In the silence of the alley behind the residence, Tang Chun Xi and Ah Tao scaled the wall with trained agility. The secret guards, already accustomed to their routine, didn't even bother to react. They landed softly, adjusting their clothes as they blended into the city's bustle.
Chun Xi's eyes wandered over the urban landscape as they walked. The guards from the City Lord's mansion patrolled with discipline. This neutral force was tasked with maintaining order and safety, ensuring that disputes between families and factions didn't spiral into chaos.
The city was a boiling pot of activity. Hunting groups and herbal collectors moved in a constant flow, carrying prey or bundles of spiritual plants. The market stalls buzzed with customers, bargaining, and laughter. The city's strategic location near the Clear Water Mountains made it a meeting point for adventurers and merchants. The grand mountain range, stretching thousands of kilometers, was a rich source of spiritual beasts and plants, especially along its outer edge, where the city was situated.
'Good thing we're far from the deeper parts,'— Chun Xi thought, brushing away memories of dark tales about cultivators who dared venture beyond the safe zones.
As they walked, she caught fragments of conversations and rumors circulating through the streets. The city's energy was impossible to ignore, brimming with speculation about recent events.
After some time, the two arrived at one of the city's finest restaurants, an imposing three-story building owned by the influential Li Family. The name, Pearl of the Mountains Restaurant, was synonymous with excellent food and a refined atmosphere. Upon entering, they were greeted courteously and enthusiastically by a waiter.
— "Sirs, would you prefer a private room?" — he asked, bowing slightly.
Chun Xi adopted a graver tone, trying to sound neutral:
— "We need a table for two on the second floor."
The second floor was an open balcony that provided not only a privileged view of the bustling ground floor but also the perfect environment for eavesdropping without drawing attention. The waiter promptly nodded and led them to a well-located table, handing over the menu with a smile.
They placed their orders. Chun Xi chose a spiritual carp stew with jade bamboo shoots, while Ah Tao opted for golden rice with stir-fried spiritual mushrooms in black lotus flower sauce. To accompany the meal, they ordered a jar of celestial white mist tea, renowned for its ability to revitalize spiritual energy.
Once the waiter had left, Chun Xi and Ah Tao sharpened their senses, attuned to the hum of conversations below. It didn't take long for an intriguing topic to surface.
— "Have you heard?" — began an excited cultivator on the ground floor. — "All the major forces nearby, including the Valley of Spiritual Herbs and the Celestial Sword Sect, are offering ridiculous rewards for any clue about the Five Moons Phenomenon! A Blue Illumination Pill, 500,000 spiritual stones, and even a place as a disciple! What wouldn't I do for such a reward…"
His comment turned several heads, and murmurs of excitement rippled through the hall.
A more seasoned cultivator chimed in:
— "That's right. The strangest part was how the spiritual energy completely vanished during the phenomenon, only to return minutes later as if nothing had happened. In fact, the energy density in the region still seems slightly elevated."
Chun Xi leaned forward slightly, her curiosity piqued. Ah Tao exchanged a meaningful glance with her, signaling she was paying attention too.
— "I've heard the phenomenon occurred across the entire region," said another man, apparently a merchant from afar. — "Many high-level forces are investigating, but no one has found anything yet. They're all offering enormous rewards. Could it have been the birth of an immortal artifact?"
The mere mention of an immortal artifact caused nervous laughter and greedy glances to sweep through the hall.
— "Whether it's an artifact or some other rare resource, I doubt it happened in a place like this," commented a third man. — "Something like that can only occur in regions with absurdly dense spiritual energy. Here, by comparison, we're in a barren land."
Chun Xi leaned back in her chair, processing the information. Ah Tao whispered:
— "What do you think about this?"
— "Whatever it is, it's drawn too much attention. And it has nothing to do with us," — Tang Chun Xi replied, her gaze still fixed on the bustling activity below. Her expression was serene, but her thoughts were far from it. The awakening she had recently experienced had drawn an attention she would rather avoid. From now on, she knew she'd have to tread carefully.
The silence was broken by the arrival of the tea. Chun Xi and Ah Tao drank it calmly, letting the stillness envelop their table while the chatter on the lower floor continued. Gradually, the mystery of the Five Moons—the recent celestial event causing such an uproar—began to give way to other conversation topics.
Chun Xi caught a particularly lively voice from a nearby table.
— "The City Lord's son, Lord Feng Zhan, is having his birthday this month, did you know? Invitations are already being distributed."
The group at the adjacent table, composed of young female cultivators, burst into murmurs and excited laughter.
— "Lord Feng Zhan is so generous, isn't he? He always throws splendid parties!" — one of them commented.
— "Generous? He's a genius! I heard his son, Feng Lian, reached the 10th stage of the Body Tempering Realm before even turning twenty! And besides…" — the girl lowered her voice, but her mischievous tone was impossible to ignore. — "…he's incredibly handsome. Tall, with those deep eyes and an air of mystery only disciples of the Celestial Sword Sect seem to have."
Another voice joined the conversation, more dreamy:
— "Ah, Feng Lian is every girl's dream. I'd give anything for him to even glance at me!"
Tang Chun Xi, who had been sipping her tea in silence until now, couldn't help but smile discreetly. The girls' exaggerated tone was, at the very least, amusing.
Just then, the restaurant door opened with a firm sound. The atmosphere seemed to shift instantly, and Chun Xi glanced toward the entrance. There stood Xing Yue, the daughter of the powerful Xing Family, accompanied by several maids and guards who discreetly and efficiently cleared her path. Xing Yue had a striking presence, blending beauty with authority.
She walked toward a table near the chatty cultivators, but before sitting down, she seemed unable to resist the commotion she had overheard. Xing Yue leaned slightly, a gleam of amusement in her eyes, and said casually:
— "I've heard the City Lord intends to find a match for his son during the birthday celebration."
The impact of her words was immediate. The young women erupted into excitement, with exclamations and speculations echoing through the hall.
— "A match? Is he looking for a wife?"
— "Oh, if it's true, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!"
— "Do you think I have a chance? Or maybe you, Mei Ling? He likes elegant cultivators, doesn't he?"
Tang Chun Xi watched the scene with a mix of amusement and curiosity. Xing Yue seemed to notice her gaze and tilted her head slightly in her direction, a nearly imperceptible smile playing on her lips. She had to have recognized her.
Chun Xi stifled a laugh. Xing Yue was one of the few people who didn't treat her with pity or disdain despite her circumstances. From time to time, the two would cross paths, and the young woman from the Xing Family always carried a lightness Chun Xi appreciated. Moreover, they both shared the same hobby: gossip.
When Xing Yue finally sat down, she cast a meaningful look at Chun Xi, as if to say, "This will be fun." Chun Xi responded with a slight nod, allowing herself to relax for a moment while the controlled chaos of the restaurant continued.