Chapter 997: Jingyuan City

There was only one simple line of text.

It was a simple message: "Goodbye to the ruins. The Combat Master Hall has other matters to attend to, so we're taking our leave." No reason was provided.

Zhang Xuan was full of doubts after reading the note.

Didn't they seem perfectly fine yesterday? They'd sworn to spar with the Xuanxuan Society for mutual improvement. How could they just leave in the blink of an eye?

Why are all the people he interacts with—whether elders or master teachers—so unreliable?

They were staying at Hongyuan Academy and simply left without even a word to him, the dean, as if something was rushing them. It was utterly impolite.

As a person who always follows the rules, it was exhausting to be surrounded by so many unreliable friends.

"Nothing happened at the Combat Master Hall, did it?"

He shook his head and looked up, asking.

"Probably not! I specifically asked, and they said it was a private matter; they wouldn't elaborate on the reason... Oh, right, Dean, when I returned last night, I noticed they all seemed to be injured. Could that be related?"

Elder Mi mused.

Yesterday, after finishing many tasks and returning to his residence, he had seen Combat Master Liao and the others walking back from outside, bruised and swollen. To avoid an awkward situation, he hadn't asked any questions at the time, but now he wondered if that might have been the reason.

"Injured?" Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

Hadn't he asked them to guide the members of the Xuanxuan Society? How could they have gotten injured?

"Never mind them. It won't be too late to ask when we meet again in a month!"

They had already left, so there was no point in dwelling on it. Besides, he didn't have that much time or energy.

After asking a few more questions and arranging the academy's affairs with Elder Mi, Zhang Xuan returned to his mansion. There, he instructed Wang Ying and the others to cultivate diligently, placed Wei Ruyan into the beehive, then mounted the Purple Sun Beast and flew directly towards Jingyuan City.

This trip was to find the Poison Hall, an extremely dangerous undertaking. Therefore, he brought none of his disciples and told no one of his whereabouts. Traveling alone, without anyone to hold him back, made his movements much more convenient.

Jingyuan City was located in the far northeastern reaches of the Hongyuan Empire, near the empire's largest inland sea. Due to its remote geography, it was perpetually covered in snow and cold, appearing less developed compared to places like Huoyuan City.

Because fewer merchants traveled there, many people were unfamiliar with the area. Even the extensive records of the Master Teacher Academy contained little information about it.

It was merely described as a cold border town, and given the Poison Hall's characteristic secrecy and tendency to hide from the world, it was indeed possible they would establish a branch there.

Of course, the exact situation could only be confirmed upon arrival.

Although the old dean had investigated extensively, he couldn't guarantee it with 100% certainty.

For this reason, a month might seem like a long time, but it might not be enough if he failed to locate the Poison Hall.

"Now that I'm the dean, my reputation is growing. If I show my true face, I could easily be recognized..."

As he rode on the Purple Sun Beast's back, following the map, Zhang Xuan lowered his head in thought.

He was no longer the unknown nobody he once was. Instead, he was now the dean of Hongyuan Academy, one of the four major academies under the Qingyuan Empire, a position comparable to that of a 7-star master teacher.

The Poison Hall and the Master Teacher Pavilion had always been at odds. If he simply went to Jingyuan City to inquire, once his identity was recognized, not only would he fail to gather information, but he might also find himself in a dangerous situation.

He needed to find a way to disguise himself.

After a moment of thought, his bones and muscles subtly shifted. His appearance transformed, his physique became taller than before, and his apparent age changed from around twenty to about forty.

As the Heaven's Path zhenqi circulated, his aura began to change, becoming completely different from his previous subdued and reserved demeanor. It now exuded a wild and fierce quality.

If he were to walk outside now, even if he didn't claim to be Zhang Xuan, Wang Ying and the others would certainly not recognize him.

With Heaven's Path zhenqi altering his aura and the Five-Star Golden Body changing his appearance, he could disguise himself even as an Otherworldly Demon, let alone a mere human.

The Purple Sun Beast flew at full speed, and ten days later, a city blanketed in snow appeared before his eyes.

From a distance, it appeared much smaller than Hongyuan City, yet it was still more expansive than places like the Fantasy Feather Imperial Capital.

Dark gray buildings stood prominently on the pristine white snow, connecting with the vast expanse of sky and earth. They stretched out, winding towards the distant horizon, resembling a quiet, meticulously rendered ink painting.

"It's almost summer, yet this place is still covered in ice and snow..."

Zhang Xuan couldn't help but marvel.

While Hongyuan Imperial City was already nearing summer, vibrant with greenery and people dressed in light clothing, this place remained intensely cold. The stark contrast made it feel as though he had stepped into another world.

"You should go into the beehive to cultivate for now!"

He found an uninhabited forest outside the city, placed the Purple Sun Beast into the beehive, and then, treading on the snow, proceeded towards the city.

Although the Purple Sun Beast rarely appeared outside the academy, for safety's sake, it was still better not to let it be seen.

After paying ten low-grade spirit stones, he entered the city.

"Just wandering blindly like this won't work. I need to find a place known for its wide range of information to make inquiries!"

After walking along the street for a while, Zhang Xuan mused.

Although clues suggested a high probability of the Poison Hall being in Jingyuan City, finding its precise location would certainly not be easy.

Even when he located the Poison Hall in the Red Lotus Mountain Range previously, it was only with the Great Medicine King's guidance. Otherwise, he might have searched in vain until his death without ever discovering it.

If that weren't the case, the Poison Hall would surely have been exterminated long ago and would not have survived to this day.

He glanced around, then spotted a restaurant standing nearby.

"'Wangyou Tower... "Forget worries in joy," a good name!'"

He chuckled softly and walked over.

Restaurants, with their many patrons and constant chatter, were ideal places to gather information. Besides, after ten consecutive days of flying, his mouth felt bland. Since he was here, he might as well sample some local cuisine.

"This way, honored sir..."

A young waiter approached him, his face wreathed in smiles.

"Hmm!" Zhang Xuan nodded, casually tossing out a mid-grade spirit stone. "Find me a quiet spot!"

"Certainly!"

The waiter's eyes lit up, and he eagerly gestured, "Sir, this way, please!"

Mid-grade spirit stones were now trivial to Zhang Xuan, but for those living at the bottom, relying on their meager wages, they still represented a considerable fortune.

He found a quiet spot and sat down, casually ordering a few local specialties. Only then did he look up.

"I'm new to Jingyuan City. Where can one inquire about information most accurately?"

A waiter at such an establishment would certainly not know anything about the Poison Hall, so Zhang Xuan didn't bother asking. Instead, he directly inquired about places that sold information.

Intelligence and news were always in high demand, and many people were willing to pay high prices for them. Such establishments existed in every city and were not uncommon.

"If you're looking for information, you definitely need to go to Moyun Pavilion! Their intelligence is the most accurate, and their sources are the most extensive..."

The waiter lowered his voice.

"Moyun Pavilion?"

"Yes, it's the largest auction house in our Jingyuan City. They don't just auction treasures; they also sell all kinds of news and intelligence! They even have information on the Hongyuan imperial family. Last time, someone specifically purchased information about Princess Yu Fei'er, intending to travel to the imperial capital to propose marriage..."

Having received the spirit stone earlier, the waiter seemed unusually enthusiastic.

"Propose marriage?" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Given Yu Fei'er's fiery temper, anyone brave enough to propose to her would likely be beaten to death on the spot.

However, considering how far this place was from Hongyuan City, and yet they could even obtain information about Princess Yu Fei'er, it showed that Moyun Pavilion certainly had some capabilities.

After inquiring about the specific location and learning it wasn't far, Zhang Xuan asked no further questions.

Although Jingyuan City was remotely located, the food was exceptionally delicious. After enjoying a satisfying meal, he rose and departed, heading towards Moyun Pavilion.

Moyun Pavilion was a massive commercial center, offering everything from treasures and calligraphy to paintings and ores.

The guards stationed at the entrance each exuded a powerful aura, signaling that they were not to be disturbed. They were all experts at the Seventh Realm of Mortal Transcendence, the Unity Realm.

Such strength would be considered among the absolute peak in the Fantasy Feather Empire. For them to merely be gatekeepers here indicated that Moyun Pavilion was indeed far from simple.

Inside, buyers and sellers thronged, creating a bustling and exceptionally lively atmosphere.

Knowing that a general search would take an unknown amount of time, and that information concerning the Poison Hall would be extremely important and not easily acquired, he walked directly to the front desk. His expression was cold as he stated, "Call your manager out. I have a matter to inquire about!"

As he spoke, he raised a finger, and a fluctuating sword qi pulsed from it, exuding the aura of a Saint-realm pinnacle expert. The intense pressure was palpable.

"Yes, yes!"

Seeing his imposing demeanor, the front desk attendant dared not say more. He hurried out, and before long, a middle-aged man approached.

"My friend, I am Zhu Xiao, a deacon of Moyun Pavilion. How may I help you?"

He was a middle-aged man who had reached the Half-Saint realm. Despite being surprised by Zhang Xuan's aura, he maintained a composed demeanor.

"Arrange a quiet room for me. I have something to inquire about!"

Zhu Xiao wasted no words. He turned and led the way.

After following him for a short distance, they arrived at a sealed room. Zhang Xuan surveyed the surroundings and nodded.

It had to be said that Moyun Pavilion's confidentiality measures were quite rigorous. The room was surrounded by various restrictions, ensuring that no information—not even sounds of battle—could escape. It was extremely secure.

"Do you find this room satisfactory, my friend?"

Zhu Xiao smiled.

"Not bad!" Zhang Xuan nodded, then lifted his gaze to meet Zhu Xiao's. "I want to inquire about the Poison Hall. Name your price!"

"The Poison Hall?"

Zhu Xiao frowned, then shook his head. "I apologize, but we don't have any information regarding them here. Perhaps you could inquire about something else?"

"None?"

Zhang Xuan chuckled. With a flip of his palm, a pile of high-grade spirit stones immediately appeared on the ground—a full hundred of them. "Is this enough?" he asked.

Upon seeing a hundred high-grade spirit stones suddenly appear, Zhu Xiao's eyebrow twitched. He ultimately gritted his teeth and replied, "I apologize, but this isn't a matter of money. We genuinely do not have that information!"

Ignoring the man's words, Zhang Xuan simply flicked his wrist. Another pile of spirit stones, numbering five hundred this time, appeared on the ground, radiating vibrant spiritual energy and shimmering with light.

"Is this enough?"

"This... this..."

Zhu Xiao's face turned pale. "This matter is beyond my authority. I will need to report it to the Pavilion Master..."