Lu Qiancha squeezed out of the narrow stone cave like a slippery fish. She did not dare linger for even a moment, quickly darting into the depths of a dark alley cluttered with discarded junk.
Spiritual power flowed through the wolf cub’s fingertips, and the Shen Ying Jue quietly deactivated. The form of the hunched old vendor rapidly faded, revealing Lu Qiancha’s original petite and exquisite body.
She skillfully used the Shen Ying Jue to hide her conspicuous furry ears and fluffy big tail, leaving only the appearance of a carved jade human little girl with eyes as clear as the blue sky.
She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart, then joined the bustling afternoon crowds of Wanghai City with small, steady steps.
Her appearance, as delicate as a porcelain doll, combined with a spiritual aura that felt out of place amidst the mundane marketplace, instantly attracted the gaze of countless passersby.
“Oh my, whose young lady is this? She looks so vibrant.”
“Looking at her, could she be the daughter of some high official who snuck out to play?”
Whispers and admiring glances came from all directions, her “turn-back rate” reaching a full 100%.
Lu Qiancha seemed completely oblivious as she skipped toward a steaming pancake stall by the roadside.
“Auntie—” She raised her small face, her voice crisp and sweet. “How much are these pancakes?”
Her real intent lay elsewhere. While she used the pancake purchase as a cover, her Ling Shi was deathly locked onto the dilapidated temple where the entrance to the Secret Realm was located.
“Oh, what a handsome little girl.”
The auntie at the stall beamed at the cute customer, enthusiastically introducing her wares.
“Four copper coins each. I’m not bragging, but these pancakes are made from a family recipe. The outside is so crispy it crumbles, and the inside is wrapped in a layer of sweet frosting. One bite, and it’s so delicious you might swallow your tongue.”
Lu Qiancha’s mind was entirely on the temple. She didn’t bother to argue and simply nodded obediently. “That sounds tasty. Give me five.”
As she spoke, she pulled a small cloth bag from her robes.
Inside were the six strings of monthly offerings she had just obtained from the Temple Overseer. She counted out twenty copper coins and placed them on the auntie’s wooden counter.
“Alright, little lady, just a moment. I’ll wrap them up for you,” the auntie replied happily, turning to retrieve the hot pancakes.
At that exact moment.
Lu Qiancha’s Ling Shi suddenly captured a commotion coming from the temple.
The dilapidated temple doors were violently smashed open, and more than a dozen figures surged out like ghosts. Their faces were grim, and they appeared to be incredibly furious.
They quickly fanned out across the street, their gazes like cold probes frantically scanning the passing crowd.
They were searching for the culprit who had torn the Temple Overseer’s skin and blasted a massive crater into their home base.
However, they were destined to never find Lu Qiancha; they could only hope to find the painted-skin vendor she had impersonated.
On the surface, Lu Qiancha was still eagerly waiting for her pancakes, even sticking out her tongue to lick her lips like a greedy cat.
But her heart felt as though it had fallen into an ice cellar, her anxiety growing with every passing second.
Under the coverage of her Ling Shi, a clear picture emerged: these pursuers were not searching blindly.
They precisely located other companions hidden in the crowd — perhaps a lazy man sunning himself by the road, or a waiter soliciting business at a restaurant entrance.
Through eye contact, subtle gestures, or seemingly idle chatter, the information to search for Old Zhang spread like a plague.
The speed of the information transfer was staggering.
In less than the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, at least half of the “pedestrians” in the entire fang market had received orders, and their movement patterns quietly shifted. Their gazes grew sharp, inconspicuously patrolling the crowd.
The glamorous lady leaning against a carved railing, waving a fan and smiling elegantly, scanned the crowd with a scrutinizing look.
The old beggar huddled in an alley corner, dressed in rags and seemingly on his last breath, had a sharp glint flash through his murky eyes.
Even the several Yamen Guards and Constables patrolling the street with sabers at their waists and righteous expressions adjusted their direction, their eyes sweeping over every suspicious figure.
Furthermore, professions prone to causing accidental deaths were even more heavily infested.
Inside a medical hall, an old Imperial Physician taking a patient’s pulse seemed to pause his fingertips slightly.
In the shadows of a street corner, several thugs with stalks of grass in their mouths exchanged knowing glances.
This was no bustling city inhabited by the human clan; this was clearly a demon den hollowed out by monsters.
‘Tsk, tsk, tsk…’ Canxin’s voice echoed in Lu Qiancha’s Sea of Consciousness.
‘This city is truly becoming more and more interesting. From what I see, even that noble lady in the luxurious carriage surrounded by servants has no blood or bone under her skin.’
‘She seems to be a painted-skin demon as well.’
She paused for a moment, her voice carrying a hint of temptation.
‘Little one, didn’t you keep talking about exorcising demons and defending the Dao to cleanse the world? Isn’t this a god-given opportunity right before your eyes?’
‘Why not go all out? Take me up and slaughter every single one of these skin-wearing monsters in this city.’
‘Once you devour these thousands of filthy souls, the spiritual power you gain will be so vast it’s unimaginable. It would be enough for us to ascend to the heavens in a single step.’
‘Ascend? Dying is more like it.’
Lu Qiancha took the pancakes and then rolled her eyes at her internally.
At this moment, the best choice was to discuss a plan with her respected mother and Gantang. Ideally, they should contact the heavenly immortal elder sent on this mission to crush the demon den in one go.
Fighting alone was merely a method; ganging up on the enemy was true justice.
On the way back to the residence, Lu Qiancha happened to see the painted-skin vendor who was still selling date cakes being dragged away while shouting about his innocence.
Lu Qiancha felt no guilt regarding this. To be able to wear this human skin and walk under the sun, which painted-skin demon didn’t have the blood of innocents on their hands?
Which one didn’t rely on eating flesh and devouring souls to keep their skin fresh? This was merely the cycle of Karma; retribution had finally arrived.
They got what they deserved.
She didn’t look back, walking through the streets and alleys as usual. She soon returned to the secluded residence provided by Xiang Hai.
She pushed the door open and entered; the courtyard was quiet. Shangguan Yunzhu and Gantang had not yet returned, as their investigation mission was still ongoing.
Only Xun Xue and Ling Wanbai were at the stone table in the courtyard. In front of Xun Xue sat several bulging, exquisite silk bags and wooden boxes, clearly a mountain of items from a recent shopping trip.
“Mother.”
The moment she saw Xun Xue, the tension Lu Qiancha had carried all the way back suddenly snapped.
Her forced composure and calculations vanished instantly, replaced by a sense of true self and dependence that flooded her body like a warm current.
Without hesitation, she deactivated the Shen Ying Jue. Her petite figure instantly returned to its original form, a pair of furry blue ears popping up from her hair, and her fluffy big tail wagging joyfully.
“You’re back?”
Xun Xue pulled the wolf cub into her arms with one hand and asked softly, “How did the mission go?”
“It went very smoothly.”
Lu Qiancha looked up, her voice light as she spoke. “I found the monsters’ nest. Once we gather for an assault, we can wipe those creatures out in one go.”