Chapter 97: Clue at the Water Cloud Palace
This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation.
“Senior… Senior.”
Little Red struggled to keep pace, panting heavily as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. Yu Zhao, walking briskly ahead, set a pace too fast for her to match without running.
“Little Red, do you know anyone in South Sea City who’s lived here the longest and knows the most about the city’s history?”
Now that they had reached South Sea City, Yu Zhao didn’t want to leave without trying one last time to find a clue. If nothing came of this, she would depart and return when another opportunity presented itself.
“I do! It’s Grandpa Cha!” Little Red exclaimed, raising her hand excitedly. “He’s the tea master at Fragrant Tea House, and he makes the best tea!”
“Take me to him.”
“Right away!”
Little Red skillfully navigated through the narrow alleys, leading Yu Zhao to a quaint tea house. They ascended to the second floor, where the air was filled with the rich aroma of brewing tea. In a private room, they found Grandpa Cha, an elderly man with white hair, serving tea to some guests.
The situation was urgent, and Yu Zhao couldn’t afford to wait. She kicked open the door to the tea room.
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
The two cultivators enjoying their tea looked up in shock, glaring at Yu Zhao. However, their expressions quickly changed to ones of respect and caution when they realized they couldn’t gauge her cultivation level. They stood and bowed. “Greetings, Senior.”
Yu Zhao tossed a top-quality spirit stone into one of their laps. “I need to speak with the tea master. This is for your trouble.”
Seeing the valuable spirit stone, the men’s irritation vanished, replaced by eager smiles. “Of course, Senior, we’ll leave at once!”
They hurried out, shutting the door behind them.
The room fell silent as Grandpa Cha set down his teapot with a calm demeanor. “To what do I owe the urgency?”
“Tea master, do you know anything about a sect called Water Cloud Palace that was near South Sea City?” Yu Zhao asked, not wasting time on pleasantries.
“Water Cloud Palace?” Grandpa Cha looked thoughtful. “Wasn’t that sect destroyed about twenty years ago?”
Yu Zhao’s eyes brightened. She had found the right person!
“Yes, that’s correct. Do you know where it was located?”
Grandpa Cha frowned, deep in thought. “I recall hearing about it, but the details are vague.”
“Grandpa Cha, this senior is my guest. Please help her,” Little Red interjected, her hands clasped together in a pleading gesture as she stepped out from behind Yu Zhao.
“Oh, it’s you, Little Red.” Grandpa Cha’s stern expression softened. He turned back to Yu Zhao, his eyes narrowing. “Why didn’t you say you were a guest of Little Red? I might have remembered sooner.”
Yu Zhao remained silent, noting that Grandpa Cha had clearly seen Little Red before but had waited for her to speak.
Grandpa Cha sighed and gave them the information about the former location of Water Cloud Palace. Yu Zhao noted it down, then offered him five top-quality spirit stones as a token of gratitude. However, Grandpa Cha waved them away.
“I only shared a few words; it’s not worth that much. If you must give them, give them to Little Red. She could use them more.”
Recognizing the bond between Grandpa Cha and Little Red, Yu Zhao wasn’t surprised by his response. She added another spirit stone and handed everything, including a small food box, to Little Red. “This is for guiding me today.”
Little Red’s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the glittering spirit stones. “No, Senior, it’s too much. I can’t accept it.”
Grandpa Cha watched anxiously, almost ready to take the items himself and give them to Little Red.
“Take them,” Yu Zhao insisted, pressing the stones and the box into Little Red’s hands. “But keep these hidden. Only you and Grandpa Cha should know about them.”
Aware that Little Red had no means to protect herself, Yu Zhao worried that the spirit stones could make her a target.
“And stay with Grandpa Cha for now. Don’t go out alone,” Yu Zhao cautioned, mindful of the potential danger posed by the old Nascent Soul cultivator from Siren Pavilion, who might seek revenge if he lost track of her.
Little Red, overwhelmed by the unexpected fortune, barely registered Yu Zhao’s warning. Meanwhile, Grandpa Cha’s expression grew serious, understanding the potential threat.
“I’ll keep an eye on her,” he promised.
Yu Zhao nodded, then vanished like a whisper in the wind.
Grandpa Cha sighed, watching Little Red, still stunned. This windfall could be a blessing or a curse.
The former site of the Water Cloud Palace wasn’t far from South Sea City. It took Yu Zhao two days to reach the described mountain peak. The towering peak, shrouded in clouds, had a majestic waterfall cascading down its side, misting the air.
The area’s rich spiritual energy stood out, and Yu Zhao noticed signs of recent activity.
Could it be…?
…
In the Siren Pavilion, on the fifth floor, a siren lay submerged in a pool, lost in a whirlwind of chaotic thoughts. To him, humans were the embodiment of greed, deceit, and treachery. Betrayed once, he had sworn never to trust them again.
Yet, a human woman had defied his expectations by keeping her promise and removing the Demon Heart Seed from him.
This unanticipated act of honesty left the siren, who was so used to human betrayal, feeling strangely unsettled.
Suddenly, a vivid memory flashed through his mind: his kin being slaughtered by cultivators. The recollection filled him with a searing rage and deep despair. In a desperate attempt to numb the pain and reignite his hatred, he smashed his head against the pool’s edge.
This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation.
A voice, cold and mocking, broke the silence. “You’re acting quite strange today, little siren.”
A shiver of fear replaced the siren’s anger, sending ripples through the water. At the edge of the pool stood a figure, observing him with a smile that never reached his eyes.
The sight of the siren’s fear brought a glint of satisfaction to the man’s gaze. But his expression soon darkened with anger.
“Who left their aura on you?” he demanded.
Before the siren could respond, the man grabbed him forcefully. The pain that followed was unbearable, far worse than any self-inflicted wound. The siren screamed in agony as his blue blood darkened.
“Tell me everything,” the man ordered, his voice icy and menacing. “Don’t test my patience.”