After a brief conversation, they split up, with Stelle off to uncover the truth about the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus and investigate the Alchemy Commission further.
Pei Guang, following his mini-map, arrived at the temporary ward set up by the Disciplinary Commission.
Inside, both the Cloud Knights and those struck by mara had pacifiers in their mouths, sleeping soundly like babies. Bailu had already administered her medication to them, combining it with coffee's special effects, which had significantly helped these Cloud Knights reverse their mara-struck symptoms.
"Take your medicine, rest well, and don't worry—you'll get better."
Bailu breathed a sigh of relief, seeing the Cloud Knights stabilize. Just then, the ward's door opened. She was about to ask, "Here for treatment or medicine?" when she recognized who it was.
"Oh? You're back! Are you okay? By the way, where did you get that terrifying formula?"
Seeing Pei Guang, Bailu suddenly had a lot to say. Honestly, when she'd seen that formula he'd found, she was terrified that he might do something terrible to gain immortality.
But after reading his messages, she was reassured—Pei Guang was truly a good person. March 7th and Welt's high opinions of him made her warm to him even more. And when he'd sent her the photo of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus people stuffed into barrels, she'd clapped excitedly.
Seeing her concerned look, Pei Guang reassured her, "Don't worry. Even if I were after immortality, I wouldn't go after it. Think about it—the Aeons live forever. If I wanted that, I'd find an Aeon and knock them down to take their place. Then I could live as long as I wanted!"
Bailu scoffed, "You? Ha! You're too worldly to become an Aeon."
Pei Guang laughed, "Who knows? But anyway, Bailu, I have some questions for you. This place is a bit crowded—how about we go somewhere private?"
At this, Bailu clutched her gourd protectively, "Wait, you're not planning to eat me, are you?"
March 7th, who'd just come over, chuckled, "Don't worry, silly! I'll come with you. If Pei Guang even tries, I'll drop his favor level immediately!"
Pei Guang laughed, "Oh no! March has me under control!"
March 7th: "What? Not satisfied?"
Pei Guang: "No, no! As long as I get more favor, I'm very satisfied."
March 7th: "Alright, you get a little boost."
After some playful banter with March 7th, Pei Guang looked at Bailu. "Shall we? For safety's sake, shall we take the usual mode of transport?"
At this, Bailu's eyes lit up. Though she felt a bit uneasy around Pei Guang, being inside the trash can he provided filled her with a sense of security.
March 7th brought out the trash can Bailu had previously used. Seeing it, Bailu happily climbed in.
With Bailu in the barrel, Pei Guang carried her and led March 7th to a secluded area. Welt, on the other hand, chose not to follow. Instead, he used the free time to roam around and gather information, which would be helpful for the "judgment" session they'd later attend at the Divination Commission.
In the secluded spot, Pei Guang set Bailu's trash can down in front of him and took a seat.
March 7th asked curiously, "Pei Guang, are you hiding a blade on Bailu or something?"
Pei Guang rolled his eyes, "A blade? A blade! It's not always about weapons. Relax, Bailu's got no hidden blades. I just sensed she might know something important. Kiddo, you saw the formula I sent you, right?"
Bailu sighed, "Yes, I saw it, but that formula only works temporarily, and the cost is way too high… Who knows which despicable person came up with it."
Her expression was complex, though hidden inside the trash can, so Pei Guang and March 7th couldn't see it.
March 7th: "Pei Guang, enough with the suspense—just tell us. I'm getting worried about her."
Pei Guang: "Alright, I'll be straightforward. You're from the Vidyadhara Clan, and something's up with the Alchemy Commission. Have you noticed anything unusual while you were there? Anything strange counts!"
Hearing this, Bailu thought back, "Something unusual? Not really… Oh, wait, yes! Today, when I snuck out for some fun, there was an Alchemy Commission member named Banxia who helped me out. To thank her, I promised to help with a request. She said that if I came across her loved one, I should help save them. But when I left, she never even told me who they were or how I could help~"
With that, Bailu spread her hands helplessly. She was happy Banxia had helped her escape, but Banxia hadn't given her any details on who or where this person she wanted to save was.
Even if Bailu wanted to keep her promise, she had no way to fulfill it. After escaping, she'd wandered to Central Starsfkiff Haven and then met up with Pei Guang and the others, managing to avoid the Alchemy Commission's search and enjoying a journey filled with food, drinks, and fun all the way to Exalting Sanctum.
Pei Guang pondered, "Well, that's a dead-end for now."
March 7th: "Huh? Dead-end?"
Pei Guang nodded, "Yes! Based on Bailu's story, her escape was thanks to this Banxia person. That Banxia is definitely suspicious. Bailu, can you contact her?"
Bailu shook her head, "No way to reach her now…"
March 7th turned to Pei Guang, "So, we're really stuck?"
Pei Guang nodded, "Stuck, but not completely. If my guess is right, this person who helped Bailu escape likely knows a lot. Let's speculate a bit: she helped Bailu escape, so maybe she's someone who knows the truth or is a traitor within the organization? After all, Bailu's easy to win over. If she truly wanted her help, she could've just kept her fed and happy and chatted her up. I bet Bailu would have gladly helped."
Hearing this, Bailu widened her eyes and popped up from the barrel, "Are all adults this sneaky?"
Pei Guang laughed, "Not just adults; outlanders like me are even sneakier. But don't be mad—no one expects you to do anything for us. We just find you likable. And I must say, you're pretty impressive yourself~"
Bailu, not to be outdone, shot back, "I'm only helping because I find you tolerable! But… even though I can't contact her, I remember Banxia saying she was heading to Cloudford. But with the ports all sealed off, there's no way to get there now, sigh!"
She sighed, clearly intent on keeping her promise but feeling frustrated by the barriers in her way.
Pei Guang and March 7th exchanged a glance when they heard this.
Pei Guang: "Cloudford, huh? We actually can get there!"
March 7th: "Exactly! And we can go whenever we want."
Bailu: "Really?"
March 7th then looked at Pei Guang, "One question: if we go to Cloudford, will we even find this Banxia?"
Bailu shook her head, "I don't know. She seemed really anxious when I saw her. If we could go… Pei Guang, could you take me there? I made a promise, and I want to keep it."