But Xuanji sent someone to speak at the front of the queue. The man quickly and respectfully allowed their carriages to enter first.

“Who’s that person? Why is he cutting the queue?”

“How obnoxious! We’re hurrying to the auction! Guards, don’t you want silver? Come over here. I will give you 100 taels. Let us proceed first!”

One of them, a wealthy, overbearing man, said loudly.

“Hoho, don’t be angry, sir. Those are eminent visitors!”

The guard replied respectfully. His status was not high and he could not afford to offend anyone.

“What? Eminent visitors? Humph, who is it? Is it the Eighth Palace Leader?”

“Impossible. The Eighth Palace Leader, I heard, has been killed!”

Hua Qiyue felt quite helpless in the carriage. Once the rumors started to fly, there would be many versions.

“Yes. Haha, I heard that Hua Qiyue was a female ruffian. She slew that Palace Leader on the spot… ”

“Crash—” The carriage of the rumormonger had been wrecked by someone before he could finish. It had totally splintered.

The man fell on the ground, staring in astonishment at the carriage entering the city slowly.

The surrounding crowd did not dare to breathe.

It was merely a splintered carriage this time. The next time, they might be killed. The moment they thought about this, the gossipmongers just now started to get cold feet.

Most of their Qi Arts were at the medium level of Cultivation Dimension or thereabouts. They could sense that the person who had stricken was at the Great Completeness of Round Sun.

“What the hell are you talking about? I’m still alive and kicking out here! Only your Mom has been killed! Only you have been slain!”

The curtain of the carriage almost about to enter the city was drawn apart, revealing a disheveled mop of hair. The man’s blue hair was somewhat charred.

“Ah, the Eighth Palace Leader!”

“It’s him, it’s him! Heavens, the legendary Eighth Palace Leader. He’s been subdued by Hua Qiyue!”

The crowds started to gossip quietly among themselves.

Hua Qiyue pretended not to hear. She was too lazy to care about such idle talk.

When they knew it was the Eighth Palace Leader, the crowd behind him not longer dared to fret. The guard breathed a sigh of relief. He had not expected the token the man had shown just now to be really the Eighth Palace Leader’s.

He was originally not entirely convinced. But he was knowledgeable enough to know that the token was genuine. If its owner was not the Eighth Palace Leader, it would have been Hua Qiyue.

When he thought of the legendary female villainess, he started to take fright.

After gaining smooth entry into the city, the coachman drove the carriage in the direction of Prosperity Inn. He was from Xuanyuan City and knew its transport network very well.

Bai Qianxue was truly considerate. He knew that Hua Qiyue and her friends were coming here, so he got them two coachmen who knew Xuanyuan City well.

Finally, they arrived at Prosperity Inn. Hua Qiyue leaped down the carriage. The waiter hurried out with some curiosity. He could see Hua Qiyue’s dress was not an impoverished girl’s. Why would she stay in such a small inn?

However, ]though Prosperity Inn was remote, it was also extremely quiet, very suitable for Qi Artists.

The servants quickly took their carriages and horses and settled them. The moment Hua Qiyue entered the inn, she unfurled Tianci’s portrait. “Waiter, have you seen this boy before?”

The waiter gazed at the portrait carefully and nodded. “Yes. This boy once came to our inn. Then, he was led away by a tall man. Since the boy was crying and the man looked very handsome, I remember the incident.”

Tianci was crying then?

Hua Qiyue’s heart felt a twinge of pain. It must have been at the earlier time when Tianci had not forgotten her!

“And since then, he hasn’t reappeared?” Hua Qiyue continued to ask. Xuanji and the others kept quiet by her side.

Everyone could feel distinctly her anxiety in searching for her son.

“Yes. I haven’t seen him since then… no, maybe a few days ago, when I was out marketing, I came across that man’s back figure. The man’s too outstandingly fine. So I remember him all this while… ”

The waiter replied. Hua Qiyue was overjoyed.

“Which street?”

“Oh, just the one opposite. There were very few people on the street then. His quickly departing figure made me feel quite familiar. It must have been him… ”

The waiter was not too sure. But Hua Qiyue was certain now that Tianci had appeared here before!

Hua Qiyue was pleasantly surprised. She paid the waiter an advance for seven rooms. When the innkeeper saw the big business, his delighted eyes creased into a fine line.

Hua Qiyue immediately wrote a letter to the Mercenary Agency, asking them to pay Tiehan his reward. Although this news was not new, it was the first time Hua Qiyue had received genuine information.

After putting her luggage in her room, she, Xuan Ji and the rest walked out of the inn. Lan Luo was left alone within the inn to brood despondently.

After all, he was the mighty Eighth Palace Leader. Yet he had now fallen into the hands of a mere girl.

Hua Qiyue and the others roamed around the street for a while but did not discover any useful information. Finally, they settled down in a noodle restaurant to have some noodles.

What Hua Qiyue did not know was that, earlier on, Hua Mengshi had brought Tianci to Prosperity Inn. She had covered his face was a white gauze veil to keep anyone from recognizing him.

In the inn, Hua Mengshi woke up.

The moment she opened her eyes, she gazed into Tianci’s sparkling eyes. He gave Hua Mengshi a big fright. “Why… are you in my room?”

“Sorry, Miss, this young fellow insisted on coming in. We wanted to chase him away, but was afraid of waking you up. So, we can only wait for you to wake.” The two maidservants started hurriedly to explain.

Hua Mengshi nodded. “Get the waiter to bring me breakfast. And… don’t let the waiter come in. You two bring the breakfast in.”

“Yes, Miss!” The two maidservants curtsied and left.

Tianci’s heart was full of bewilderment. Why had this strange sister make him cover his face? And why wouldn’t she let the waiter come in?

Was she afraid someone might see him?

Tianci was all along suspicious of Hua Mengshi’s intentions. Now he thought about it and came to his own conclusion. The little fellow’s mind was filled with his own plans.

Tianci sat by the side, watching Hua Mengshi wash up and comb her hair.

He sneaked to the window and released the Man-Hunting Insect out to search for someone.

Tianci’s stomach was long famished. When breakfast was sent in, Tianci started to wolf it down.

Hua Mengshi stared curiously at Tianci. Although she had long wanted to kill him, Tianci had great uses now and she preferred not to.

Enduring her resentment toward Tianci, Hua Mengshi smiled and asked, “Why, it looks like you haven’t eaten for days? Did your Dad always starve you?”

“Of course not! First Miss, look, the sun’s long overhead when you sent for the breakfast. Of course you’re starving me!” The way seven-year-old Tianci spoke would silence anyone.

Hua Mengshi suddenly discovered that in front of this seven-year-old little kid, she was gagged and could not refute.

Tianci quickly dispatched the two big bowls of noodles and patted his stomach. “Oh, I’m so full. I need to pee!”

“Put on your white veil first!”

Hua Mengshi immediately brought him the white gauze and Tianci obediently put it on. Then, accompanied by one of the maidservants, he left the second floor for the backyard toilet.

Actually, for a child, Hua Mengshi ought to feel quite assured. But for some reason, Hua Mengshi remembered once drinking the chilli soup concocted by Tianci at Hua’s Mansion…

“Oh no, that brat’s very smart. Maybe he’ll try to run!” Hua Mengshi recovered herself and decided not to take breakfast. She immediately raced out after Tianci!

“Quick! That stinking brat might run away!” Hua Mengshi shouted. The maidservant behind her also followed.

When they raced to the backyard, they found that maidservant unconscious on the ground. They no longer cared about anything and immediately rushed out of the backyard gate.

When Hua Mengshi and that maidservant had disappeared, Tianci gave a cold snort. He streaked out from behind a large tree and started to dash with breakneck speed out of the main gate.

As he run, he removed his white veil.

There was no change between the Tianci now and the Tianci from one year ago. He was simply a little taller, neither fat nor thin. The waiter serving noodles to the guest recognized Tianci in one glance.

“Hey… aren’t you that kid?… Don’t run… someone’s looking for you!” The waiter saw him and started to shout.

Tianci thought that the waiter was an accomplice of Hua Mengshi and ran even faster. The waiter had to tend to the business and did not dare to go after him. After all, his entire family was reliant on this job for livelihood.

Even if he pursued him, Tianci’s figure had soon disappeared. The boy was so much quicker than most people. It was pointless to pursue him.

After serving the noodles to the guest’s room, the waiter went downstairs and saw Hua Qiyue and the rest returning.

“Ah, Miss! Only now are you back! Just now the boy you were searching for raced out from here. I asked him not to run, but he ran even faster… ”

“In which direction?” Hua Qiyue was surprised and joyful. The waiter pointed in the direction where Tianci had left and Hua Qiyue’s figure instantly disappeared.

Xuanji and the rest parted ways and searched.

After all, in the direction where Tianci was heading, there was a three-way fork in the road. No one knew which way he had gone.

And all of them were expert Qi Artists. Therefore, they would part first and meet again two hours later in Prosperity Inn.

The waiter stood there as if in a dream…

The innkeeper also rubbed his eyes. He had been doing the accounts, but the moment Hua Qiyue and her friends returned, he started to pay attention to the matter.

“No, was I dreaming? The woman disappeared in a blink of an eye?”

The waiter murmured.

The innkeeper gave a light sigh. “These people are high-level Qi Artists. Goodness me, such eminent guests in our small inn. Looks like we’ll become rich… ”

Hua Qiyue raced toward the right fork. Instinct told her that Tianci had gone in this direction. After all, they were mother and son and their hearts were intertwined. Hua Qiyue believed in instinct!

The alley was the home to some ordinary families. There were densely packed houses by either side. The place was dark and very noisy!

Someone must be going after Tianci, or he would not have picked this place.

Hua Qiyue thought this way and quickened her pace!

At this very moment, Tianci had reached the end of the alley. There was the vast expanse of a sandy beach by the sea.

Some people had sent up tents to reside here. Tianci panted and was about to head for the south when he heard a cold snicker. A figure flashed and was soon blocking Tianci’s path!