Meng Ying was the second to chase after it. Tian Fangfang pulled out Fire Wolf Fang from his chest, and a faint light appeared in the room.
The Fire Wolf Fang was originally a fire-type spiritual treasure. Tian Fangfang had strung it on a red string as a necklace. Normally, it was hidden in his clothes and not visible, but now it could be used as a makeshift lamp. With everyone’s elemental energy lost and unable to use their techniques, and the illumination talismans of Zanxing all stored in the Qiankun Bags, they could only rely on this to barely function as an oil lamp.
Under the illumination of the Fire Wolf Fang, the others also rushed out of the room. When they reached the outer hall, Zanxing noticed that inside the outer room, there was no trace of Douniang and Xu Fu.
Once they were outside the door, Gu Baiying and Meng Ying returned. Mu Cengxiao asked, “How did it go?”
“We didn’t find anyone else,” Meng Ying shook her head, “Take a look.” She looked towards the courtyard.
Originally, there was a flock of white geese in the courtyard. These geese were tall and had fierce cries, but now there were only cages, clay bowls for water, and scattered vegetable leaves on the ground. However, the geese had disappeared without a trace.
“What’s going on?” Zanxing asked Gu Baiying, “Did Senior Uncle notice anything wrong while on watch?”
Gu Baiying was silent for a moment before saying, “No, I fell asleep.”
Zanxing was somewhat surprised.
“It’s not Senior Uncle’s fault,” Mu Cengxiao spoke next, “Initially, I couldn’t sleep either. At some point, I suddenly felt very tired. When I woke up again, the lamp in the room had already gone out, and the change must have occurred around that time.”
Tian Fangfang came out from behind, “We’ve searched inside and outside the house, but didn’t see Xiao Douzi and Old Man Xu. This…”
This seemed even more abnormal now.
“Hey,” Men Dong tugged at Gu Baiying’s sleeve, “Don’t you feel it’s too quiet here?”
Zanxing looked into the distance.
The dirt road was still the same, lined with houses on either side, lanterns hanging at their entrances casting light on small patches of land in the courtyard. The night sky was dark as ink, creating a serene scene that should have been peaceful. Yet, surrounded by an eerie silence, this warmth and tranquility now seemed somewhat eerie and terrifying.
No barking dogs, no snoring from sleeping people, no insect chirping, no sound of horses pacing in their pens, not even the rustle of the wind. It felt like stagnant water, as if they had unwittingly stumbled into a realm long abandoned for centuries.
Yet not long ago, they had just attended a grand and festive celebration.
The houses looked orderly and ordinary. Zanxing said, “I have a bad feeling about this.” Pausing for a moment, she continued, “Could all these houses really be empty?”
Mu Cengxiao and Meng Ying exchanged glances. “Let’s go check,” Mu Cengxiao said.
They searched several nearby houses and soon returned, their expressions grave. Meng Ying looked at Zanxing. “Junior Sister is right. The houses are all empty.”
With no moon in the sky, the night resembled a vast, dark net enveloping the deserted city in the desert. The lively songs and dances, the crowds, all seemed like fleeting illusions. Once the illusion dispersed, only a cold and silent empty city remained.
Zanxing couldn’t help but shiver, whispering, “Could there be ghosts here?”
At the Summit of the Nine Heavens was, after all, just an upgraded fantasy novel. While it featured exotic flowers, rare spirit beasts, it wasn’t exactly a thriller. Now, the plot had spiraled beyond anyone’s control. Even though she had read the entire novel, it was hard to foresee where things were headed.
Gu Baiying was about to speak when Mimi suddenly let out a sharp scream, her fur standing on end as she dashed forward.
“Mimi!” Zanxing exclaimed in surprise.
The chubby cat rarely moved with such agility. Its snowy white fur seemed to glow in the night as it swiftly sprinted in a particular direction.
“Follow it!” Gu Baiying shouted, raising his spear and giving chase.
Mimi ran fast.
Normally, this cat would lie down and play dead after walking too much, but tonight it was unusually alert. It ran non-stop along the dirt road. Zanxing saw houses with tightly closed doors, some shop doors wide open. Through the windows, half-eaten pastries and meat soup were still on tables. But there were no people, as if in a hurried moment, all living beings in the city had been wiped away by an invisible hand, leaving behind just a snapshot of that one night.
It sent shivers down their spines.
The group chased after a cat through the deserted city, a hint of absurdity mingling with the strange atmosphere. After who knew how long they had been running, Mimi finally stopped.
The door of a wine shop by the roadside was still open, its yellow and red wine flag hanging from the eaves. Empty wine barrels were neatly stacked at the entrance, and beautiful blue porcelain wine bowls were casually arranged on the tables.
Everything seemed lively yet surreal.
And where Mimi halted, stood a dilapidated city gate.
It was the gate of Wufan City.
Zanxing still remembered when she first arrived at Wufan City. She recalled that while the city gate was ancient, it was still intact, adorned with the totems of the Snake Shaman Clan. But now, the gate lay in ruins, half buried in sand, its totems weathered beyond recognition, mere fragments.
“How come it is this different from what we saw before?” Tian Fangfang pointed at the gate. “Is this even the same place?”
“It’s the place we arrived,” Meng Ying said softly. “Perhaps, this is the true face of Wufan City.”
Mu Cengxiao took a few steps forward. “What’s that?”
Extending from the gate was a magnificent palace, resplendent in gold and jade. It seemed to appear out of nowhere in the desert, its roof adorned with beautiful golden arches, and its sides adorned with columns intricately carved with patterns, resembling an altar or some kind of temple.
“Was this here when we arrived?” Men Dong wondered. “Did it grow out of nowhere overnight?”
Under the night sky, the palace in the desert was splendid and enchanting, with shimmering lights and shadows, silently inviting.
“Senior Uncle, should we go in?” Meng Ying asked.
“Let’s go,” Gu Baiying said firmly, gripping his Xiu Gu spear and heading towards the palace.
The others followed suit.
The palace was wide and tall, gleaming with gold at first glance. In the center was a round door with a handle cast in the shape of a coiled serpent. Gu Baiying placed his hand on the handle, suddenly recalling something. He turned back and said, “Stay back. When the door opens, follow me closely.”
“Senior Uncle, now is not the time to be reckless!” Men Dong interjected urgently. “Right now, you…” He abruptly stopped himself, hesitated for a moment, then continued, “…aren’t feeling well, your spiritual energy isn’t as strong as usual.”
Gu Baiying’s voice turned cold. “Stop talking nonsense. If I tell you to stay back, you stay back.”