As they spoke, a voice from the inn staff echoed through the hall.
"Mr. Shi, Mr. Wu, where are you? Kindly come out and see us. Mr. Shi, Mr. Wu..."
The sounds of doors opening continued as they seemed to check each room.
Before long, the calls reached beneath them.
Once the footsteps receded, Wu Jinliang whispered, "Bian Weiying? It can't be, we've no quarrel with her. Why would she harm us? Be honest, did you harass her while I wasn't looking? Don't think I didn't notice you getting all handsy with Xiang Lan'er on the way. Such a sneaky fellow."
He vividly recalled how the other had held Xiang Lan'er as they ran.
The way he held her was inconceivable, yet when Wu suggested exchanging places, the other refused, favoring romance over friendship.
And still, needing to play-act and pursue Xiang Lan'er further... it seemed so unfair.
Why couldn't he give chase? With his height and looks, was that too much to ask?
Shi Chun was baffled.
When did he ever touch Xiang Lan'er? The nonsense of it all! And considering their precarious situation, they couldn't even talk aloud.
Yet this fellow still harbored such thoughts.
If not for their dangerous situation where they dared not make a sound, he'd give the chap a good kick.
He whispered, "Stop with the nonsense. Bian Weiying's companion had a scar on his thumb, just like the hand that attacked us from the carriage. It's too much of a coincidence."
At this, Wu Jinliang's eyes grew wide with realization, attempting to see but unable due to the angle and the fact that Wei Bian’s hands were down.
He trusted Shi Chun wouldn't joke about something like this.
A chill ran through him as he asked in a hushed tone, "What do we do now? This is their territory, and there are so many of them. Even a few alone could overpower us, and they have endless Immobilization Talismans. We're really in a fix. Why are we always this unlucky? Look at Old Dong and Big Stone; they seem to have no troubles."
He tugged on Shi Chun's sleeve, gesturing towards the scruffy old man under the eaves, "Isn't he a master? Will he really help us?"
Shi Chun replied, "If you're asking me, whom should I ask? We don't even know him well. He won't share anything about himself and we've never trust-fallen into his hands before.
Could we dare place our lives in his hands now? This is Wukang Mountain. Bian Weiying, acting as the city lord, wouldn't bother with us.
Unless there's no other way, don’t count on that old man. Our immediate goal is to contact Feng Chi and inform her of the truth. Based on her deep connections here, she should be able to resolve this.
The problem is, we don't know where she is or if there's enough time. We should seek out the innkeeper. He might know.
Unless she's not in the city, with such commotion, the inn would’ve informed her by now, and she might be nearby, just unable to show face. We'll hold on for now. She won't ignore us and will surely think of a way."
Wu Jinliang nodded, "Right, we'll hold on. If all else fails, let's try that old man."
"Mr. Shi, Mr. Wu, where are you? Come out, there's nothing to worry about..."
The staffer’s eerie call resonated once again, before fading and shifting downstairs.
Before long, his figure appeared in their sight, outside below.
The staffer, with a bitter smile, told the innkeeper and others, "I searched everywhere, they're not here, I don’t know where they went."
The innkeeper was at a loss for words, asking, "Did you check everywhere?"
The staffer confirmed earnestly, "Top to bottom, I looked thoroughly, they’re really not here."
Whether Bian Weiying's party believed this or not, it wasn't a matter that could be dismissed just because the staffer said so; things aren’t that simple.
Bian Weiying's gaze turned cold as she glanced sidelong at Wei Bian.
Recognizing the cue, Wei Bian immediately signaled, "Search!"
The disciples of Wukang Mountain stormed into the inn, scattering to search thoroughly.
The innkeeper helplessly spread his hands, unsure of how to respond, with no choice but to watch.
Things seemed to have changed.
Onlookers found it increasingly interesting, dismissing the mild rain as trivial.
The scrawny man in blue on the roof glanced towards Feng Chi, as if asking, what’s going on?
Feng Chi frowned and muttered, "Not here? Did they leave through the back window? Self-defense kills... why flee?"
This unwritten rule could be considered a heavenly law, and provided it was justified, self-defense killings wouldn’t face punishment, a basic principle.
Spotting people below entering the inn, Shi Chun nudged Wu Jinliang, withdrawing from the roof corner.
Wu Jinliang quickly followed.
Before landing from the roof, barefooted, they brushed the dust off each other to avoid leaving tracks on the floor.
The lanterns dimly lit the hallway, quick steps audible from below.
Crouching low, they listened intently to the movements below.
As the sounds of opening doors reached them, indicating rooms being inspected, they gauged the pattern of the search.
Shi Chun whispered, "Old trick, take a gamble! If it fails, we have two choices: one, break through the wall and rush to that old man, or two, still break through but into the adjoining rooms."
Pointing at the lamp on the wall, he said, "Start a fire. Just burn and charge through. The bigger, the more chaotic, the better. No matter whose house burns, the more, the better. We need to stir things up to make enough chaos for the people of the Demonic Path to notice and act. They can’t just sit back when we're in deep trouble."
He seemed ready for failure.
Wu Jinliang nodded, "Got it."
Shi Chun took out a short blade, pointing at the furthest corner room, calmly saying, "Let’s get to work."
Placing the blade between his teeth, he rushed forth.
Wu Jinliang quickly approached the far room, lightly opened the door with a spell, and after confirming it was empty, he gave a thumbs-up.
Shi Chun swiftly removed his outer garment, using the cleaner part to wipe off the dust and quietly sneaked into the room.
As they shut the door, several figures rushed up from the stairs, forcefully opening each room to search.
Spotting the ceiling, the lead person called out, "Two of you, check up there."
People immediately climbed into the ceiling, illuminating with Sandalwood Gold's purple flame, searching the narrow space.
Shortly after, someone barged into the room where Shi Chun hid.
Stepping in, he didn’t expect to be confronted with a short blade descending quietly onto his head, and then, thrust in decisively.
In his wildest dreams, he didn’t imagine this.
In their domain, within Skyward Gaze City, in this inn, someone would dare assassinate him so boldly.
Eyes wide, mouth agape, unable to sound, his body shivered before a hand silenced him, Shi Chun used his shoulder to pivot and gently landed.
Wu Jinliang, having come up silently, caught the dropping Sandalwood Gold flame.
They quickly dragged him aside, Wu Jinliang promptly blanketed the head in sheets while Shi Chun silently extracted the blade, swiftly changing into the disciple's attire of Wukang Mountain.
"No."
"None here either."
"Nothing found."
Responses echoed from the hallway.
Soon, the lead figure approached, peering into the room, asking, "Anything?"
Shi Chun, bent over with the Sandalwood Gold illuminating as if inspecting seriously, answered, "Nothing here either."
Behind, Wu Jinliang remained crouched beneath the cot, shrouded alongside a corpse.
As Shi Chun mentioned, it was indeed a gamble.
The failure probability was high.
Luckily, the leader merely glanced inside and dismissed the voice, moving on.
Shi Chun quickly rose, gripping the Sandalwood Gold, cautiously listening by the door.
Shortly, another voice rang, "Looks like someone came up this way, could be old marks or from those two."
The leader questioned, "Never mind the marks, just tell me, is anyone up there?"
"No one, we've been up and verified, definitely empty, can't hide up."
"Seriously, being gone for this long, they’re clearly out."
An annoyed voice quipped up.
"You have a task, stick to it. Enough chatter, move along."
Soon, sounds of descent filled the stairwell.
Shi Chun glanced out the doorway before returning to Wu Jinliang beneath the cot and whispered, "Wait here, I'll go back up."
Wu Jinliang acknowledged.
Immediately, Shi Chun slipped from the room, reopening a path up above and climbing to their previous spot, peering below.
Part of the search-party milled around the inn’s lobby, another lot exited through the main entrance, none noticing a missing comrade.
The leader approached Bian Weiying, saluting, then addressed Wei Bian, "We've searched every corner, even spell-scanned the floors, columns, beams, and found no one, they’re definitely not here."
Wei Bian turned sharply to the person previously riding the cart, who sheepishly remarked, "Indeed, no one was seen leaving."
Even the innkeeper and staff exchanged dubious glances.
Had they vanished? How could they have left?
Above, the scrawny, blue-clad figure and Feng Chi under her cloak were equally puzzled.
According to the innkeeper, the two should still be inside.
Bian Weiying smirked, turning towards the inn's insignia, "Seems uncanny. Either you’re blind or this place is haunted."
The rain steadily soaked her as she turned to the innkeeper, who smiled wryly, unsure how to respond.
Wei Bian, fiercely resolved, noted, "Lord, we’ll take another thorough sweep."
He understood, with Old Liu dead, spotting those two killers entering he had stationed men to monitor, awaiting the city's lord's call.
Confident in his own men’s diligence.
Bian Weiying didn’t object.