Chapter 105: Making Contact

"Pilgrimage?" Jiao Sixteen put down his wine glass and asked without thinking.

Jiao Nine frowned and shot Jiao Sixteen a glare.

A flicker of chagrin crossed Jiao Sixteen's face; he too seemed to realize something.

"Pilgrimage, naturally it's to..." The shop assistant began to answer, but his expression suddenly changed.

"You, you actually don't know about the pilgrimage... You are outsiders..." The shop assistant barked sharply, about to do something.

Two streaks of crystalline light flashed and vanished into the shop assistant's head.

The shop assistant's voice cut off abruptly, a dazed look appearing in his eyes as his soul was instantly controlled.

Han Li's eyes glowed faintly with crystalline light as he stared directly into the shop assistant's eyes.

Almost the moment before the assistant shouted, Jiao Nine's hands flickered rapidly, and a faint blue light had already enveloped the entire private room, preventing any sound from escaping.

"Sorry, I..." Jiao Sixteen's face reddened slightly.

"No harm done. Luckily, Jiao Fifteen was quick." Jiao Nine waved a hand.

"Speak, what is this pilgrimage?" Han Li's eyes shimmered with crystalline light.

This was a minor soul-charming spell. Since he couldn't use divine soul power, its effect was weak, but the shop assistant was merely a mortal, so it sufficed.

"The pilgrimage is a tradition passed down from ancient times. Every sixty years, the people of each city, led by their city lords, travel in batches to the holy city of Red Moon City to receive the teachings of the Holy Lord. That year is also called the Pilgrimage Year." The shop assistant answered mechanically.

"If it's just to meet the Holy Lord, why bring all your valuables and belongings, as if migrating?" Han Li continued asking.

"Because everyone wants to be among the chosen. The Holy Lord bestows blessings upon those fortunate ones, granting them more fertile lands." The shop assistant answered without hesitation.

"What does 'the chosen' mean? And what about those not chosen?" Han Li asked further.

"Those chosen are invariably the most devout followers—this is the highest honor... Those not chosen can only return to their original cities." The assistant said this with a look of envy.

Han Li and the other two exchanged glances upon hearing this, each seeing surprise in the other's eyes.

So that's what happened to those empty cities.

The Holy Lord the shop assistant spoke of was most likely Gongshu Hong, the Lord of Red Moon Island.

"What else do you know about the Holy Lord?" Jiao Nine asked.

"The Holy Lord grants us fertile lands and protects us generation after generation..." The shop assistant rambled on, but everything he said was useless to Han Li and the others.

"You seem quite hostile toward outsiders. Is that also the Holy Lord's teaching?" Han Li shook his head, interrupting the assistant, and continued asking.

"Yes! Outsiders are all sea demons coveting the riches of our Red Moon Island. Once discovered, they must be reported to the city lord immediately, and they are all to be killed." The shop assistant continued in a daze, his words carrying a chilling tone.

Jiao Sixteen snorted softly, while Jiao Nine wore a contemplative expression.

Han Li narrowed his eyes, his mind racing. He asked a few more questions about the Lord of Red Moon Island, the Holy Lord, but unfortunately, this shop assistant was just a mortal and knew very little, so he didn't glean much.

Han Li signaled Jiao Nine to retract the blue light shield in the private room, then softly chanted a few incantations. A crystalline light flickered in his eyes and then vanished.

The shop assistant's body jerked violently, his eyes clearing as he looked around in confusion.

"Alright, you may leave now." Han Li said flatly.

He had just cast a spell to erase some of the shop assistant's recent memories.

"Yes, please enjoy your meal, esteemed guests." Still somewhat dazed, the shop assistant forced a smile and withdrew.

"So that's the story behind those empty cities. We were overthinking it." Jiao Sixteen said with a smile.

"From this man's words, there is some information worth pondering. Since all the city dwellers have set off on pilgrimage, doesn't that mean the Lord of Red Moon Island is now in the so-called holy city, Red Moon City, receiving pilgrims?" Jiao Nine mused.

Han Li nodded thoughtfully, recalling the contents of the jade slip map of Red Moon Island that Jiao Three had given them.

The map was quite sketchy, marking only a few cities, but among them was indeed a city named Red Moon City, though it was a considerable distance from Tianshui City.

It was likely that high-level cultivators used some special means to transport these mortals on the pilgrimage; otherwise, at their speed, they might never reach it in a lifetime.

"What do you think? Should we inform the others?" Jiao Sixteen's face lit up, clearly thinking the same thing.

"In my opinion, since we obtained this information so easily, the Wuchang Alliance members couldn't have missed it. If the places they reported as possible locations for the Lord of Red Moon Island don't include Red Moon City, there must be a reason. After all, what the shop assistant said might just be worldly rumors." Han Li said after some thought.

"Let's stick to the plan. First, go to Tianshui City and find the Alliance's undercover agent before making any decisions." Jiao Nine nodded.

After agreeing, the three quickly and quietly left An City.

On the following journey, they passed through many towns, among which there were also many empty cities, accounting for about twenty to thirty percent.

Knowing the reason for these empty cities, the three no longer lingered along the way.

Three days later, on a vast plain stretching for a thousand miles, stood a towering black city over ten zhang high.

Outside the city, thousands of hectares of fertile fields were surrounded by several tributaries of a large river flowing to the sea, dividing the land into fields of various shapes and sizes.

One major branch of the river, channeled by an artificial canal, passed through a green rice field and encircled the entire city, forming a moat over ten zhang wide.

It was early morning, and the drawbridge into the city had not yet been lowered. Outside the city, hundreds of ordinary people had gathered, most of them carrying goods on their shoulders or in their hands, or pushing carts laden with bulging wares, waiting for the city gates to open.

Among the crowd, three figures in coarse cloth and conical hats stood close together, looking as inconspicuous as ordinary farmers.

They were none other than Han Li and the other two, who had traveled all the way here in disguise.

Just as the rising sun's rays fell upon the three large characters "Tianshui City" engraved on the city wall, a resonant bell toll sounded from within the city.

Immediately after, a creaking sound of mechanical gears came from inside the wall, and the heavy drawbridge slowly lowered, pulled by thick black iron chains.

The people who had been waiting for a long time began to step onto the drawbridge and file into the city.

At the city's single tall gate, several Nascent Soul cultivators stood guard on each side, led by a cultivator with a Deity Transformation cultivation level. All wore deep blue robes with a blood-red crescent moon embroidered on the chest.

Although Han Li could not use his divine sense to probe, he knew that there must be other cultivators of higher cultivation levels stationed inside the city.

From observing several cities, it seemed that on Red Moon Island, like other islands, cultivators and mortals lived together in the cities, and these mortals appeared accustomed to the presence of cultivators.

However, cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage and above on the island all seemed to wear these blood-moon blue robes, making them look like members of some sect.

After entering the gate, Han Li saw a faint light above his head. He looked up slightly and noticed an octagonal array pattern engraved on the bricks above, with a round bronze mirror set in the center.

A faint reddish light was shining down from the mirror, enveloping everyone passing beneath it.

With just a glance, Han Li roughly guessed the function of the array. It was likely used to detect cultivators deliberately concealing their identities, preventing them from sneaking into the city.

From Han Li's current perspective, the array was not very complex or sophisticated. Cultivators above the Great Vehicle stage could, with some effort, shield themselves from detection.

However, given the powerful aura of cultivators above the Great Vehicle stage, unless they had special treasures to conceal it, they would be detected as soon as they set foot on the island, without needing to go through this.

Han Li and his companions were already of considerable cultivation, and with the mysterious masks they wore, they had no need to worry about this.

The three calmly moved with the crowded stream, inching toward the city. When they passed under the array, the light in the mirror flickered slightly and then returned to normal, apparently mistaking them for ordinary mortals.

Once inside the city, the crowd began to split to both sides, and the city's scenery gradually unfolded before them.

Before them, the main street was lined with shops and stalls, with merchants as numerous as clouds. On both sides of the street, buildings were hung with banners and signs used by businesses to attract customers.

However, since it was still too early, many shops had not yet opened for business. On the bluestone-paved main street, apart from the commoners who had just entered the city, there were not many people.

Only a few early tea shops had been swept clean and opened their doors to welcome customers.

This Tianshui City was far larger than any city they had seen before. Two main streets, one running southeast to northwest and the other southwest to northeast, divided the entire city into four major districts.

Han Li and the other two followed the main street to the southern district, then turned into a narrow alley. After walking for about an hour, twisting and turning, they arrived at a secluded lane.

The lane was very quiet. The few courtyards there had their doors tightly shut, with no sound or sign of anyone.

The three stopped in front of an ordinary residence at the deepest part of the lane.

"This is the place." Jiao Nine looked up and down at the dark red door of the residence and nodded.

This residence was a secret stronghold established by a Wuchang Alliance member who had infiltrated Red Moon Island earlier. They had come here to meet him and obtain intelligence.

Hearing this, Jiao Sixteen stepped forward and, like an ordinary person knocking on a door, raised his hand and lightly tapped the ring in the mouth of the bronze beast on the door in a pattern of two short knocks followed by one long.

After a few dull sounds, there was no response from inside the courtyard.

Han Li felt a slight unease and wanted to probe with his divine sense, but recalled Jiao Three's warning not to recklessly use divine sense.

Jiao Sixteen and Jiao Nine also seemed to sense something amiss, but clearly shared the same concern as Han Li and did not attempt to use their divine sense.

The former turned back and exchanged a hesitant glance with the two behind him.

Han Li narrowed his eyes slightly but said nothing.

Jiao Nine, after a moment's thought, made a hand gesture signaling readiness for battle.

Just as the three were about to act, a bell suddenly rang from inside the door, shaking in the agreed pattern of three long rings followed by one short.

The three were momentarily startled and looked toward the door.

After a brief hesitation, Jiao Sixteen increased the force of his hand and quickly struck the door knocker three times.

A moment later, the dark red door creaked open, just wide enough for one person, revealing the head of a middle-aged man with a broad face and a prominent chin.

"Come in."

The man looked at the three outside and said in a low voice.