Zhuang Yuechan

After Song Changsheng returned to Treasure Seeking Pavilion and explained the situation to Song Luyuan, he went to meet Zhu Yiqun at their appointed time the next day.

"You're here. Put on this black robe first." Upon seeing Song Changsheng arrive, Zhu Yiqun immediately handed him the black robe in his hand.

"This is?"

"Heh, you're quite famous in this Market. If you don't conceal yourself, our whereabouts this time might be exposed. This is a Concealment Robe. It can blend into the surrounding environment and hide your tracks." Zhu Yiqun glanced toward a distant Bamboo Building from the corner of his eye and whispered into his ear.

Song Changsheng immediately understood what Zhu Yiqun meant. He was no fool; During this period, he had often sensed someone secretly watching him. Zhu Yiqun had likely noticed it as well.

He and Zhu Yiqun entered a concealed corner together. The spies in the shadows immediately followed, but by the time they arrived, the place was already completely empty.

"Not good, I lost them." The spy immediately realized he had lost his target and hurried back to Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

After he left, the shadows in the corner began to writhe. Soon after, two figures clad in black robes emerged.

Zhu Yiqun smiled. "This move is called Darkness Under the Lamp. Now there are no more idle bystanders. Changsheng, let's go meet our fellow cultivators."

Song Changsheng nodded slightly, but the layer of mist surrounding Zhu Yiqun in his heart grew ever thicker. Zhu Yiqun stood right there, yet no one could see through him clearly.

The two hurried onward and eventually arrived at an inn.

They went up to the third floor and pushed open the door. More than a dozen people of all kinds immediately came into view.

"You're finally back. Are we leaving or not?" The moment the room door closed, a burly man with a powerful build shouted impatiently.

Zhu Yiqun removed his hood and said with a smile, soothing him, "Fellow Daoist Li, don't be impatient. Didn't I go invite an Array Master? We'll set out shortly."

As he spoke, he turned his gaze to Song Changsheng. "Fellow Daoists, let me introduce him. This is Fellow Daoist Song Changsheng, a First-Tier Peak Grade Array Master. He will be traveling with us this time."

Song Changsheng also removed his hood and gave everyone a cupped-fist salute. "Greetings, Fellow Daoists."

"No wonder Fellow Daoist Zhu said he would be adding someone at the last minute. So it was fellow Daoist Song. With fellow Daoist Song's attainments in the art of arrays, our journey has gained several more measures of assurance." A gray-robed cultivator with a longsword on his back said happily.

Others also cast friendly looks toward Song Changsheng. After all, he had some renown in Liuyun Market.

"Changsheng, let me introduce you. This is Fellow Daoist Li Hu, a Qi Condensation Ninth Layer cultivator and a rare Body Cultivator.

"The one who spoke just now is Fellow Daoist Xu Yunhe, a Qi Condensation Great Perfection cultivator and a Sword Cultivator.

"Lastly, this is Fellow Daoist Xu Yun, a Qi Condensation Seventh Layer cultivator and also a First-Tier Peak Grade Array Master."

Zhu Yiqun introduced them to Song Changsheng one by one. They had now made a preliminary acquaintance. There were a total of thirteen people, all Cultivators in the Qi Condensation Stage, Late Phase. Their lineup could be called formidable.

Only after Zhu Yiqun's introduction did Song Changsheng understand that, aside from himself, the team had already had a First-Tier Peak Grade Array Master.

Combined with what Xu Yunhe had said earlier, it was not hard to guess that Zhu Yiqun had forcibly inserted him into the group. This caused a trace of warmth to emerge from the bottom of one's heart.

"Eh, Fellow Daoist Zhuang hasn't arrived yet?" Zhu Yiqun swept his gaze around before finally looking at Xu Yunhe.

Xu Yunhe shrugged. "Fellow Daoist Zhuang has always come and gone alone. None of us knows her whereabouts. But since she said she would come, she probably won't break her word."

"Let's wait another hour. If Fellow Daoist Zhuang still doesn't come, we'll set out first." Zhu Yiqun nodded.

The room fell silent again. Some sat while others stood, all of them closing their eyes to rest.

Creak.

The tightly shut room door was pushed open.

Song Changsheng and the others turned their gazes toward it and saw a tall woman enter. She wore a light blue high-waisted gown. Her skin was fair as jade, and her figure was graceful, with all the right curves.

A layer of white gauze covered her face, revealing only the faint outline of her features. The only things exposed were a pair of lively eyes.

"My apologies, Fellow Daoists. Yuechan has arrived late." The newcomer spoke to everyone with a hint of apology.

"You're not late, Fellow Daoist Zhuang. This is fellow Daoist Song, whom I mentioned to you before." Zhu Yiqun stood up with a chuckle.

"The Song Clan." A flicker passed through Zhuang Yuechan's eyes, but she showed no intention of greeting Song Changsheng.

Song Changsheng frowned slightly. Though she had not displayed it openly, he still keenly detected the shift in her emotions.

It seemed that after learning his name, her attitude had become colder.

Do I have some grudge with her? Song Changsheng searched his memories carefully, but found not the slightest impression. He couldn't help feeling somewhat baffled.

Zhu Yiqun also noticed the subtle change between them and hurriedly said, "Since everyone is here, let us prepare to depart.

"As usual, to avoid drawing attention, we'll leave the Market in batches. Remember to conceal your tracks. We'll meet in the forest outside the Market."

Everyone answered in unison, then began going downstairs in batches and leaving the Market in different directions...

Inside Hundred Treasures Pavilion, the spy knelt before Elder Cheng with a terrified expression and reported in a trembling voice, "Elder... I lost him."

"Hmm? You lost him?" Cheng Yufei's tiger eyes brimmed with Baleful Intent as his aura erupted. Like a furious lion, it pressed the spy until he could barely breathe.

"Spare my life, Elder." The spy immediately sprawled on the ground, his body trembling uncontrollably.

"What useless trash! What does the sect keep you lot for? Go investigate! Go search! Even if he burrows into a crack in the earth, drag him out for me!" Cheng Yufei slapped the table and roared.

"As... As You Command." The spy immediately scrambled to his feet and fled as though escaping for his life.

Very soon, all the Earth Fire Sect's personnel, both open and hidden, in Liuyun Market were mobilized to search for clues of Song Changsheng...

What they did not know was that Song Changsheng and Zhu Yiqun had already left the Market from the east, dressed in special black robes that concealed their tracks.

Along the way, Zhu Yiqun couldn't help but look around at Song Changsheng, his face full of hesitation as if he wanted to speak but stopped himself.

Song Changsheng shook his head and said speechlessly, "If you have something to ask, then ask. Don't bottle it up until it makes you sick."

"Hehe, what's going on between you and Fellow Daoist Zhuang? Did you do something to her?" Zhu Yiqun asked with a teasing expression.

Song Changsheng halted and looked at him helplessly. "Stop right there. I've never even met her, much less done anything to her."

Wisdom gleamed in Zhu Yiqun's small eyes as he wagged a finger. "No, I've known Fellow Daoist Zhuang for nearly two years. Although she doesn't mingle much with the rest of us, she is always courteous and well-mannered, cultured and refined. There's no way she would have slighted you like she did today.

"Something must have happened between you two. Could it be... you abandoned her after having your way with her?"

Song Changsheng's face immediately turned as black as the bottom of a pot.