Clan Cultivation: The Ye Clan

Ye Zhenzhen did not answer Ding Shuyao's other two questions.

Ding Shuyao tacitly refrained from asking a second time; everyone has their own little secrets, and there's no need to pry.

After resting, the two wandered around the outskirts of the Misty Forest.

Ye Zhenzhen released the Moon-Reflecting Vine. Once the vine entered the forest, it was like a fish returning to the sea.

It quickly became one with the plants in the forest.

With the help of the Moon-Illuminating Vine, Ye Zhenzhen collected many precious spiritual herbs and medicines.

The two avoided the area inhabited by high-level demonic beasts and instead harvested quite a few first-level demonic beasts on the outskirts.

Three days have passed in the blink of an eye.

Both of them wanted to go back and check on the situation.

Ding Shuyao summoned a flying carpet, and the two of them slowly made their way towards Maple Leaf City.

------

The atmosphere in Maple Leaf City grew increasingly somber.

There are far fewer street vendors, and most people are staying at home, afraid to go out.

The city lord's mansion's unbridled search for people has already aroused dissatisfaction among many cultivators in the city.

Everyone was angry but dared not speak out, and they all wanted to see when the search would end.

All sorts of rumors are flying around, causing widespread panic.

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Zi Fu Xuan

On the day Ye Zhenzhen and Ding Shuyao went to the Ghost Market, Junior Sister Mu was kidnapped and taken to Zi Fu Xuan.

The manager of Zi Fu Xuan did not lay a hand on Junior Sister Mu. He simply locked her in a room, gave her a talisman brush, talisman paper, and talisman ink, and told her to obediently draw talismans in the room.

Junior Sister Mu was completely bewildered. She just wanted to go out for a stroll, so how did she end up being arrested for no reason? And why was someone inexplicably drawing talismans for her?

Junior Sister Mu wanted to escape, but there were guards at the door, and with her early Foundation Establishment cultivation, she couldn't get out at all.

Looking at the tools for drawing talismans in front of her, Junior Sister Mu felt utterly hopeless. She had never learned how to draw talismans before, so how was she supposed to draw them?

Does failing to draw mean certain death?

The storage bag was also taken away, and he didn't even have a talisman template on him, so he couldn't even try it out.

Junior Sister Mu looked up at the sky speechlessly, hoping that Senior Brother Hu would come to save her.

At this moment, Senior Brother Hu was indeed searching for her everywhere.

Junior Sister Mu said she was going out for a walk, but Senior Brother Hu was worried that she might have an accident if she went out alone, so after thinking about it, he followed behind her.

As he followed, Senior Brother Hu was drawn by the noise around him. He glanced at it, then turned back, only to find Junior Sister Mu gone.

Senior Brother Hu panicked and began searching everywhere.

Three days later, Senior Brother Hu received news that someone had seen Junior Sister Mu at Zi Fu Xuan.

Senior Brother Hu suspected that there might be a trap, but after thinking about his frail junior sister, he decided to investigate Zi Fu Xuan that night.

What Senior Brother Hu didn't expect was that this was exactly the scheme of the manager of Zi Fu Xuan.

The people from Zi Fu Xuan had been watching Junior Sister Mu for three days, but she hadn't put pen to paper and hadn't drawn a single talisman.

The shopkeeper believed that Junior Sister Mu had powerful backers, which was why she dared to be so arrogant.

Having learned that Junior Sister Mu had gone out on a training trip with her senior brothers and sisters, they wanted to capture both of them to threaten Junior Sister Mu.

They went to the inn, only to find that neither of them were there.

After some investigation, it was discovered that Senior Sister Ding had left long ago and had not returned.

The innkeeper sent people to keep an eye on things at the inn, ready to take down Senior Sister Ding as soon as she returned.

Senior Brother Hu also went out, but he did not leave Maple Leaf City; instead, he was looking for Junior Sister Mu.

The shopkeeper directly spread the word that Junior Sister Mu was at Zi Fu Xuan.

Upon hearing the news, Senior Brother Hu indeed planned to have a late-night talk at Zi Fu Xuan.

They caught the turtle in the jar.

Senior Brother Hu was also arrested.

The two were locked in a room.

The shopkeeper began interrogating the two, "Junior Sister Mu, right? Who drew the talismans you sold at our Zi Fu Xuan a few days ago?"

Junior Sister Mu and Senior Brother Hu looked bewildered, exchanged a glance, and saw confusion in each other's eyes.

Junior Sister Mu said, "I have never sold talismans here! You have mistaken me for someone else."

Senior Brother Hu continued, "So you captured my junior sister to imprison her and force her to keep drawing talismans for you here?"

The shopkeeper gave Senior Brother Hu an approving look, finally realizing that he wasn't too stupid after all.

The shopkeeper smiled without saying a word.

Junior Sister Mu also realized what was going on and immediately said, "It must be Ding Shuyao, Senior Brother, don't you think so?"

Junior Sister Mu looked directly at Senior Brother Hu, seeking his approval.

Senior Brother Hu gave Junior Sister Mu a deep look, thinking to himself, "I've never heard of Junior Sister Ding being able to draw talismans. Is Junior Sister Mu trying to drag Junior Sister Ding into this mess? Or is she deliberately framing her?"

After thinking about it, Senior Brother Hu nodded.

Whether it's true or a frame-up, only by diverting their attention to Junior Sister Ding can we have a chance to escape.

The shopkeeper pondered: were they telling the truth, or were they just making excuses?

Seeing that the shopkeeper still seemed doubtful, Mu Shimei truthfully recounted the love-hate relationship between the three of them, emphasizing that only Ding Shuyao had the motive to frame her.

After hearing Mu Shimei's account, the shopkeeper believed most of it. He looked coldly at the two of them and said, "Whether what you're saying is true or false, I'll send someone to investigate. If I find out you're lying, well..."

Both of them shook their heads, indicating that they had told everything they knew.

The innkeeper left the room and instructed the guards to keep a close eye on the two of them as he went out.

The shopkeeper arranged for someone to investigate the entanglement between the three, and as Mu Shimei had said, the shopkeeper was certain that the person they were looking for was Ding Shuyao.

At this moment in Maple Leaf City, two groups of people are searching for Ding Shuyao and Ye Zhenzhen.

------

three days later

Ding Shuyao and Ye Zhenzhen were observing Maple Leaf City from a mountain not far away.

The guards at the gate were still strictly checking people entering the city.

Ding Shuyao looked at it and said to Ye Zhenzhen, "Do we really need to go into the city?"

Ye Zhenzhen nodded and said, "Yes, my family should arrive in six days."

Ding Shuyao said, "Shall we wait for them at the city gate?"

Ye Zhenzhen asked, "Which of the four city gates is being guarded?"

Ye Zhenzhen looked at Ding Shuyao and continued, "What if they came by teleportation array? Then they'd be right in the city."

Ding Shuyao silently shook her head. It seemed that she had no choice but to go through this city gate.

Ye Zhenzhen said, "Why don't you go into the city by yourself, and instead just go back to the South Sea Sect?"

Upon hearing this, Ding Shuyao immediately disagreed, saying, "It's too unsafe for a child like you to go alone."

Ye Zhenzhen wanted to try to persuade her again, but seeing Ding Shuyao's determined look, she remained silent.

Ding Shuyao looked at their outfits and said, "How about we change?"

Ye Zhenzhen looked down at her clothes and asked in confusion, "You mean you're going into the city dressed in rags?"

Ding Shuyao shook her head. "No, we want to dress very elegantly, so that we look very noble."

After saying that, Ding Shuyao smiled mysteriously.