The members of the Emei Sect split into three groups to search for Red Flower Princess in different regions.
Li Yingqiong led four others in a search throughout North Hebei.
Red Flower Princess was also adept at scheming. She had deliberately created an avatar and placed it in a household in Tianjin, posing as a spirit medium who could invite gods to possess her, tell fortunes, and resolve people's troubles. Occasionally, she performed magic in the bustling city.
The Emei Sect was also versed in heavenly numbers, ranking among the very best in the Zu Mountain World at divining heaven's secrets.
The original work was titled "The Swordsmen of Shu Mountain." Its swordsmen were primarily those of the Emei Sect, followed by the Green City Sect.
Li Yingqiong and the others had detected Red Flower Princess's presence in this area and were searching carefully through its towns and villages.
Even without outside assistance, they would have found her avatar in Tianjin within a few days, and reached the imperial palace within a month at most.
That day, as the five of them searched a bustling marketplace, a boy of eight or nine suddenly approached them. He had a sturdy, bright-eyed look, and something about his expression seemed familiar.
The boy walked straight up to the five. "Fellow Daoists, are you looking for a witch?"
The five were discussing a place that had fallen into disuse, though immortals, mortals, humans, and spirits still traded there. They were startled to see the boy and studied him several times from head to toe, unable to see through him. "Who might you be, fellow Daoist? How do you know we're looking for someone?"
Shi Feiyang had cast a spell from afar, temporarily occupying the boy's consciousness with his will to speak to the five