The next day, dawn was just breaking.
The carriage stood on Old Street outside the inn. Coal Ball perched on its roof, looking around for the black-clad heroine hiding who knew where.
Wearing a bamboo hat and disguised as a wandering martial artist, Xie Jinhuan had wrapped both his weapons in black cloth. After waiting briefly outside the second-floor room, he saw Sister Bu emerge in a dark blue dress and veiled hat.
Bu Yuehua was physically unharmed, but the shock to her Divine Soul had left her listless and drowsy, with a slight unsteadiness to her steps. After following Xie Jinhuan downstairs, she glanced at the quiet, deserted Old Street.
"No need to wait for her. She'll follow us herself."
To save time on their journey here, the three of them had raced along without paying much attention to concealing their movements, only to encounter three waves of formidable enemies in Fire Phoenix Valley.
They did not know whether their whereabouts had leaked along the way, but now that they were returning laden with spoils, they certainly did not dare fly back in plain sight.
Xie Jinhuan took his seat outside the carriage and had Ghost Wife search for her trail. It turned out that Big Ice Lump, too ashamed to show her face, was hiding in a restaurant on the same street, secretly watching them without coming out.
A Daoist fairy had pinned a junior down and ground against him, only to be caught in the act by her sworn enemy. After such utter social ruin, anyone would have shut themselves away for days.
Seeing this, Xie Jinhuan could only pretend not to notice. He gently urged the carriage northward and, after a little thought, asked:
"Where are you planning to go next, Senior Sister Hua?"
As the