Chapter 978: Jingyuan City

There was only a single line of text, written very simply.

It meant that they would meet again at the ruins, and that the War Master Hall had matters to attend to, so they had taken their leave first. As for the reason, it was not explained.

After reading the letter, Zhang Xuan was full of confusion.

Weren't things fine yesterday? They had been talking about sparring with Xuanxuan Hui, making earnest promises to improve together—how could they leave in the blink of an eye?

How was it that everyone he dealt with, whether elders or master teachers, was so unreliable?

Staying at Hongyuan Academy, they didn't even bother to say goodbye to him, the dean, as if something was urging them away. It was utterly rude.

He, a man who followed the rules, ended up with a bunch of unreliable friends. His heart was so tired...

Did nothing happen at the War Master Hall?

Shaking his head, he looked up and asked.

It shouldn't be anything serious! I specifically inquired, and they said it was a private matter. As for the reason, they wouldn't say... Oh, right, Dean, when I returned last night, I saw that they all seemed to be injured. Could it be related to that?

After thinking for a moment, Elder Mi said.

After finishing up many matters yesterday, on my way back to my lodgings, I saw Liao Zhanshi and the others returning from outside with bruised and swollen faces. To avoid awkwardness, I didn't ask further. Now that I think about it, could this be the reason?

"Injured?" Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

Weren't they supposed to guide the Xuanxuan Society members? How did they get hurt?

"Forget it, don't mind them. I'll see them in a month and ask then; it's not too late."

Since they've already left, dwelling on it is pointless. Besides, he didn't have that much time and energy.

After asking a few more questions and arranging the academy affairs with Elder Mi, he returned to his residence, instructed Wang Ying and the others to cultivate diligently, then placed Wei Ruyan into the beehive, mounted the back of the Purple Sun Beast, and flew straight toward Jingyuan City.

This trip was to find the Poison Hall, extremely dangerous. He didn't bring any disciples along and didn't tell anyone his whereabouts. Traveling alone, without anyone holding him back, would make things much more convenient.

Jingyuan City was located in the far northeast of the Hongyuan Empire, near the empire's largest inland sea. Due to its remote location, it was covered in snow and cold all year round, and compared to places like Fire Source City, it was relatively underdeveloped.

Because there were few traveling merchants passing through, many people were unclear about the situation there, and the numerous records of the Master Teacher Academy also had little documentation.

It was only described as a cold border town. Given the Poison Hall's tendency to avoid the world, it was indeed possible that they had built a branch here.

Of course, the specifics could only be confirmed upon arrival.

Although the old dean had investigated extensively, he couldn't be a hundred percent certain.

For this reason, although a month seemed long, if the Poison Hall couldn't be found, it might not be enough time.

“Now that I’ve become an academy head and my fame is growing, if I show my true face, it would be easy to be discovered…”

Seated on the back of the Purple Sun Beast, advancing according to the map’s directions, Zhang Xuan lowered his head in thought.

He was no longer the insignificant nobody he once was, but the head of Hongyuan Academy, one of the four great academies under the Qingyuan Empire, a position comparable to a seven-star master teacher.

The Poison Hall and the Master Teacher Hall had always been at odds. If he went to Jingyuan City to inquire like this and was recognized, failing to learn anything would be the least of his worries; he might even put himself in danger.

He had to find a way to disguise himself.

After a moment’s thought, his bones and muscles writhed, his appearance changed, his physique became taller and broader, and his age shifted from around twenty to about forty.

As the Heavenly Dao true energy circulated, his aura also began to change, becoming completely different from before—somewhat fierce and violent, no longer low-key and restrained.

If he went outside and didn’t say he was Zhang Xuan, even Wang Ying and the others probably wouldn’t recognize him.

The Heavenly Dao true energy could alter his aura, and the Five Radiance Golden Body could change his appearance. Even an Otherworldly Demon could be disguised, let alone an ordinary person.

The Purple Sun Beast flew at full speed. Ten days later, a city shrouded in snow appeared before them.

From a distance, it looked much smaller than Hongyuan City, but compared to places like Huanyu Imperial Capital, it was still more vast.

Dark gray buildings stood on the pure white snow, connecting with the sky and winding toward the distant horizon, like a quiet, orderly ink painting.

“It’s almost summer, yet it’s still snowing here…”

Zhang Xuan couldn’t help but marvel.

In the Hongyuan Imperial Capital, it was nearly summer, lush and green, with everyone in thin clothes, but here it was so cold. Seeing it gave him a sense of being in a different world.

“You go cultivate in the hive first!”

Arriving at a deserted forest outside the city, he put the Purple Sun Beast into the hive, then stepped through the snow toward the city.

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

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

“Wandering blindly like this won’t do. I need to find a place with many sources of information to inquire!”

Walking along the street for a while, Zhang Xuan pondered.

Although the clues suggested that the Poison Hall was likely in Jingyuan City, finding out about it would certainly not be easy.

Back then, finding the Poison Hall in the Red Lotus Mountain Range had relied on the Great Medicine King leading the way; otherwise, even if he searched until death, he might not have discovered it.

If it weren’t for that, the Poison Hall would have been wiped out long ago and wouldn’t have survived to this day.

He looked around and saw a tavern standing not far away.

"Forget Sorrow Tower... joy that makes one forget sorrow, not a bad name!"

With a faint smile, he lifted his foot and walked over.

A tavern is a place with many people and much talk, the best spot to gather information. Besides, after flying continuously for ten days, his mouth had become tasteless. Since he was here, he might as well sample the local cuisine.

"This way, sir, please..."

A young attendant came up to greet him, his face full of smiles.

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

"Right away!"

The attendant's eyes lit up, and he quickly beckoned: "Sir, this way!"

Mid-grade spirit stones were now of no consequence to Zhang Xuan, but to those living at the very bottom, relying on wages from menial work, they were still a considerable fortune.

Finding a quiet place to sit, Zhang Xuan casually ordered some local specialties, then looked over.

"This is my first time in Jingyuan City. Do you know where I can get accurate information?"

This kind of tavern attendant certainly wouldn't know about the Poison Hall, so he didn't bother asking, instead directly inquiring about where to buy information.

Intelligence and news were always in demand; many were willing to pay high prices for them. Such places existed in every city, nothing unusual.

"If you want to inquire about news, you must go to the [Mo Yun Pavilion]! Their information is the most accurate and has the widest sources..."

The attendant lowered his voice.

"Mo Yun Pavilion?"

"Yes, it's the largest auction house in Jingyuan City. Not only do they auction treasures, but they also sell all kinds of news and intelligence. They even have information about the Hongyuan royal family. Last time, someone bought information about Princess Yu Fei'er, planning to go to the capital to propose marriage..."

Thanks to the earlier spirit stone, the attendant was exceptionally enthusiastic.

"Propose marriage?" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

With Yu Fei'er's fiery temper, anyone daring to propose would probably be beaten to death on the spot.

Still, being this far from Hongyuan City and still able to get information about Princess Yu Fei'er showed that this Mo Yun Pavilion indeed had some skill.

After asking for the specific location and learning it was not far, Zhang Xuan asked no more.

Although Jingyuan City was remote, the food was extremely delicious. After a hearty meal, he got up and left, heading toward the Mo Yun Pavilion.

The Mo Yun Pavilion was a huge marketplace, with everything from treasures, paintings, and calligraphy to ores.

The guards at the entrance exuded powerful auras, giving off a 'keep away' vibe. They were all at the seventh level of Mortal Transformation, the Return to One realm.

Such strength was absolutely top-tier in the Huanyu Empire, yet here they were just gatekeepers. This Mo Yun Pavilion was clearly no ordinary place.

Entering, he saw people everywhere buying and selling, a bustling crowd.

Knowing that searching like this would take forever, and that information about the Poison Hall was too important to be sold casually, he stepped up to the front desk with a cold expression: "Call your manager out. I have something to inquire about!"

As he spoke, he raised a finger, and a sword aura flickered, emitting the aura of a Saint Ascendant, giving off an intense pressure.

"Yes, yes!"

The front desk attendant, seeing his hostile demeanor, dared not say more and hurried out. Before long, a middle-aged man approached.

"Friend, I am Zhu Xiao, an attendant of the Mo Yun Pavilion. How may I help you?"

He was a half-Saint level middle-aged man. Though startled by Zhang Xuan's aura, he remained neither humble nor arrogant.

"Arrange a quiet room for me. I have something to ask."

Zhang Xuan looked at him coolly.

"This way, please."

Zhu Xiao said nothing more and turned to lead the way.

Following behind for a while, they arrived at a sealed room. Zhang Xuan looked around and nodded.

He had to admit, the Mo Yun Pavilion's confidentiality was quite rigorous. The room was surrounded by various restrictions; even if they fought, no information would leak out. It was very secure.

"Friend, is this room to your liking?"

Zhu Xiao smiled.

"Not bad," Zhang Xuan nodded, lifting his eyes to look at him. "I want information on the Poison Hall. Name your price."

"The Poison Hall?"

Zhu Xiao frowned, then shook his head: "I'm sorry, we have no information on them. Please choose another topic."

"No?"

Zhang Xuan smiled, turned his palm over, and a pile of high-grade spirit stones appeared on the ground, a full hundred of them. "Is this enough?"

Seeing a hundred high-grade spirit stones produced at once, Zhu Xiao's brows twitched, but he finally gritted his teeth: "I'm sorry, it's not about the money. We really don't have any."

Ignoring him, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, and another pile of spirit stones appeared on the ground, shimmering with spiritual energy, a full five hundred of them.

"Is this enough?"

"This, this..."

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