This time, Huang Jun fully played his role as a human detective.

He spent two days actually inquiring about the list of twelve people who passed the novice assessment before Qin Xiaochuan.

When the list was in hand, Ye Lingyue was taken aback.

Because in this list of twelve, she unexpectedly saw a familiar name.

Luo Yi?

How could there be Luo Yi’s name?

Moreover, the more shocking news followed; while inquiring about the list, Huang Jun learned another piece of information: not only did Luo Yi pass the Vajra Formation, she is now also the Guard Captain of Gold City.

"Ling Yue, do you think this might be the real reason Luo Yi turned her back on us, acting as if she doesn’t recognize us? She became the Guard Captain and passed the Vajra Formation, so maybe she looks down on me and doesn’t want to acknowledge me anymore." Huang Jun mumbled, feeling somewhat downhearted.

He, Luo Yi, and Ye Lingyue entered the Lonely Moon Sea together, and their bond was deeper than most.

Huang Jun was happy for Luo Yi’s cultivation progress, but he felt sad thinking about how she didn’t recognize people and even injured good old friends.

"Luo Yi isn’t like that. I rather believe she’s been unable to acknowledge us for some reason, or she has no means to do so. If my guess is correct, apart from Luo Yi, the remaining eleven on this list have either become pawns of the City Lord’s Mansion or, like Brother Xiao Chuan, disappeared without a trace."

Ye Lingyue probably already had the answer in her mind, but to be prudent, she had the other three take the list and ask around in Gold City.

Sure enough, the eleven people were missing, and no one knew where they had gone.

"I think I found the real reason Senior Brother Xiao Chuan disappeared. However, to confirm absolutely, we will probably need to go to the City Lord’s Mansion tonight."

Ye Lingyue’s suggestion was immediately approved by the others.

"Alright, Ling Yue, I knew you weren’t the type to let the City Lord’s Mansion have their way with us. I’m going too; let’s rescue Brother Xiao Chuan together."

Huang Jun was getting ready, eager to rush into the City Lord’s Mansion and rescue Xiao Chuan and Luo Yi.

"Huang Jun, when I say enter the City Lord’s Mansion, it’s not to rescue Brother Xiao and Luo Yi. On the contrary, I want to find Gold City’s City Lord. The evidence we have is just fragments and can’t prove Lord Situ Nan’s crimes. If we go in to rescue people and get discovered, Situ Nan will surely retaliate, and we could all end up as wanted criminals."

Ye Lingyue was very cautious.

Huang Jun realized Ye Lingyue was right; he was indeed being too reckless.

Ling Yue already had a conflict with the Jiu Provinces Alliance; it wasn’t suitable to stir up trouble right now.

"Anyway, you always have plans, never wrong to follow you. I’ll go with the flow; if you say rescue the City Lord, then we’ll rescue the City Lord."

"Tonight, Di Shen and I need to infiltrate the City Lord’s Mansion. As for Senior Sister Wan Yun and you, there is another task. Huang Jun, based on your Power of Reincarnation, you should have participated in the novice assessment in Gold City. Since we need to stay in Gold City for a few days, let Senior Sister Wan Yun supervise you in passing the Vajra Formation, and for Brother Xiao, Di Shen and I will come up with a solution."

Ye Lingyue’s words made Huang Jun’s face immediately fall.

He’d rather storm the City Lord’s Mansion than face the Vajra Formation.

The Vajra Formation is certainly not something people willingly tackle.

But Huang Jun knew Ye Lingyue meant well for him. Everyone here relied on their abilities to pass the novice mission and earn the Demon Hunter qualification; only he obtained it because of Ye Lingyue’s luck during the Qiulin Ruins incident.

To avoid dragging everyone down, he must genuinely pass the novice assessment himself.

Senior Sister Wan Yun had no objections either; she trusted Ye Lingyue and Di Shen, the little lovers.

That night, Ye Lingyue and Di Shen stealthily entered the City Lord’s Mansion.

Before entering the mansion, they both took an Invisibility Elixir.

"The Invisibility Elixir can last about three hours, enough for us to enter the City Lord’s Mansion tonight. However, the mansion is large, finding someone might not be easy."

Ye Lingyue pondered.

"Watch me."

Di Shen gestured for silence and darted away. When he returned, he had brought back a servant.

"Speak, where does the City Lord live?"

Di Shen gripped the servant’s throat.

"I don’t know, the City Lord is always cared for by Lord Situ."

The servant was terrified.

"Do you have anything from the City Lord, like clothes or items he’s used?"

Di Shen asked again.

The servant thought for a moment and nodded.

"Don’t you have a few little beasts? A demon beast’s sense of smell is keener than a human’s. That smelly dog seems good; I’ll take the servant to find the item. Release that smelly dog."

Di Shen remembered Ye Lingyue had a few small beasts.

Though he wasn’t sure where Ye Lingyue kept them.

"You mean Little Zhiyo, it’s not a dog, but its nose is sharp."

After Di Shen left, Ye Lingyue summoned Little Zhiyo.

When Di Shen returned and saw Little Zhiyo, he playfully tugged its tail.

"Smelly dog, you finally have a use."

With that, he tossed an item in front of it.

"You’re the smelly dog; boss, he’s bullying Little Zhiyo."

Seeing Di Shen, Little Zhiyo sulked, lamenting that after the fusion of Miss Feng and Wu Zhong, the attitude resembled Wu Zhong so much, whining for Miss Feng’s return.

But it knew the boss was anxious right now, so Little Zhiyo grudgingly went up and sniffed the item Di Shen threw.

Upon sniffing it, Little Zhiyo almost fainted, lying as if dead.

Because the item Di Shen brought from the Old City Lord wasn’t anything else but a pair of his old socks.

"Boss, can I not sniff these socks?"

Little Zhiyo teared up, clinging to Ye Lingyue’s pant leg.

"If you don’t hurry, I’ll stuff you into the socks."

Di Shen sternly uttered, making a move to stuff Little Zhiyo into the socks.

Annoyed, Little Zhiyo retorted.

"Alright then, smelly dog, just find the City Lord’s whereabouts, I’ll reward you with ten Demon Souls."

Since Little Zhiyo’s physique mutated, it only craved Demon Souls for food.

But along the way, there hadn’t been any demon beast encounters.

So for the past few days, it had been starving.

"Humph, life is precious, dignity is higher, rather die than smell stinky socks."

Little Zhiyo protested.

It wouldn’t accept the enemy’s offerings.

"Twenty Demon Souls."

Di Shen offered again.

"..."

"Thirty..."

"Deal!"

Life dignity means little; a full belly is the real pursuit.

Little Zhiyo eagerly memorized the sock’s scent despite the stench.

It pointed its paw in a particular direction at the City Lord’s Mansion.

"This way."