The reason was simple. It didn’t understand how its master had gained yet another ability in just one night.

What’s more, this ability seemed to be quite powerful.

Most importantly, its master’s strength had increased again overnight.

As a Deceitful Beast, it could clearly feel that it had grown stronger as well.

This was just absurd.

Amber felt that its master was improving far too quickly, and his abilities also seemed to be multiplying.

Of course, while Amber was an intelligent Deceitful Beast, its existence revolved around Shen Bai.

When its master grew stronger, so did it.

Though it was alarmed, Shen Bai’s situation only made it feel more awe and reverence toward him.

’He’s my master, after all. So what if he’s a bit strong? The stronger he gets, the more powerful I become. And that means I can be of even greater help to him,’ Amber thought.

Amber’s call pulled Shen Bai from his deep thoughts.

He looked at Amber acting cute on the desk, shook his head with a smile, and went over to take a deep huff of his cat.

Once he’d had his fill, Shen Bai glanced at the sky outside and decided to head to the Observatory for Dianmao first.

After Dianmao, he would go to the Yuelai Inn to find Daoist Chongling and tell him everything about the Copper Mirror’s secret.

Of course, he’d have to be selective with the details, replacing the part about his Golden Finger with a more tactful explanation.

Having made up his mind, Shen Bai wasted no time. He left the house with Amber and headed to the Observatory for Dianmao.

...

After traveling from his home to the Observatory and grabbing a meal along the way, Shen Bai completed Dianmao. He then left the Observatory without delay and headed toward the Yuelai Inn in Fenglin State.

The Yuelai Inn was considered the largest and finest inn in Fenglin State, with branches scattered all across the region.

Moreover, the Yuelai Inn’s presence could even be found in some of the more prosperous districts and counties.

It was rumored to be run by the largest merchant guild in Fenglin State.

Although the Celestial Purity Daoist Temple had fallen into decline, its foundations remained. Thus, even though an inn like this was luxurious, Daoist Chongling could still afford it.

As Shen Bai walked, he drew the reverent gazes of the common folk. The moment he reached the entrance of the Yuelai Inn, everyone eating inside grew tense.

He was wearing the official uniform of the Observatory, after all, and the Observatory was the most unique branch of power in the Great Zhou Country. It was only natural for the common folk to be nervous.

Fortunately, Shen Bai was long used to such stares. He walked straight to the shopkeeper’s counter.

The Shopkeeper was hunched over, calculating the day’s accounts. Hearing footsteps approach, he instinctively looked up and immediately flinched in fright.

The merchant guild might be large, but it was insignificant compared to the Observatory.

The Shopkeeper immediately put down his abacus and spoke with a tremor in his voice, "Sir, may I ask what brings you to our inn? Is there a criminal in our establishment? Rest assured, Sir, we will cooperate fully."

Anyone who could become the shopkeeper of the Yuelai Inn was no fool. He had immediately distanced the inn from any potential trouble while also offering his full cooperation.

Shen Bai shook his head, understanding the shopkeeper’s implication. "Help me find a Daoist," he said. "He should have checked in last night. He carries a Floating Dust and wears a black Daoist Robe."

He didn’t mention Daoist Chongling’s name, giving a description of his appearance instead.

In an establishment like an inn, remembering a guest’s appearance was a fundamental skill, so a name wasn’t necessary.

The Shopkeeper let out a sigh of relief.

Clearly, this lord wasn’t here to cause trouble for his inn.

He quickly complied, pulling out a ledger and searching through it carefully.

It didn’t take him long to find the right entry.

The Shopkeeper lowered his voice. "That Daoist is in Room Heaven-Nine. Would you like to proceed quietly, or shall I have an attendant guide you?"

He even assumed that the Daoist must have gotten into some sort of trouble and offended someone from an Official Family, which was why he was acting like such a sycophant.

Shen Bai shook his head. "That won’t be necessary. I’ll go up myself."

He didn’t like to cause trouble, nor did he care for ostentation. He certainly didn’t need an attendant to show him upstairs.

Upon hearing this, the Shopkeeper looked as if he’d been granted a royal pardon and quickly nodded in agreement.

Shen Bai paid him no more mind and went straight up the stairs to the second floor.

After Shen Bai had gone, the dining patrons finally breathed a collective sigh of relief, the tension on their faces melting away.

However, the pace of their eating quickened, as if they wanted to finish up and leave as soon as possible.

...

Shen Bai took the stairs to the second floor, found the room he was looking for, and knocked on the door.

Before long, the door opened.

Daoist Chongling appeared at the door. Upon seeing Shen Bai, he quickly ushered him inside.

Shen Bai didn’t stand on ceremony.

He was here on important business; time was of the essence.

He walked into the room, and as soon as Daoist Chongling had closed the door, Shen Bai got straight to the point.

"Daoist, the Copper Mirror has been destroyed, but I discovered a few secrets from within it."

Daoist Chongling’s expression didn’t change when he heard that the Copper Mirror had been destroyed.

However, when he heard Shen Bai mention the secrets, a look of eagerness appeared on his face.

"What is the secret? Lord Shen, please speak freely."

A curse had plagued the Celestial Purity Daoist Temple for many years, yet they had never found anything unusual about it. The fact that Shen Bai had now uncovered a secret gave Daoist Chongling a new sense of hope.

Shen Bai briefly organized his thoughts and said, "That Deceitful Object might be related to water."

"It got me thinking—what kind of secret could possibly be connected to water?"

He didn’t mention his Golden Finger, let alone how he had managed to uncover the secret.

Sometimes, you don’t need to explain the process, just the result.

They were both intelligent men; they would both understand.

Sure enough, after hearing the conclusion, Daoist Chongling didn’t ask for the details of the process. Instead, he fell into deep thought.

Seeing his reaction, Shen Bai knew there was something to it; otherwise, Daoist Chongling would have simply said he didn’t know.

He said nothing more, content to wait patiently.

After nearly the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, Daoist Chongling looked up and slowly uttered a single sentence.