In Su Yang City, Song Ciwan led Aunt Zhou through one chaotic street after another.

Many houses had collapsed, with debris of all kinds scattered across the ground. Faint cries could be heard in the distance, yet the streets themselves were desolate and empty of people.

She set Aunt Zhou down at a relatively clean corner. The Armor Protection Talisman Shield around her was now so faint it was nearly invisible.

Once on her feet, Aunt Zhou’s gaze was still vacant. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Song Ciwan, however, could hardly contain her excitement as her Insight Technique panel unfurled:

Song Ciwan:

Age: 15 (Lifespan: 63 Years)

Main Cultivation Method: Sutra of Sitting and Forgetting (First Layer, Skilled 359/10,000)

Cultivation Realm: Refining Essence and Transforming Qi (Late-stage Qi Transformation 9,566/10,000)

Her Lifespan had been drastically reduced, but that didn’t matter. The important thing was, her Sutra of Sitting and Forgetting had broken through!

It had gone from 999 points at the Entry Level straight to 359 points at the Skilled Level.

Perhaps it was because of that one moment she had been willing to sacrifice her life, an instant where her state of mind aligned with a certain principle of the Sutra of Sitting and Forgetting.

Recalling it now, the heart-pounding thrill was still palpable, and a wave of emotion was unavoidable.

’The wise don’t fall in love!’

’An innocent man is blameless, but his treasure is his crime!’

’Isn’t the Dragon Maiden pitiable?’

’She was, very much so.’

’But the people of Su Yang City were pitiable too.’

If there had been a perfect solution, Song Ciwan would have wished for the Dragon Maiden to regain her sanity, and for a world where good is rewarded with good and evil is met with evil.

She helped Aunt Zhou lean against the wall, then took a packet of Gold-Dissolving Powder and a packet of Marching Powder from her sleeve.

Gold-Dissolving Powder wasn’t as potent as a Blood Essence Pill; in smaller doses, even mortals could take it directly to treat all sorts of internal and external injuries.

Marching Powder replenished qi and restored one’s essence. It was similar to a Fasting Pill, but not on the same level.

The protective shield around Aunt Zhou dissipated completely. She obediently took the Gold-Dissolving Powder and Marching Powder. A moment later, her energy began to recover, and the color started to return to her deathly pale face.

The Heaven and Earth Scale appeared, unexpectedly collecting a wisp of emotion from Aunt Zhou at that very moment.

[Human Desires: Veneration, Gratitude, Anxiety, and Fear. One catty and three taels. Tradable.]

The Heaven and Earth Scale didn’t collect emotions from others at random. It would only activate when someone experienced a strong emotional surge directed at Song Ciwan. Only when those emotions were reflected onto her would the Heaven and Earth Scale collect them.

Aunt Zhou was exhausted in mind and body, so for this bundle of human desires to still weigh one catty and three taels, her emotions must have been incredibly intense.

She turned her head, looking at the ruined streets all around her, and murmured, "Miss Song, can people still live in Su Yang City?"

Song Ciwan had no answer for her. After Chi Hua Fairy and her Guardian Immortal Sword left, the Dragon Maiden had also vanished.

’Is the Dragon Maiden dead? Was she slain by that Sword Immortal?’

’If she wasn’t annihilated, then what would become of the Dragon Maiden now that she has lost her Dragon Pearl?’

’They say the main body of an anomaly can’t leave its place of origin, but the anomaly itself can spread... and possibly even evolve!’

Therefore, either another powerful expert would have to come and thoroughly cleanse all of Bibo Lake, or... if one could leave the city, it would be best to get away.

Song Ciwan said, "Aunt Zhou, where do you intend to go?"

Aunt Zhou said, "Regardless of whether people can still live in Su Yang City, I’m not leaving. I have a daughter... she and I were separated. I have to find her. If I can’t, then I’ll stay here and wait for her."

As she spoke, her gaze dimmed.

’It seems that deep down, Aunt Zhou believes her daughter can’t be found.’

’She just isn’t willing to admit it, so she’d rather stay in this city and wait, resolved to die here if she must!’

The sky was faintly lit; there was no sunlight, but no overcast clouds either. The air was chilly. A gust of wind blew past, carrying a cruel harshness that felt like fine, sharp blades.

The Mortal World was a fine place; it’s just that only you can know your own joys and sorrows.

Song Ciwan glanced quietly at the Dragon Pearl resting within the Heaven and Earth Scale, her heart filled with a tinge of regret.

’Unfortunately, the Heaven and Earth Scale has already reached its daily trading limit, so there’s no way to find out what I could get for selling this Dragon Pearl.’

’The Mortal World is a fine place, but in the end, strength is everything!’

Song Ciwan did a quick calculation on her fingers. It was the beginning of the Shen hour, just after three in the afternoon.

She had come out in the morning to buy Talisman Paper, planning to make a Tracking Paper Crane to help Aunt Zhou find her daughter. She had bought the paper and even made the Tracking Talisman, but then the incident at Bibo Lake had unexpectedly occurred, sweeping both her and Aunt Zhou into the chaos.

Now, having left Bibo Lake, only half a day had passed, yet for those who had been caught up in it, it felt like a lifetime ago.

Song Ciwan said, "Aunt Zhou, I know a magic technique called the Paper Crane Tracking Technique. If we use the blood of a close relative as a guide, it might be able to find the person you wish to see."

Aunt Zhou’s head snapped up, so overjoyed she suspected she had misheard.

She asked cautiously, "Miss Song, are you saying... you know a magic spell that can help me find someone?"

Song Ciwan nodded.

Aunt Zhou scrambled to her feet and blurted out, her words tumbling over each other, "Th-that’s wonderful! Miss Song, please help me, I beg you... Blood, right? I can give you some, I... I’m sorry, I... I don’t have anything to repay you with, but I have some silver coins on me..."

As she spoke, she began to fumble frantically at her clothes.

Her powerful emotions surged, and the Heaven and Earth Scale appeared once more.

[Human Desires: Joy, Worry, and Love. Two catties and three taels. Tradable.]

Song Ciwan gladly accepted this bundle of human desires, and also took the three copper coins from Aunt Zhou.

Aunt Zhou had dug the coins out from her tightly wound hair bun, where she kept a total of ten. As she produced the ten copper coins, all worn smooth from being handled, her face was still full of shame.

She knew in her heart that these few copper coins were practically nothing and could not repay even a fraction of Miss Song’s kindness.

And yet, it was all she had.

So Song Ciwan accepted three of the coins and then took out a paper crane she had folded beforehand.

The back of her robes was scorched and ruined, but fortunately, the paper crane had been tucked inside her belt and hadn’t been lost.

There was no one else around, but the faint sounds of crying and talking drifted from the distance—these voices, once far away, were now gradually drawing closer.

Song Ciwan wasted no time. She took a drop of heart’s blood from the tip of Aunt Zhou’s index finger, then activated the paper crane, forming a hand seal and chanting, "A thread of fate, a thousand-li delivery, Paper Crane Tracking—go!"

With a touch of her True Qi, the paper crane in her palm seemed to spring to life. Its tiny, pointed head twitched once, and then it flapped its wings and flew east.

Song Ciwan breathed a small sigh of relief. ’The paper crane took flight. That means, at the very least, that Aunt Zhou’s daughter is still alive.’

The Paper Crane Tracking Technique only worked if the target was alive. If the person were dead, given the very basic level of Song Ciwan’s tracking technique, the paper crane wouldn’t have budged at all.

She grabbed Aunt Zhou’s arm, used her Escape Technique again, and sped off in pursuit of the paper crane fluttering ahead.

The paper crane flapped its wings gracefully, a Spiritual Light faintly visible as it flew. Through the ruined streets and alleys, a gentle breeze followed in its wake through the shadows.

The further east they went, the less severe the destruction became, and soon, grand manors with deep courtyards began to appear one after another.

The eastern district was the most affluent area in all of Su Yang City!

The homes of the rich and powerful not only had deeper foundations and more solid construction, but some families had even established Array Formations to protect their residences.

’Lady Zhen, who was taken by the Mouse Demon... she wasn’t outside the city, nor in some dark, secluded corner within it. She was actually in the eastern district?’