Mingzhou

Wen Qingkong's expression darkened somewhat.

Even Holy Maiden Mu Yinyao felt an unusual trace of embarrassment when she saw it.

Wen Qingkong had entered the Holy Church on her recommendation and had worked with all his heart, yet in such a short time, he had been exposed because of a traitor. This was the Holy Church's responsibility.

"Listening Wind Tea House has been in Yujing City for a long time. No one knows exactly when he got involved with Ninth Prince Xia Dian."

"But no matter what, the Holy Church can no longer remain in Yujing City. Everyone must withdraw."

"You are no exception."

"I've arranged for you to go to Mingzhou. Once there, you can continue running a corpse seamstress house."

"I have some silver here, as compensation for you."

"Also, you practice the Thirteen Horizontal Training Golden Bell Shield. I think you have considerable talent for external hardening martial arts, so I obtained an external martial arts manual for you from the Holy Church."

"Pack up immediately and leave with me."

Mu Yinyao handed Wen Qingkong a stack of banknotes, each worth a hundred taels. There had to be more than ten thousand taels in all.

Aside from that, there was also an external martial arts manual titled "Nine Revolutions Golden Body Art."

Wen Qingkong accepted them, then rose and headed straight for the second floor, waking Li Lan'er and her daughter.

"Bring your clothes. We're leaving Yujing City for Mingzhou."

Li Lan'er was only stunned for a moment. Then she efficiently packed three or five sets of clothes, put away the money Wen Qingkong had given her, and followed him downstairs.

Warmth filled Wen Qingkong's heart. Li Lan'er had not asked what was happening, nor had she refused to leave.

This was absolute trust in him.

Upon reaching the first floor, Li Lan'er looked at Mu Yinyao in her white robes, unease faintly stirring in her heart.

Wen Qingkong turned back and gave Corpse Seamstress House Number Nine one last look. What a pity—he had only just finished digging the tunnel, and before he could use it, he had to flee with Mu Yinyao.

Sure enough, getting tangled up with that damned White Lotus Sect never led to anything good.

It didn't matter. Sooner or later, every debt would be repaid, one by one.

Once they had packed up, a carriage was already waiting outside.

The group of four boarded the carriage and headed straight for Yujing City's eastern gate.

It was already the hour of the dog. By rights, the city gates should have long been closed to all traffic, yet they passed out through the eastern gate without issue.

It seemed the White Lotus Sect's operations in Yujing City still counted for something.

After leaving the city, they turned northeast. Mingzhou lay in Great Xia's northeastern reaches, a full two thousand li from Yujing City!

After they had traveled a hundred li, Mu Yinyao spoke. "There shouldn't be any pursuers from the imperial court now. You can go on to Mingzhou. The residence there should already be prepared."

Because Li Lan'er was present, Mu Yinyao did not say much, but she clearly had no intention of accompanying Wen Qingkong to Mingzhou.

Wen Qingkong nodded.

Mu Yinyao stepped down from the carriage, turned, and sped away.

Wen Qingkong continued driving the carriage toward Mingzhou.

Two thousand li—even without stopping, the journey would take at least a month. But traveling was not done that way. People needed rest and food, and the horses needed rest as well. With all the miscellaneous delays, reaching Mingzhou in three months would already be considered good.

Still, fortunately, they had made it out.

A sharp whistle rang out.

Cawing cries sounded from the sky.

Little Nine led Little One through Little Eight down onto the carriage, accompanying Wen Qingkong on the journey to Mingzhou.

Wen Qingkong did not take Mu Yinyao's plan for him to continue running a corpse seamstress house to heart. At first, he had opened the morgue to earn silver. Later, whether it was the money Mu Yinyao gave him or that from the Xie Family, it was enough for them to live quite well.

From now on, martial arts would come first when sewing corpses.

He could no longer stay cooped up in the corpse seamstress house waiting around. He needed to go out and search. Among martial artists who fought and killed one another, those who died without an intact body were everywhere. He had to let them be buried whole, with every limb in place.

That was a great good deed of sacrificing oneself for others.

They traveled in silence, arriving at Mingzhou's provincial capital four months later.

Mingzhou governed over a hundred commanderies and counties. The residence the White Lotus Sect had arranged for Wen Qingkong stood within Mingzhou's provincial capital, its most prosperous area and the very heart of Mingzhou.

The reason they had arranged it in the provincial capital was ultimately to have Wen Qingkong put down roots there, making it convenient for him to provide intelligence and work for the White Lotus Sect in the future.

Mingzhou was situated in Great Xia's northeast, directly facing the Jurchen and Goryeo tribes. Things had been fine in earlier years, but in recent years, the Jurchen tribes had repeatedly invaded Mingzhou. Mingzhou lacked the strength to resist, suffering grievous losses.

Once they entered the provincial capital, Li Lan'er and her daughter lifted the curtains of the carriage window and were immediately drawn in by the bustling sight.

Though this was not Yujing City, it was hardly some barren place compared to Yujing City.

Li Lan'er had originally prepared herself to suffer hardships alongside Wen Qingkong. Now, she felt she had worried too much.

"Mother, look!"

Little Shuang'er pointed at the street performers and cried out.

Li Lan'er looked in the direction she pointed and saw a man walking the Big Dipper Seven-Star Steps. With a flick of his right hand, a rope shot straight into the heavens as dark clouds gathered, blocking the view.

Then, like an ape, he swiftly climbed the rope and soon disappeared deep into the dark clouds. Once his feet passed through them, the rope fell, the clouds dispersed, and the man had vanished without a trace.

"Mother!"

"How did he disappear?"

Little Shuang'er blinked her big eyes, brimming with curiosity.

Li Lan'er shook her head, equally amazed. How could a living person simply vanish?

"That is called the Immortal Rope, a conjuring trick on the verge of being lost."

Wen Qingkong's voice came from the driver's seat.

He found it hard to believe. What kind of world was this? Never mind the vast territory of the Great Xia Empire—he had thought this was another world, yet upon entering Mingzhou, he had seen the Immortal Rope, as well as Magician Lian Sheng, who was unmistakably identical to the one from films in his previous life.

That made him think of Dugu Qiubai, whom he had seen in Xie Qianyu's Life's Flashback. Perhaps that man was the Sword Demon Dugu Qiubai from his memories of his previous life.

Wen Qingkong suddenly realized that this world might not be a purely separate world after all.

Reining in his thoughts, Wen Qingkong was not alarmed but delighted. If it truly was as he suspected, if it had connections to his previous life, then beyond the system, he would gain foreknowledge of the plot as well—something that would be of even greater help in increasing his strength.

Following the address Mu Yinyao had given him, they found a residence.

This residence resembled the Corpse Seamstress House in Yujing City. A river lay behind it, an east-west road ran before it, and dead-end lanes flanked both sides. It stood alone, with no neighboring households.

Wen Qingkong got down from the carriage, took out the key, and opened the door.

There were two courtyards, one in front and one behind.

"It's so big."

Little Shuang'er's eyes widened, sparkling brightly. She had never lived in such a large house before.

Little Nine led the eight Harbinger Birds into the courtyard and chose the tallest ginkgo tree. This was far more comfortable than the Corpse Seamstress House in Yujing City.

Wen Qingkong led the carriage to the stable in the rear courtyard and placed fodder in the trough.

Only then did the group of three carefully inspect the residence.

There were three rooms in the front courtyard. Judging from the items that had been prepared, it had clearly been arranged according to Corpse Seamstress House Number Nine, evidently for Wen Qingkong's corpse-sewing work.

The rear courtyard was the living area, with three side rooms, a sitting room, a kitchen, stables, and more.

The residence had been cleaned spotlessly. It seemed Mu Yinyao truly felt somewhat guilty toward Wen Qingkong over the matter of Listening Wind Tea House, and had prepared everything with great care.