Leaving Baihe City

Upon returning to the inn, Tang Yuehua kept hiding behind Huangfu Ji.

She looked utterly disheveled now, with none of the bearing of a dignified young lady. She looked more like a little beggar instead.

If anyone from the Clear Sky Sect saw her like this, who knew what trouble they might stir up with their tempers? So she had better keep out of sight. As long as she made it back to her room, there would be no problem.

Under Tang Yuehua's resentful gaze, Huangfu Ji climbed the stairs. He made it back to the room without incident, and Tang Yuehua immediately went to take a nice bath before changing into clean clothes.

Inside Huangfu Ji's room.

He found a map of the Heaven Dou Empire and spread it open. The map was extremely detailed, marking nearly every city and every important location.

Golden Leaf Grass was not easy to find, especially Golden Leaf Grass that was a hundred years old.

Xing Hu was the first person he had tried to recruit, so he had to take this seriously. He had to find the Golden Leaf Grass within a month.

"I wonder whether the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well has any Golden Leaf Grass."

He actually did not know much about the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. He only knew the effects of those immortal-grade herbs and was unclear about the properties of the other medicinal herbs. That was mainly because those herbs were of little use to him; immortal-grade herbs alone were enough.

Besides, in this world, while external aids could certainly play a major role, a soul master with Innate Full Soul Power like him could still reach great heights through diligent cultivation alone.

The next day.

Morning mist shrouded the city, covering all of Baihe City in a faint white haze. A breeze carrying the fragrance of lotus flowers swept through the entire city.

The air was especially crisp at this time.

After getting up and having breakfast, Huangfu Ji and Tang Yuehua left Baihe City.

Riding on horseback, Huangfu Ji's mind was filled with thoughts of Golden Leaf Grass. In the carriage beside him, Tang Yuehua opened the window and leaned out to look at him.

"Do you know where Golden Leaf Grass can be found?"

Huangfu Ji shook his head. "No."

Tang Yuehua said, "Golden Leaf Grass generally grows in places with lush vegetation. Only one can grow within a hundred li. If you want to find it, you should either go to vast forests or head to grasslands."

"If you're staying within the Heaven Dou Empire, you could go to the Lima Plain or the Star Dou Great Forest."

"But both places are rather far for you right now. Sunset Forest outside Heaven Dou City, however, is also a famous gathering place for wild Soul Beasts. There might be Golden Leaf Grass there as well."

Huangfu Ji nodded lightly. He had been planning to go to Sunset Forest anyway. The Star Dou Great Forest was a little too far for him at present, so there was no need to go there for now. The Lima Plain was simply too vast; trying to find Golden Leaf Grass there would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Sunset Forest was different. As long as he found the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he might be able to find Golden Leaf Grass there. Even if there was none, the other medicinal herbs there might be able to cure Xing Hu's mother.

While they traveled, people from the Clear Sky Sect came over to the carriage.

"Someone has been following us in secret."

Huangfu Ji knew at once that they had to be people sent by Yuan Hao. They had failed to kill him before, so naturally they would not give up easily. They simply did not dare make a move now that people from the Clear Sky Sect were nearby.

"Ignore them," Tang Yuehua said calmly, then shut the carriage window.

After traveling at an unhurried pace for half a month, the convoy arrived at Tianyancheng.

At the city gate, Huangfu Ji saw the bounty notice for Xing Hu. Quite a few soul masters had gathered there to discuss it.

"I'm telling you, the Meng Family Head personally set out."

"Really? He's a Soul Saint. He actually went himself?"

"Of course it's true. I saw it with my own eyes. Half the Meng Family's elites have been dispatched, including three Soul Kings."

"My god, it looks like Xing Hu is finished. A Soul King facing a Soul Saint has practically no chance of survival."

"Ah..."

Someone sighed, seemingly in lament.

"Even if the Meng Family kills Xing Hu this time, their reputation will be ruined."

"Meng Jin entered a life-and-death duel. Life and death were always left to fate in such fights, and they had to sign a life-and-death contract."

Listening to their discussion, Huangfu Ji narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Xing Hu, Xing Hu, you'd better hold on. Don't go dying so easily."

He had finally decided to recruit someone, and Xing Hu had already agreed that he would serve him once Golden Leaf Grass was found. If he got killed just like that, would it not all have been for nothing?

Tang Yuehua rested her arm on the carriage window and looked at Huangfu Ji.

"Huangfu, do you think Xing Hu can escape this calamity?"

To her, Xing Hu was merely a stranger. But to Huangfu Ji, he was the first person he had ever tried to recruit, and that made it entirely different.

"If he can't even get through this, then I'll just consider myself to have misjudged him." Huangfu Ji gave a cold laugh and urged his horse into the city.

They stayed in Tianyancheng for only half a day. During that time, Huangfu Ji focused on learning about the Meng Family. Within Tianyancheng, the Meng Family was one of the most prominent great clans, and the Meng Family Head was also the Tianyancheng City Lord.

As one of the important cities guarding Heaven Dou City, Tianyancheng had high, thick walls, and the empire had stationed an army of one hundred thousand here. Moreover, Blazing Fire Academy, one of Heaven Dou City's renowned Four Element Academy, was located seventy li outside Tianyancheng.

This place was only four hundred li from Heaven Dou City.

It sounded far, but if soul masters traveled at full speed, they could arrive in one or two days. Even a large army needed less than half a month to mobilize.

As they drew closer to Heaven Dou City, Huangfu Ji began gathering information, especially regarding the empire's garrisons and defensive deployments.

The empire's main forces were all deployed around Heaven Dou City.

This was unavoidable. Three of the Four Great Kingdoms lay too close to Heaven Dou City, and Heaven Dou City itself had no natural strongholds for defense. It could only be protected by stationing a massive army there.

Nearly all of the empire's million-strong army had been deployed around Heaven Dou City.

For the empire, guarding against the Star Luo Empire was certainly necessary, but it was secondary. If the Star Luo Empire wanted to attack, it would have to strike through either the Balak Kingdom or the Siren Kingdom.

Attacking from anywhere else was basically impossible, for two main reasons.

First was Spirit City, where Spirit Hall was located. That was Spirit Hall's headquarters, and they would never permit imperial troops to pass through their territory.

Second was the Star Dou Great Forest, the largest gathering place for soul beasts on the continent. Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were not uncommon there. Even soul masters could not guarantee their own safety within it, much less an imperial army.

With Spirit City and the Star Dou Great Forest in place, the empire's southern border was basically secure. Thus, its primary defenses were focused on the Four Great Kingdoms. What if they suddenly lost their minds and rebelled one day?

As for the Qingyang Duchy—sorry, but to the empire, it was nothing more than a stray dog by the roadside.

Even if a tiny duchy rebelled, it could not stir up much trouble.

Of course, things were different now. An Innate Full Soul Power Grand Duke had emerged from the duchy, drawing the empire's attention. Fortunately, the Grand Duke held no real authority. Sooner or later, the duchy would fall into internal turmoil.

Besides, Huangfu Ji was already on his way to Heaven Dou City.

Seeing Huangfu Ji scribbling and sketching all along the way, Tang Yuehua could not help growing curious.