Chapter 2537

"Also." The guard put handcuffs and leg irons on the two, and threatened, "Follow the cart, help unload the cargo, or you'll be beaten to death! Don't even think about escaping, or you'll be beaten to death!"

The man and woman before him nodded repeatedly, then immediately walked to the side of the cart.

"Hey, you're quite sensible." The guard laughed, "Not like those five people a few days ago, who came shouting and crying for their parents until they got a whipping, after which they became obedient and went to move the cargo."

These two were sensible, so they got one less beating.

He Lingchuan suddenly asked, "Then... are they still alive?"

The guard was startled, then chuckled, "How would I know?"

The cart started moving again, and He Lingchuan and the others followed behind it, heading toward the reef beach.

On the reef ahead was a naturally indented cave, invisible from above, but the two guards poked the rock with their fingers twice, and a stone door silently slid open, spanning one and a half zhang in width!

Such a wide door could accommodate most supplies.

Moreover, the passage behind the door was also spacious, easily fitting four carts side by side with room to spare.

The convoy entered smoothly, in single file.

Strangely, although the air was slightly damp, it lacked the characteristic salty humidity of the seaside, and the wind flowed without any other odd smell.

He Lingchuan, carrying cargo, concluded this place must have been renovated from a natural water-eroded cave, given the reefs around were dotted with large and small pores.

Such caves are inherently complex.

The rock walls were illuminated by spore lamps, bright as daylight all the way.

With light ahead, everyone followed it, and soon the view opened up.

Xiao An widened her eyes and let out a cry of surprise:

"Ah ya, this!"

They emerged from the cave, and the scene before them instantly shifted!

Blue sky with white clouds, a vast expanse of mountains lay ahead, lush green trees, hundreds of buildings built into the hills, grey walls and black tiles, appearing quite aged.

If they hadn't captured Tuo Zhi, they would have assumed the cave interior must be damp and dark—who would have thought they'd stepped from the seaside straight into a mountain town?

Is it an illusion formation? But the air is very fresh.

"Don't just stand there, move!" Someone behind pushed Xiao An, telling her not to block the way.

The two went with the flow, walked tens of zhang forward, then turned back, realizing they had crawled out of a large mountain cave, with the road extending all the way into the town below.

That must be Yingzui Town, as Tuo Zhi had said, Yingzui Town lies on the outskirts of Lingyun Palace.

From the cave to the town is very close—only over three hundred steps.

As the convoy entered the town, He Lingchuan saw many busy figures, both human and demon, moving like worker bees. Seeing the convoy arrive, they glanced over indifferently, without a second look.

The carts wound twice in the town before stopping before a huge round granary, this rammed-earth structure two stories high, windowless, like a short, plump round mushroom.

The cart stopped, and He Lingchuan and the others prepared to unload, then carry the supplies into the granary.

Inside the granary it was cool, one's breath turned to mist upon entry, likely due to an ice formation spell.

Whether ancient or modern, even with abundant spiritual energy, sects and nations still prefer manual labor, for it's hassle-free, saves effort, and reduces errors. Various puppets driven by divine arts and techniques, though tirelessly strong, lack spirituality, fall short of human dexterity, and often produce strange problems. When He Lingchuan passed Fengmo Mountain before, he had seen many human dwellings in the Xiaoyao Sect's garrison.

Human coordination and dexterity are often irreplaceable.

This round granary lies near the cliff, He Lingchuan specifically glanced that way and found the entire mountain area wrapped tightly in white mist, except where the cliff connects to a natural stone bridge facing outward.

Yet the other end of the stone bridge vanishes into the mist, unknown where it leads.

He Lingchuan had already learned from the captive Tuo Zhi that the cliff beneath his feet, resembling an eagle's beak, was named Yingzui Town. The residents here are diverse: soldiers, supervisors, laborers, night demons, and fugitives like He Lingchuan; besides dwellings and prisons, the town also has granaries, livestock pens, and so on.

The surging mist around is actually a barrier, separating Yingzui Town from other places. Townspeople without special permission cannot cross this stone bridge.

Even the captive Tuo Zhi he previously caught cannot pass, so he must find another way.

Having come this far, he isn't in a hurry, unloading cargo while observing the layout of Yingzui Town.

After unloading two carts, another figure emerged from the rear mountain cave—the night demon Yaoxiao who had previously sneaked into Su's cloth shop.

It was also thirsty, having just entered Yingzui Town and gone to the well to drink, but after two sips, a blue-robed person approached:

"You're late. Just waiting for you."

He extended his hand, and Yaoxiao handed over a sack.

The blue-robed person opened the sack's mouth to check, frowned: "Only four? You should have brought back five tonight."

"No time. Too tight a schedule, and these women are too scattered."

"They're all within your jurisdiction!"

Yaoxiao's back fur stood on end: "My jurisdiction suddenly doubled, population doubled too—can't possibly catch that many in one night! Can't you tell those above and get us a few more hands?"

"You wish. Where in Lingyun Palace isn't short-staffed?"

Yaoxiao pointed at the passing He Lingchuan: "Why not grab people like this mortal to do labor? Better than diverting us night demons? We can do their work, but they can't do ours!"

"What's your status to complain like that? Didn't you hear the old saying? Less chatter, longer life." The blue-robed person mocked it, then added, "Today's shortfall must be made up tomorrow!"

Yaoxiao said nothing.

The blue-robed person further pressed: "Did you hear? You can slack off, but those embryos can't wait! Once past the optimal harvesting time, they're useless! When the higher-ups investigate, the blame falls entirely on you!"

Yaoxiao resentfully replied: "I heard, I heard—I'll make it up tomorrow somehow."

Only then did the blue-robed person turn and walk toward the natural stone bridge, seemingly to deliver the collected items upward.

He scolded Yaoxiao for being too absorbed, failing to notice a tiny spider clinging to his sleeve.

He quickly stepped onto the bridge.

Ahead, mist surged, and as usual, he plunged into it—

Only to be bounced back.

"Huh?" The blue-robed person poked the mist ahead: "Why won't it let me through?"

He examined himself for a long time, shook his clothes, and found a small spider had fallen off, darting quickly into a stone crevice.

"Again these things!" The blue-robed person didn't think much—Yingzui Town's connection to the outside is very close, with large numbers of people and goods moving daily, bringing in outside small creatures is perfectly normal.

(This chapter ends)