Xu Feng descended when he was still a hundred li from Blackmark Town, switching to a low flight.
He had no intention of making a conspicuous entrance over a small border town.
That would draw too much attention.
After landing on a ridge, he walked down the mountain and followed an old post road toward town.
Blackmark Town was small, even smaller than Bai He Town, and somewhat resembled Nightcry Town.
More than a hundred gray-tiled stone houses crowded the banks of a narrow river.
A low wooden fence stood at the town entrance, where several men carrying farm tools were returning from the fields.
Outside town, Xu Feng changed into plain gray work clothes and wrapped the Five Elements Blade in strips of cloth. He looked like a wandering cultivator passing through.
He entered town, sat down at its only decent teahouse, and ordered a bowl of water.
The teahouse owner was a slight, middle-aged woman, quick with her hands and never short of words.
She was chatting with a customer about the neighbors' affairs.
Xu Feng took two sips of water, tossed down two Crystal Coins, and asked casually, "Have any outsiders come through town? Say, a couple of years ago—missionaries from elsewhere? I'm trying to find out."
The woman smiled as she took the coins and wiped the table. After a moment's thought, she said, "Outsiders? We're out of the way. Hardly anyone comes here.
"But a couple of years ago... yes, some people put up a few sheds by the river outside town.
"They seemed to be from the west. They spoke a little differently.
"They bought grain and medicinal herbs here, stayed about half a month, then left."
Xu Feng pressed her. "Do you remember what they looked like?"
"An old man with all-white hair,