38: Chapter 38 Do Not Act Rashly

Qing Luo nodded and stood up to walk toward the outhouse. Bi Luo pretended to drink tea while secretly observing their surroundings. Sure enough, the gazes of several 'patrons' followed Qing Luo.

After Qing Luo entered the outhouse, Bi Luo also stood up and followed. Just as she reached the corridor, she suddenly felt a chill down her back.

"Don't make any rash moves," a sinister voice sounded by her ear.

Bi Luo's heart sank, but she showed no change in expression. "What business do you have with me, sir?"

"Don't play dumb," the voice continued. "Hand over that Little Girl and the soul bead, and I'll spare your life."

Bi Luo sneered, "You're from the Dark Prison, aren't you?"

The man didn't answer. A hidden weapon was already pressed against Bi Luo's back. "Less talk. Take me to her."

Bi Luo appeared calm on the surface, but her mind was rapidly calculating a countermeasure. Her body hadn't fully recovered yet; a direct confrontation wasn't the best strategy.

"Fine, I'll take you."

The two walked toward the outhouse. Just as they reached the door, Bi Luo suddenly stumbled, as if her footing was unsteady. As the Man in Black moved to steady her, Bi Luo swiftly drew a talisman from her sleeve and slapped it directly onto his chest.

"Swift!"

The talisman erupted in a blinding white light. The Man in Black let out a sharp cry, his body instantly stiffening. Not waiting for him to react, Bi Luo struck his throat with her palm. The Man in Black fell to the ground.

"Qing Luo! Hurry, let's go!" Bi Luo pushed open the outhouse door and shouted.

Qing Luo was already prepared. The two quickly climbed out through the rear window. Chaos immediately erupted inside the teahouse.

"Over there!" someone shouted loudly.

Bi Luo pulled Qing Luo as they darted swiftly through the streets and alleys. The sound of pursuing footsteps grew closer behind them.

"There are too many of them," Bi Luo panted. "We need to split up."

Qing Luo panicked. "But..."

"Listen to me," Bi Luo said urgently. "You go to the Clear Breeze Inn in the south of the city and find the Enchantress and the others. I'll lead these people away."

"No! Your body hasn't fully recovered yet!"

Bi Luo pushed Qing Luo firmly. "No time to argue! The soul bead is with you. Protecting it is more important! Go!"

Qing Luo gritted her teeth and finally nodded. They split up at a fork in the road. Bi Luo deliberately shouted loudly to attract the pursuers' attention, while Qing Luo sprinted toward the southern part of the city.

Bi Luo's plan worked. Most of the pursuers followed her. Qing Luo, shielded by the flow of people, hurried all the way toward the south city.

The Clear Breeze Inn wasn't hard to find—it was a rather sizable building in the south city. Qing Luo approached cautiously, scanning her surroundings to confirm there were no suspicious figures before hurriedly entering the inn.

"Excuse me, is there a Miss Nangong staying at your inn?" Qing Luo asked the front desk clerk.

The clerk looked her over. "The beauty in red? She's in the upper room. Shall I announce you?"

Qing Luo nodded. "Has the Enchantress and Daoist Wangchuan been here?"

"Oh, you mean that pair of fellow cultivators," the clerk said, understanding dawning. "They arrived not long ago and have already gone upstairs."

Qing Luo breathed a sigh of relief and followed the clerk upstairs. Arriving at the door, the clerk knocked gently. "Miss Nangong, another guest wishes to see you."

"Please come in," a gentle female voice came from inside.

When the door opened, Qing Luo saw the Enchantress and Daoist Wangchuan sitting at a table, conversing with Nangong Han. Seeing Qing Luo alone, all three stood up simultaneously.

"Qing Luo?" the Enchantress said in surprise. "Where's Bi Luo?"

Qing Luo spoke hurriedly, "We were discovered by people from the Dark Prison! Bi Luo went to lead them away... she..."

The Enchantress's expression changed drastically. "What?"

Daoist Wangchuan also rose abruptly. "I'll go find her right now!"

Nangong Han said quickly, "I'll go with you."

The Enchantress hesitated for a moment. "I'll stay and protect Qing Luo. You two be careful."

Daoist Wangchuan nodded and left hurriedly with Nangong Han.

The Enchantress had Qing Luo sit down and poured her a cup of tea. "Drink some water. Tell me slowly."

Qing Luo recounted everything that had happened at the teahouse to the Enchantress.

After listening, the Enchantress frowned deeply. "The Dark Prison's people act swiftly. We must be even more careful."

"Is Miss Nangong truly trustworthy?" Qing Luo asked anxiously.

The Enchantress sighed. "She seems credible so far. She does know Chu Yang and is aware of many inside details. But we still need to remain vigilant."

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by knocking.

"It's me!" Daoist Wangchuan's voice.

The Enchantress opened the door. Daoist Wangchuan and Nangong Han entered, supporting Bi Luo, whose clothes were slightly disheveled.

"Bi Luo!" Qing Luo cried out joyfully.

Bi Luo managed a weak smile. "It's fine. I just expended some of my vital energy."

Nangong Han explained, "We found her in a small alley in the north of the city. Three Men in Black were chasing her at the time."

Daoist Wangchuan added, "Fortunately, Miss Nangong's martial arts are superb. Together, we managed to repel them."

The Enchantress checked Bi Luo's pulse. "Your vital energy is severely depleted. You need rest."

Nangong Han took out a small porcelain bottle. "These are Return to Heaven Pills. They can help restore vital energy."

Daoist Wangchuan took it and thanked her. "Thank you, Miss Nangong."

Bi Luo took the pill and leaned back on the bed to rest. Everyone gathered around and began discussing their next move.

"The Dark Prison's people are already watching us," the Enchantress said gravely. "We must hurry to Zhuque Mountain as soon as possible."

Nangong Han asked curiously, "Zhuque Mountain? Is Chu Yang there?"

Daoist Wangchuan glanced at her cautiously. "What exactly is your relationship with Chu Yang?"

Nangong Han sighed softly. "It's a long story. Five years ago, I was being hunted by the demonic clan. At a critical moment, Chu Yang saved me. Later... we developed some affection for each other."

The Enchantress raised an eyebrow. "What kind of affection?"

Nangong Han smiled slightly. "You guessed correctly. We once had a romantic relationship."

Daoist Wangchuan was surprised. "Chu Yang never mentioned it..."

"He has always been cautious in his actions," Nangong Han explained. "Especially after he realized he was in danger. To avoid implicating me, he chose to part ways."

Qing Luo asked, "Then why are you looking for him now?"

"Because I received information that the Dark Prison is about to make a major move," Nangong Han said with a grave expression. "I'm worried about his safety."

Daoist Wangchuan pondered for a moment. "In that case, you may travel with us. In three days, we will go to Zhuque Mountain."

Nangong Han agreed readily. "That would be excellent."

The Enchantress suggested, "Tonight, we'll stay here. We'll set off first thing tomorrow morning."

Everyone agreed and arranged their accommodations. Qing Luo and Bi Luo shared a room, the Enchantress had a room to herself, Daoist Wangchuan was next door, and Nangong Han stayed in her original room.

In the deep quiet of the night, Qing Luo tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Bi Luo, aided by the pill, was already sound asleep. But Qing Luo's mind kept replaying everything that had happened recently.

"Still not asleep?" a voice sounded at the door.

Qing Luo looked back and saw the Enchantress standing there.

"Sister Enchantress," Qing Luo whispered. "I can't sleep."

The Enchantress walked in and sat on the edge of the bed. "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking... why the soul bead chose me," Qing Luo sighed. "I'm just an ordinary girl. There's nothing special about me."

The Enchantress gently stroked her hair. "Perhaps it's precisely because you are ordinary that you are the most special. Chu Yang was just an ordinary person back then, yet he later achieved extraordinary things."