After successfully digesting the Copper Sinews and Iron Bones, Yu Lie's vitality and blood energy suddenly hit a bottleneck.
Unless he could break through to the Upper-Level Dao Child and surpass the limitations of his physical body, he wouldn't be able to continue increasing his vitality.
However, what frustrated him was that ever since he caught that Black Snake Fish King, Yu Lie had been visiting the Black River every few days, hoping to catch another fish king.
But after seven days, the nearby Black Snake Fish population had noticeably decreased due to his overfishing, yet he still hadn't encountered a second fish king.
Even when he used some of the remaining fish king's flesh as bait, it didn't attract another.
It wasn't until Yu Lie had a casual conversation with Old Hu and others that he learned the reason.
The Black Snake Fish King earned its title not just because of its size and age, but also because there would never be a second fish king in the same area.
Once a Black Snake Fish grows to a certain size in a stretch of the river, it would inevitably be targeted and devoured by the existing fish king.
This situation was akin to "one mountain cannot accommodate two tigers," and not even a male and female pair could coexist, as Black Snake Fish are hermaphroditic.
This trait also seemed to help control their population in the Black River, preventing ecological imbalance.
As for how long a stretch of river could support a fish king, Yu Lie asked around and got varying answers—some said a hundred miles, others fifty, and some even thirty.
Regardless, Yu Lie realized that within the boundaries of Blackwater Town, there wouldn't be a second fish king anytime soon.
If he wanted to hunt for more fish kings, he would have to leave the town and explore other parts of the Black River.
This realization left Yu Lie feeling somewhat conflicted.
He sighed softly, "It seems I'll have to break through to the Upper-Level Dao Child outside the town."
However, this also gave him a clear and specific goal for his upcoming journey outside the town.
In the following days, Yu Lie busied himself with refining various elixirs, such as using fish king eggs to create higher-quality Blood-Strengthening Pills.
He also frequently visited the first and second floors of the library to study martial arts techniques.
After all, even last-minute preparation could be useful.
He was doing everything he could to prepare for the upcoming expedition.
As time passed, news of the grand military muster spread like wildfire in Blackwater Town.
The Poison-Extracting Dao Children under Yu Lie's command grew increasingly anxious.
Some would occasionally visit Yu Lie, hoping to gain his favor and protection once they left the town.
Yu Lie observed all this but continued to focus on his own preparations.
Meanwhile, the prices of goods in the town skyrocketed.
Even before the final ten days, the prices of talismans, weapons, and elixirs had reached record highs, effectively excluding the poorer Dao Children from participating.
Those involved in related industries made a fortune, while businesses like teahouses and restaurants saw a sharp decline in customers and had to slash prices.
The only exception Yu Lie noticed was his female landlord.
Her business was booming, with her establishment staying open all night, the red lanterns at her door growing brighter.
Every morning when Yu Lie left, he would see her bidding farewell to her patrons.
She no longer teased Yu Lie, likely because her business was so good that she didn't need his patronage.
One day, while Yu Lie was busy refining elixirs in the quiet room of the Poison Extraction Hall, he heard a disturbance outside.
This made him frown slightly.
Although he no longer strictly forbade interruptions, unless something serious happened, his subordinates like Radish Head wouldn't disturb him.
A small bell hung by the stone door of the quiet room jingled slightly, stopping after three breaths.
Seeing that the bell had stopped, Yu Lie returned to his work.
Only after half an hour did he finally stand up, wash his hands, and open the stone door.
Radish Head, as usual, was sitting on a stool outside, waiting.
Upon hearing the door open, he immediately stood up.
Yu Lie wiped his hands and asked directly, "No need for formalities. What's happened in the hall?"
"Boss!" Radish Head called respectfully, then scratched his head, unsure how to phrase it.
"This time, it's not something in the hall. Someone's come looking for you."
Yu Lie was slightly taken aback.
"Looking for me?"
He instinctively suspected that it might be Elder Fang or Hall Master She summoning him.
But Radish Head stepped closer and whispered, "It's the landlady, the one who collects rent at the tenement. Boss, do you remember her?"
Yu Lie's expression turned odd.
"What does she want with me?"
Radish Head replied, "She says Little Qiao is missing and wants your help to find him."
Hearing this, Yu Lie frowned.
Before he could speak, Radish Head added, "I also asked around. It seems he really is missing, and it's been several days. The landlady said he disappeared in the Alchemy Hall. Maybe that's why she came to you specifically."
Yu Lie frowned, considering whether to have Radish Head bring the landlady over to get more details.
If it were true, he could ask around in the Alchemy Hall and among his subordinates.
It would be a simple favor.
Besides, while the landlady was domineering and sharp-tongued, Little Qiao was innocent.
The boy was introverted and had lost his father at a young age, making him a pitiful child.
But just as he was about to speak, Yu Lie hesitated.
After a moment of contemplation, he simply waved his hand at Radish Head and said, "Go and send her away. I still have elixirs to refine."
With that, Yu Lie turned and re-entered the quiet room without looking back.
Hearing this response, Radish Head wanted to say more but only sighed softly before heading to the entrance to dismiss the landlady.
Back in the quiet room, Yu Lie's frown deepened.
He paced back and forth several times but ultimately didn't call Radish Head back.
He sealed the stone door, then suddenly grabbed his drowsy myna bird.
The two of them pricked their palms, pressed them together, and Yu Lie whispered something into the bird's ear before releasing it through a secret passage in the quiet room.
Watching the myna fly away, Yu Lie sighed softly.
It wasn't that he didn't want to help the landlady find Little Qiao.
Rather, he suddenly realized that cases of missing children were extremely rare in the town, especially within the Alchemy Hall.
Moreover, the landlady and Little Qiao were natives of Blackwater Town.
Though they were just ordinary folk—a woman and a child—their status in the town was higher than that of newly arrived Dao Children, equivalent to Lower-Level Dao Children.
For example, the house Yu Lie and others had rented belonged to the landlady and Little Qiao, making it their private property.
The landlady's late husband had apparently been a Dao Child in the town, and he must have been a significant figure, likely of Middle-Level or higher, to have secured such assets for his widow and child.
If such a child went missing, the town's authorities would naturally take it seriously.
Even if the authorities didn't, the landlady could have sought help from her late husband's connections.
There was no reason for her to come to Yu Lie, an old tenant with whom she had a strained relationship.
Yu Lie narrowed his eyes.
"Unless she's already sought help from both and still hasn't found Little Qiao..."
In that case, even if he stepped in, it likely wouldn't make a difference.
More importantly, Yu Lie suspected that this matter wasn't as simple as it seemed.
Although Blackwater Town was harsh and oppressive, with several lives lost daily in the Alchemy Hall alone, the town's management was exceptionally strict.
As long as people followed the rules and didn't leave safe areas at night, cases of unexplained deaths or disappearances were extremely rare, happening perhaps once a year.
Therefore, out of caution, Yu Lie decided it was best not to meet the landlady just yet.
He sent out the myna bird to keep an eye on her, just in case something was amiss, and to search the areas outside the major halls and courtyards.
As a bird, the myna could fly and observe from above, making it far more adept at searching than an ordinary Dao Child.
If nothing seemed suspicious with the landlady or if Little Qiao was found directly, Yu Lie could always meet her later.
Having thought this through, Yu Lie calmed his mind, sighed softly, and immersed himself back in his elixir refining.
...
Outside the Poison Extraction Hall, the landlady's tantrum proved futile.
Despite Radish Head's attempts to reason with her, she was eventually escorted out of the hall.
Before she could even turn back, her commotion attracted the attention of the Alchemy Hall's patrol Dao Children, who promptly expelled her from the premises.
Clutching her basket, the landlady was thrown to the ground, her talisman coins scattering everywhere.
Trembling, she hurriedly gathered the fallen coins back into her basket, then knelt dumbly at the entrance of the Alchemy Hall, her usual fierceness completely gone.
The landlady murmured, "Little Qiao, my Little Qiao..."
Suddenly, she spotted a small figure at the neighboring street corner.
Her eyes widened, and she rushed over, clutching her basket.
She grabbed the child and burst into tears, crying, "Little Qiao, your mother has been searching for you so desperately!"
But immediately, two loud slaps landed on her face.
A short, stocky man stepped forward, shielding his wife and child, and cursed, "Damn it, you crazy woman! Look carefully before you call out!"
"Er Gou's mother, let's go!" After cursing, the man quickly grabbed his child and hurried home.
The landlady, dazed from the slaps, still strained her eyes, hoping to see the boy clearly.
The child happened to look back at her and smiled curiously.
Realizing it wasn't Little Qiao, the landlady felt her vision darken.
She reached out her hand, grasping aimlessly in the air.
Clang!
Her bamboo basket fell to the ground again, spilling the talisman coins everywhere, a mix of black and red.
"Little Qiao, Little Qiao! Where are you?"
The landlady collapsed amidst the coins, screaming hoarsely, "Mother won't force you to do this or that anymore, won't force you to take the Dao exams. I just want you to come back..."
Footsteps surrounded her as the commotion drew a crowd.
People pointed and whispered, discussing the scene.
Surrounded by so many voices and footsteps, the landlady's vision blurred, and her ears rang with noise.
Yet, amidst all the sounds, she couldn't hear the familiar little footsteps or laughter.
Bent over, her hair streaked with gray, the landlady trembled and muttered, "Mother can't find you, Mother can't find you..."
She struggled to her feet, groping her way in one direction.
Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted, "Auntie, your money..."
The landlady stumbled forward without looking back.
Time passed, and night fell.
A figure continued to wander through the streets and alleys of Blackwater Town, searching tirelessly.
Strangely, as night deepened, the landlady found her vision improving, adapting to the darkness.
She could see better now.
She walked through the night market, forcing a smile and asking everyone she met, "Have you seen my Little Qiao? Yes, a boy with a gourd-shaped head, about eight or nine years old... Thank you, may you be blessed."
By sunrise, the landlady's figure finally disappeared from the streets.
But even by nightfall, the people in the tenement hadn't seen her return.
That evening, rumors began to spread in the nearby streets.
Some said the childless woman had been lured by the cries of wild dogs and had wandered out of town, only to be devoured.
Others claimed she had slipped and fallen into the river, vanishing without a trace.
Still, others whispered darkly that the landlady had sold fake bait, angering someone who had kidnapped her son and sold him outside the town.
Now, fearing the matter would escalate, they had killed her too.
Only a black-feathered myna perched on a rooftop saw the truth.
The landlady had been lingering near the Alchemy Hall when a small door opened, and someone from the hall called her inside.
After that, she never came out again.
...
"May you be blessed! Is Little Qiao really here!?"
"You! Why did you bring this woman here?"
"Godfather, she came to the Alchemy Hall again, causing a scene in the streets today. We can't let her stay. If word gets out, or if some meddler gets involved..."
"Sigh! It's your fault for targeting a child from the town, causing unnecessary trouble."
"Hey, don't blame me! It was your elixir that was at a critical stage that day. It's just that the prices in town have skyrocketed recently, and no one was willing to break the rules, so we ran out of stock."
"Did the elixir suffer any effects!?"
"Don't worry, Godfather. I didn't go far that day and found a replacement in the Alchemy Hall in time. There was no impact at all. In fact, the local ones seem to work even better!"
"That's good, that's good! But as for this mother and child... Sigh, let them see each other one last time."
Suddenly, loud sobbing filled the room.
"Little Qiao? Little Qiao! Is that you?"
Two thin shadows continued to whisper:
"Godfather, how do you plan to deal with this fat woman?"
"She can't be allowed to leave. So, let's... You can keep an eye on the elixir cauldron while they see each other a few more times. It'll be useful for you when you leave town for the grand muster. It'll protect you, making it safer."
"Godfather, may you be blessed! Thank you, Father!"
"You're my son. No need for such formalities."
"By the way, Godfather. This woman has been asking around a lot, and people in the Alchemy Hall have been inquiring about it. To avoid any leaks, I think we should handle a few people, just in case."
"Hmm. But we can't touch too many... Let's do this: you take care of the few who helped her. There are only two or three. For the tricky ones, I'll handle them, using the grand muster as cover."
"Father, you're so thorough!"
In a dim, reddish-lit secret room, two rats whispered.
Meanwhile, a plump figure crouched by a lit lantern, her massive shadow looming over the two rat-like figures.
The landlady bent over, gazing at the small figure sleeping in the cage.
Her voice trembled but was filled with joy:
"Mother found you. As long as you're found, that's all that matters..."
(End of Chapter)