After chatting with Zhao Xintong for a few moments, Cen Shen took his leave. He could sense a faint aloofness in the woman's demeanor and tone. It's not surprising, as divination cultivators often have this temperament, maintaining their independence under any circumstances.

"How was it?" Gu Bai Daoist asked, though he didn't hold much hope in his heart.

Cen Shen smirked, "She is indeed divining, but it should be a silent divination. The Taihao Sect has some heritage; they understand these rules."

Hui Yuan Daoist complained, "Then why go over there at all? It's a waste of time, learning nothing."

Cen Shen glanced at him, "If she were to speak, would you dare to listen?"

Zhi Xuan sighed while looking up, "At least Hei Fu is right about one thing; this Heavenly Heart Pavilion is quite unusual, with aspects we're yet to understand. Since we have no urgent matters, we might as well stay in Sui Mo City for a bit, who knows, we might discover something?"

When it comes to perception, these people's abilities were only just above Hou Niao's. The vague sensations Hou Niao could perceive were not entirely unknown to them either.

However, it was frustrating that even though they could sense a hint of oddity in the Heavenly Heart Pavilion, they had no idea where this oddity originated.

Huangting Daoist Guan Zhi frowned, "There's an individual who disappeared very abruptly..."

Zhi Xuan remained calm, as he had sensed it long before. Around the stele, several cultivators behaved oddly, one of them particularly so. Shortly after their arrival, this person vanished from their perceptions without a trace.

"Let them be. It seems that quite a few cultivators are interested in the Heavenly Heart Pavilion. Tomorrow, I shall visit the pavilion in my true capacity. There's no need to hide anything; let's speak openly."

...Hou Niao flew tirelessly, narrowly escaping several attacks. A dragonfly pursued him relentlessly, and he couldn't figure out why it was so fixated on him. Was it because he was such a fat mosquito?

Frankly, the old diviner wasn't much help in this capacity. His disappearance was sudden; his reappearance even more conspicuous, potentially troubling the Daoists. Therefore, Hou Niao needed to fly as far as possible.

In terms of mobility, he had no edge over the dragonfly. Without the understanding of flight granted by being a cultivator, his true form would have been exposed long ago. He persevered until he could no longer maintain it, finding a secluded spot to exit the mosquito form, swearing never to use this ability again.

There's no rush to strike; this place is unsuitable. He had already spotted the three demons, who wouldn't escape even if he wasn't in mosquito form, locked onto their aura.

Crucially, might there be other demons? He was unsure.

Those five were unexpectedly from the Southeast Daoist Sect—a surprise, yet reasonable. Today's continent was not only concerned about Jinxiu's future, almost every cultivator harbored anxiety, but few possessed the ability to translate it into action. The Southeast Daoist Sect's strength being among them was unquestionable.

By the time he returned to his mosquito form, the three demons had vanished without a trace. But the benefits of this form became evident, as discerning blood aura easily determined their location, with remarkable clarity within Sui Mo City under his mosquito senses.

This skill seemed quite useful; as long as he could endure the infuriating mosquito state, it proved an excellent tool for tracking.

He had initially thought about abandoning subtlety, deciding that if he were to draw swords, it would be better to do so openly. But upon reconsideration, he realized maintaining the mosquito state was essential to prevent the three demons from escaping.

He didn't plan to act immediately, needing to select an environment and location in the city with care to avoid collateral damage. More importantly, this served as a chance to observe whether there were other demons connected to the three within Sui Mo City.

He was a meticulous person; the matter with the blind old man would not be handled sloppily. To eliminate, one must eradicate the root; merely killing a few was insufficient.

Tracking demons as powerful as himself was a challenging task. Their instincts were formidable, but he didn't need to get close, merely observing their resting spots from afar, noting who visited them. Coupled with the rag's extraordinary abilities in mimicking forms and auras, after half a month, he finally grasped the overall situation of these demons.

As suspected, there were more demons than just those three; two others were hidden within Sui Mo City. One frequently contacted the three, while the other was reclusive.

It was apparent that the last demon intended to permanently reside in Sui Mo City, having planned a marriage alliance with a young lady from a small cultivation family, the goal being to secure a legitimate identity for itself within the city.

After half a month, Hou Niao decided not to wait any longer.

...Sui Mo City was a stunning city, equally leisurely. With a pleasant climate, spring-like throughout the years, its wealth was abundant, and its customs pure. A suitable city for both mortals and cultivators.

Other than slightly high living costs, there were no major drawbacks.

For mortals without some fortune, residing here to enjoy life was impossible; for cultivators, wealth differed from that of mortals. Even the most destitute cultivator could live well in any city, selling some artifacts.

Thus, Sui Mo City became a haven for cultivators indifferent to fame and fortune, living leisurely. Whether lone wanderers or small cultivation families, they settled here, finding peace amid the renown accumulated by the Heavenly Heart Pavilion over the years.

Cultivation perceived differently by different individuals. If one didn't aspire to save the world, become invincible, gain continental fame, or attain immortality, this city was indeed suitable.

The Zhang residence in Qian Niu Town was one of many small cultivation families in Sui Mo City, existing for over three centuries according to family records—esteemed among such families.

Though never having produced a Golden Core Cultivator, Foundation Establishment disciples continually emerged. For a cultivation family, sustaining cultivation traditions is crucial. Many families declined due to a generational gap in cultivation, leading to irreversible decline.

Without cultivators, a family soon returns to ordinariness, awkward in many aspects, fading into commonality in a few years, making the emergence of another cultivator difficult.

The Zhang family faced this dilemma; the last Foundation Establishment head passed away years ago, and among the remaining eligible members, none succeeded in cultivation. As they aged, their prospects dwindled, worrying the entire family.

This presented an opportunity for demons to exploit.

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