Three days later.
The Ten-Thousand-Fathom Palace made good on its promise.
The yamen runners, the soldiers guarding the city, every palace guard except the Golden Armored Guard, and even troops no one knew the origin of poured into the streets. They searched and questioned everyone they could find. Anyone who resisted in the slightest was killed on the spot, innocent or not.
Under such bloody orders, those who remained fought desperately to escape the city. But unlike the previous few days, every route out had been sealed. Even the sewers were blocked, all to give the watchers a warning.
A warning they would remember through death.
However.
All of that happened in the city. It had nothing whatsoever to do with Pinewood Flats or the Ten-Thousand-Fathom Palace.
Thanks to the Dharma Realm, not a single scream reached this place. As far as the eye could see, everything was peaceful and serene.
Zhou You tugged at the ceremonial robe that did not fit him at all and exchanged a look with Jing'en, who was disguised as a Witch Sect ritualist. Both gave rueful smiles.
Whether that fellow had done it on purpose or not, one identity belonged to those stargazers from the Spirit Resonance Sect, while the other was a mid-ranking member of the Witch Sect. After searching for ages, they had found only two outfits they could just about make do with.
As for Wangmu Khenpo...
"What's wrong with you two? Why do you look so unhappy?" Zhou You shot him a sidelong glance.
A handsome youth with red lips and white teeth, dressed in a Daoist robe, was smiling at them.
Zhou You pressed his fingers to his temples and said wearily,
"Why couldn't I, an actual Daoist, get a Daoist identity, while you, an Esoteric Sect man, get