Jinzhou Town is famous for its spiritual fruits and plants. Backed by several small sects, the spiritual energy at the base of the mountain is abundant and fertile compared to other places, making it especially suitable for growing spiritual fruits.
Local spiritual materials are harvested and used locally. Zhang Fugui has traveled across the land for many years, and he's never had trouble identifying medicinal herbs or spiritual plants. He approached the scene and, seeing that the originally beautiful and vibrant Qingling Fruit had been clawed into mush by the Mo Beast, he carefully sniffed it and said, "There's no unusual smell."
"You've been in the mountains for too long; is your nose malfunctioning?" Zhang Fugui looked at the Mo Beast. "Or are you not used to the taste of this fruit? Why don't you try it?"
Su Yu glanced for a moment and then spoke to the Mo Beast, "Eat it."
The Mo Beast: "?"
Zhang Fugui was unsure and tried to advise, "Maybe it's gone bad..."
Su Yu continued, "It was bought with Flower Spirit Stone. If you don't eat it, it'll go to waste."
"!" The Mo Beast rolled its tongue and swallowed the fruit. The taste was strange, but the fruit was indeed rich in spiritual energy.
Zhang Fugui observed the Mo Beast's reaction, seemingly unaffected. Well, the Mo Beast was strong; if it were to be poisoned by a single fruit, that would be laughable.
The Mo Beast, unaware of what others thought, found the strange taste oddly delicious after eating the fruit.
"Didn't you notice anything wrong?" Su Yu asked Zhang Fugui.
Zhang Fugui picked up the fruit peel and examined it carefully. "If there's a problem, it's probably because this fruit grew too well. When I first came to Jinzhou Town decades ago, these fruits were not very old, but they already looked better than fruits that had been growing for ten years."
Was it just his illusion?
Su Yu turned his head to look in the direction they had come from, trying to find the spiritual energy of the vendor, but there were too many cultivators around, and once lost in the crowd, it became hard to distinguish the source. Just then, he suddenly noticed that the flow of spiritual energy visible to his spiritual eyes had sped up, and the spiritual energy around the spirit boat seemed to have suddenly increased.
"Little Red Flower is coming!" the Mo Beast said.
"What are you doing here? I've been looking for you for ages."
A Qi family cultivator came running from a distance, relieved to see Su Yu. "The wealthy merchants of Jinzhou Town are hosting a banquet, and the young master specifically asked me to bring you over."
The Qi family cultivator speaking to Su Yu was Qi Yan's attendant, ranked sixth among the brothers, so he was called Qi Liu. During this period, Qi Liu had visited the spirit boat the most to check on Su Yu. Every time he came, Su Yu could instantly recognize him, not because of his appearance, but because the energy from this cultivator always appeared as a dense cluster of red light in Su Yu's spiritual vision.
Su Yu could easily identify two people: one was Qi Yan, who carried the fragrance of wealth, and the other was Little Red Flower, Qi Liu.
It was said that Qi Liu was a fire-element cultivator, and his internal spiritual energy always clumped together, often leaking out, glowing with flickers of fire.
The Mo Beast called him Little Red Flower, as from a distance, he resembled a large red flower in full bloom.
Led by him, Su Yu quickly learned the details of the banquet.
There were several Qi family banks in Jinzhou Town. When the wealthy merchants here heard that Qi Yan, the young master of the Qi family, had specifically chosen this location to purchase goods, they immediately hosted a banquet for the cultivators at the most famous Baiyue Tower in town, using locally famous spiritual fruits to treat their guests. Cultivators typically abstain from eating ordinary food, but spiritual fruits and plants, when properly processed, were harmless and could even nourish the body, enhance spiritual power, and prolong life.
Su Yu had barely reached the Foundation Establishment stage, and his cultivation was still quite low compared to other cultivators. However, recently, Qi Yan had been especially concerned about the evil energy invading Su Yu's body, so he invited him to this banquet. Eating more spiritual fruits could extend his life, ward off evil, and protect his body—especially beneficial for him.
When they arrived, as soon as they entered Baiyue Tower, Su Yu could hear the Mo Beast drooling and Zhang Fugui's exclamations of praise.
On the table in front of them were some items, and as they got closer, they could see faint spiritual energy wafting from them, similar to the spiritual fruits Su Yu had seen earlier that day when he bought them at the street market.
Su Yu stood still for a moment, listening to Qi Liu and other cultivators discussing things nearby, and learned that the cultivators from the Su and Qi families had all arrived.
However, amidst the flowing spiritual energy, there was no sign of the sword cultivator.
The sword cultivator didn't come.
As he noticed the spiritual energy emitted by these plants and fruits, Su Yu suddenly recalled the burning sensation on his skin earlier. However, the nearby cultivators paid no mind to it, and even the young master from the Qi family didn't say anything… Instead, he heard other cultivators praising the fruits for growing exceptionally well.
The Mo Beast whispered in Su Yu's ear, telling him to pocket a few more and stash them in his sleeves for later—so it could take them into the Abyss to eat. Su Yu was guided to his seat by the Qi family cultivators. Just after he sat down, Qi Yan's little ginseng spirit scampered over to Su Yu's feet and rubbed its fuzzy head against his.
Although small, the ginseng spirit was quite forceful for Su Yu.
With this nudge, Su Yu nearly staggered back a few steps.
Qi Yan turned around and saw this scene, quickly using spiritual fruits to coax and lure the little ginseng spirit away, worried it might knock Su Yu over. "It's been a little strange lately, don't mind it."
Su Yu shook his head and looked down at the little ginseng spirit not far away. Suddenly, he thought he saw something flicker through the demon energy inside the ginseng spirit, just for an instant. It looked familiar, but before he could take a closer look, the little ginseng spirit had already scampered off.
Having seen many things, Su Yu could use his spiritual eyes to discern various types of "aura." The Mo Beast had once said that Qi Yan's spirit beast had an excellent bloodline. The overwhelming demon energy inside the little ginseng spirit was far more apparent than in other cultivators' spirit beasts. Although it was small, it was filled with demon energy... such a spirit beast was unique on the entire Qi family's spirit boat.
Had he seen another demon beast somewhere?
As Su Yu pondered, the surroundings grew quieter.
"Young master, the Su family is here," the Qi family cultivator suddenly said.
As soon as the cultivators from the Su family entered, the previously lively conversations among the Qi family cultivators quieted down. Leading the Su family entourage were the young master of the Su family and an elder in a long robe. After several external affairs elders from the Su family perished mysteriously in the Southern Wu Mountains, the family dispatched new elders, including this one, surnamed Liu. Elder Liu, though an outsider by blood, held a prestigious position within the Su family.
As they entered, the merchants of Jinzhou Town flocked to greet him.
Su Yi, the young master, entered and immediately directed his gaze toward Qi Yan, the young master of the Qi family. Qi Yan, leisurely fanning himself, tossed a few spirit fruits from the table to his spiritual pet, a small ginseng spirit at his feet. Su Yi only glanced briefly before his attention was drawn to a youth standing nearby. The boy clearly didn't belong to the Qi family, his posture out of place among the cultivators. His face was veiled, his sleeves drawn close, exuding an air of detachment.
"That's a cultivator the Qi family rescued," whispered one of the Su family cultivators to Su Yi. "They say he was gravely injured, blind, and has lost his memory."
"A blind man?" Elder Liu interjected suddenly.
Su Yi turned to him. "Do you know him?"
Elder Liu scrutinized the youth for a moment, his furrowed brow relaxing slightly before he replied warmly, "It's nothing. I was just curious."
Su Yi, often away from Tianyuan City, had little acquaintance with this elder, whom his father greatly valued. Given the Su family's recent losses, he had expected more familiar faces to aid him. With that thought, he glanced again toward the Qi family's group.
"Someone just tried probing you," Mo Beast muttered quietly to Su Yu.
"Who?" Su Yu asked.
"Someone from the Su family. A new face. A mere early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator attempting to bypass the Abyss of Malice's seal to invade your spiritual consciousness. These days, cultivators are overconfident. Even that sword cultivator was better."
An early-stage Nascent Soul? Su Yu glanced toward the Su family but refrained from staring at the particular aura.
Nearby, rising chatter caught Su Yu's attention.
"Why do the Su family people keep staring at us?"
"Obviously because our display is grander than theirs."
"I can't stand that cold-faced Su family young master. Just because he's the disciple of the Snow Sect's leader doesn't mean he can act like that. Even the cultivators from Tianlu Mountain haven't said a word."
Noticing Su Yu's curiosity, a Qi family cultivator explained, "Brother, you might not know. There's one mountain and four sects—Tianlu Mountain being the one. It's extraordinary. The elders there are from the era of the spiritual vein collapse a thousand years ago, with unfathomable cultivation. Four of the ten grandmasters of the Eastern Realm's cultivation world are from Tianlu Mountain. Each is at the Tribulation Crossing stage and nearly ascended to immortality."
"Not just that. They say every disciple of Tianlu Mountain is a once-in-a-generation genius. Selected at birth, they begin training at three, start cultivating at seven, and reach Foundation Establishment by ten…"
Qi Liu chuckled. "You're describing Gu Zizhou, the young master of the Gu family, aren't you?"
"Gu Zizhou?" The name struck a chord with Su Yu, evoking a strange sense of familiarity, though he couldn't recall where he'd heard it.
"Gu Zizhou is a rare prodigy, born with a sword constitution, and the foremost disciple of Tianlu Mountain," Qi Liu explained, seeing Su Yu's interest. "Despite being under a hundred years old, his cultivation is profound. He once crossed realms in the Land of Oblivion to slay a demonic cultivator two stages above him. In today's younger generation, he's the undisputed number one."
Mo Beast scoffed. "Arrogant."
Nearby, Zhang Fugui, lurking near the Abyss of Malice's entrance, chimed in, "Of course! I've heard tales of him even decades ago!"
Su Yu said nothing.
"However, he's been low-profile in recent years. No one knows his current cultivation level," Qi Liu added regretfully. "And then there's the rumor tying him to the Su family. If the Gu family caught wind of it, with their protective nature, they'd probably come out and publicly deny it, putting an end to any talk of marriage contracts and stopping the Su family from using it as leverage…"
Marriage contract? The term startled Su Yu with its familiarity.
Mo Beast and Zhang Fugui, equally intrigued, eagerly absorbed this juicy piece of noble gossip.
Qi Yan turned to glance at the increasingly loud conversations behind him. Hiding his face behind his fan, he remarked, "Gossiping about others in public, are we?"
Qi Liu immediately shut his mouth.
Qi Yan smirked, closing his fan to rap Qi Liu lightly on the head. "If you're going to gossip, do it louder."
Understanding their young master's intent, the Qi family cultivators raised their voices, openly discussing the Su family. This drew uncomfortable glares from the Su cultivators, who eventually retreated without a glance back.
Qi Liu reached for the spirit fruits on the table, only to find them gone. Bewildered, he wondered if he had been drinking too much. With no other option, he retracted his hand and said, "By the way, we keep calling him 'little brother,' but that's not right. Everyone has a name. Shouldn't we give him one?"
"It's not our place to rename someone who's merely forgotten their own name. A name is a gift from one's parents, and it's too significant to be changed lightly," Qi Yan said, finally addressing Su Yu. "This is something only you can decide."
Though busy lately, Qi Yan hadn't forgotten Su Yu's sharp observation about the cracked spirit stone on their spirit ship, which had been a great help. In fact, he'd quietly ordered an investigation into nearby cultivators who were in the Southern Wu Mountains before the incident, uncovering clues that might relate to Su Yu's identity.
Su Yu, with his keen hearing, could discern the details of the spirit ship's interior—a talent indicative of a formation cultivator. It was said that in the Eastern Realm of Donghuan, some rogue cultivators were highly skilled in the art of formations. Recently, they had been active in the Southern Realm, suggesting that Su Yu might have ties to these itinerant cultivators.
"When we get to Tianyuan City, there's an Alliance of Rogues there," Qi Yan explained. "Our Qi family has some connections with the alliance. When the time comes, I'll introduce you. Perhaps they can help you find someone you know."
"…Thank you," Su Yu replied.
"This Qi family young master is quite decent. Even with the fake identity you cooked up, he's so eager to help you reunite with your 'friends and family,'" Mo Beast remarked, dissatisfied with the slow pace at which Su Yu was handing over spirit fruits. It sneakily snatched a few fruits through Su Yu's sleeve and tossed them into the Abyss of Malice, all while glancing at Zhang Fugui, who was idling nearby. Mo Beast then asked, "Hey, what's so special about this Tianyuan City?"
"Oh, there's plenty to look forward to," Zhang Fugui said, now accustomed to the outdated knowledge of this odd pair. He began explaining, "Tianyuan City is a hundred times more prosperous than Jinzhou Town. It's the largest city in the Southern Realm and hosts outposts for all the major factions."
Donghuan is divided into four realms: East, West, South, and North. Each realm has a major sect. The East is home to the Luoshan Sect, the West to the Divine Healer Valley, the South to the Xuan Yu Manor, and the North to the Cangsnow Sect. The most prestigious Tianlu Mountain, however, lies at the intersection of the four realms, near the ruins of the Tianxu Spiritual Vein, which collapsed ages ago.
Tianyuan City is the most prosperous place in the Southern Realm and hosts the ancestral homes of major families like the Qi and Su families.
The Su family also resides in Tianyuan City.
Su Yu mulled over the matter. He would have to make a trip there, but only after figuring out the root cause of his depleted Yin energy. For days now, he had been in a constant state of hunger. Though he'd grown somewhat used to it, the spiritual eye totem in his dantian had become increasingly listless. This uncontrollable totem was one of his life-saving mechanisms, yet it now seemed weakened.
He also recalled Mo Beast mentioning that the malevolent spirits fleeing the Southern Wu Mountains had headed north. Observing the route from the mountains to Jinzhou Town, which was also northward, Su Yu had not encountered any spirits along the way. Neither the Qi nor Su family's spirit ships had shown any signs of disturbance. Could the cultivators have already eliminated the ghosts without him noticing?
"No way," Mo Beast said, shaking its head. "Do you think I'd let them kill my labor force? Not a chance."
Su Yu asked, "Then where did they go?"
Mo Beast was equally puzzled. While it had sensed the spirits heading north, they were nowhere to be found. As it pondered, it sneaked another spirit fruit from a neighboring table but remained stumped by the mystery.
Meanwhile, outside the bustling White Moon Tower, the streets had grown eerily quiet.
The crescent moon now hung directly over Jinzhou Town, its hue deepening into something increasingly ominous.
On the city walls, Gu Qi, who had been meditating with closed eyes, opened them suddenly. He looked to his waist, where his storage pouch was trembling violently. The sword and sheath stored within were vibrating uncontrollably.
In less than a heartbeat, his gaze shifted to the sky.
The clouds had scattered.
On the Su family's spirit ship outside the city, Elder Qi, the ship's guardian, was leisurely polishing the steering mechanism. Midway, he glanced out and caught sight of a fleeting sword shadow.
On the deck, the remaining cultivators gazed at the sky.
"The moon is unusually bright tonight."
"Hmm, didn't Elder Qi predict cloudy skies for the next few days?"
Elder Qi abruptly pushed open the window, raised his head sharply to the sky, and barked, "Get inside! Don't look at the moon!"
Within Jinzhou Town, the lights of towers and pavilions extinguished in an instant. On the streets, the townsfolk froze in their tracks, their arms hanging limply by their sides while their heads tilted upward to stare at the increasingly full moon.
Among them, one figure darted away from the moonlight, crouching in the shadows outside White Moon Tower. As if struggling to resist, the person's head involuntarily tilted back toward the sky. His trembling hands, gnarled like dried bark, emerged from beneath a black cloak to retrieve a spirit herb, which he hastily bit into.
Once his condition stabilized, he heard the revelry inside the tower but paid it no mind. Hastily shaking open his travel bag, he spilled out talismans and peculiar fruits onto the ground.
Inside White Moon Tower, the spirit fruit banquet hosted by the wealthy merchants was a grand display, thoroughly enjoyed by the cultivators.
"Little brother, I wouldn't have guessed—you've got quite the appetite," Qi Liu remarked, eyeing Su Yu. "But eating too much isn't good. With your low cultivation, you might end up with a stomachache."
Su Yu: "…"
Mo Beast's paw had just started sneaking out from under Su Yu's sleeve when someone swatted it back. Aggrieved, it protested, "I have a high cultivation level. I'm not going to get a stomachache."
The action sent a spirit fruit tumbling to the ground, landing near Su Yu's feet. As he lowered his head, intending to use his spiritual energy to locate it, an unusual glimmer of light flickered briefly across the floor.
At the same moment, Qi Yan, who had been pouring himself a drink, froze mid-motion. His brows furrowed as he glanced toward the outside of White Moon Tower. At his feet, a small ginseng spirit stood upright, revealing its sharp claws.
The young master of the Su family, seated at a nearby table, suddenly rose to his feet. The chatter around them diminished as the Su family cultivators whispered among themselves, frequently glancing toward the outside.
"What's going on? Why did everyone stop talking?" Zhang Fugui asked.
Su Yu's ears twitched. "It's quiet outside… No, there's another sound."
"Something is approaching," Mo Beast warned, abruptly lifting its head, mid-bite into a spirit fruit. "It's very close—just above you to the side!"
The sound cut off abruptly.
In the next instant, the upper floors of White Moon Tower were torn open with a loud crash. Tiles rained down from above.
Su Yu stepped back, just as Qi Yan, seated in front of him, waved his hand. His treasured fan spun open, deflecting the falling tiles. But even as he did, dark shadows plummeted from above, crashing onto the tables with heavy thuds. Chaos erupted throughout the room.
The figures were grotesque creatures, their exposed skin a mottled blackish-brown and sprouting thin, forked branches. Their faces were uneven, with hollow depressions, and their vacant, pure-white eyes betrayed no humanity. These were clearly not human beings but some kind of unknown monstrosities.
The cultivators recoiled at the sight of these hideous beings. Some could not help but retch, overwhelmed by disgust. What were these things?
Tree bark? Humans?
"Get outside!" Qi Yan shouted.
Qi Liu grabbed Su Yu and ran, but halfway through, he clutched his stomach and collapsed to his knees in front of Su Yu, nearly dragging him down.
With a pained expression, Qi Liu groaned, "I think I ate too much… I've got a stomachache."
Su Yu: "…"
Mo Beast: "?"