Inspired by Tu Caihe's stories of unknown horror that lay beyond the city gates, the cultivators labored at a solution. They rushed back and forth, hauling in rare materials to build their weapons of choice.

But Peng Zhugen was occupied with another matter.

He was shadowing the movements of Tu Caihe, who was supposedly spending his time resting. He sent in a prying spell in the shape of praying mantis. Carefully, he made sure to keep out of Tu Caihe's sights and not alarm him too much. Peng Zhugen liked to believe that he was cautious and discrete but that didn't mean he should overestimate his own abilities and relax.

Although the man had suffered much from battle, he did not seem particularly weak of body and made sharp movements, navigating without trouble despite being newly blinded.

"How is it going?" Liu Suye croaked from his bedside, frowning at the bitter medicine he was meant to swallow. 

The poison luckily was not that bad and Liu Suye should be fully recovered come the morrow, so long as he kept to the doctor's orders. Peng Zhugen was there to make sure his idiot of a friend kept to that promise. Plus, he was exempt from the task of preparing for their second attempt at attacking the black city.

"You asked that less than half an hour ago, do you truly believe that developments would happen so quickly? Have patience."

"Okay, Sect Leader Peng," Liu Suye hummed teasingly. "But if it truly Tu Caihe that is behind all this, then what do you reckon happened beyond the gates of Xinlie?"

"...I wouldn't believe him so readily," Peng Zhugen said, "His story was without any details until the very end."

"Then what about that Xia An? Is she equally as suspicious in your eyes?"

Peng Zhugen thought about it before answering, "No. The ending of Tu Caihe's story, after her appearance, was the only part of Tu Caihe's story that was described with any solid details. I believe that part truly happened as was explained."

"Hmm," Liu Suye hummed, "This became a lot more complicated than I expected. So much for taking the north quickly."

"It's hardly been that long," Peng Zhugen scoffed at the bedridden Huamian-jun. "Stop your ceaseless complaining".

Huamian-jun laughed pleasantly, "Have I been ceaselessly complaining? But you think my company is pleasant. Why else would you spend your time with me?"

"...Shut up. Even if your company is grating, at least you're trustworthy."

"A compliment from the icy Sect Leader Peng Zhugen? I feel extremely honored!"

It was better to ignore this annoying Huamian-jun in the end. He closed his eyes and focused on the spell that crept along in Tu Caihe's tent.

The man was currently sitting in his bed. He was eating some seaweed soup that Xia An had delivered to him earlier. 

Peng Zhugen watched him patiently as he spilled not even a single drop, moving with pinpoint elegance despite not having his sight.

It was truly curious. Peng Zhugen's mantis crept closer.

When the food was finished, Tu Caihe pushed the bedside table aside. He brought his hand up and formed a few hand seals.

Peng Zhugen's eyes went wide, he cursed as his connection with his praying mantis was cut off.

"What's wrong?" Liu Suye asked, noticing how his friend jolted from his spot.

Peng Zhugen cursed in response, "Silence. Do not interrupt me." He closed his eyes again and narrowed his focus. He carefully wove his way through Tu Caihe's barrier, finally re-establis.h.i.+ng a connection with his praying mantis.

But he couldn't see Tu Caihe anymore! He was no longer in bed. Cautiously, Peng Zhugen moved the praying mantis around the tent and found that it was empty. How could that be?

Though his target was no longer in sight, Peng Zhugen could at least take the chance to freely explore the room. So he did as such, poking and prying through Tu Caihe's personal belongings.

From the neatly folded robes, talismans, and other magical tools. Everything seemed to be in order.

Peng Zhugen relentlessly continued to search, until he came upon a small black, elongated box that was carefully hidden below Tu Caihe's bed. There was no way for him to pry the bed open with a tiny praying mantis. But there was no mistaking the subtle trace of demonic energy that lingered around the box.

But it wasn't just any demonic energy…in fact, it was the same energy that Peng Zhugen felt emitting off the black arrow that Chen Leike plucked off the fields…!

Peng Zhugen pushed himself up from the stool next to Liu Suye's bed.

"Ah, I'm guessing you found something interesting. Are you going to report to my uncle?"

"Not yet. I need more evidence, but I am quite certain that Tu Caihe is not innocent. Be careful around him."

"How kind of you to warn me! Alright, I'll listen to Senior Peng's words while I wallow uselessly in bed."

An eyelid twitched. No longer having the patience to deal with Liu Suye's annoying personality, Peng Zhugen promptly saw himself out. His goal was simple, he wished to find out where that enigmatic Tu Caihe ran off to.

It should have been easy to spot a man, crippled with blindness and without a hand. But recalling the odd reports of the person that oversaw the wine supply gave Peng Zhugen doubts.

He was about to eagerly rush over to Tu Caihe's tent, which was aggravatingly on the other side of the camp, and tried to see if he could find traces of tracks. However, the simple act of getting there was a lot more difficult than he imagined.

There was a crowd blocking the path. He spotted a pretty girl atop a white horse. Chen Leike was there to greet her with others, mostly of the Ascending Dawn Sect.

"Young Master Chen! Did you miss Nan Chang?" She chirped loudly, falling into his arms that reached out to catch her. "Have things been troublesome here without Nan Chang? Nan Chang brings news about the south! Do you want to hear about it? Nan Chang met up with Young Master Yuan and the Ivory Sword Saint on her journey. I had a lot of fun!"

Chen Leike laughed at her antics and scolded her lightly, "Who gave you the permission to leave Reling? I have a feeling it wasn't the Sixth Elder! What happened to cultivating like a good little disciple?"

"Boo, Nan Chang was bored! Nan Chang misses Young Master Chen!" She shamelessly threw her arm around Chen Leike while veering her gaze to the crowd.

A lot of other Ascending Dawn disciples seemed to be trying to get her attention as well, "Nan-guniang! How is my Dajie? She was sick when I left so I'm worried about her!"

"How's the border looking with Muguan Province? There hasn't been anything going on there right? My s.h.i.+xiong is stationed in one of the southern watchtowers."

She politely answered their questions and even handed off some items and letters.

Peng Zhugen tried to remind himself that he had more important things to tend to, but he couldn't lie and say he wasn't interested about news of the south.

The people who he left back home have been mysteriously quiet in terms of communication. And Peng Zhugen was naturally a private person who did not correspond often even when away for long periods of time. But he had caught wind of polarizing rumors about what was going on down there.

Of course, he couldn't admit that he wasn't aware of what was going on back in his own home, and he knew of Nan Chang briefly from the past. There was a time when Peng Jipei a.s.sociated with such a floozy woman. 

"Nan Chang," he called her bluntly. "So you've met with Yuan Xuelan." Though they were not related by blood, they were still cousins. And thus it was appropriate for him to inquire without seeming too suspicious.

Nan Chang pulled herself away from Chen Leike and respectably bowed with hands clasped, "Greetings Sect Leader Peng!" She gave him a honeyed smile before saying, "Yes! I managed to meet up with him on my travels. He is doing quite well!"

"...Did you stop by at my Hidden Mist Manor?"

She tilted her head, her peach blossom eyes explored his and for a moment Peng Zhugen was fearful that she could discern his anxiety. But she made no comment about that, and simply answered, "Unfortunately no. They were looking for Zhao Fanyu. I believe they've made their way to Haishang."

Peng Zhugen let out a breath, both relieved and disappointed. "Is that so? I see. Then I will be off, I have important matters to attend to." He made his leave, only to stop and turned back around, "Do not block the road. It is annoying and unsightly."

Chen Leike chuckled, "h.e.l.lo to you too, Sect Leader Peng." He said with a sarcastic tilt. But he was not given an answer either way and watched Peng Zhugen saunter off.

Only when the Sect Leader of the Hidden Mist sect was out of sights did he turn to Nan Chang and ask, "Why did you lie?"

"Hm?" Nan Chang blinked up at him with wide innocent eyes, "Isn't it better this way? I feel bad for Sect Leader Peng. He's already so stressed!"

Chen Leike raised a brow as he slipped an arm around her waist, "Your kindness is wasted on a guy like that, my cute Xiao Chang'er."

She giggled and leaned into him sweetly, "Maybe! But I felt like being nice. Nan Chang can be cute too, don't you think?"

Chen Leike wasn't so sure about that but he only smiled and played along with her.

Outside of Tu Caihe's tent, there was no immediate evidence of a barrier and Peng Zhugen suspected that it could only be felt from inside the tent itself. But he was not interested in Tu Caihe's belongings and wanted to find the man himself. He looked around and asked people that came and went.

There weren't many people, aside from those that were stationed to keep watch. Most of the cultivators were busy either training, cultivating nearby or helping out with building the weapons they will soon use.

But no one claimed to see Tu Caihe leave his tent and were shocked when Peng Zhugen told them that he had left.

Was it that difficult to spot a blind man with a missing hand?

Apparently so. Tu Caihe was clearly using some sort of misleading spell.

Peng Zhugen however was not without his own tools. He pulled out a mist-dispersing lamp from his interspatial ring. People watched him curiously but since he was a sect leader and they were well aware of his personal task of finding the culprit for the wine poisoning, no one interrupted him or asked questions.

A trail of incense rose from the lamp, its smell saturating the air around him. He waved the lamp around the entrance of Tu Caihe's tent until the incense smoke warped into a thin, delicate line.

Perfect.

All Peng Zhugen had to do now was follow this trail to find that Tu Caihe!