In Jiang'an Prefecture's Yuangold Square stood the Hundred Flowers Theater. As a very famous restricted theater, it was one of the places in Jiang'an Prefecture's forty-five markets with the highest foot traffic. A diverse mix of cultivators, people of all shapes and colors, totaled over ten thousand individuals coming and going here daily.

Cultivators also had desires and needed to vent them. The Hundred Flowers Theater was one of the very few places tacitly approved by the official authorities, offering safety and guarantees.

"Sir, you look unfamiliar. It must be your first time here. Would you like a private booth or the main hall?"

The façade of the Hundred Flowers Theater was extremely wide, standing like a palace amidst the bustling street. Soaring into the clouds, grand and majestic, it showcased the splendor of architectural art, topped with wooden structures and red glazed tiles. The front of the theater was built with red walls, adorned with exquisite reliefs and painted patterns. On the red walls were huge vermillion wooden doors, inlaid with golden copper nails and ornate copper rings. At a glance, there were thirty large doors in front of the entire theater for guests to enter and exit, ensuring that no matter how many people there were, it would never cause congestion.

Disguised as an ordinary cultivator, Qi Xiu briefly glanced at the grand Hundred Flowers Theater and flicked a Dao coin into the bosom of the welcoming girl at the entrance.

"A private booth."

"Certainly, I'll take you there right now." The welcoming girl was surprised; this utterly ordinary young man was quite the generous customer. Her smile blossomed, and she immediately and cozily hooked Qi Xiu's arm, leading him toward the theater's interior.

Upon stepping inside the Hundred Flowers Theater, Qi Xiu immediately detected a faint fragrance. The main hall was spacious and bright, its smooth, mirror-like black marble floors shimmering enticingly under the light. Tall, carved wooden handrails led to the private rooms upstairs. Walking on the stairs, the soft and delicate red carpet beneath his feet felt wonderfully comfortable.

"Your business is doing quite well here," Qi Xiu remarked. Although he had only ascended to the third floor, he had already seen no fewer than twenty cultivators emanating an Initiate Realm aura. Each one wore a smile, looking thoroughly pleased. Clearly, they were extremely satisfied with the service here.

"Of course," the girl replied. "Our Hundred Flowers Theater is famous throughout Jiang'an Prefecture. We serve no fewer than ten thousand cultivators daily. Even the government offices choose to entertain their distinguished guests here."

The girl led Qi Xiu to a private booth on the ninth floor. The room, over two hundred square meters, was filled with luxurious and sumptuous furniture. Rosewood carved screens partitioned the space into private and comfortable areas. The walls inside the room were hung with stunningly beautiful brocades and embroideries. The large bed was draped with exquisitely handmade, ribbon-embellished brocade covers and cushions.

"Isn't this a theater?"

Looking at the large bed that took up almost half the room, Qi Xiu turned to glance at the welcoming girl.

"Yes, indeed," the girl said. "Our private booths offer solo performances and intimate conversations just for you. You'll understand the charm once you experience it. Please wait a moment; I'll arrange someone for you."

After the welcoming girl left, Qi Xiu quietly surveyed the private room, a hint of purple light glimmering deep within his eyes.

He activated his Observing Qi Skill.

Suddenly, the world seen through his eyes transformed into a unique, interwoven scene of black and white. The next instant, Qi Xiu's expression changed slightly. Threads and wisps of black-purple aura pervaded the entire building. Like the veins of a human body, they spread and branched out. Within the entire Hundred Flowers Theater, the black-purple aura connected, faintly forming the phantom image of a swaddled infant. But this infant looked fierce, its skin a dusky, unhealthy color. It seemed sound asleep, yet its eyelids were half-open, revealing a sinister and terrifying gaze filled with chilling, evil intent.

There's indeed a problem.

Reining in the purple light in his eyes, Qi Xiu rubbed the thumb ring he wore. He had gained the Observing Qi Skill from Daoist Qingya. At first, it had seemed like a simple technique for observing the geomantic and astrological aspects of Heaven and Earth's energies. But as he cultivated this Taoist Method to the third stage, its true power finally began to reveal itself. Once this technique was active, he could glimpse changes in the Three Talents—Heaven, Earth, and Humankind—and the circulation of surrounding Qi. Simply put, it allowed one to peer through false appearances, perceive the underlying essence of things, and enhance one's insight and perception.

The flow of black-purple aura inside the Hundred Flowers Theater was extremely clandestine—subtle, obscure, silent, and muted. It was a special type of Qi. Just as ordinary people cannot see viruses in the air, without a technique like the Observing Qi Skill, even cultivators at the Blood-Stained Realm would not notice the anomalies in this theater.

Master once said that cultivators should not interfere too much in worldly affairs. Otherwise, the Qi of the mortal coil will entangle them, bringing all kinds of calamities. So, it's not only an implicit rule acknowledged by all factions that those in the Blood-Stained Realm shouldn't meddle in mundane matters, but also an innate instinct for cultivators to seek good fortune and avoid disaster. Jiang'an Prefecture is vast and expansive, filled with numerous cultivators, but they are mostly at the Initiate Realm. Even if there are great cultivators of the Blood-Stained Realm stationed here, they are likely dispatched by the County Yamen. As for Dao Experts… there shouldn't be any. Experts of the Dao Body Realm are constantly in communion with Heaven and Earth, harnessing the Great Dao. Just by sitting there, they would draw the natural Qi of the world to approach them autonomously. If such an existence were truly in Jiang'an Prefecture, I would have sensed it as soon as I entered the city.

Noticing the anomaly within the Hundred Flowers Theater, Qi Xiu massaged his temples. The reason he hadn't gone straight to find his Sixth Senior Brother upon entering the city was precisely because Jiang'an Prefecture was no average county town. As a sub-provincial capital, it had a massive population and a complex web of internal factions.

And before departing, Daoist Yunxiong had instructed him, "Although Xingba has an unruly temperament, he's not foolish. He couldn't be ignorant of the cost of meddling in officialdom. During your trip, find out the reason for his self-inflicted downfall. If it's truly his own doing, then say no more—just beat him half to death and bring him back. But if there's something fishy… HMPH! I will let the world know the price of scheming against a Disciple of my Shenxiao Sect!"

Master Daoist Yunxiong's instructions still echoed in his ears. Connecting the secret arrangements in the Hundred Flowers Theater with that sinister and creepy infant, Qi Xiu's eyelids lifted slightly.

It seems my Sixth Senior Brother's sudden entry into government service might truly have some other hidden reason. But why did the mastermind behind all this choose him of all people?

Just as Qi Xiu was contemplating how to investigate other avenues for clues about the terrifying infant…

The door was tapped lightly twice.

A sultry woman, clad in a light gauze dress and half-hiding her face behind a pipa, walked in barefoot.

"Young Master, I…"

"You've come at the right time. I have some things I want to ask you."

Raising his hand, he flicked out a Sorrowful Breeze Charm. The barefoot woman, who hadn't yet had the chance to introduce herself, immediately became dazed, caught in a state between sleep and wakefulness. Now, this Sorrowful Breeze had been enhanced by Qi Xiu with Bewitching Heart Grass and Forgetfulness Flowers. Anyone affected by it would not only feel drowsy but also become completely compliant. Furthermore, after waking up, they would completely forget everything that happened while they were under its influence.

Having taken control of the barefoot dancer, Qi Xiu immediately began to question her about the various details of the Hundred Flowers Theater, including some secrets not meant for outsiders, which he also managed to extract.

"Liu Liansheng."

As she uttered the name of the Hundred Flowers Theater's owner, the barefoot woman's expression contorted in a struggle, as if she were trying to wake up. Quietly committing the name to memory, Qi Xiu gestured, and the woman fell into a deep sleep.

This dancer was just an ordinary person. She knew very little about the inner workings of the Hundred Flowers Theater. However, it was fortunate that she had once served a high-level manager there and had overheard the owner's name by chance.

Liu Liansheng… this name could indeed be a clue.

「After leaving the Hundred Flowers Theater」

Qi Xiu spent several days moving around Jiang'an Prefecture. Following the clue of Liu Liansheng's name, he actually managed to uncover some information. As he left a gambling house called the Golden Pool, Qi Xiu's expression was somber. This Liu Liansheng owned many properties in Jiang'an Prefecture. However, they were mainly gray-area businesses like theaters, gambling houses, and opium dens. Only a very small fraction consisted of legitimate businesses like restaurants and cloth shops. These, too, were mostly fronts for laundering money and cooking the books. And in these gray-area establishments, the sinister infant's presence was always detected—a total of sixty-nine such locations throughout Jiang'an Prefecture.

To undo the problem, one must find its source. I must start with these sinister infants, he muttered to himself, slightly shaking his sleeve. Instantly, more than a dozen lifelike sparrows flew out.

"Go, keep watch over these places for me," Qi Xiu instructed, gesturing with his fingers. The sparrows, brought to life from paintings, nodded with remarkable understanding. With a rustle of wings, they scattered and flew off, heading toward the locations where those creepy infants were sensed. These sparrows shared a mental connection with Qi Xiu, able to report back to him in real-time from any direction. Their small size made them indistinguishable from real birds. They were perfect for covert surveillance.

Having made these arrangements, Qi Xiu turned and left. All that remained was to wait for news.

「Ten days passed consecutively.」

The surveilling sparrows had been replaced twice, but so far, no significant information had been detected. However, Qi Xiu was not in a hurry. Impatience was a great hindrance to achieving anything. Besides, Master Daoist Yunxiong's primary instruction was to investigate the reason behind his Sixth Senior Brother Gan Xingba's downfall.

If ten days yield no results, then I'll wait twenty, or even thirty days. There's no such thing as a perfect deception in this world. Even the best disguise will eventually show its flaws.

And on the seventeenth day of continuous surveillance…

Qi Xiu, who was leisurely peeling peanuts and listening to light music in a small public garden, suddenly paused. His eyes behind his round, dark-lensed glasses shifted slightly, and the corners of his mouth curled up.

Finally caught you, it seems.

WHOOSH—

A faint dampness filled the air, and Qi Xiu vanished from his spot. Feeling a sudden chill, a nearby patron turned around curiously but saw nothing out of the ordinary. He merely touched the unexpected moisture on his clothes, frowned, and muttered to himself.

「Jiang'an Prefecture, Happy People Square.」

In Jiang'an Prefecture's Happy People Square, the Tranquil Heart Pavilion stood at the liveliest corner of the main street, with an endless stream of people coming and going. This elegantly named and comfortably decorated establishment, at first glance, might have been mistaken for a teahouse or a library. In reality, however, it was an opium den. They sold a type of water-pipe tobacco called "Tranquil Heart Golden Brew." It was claimed to be calming and satisfying, bringing cheer without harming the mind. Every day, not only cultivators but also many ordinary people frequented it, making it the second most profitable enterprise under Liu Liansheng's control, surpassed only by the Hundred Flowers Theater.

"Is everything ready?"

In the back courtyard of the Tranquil Heart Pavilion, two men dressed as merchants whispered to each other, each clutching a porcelain jar.

"It's all been packed for a while now."

After exchanging the jars they held, the two men glanced around warily. Confirming that there was nothing unusual, they briskly passed each other and quickly departed.

However, neither of them noticed that on the eaves above their heads…

A plain, unremarkable sparrow had watched their every move and heard every word they said.

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