Chapter 183: Who Wrote Me a Letter?

"Nether Abyss Summit?" several people exchanged glances.

Xiao Er shook his head: "Never heard of it."

Ji Wanrun continued: "Our Black Medicine Sect meticulously studies poisons and life‑extending techniques; though our sword takes an unorthodox edge, all we seek is the ability to command life and death."

She frowned slightly: "But that Nether Abyss Hall is entirely about killing without a trace."

"I've never seen those people; Master places special emphasis on them, and regarding everything about them, Master handles it personally, never allowing disciples to accompany."

"The items in that secret chamber are what they have stored here."

Tuan Tuan's face flushed with anger, waving a little fist: "So this broken summit is what harmed Dad!"

Xiao Er recalled the earlier incident: "In that case, Jiang Yuan's gu poison must have come from the Nether Abyss Summit, and he was merely a pawn in someone else's hand!"

Xiao Ningchen said in a deep voice: "What a Nether Abyss Summit! This hatred will not be shared with the heavens!"

Xiao Ningxun slowly opened his mouth: "When we return from Da Xia, we must uproot this half‑revealed Nether Abyss Summit, pull it out by the roots, and turn the world upside down!"

The next morning at dawn, everyone saw off Xue Jin's family.

A carriage quietly stopped at the inn's entrance.

Xue Jin clasped his hands toward the group: "This great kindness, I, Xue Jin, will never forget. In the future, should you need anything, the Sacred Medicine Valley in its entirety will be obliged!"

Xiao Ningxun returned the salute: "Valley Master Xue speaks too highly; travel safely."

Xue Zhiyou poked his little head out of the carriage window: "Tuan Tuan! Come to the Sacred Valley to play with me!"

Tuan Tuan waved a little hand: "Got it! Let's go home quickly!"

Xue Jin slipped into the carriage; the driver shouted a command, and the carriage moved forward slowly.

Tuan Tuan hugged Xiao Ningchen's neck: "Second brother, their family is reunited! So nice!"

"The Taoist Priest once said a family should be round and together, so that's why I'm called Tuan Tuan!"

Xiao Ningchen smiled faintly: "Right, so let's set off quickly, finish that damn Grand Sacred Ceremony of Da Xia, and go home!"

"Mm!" Tuan Tuan nodded vigorously, fully agreeing.

The group returned to the inn; Xiao Ze handed a handwritten note he had given to Xiao Jieyun to two guards: "Present it personally to His Majesty; do not let anyone else deliver it."

"Understood!"

Xiao Ningchen was about to issue the departure order when the inn's waiter hurried to the doorway: "Excuse me, which one is Tuan Tuan?"

Tuan Tuan looked up: "I am!"

The waiter handed her the letter in his hand: "A guest just now asked me to give this to you."

"Me?" Tuan Tuan was puzzled, "I barely know the character 'I', who wrote me a letter?"

Xiao Ningxun recalled the two letters from the National Preceptor of Da Xia and quickly took them: "Thank you."

The waiter turned and left.

Xiao Ningxun examined it closely; the envelope bore no characters. He took out the letter paper and read aloud:

"Yega City, dispatch someone to book an inn, then change carriage and disguise, secretly head west of the city to the Lingxu Temple to settle."

"The letter is addressed to Tuan Tuan, yet why is there no signature?"

Xiao Ningchen asked: "Is it that National Preceptor of Da Xia again?"

Xiao Ningxun shook his head: "The handwriting is different; it shouldn't be."

Xiao Ze asked: "Is the next place we need to pass Yega City?"

Xiao Er nodded: "Exactly."

Xiao Ze frowned: "It seems on this trip we have quite a few targets in sight."

He looked at Xiao Ningchen: "What do you think?"

Xiao Ningchen thought: "We set out, deal with it when we arrive; when troops come we block with generals, when water comes we cover with earth. Once there, we'll see who is being cryptic!"

The group set out, encountered no trouble, and arrived safely at Yega City.

Yega City was far larger than Jiamu City, with a constant stream of carriages and horses, a bustling scene.

Shops lined both sides of the streets, inn signs vied for attention, pedestrians wore attire with a frontier flavor, presenting a scene quite different from Jiamu City.

Xiao Er parked the carriage at the largest Yuelai Inn in the city, booked several upper rooms, paid the silver briskly, and the innkeeper, beaming, escorted them to their rooms.

When the door closed, the outside clamor was cut off.

Xiao Ningxun looked at his elder brother, whispering: "Second brother, should we act according to the letter?"

Xiao Ningchen pondered briefly: "What the letter says seems more like a warning to us."

"The enemy hides, we see; reality and illusion are hard to gauge. Since that's so, we might as well follow the plan and see what kind of evil spirits this Yega City hides."

The group did not act immediately; like ordinary travelers, after a brief stay at the inn they leisurely strolled the streets and dined at the best restaurant.

When the sun tilted westward, they returned to their rooms, acted swiftly, and changed into ordinary clothes.

Tuan Tuan put on a boy's outfit, removed her jewelry, and wore a small hat.

She tugged the hem uncomfortably, lifted her little face: "Third brother, does it look good?"

Xiao Ningxun bent down, brushed the stray hair from her forehead, his eyes full of tenderness: "It looks good. Tuan Tuan looks good in anything."

Tuan Tuan laughed happily.

With preparations complete, the group no longer delayed, leaving the inn in small groups, blending into the crowd.

Each wandered the city briefly, confirming no one followed, then gathered at an inconspicuous carriage shop in the western part, bought several horses, and galloped toward the "Lingxu Temple west of the city" as indicated in the letter.

Xuan Yun Temple was modest in size, orderly, and far from the city's clamor.

Fortunately, the temple was spotless, with towering pines and cypresses, serene and clean—a place that felt reassuring.

Xiao Er gave the Temple Master offering money, saying they wished to stay one night.

The Temple Master gladly agreed and assigned them a guesthouse in the rear courtyard.

That night, except for Tuan Tuan, who slept soundly, everyone else remained on high alert.

All lay down in their clothes, especially Xiao Er, who almost did not sleep the whole night, keeping his ears upright to listen to the sounds outside.

However, only the rustling of mountain wind through the treetops accompanied them for the entire night.

The next day, everyone got up, slightly weary, but seeing that all was safe, their hearts were a little eased.

At noon, a young Taoist Priest who was sweeping began chatting with them: "Esteemed guests, you truly are fortunate people!"

"Yesterday you didn't stay at an inn in the city, but came to our Xuan Yun Temple; truly, divine protection!"

Xiao Ningxun felt something stir in his heart and, following the thread, asked: "Taoist Priest, why do you say that? Is there something amiss with the city inns?"

The young Taoist Priest lowered his voice: "Sir, you still don't know, do you?"

"Our Yega City inns, to attract business, are built connected together for guests' convenience. Yet last night, for some reason, a massive fire burned them all clean!"

The crowd's expressions changed.

The young Taoist Priest described vividly, as if he had seen it himself: "The blaze—Whoa! It turned half the sky red! In one night, the whole street's inns were reduced to white ash! Boundless Celestial Venerable, sins, sins."

"It is said the fire erupted both swiftly and fiercely; many guests didn't have time to escape and were all engulfed by the flames!"