Chapter 32: Demon Hunting (I) Part 2

They traveled like the wind, swift as lightning, arriving at the capital city of Bright Terrace around the fifth evening.

When they reached the base of Bright Terrace City, Yun Jinxue raised her head to study the towering city walls. Very unpromisingly, she let out a “wow.”

Since entering this world, most of her time had been spent in small towns or within the mountain forests. A bustling capital city of this level — the seat of a nation — was something she was seeing for the first time.

Outside the vermilion-red main gate, soldiers were inspecting travel documents. The two dismounted and led their horses, showed their identities, and followed the crowd inside.

Just as they entered the gate, a wave of thriving, bustling energy came rushing straight at them, directly palpable.

The streets were broad, the red-paneled buildings tall and imposing. The flow of people was like a river, carriages and horses like dragons. Outside the shop-fronts and businesses hung clusters of bright red lanterns. Above the streets were suspended colorful ribbons and inverted umbrellas in a rich array of colors.

There were quite a few street vendors along the roadside, selling all manner of food, toys, and goods. A crowd had gathered before every stall, brimming with laughter and cheer.

The streets seethed with life. Nearly every person in sight was neatly dressed and beaming with smiles, enjoying themselves with family or friends. Many exotic foreigners could also be spotted. Passing by, one could hear them speaking complex tongues of other nations.

Drumming sounds came from not far off. Looking over the heads of the crowd, one could see dragon-shaped lanterns parading by, accompanied by lion dancers and stilt-walkers, all moving and dancing to the music of various instruments. Cheers rose one after another without end.

Though the world of the book was fictional and no city called Bright Terrace had ever existed in real history, merely looking at all this, Yun Jinxue could already imagine what those ancient, flourishing capitals described in classical poems and texts — the ones whose names were well-remembered — must have been like.

Grand, magnificent, bustling, thriving.

She stood dazed, staring ahead, when suddenly someone touched the corner of her eye.

Yun Jinxue turned her gaze back. The little villain rubbed her fingertips together and said, “Senior Sister truly is sentimental. Crying at just this.”

It wasn’t sentimentality. It was merely that, in this single moment, she seemed to glimpse the prosperous ancient cities that had appeared in the pages of history books. Her heart surged with emotion — a bit of sensitivity, that was all.

Yun Jinxue pushed her hand away. “Go on. It’s the wind in Senior Sister’s eyes.”

Jiang Yanyu said, “Fine then. But I’m hungry. Can we look later? I want to eat something first.”

Yun Jinxue asked, “What do you feel like eating?”

Jiang Yanyu said, “I’ve heard there’s a restaurant in Bright Terrace with exceptionally good food called the Four Seas Delicacies. Let’s go try it.”

Yun Jinxue smiled. “You’re in the sect every day. Where do you even hear about all these things?”

Jiang Yanyu said, “I have lots of friends.”

Yun Jinxue gave her a light, scolding glance and laughed helplessly. “Fine. Then you should know the way too. Lead on.”

The two donned their veiled hats and walked to the very end of the street.

Here was a very spacious open area, with only a single square building about four stories tall. It covered a wide expanse. Red lanterns hung from every corner, bathing the entire red building in a warm glow.

Around the outer edge, a channel one zhang wide had been dug, used to keep goldfish. A stone bridge arched across it. All those coming to dine had to walk over the bridge, watching the colorful goldfish swimming below — a distinct and unique charm.

Even though it was in the farthest corner of the street, the flow of customers was not small at all.

The two walked over. A waiter enthusiastically welcomed them.

“Our humble greetings to the two of you arriving at the Four Seas Delicacies. Among our guests here, there are demons, immortals, ghosts, and humans, coming from south and north. No matter your tastes, after finishing your meal, you will call it unparalleled delicacy! Dear guests, please come inside. Would you prefer the main hall or a private room?”

Yun Jinxue said, “Somewhere a little quieter, please.”

The waiter said, “Right away!”

He made a hand gesture. Another waiter came over and took the reins of the two horses. He asked, “Do your immortal steeds have any requirements for their feed? Would they prefer it damp or dry?”

To flatter the guests, the horse demons were called “immortal steeds.” It nearly made Yun Jinxue laugh out loud.

She managed to hold it in. Before she could speak, Jiang Yanyu spoke. “They can eat weeds. No requirements.”

Ride the Wind let out another snort, turned, and walked off, whipping its tail wildly, seeming not to intend to pay her any more attention.

The waiter praised, “Truly an immortal lord’s steed! Understands human speech.”

Jiang Yanyu said, “Indeed. Especially when it’s being scolded — it understands that very clearly.”

The waiter said, “Truly too intelligent!”

Having already entered the restaurant, Yun Jinxue raised her head to glance around. Unable to hold back a smile, she said, “The second floor will be fine.”

Both the main hall and the second floor were open-plan. The third and fourth floors held the private rooms. They looked sumptuous and exquisite, surely quite expensive. Right now, all their doors and windows were tightly closed, with only the hazy light of lamps shining through.

The waiter slung his towel over his shoulder. “Right away. The stairs are that way.”

The interior was a sea of vermilion. Gossamer curtains danced softly, wine and meat sent their fragrance wafting. The main hall was already quite full of diners. The two walked up to the second floor and sat down at an empty table next to the railing.

After ordering, Yun Jinxue looked down from the railing. “There are so many people here. The food really must be good.”

Jiang Yanyu said, “Of course. When have I ever lied to Senior Sister?”

Right after saying this, she realized it was a rather absurd thing to say and quickly changed topics. “A crowd this huge — they couldn’t all be here looking for the Qi Qiao Tree Demon, could they?”

As it happened, someone at the neighboring table spoke. “I never expected there’d be so many people here. How are we supposed to compete?”

A rogue cultivator asked if he could share the table. After getting an affirmative reply, he sat down, removed his hat, and answered. “Brother, it’s your first time in Bright Terrace, right? This place is always this crowded. They’re all here looking for work, or taking the capital’s Demon-Ghost Supervisory Division examination.”

The man asked, “What’s the use of taking that exam?”

“The use?” The rogue cultivator said. “Brother, you don’t understand. The capital’s Demon-Ghost Supervisory Division has the best compensation. If you can pass the exam, you’re set for life. Even in old age, you’ll have a pension. It’s a form of security.”

Yun Jinxue thought to herself: Looks like cultivation still comes down to chasing a secure government job.

The rogue cultivator added, “That said, there are indeed plenty of people here seeking the Qi Qiao Tree Demon. Look at the ground floor — the table in yellow, those are probably disciples of the Central Prefecture’s Split Mountain Sect. The ones in purple — disciples of the Azure Sky Sect. Over on that side…”

He rattled off the names of several sects in one breath and ultimately concluded. “All of these can be counted as fairly well-known sects. They’re hard for rogue cultivators like you and me to deal with. It’s best not to confront them head-on.”

The man said, “Brother, you’re so knowledgeable about the immortal sects. Have you heard of the Divine Zenith Sect?”

The waiter brought small plates of pickled cucumbers, fried peanuts, and several other appetizers to both tables. The rogue cultivator ate a peanut and chewed as he spoke. “The Divine Zenith Sect — naturally, I’ve heard of it. Once you step into this world of cultivation, it’s impossible not to know the great names of Yun Shouhong and the Divine Zenith Sect.”

The man said, “To be able to train within such a great sect… just thinking about it feels glorious.”

The rogue cultivator sipped his tea, a trace of disdain in his tone. “No sect can remain strong forever. We’ll just see how long they can last.”

The man said, “Even if the Divine Zenith Sect declines in the future, a starved camel is still larger than a horse.”

The rogue cultivator replied, “Yes, yes, that’s true. But the Divine Zenith Sect is very good, and there’s an even better Senior Sister within it.”

The man said, “What do you mean?”

The rogue cultivator spoke slowly. “That Senior Sister is named Yun Jinxue. I’ve only ever glimpsed her once from afar. That immortal bearing and heavenly countenance — like a dream, like illusion, gentle as water, unforgettable at a single glance…”

Suddenly being singled out, Yun Jinxue instinctively pressed down her veiled hat. His string of effusive compliments made her fidget. She fretted a little over whether she should take off her hat to eat.

If he recognized her later, it would be extremely embarrassing.

Jiang Yanyu lifted her eyes to look at her and hooked up the corner of her lips.

Just as Yun Jinxue was caught in her dilemma, the animated, lively atmosphere in the hall suddenly went still.

She looked down. Three cultivators clad in dark red robes, wearing wide-brimmed bamboo hats and red scarves tied across their faces, walked in through the main entrance.

Although these three looked rather cold, grim, and sinister on the surface, this restaurant already had all kinds of people in it. This alone was hardly enough to cause panic.

But this style of dress was very distinctive. It signaled that they came from the place that made one’s blood run cold on hearing its name, the breeding ground of deviant cultivators — the Mad Red Hall.

The three stood at the entrance, glancing left and right, as if searching for empty seats.

When they first entered, the crowd had felt a slight panic. But seeing that they seemed to just want a meal, everyone relaxed again. With so many people here bolstering their courage, they resumed drinking, eating, and laughing.

The two at the neighboring table had held their breath at first. Seeing this, they exhaled in relief as well.

The rogue cultivator spoke again. “By the way, the Mad Red Hall’s new Hall Master — have you heard of her?”

The man said, “I’ve heard rumors. Seems her name is Zhuoyue.”

The rogue cultivator laughed in a low voice. “Zhuoyue — Sip the Moon. Heh. What kind of name is that? Does she think she can sip the moonlight? People who do dirty work just love giving themselves elegant, refined names. What a quirk.”

The man said, “But I’ve heard this Hall Master Zhuoyue has thunderous methods and a keen, unique eye. The people she’s appointed in the Mad Red Hall are all outstanding in ability. I’m afraid it’s only going to grow more and more prosperous.”

The rogue cultivator said, “No matter how much deviant cultivators develop, they’re still deviant cultivators. What’s more, that Hall Master is an exceedingly ugly woman.”

Jiang Yanyu had just picked up a peanut and was about to eat it. Hearing this, the smile on her face instantly collapsed.

The man glanced down below and lowered his voice. “Brother, where did you hear that?”

The rogue cultivator also lowered his voice. “It’s a rumor in the martial world, too. They say that Hall Master Zhuoyue always wears a mask when showing herself to others. Think about it — if she weren’t hideous, why would she do such a thing? She’s a woman. If she were beautiful, there’d be no reason not to show it off for others to see.”

The man nodded thoughtfully. “Ah, I see.”

Jiang Yanyu’s eye twitched. She set her chopsticks down, then smiled at the two of them. “Now, what I’ve heard is that the Hall Master Zhuoyue is a beauty like a celestial immortal.”

Hearing this clear, bright voice, the two turned their heads to look. The speaker was wearing a veiled hat; her features were hidden behind the gauze and not clearly visible.