Seeing Yun Qingxue’s puzzled expression, Hua Yin explained, “The human race’s State Preceptor, Daoist Chen Qing, secluded himself in meditation half a month ago and divined that a calamitous demon would soon emerge. The Profound Spirit Continent would descend into chaos, with countless lives lost in the turmoil.
He reported this to the human emperor, Murong Cheng. Murong Cheng immediately issued an imperial decree to all human cultivation sects, prompting each to dispatch their most outstanding disciples to assist the State Preceptor in locating the demon.
Because of this prophecy, the human cultivators have nearly lost their minds.
Previously, non-humans who entered human territory would not be troubled by cultivators as long as they caused no trouble. But now, those cultivators capture any spirit, demon, or monster they encounter—regardless of whether they are good or evil.
The three from the earlier fight used magical power. If there were any high-level human cultivators nearby, they would have sensed it and come to investigate.”
Hearing this, Yun Qingxue recalled the conversation she had overheard during the day while eating downstairs—the discussion between Scholar Zhao and Niu Erbiao’s group.
In this life, she was no longer an ordinary human. No matter the race, there was always some degree of hostility toward outsiders. And now, with State Preceptor Chen Qing’s ominous prophecy, the humans’ intense xenophobia was understandable.
“Alright, let’s leave now!”
Yun Qingxue nodded in agreement with Hua Yin’s suggestion. However, it was the middle of the night, and leaving through the inn’s main entrance was out of the question. She had only just begun learning magic and had no grasp of techniques like wall-penetration. So, she turned her gaze to the window in her room.
The only option now was to find a way to slip out silently through the window.
“Hua Yin.” She turned to the wooden-faced Hua Yin and gave him an ingratiating smile.
Hua Yin frowned slightly. “What?”
“Can you get me out of here without anyone noticing? Ow!”
Before Yun Qingxue could finish speaking, she felt a strong grip seize her arm.
Then, before she could react, the force lifted her into the air. With her feet leaving the ground, Yun Qingxue let out a startled cry. The person holding her clearly had no concept of being gentle.
Hua Yin didn’t seem to realize that abruptly taking flight without warning might frighten a girl. Instead, he shot her a reproachful glance, annoyed that she had made noise during their escape. If someone heard, it could bring trouble.
He wasn’t afraid of the human cultivators, but dragging along someone like Yun Qingxue—who couldn’t even use magic—would make protecting her a hassle if they were discovered.
Fortunately, Yun Qingxue had strong nerves. Aside from the initial shock of Hua Yin’s sudden action, she found the sensation of flying quite pleasant.
The climate here was warm, and the night breeze against her face carried a gentle, spring-like comfort.
Below, classical architecture stretched out—small bridges, homes, and ancient alleys. At this late hour, most households had extinguished their lights, leaving only a few lanterns glowing outside doors.
Without the neon glare of modern society, the stars in the sky shone much brighter.
After flying a distance from the inn, Yun Qingxue looked back. The building had already blurred into the darkness.
Far behind, she spotted tiny dots in the sky rapidly approaching the inn—likely cultivators drawn by the earlier commotion in her room.
It seemed Hua Yin was right. The humans, spurred by State Preceptor Chen Qing’s prophecy, were now on high alert.
Yun Qingxue couldn’t help but feel troubled. Her journey southeast to Mount Chuxia required traversing much of the human domain. No doubt, there would be many patrolling cultivators along the way.
From now on, she would have to be even more cautious—avoiding both the pursuers sent by Tongyun Sect and the human cultivators.
It seemed the path to apprenticeship would be even more arduous…
Hua Yin flew with Yun Qingxue all the way to the eastern gate of Shanggu Town.
In ancient times, city gates would close at night and only reopen at dawn under the watch of specialized guards.
In this mystical world, not only did the gates close at night, but a protective barrier also activated simultaneously.
Hua Yin didn’t attempt to breach the barrier by force—doing so would immediately alert the cultivators. Since dawn was only a few hours away, they could wait and slip out then.
But they couldn’t just stand around in the streets until morning.
Hua Yin pulled Yun Qingxue into the courtyard of a house near the gate.
Yun Qingxue glanced around uneasily, suddenly feeling like a thief.
Hua Yin, however, paid no mind. With a wave of his hand toward the house, he did something Yun Qingxue couldn’t quite see before leading her inside—not stealthily, but boldly and uninvited.
“This doesn’t feel right…” Yun Qingxue finally murmured weakly.
Hua Yin turned to her, his dark eyes filled with confusion. “What’s wrong?”
“Entering without permission—by human standards, this counts as burglary!” she tried to explain.
Hua Yin’s frown deepened.
“Burglary?”
He scanned the house, then said matter-of-factly, “But there’s nothing here worth stealing.”
His response left Yun Qingxue torn between laughter and exasperation. Did that mean if he *did* find something valuable, he’d actually commit theft?!
“Fine.”
Seeing no point in arguing, Yun Qingxue gave up and settled into a chair in the outer room.
Hua Yin sat cross-legged on the floor, his dark eyes fixed on her.
“I’ve cast a spell to deepen the family’s sleep. Rest for a while. We’ll leave at dawn.”
“Alright.” Yun Qingxue replied, closing her eyes to rest.
Just as she was drifting off, a sudden scream pierced the night.
The sound was sharp and clear in the silent darkness, echoing far into the distance.
Yun Qingxue and Hua Yin both snapped their eyes open, locking gazes. Hua Yin cursed under his breath. “Damn it!”
“Let’s check it out.” Yun Qingxue stood, following Hua Yin toward the source of the sound.
Next to the house they had “borrowed,” the same stench of blood hung in the air. The scream had come from within.
PS: Thank you all for the recommendation votes for *The Flower King’s Decree*! Mwah! (◕‿◕✿)
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