In the small hours, the torrential rains that had lasted for months quietly ceased, and starlight and moonlight once more spilled over Misty-Wave City.
A thousand sails gathered at the harbor outside the city. The Northern Darkness Sect's ferry lay moored among them, with a few white-clad Gu Masters patrolling its deck. A canopy had also been erected onshore, where an extra-large Little Silverfish was roasting.
The Boat Tower was brightly lit, and several figures could be seen moving behind its windows.
Worried that Misty-Wave City would resort to dirty tricks rather than accept defeat, Empress Dowager Guo stood on the top-floor terrace, watching for movement in every direction. Coal Ball perched on her shoulder, nodding and bobbing while gazing at the barbecue stall below.
A faint medicinal scent filled the room. Xie Jinhuan had removed his chest armor and weapons and was lying in Sister Guo's bathing tub. The fighting had all but burned him out. Even his chest armor, forged from Immortal Artifact fragments, had been battered apart; the state of his body could well be imagined.
Although he had used Blood Qi to heal his injuries, the immense expenditure had left him so weak that even lifting his eyes was a struggle. On top of that, he had taken the "Righteous Path Turns Wicked Pill" and "Iron Dao Heart," and now his head was filled with nothing but the urge to hurry up and enjoy himself. The room next door was rather livelier.
Bu Yuehua was tending to various medical instruments beside the table, which also held the spoils of their journey. Nangong Ye stood nearby inspecting them.
Ye Yunchi had taken on three opponents midway through the fight and suffered a flying-sword cut along her ribs. Protected by her Sword Gang, however, she was not badly