159: Xuan Yin Sect appears

Outside the window, the marketplace noise boiled like churning water, but inside, a world of tranquility was established.

Situ Jun's gaze seemed to casually sweep the street below, but in reality, his Spiritual Platform was clear, and his Divine Sense, like an invisible spiderweb, quietly spread out, capturing the complex information flowing through the air.

The running Waiter quickly served the steaming dishes.

The Steamed River Perch was tender, snow-white like garlic cloves, drizzled with amber sauce; the Stir-fried River Snails were plump, coated in rich brown sauce, and emitted an enticing spicy aroma; the Crab Roe Tofu was golden and soft, garnished with emerald green scallions.

The Cloud Mist Spirit Tea had a bright, clear color, permeated with a light, elegant herbal fragrance, slightly astringent upon entry, with a long, lingering sweet aftertaste.

Situ Jun took a sip, set down the teacup, and smiled helplessly. After all that gathering, it was just trivial everyday gossip.

Glancing at the table full of delicacies, he elegantly picked up his bamboo chopsticks and lifted a piece of fish.

He was not in a hurry to eat, his eyes seemingly focused on the delicacies on the plate, but suddenly, different news reached his ears.

"...Did you hear? A few days ago, something strange happened upstream on the Canglan River. A fleet of boats passing through the 'River Heart Slope' canyon at night saw a red light shooting into the sky from the bottom of the water, as if a treasure had appeared! Unfortunately, the current is too strong, and no one dares to go down and investigate..."

"Tch, it's just another baseless rumor. I bet eight times out of ten it's a Water Demon causing trouble, or maybe some Cultivator is Cultivating an Evil Technique down there. The Hundred Thousand Great Mountains haven't been peaceful lately either; apparently, there have been Yao Beast movements, and several herb-gathering teams have been lost..."

"Shh! Keep it down! Did you know the Azure Dragon Guard of the Tianqi Dynasty has been active in East Lin City recently? The leader seems to be a Half-step Nascent Soul Stage Old Monster, very decisive and vigorous, as if investigating some important matter..."

"What else could they be investigating? Recently, a lot of new faces have appeared in the city, and their auras are not weak, speaking with various accents. I think a storm is coming..."

These fragmented conversations, like scattered pearls, were keenly captured and connected by Situ Jun.

The strange phenomenon on the Canglan River, the Yao Beast movements in the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, the Azure Dragon Guard of the Tianqi Dynasty, and the influx of unfamiliar Cultivators... all signs seemed to subtly confirm Bai Yu's previous speculation regarding the Legacy Immortal Cave in the southern Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.

An invisible undercurrent had indeed begun to surge in East Lin City, and even throughout the eastern part of the Tianqi Dynasty.

His fingertips unconsciously stroked the warm teacup wall. With the Breath Concealment Technique running, his surrounding Qi merged with this bustling Restaurant, making him completely inconspicuous.

Only in the depths of his profound eyes did an imperceptible sharpness occasionally flash, like a Flood Dragon lurking beneath a deep pool.

“Master,”

Bai Yu's voice was like a mosquito's buzz, only entering Situ Jun's ear:

“Behind the third screen to the back left, near the pillar. Those two have steady auras and silent footsteps. Although they are dressed in ordinary merchant attire, the style of the jade pendant on their waist... looks like a mark of the Xuan Yin Sect. They seem to be paying attention to the staircase leading to the Private Rooms.”

Situ Jun calmly picked up his teacup, and using the motion of sipping, his Divine Sense instantly swept over the location Bai Yu indicated.

They were two seemingly ordinary middle-aged men, talking in low voices, with a few small dishes and a pot of wine on their table.

Their clothing material was common, but well-tailored, their posture was straight, and their eyes, though seemingly casual, held a sharp glint.

The jade pendant hanging from their waist was shaped like a coiled Hornless Dragon, warm and smooth to the touch. But upon closer inspection, the carving of the Dragon claws and a certain extremely subtle Rune mark indeed matched the identifiers of the Xuan Yin Sect in Situ Jun's memory.

It seemed the reason they disappeared from the Northern Frontier was not just because he had sent the army to curb their activities; they might have received some news long ago, which is why they rushed to East Lin City.

Who were they monitoring here? The Azure Dragon Guard? Or... were they continuing to plot the Spirit Medicine cultivation on the Spirit Mine?

Situ Jun sneered inwardly.

He couldn't deal with them in the Northern Frontier, but now that he encountered them even in East Lin City, he certainly couldn't let them go.

He put down his teacup, and his fingertip tapped the tabletop ever so slightly. An invisible Soundproof Barrier instantly enveloped their private seating area, isolating them from outside scrutiny.

“No need to pay attention to them, they are just Clowns,” Situ Jun's voice sounded directly in Bai Yu's Sea of Consciousness, calm and steady. “After we finish eating, we will go to the Rain Embroidery Courtyard.”

Bai Yu bowed his head and respectfully replied, “Yes.”

Just then, a slightly hurried yet still elegantly rhythmic set of footsteps came from the stairwell, accompanied by a faint, clear, and delicate fragrance like winter plum blossoms.

Situ Jun's heart stirred slightly. This scent... he knew it too well.

He saw a graceful figure ascending slowly from the corner of the stairs.

The newcomer wore a plain, moon-white silk dress, its hem embroidered with scattered ink bamboos, which further enhanced her elegant and orchid-like figure.

Her black hair was like clouds, loosely gathered with a simple white jade hairpin, with a few strands falling beside her cheeks.

Her brows were like distant mountains painted with ink, and her eyes resembled autumn waters reflecting waves. But between those delicate features, a faint, lingering melancholy hung, like the misty rain of Jiangnan, adding a few touches of fragile charm that invited pity.

It was precisely that Embroiderer, who was meticulous, unmatched in embroidery skills, and whose face was as charming as spring peach blossoms.

The Embroiderer seemed preoccupied and paid no attention to her surroundings, walking straight toward a relatively secluded Private Room deep inside the second floor.

Her appearance was like a stone tossed into a calm lake, instantly attracting the attention of the two “merchants” in the seating area.

The two men's gazes locked onto her like hawks, filled with scrutiny and probing curiosity. Their previous disguise had almost completely vanished.

Situ Jun's gaze suddenly sharpened.

Why would the Embroiderer come to the Heavenly Fragrance Tower alone? And judging by her expression, she clearly encountered a difficult matter.

The melancholy between her brows was definitely not ordinary worry.

What made his heart sink further was that the two Hidden Guards from the Elder Hall clearly showed intense interest in the Embroiderer!

Bai Yu also sensed the anomaly, and the look behind his mask became vigilant.

The Embroiderer was completely unaware that she was being watched. She walked to the Private Room door, took a deep breath, seemingly calming her emotions, and then gently knocked on the door.

The door opened a crack in response. The person inside seemed to confirm the identity of the visitor before opening it fully. The Embroiderer slipped inside sideways, and the door immediately closed, blocking the outside view.

The two Hidden Guards exchanged a look. One nodded slightly, his body seemingly relaxing against the chair back, but in reality, all his attention was focused on the tightly closed Private Room door. The other quietly rose and casually strolled to the corridor near the Private Room, pretending to admire a piece of calligraphy on the wall, but the corner of his eye never left that door.

Situ Jun picked up his teacup, the rim obscuring the slight downturn of his lips. In the depths of his eyes, a cold gleam quietly condensed.

This Xuan Yin Sect really needs a lesson! How dare they harbor designs on the person closest to his heart.

This meal was not going to be peaceful.

He put down the almost untouched teacup, and his fingertip lightly tapped the tabletop, silently withdrawing the Soundproof Barrier.

“Check, please.”

Situ Jun's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of the Waiter waiting nearby.

“Alright, Honored Guest, please wait a moment!” The Waiter quickly responded.

Bai Yu immediately understood and prepared to step forward to pay the bill.

Situ Jun's Divine Sense, like a surging tide, pierced through the crowd and firmly locked onto the two Hidden Guards who were monitoring the Embroiderer's Private Room like festering sores.

It seemed that before going to the Rain Embroidery Courtyard, he would first have to “clean up” a few annoying flies.