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Monk Great Wisdom frowned slightly, but seeing that the scholar had no intention of saying more, he decided to search for himself first.
The three of them searched through the bookshelves repeatedly. Xu Zimo found that there was a wide variety of books here.
Most of them were about things inside the Mortal Dust Palace, covering nearly every category.
Searching like this was too tedious, and Xu Zimo started getting impatient.
He looked at the scholar and said, “We’re looking for books about the Heavenly Bond Cult.”
The scholar looked up at Xu Zimo and said, “That’s a forbidden book. It’s not allowed to appear within the city.”
“I know you have it,” Xu Zimo replied.
“But why should I give it to you?” the scholar asked with a smile.
“This book can save your life. That should be a fair trade,” Xu Zimo said after thinking for a moment. “We came from the Goddess Palace. It’s better for you to cooperate.”
“I’m not afraid of trouble, but I also don’t like making it,” the scholar shook his head and said. “Since when did the Goddess Palace recruit men?”
As he spoke, he tossed a thick book to Xu Zimo.
“You can take the book. But from now on, you’re no longer welcome in this book house.”
Xu Zimo looked down at the book. It was thick and seemed to have been sealed for a long time.
He didn’t say much else and returned to the inn with the book.
Inside, the book recorded detailed information about the Heavenly Bond Cult, including its origins and the story of Gongsun Hongtian.
As one of the earliest people to enter the Mortal Dust Palace, Gongsun Hongtian originally thought he had transcended worldly desires and had an enlightenment like becoming a monk.
But when he truly arrived, he realized he had only been lost for a moment.
By then, it was too late to regret. Once inside the Mortal Dust Palace, you were not allowed to leave.
Unwilling to spend his life trapped in this forbidden place, Gongsun Hongtian began forming the prototype of the Heavenly Bond Cult.
He joined forces with many others who were also lost, starting his long road of rebellion.
With so many beauties in the world, how could one be content to cut off worldly ties?
...
The rest of the book detailed how the Heavenly Bond Cult initially struggled to grow under the suppression of the Goddess Palace but eventually became powerful step by step.
Xu Zimo didn’t read it too closely. After scanning through it, he decided to head to the Heavenly Bond Cult.
The three of them didn’t linger in Martial Flame City. In the afternoon, they headed north.
The Heavenly Bond Cult allowed outsiders to visit. In fact, they were actively recruiting followers to grow stronger.
Golden clouds painted the sky at dusk.
The setting sun slowly sank below the horizon.
Before dark, Xu Zimo and the others finally arrived inside Heavenly Bond City.
In truth, Heavenly Bond City wasn’t just a city.
It stretched across the entire northern region, its vastness unimaginable.
The Heavenly Bond Cult sat at the very center, ruling and protecting the city.
Tall city walls came into view, stretching endlessly toward the horizon.
“Pleasures of the world, the myriad states of all beings.”
These eight characters were carved on both sides of the city gate, where two guards stood.
Everyone entering the city had to register.
“Where are you from?” one of the guards asked as he looked at the three.
“We just arrived at the Mortal Dust Palace and want to join the Heavenly Bond Cult,” Monk Great Wisdom replied with a smile.
“The Heavenly Bond Cult welcomes anyone. But if you have ill intentions, you won’t be spared,” the guard said. “Since you’re not citizens of Heavenly Bond City, you can only stay for a maximum of three days.”
As he spoke, he handed each of them a token.
He warned, “You must leave the city with this token after three days. If you fail to do so and are discovered, the consequences will be severe.”
After entering the city, even though it was evening, the place was bustling.
It felt no different from the outside world.
“What do we do next?” Monk Great Wisdom asked Xu Zimo.
“Find Gongsun Hongtian and kill him,” Xu Zimo replied.
“The Heavenly Bond Cult is at the center of the city with hundreds of thousands of followers. A direct fight would be messy,” Great Wisdom said.
“If Gongsun Hongtian escapes and hides, it’ll be even worse.”
“Then we’ll go straight for him, but let’s not alert anyone yet,” Xu Zimo said.
He looked at Gu Yue and added, “You’ll need to hide in a room. Your cultivation is too low.”
Gu Yue nodded lightly.
They planned to find an inn near the Heavenly Bond Cult, it would be easier to gather information.
Because Heavenly Bond City was so large, carriages operated within the city to travel from one side to the other.
The three each hired a carriage and headed toward the city center.
Once there, Xu Zimo found it even more bustling.
Disciples patrolled around the Heavenly Bond Cult.
Ordinary people weren’t allowed near. Nearby was a busy marketplace, and the three found an inn there to settle in.
People bustled through the streets, and the aroma of street food filled the air.
After finding the inn, the three sat in a quiet spot on the first floor and ordered a pot of wine and some dishes.
“Should we try sneaking into the Heavenly Bond Cult?” Monk Great Wisdom asked in a low voice.
“It’s a waste of time. It’s not that easy to get in,” Xu Zimo replied.
“He doesn’t want to waste too much time in the Mortal Dust Palace. If it weren’t for avoiding attention, he’d have stormed the place already.”
“But just sitting and waiting isn’t a solution either. What if we never get a lead?” Great Wisdom said.
Just as they were racking their brains, a slightly drunk man staggered in from outside.
He was still cursing under his breath.
“Li Kui, what happened now?” Some of the customers, who seemed familiar with him, asked with a smile.
“Don’t even mention it! Waiter, bring me your best food and wine,” the man named Li Kui sat down.
He slapped the table and cursed loudly.
“The Heavenly Bond Cult people are too arrogant. I just won big at the casino, and they robbed me.”
“Who was it? So bold,” someone asked curiously.
“Who else? That scumbag Fang Jiu,” Li Kui snorted.
He grabbed a pig’s trotter that had just been served and gnawed on it, venting his anger.
“There’s no way around it. Fang Jiu was always a thug around here. Now he’s backed by Young Master Tian Xun,” someone clicked their tongue and said regretfully.
“With Tian Xun’s support, it’s best we stay out of their way.”
“No matter what, Tian Xun is the young master of the Heavenly Bond Cult. Why would he favor such a scoundrel?” Li Kui said, clearly unconvinced.
He took a few more gulps of wine.
“I just don’t get it. I really don’t.”