Xiao Shitou led them through many winding paths. The ghost city was dark everywhere. Most people were in a hurry, covering their faces. Even if they occasionally saw a few people's eyes, their pupils were filled with dull ferocity.
Lin Yanxi looked at the marks Shen Muzhou had left along the way and said, "Should we go find Xiao Liu and Shen Yu first? You've left so many marks, and they haven't come to look for us."
Shen Muzhou put away the small knife he used to carve marks and said, "My marks are carved subtly and are not easily discovered. Perhaps they need some time to find us. Xiao Liu has been with me for many years, and I trust his abilities."
Xiao Shitou led the way, looking back from time to time. After some thought, he asked, "Lin... Yanxi."
She frowned and reached out her fair hand, tapping the back of his head. "Call me Yanxi-jie."
Xiao Shitou rubbed his forehead, thinking that she was not much older than him, but he still obediently called her jie.
"Yanxi-jie, do you know talisman arts?"
His bright eyes sparkled in the dark night, and his face was full of anticipation and excitement as he looked at Lin Yanxi. A few strands of refreshing short hair on his forehead accompanied the boy's burning heart.
She hooked her lips and raised her eyebrows, "Naturally, I am a genius talisman master."
Seeing Xiao Shitou's disbelieving look, she quickly nudged Shen Muzhou with her elbow and said, "Right, right?"
Shen Muzhou still had a poker face, but he nodded his head, saving her the trouble.
Xiao Shitou stopped and turned to look at her. His face was flushed red in the candlelight. He nervously rubbed the hem of his clothes and, after a long while, mustered up the courage to ask, "Yanxi-jie, can I learn talisman arts from you?"
Lin Yanxi did not expect him to ask this, but his eyes were full of cautious anticipation as he looked at her, making her unwilling to shatter the young boy's dreams.
She said with some difficulty, "Talisman arts require bloodline awakening. Like my cousin Jiang Cong, he is also a member of the Jiang family, but without awakening his bloodline, he cannot gather spiritual energy to use talisman arts. Outsiders cannot learn it at all."
Xiao Shitou's eyes dimmed. He scratched his head and said dejectedly, "But only by learning talisman arts can I find Brother Jiang and avenge my friend from the black cloak."
Actually, Lin Yanxi understood his feelings very well, that sense of helplessness from losing friends and family, and the hatred towards the black cloak.
She thought for a long time and said, "Xiao Shitou, I understand how you feel. The black cloak also killed my mother..."
"If I hadn't gone through these things, I might have been like a saint, advising you to let go of your hatred and live well, and not to take risks. But I understand too well the hatred that grows in one's heart, and how one must slaughter them with one's own hands to appease the souls of the departed."
Thinking of her mother's death, her lips trembled, and her eyes became teary and sore. Shen Muzhou felt her emotional change, and his gaze on her softened even more.
What Lin Yanxi said was exactly what Xiao Shitou was thinking. He looked at Lin Yanxi and said firmly, "Yanxi-jie. Take me back to the capital. Let me stay by your side. Even if I can't become a true talisman master, I can learn to draw talisman papers. Brother Jiang said that as long as one cultivates diligently, one can draw talismans without a bloodline."
Drawing talismans was not as simple as he thought, and she herself was only a half-baked practitioner. Could she teach this child well?
However, returning to the capital with her was better than being homeless and relying on selling fake talisman papers to make a living in the ghost city. When they returned to the capital, she would let him learn a trade to earn a living, and not engage in such deceitful business anymore.
She nodded, signifying her agreement. Xiao Shitou jumped with excitement and rushed forward to hug Lin Yanxi.
"Yanxi-jie, you agreed! That's great! You are my real sister from now on!"
Shen Muzhou's long saber was placed between them. His cold eyes fixed on Xiao Shitou, sending a shiver down his spine. He sheepishly retracted his hand.
"Continue leading the way," Shen Muzhou said coldly.
Xiao Shitou immediately held up the candlelight and walked forward.
Lin Yanxi was displeased. "Don't scare my brother."
Xiao Shitou, walking in front, heard her call him her brother and showed a slightly shy smile.
He couldn't be happier. He finally had family again.
Along the way, he kept asking what the capital was like.
Lin Yanxi replied, "The capital is lively and prosperous. The most famous street is called Chang'an Street. There are all sorts of food and entertainment on the street, acrobats, street performers, and many delicacies that people line up to taste. There are many merchant caravans in the city, pulling camels and loaded with dazzling goods, from the Western Regions and even Dongyang."
"Unlike the ghost city, the capital is bright and peaceful. You can see everyone's face on the street. There are many pretty and cute young ladies strolling on the street."
Listening to her, Xiao Shitou seemed to see the prosperous scene of the capital and longed for it immensely.
The few of them arrived in front of a grand and spacious building that looked more like a tavern. Several women dressed provocatively were soliciting customers outside the building.
Unlike the taverns in the capital, after entering the gate, there was a lobby, and then stairs leading down.
Xiao Shitou explained, "This is Zhihai Tower. It looks like one story from the outside, but it actually has four stories, built downwards. It's said to be the deepest building built underground in the entire Yueyou."
"The owner of Zhihai Tower is a woman. It is said that there is only one chance to see her each year. To see her, one must present a gift. Only if the gift pleases her can one meet her. This year, no one has yet presented a gift that pleases her."
Lin Yanxi asked, "What does she like? Gold hairpins and rouge?"
Xiao Shitou shook his head. "No one knows what the owner wants this year. I heard that no one presented a suitable gift last year, but someone did the year before last."
Shen Muzhou asked in a deep voice, "What did they present?"
Xiao Shitou rubbed his nose and thought, "It seems to have been a grape."
"A grape?" Lin Yanxi repeated in disbelief.
Xiao Shitou nodded and said, "Although no one has ever seen the owner, there is a woman named Meng'er inside who is the vice-owner. If you have a chance, you can try to probe her."
Shen Muzhou's gaze turned slightly cold as he stared at the gate of Zhihai Tower. Many guests were entering. A woman standing at the entrance soliciting customers met Shen Muzhou's gaze. She had never seen such a noble and handsome man and immediately threw him a flirtatious look.
Lin Yanxi saw this and her eyes cleverly turned. "I have an idea! Xiao Shitou, you wait for us here first. It's not convenient to bring you along for the information we need to inquire about."
Xiao Shitou knew that the man beside her had an extraordinary identity, and the information they were inquiring about at Zhihai Tower was definitely not something he could hear.
"Okay, Yanxi-jie. I'll go arrange things for the orphans in town first, and then I'll return to the capital with you."
Lin Yanxi nodded and walked forward, with Shen Muzhou following closely behind.
Xiao Shitou uneasily called out to her, "Yanxi-jie."
Lin Yanxi turned back to look at him.
Xiao Shitou clenched his fists, his eyes filled with a fragile caution, and asked, "Yanxi-jie, will you really take me back to the capital?"
So that's what it was about. She smiled and said, "Don't worry, when we get back to the capital, I'll take you to Chang'an Street to play."
Xiao Shitou's anxious and nervous expression relaxed, and his eyes became clear. "It's a deal!"
---
The two walked to the front of Zhihai Tower. Lin Yanxi grabbed Shen Muzhou and said, "Wait."
Shen Muzhou was a head taller than her. He looked down at her. Lin Yanxi pulled him aside. "Did you see how those women were acting towards you?"
He asked confusedly, "How so?"
She imitated the women and winked exaggeratedly at him.
"Are you squinting?"
Lin Yanxi was speechless. "What? They were flirting with you, didn't you see?"
He still had no expression, his lips pulled into a straight line. "No."
She pouted. "Several of them were flirting with you, and you didn't see. It's okay, what I mean is, look at His Ninth Highness~"
He looked at her with increased vigilance. "Every time you call me Ninth Highness, it's never anything good."
Her hidden intentions exposed, she smiled awkwardly. "Calling me Ninth Highness makes us strangers. What I mean is, look at how handsome you are, why don't you use that good face to get some information from those young ladies later?"
As she spoke, she reached out and touched his collar. In the dim light, her slender fingers were like white jade shoots, climbing up his collar little by little. Her almond eyes were sly and bright as autumn water, alluring without realizing it, making one's heart flutter.
Shen Muzhou knew very well that she was full of mischief and had no proper good ideas, but he still seemed mesmerized and didn't push her away, letting her do as she pleased.
The next second, a large portion of his collar was pulled open, revealing his handsome collarbone in the air.
His face was flushed for the first time. He looked around, thankfully no one noticed them. He quickly pulled his clothes back together, frowning in a flustered manner. "This is ridiculous."
Lin Yanxi didn't understand why he was angry. "Ninth Highness, don't you know that lust can make one lose their mind? This is such a good opportunity. You just need to sell a little bit of your charm, get some information, and we can find out the whereabouts of the Zhenshan Saber and get the Jade Talisman."
He put on a stern face. "I am a dignified prince. You want me to sell my charm and seduce those women of ill repute?"
Seeing that he was angry, Lin Yanxi quickly waved her hand. "What's wrong with women of ill repute? They are not inherently inferior. But alright, if you don't want to, then forget it."
"I heard there are male companions inside too. How about I do it?"
As she spoke, she took out a hairpin and tightened her clothes at her waist.
Her beautiful hair cascaded down like a waterfall in the wind. Under her long, slender willow-leaf eyebrows were a pair of captivating eyes. Her nose was delicate, her lips were red, and her cheeks were fair and tender. Her originally loose clothes, which did not accentuate her figure, were now tightened at her waist, revealing her slender and tall physique.
The gloom in his eyes became frighteningly dark. He gritted out two words, "You dare!"
Lin Yanxi tilted her head, her clear eyes looking at him. Although her expression was one of incomprehension, he found it very alluring.
Hopeless.
He angrily turned her around, took out the hairpin she had tucked at her back, and re-tied her long hair.
Lin Yanxi said helplessly, "This won't work, that won't work, what do you suggest?"
The killing intent in his eyes suddenly appeared. He roared in a low voice, "Then kill them!"
She recalled the day he stood on the high platform and killed Hei Jin Die, exuding ferocity and brutality. Perhaps that was the true him.
"Killing is not the only way to solve problems. Everyone in this tower is innocent. If you kill them, what about the people of the world? Will you kill everyone who doesn't obey you?"
Like the massacre of the city in her past life?
She hated the Crown Prince to death. To bring him down, she didn't hesitate to ally with Shen Muzhou. But would Shen Muzhou really be a wise ruler?
Shen Muzhou's face was cold, and he didn't speak. He gazed at Lin Yanxi's slightly angry little face and gradually calmed his emotions.
After a while, he awkwardly lowered his gaze, stared at his collar for a moment, and stiffly pulled open a tempting gap, as if one could glimpse his strong, firm chest from that gap, provoking imagination.