"Of course, what news are you looking to inquire about? If it's general information, I can decide, or even offer it for free."
The woman said this to Ning Beichen.
"I want to inquire about a person. His name is Chen Xingyun. I want to know where he is now," Ning Beichen told her.
However, as soon as the woman heard the name Chen Xingyun, her expression changed drastically, and she quickly said to Ning Beichen, "I'm sorry, we have no information about this person."
"Really none?" Ning Beichen sensed that the woman knew something but was hesitant.
"Truly none. I'm sorry, we can't help you," the woman apologized to Ning Beichen.
"It's alright, sorry to have bothered you." Ning Beichen left with his companions.
After leaving, Luo Yingying said softly to Ning Beichen, "I observed her expression just now. She seems to know something."
Ning Beichen nodded. "I noticed that too. It seems she's bound by something, or afraid to speak. We'll find another opportunity to come back later."
Not long after they left Hongxiu Pavilion, Ye Lanxin found them, saying the house had been rented and asking Ning Beichen and the others to inspect it. The house was located in a secluded spot to the east of Feilai City, occupying its own space. It was quiet and undisturbed, though quite expensive. However, Ning Beichen was wealthy and didn't care about the cost. "To get rich quick, one must resort to arson and murder," the ancients were not wrong. If he hadn't raided the bandit's den at the start and killed a disciple of the Heavenly Dao Sect, Ning Beichen would likely still be worrying about money.
Soon, Ning Beichen and his group moved in, each occupying their own room, even Hei Jiao had one. Meanwhile, back at Hongxiu Pavilion, the woman who had received Ning Beichen was speaking to another woman in a floating pavilion in the sky.
"Miss, some people came to Hongxiu Pavilion today inquiring about Chen Xingyun."
"Who are they?" The woman's body trembled slightly upon hearing Chen Xingyun's name.
"New faces, likely outsiders," the woman replied.
"Did they mention looking for Chen Xingyun?" the pavilion woman asked.
"Not directly. People outside believe Chen Xingyun is already dead, so no one would be looking for him," the woman replied.
"Find a way to ascertain why they are looking for Chen Xingyun, and quickly investigate their identities," the pavilion woman instructed.
"Yes, Miss. Oh, and Miss, not long ago, some people from the Heavenly Dao Sect came seeking information, hoping Hongxiu Pavilion would provide intelligence. They said these people killed one of their disciples and they are looking for them. Should Hongxiu Pavilion provide them with information?" the woman reported.
"Do not reveal anything for now. I will find a time to meet them," the pavilion woman said.
"Understood, Miss. I shall leave now," the woman said respectfully.
"Go," the pavilion woman nodded, then turned away and stood on the balcony of the sky pavilion, gazing up at the sky. A gentle breeze blew, ruffling her hair and lifting the long sash at her waist. The departing woman glanced at her mistress's lonely figure, feeling a pang of sympathy. So many years had passed, yet her mistress still hadn't forgotten Chen Xingyun. It was a pity that Chen Xingyun was an ill-fated person, and a scoundrel, to be so cared for by her mistress.
At this moment, a man and a woman emerged from Hongxiu Pavilion. A "Dao" character was visible on the upper left corner of their robes. This man and woman were disciples of the Heavenly Dao Sect. They had just left Hongxiu Pavilion, but the pavilion had not provided them with any useful intelligence.
"Senior Brother Luo, do you truly believe the group who killed our Heavenly Dao Sect members has indeed come to Feilai City?" the woman asked after they exited.
"One hundred percent. Don't you trust my tracking skills? They are definitely within Feilai City," the man replied.
"I naturally trust your abilities, Senior Brother. These people are too bold, daring to kill members of our Heavenly Dao Sect! If I find them, I'll grind them to dust!" the woman snorted fiercely.
"Don't worry, Junior Sister. Since these people are in Feilai City, they won't be able to hide for long. If it weren't for the large array interfering in Feilai City, I would have tracked them down already," the man said confidently.
"I believe they won't escape your tracking, Senior Brother," the woman said with admiration.
"That's a given. Within three days, I will definitely find them," the man stated.
Meanwhile, Ning Beichen and his companions were unaware that members of the Heavenly Dao Sect had tracked them to Feilai City. After settling in, Ning Beichen began to ponder ways to find Chen Xingyun. Clearly, the people at Hongxiu Pavilion knew something, but unfortunately, they were unwilling to disclose any information about Chen Xingyun, even for a higher price. Therefore, Ning Beichen concluded there were only two possibilities: first, the people at Hongxiu Pavilion genuinely didn't know. Second, they knew about Chen Xingyun's whereabouts but refused to trade the information. Regardless of which it was, Ning Beichen felt he needed to investigate Hongxiu Pavilion.
As night fell, Ning Beichen went alone to the vicinity of Hongxiu Pavilion. It was not advisable to have too many people for a nighttime infiltration, and Ning Beichen's purpose this time was to gather information, not to fight. Wearing a Sichuan opera mask, Ning Beichen silently infiltrated Hongxiu Pavilion. Although Hongxiu Pavilion was protected by numerous formations and restrictions, they couldn't evade Ning Beichen's senses, so he entered without alerting anyone. However, he didn't know where the intelligence was stored, so he wandered around like a headless fly. To his surprise, Hongxiu Pavilion was structured with inner and outer layers, a world within a world. As Ning Beichen explored, he became lost and unknowingly arrived at a place where he saw a magical pavilion suspended in the air.
"Could this be where the intelligence is stored?" Ning Beichen felt a surge of excitement. But no matter what, since he had come this far, Ning Beichen wasn't planning to leave empty-handed. He decided to ascend to the sky pavilion for a closer look. Ning Beichen scanned his surroundings and found no one. He stealthily approached the floating pavilion. Just as Ning Beichen was about to ascend, he suddenly remembered something and immediately activated his special eyes. As expected, the sky pavilion was protected by a formation. If he had rushed in earlier, he would have been trapped and surely alerted the people in Hongxiu Pavilion.