Chapter 107

Chapter 107: One Day of Memory

Mu Ning Zhu asked, “We’re not acquainted with Daoist Li, and we aren’t on the invitation list. How would we watch the ceremony?”

The waiter quickly explained, “Being able to come to Twin Mountain City at this time is also fate. On the day of the Dao companion ceremony, everyone gets a cup of spirit wine. And that day, the City Lord’s Residence will also hand out some spirit pills, spirit plants, and magical treasures. They definitely won’t let cultivators in the city leave empty-handed. It’s like the whole city celebrating together.”

“Tsk, tsk.” Yun Xi clicked her tongue. “The City Lord is really spending big for his son.”

“Exactly!” the waiter agreed. “Perfected Li Cang Yuan is the successor the old City Lord chose, so of course they take it seriously. It’s also a way to build his reputation ahead of time.”

The waiter answered everything without holding back. They reached their door, and the waiter added a few reminders. After receiving a tip of low-grade spirit stones, he went downstairs with a smile.

The four of them stayed two to a room. Mu Ning Zhu shared with Zhang Yan. Yun Xi shared with Qin Tong Shuang.

After resting for an hour, the four of them went together to stroll around Twin Mountain City. Yun Xi also wanted to buy some small gifts to bring back to her siblings.

When they came down to the first floor, they happened to see Zhou Lang Chen, along with Zuo Die Er and Xiao Ya. All three were staring at the innkeeper.

The innkeeper looked helpless. “Everyone, it’s not that I don’t want to earn spirit stones. There truly aren’t any empty upper rooms. The last two upper rooms were reserved an hour ago.”

The moment Yun Xi heard that, she knew the next part of the gossip had arrived on its own. She deliberately slowed her steps, and Qin Tong Shuang quietly matched her pace.

The innkeeper seemed fed up with being pestered. When he saw Yun Xi’s group, he spoke up right away. “Those guests there are the ones who booked the last two upper rooms. This old man really didn’t lie to you.”

Zhou Lang Chen turned his head and met four pairs of clear, bright eyes. In an instant, bad memories flashed in his mind. His expression stiffened, and he only gave them a quick nod before looking away, clearly not wanting any connection.

Zuo Die Er, however, didn’t know how to read the room. With a quick movement, she blocked Yun Xi’s group.

“Fellow Daoists, can you give up your upper rooms? I’m willing to pay double the spirit stones.”

After saying that, she realized she sounded too overbearing, and she didn’t want to leave a bad impression on Brother Zhou. She softened her voice. “My companion needs to heal. Upper rooms are quiet, and they have a spirit-gathering array. I hope you can understand. I’ll make it up to you.”

Mu Ning Zhu’s brows knit. She was clearly unhappy. From Zuo Die Er’s tone, it sounded like refusing would somehow make them the ones at fault.

Yun Xi’s eyes flicked, and she immediately sent Mu Ning Zhu a voice transmission. Mu Ning Zhu’s expression paused for a moment, then she spoke aloud. “Daoist, we understand your difficulty. But we also plan to stay in Twin Mountain City for two days. It’s impossible for us to give up both upper rooms.”

She continued calmly, “Still, since we have a bit of fate with Daoist Zhou, we can give up one room. As for the spirit stones…”

Zuo Die Er had been satisfied as long as she could stay next door to Zhou Lang Chen. She hadn’t expected this kind of surprise—if they gave up one room, then she and Brother Zhou could share the other!

She immediately tossed a storage pouch to Mu Ning Zhu, afraid Mu Ning Zhu might change her mind.

Mu Ning Zhu swept it with her divine sense, transferred the spirit stones into her own pouch, then threw the jade token for the room’s restriction to Zuo Die Er. She didn’t hesitate at all, turning and leaving the inn with the other three.

The innkeeper finally relaxed. Yun Xi’s group made a profit and felt pleased. The only person who probably wasn’t happy was Zhou Lang Chen.

As they left, they could still hear Zuo Die Er trying to persuade Brother Zhou to stay with them.

Once they were out of the inn’s range, Mu Ning Zhu asked, “Junior Sister Wei, why did you help Daoist Zhou out?”

Yun Xi shook her head. “I wasn’t helping him. I just figured that if we ran into a willing sucker, we should earn back the spirit stones we spent on the flying ship. And it’s safer for the four of us to share a room. When you’re traveling outside, it’s better to save where you can.”

Qin Tong Shuang’s mouth twitched. “Martial Aunt Wei, if you wanted to watch the drama, just say so. You don’t need an excuse like that.”

“Ai Ya.” Yun Xi grinned. “If you see through it, don’t say it out loud. Don’t you think we have so much fate with Daoist Zhou? Watching a little drama doesn’t hurt.”

Mu Ning Zhu pressed her forehead and waved them on, telling them not to focus on other people’s drama.

After they split up the spirit stones Qin Tong Shuang handed out, they went to buy supplies. By the time they returned to the inn, Zuo Die Er and her companions were nowhere to be seen.

The restriction on the room next door was active, so someone was inside, but it was hard to say whether all three of them were there.

Early the next morning, the four of them woke from meditation. Mu Ning Zhu took them downstairs for breakfast, then said, “We’ll look around the city today. Tomorrow we leave.”

Yun Xi froze. “Senior Sister Mu, we’re not going to watch the ceremony?”

“Watch what ceremony?” Mu Ning Zhu looked confused.

“The City Lord’s Residence—Li Cang Yuan’s Dao companion ceremony!” Yun Xi stared at her like Mu Ning Zhu had forgotten something important.

Mu Ning Zhu looked even more surprised. “Li Cang Yuan forming a Dao companion has nothing to do with us. He’s not inviting us.”

Yun Xi’s eyes widened. “Senior Sister Mu, yesterday the waiter told us we could watch. The City Lord’s Residence would also hand out gifts. Didn’t you say we could stay two more days before leaving?”

“Yesterday?” Mu Ning Zhu frowned. “Didn’t we only get off the flying ship this morning?”

Qin Tong Shuang also looked at Yun Xi in curiosity.

Yun Xi’s brows drew together. A bad feeling rose in her chest. She immediately checked her storage pouch. The items she bought yesterday were still inside, and only then did she let out a breath.

She said quickly, “Senior Sister Mu, check your storage pouches. See if you have anything extra.”

The three of them exchanged a look. Their divine senses dipped into their storage pouches. A moment later, all three wore shocked expressions, then turned their questioning gazes toward Yun Xi.

Yun Xi could only explain. She recounted everything that happened yesterday and took out the items she bought as proof.

Mu Ning Zhu’s face darkened. “So you’re saying we lost one full day of memory. Why do you still remember?”

Yun Xi paused and forced her mind to work. She looked at the three people staring at her, then looked at herself. Resting her chin in her hand, she began to analyze.

The four of them entered Twin Mountain City together. From the moment they got off the flying ship, they hadn’t split up. Since no one was alone, it meant no one could have targeted just one of them—otherwise the other three would have noticed.

So it had to be someone powerful enough to act on all of them at once. But why would that person miss her? Yun Xi didn’t think she was special enough to be singled out.

That left another possibility: the person did act, but she didn’t fall for it.

Yun Xi suddenly remembered something. Other than hiding her cultivation, the biggest difference was that her divine sense was far stronger than the other three. Any cultivator who could forcefully wipe her memory for a full day would need Divine Transformation Stage divine sense. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have that effect.

When Yun Xi’s eyes brightened, the other three immediately knew she had found something.

Yun Xi chose her words carefully. “They erased your memory because they want to keep us in Twin Mountain City.”

She continued, “The reason I still have that day’s memory is because the Ancestor in my family left a protective imprint in my soul. That’s why my memory wasn’t taken.”

“To prove whether what I’m saying is true, we just need to try leaving Twin Mountain City.”