Maiden Of The Splitting Moon - Chapter 735: A Change of Plans

The old man stood there, deep in his own thoughts.

“None of the merchants have anything new, I could just focus on nurturing its growth. There might not be anything this time but there could be something the next time I visit. The beast-kin are still exploring the rest of the continent so there might be a chance. Fortunately, they haven’t gone North yet.”

Despite such thoughts, he still had a dissatisfied look on his face, and on top of that, he was impatient.

“Coming back with nothing makes this trip a bit of a waste. Hah, maybe I should take another look around the city but…”

He thought back to earlier when Ming Yue had been chasing after him.

“Maybe it’d be better to leave while I still can, she’s here for me. Lingering here any longer would put me in a dangerous spot.”

After that, Cheng Wei put his hood on before walking away, leaving the Den through the side streets. Once he was out, he deviated from the road, heading to the North of the continent.

That part had yet to be explored. Even with the advancements that had been made, the northern part of the Beast Continent is still the most dangerous region. After all, it was the origin point of the Savage Beasts that had come into being due to taking in the remnant energy of the previous Calamity. Still, more and more people started to venture into such territory. To them, there was sure to be rewards equaling the risk.

However, the north had stayed largely unexplored, the most suitable place for him to hide.

This much was made known to Ming Yue as Zhu Xie told her of their findings.

“When we received your letter asking for our help, Ao Qin and the others jumped into action. We started looking in multiple directions, checking for any clues as to the person you’re looking for. Even Lao Yang took part, scouring through the latest news for anything that could be of use to us”, said the boar-kin.

“However, there was very little that could be found. Whoever they are, they came without making any commotion. At the same time, there was an influx of people coming from the other continents. From merchants looking to make a fortune to experts who were hired by one of the tribes, there was a lot to look through. But the Zodiacs are a group of experts! To have no results would tarnish our reputation! More than likely, the one you’re looking for is hiding in the North. As for where exactly, we don’t know”, he said.

He then raised a finger and proudly said, “Not to mention, he’s made a few appearances in the Den, checking every shop for herbs and new plants.”

Ming Yue nodded.

“Yes, I found that out just now”, she said.

“Huh? What?”

The young cultivator then explained how she recognized the energy coming off of Cheng Wei’s body and chased after him.

“Ahh, it is unfortunate that he managed to slip away.”

Zhu Xie sighed, looking disappointed for her. But that look soon changed to a cheerful smile.

“But at least, you know where he could be and where he goes to! Better than looking around blindly.”

Ming Yue smiled before cupping her fists and lowering her head to him.

“Yes, I can’t thank you enough for this. You and the others have been of great help to me.”

Zhu Xie raised his furred hands toward her, looking embarrassed.

“Please raise your head There’s no need to do such a thing for someone like yourself! Some of us are indebted to you after all. What do you plan to do now though?” he asked her, “Will you be staying here and waiting for him to come or go out and venture into the North?”

Faced with this question, Ming Yue made a quick decision.

“Although I would love to stay here and wait, searching for him in the North is the better option. He knows that someone is looking for him, more than likely, he knows that it’s me who’s looking for him. He probably won’t be coming to the Den anytime soon. And I’ve been to the North before, I doubt I’ll get lost there”, she reasoned.

“Ah, I see. That’s a shame. I’m sure that the other Zodiacs would’ve wanted to come and see you. Alas, that might have to wait”, said the boar-kin.

Seeing his sad appearance, Ming Yue glanced over to find Hongyu looking all around the courtyard with interest. The young child could barely keep her eyes away from Zhu Xie. After walking through the Den and seeing so many different kinds of people, her curiosity and excitement was barely containable.

Noticing the look, Hongyu turned to Ming Yue, pleading with her eyes to stay just for a bit.

This decision took her much longer to make.

“Mm, I’m on the last item for the pill but it’s already been five months. I don’t know how much longer I have until the Ascetic comes for me but the Crow Immortal said at most a year. Meaning, It could be much less than that.”

She thought about it carefully before deciding.

“Although I cannot stay for long, I can spend the night at least.”

Ming Yue looked at the boar-kin before turning to Hongyu, Elder Shen, and the rest of the group.

Zhu Xie clasped his hands together with a smile.

“Of course, of course! I’ll get your rooms ready and whatever you need, just let me know! You can always find me in the courtyard with he ship or downstairs in my workshop!”

The giant figure stood up and promptly walked off to do what he said he’d do. And his voice was still easy to hear.

“In the meantime, why don’t you go see the Den for yourself? After all, this is your first time here, if you’d like I can also take you around as well! You spent most of your time in the northern region of the continent after all, living in the wilderness for nearly a year!” he said.

Ming Yue smiled, thinking back on that time.

“It hasn’t been that long but it really does feel like a long time”, she thought to herself.

Once the rooms were settled, Ming Yue’s group set out to explore the Den. She held Hongyu’s hand before strolling around, seeing all of the strange and peculiar things that she’d never seen before.

The smell of food was enticing. While there was regular meat like fish and beef, there were frogs, mice, snakes, and a variety of others. Much of it was grilled or roasted meat. Though she saw some selling meat that had been stewed for hours on end. Each bite would be tender to the point of melting in your mouth. Drinks came in the form of fermented fruit or juice and there were too many to pick from. Some she recognized but most were practically foreign to her.

And there were human and demon businesses that thrived, selling their own specialties. Of all the cities she’d been to, the den was certainly a fresh experience.

There was plenty of entertainment on the streets, with performers doing tricks, contests of strength, and music echoing in the air. Time flew by quickly, the sun had descended while the moon rose up.

Soon enough, Hongyu started to yawn, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

“Mm, I suppose that’s enough fun for today.”

Noticing her sleepy state, Ming Yue knelt down with her arms open, carrying the child and letting her fall asleep. As they returned to the mansion, Elder Shen stopped at the door, not entering with them.

“Hm? Is there something wrong?” the young cultivator asked.

The elder shook his head.

“Actually, I do have some business to take care of. I figured that I could do it later but I might as well do it now.”