Chapter 60: Night Exploration

It was late at night, quiet and serene, with the moon hidden behind the clouds, and only the wind making noise.

In a street on the east side of Linjiang City, adjacent to the City Lord’s mansion, all the doors and windows were tightly shut within the territory of a secondary small family. It was very quiet, with only the occasional chirping of crickets and other insects.

At this moment, however, two faint footsteps, almost imperceptible, could be heard. It was a young couple.

They were Lin Cui and Li Tan, who had just slipped out of the Lin family.

“This is the place.”

Lin Cui suddenly stopped, pointing at a tall two-story wooden building as she spoke softly.

Li Tan looked up. This was the Quanjude Inn mentioned by the drunkard. It had only been open for about a year, and its business had never been good, yet it strangely never went bankrupt, as if funded by some big shot.

“Find a way in.”

Li Tan simply announced the next plan. But as soon as he finished speaking, Lin Cui strode directly toward the main entrance. His face darkened, and he quickly grabbed her sleeve.

“What are you doing?”

“Isn’t this entering?”

Lin Cui looked puzzled. Li Tan twitched his lips, speechless.

“Have you ever seen anyone sneaking in through the main entrance? Are you expecting someone to greet you with a cup of tea?”

Lin Cui was stunned, her cheeks suddenly heating up. She turned her head away, flustered.

“Who said I was going through the main entrance? I was going to climb through a side window, okay?”

“Do you think climbing through a window is any different from using the main entrance?”

Li Tan looked at her like she was an idiot. She blushed, feeling embarrassed and rooted to the spot.

So inexperienced.

Li Tan sighed inwardly with a sense of helplessness. Suddenly, he grabbed her wrist.

“What are you doing?”

Lin Cui’s body trembled slightly, her heart racing.

“Hold on tight, we’re going up.”

“Huh?”

Before Lin Cui could understand what Li Tan meant, she suddenly felt herself become weightless, lifted off the ground. Her long black hair scattered in the air as they soared.

Before she could react, she was already lightly standing on the rooftop of the inn.

“You—” Lin Cui opened her red lips in shock, her expression full of astonishment.

Wasn’t Li Tan unable to cultivate? How had he just done that?

A single jump that easily landed him on the roof—surely he must have at least the cultivation level of the middle stage of the Foundation Building realm?

Could it be that he had been hiding his true strength all along? Why would he do that?

These thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant. Li Tan noticed Lin Cui’s shock but didn’t care too much. After all, he had never intended to hide it deliberately; such things would eventually come to light anyway.

“Walk lightly when we move, don’t make any noise.”

He simply said, taking the first step forward. Lin Cui snapped out of her thoughts, deciding to question him thoroughly later. For now, their priority was Xiaoxue. She muttered, “Are you implying I’m fat?” and cautiously followed behind. Unlike Li Tan’s calm and composed demeanor, she moved with visible restraint.

Inside an empty room on the second floor of the inn, Li Tan stood beside the bed while Lin Cui dropped down from above. Looking up, she could see a large section of the roof tiles had been removed, allowing silver moonlight to pour in like a waterfall.

“What now? Should we search this floor?”

As soon as Lin Cui landed, she instinctively moved closer to Li Tan, glancing around with a puzzled expression. The room looked ordinary enough, yet it exuded a strange, oppressive atmosphere.

“No need. Go straight to the first floor.”

Li Tan answered decisively and confidently, without even using his spiritual sense.

“So hasty? What if Xiaoxue is upstairs?”

Lin Cui immediately objected, raising her voice by an octave and leaning forward slightly to express her displeasure.

Li Tan, unfazed, sat down on the edge of the bed nearby.

“If that’s the case, then go check for yourself.”

“But what if those people find me—”

“Rest assured, only guests stay on the second floor. Xiaoxue definitely won’t be here. Don’t waste your energy pointlessly. Lin Ge must have sent Xiaoxue here for a reason. The innkeeper or others wouldn’t place her in such a bustling place.”

“How can you be so sure? What if she is here?”

“That’s why I said—if you don’t believe me, go check yourself.”

Lin Cui hesitated for a moment but then stubbornly moved out.

Li Tan watched her retreating figure, his expression slightly helpless. Lin Cui had been pampered since childhood, and her spoiled temperament was too strong. If it weren’t for her long-term, persistent cultivation efforts that had accumulated a solid foundation, allowing her to quickly break through to the peak of the Foundation Building realm, he would never have allowed her to act recklessly.

But now, it didn’t matter anymore.

“Find her yet?”

Li Tan had somehow found teacups and tea leaves and was leisurely sipping tea. His behavior, so calm and relaxed in such a serious and dangerous moment, was almost infuriating.

“No.” Lin Cui stood at the doorway, awkwardly tilting her head. After a short pause, she stubbornly added, “But don’t get too smug. At least I was cautious, right?”

Li Tan gave her a scornful look, half mocking.

“Doing something you know is impossible and calling it caution? That’s not caution, that’s stupidity.”

“But what if—”

“Where did that ‘what if’ come from? What if the sky collapses later? Are you going to hide somewhere in advance?”

Li Tan firmly criticized.

In truth, this was also for Lin Cui’s own good. The real Jiuzhou Continent was nothing like playing house in the Lin family mansion; opponents would not give her any room for error.

“But—” Lin Cui’s voice lowered, seemingly out of guilt. Her hands twisted in front of her abdomen, her head bowed so her expression couldn’t be seen.

Li Tan was about to say there were no buts when he suddenly heard quiet sobbing. He sighed helplessly and changed his tone.

“Xiaoxue’s disappearance isn’t your fault. There’s no need to blame yourself.”

Lin Cui’s hands trembled from the tension.

“How can it not be my fault? If I hadn’t sent her—” “Your intention was to protect her, right?”

“Although that’s true, but—” “What more buts? If you truly care about her, pull yourself together. When will crying and whining save her?”

Lin Cui turned her head away stubbornly, angry.

“What gives you the right to lecture me? Hmph, stop acting so self-important.”

But her body betrayed her words, and as soon as she finished speaking, she headed downstairs.

With a “Hmph,” Li Tan finished his tea in one gulp and stood up to follow.

With a disdainful “Hmph,” Li Tan downed the tea in his cup in one gulp and stood up to chase after them.