At sunset, the Green Locust Inn beside the official road emerged from the gathering dusk.
From the outside, the inn looked simple: a three-story wooden building, with horses stabled in the front courtyard and lodgings in the rear. It was small but clean, offering travelers a place to rest.
Seeing that they had reached their destination, Song Tiecheng dismounted. He knew this inn fairly well, having stayed here several times before, and said:
"This stretch of road is reasonably peaceful. This inn is the only place nearby where we can rest. Get to bed early tonight. We leave at dawn tomorrow. We're still a fair distance from the prefectural city."
With that, Song Tiecheng tossed the reins to a groom and headed upstairs with his black iron staff.
Yi Yang took no offense at his attitude. They were hardly close, after all, and according to the people at the Heaven Patrol Office, this was simply the Deputy Director's nature.
After checking in, Yi Yang escorted Jiang Yuexin to a room toward the back of the second floor. He checked the bolts on her door and windows, then patted her head. "Go to bed early. We still have traveling to do tomorrow. Grandpa will be right next door. Call me if anything happens."
"You too, Grandpa." Jiang Yuexin smiled at him after spreading out her bedding.
Yi Yang gave a quiet acknowledgment and looked around. Once he was certain everything was in order, he closed the door behind him and entered his own room next door.
Yi Yang did not light the lamp when he entered. He took off his outer robe, draped it over the back of a chair, and sat cross-legged on the hard wooden bed beside the window, closing his eyes to cultivate.
His qi sea circulated, and