Yun Huanling swirled the teacup in his hand.
"Then, after these cultivators enter the city, can they still leave?"
The old man froze, clearly not expecting Yun Huanling to ask so bluntly, but he still nodded. "Of course they can."
Su Jiu's eyes darkened, but she soon worked out what was going on.
"No wonder they treat them so courteously..."
Yun Huanling turned his gaze toward Su Jiu, seemingly waiting for an explanation.
"Put simply, for some reason, the Night-Gathering Sect needs these cultivators, but lacks the strength to make them stay. So they can only keep offering benefits to persuade them to remain for as long as possible. That's what you call courteous treatment."
Yun Huanling chuckled. "Sounds like they're buying people's loyalty."
"But if they want something from these cultivators, wouldn't it be better to state their price openly?"
Su Jiu gave Yun Huanling a mild glance. "Exactly. That's why we need to find out why they're putting on this whole performance instead of naming a price and stating what they want."
Yun Huanling's eyes brightened slightly. "Shall we go to Peace City?"
Su Jiu shook her head. "I'll report this to the Enforcement Hall. We have other things to do, so stop looking for trouble." As she spoke, a trace of sadness passed through her eyes.
A Huan and A Ling really were completely different. When she was with A Ling, he wished he could stay as far from these troubles as possible, yet A Huan always wanted to draw closer, his interest piqued.
Were they really the same person?
Seeing Su Jiu drift into a daze again, A Huan knew she was thinking of that other man once more. The resentment in his eyes deepened.
Suddenly, Su Jiu felt a weight on her shoulder. Then Yun