“Haven’t found them?” Wang Shao’s good mood instantly evaporated. He was about to smash his cup in anger, but suddenly remembered the tea was precious and he’d have to pay compensation if he broke the cup, so he set it down again and angrily said: “A bunch of useless fools! Can’t even find one person!”

The servant didn’t dare speak.

That day by the water stream, their group had encountered the demon beast “Yu,” and Miss Yang had been harmed by the demon beast, her bones and body destroyed. Although Wang Shao was annoyed in his heart, he soon set his sights on Liu Yunxin. To him, women and goods were no different—if one was gone, just replace her with another.

Besides, he had long coveted Liu Yunxin.

Therefore, he had tied up both Liu Yunxin and Mu Cengxiao and brought them along, originally planning to make Liu Yunxin his once they reached Pingyang Town. He hadn’t expected that very night, Mu Cengxiao would escape with Liu Yunxin.

That boy had run off to who knows where, and the people Wang Shao sent out had never been able to find out his whereabouts, which was particularly infuriating.

“Young City Master… should we continue searching?” the servant asked.

“Forget it. Mu Cengxiao is a waste who overestimates himself, wanting to enter the Taiyan Sect. Since that’s the case, he’ll come to Pingyang Town. On the day of the selection competition, he’ll appear without me having to find him. When that time comes, I’ll slowly deal with him!”

The servant withdrew submissively.

Wang Shao still felt somewhat unsettled. On this journey to Pingyang Town, Yang Zanxing had been killed by a demon beast, he’d lost Liu Yunxin, and now he couldn’t even catch a glimpse of Mu Cengxiao’s shadow. This trip had been thoroughly unlucky, irritating his heart. He drained the tea in his cup in one gulp, stood up, and walked out the door.

In the main hall downstairs of the inn, many young cultivators sat scattered about, enthusiastically discussing the upcoming Taiyan Sect recruitment.

In Duzhou’s cultivation world, the Taiyan Sect was a famous sect that hadn’t recruited new disciples for nearly ten years. This year, as they opened their doors to accept new members, young talents from all corners came traveling great distances to this place. Each place had its accent, and their clothing and appearance were all different. Gathered together, it was quite lively.

The “Good Fortune” inn, being expensive, mostly attracted heaven’s chosen ones from great clans who were highly regarded. With Wang Shao’s status as a young city master from a border small city, he was somewhat straining to afford this place. However, Wang Shao was also quite shrewd—if he could make connections with some disciples from great families here, he’d have more support after entering the Taiyan Sect. After all, from Yue City, he would likely be the only one to enter the Taiyan Sect. Fighting alone from the very beginning was never easy.

“Oh, Young Master Wang has come out too.” A woman’s voice sounded from behind.

Wang Shao turned around. Standing behind him was a young woman. Though this woman couldn’t be called a devastating beauty, she had her charm. Her eyes were long and narrow, her nose and lips were delicate, her skin was very fair, and when she smiled, she was graceful and especially alluring. The gauze dress she wore was also very thin, faintly revealing a layer of crimson undergarment beneath, like a fox demon from legendary stories. When her eyes moved, they could steal away a person’s heart.

“Miss Xiangrao, did you sleep well last night?” Wang Shao asked with elegant bearing.

Duan Xiangrao smiled slightly, her gaze clinging to Wang Shao like water: “Very well, thank you, Young Master Wang.”

Duan Xiangrao was someone Wang Shao had met in front of the inn. At that time, this woman had been standing in front of the “Good Fortune” inn, apparently being driven out by the innkeeper for lack of money. At the crucial moment, Wang Shao had emerged as the hero to save the beauty.

He liked this woman, not only because Duan Xiangrao was bold and fragrant during intimate moments, tender as water, but also because Duan Xiangrao’s cultivation was at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment. If things went smoothly, Duan Xiangrao should also be able to enter the Taiyan Sect. If cultivating in the Taiyan Sect with such a beautiful dao companion for dual cultivation and mutual advancement, wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing?

Therefore, these past days Wang Shao had been intimately entangled with Duan Xiangrao, their relationship advancing by leaps and bounds. Those who didn’t know would think Duan Xiangrao was his fiancée.

As for the original “Miss Yang,” Wang Shao had long since thrown her to the back of his mind.

In two more days, it will be the Taiyan Sect’s recruitment competition for selecting disciples. Xiangrao heard that Huajin Tower has quite a few spirit pills and spiritual herbs. Would Young Master Wang like to go take a look together?” Duan Xiangrao smiled.

Wang Shao maintained his usual smile on the surface, but felt somewhat displeased in his heart. These past few days, it was one thing for Duan Xiangrao to eat and lodge with him, but she even wanted him to pay spirit stones for clothes and jewelry. Pingyang Town wasn’t like Yue City—prices had skyrocketed. His staying at this inn was already putting on airs beyond his means, and Duan Xiangrao was treating him like a fat sheep.

However, cultivators around who had heard their conversation were looking their way. If he refused now, it would make him appear stingy and petty. Spending money was a small matter, but losing face was a big one. Carefully calculating the spirit stones he had left, Wang Shao steeled himself and replied: “I was just thinking the same thing. Let’s go.”

Duan Xiangrao smiled and followed along.

The two had just reached the inn’s entrance when they heard a surprised voice call out: “Young City Master!”

A little girl with double ring buns decorated with clusters of red beans on her hair rushed over, beaming with joy: “Young City Master, this servant has finally found you!” Then she turned back to the green-clothed young lady behind her and said: “Miss, you guessed correctly—the Young City Master is here!”

Zanxing looked over the inn in front of her. Quite a few cultivators were still gathered at the inn’s entrance, and with Hong Su’s loud voice, many people’s attention was drawn over.

Finding where Wang Shao was staying hadn’t been difficult. Although Pingyang Town was lively and prosperous, it was still just a small town with limited size. Given Wang Shao’s habitually vain personality and evaluating his spending level, knowing that only this “Good Fortune” inn in town had river-view rooms, it really wasn’t hard to guess where Wang Shao was staying.

Wang Shao frowned, looking at Hong Su without speaking. Hong Su panicked in her heart, pulling Zanxing closer to Wang Shao and saying: “Young City Master, look, our Miss isn’t dead—she’s come here to find you!”

“Zanxing?” Wang Shao was stunned.

The young lady before him wore a green soft fragrant smoke gauze dress, her face covered with a layer of white thin veil, revealing only a pair of bright eyes. She looked at him silently, not speaking for a moment.

“How is this possible?” Wang Shao paused for a moment, finally coming to his senses: “Weren’t you grabbed and taken into the water by a demon beast? How could you still be alive?”

“I escaped.” The young lady’s voice was calm, completely different from her past coquettish whining.

Wang Shao hadn’t yet noticed this difference. Duan Xiangrao at his side fixed her gaze on the white veil covering Zanxing’s face, glimpsing what seemed to be faint black marks beneath the veil. Her heart stirred, and she smiled as she stepped forward: “This must be Young Master Wang’s fiancée, Miss Yang.”

As soon as she finished speaking, her fingers hidden in her sleeves moved, and a gust of wind flew toward Zanxing, lifting away the white veil.

An “Ah!” of shock rang out, but it didn’t come from Zanxing’s mouth.

Wang Shao pointed at her with one hand, his face showing astonishment and disgust: “What is that thing?!”