Jinxiao was startled by the sudden shout. Instinctively, she reached out to protect Qu Weiyin, not noticing the look Qu Weiyin gave her back.
The innkeeper stormed off, grabbing a young girl by the braid and dragging her back into the inn. The girl cried out as she stumbled, crashing into a chair and sending it clattering to the floor.
Qu Weiyin stiffened.
“Trying to run away again, are you?” the innkeeper roared. His demeanor had completely changed, his earlier joviality replaced with a chilling fury. He yanked on the girl’s arm, trying to drag her towards a room.
The girl looked miserable, shaking her head and screaming, resisting with all her might. The innkeeper continued to drag her across the floor, her clothes gathering dirt.
Luo Jinxiao looked back at Qu Weiyin. A flicker of pity softened the usually icy expression on her face, quickly masked.
Luo Jinxiao blinked, then lowered her voice. “Junior Shishu,” she asked hesitantly, “may I intervene?”
“Do as you please. Why ask me?” Qu Weiyin replied indifferently.
Luo Jinxiao bit her lip. “Well, if Junior Shishu doesn’t approve, then I won’t interfere.”
“Luo Jinxiao!” Qu Weiyin snapped, her phoenix eyes blazing with anger.
“I’m going, I’m going!” Luo Jinxiao squeaked, rushing towards the innkeeper. She grabbed his arm and pulled him aside with surprising strength, nearly sending him sprawling.
The innkeeper gasped, momentarily stunned by the strength of the seemingly delicate girl. He quickly recovered and said, “Please, leave her be! She’s my daughter. She’s not well in the head, always trying to run off. Everyone in town knows she’s… possessed!”
Possessed? Luo Jinxiao frowned, exchanging a surprised look with Qu Weiyin.
