After reuniting with Gu Rentong at that low peak, Shi Lan immediately set off for Ancient Phoenix City.
Not long after Shi Lan and the others left, the Thunder Hall made an announcement. Though it dispelled the crooked thoughts of many, the undercurrents below the surface continued to surge, showing no sign of calming.
A little over half a day later, at dusk, Shi Lan and Gu Rentong arrived in Ancient Phoenix City ahead of the others.
After entering the city, Gu Rentong returned to the city lord's manor, while Shi Lan went back to the inn.
She had just reached the inn's entrance and had yet to step inside when a thunderous crash rang beside her ear.
Most of the inn's brick wall, along with the entire front gate, was pierced into fragments by a snowy-white spear aura. Broken stones scattered like rain.
The surrounding commoners scattered like startled birds and beasts. Even Body Tempering Realm martial artists dared not linger. In the blink of an eye, the once-bustling street was empty, save for a few Xiantian Realm martial artists who dared watch from afar.
Several ruined windows of the second-floor guest rooms hung precariously from the floorboards. Their paper panes fluttered faintly in the wind, giving the place a desolate look.
A dark figure dropped from the second floor and stopped less than three zhang from Shi Lan.
Shi Lan looked up and saw Wu Lingkong, spear in hand and anger written across her face.
Frowning slightly, Shi Lan turned her gaze to the dark figure.
He was a young man who looked about twenty-three or twenty-four, dressed in black, with skin so pale he seemed never to have seen sunlight. He held a dagger in his left hand and a green jade token in his right—a Demon-Suppressing