A brazier burned in the inn room, but the atmosphere inside was colder than the wind and snow outside.
When Yi Yang pushed the door open, he found Wei Xinyuan and the female disciple of the Nine Rivers Sect sitting cross-legged on the bed, tending to their injuries. Both were as pale as paper.
At the sight of Yi Yang, both stiffened. Then, disregarding their injuries, they struggled off the bed and respectfully cupped their hands in greeting.
"This junior is Wei Xinyuan."
"This junior is Wang Guci."
"We pay our respects, Senior."
Their voices were weak from their unhealed injuries, but their manner was utterly deferential. In their eyes, this ordinary-looking middle-aged man with his deep, steady aura was a powerful expert of the Profound Connection Realm.
The faint pressure emanating from Yi Yang robbed them of even the courage to look directly at him. He said nothing after entering, merely walked over to the table, sat down, and poured himself a cup of hot tea.
He was still wearing that unremarkable disguise of a man in his early forties. Naturally, he would not use his real name either.
"Sit." Yi Yang lifted his cup and blew at the nonexistent dust on its surface. "My surname is Li. I work for the Heaven Patrol Office."
He concealed his true identity and official rank. In a place like this, it never hurt to keep his guard up.
Wei Xinyuan and Wang Guci exchanged a glance. Not daring to ask anything else, they cautiously took the chairs farthest from the table, perching on the edges.
"Senior..."
Wei Xinyuan's lips moved. He seemed to want to ask something, but did not know where to begin. After Shen Biluo took control of him the previous night, he had lost consciousness completely and knew