Journey to the End of the Night Chapter 1554 - 959: Pushing One’s Luck

Baili An harbored no concerns for Qingxin's well-being. In the eyes of that woman, Qingxin was merely a disciple within the Seeking Tao Realm, at best a spy for the Demon Alliance.

Given her intention to cooperate, there was no necessity to eliminate her or sever ties.

Tonight's endeavor had not been entirely in vain.

Though Qingxin's cultivation was not substantial, her proficiency in intelligence gathering was noteworthy.

Baili An had initially planned to rendezvous at the tavern this evening, ostensibly to glean recent news concerning the Witch Plague Poison in Shifang City.

Unexpectedly, this led directly to the appearance of a colossal serpent, Jiushijiu.

She asserted having single-handedly instigated the chaos within Shifang City, and Baili An found no reason to doubt her assertion.

He could discern Jiushijiu's potent desire for Shifang City's annihilation.

Her plan even extended to disrupting the Golden Immortal auction.

This signified an ambition so vast that... she aimed to ensnare even a Golden Immortal.

During their exchange tonight, Baili An perceived the woman's earnestness, yet he placed his trust in only ninety percent of her declarations.

It was true that she wished to thwart Fang Geyu’s marriage alliance.

It was true that she hoped to leave no bloodline descendants in Shifang City.

It was true that she intended to aid him in the rescue of the young White Dragon.

It was true that she aimed for the utter destruction of Shifang City.

The sole fabrication lay in the falsity of her initial motive.

She claimed to have lost someone she was meant to protect, leaving her with only destruction and devastation as her life's purpose.

Yet, Baili An consistently felt that an intelligence far surpassing human capacity, a mere puppet, could not possibly act without clear objectives or pursue meaningless endeavors.

Jiushijiu's true aims were evidently far more intricate than they appeared.

Nevertheless, Baili An had to concede Jiushijiu's formidable divine capabilities.

He lowered his gaze to the crimson fish jade pendant clutched in his palm, a token gifted by Jiushijiu for their alliance with Fang Geyu.

It was understood that Shifang City had extended invitations to numerous immortal sects and their disciples, subjecting them to tiered selections. Those who successfully passed the evaluation of Fang You, the City Lord, would be bestowed with such a crimson fish jade pendant.

One must realize that the number of disciples from immortal sects participating in the auction reached into the many thousands, yet only nine such crimson fish jade pendants existed.

This underscored the stringency of the selection requisites.

All had supposedly been distributed, yet Jiushijiu managed to acquire one of these jade pendants right under the watchful eyes of Fang You, the City Lord, with no one the wiser.

Baili An found it difficult to believe that those talented scions, who had exerted immense effort to earn the trust and favor of Fang You, the City Lord, would willingly relinquish such a precious pendant.

Upon receiving the jade pendant, he observed faint traces of fresh blood upon it.

The unspoken message conveyed was unmistakably clear.

Baili An had not initially intended to meet Fang Geyu so soon; he was aware of the recent turmoil engulfing Shifang City.

She currently found herself at the epicenter of the storm.

According to the intelligence Qingxin had gathered, the City Lord was in seclusion, disregarding external affairs. Shifang City's seven elders were gradually consolidating their influence, pointing to a decidedly precarious situation for her.

An untold number of gazes were fixed upon her from the concealing shadows.

His sudden appearance beside her, without prior arrangement, could precipitate boundless complications.

Jiushijiu's action in providing him with the jade pendant was indeed astute; it furnished him with a plausible pretext to meet Fang Geyu without arousing suspicion.

Yin Baishuang, Ying Ji, and their entourage had already arrived in Shifang City ahead of schedule.

However, the internal landscape of Shifang City differed significantly from the exterior; it teemed with informants and observers, and the interrelationships among the various factions were exceedingly intricate.

Earlier, Jiushijiu had also indicated the presence of the Demon Clan's Sanhe Wang Yi within the city.

Should Baili An abruptly join forces with them, his identity would inevitably face the peril of exposure.

At this juncture, having not yet secured the corpse, he could not afford such a risk.

To err on the side of caution, he resolved to return to his inn alone.

As he approached his room, Baili An’s foot nudged a soft object on the ground.

He lowered his head to observe a cluster of creatures with fiery red plumage... spirit chickens, positioned before the entrance of the securely shut guest room.

Baili An scrutinized them intently for a moment before recognizing their origin from his memory.

Their entirely crimson plumage resembled that of a Vermilion Bird, yet their tail feathers were an emerald green, appearing as though a branch had sprouted from the heart of a flame.

These fowl were known as "wife Wu." Inherently fierce, their blood contained spiritual power, rendering them highly beneficial. Though born in both northern and southern climes, and despite being avian, they exhibited a preference for aquatic environments, subsisting on fish.

Baili An recalled that this "wife Wu" was a unique spiritual entity native to the coastal region of Shifang City.

To the villagers nearby, this creature was a veritable sea tyrant, its presence fueling a hatred as intense as that of farmers for the geese that plague their fields.

During its breeding season, fishing along the coast becomes an arduous task. Despite its inherent spiritual power, this creature is deeply reviled.

However, it is currently winter. The frigid seawater renders the ocean depths unsuitable for the active period of the 'wife Wu,' a creature that should be buried deep within the maritime mud, slumbering and exceedingly difficult to locate.

How could they have possibly ended up in this inn?

Baili An, his brow furrowed in confusion, nudged the bodies with his foot. Discovering they remained utterly still, he realized they were already deceased.

Possessing sharp eyes, Baili An crouched down, carefully parting the crimson plumage on the neck of a 'wife Wu' chicken.

He observed a small, ruby-red tooth mark there, unmistakably left by the fangs of some ferocious beast.

Even though these spirit chickens had been dead for some time, their blood remained remarkably fresh, and their damp feathers were not yet dry. It was evident they had been dragged from the sea just tonight.

Baili An's gaze sharpened slightly. Without needing to ponder further, he could readily identify the predator responsible for bringing these 'wife Wu' chickens to this very spot.

He hefted the lifeless 'wife Wu' chicken in his hand, a sense of profound surprise washing over him.