Half a shichen after Li Si’s group departed, a caravan-like procession appeared.

In the middle of the procession was a small sedan chair draped in blue cloth, followed by a brocade-robed old man around sixty years old. The old man’s eyes were slightly narrowed, emanating an unspoken majesty. Behind him were six green-clothed attendants. Each one had temples bulging high, their steps steady and powerful—clearly they were all martial arts masters skilled in both internal and external cultivation.

Ten zhang behind these seven people and one sedan chair was another merchant team of ten people. These ten were similar to the green-clothed attendants ahead—all extraordinary martial arts masters.

At the first street corner of Yinshuang City, the sedan chair ahead stopped. The old man seemed to point out a direction to the person inside the sedan. The person inside the sedan must have said something, and the old man listened submissively. Then the old man gave a few instructions, and the entire group went along the left side street.

Not far away, in an elegant room of a luxurious wine house, all four large windows were tightly closed. Only a palm-sized decorative small window had a crack open. A pair of sinister eyes watched the merchant caravan on the main street. When the caravan of seven people and one sedan turned left and departed, the small window suddenly closed shut.

Inside the elegant room, a somewhat hoarse voice spoke.

“It’s him, Huo Daozhang.”

There were other people in the elegant room that allowed no light to pass through its four walls.

“Huo Daozhang, the old running dog of the Crown Prince’s mansion. The person inside the sedan should be the one we’re waiting for. Follow him and investigate his lodging place clearly.”

“Yes.”

The merchant caravan shuttled through Yinshuang City for a long while. At the si hour, the caravan arrived before a residence belonging to the Zhu family in the northern city. Three or four people rushed out from the Zhu residence. Among them, a middle-aged man dressed in luxurious clothing saw the old man before the sedan and dropped to his knees with a “thud,” saying: “Lord Huo, this humble official Zhu Chao pays his respects to you.”

“The ground is cold—quickly rise.” Huo Daozhang gestured with his hand, and Zhu Chao dared not disobey as he stood up.

“How are the preparations?”

Zhu Chao hurriedly said: “The inner courtyard has been thoroughly cleaned. Please, Lord Huo and the young…”

Huo Daozhang waved his hand to stop Zhu Chao from continuing, his face showing a trace of worry as he said: “Everyone is weary. Rest early.”

“Yes.” Everyone responded.

The sedan chair was carried into the Zhu residence. Suddenly, an uncomfortable feeling of being watched from behind caused Huo Daozhang to turn his head. The end of the long alley was empty, devoid of people. Huo Daozhang exhaled lightly, but his uneasy emotions did not diminish.

May everything go smoothly, Huo Daozhang silently prayed in his heart.

In the eastern city of Yinshuang City, people crowded together densely. On the long street, one couldn’t see people’s full bodies—only round black heads could be glimpsed. In Bai Zhenzhu’s words: it looked like countless large black sesame seeds.

Bai Zhenzhu looked toward the sky. “What is that?”

Not only Bai Zhenzhu, but Li Si also gazed at the sky in bewilderment. Among the drifting white clouds, two people were actually floating, holding swords and sabers as they fought with great enthusiasm. Upon closer inspection, he discovered they were two human-shaped kites. Li Si clicked his tongue in wonder. Before long, eight more human-shaped kites flew into the sky, staging a full martial performance in the air.

Kite horses and kite chariots also joined the battlefield. After a scene of chaos with people and horses overturned, gongs and drums sounded from the high platform. Banners swayed, and various kite objects descended from the sky canopy in sequence.

“No wonder Lao Sitou said we should broaden our horizons. This isn’t just an ordinary kite festival—there are also kite performances! Using the vast sky as a stage, with white clouds and clear winds as the backdrop—truly an incomparable spectacle!” Li Si couldn’t help but praise.

“Indeed! The kite flyers are especially remarkable. To control the kite people and kite horses to move freely at a height of ten zhang, with each movement so precise—they’re truly amazing!” Bai Zhenzhu clapped forcefully and cheered repeatedly.

Lao Sitou and Wu Wen had gone to the inn to retrieve things. Li Si and Bai Zhenzhu remained at the kite festival’s main venue to wait. Bai Zhenzhu raised her fair, slender neck high, her eyes carrying a smile as she said: “It seems there’s another kite performance coming. Big Brother Li, what kind of story do you want to see this time? As for me, I hope it’s a kite performance about love!”

The enchanting fragrance of a young maiden drifted to his nose. Li Si couldn’t help but feel his heart sway and spirit shake. He hurriedly calmed his mind and held his breath.

Just when everyone was eagerly awaiting the next round of kite performances, suddenly someone from somewhere roared loudly: “Watch out! There’s a rabid dog!”

Being bitten by a rabid dog could be mild or severe—it made people involuntarily afraid. The crowd began to fall into chaos, accompanied by waves of fierce dog barking and screams. During this time, quite a few people lost their footing and fell, trampled by those behind them. Li Si pulled Bai Zhenzhu to him with one swift motion, protecting her against his chest.

After approximately the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the crowd gradually calmed. But soon someone shouted: “Dead—someone’s dead!”

At the eastern end of the long street lay a man face-up toward the sky, his long robe covered entirely with chaotic footprints. He had clearly suffered severe injuries from the trampling. Li Si loosened the man’s front garment to help him breathe, but the man’s life force gradually flowed away. He seemed to sense the outcome as well. Suddenly he raised his head, his eyes filled with resentment as he said: “Heav…”

Having only spoken the single word “heav,” the man died immediately. Li Si shook his head regretfully, but in the next instant he noticed the thin string wound around the man’s pinky finger. The string extended upward. This was a kite string.

Li Si repeated the word “heav” in his mouth, slowly looking toward the sky.