When He Qiu and the others arrived at Tianxin City, their first priority was to meet the City Lord.
This time, He Qiu overlooked Tianxin City in broad daylight, finally able to see the city’s full layout and even learn the location of the City Lord’s Mansion.
Last night, he had originally wanted to go to the City Lord’s Mansion to warn them in advance, but because he didn’t know the way and could easily be suspected of being a terrorist, he didn’t go.
Upon entering the hall, City Lord Bai Hong had already been waiting for some time, his deep gaze radiating solemnity.
“Thank you, Longyin Sect, for placing such importance on this matter and sending so many cultivators to assist us in searching for Muxue. This was originally our failure, yet we have troubled you all. I am truly sorry.”
As soon as Bai Hong met them, he first exchanged a few polite compliments, then seriously got down to business.
“As the limited intelligence we currently have shows, when I learned last night that Muxue had been taken by Demon Cultivators, I immediately opened an absolute barrier overnight.”
“Now, without my permission, not even a fly can leave the entire Tianxin City! And those Demon Cultivators who kidnapped Muxue must still be trapped inside the city, so our rescue target can be roughly confined to the area of this city…”
“At present, no one from the Demon Sect has formally come forward to meet with me. I don’t know what meaning there is in them taking Muxue.”
“Even for a kidnapping, they should eventually sit down and negotiate terms, right? So, with no clear leads for the time being, we have no choice but to ask everyone to conduct a more troublesome carpet search…”
“I’m sorry. Muxue is my most beloved youngest daughter. She was taken by villains, and I am truly heartbroken.”
Bai Hong was a middle-aged man over forty, but he kept a sharp short beard and sideburns, giving off an energetic and stern air.
He also spoke quickly, not wasting too much of everyone’s time. With a brief summary, he explained most of the specific situation.
“Lord Bai, those rat-like people of the Demon Sect have never cared about martial ethics and do things insidiously. But since the barrier has already been opened across the whole city, Lady Muxue surely hasn’t been taken far. She must be hidden somewhere in Tianxin City!”
“Yes, Lord Bai, rest assured. Since your beloved daughter is still in this city, that means there is still hope for rescue. You need not say more to us. Within one day, we will definitely bring Lady Muxue back before you!”
In front, many representative cultivators with the right to speak had already cupped their fists in reply, making solemn and earnest promises.
For a moment, the atmosphere improved. Seeing that Longyin Sect was so reliable, Bai Hong could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.
However, there was still one point he cared about: the most renowned Primordial Saintess of Longyin Sect seemed to have little interest in this matter.
Behind the crowd, a silver-haired woman held a sword in her arms, her beautiful eyes slightly closed, leaning against the wall.
And beside the Primordial Saintess stood two youths, a boy and a girl, one on each side.
They appeared to be from the same Sect, but unlike the other cultivators, they did not exchange intelligence, as if they were completely uninterested in the rescue mission.
This would not do. The Primordial Saintess held a pivotal position in Bai Hong’s heart, and he still hoped An Lingran could help him find his daughter.
Thus, Bai Hong passed through the crowd and stepped forward to ask:
“Saintess, what are your thoughts?”
“…”
An Lingran raised an eyebrow, her face expressionless, and said coldly:
“No thoughts.”
After a moment, the silver-haired woman saw the City Lord’s troubled expression and deep disappointment.
She helplessly let out a light breath, then added:
“You find the Demon Cultivators, then report the location. I will go kill them all, then bring your daughter back.”
“Oh, oh oh! The Saintess is truly reliable…”
Bai Hong’s smile stiffened. He could not help but sigh inwardly at the cold, proud Saintess before him.
As expected of Longyin Sect’s star recruit, she spoke differently. Though simple and crude, it inexplicably gave people a sense of reliability.
To An Lingran, this was already nothing strange. Every time she went down the mountain for a mission, these people always had to ask her something.
Only when An Lingran personally said something would they feel at ease. Otherwise, they would always think the Saintess was in a bad mood.
Actually, this was a misunderstanding. An Lingran was quite attentive to missions; she just did not like talking with people.
Business was business. She did not like too much troublesome politeness. Just report the location directly and kill all the enemies. Wouldn’t that settle it?
So when it came to discussing tactics and such, she generally could not be bothered to participate, leaning to the side with her eyes closed to rest.
It was just that with her behaving like this, people often mistakenly thought the Primordial Saintess was in a bad mood, and then came up to ask.
In the end, Bai Hong obtained the Saintess’s personal promise and still breathed a sigh of relief.
“Then, Young Heroes, I entrust my daughter to you all!”
Actually, the initial mission was simply for each group to split up and, led by the local city government’s officers and soldiers, conduct a carpet search of the entire city.
In terms of manpower, the city government’s officers and soldiers were absolutely sufficient, but Tianxin City’s situation was special.
By day it was one world, by night another. Above ground was one world, and underground was another…
Simply put, there were many special places that officers and soldiers could not easily enter to search, and even the City Lord’s token would not work.
Therefore, after his daughter Bai Muxue was taken by Demon Sect people, Bai Hong’s first action was to lock down the entire city and send people to pursue them, while also notifying the current Empress, who was hidden in Longyin Sect, to request help.
Because Bai Hong knew that the Demon Sect had bases in Tianxin City’s dark side, and not just for a day or two.
These villains were like rats and cockroaches, colluding with corrupt officials, and it was impossible to completely eradicate them.
If there was a real emergency, he had to rely on outside forces.
And for Tianxin City, such a vital transportation hub that had weathered many risks, the Empress’s court naturally placed great importance on it.
Once it encountered trouble, regarding Bai Hong’s request for help, the Empress immediately issued a decree that very night without hesitation, and the next day, Longyin Sect, the closest to Tianxin City, sent many disciples down the mountain to assist.
As expected of Her Majesty, she truly acts with thunderous efficiency. Admirable…
After a day of searching, Tianxin City’s sky gradually darkened.
In the City Lord’s Mansion’s meeting room, countless Longyin Sect cultivators gathered together, expressions grave, and began sharing the intelligence from the day’s search.
On the round table lay a map of Tianxin City. Through the efforts of many cultivators during the day, they had roughly narrowed the Demon Sect’s bases to several suspicious areas.
They decided to lock onto targets tonight and launch a surprise infiltration.
“Qinglong Pavilion is the most famous gang stronghold in this area. These local thugs are very likely secretly colluding with the Demon Sect and using the place to hide the City Lord’s daughter, Bai Muxue!”
Beside the round table, a cultivator stuck a throwing dart into a certain stronghold on the map and gave his analysis.
Before long, another cultivator threw a dart, pointing out a new opinion:
“According to the investigation by my fellow disciples and me, Hongqing Tower is also very suspicious. This is Tianxin City’s largest gambling den. There have long been rumors of collusion with corrupt officials and secret entanglement with the Demon Sect. I think this place is even more suspicious!”
“No, the area around Ziyu Tower is not peaceful either. Their internal affairs are chaotic…”
Everyone talked all at once, discussing where the Demon Sect might hide the kidnapped Bai Muxue.
And just at the critical moment, City Lord Bai Hong, at the very front, sighed, raised his hand to press down the noise, and spoke alone:
“Saintess, what are your thoughts?”
For a moment, everyone turned their eyes toward the silver-haired woman behind them, their gazes respectful and expectant.
The Primordial Saintess’s opinion was naturally pivotal. Everyone was currently at a loss and arguing endlessly, just lacking a big shot to point out the way!
On the other side, An Lingran narrowed her cold eyes slightly, feeling a headache.
Why did these people have to ask her about everything?
Where the Demon Sect hid Bai Muxue, she was not a human GPS locator, nor was she Detective Conan.
How would she know?
Helplessly, the silver-haired woman lowered her eyes slightly. After a long while of pondering, she suddenly thought of something, turned, and tossed the topic to the silent white-robed youth beside her:
“Junior Brother, you say something.”
He Qiu:?
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