I Have a Compass for Opportunity

Yunli City, a city located on the border of Jinglan Prefecture.

Due to its proximity to Nether Abyss Peak, to prevent the violent beasts from Nether Abyss Peak from attacking the city, more cultivators are stationed here than in ordinary cities.

The violent beast uprisings in Nether Abyss Peak have occurred more than once in history.

Even the Yanluo Sect has Foundation Establishment cultivators stationed here.

It was only the hour of Mao, and while the city’s residents were still dreaming, the patrol teams within the city had already begun their routine patrols.

What was supposed to be just a routine day became anything but when the patrol team suddenly spotted a blood-covered figure of a woman while passing a narrow path, capturing the attention of the patrol captain, who signaled for the team to halt and then ordered them to slowly surround her.

In this world constantly under the threat of Star Evil, even the slightest unusual phenomenon can put people on edge.

It wasn’t until the patrol captain noticed the badge worn at Lin Qianyin’s waist, exclusive to disciples of the Yanluo Sect, that his expression relaxed.

The Yanluo Sect has close ties with the Jin Dynasty’s royal family, so the garrison guards in each city understand the significance of that badge.

Seeing that the woman was seriously injured but still breathing, the patrol captain quickly instructed the accompanying city guards, "Quickly notify Master Zishan, a Yanluo Sect disciple is badly injured."

After giving these orders, the patrol captain gazed around with heightened vigilance.

The sudden appearance of a severely injured Yanluo Sect disciple was enough to raise tensions; who injured her, and could the perpetrator still be nearby?

Of course, he could see nothing.

It wasn’t until the members from the Yanluo Sect came to take the woman away and the patrol team dispersed that Liou Yuan, who had been hidden in the shadows all along, leisurely came out.

"With a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator guarding the city, Lin Qianyin should be fine now."

Liou Yuan looked towards the departing patrol team and then recalled the patrol captain’s mention of Master Zishan earlier.

"Master Zishan, wasn’t she the Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator who last supported Chouhuai City along with Jin Dynasty’s Honored Guest?"

"Is she stationed here too? What a coincidence."

However, this had nothing to do with Liou Yuan; he knew Master Zishan, but it’s unlikely she knew him.

Since Lin Qianyin was safe, it was time for Liou Yuan to continue on his journey.

This time, apart from visiting family, he had three tasks to complete upon leaving Five Extremes Mountain.

First was to capture two wanted culprits.

Now with the heads of Zhou Meng and Zhai Yuzhu inside his Storage Bag, he had completed this task perfectly.

Second was to visit Qiwen Mountain.

It’s been almost two years since Liou Yuan left Qiwen Mountain.

Still with no news from there, Liou Yuan knew he had to make a trip back.

Third, the Fixed Star Compass had once again been filled.

Liou Yuan needed to find a place to use it.

Every opportunity to use the Fixed Star Compass is incredibly precious, and Liou Yuan surely wouldn’t let it go unused for long.

"It’s only been a month and a half; I still have more than four months to arrange my time freely."

"I should visit Qiwen Mountain first to see what’s going on."

Murmuring to himself, Liou Yuan headed out of the city.

Half a month later, in Yufengcheng, Qingyou Prefecture.

Following Lin Qianyin in tracking Zhai Yuzhu to Jinglan Prefecture had caused quite a detour, requiring much effort for Liou Yuan to return.

It took him a full half month to travel from that border city of Jinglan Prefecture to this city closest to Qiwen Mountain.

Dust-covered Liou Yuan entered the cultivator hub in this city without stopping for rest, intending to find the contact he had left two years ago, Jin Yingjie.

After making a round, he didn’t see a single trace of him.

Liou Yuan considered stopping a cultivator to ask questions.

But people avoided him like one avoids the plague, leaving Liou Yuan perplexed.

Not believing what he was experiencing, Liou Yuan attempted twice more to question different cultivators, but each time he faced vigilance, and before even completing the question, the person would disappear.

It was only then that Liou Yuan realized something was off with the atmosphere in Yufengcheng.

When he first arrived two years ago, although loose cultivators were cautious, it wasn’t to such an extreme.

Now, seeing him as a stranger, it was as if they were witnessing a dreadful monster.

And upon carefully observing the cultivators in the marketplace of Yufengcheng, he noticed that their behavior wasn’t just limited to him.

Even among local cultivators who knew each other, there were few interactions or whispered conversations.

As for the cultivators running stalls, they had all disappeared.

"Something’s wrong; something must have happened in Yufengcheng." Liou Yuan keenly sensed the anomaly.

After a short contemplation, he turned and left Yufengcheng just as he had come, not staying even for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense.

His direction was clear.

Since the city’s cultivators avoided him like the plague, he would seek out someone who bore no ill will against him, the spirit beast Bai Ling.

Bai Ling and Liou Yuan were somewhat acquainted, having previously met on its mountain where they formed a good rapport.

Bai Ling even invited him to its cave abode as a guest.

Liou Yuan had helped it once to collect a debt from Sheng Zeming.

The Star Stones collected were delivered here by Qiu Ming.

Despite Qiu Ming’s somewhat erratic mind, he undoubtedly carried out Liou Yuan’s task without embezzling any Star Stones, so with this interaction, finding Bai Ling for a conversation wouldn’t be a problem.

Bai Ling’s mountain was located within Qingyou Prefecture, only two or three days away.

Liou Yuan quickly arrived.

Before entering the mountain, he specifically used Spiritual Power to amplify his voice, calling Bai Ling’s name: "Friend Bai Ling, Liou Yuan from Five Extremes Mountain is visiting."

After speaking, he proceeded up the mountain, heading straight towards its cave abode.