Lu Wuxie took a sip of the clear tea in his hand, his expression solemn. "Before I passed out, I told A Wu to hide and look for an opportunity to save me. So much time has passed, I don't know where he is."
Upon hearing this, Zhong Li slowly took a note from her sleeve and handed it to Lu Wuxie.
"Yuxian?" Lu Wuxie asked in surprise after reading it.
Zhong Li nodded. "Qi Lei can be considered a spy hidden within the Divine Maiden Cult. Since he said A Wu was in Yuxian, he should be there."
Lu Wuxie narrowed his eyes, his fingertips tapping lightly on the note left by Qi Lei. After a while, he said, "We can't go to Yuxian so openly. We need to disguise ourselves."
"Disguise?"
Lu Wuxie nodded. "You said that when you entered the prefect's mansion to treat me, Governor Chang already suspected your identity. The imperial court had no decree, and Liaocheng had not received any news. How did he know you would come to find me? There is only one possibility: something went wrong on the Jin City side.
If that's the case, even if we have safely left Liaocheng, if Governor Chang searches Liaocheng and cannot find any trace of us, he will inevitably notify Yuxian, the birthplace of the Divine Maiden Cult. Then, our going to Yuxian would be like a turtle in a jar, waiting to be captured. Therefore, we need to change our identities."
"What identity does Mo Cang think would be best?" Zhong Li asked.
Lu Wuxie looked at Zhong Li and slowly curved his lips.
Yuxian is located to the southeast of Liaocheng. The reason it is called Yuxian, as the name suggests, is that it has few sunny days and many rainy days throughout the year, and the common people wear straw hats and cloaks year-round.
The three of them arrived by the evening of the next day.
A drizzle was falling outside, pattering softly against the carriage, quite refreshing.
Zhong Li gave Lu Wuxie some medicine. With Lin Jin's assistance, he slowly alighted from the carriage and walked towards a small inn.
"Miss Zhong, why is the master still unconscious after taking the medicine you prepared?"
Zhong Li glanced at Lu Wuxie, who was still very weak, and frowned slowly.
The previous day, the two had been chatting happily when Lu Wuxie suddenly felt a sharp headache. In just a moment, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.
Afterward, she examined his body again and found that his pulse was stable, but his breath was disordered. He was somewhat awake, but his body was incredibly weak.
"There is no longer any poison spreading in his body. I can confirm that. As for why he is like this," Zhong Li shook her head, "I am not sure. It seems there is always a surge of energy within him that causes his dizziness, unconsciousness, and weakness. However, each time I give him some Tian Huafen, it can alleviate it. I don't know what the Divine Maiden Cult fed him. Perhaps knowing that substance is the only way to cure him."
Hearing this, Lin Jin looked at Lu Wuxie with concern. He knew that Tian Huafen was not abundant. If this continued, it would eventually run out, and with his cycle of waking and sleeping, the final outcome would still be prolonged unconsciousness.
"Lin Jin," Lu Wuxie looked up at Lin Jin. "Don't be so glum. Since it's something the Divine Maiden Cult fed me, I believe an antidote will be available once the case is solved.
Now that I am disguised as someone gravely ill and on the verge of death, it is a blessing in disguise. It will be effortless to act, and I am less likely to arouse suspicion."
"Yes!" Lin Jin said, walking to the carriage to tether the horse.
"How many guests? Would you like something to eat?" Zhong Li supported Lu Wuxie as they walked inside. The inn's waiter greeted them warmly.
Zhong Li curved her lips at the waiter and said, "My husband is gravely ill and cannot eat greasy food. Please serve something light, and some cooling tea to reduce internal heat."
"Yes!" The waiter heard this and turned to go into the kitchen.
Not long after, as Lin Jin finished tethering the horse and came in, the waiter had already brought the dishes to the table.
Zhong Li was serving Lu Wuxie, and she casually sprinkled some powdered medicine into the food. During the time she was picking up dishes, the inn, which had been empty, suddenly saw people entering one after another. In an instant, it was full of guests, and the waiter was busy as if his head were hitting his back.
Lin Jin ate the rice and dishes in his bowl while looking at the people around him. "Master, this place seems a bit strange."
Lu Wuxie heard this and looked up. After his gaze swept around, he exchanged a look with Zhong Li and said, "Let's see what characteristics they have."
Lin Jin frowned and observed again following Lu Wuxie's hint. After a long while, he said, "A cripple? A blind person? A deaf person? And someone like the master, almost dying..."
As soon as he said this, he received a glare from his master and quickly shut his mouth.
Lu Wuxie said, "You are right. Most of them are disabled or dying. These people coming to Yuxian, I think, have only one purpose..."
"That is the Divine Maiden Cult," Zhong Li added.
Lin Jin frowned, looking confused.
Zhong Li did not explain immediately but gestured with her lips for Lin Jin to look behind him.
"Do you see it? Does the thing posted on the door of the residential house behind you look familiar?" she asked.
After looking, Lin Jin looked thoughtful. "I've seen this in Liaocheng as well. It seems to have been posted on doors."
"There is a tradition among the people of Nanyue Kingdom to post symbols of heroes they believe in or wishes for the year on their doors. For example, after the war twenty years ago, when people longed for peace and did not want foreign invasion, General Ge's portraits were highly sought after during festivals.
And this door god, which has appeared in Yuxian and Liaocheng now, if I am not mistaken, should be Ya Gu." Lu Wuxie continued Zhong Li's words to explain to Lin Jin.
Lin Jin was a martial man. Although literate, he had not read much related literature. His sword-like eyebrows furrowed, and his face was bewildered. "Ya Gu, what is that?"
"It has a human face, an ox's body, and horse's legs. In the 'Book of Curiosities,' it is described as an immortal and unkillable evil god," Zhong Li added.
"Immortal and unkillable," Lin Jin's heart skipped a beat. "Isn't that the Divine Maiden..."
Zhong Li nodded. "Yes, I previously flipped through the documents left by Minister Chen about the Divine Maiden Cult, which said they believe in an evil god. The so-called Divine Maiden is the special envoy of this evil god. At first, I didn't know what this evil god was, but now I know. Ya Gu is the god worshipped by the Divine Maiden Cult."
"So, these people are actually coming to seek medical treatment, wanting to obtain eternal life?" Lin Jin added.
Zhong Li nodded. "It should be so. Looking at their clothing, there are those from wealthy families and those who are destitute. Coming to Yuxian must be out of desperation."
"Then, does eternal life really exist in this world?" Lin Jin asked.
Zhong Li smiled and shook her head. Just as she was about to answer, the sound of gongs and drums suddenly erupted from outside. All the guests still dining in the inn stopped their chopsticks. After another burst of gongs and drums, everyone rushed out of the inn as if they were mad.
Moments later, only the three of them remained in the inn.
The waiter came out from the kitchen, smiling as he collected the copper coins on the tables, no more, no less.
When he reached Zhong Li's table, he saw the three of them still eating slowly and could not help but frown. "How many guests? Aren't you going to see the Divine Maiden?"
Zhong Li heard this, and her action of eating paused. "What does the waiter mean? How do we see the Divine Maiden, and what Divine Maiden?"