City Lord Duanmu

The area around the high platform was guarded by soldiers. When they saw the group, they hurriedly dropped to their knees and bowed, calling out, "Greetings, Immortal Masters and Immortal Maidens!"

"Let's go to the City Lord's Mansion first." Chen Huan and the others had been on many missions and were used to scenes like this. They didn't even glance at the soldiers as Chen Huan said to Pei Ling, "City Lord Duanmu is a Foundation Establishment Realm senior. When you meet him, mind your manners!"

Pei Ling nodded. "Don't worry, Senior Brother Chen. I'll remember."

A while later, they arrived at the City Lord's Mansion. Though Luoshan City, like Luquan City, was under the rule of the Chongming Sect, it was clearly far more prosperous. Its City Lord's Mansion was also much grander and taller than the one in Luquan City.

They identified themselves and explained their visit at the entrance. Before long, a steward came out to welcome them.

The moment they crossed the threshold, they felt their bodies grow lighter, as if a cool breeze had brushed over them. They relaxed all over.

Noticing Pei Ling's hesitation, Chen Mei smiled and explained, "City Lord Duanmu is an Array Cultivator. A Spirit Gathering Formation has been set up in this mansion. It's a simplified version of the Spirit Gathering Array on Huaiyin Peak. It can nourish your bones and muscles and aid cultivation."

"Thank you, Senior Sister Chen." Pei Ling thanked her and looked around. The courtyards along the way were deep and secluded, with flourishing plants and trees. Servants and maids occasionally passed by; seeing the steward personally escorting guests, they quickly stepped aside, heads lowered and demeanor respectful.

Before long, they were ushered into a side hall.

The hall was luxuriously furnished. Eight melon-shaped floor lanterns stood around it, their shades embroidered with numerous acrobats. After the steward invited the group to take their seats, the maids served tea and clapped their hands lightly. The acrobats sprang out of the lantern shades one after another and landed on the floor; with a flash, they became just like living people.

They bowed to the seats of honor, then began performing all sorts of acrobatic acts.

The steward smiled and said, "The City Lord is occupied with official business and will only be able to meet the honored guests a little later. Please sit for a while."

As he spoke, another group of beautiful female performers entered, carrying golden cups and silver trays filled with fruit and pastries, and attended to the guests attentively.

"We wouldn't dare disturb Senior City Lord Duanmu," Chen Huan hurriedly said. "We only did what was within our power. How could we trouble him? Here is Senior Brother Duanmu's letter. Please pass it on to him."

The steward replied courteously, "The City Lord said that since you've come from afar, he must keep you here to rest for a few days. As for the Young City Lord's letter, the City Lord will be here shortly. Please hand it to him in person."

Chen Huan and the others weren't truly eager to leave. After some polite exchanges, they settled in to enjoy the songs, dances, and acrobatics while the female performers waited on them.

Roughly half a day passed, and dusk fell. A soft cough sounded outside. The acrobats abruptly turned into a series of silhouettes and returned to the lantern shades.

The female performers immediately stopped pouring wine and flirting, composed themselves, and stood with their hands clasped.

The steward's expression turned respectful. "The City Lord has arrived."

Chen Huan and the others all rose solemnly to greet him.

A moment later, a group of attendants ushered a middle-aged man into the hall.

He looked to be around forty, with dignified features and a short beard beneath his chin. His eyes flashed keenly as he looked around, giving him an air of sharpness and competence.

At the sight of him, Chen Huan and the others hurriedly rose from their seats and greeted him respectfully. "It's been many days since we last met, and the City Lord's bearing is even more impressive than before!"

"I'm old and worn out now, unlike you young people, whose prospects are boundless." City Lord Duanmu was very courteous. "My son is in the sect. I must ask you all to look after him."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Chen Huan took out his son's letter. City Lord Duanmu accepted it and thanked him, but didn't leave right away. Instead, he asked with a smile, "Do you have any other missions this time? If they're near Luoshan City, perhaps I can make things a little easier for you."

"Thank you for asking, City Lord," Chen Huan replied respectfully. "We were just hoping to ask for your guidance. We have two more missions: one concerns the flower demon outside the city, and the other the Purple-Eyed Sable in Luoshan."

"The flower demon outside the city is only at the fourth level of the Enlightened stage," City Lord Duanmu said, stroking his short beard with a smile. "It poses no threat to you, so I won't say more about it. As for the Purple-Eyed Sable, it's incredibly fast, but since you accepted the mission, I assume you came prepared. It shouldn't have been a problem—except that there's been some trouble lately."

"Trouble?" Chen Huan was startled. He exchanged a quick glance with Huang Xian and Zhang Zhongqin, then cupped his hands. "Please enlighten us, City Lord!"

City Lord Duanmu spoke slowly. "Recently, a Foundation Establishment Realm Human-Faced Spider emerged from the depths of Luoshan to lay eggs. By chance, it chose a spot near the Purple-Eyed Sable's territory."

Chen Huan and the others all changed expression at this. "A Human-Faced Spider?"

"Indeed." City Lord Duanmu sighed. "After discovering it, I originally planned to eliminate it and spare Luoshan City a future threat. But twenty years ago, I suffered an accident. Not only have I had no hope of advancing since, but I was also left with a chronic ailment that prevents me from fighting at full strength. The Human-Faced Spider was greatly weakened after laying its eggs, to be sure, but I still couldn't be certain I could defeat it. So I had to let it make its nest on the outskirts of Luoshan, while ordering the people under my jurisdiction not to approach rashly, lest they become its prey."

Seeing Chen Huan and the others hesitate, City Lord Duanmu thought for a moment before adding, "Still, it may not be impossible for you to complete your mission."

"Please advise us, City Lord!" Chen Huan asked at once. "What should we do?"

Although their main purpose in coming was Pei Ling, no disciple of the Chongming Sect would turn down a chance to earn more spirit stones. The Purple-Eyed Sable mission offered a generous reward. Since they were already here, how could they simply give up?

City Lord Duanmu said, "Though I couldn't eliminate the Human-Faced Spider, I've secretly observed it for many days and have a general idea of the range it currently roams. I'll have the steward bring you a map later. You'll just need to take the long way around."

Chen Huan and the others breathed a sigh of relief and thanked the City Lord solemnly.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, City Lord Duanmu excused himself on the grounds that he had business to attend to, leaving the steward to host them.

This time, they didn't stay in the side hall. Instead, they moved to a waterside pavilion, where a fine meal had already been prepared, along with two jars of low-grade spirit wine. Chen Mei explained that it had been brewed from a special kind of Spirit Fruit and could aid cultivation.

"City Lord Duanmu is truly generous." At the sight of the two jars, even Chen Huan, who had been impeccably composed until then, couldn't help showing a hint of delight. "It was worth making a special effort to get this mission."

The spirit wine seemed exceptionally rare. Chen Huan even put one of the jars straight into his Storage Pouch in front of everyone, opening only the other one to share with the guests.

Pei Ling lifted his cup and took a small sip. His eyes immediately lit up. The pale green wine was richly fragrant, and its flavor lingered on his tongue, hot and sharp as it went down. Then a flame seemed to flare in his dantian, quickly spreading through his limbs and bones.

In that brief moment, the spiritual energy within him had already grown by a small amount.

"Renting an Yin Corpse Cloud costs ten spirit stones, and the rewards for delivering the letter and dealing with the Peach Blossom Eye add up to only a little more than that." Seeing this, Pei Ling couldn't help thinking, So Chen Huan and the others accepted these two missions because there are extra benefits to be had.