Chapter 48: The Localization Spell

Moments later, Qian Ye and Ji Tianqing left Nanqing City, heading north. Whenever Ji Tianqing made up her mind to do something, Qian Ye knew he couldn’t stop her. Originally, she was supposed to intimidate the mercenaries in the city and oversee their reorganization. Such an important task, but she just dropped it.

Qian Ye subtly protested, after all, Anhuo was considered the first cornerstone of his and Song Zining’s new realm. However, Ji Tianqing had her reasons: to free up a few days, allowing those with wavering loyalties to show their true colors. When Miss Tianqing returned from her vacation, she would sweep them all away, eliminating them utterly.

Ji Tianqing spoke with such arrogance that it seemed somewhat reasonable. But the word “vacation” inadvertently revealed her true intentions.

A few days later, the two arrived outside Tīngcháo City, the nominal largest city of humanity and the place where Zhang Buzhou rose to power. Tīngcháo City was only about ten kilometers from the East Sea, built against the mountains, with city gates towering dozens of meters high, giving it an imposing presence.

Standing side by side at the gate, Qian Ye reminded her one last time, “I heard the city lord is a divine general; we must be careful.”

Ji Tianqing impatiently urged, “Who doesn’t have a way to deal with a divine general? Let’s go in!”

Tīngcháo City differed from Guānlán City. This city was a distance from the East Sea, with the coastal area covered in smooth, weathered reefs. The region was desolate, devoid of even a small town or fishing village, and no human could be seen on the shore.

The terrain near Tīngcháo City was different, with the sea floor dropping sharply just a dozen meters from the shore, forming a steep underwater cliff. Even gigantic sea beasts, larger than floating warships, could sneak close to the shore undetected.

Those brave enough to wander near the coast were long ago devoured by sea monsters.

While the coast was a dangerous place, the mountain where Tīngcháo City sat was a cultivation holy ground. Here, the earth’s veins converged, and it was said that several major mineral deposits lay deep within the mountain. These deposits interacted with the void origin power, making the mountain’s origin power rich yet gentle, an ideal place for cultivators.

When Zhang Buzhou was young, he too secluded himself here. After he became a divine general and gained fame, this place became renowned. More and more cultivators gathered here, making Tīngcháo City increasingly prosperous, with a hint of becoming the largest city on the East Coast.

Today, Zhang Buzhou no longer needed this environment. He left the East Sea to cultivate in seclusion, his whereabouts unknown, but left one of his former attendants, Luo Bingfeng, as the city lord.

Luo Bingfeng, the city lord, had not acted in many years. Thirty years ago, he had become a divine general, and since then, he had been in seclusion in Zhang Buzhou’s old cave, his cultivation level unknown. Some speculated that Luo Bingfeng might have caught up to Zhang Buzhou and was now aiming for the Heavenly King realm.

Although few believed this, it was widely acknowledged that Luo Bingfeng was a formidable and unpredictable force. This was one reason why the Wolf King, despite his rebellious nature, had been cautiously testing the limits of humanity without going too far.

Qian Ye’s target was Luo Bingfeng’s weapon workshop, so discretion was crucial. If their tracks were discovered, even if Luo Bingfeng was not present, it would be unwise to provoke such a powerful enemy.

The batch of weapons they sought was likely crafted by Cui Yuanhai. Qian Ye’s plan was to use his bloodline abilities to infiltrate the workshop, find the old man, and take him away. But seeing Miss Tianqing’s eagerness, she probably planned to fight in Tīngcháo City and perhaps confront the mysterious Luo Bingfeng.

Qian Ye inwardly sighed, hoping she wouldn’t go overboard. If she did provoke Luo Bingfeng, he hoped she had the means to handle it.

Tīngcháo City was vast, with people streaming through its gates.

Qian Ye and Ji Tianqing easily entered the city. Once inside, Ji Tianqing grabbed a passerby and asked, “Where is the best inn in the city?”

The passerby perked up and said, “There are many inns, but the best is definitely ‘Yúnshēng Inn.’ It’s no small matter, for Zhang Buzhou once resided there, and his courtyard remains unchanged…”

Before the passerby could continue, Ji Tianqing waved him off and dragged Qian Ye away. The man tried to catch up, shouting, “Miss, miss! My name is Zhou, and… Miss?!”

Ji Tianqing was already gone, leaving the man fuming, “What’s so good about that brat? I have a house in this city!”

Their anger was left behind as Ji Tianqing pulled Qian Ye through the streets.

After running for a while, Qian Ye stopped, and Ji Tianqing, still holding his hand, had to stop too.

“Where are we going?”

Ji Tianqing blinked, “Yúnshēng Inn, of course!”

“Do you know where it is?”

“That man just told us, didn’t he?”

“He only said there was one, not where it is!”

“Really?”

“Yes!” Qian Ye didn’t give her a chance to argue.

Ji Tianqing sighed, “Fine, let’s walk around the city until we find it.”

Qian Ye realized she had been running aimlessly.

He raised his hands, unsure how to express his feelings, and finally said, “Tianqing, I’m here to rescue someone.”

“I know, but to rescue someone, don’t we need to know the city layout?”

“We do, but…”

Seeing Ji Tianqing’s guilty look, Qian Ye couldn’t scold her. He sighed, “Once we reach the inn, go out and familiarize yourself. I’ll scout the weapon workshop’s location and defenses.”

Ji Tianqing’s mood dipped, “Let’s skip the fun and get to work.”

Puzzled, Qian Ye noted that Ji Tianqing was always unpredictable.

Yúnshēng Inn was indeed the best in Tīngcháo City. They quickly found it and checked in. The inn was modeled after an imperial family’s mansion, each brick and tile meticulously placed. In Qian Ye’s eyes, it captured the essence of a noble residence, a rare feat in neutral territories.

Ji Tianqing was satisfied and requested a quiet courtyard, where they settled in. The courtyard was pristine, with an origin power array to regulate the climate, allowing a few bamboo shoots to grow in the courtyard. The room was also well-furnished, with exquisite vases on display.

Such surroundings pleased Miss Tianqing, who nodded, “This will do.”

Qian Ye, used to the wilderness, wasn’t particular about accommodations. After settling in, he left to gather information on the weapon workshop’s location.

In Tīngcháo City, Luo Bingfeng’s workshop occupied an entire block. Finding it wasn’t hard, but the security was tight. It was adjacent to the city guard’s camp, with watchtowers at each corner and constant patrols.

Surface-level security was one thing, but Qian Ye knew there were strong forces inside, possibly more than one.

The problem was, Qian Ye was unfamiliar with Tīngcháo City and lacked connections, so he didn’t know the workshop’s internal layout. If Cui Yuanhai was inside, where exactly was he, and what were his daily routines? These key questions remained unanswered.

Qian Ye mingled with the crowd, circled the workshop, and got a rough sense of its structure before returning to the inn.

“Found it?” Ji Tianqing asked.

Qian Ye nodded, “But I don’t know where the old man is. It’s huge, and I can’t ask anyone.”

“Are you sure he’s there?”

“Definitely. There’s a high-level array, so I can’t pinpoint his exact location.”

Ji Tianqing smiled meaningfully, “If you find the old man, will you snatch him and run?”

“Uh…” Qian Ye was at a loss.

It was a logical plan, given Qian Ye’s combat prowess. He could strike at the right moment, rescue Cui Yuanhai, and flee. He’d secure Cui Yuanhai in a safe place or return to Nanqing City. Ji Tianqing would know if something big happened and could return on her own.

Yet, under her gaze, Qian Ye felt a twinge of guilt, as if he’d wronged her.

“Never mind, no need to answer,” Ji Tianqing unexpectedly let him off.

She packed their few belongings, and with a wave, the backpack vanished. Qian Ye was unsurprised; she had spatial equipment.

“Since we know he’s there, let’s raid tonight,” Ji Tianqing declared.

“But how do we find his exact location?” Qian Ye frowned, not believing Ji Tianqing was better at sensing than him.

“I have my ways,” she insisted, refusing to elaborate.

As night fell, Qian Ye and Ji Tianqing approached the workshop, leaped in, and perched atop a watchtower, surveying the scene below. But evading the guards wasn’t enough; Qian Ye’s senses were still chaotic, unable to locate Cui Yuanhai.

Inside, the workshop was brightly lit, with busy artisans everywhere.

Ji Tianqing suddenly rose into the air, shouting, “Cui Yuanhai, come out! We’re here to save you!”