Hoofbeats clattered as several swift horses raced along the official road to Dingjiang Prefecture's eastern gate.
Five riders dismounted, presented their identification tokens, then used their movement arts to weave past pedestrians, leaving gusts of wind or wavering afterimages as they hurried toward Dangkang Temple.
Watching their figures swiftly disappear, the Xiaoming Sect disciples on guard exchanged glances and began discussing them in hushed voices:
"What were Junior Sister Zheng and Junior Brother Ding doing? They came and went in such a hurry."
"I don't know either. County Lieutenant Yi forbade anyone from asking. He only said it involved a major case."
"A major case? Junior Sister Zheng has mastered her swordsmanship and can kill Fourth Rank 'Transcendent' experts, so it makes sense for her to be involved. But Junior Brother Ding hasn't even been in the sect for three months."
"Perhaps he has some special talent?"
While they chattered, Ding Songyan and the others had already reached Dangkang Temple in the eastern part of the city and found Temple Host Zhu, who wore a brown ritual robe.
Joy spread across Temple Host Zhu's face. His eyes shone as he looked at them, both excited and anxious.
Ding Songyan, Xie Fengchao, Xing Chang, and Pan Yunzhou all turned their eyes toward Zheng Zhuxi.
Zheng Zhuxi stepped forward with easy confidence, accepted the peachwood box Xing Chang handed her, and said with a bright smile:
"We fulfilled our mission!"
Temple Host Zhu's breathing immediately grew heavy, as though a domestic pig had turned into a wild bull. He hurriedly took the peachwood box and opened it to look inside.
"It's the one!" Temple Host Zhu was so excited that tears nearly streamed down his aged face.
After all those hardships, I finally get to see it again!
*My good fortune wasn't