88: Chapter 88 Searching for Someone Amidst Clouds and Smoke, First Steps into Huangniu

Lai Tianxiang cupped his hands in gratitude. "Thank you for informing me, Senior."

He then turned to look at the portraitist. "Painter Lu, have you ever seen this person?"

The painter was also uneasy, racking his brain to remember.

Finally, his face turned ashen.

"No!"

"Oh? Really? It's said this person had quite a reputation in your market before. If you can't remember, perhaps this mistress should help you?"

The painter's back instantly went cold. "May I ask Senior to describe this person's reputation?"

"I heard he's a Talisman Master and a Guest Elder of the Xie Family."

As soon as these words were spoken, Lai Tianxiang's soul nearly left his body!

He was actually someone from the Xie Family.

One must know that the Lai Family had previously almost uprooted the Xie Family, with only a few people escaping to the Zhou Family to barely survive.

The person this mysterious Senior was looking for actually had a connection with the Xie Family.

He looked tremblingly at the painter beside him.

The latter pondered for a moment and suddenly shouted, "I remember now! I remember this person!"

The woman in black nodded. "Very well, then draw him quickly."

...

An hour later.

The woman in black left contentedly with the portrait.

Leaving behind a bewildered Lai Tianxiang standing in the wind.

His emotions shifted from initial terror to relief; until the very end, the Senior in black didn't mention the Xie Family's name again.

However, his plan to relentlessly pursue the Xie Family had to be shelved.

"What a pity. Donglin Fortress currently has no Formation protection; it was the perfect time to wipe out the Xie Family."

"With this slight delay, the Formation will surely be rebuilt. It seems I can only wait for the next time."

On the other side.

The woman in black suspended herself in mid-air, clutching the portrait.

Under the moonlight, the man in the portrait had sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, looking exceptionally handsome.

If Xu Changsheng were here, he wouldn't even recognize that the person in the portrait was himself.

This was because...

This painter was the same person who had drawn the wanted poster for Lu Yuanze back then.

When Xu Changsheng first entered the black market, he couldn't recognize Lu Yuanze precisely because of this man's nonsensical drawing style.

Painter Lu had long passed the stage of realistic portraiture and treated every portrait as a masterpiece.

He was already deeply immersed in his own art and unable to extricate himself.

The woman in black took out a foot-long golden imperial seal with her other hand.

She infused it with spiritual power.

Her mouth chanted incessantly.

The next moment.

As the seal flashed with golden light, a giant golden protective shield centered on her suddenly expanded until it reached a radius of three zhang.

Looking from outside the shield, she was shrouded in golden shadows, making it impossible to see the interior.

Inside the shield, however, was a completely different scene.

At this moment, the woman in black seemed to be in a magnificent golden palace.

Beneath her feet were polished golden tiles, flanked by towering jade pillars carved with dragons, and the dome was covered in exquisite colorful paintings.

The entire space was enveloped in a luxurious golden glow.

After only a few steps, she arrived at the very top of the hall.

Above the hall, a stunningly beautiful young woman looked at her with joy.

Her starry eyes were full of anticipation. "Shadow Nine, is there any news of him?"

The woman in black knelt on one knee. "Reporting to the Saintess, I have reached Liuyun Market and found the painter who saw Xu Changsheng, and had him draw this person's likeness."

Liu Yunyan stood up hurriedly. "Quick, let me see."

The woman in black presented the rolled-up portrait. "Please take a look, Saintess."

She spread it out.

Liu Yunyan stared blankly at the man in the portrait, a hint of hesitation appearing on her jade-like face. "Shadow Nine, are you sure this is really him?"

According to her previous memories and the few kisses and touches they shared...

Xu Changsheng's features shouldn't have been this feminine.

"Shadow Nine, did you intentionally have someone draw him like this just to please me?"

Hearing this...

Shadow Nine was greatly alarmed and dropped her other knee to the ground.

"This subordinate swears that this portrait was drawn by the painter in one go. I did not use any coercion. I dare to swear upon my Heart Demon!"

Liu Yunyan sighed softly. "Rise, Shadow Nine. I naturally believe you."

The woman in black still didn't dare to stand up.

Seeing this...

Liu Yunyan sighed again. A few years ago, her cultivation was low and her Divine Sense was weak, not enough to finely depict Xu Changsheng's face in her mind.

Although the portrait formed by touch differed from this one, it was generally accurate.

She could only let it go.

"Alright, Shadow Nine, you should return to the Wu State Cultivation World first. It seems Aunt has already discovered that you were stationed there but sneaked off to the Chu Kingdom Cultivation World."

"Yes!"

Shadow Nine deactivated the shield, surveyed her surroundings, and after confirming there were no monitors, she departed on a streak of light.

Internally, she grumbled, "I don't know why the Saintess has taken a fancy to a poor Cultivator from such a backwater place."

As far as Shadow Nine knew...

Ever since the Saintess returned, countless geniuses from Heavenly Sects, princes from Sacred Dynasties, and eldest sons of Great Clans had crossed her threshold to propose marriage, only to be politely declined.

The reason was unknown.

It wasn't until several Soul Transformation Heavenly Lords went to question Heavenly Lord Danxia that everyone learned the Saintess's heart already belonged to someone else.

That person was named Xu Changsheng, far away in a remote place.

They even learned that the Saintess had been blind before and had never seen her beloved's true face.

Then, a strange thing happened.

Names like Changsheng, Changsheng, Changchun, and Chang'an became popular like bamboo shoots after rain.

Coincidentally, there was a Great Clan surnamed Xu where many young Cultivators changed their names to Xu Changsheng or Xu Changsheng.

The name had become ubiquitous, even common and overused.

...

Three months later.

Xu Changsheng was riding Ink Shadow, whistling forward half a zhang above the ground.

Crimson Rainbow's face was deathly pale with blood seeping from the corners of her mouth, and she was tightly clutching his waist.

A white flying shadow followed closely behind Ink Shadow.

Xu Changsheng was expressionless as he tossed several Blood Qi Pills into Ink Shadow's mouth.

"Ink Shadow, put in some effort, or else all three of us will become its meal. You're so young, you don't want to die yet, do you?"

"Screech!"

Ink Shadow let out a long cry, suddenly feeling full of strength, and its speed abruptly increased by thirty percent.

Several hours later.

Xu Changsheng looked back cautiously, and after seeing no more movement behind them, he ordered Ink Shadow to stop.

He put Ink Shadow back into the Spirit Beast Bag.

"Alright, the crisis is over. Fairy Ni can let go of me now."

Crimson Rainbow let go reluctantly, her aura weak.

"Brother Xu, your Rank One Great Perfection Yao Beast... I didn't think much of it in the Secret Realm, but I didn't expect it to be so useful for traveling."

"Ink Shadow is a Green-Winged Bat; it's naturally known for its speed."

"It's all thanks to your Spirit Beast, otherwise I really would have had to waste the last usage of my Green Shadow Shuttle talisman treasure."

"Mm, from what you said, the speed of the Green Shadow Shuttle is something even an average Foundation Establishment Cultivator can't match. It's better to save it."

At this moment...

In the distance, a continuous stretch of massive greyish-green city walls appeared.

They stretched across the land like a mountain ridge.

The two looked at each other, both seeing the joy in each other's eyes.

This was because...

Those were precisely the walls of Yellow Ox Immortal City!

...

To avoid any accidents...

The two chose to approach on foot.

They soon arrived at the city gate.

A huge arched tunnel was carved into the base of the coarse city wall.

Above the arch, a polished bull's head relief looked down calmly at every entering Cultivator.

To avoid harassment, Crimson Rainbow had already put on a veil and changed into a long dress.

Taking out their tokens, the two entered easily.

What they didn't notice was...

A guard in the distance, upon seeing Xu Changsheng's face...

His expression flickered with astonishment for a split second, followed by a flash of greed in the depths of his eyes!