Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends

After leaving Haotian City, he had traveled to many places and asked many people.

Most people shook their heads and said they had never seen it. Occasionally, a few said they "seemed to have seen it," but when asked more closely, they couldn't specify the exact time and location.

However, he was not blindly optimistic.

On the morning he left Haotian City, when Tang Yuehua saw him off at the city gate, in addition to the bundle full of dry food and ointment, she also slipped a token into his hand.

The token was small, entirely black, and slightly heavy in the hand. The front was engraved with a relief of a Haotian Hammer, while the back had two intersecting arcs, like the surface of water ruffled by the wind, or the outlines of two intersecting mountain ranges.

"Although the Haotian Sect has been closed for many years, some things have never been interrupted." Tang Yuehua's tone was very soft at the time, but it carried an undeniable certainty.

“There are some places and some people on the mainland who, on the surface, have no connection with the Haotian Sect, but they have been passing on messages for the sect. This token can be used to access the intelligence they possess.”

Tang San took the token, his fingertips brushing against the relief on the Clear Sky Hammer. He could feel an extremely subtle energy flowing beneath the cool metal surface, like some kind of ancient restriction mark.

“Those places,” Tang Yuehua continued, “have a tiny mark on their plaques. Some are engraved on the lintel, some in the corner of the window, and some are hidden on the back of the signboard. When you get to the city, just keep an eye out. When you show your token, they will naturally understand your identity.”

She paused, then added, "These people have been hiding on the mainland for many years. Some are blacksmiths, some are teahouse owners, and some look like ordinary people setting up stalls on the street. But they all recognize this token. You don't need to say much; just show them the token, and they will help you."

Tang San nodded and carefully put the token away. He hadn't thought much of it at the time, simply considering it another way to gather information. But now, after traveling such a long distance, he realized just how valuable the token truly was.

Those places marked with hammers looked no different from any other shop around them.

But once he goes in and infuses his soul power into the token, the other party will deliver the necessary information to him in the shortest possible time.

No explanations or formalities are needed; it's as precise and silent as gears meshing.

And so, he followed Cinderella's trail all the way from Haotian City to here.

But he gradually discovered a problem.

The further west he went, the fewer clues he found about Cinderella. He stayed in that small town for two days, confirming through the Haotian Sect's intelligence network that Cinderella was indeed heading in this direction, but information beyond that became increasingly vague.

Cinderella wouldn't disappear for no reason; she must have gone to a place beyond the reach of the Haotian Sect's intelligence network.

On this continent, the only place where the Clear Sky Sect's reach cannot extend is the Spirit Hall's sphere of influence.

Tang San stepped across the boundary marker and entered the territory controlled by the Spirit Hall.

Unlike the tense atmosphere elsewhere in the Spirit Empire, life here was peaceful.

The streets were bustling with people, the shops were open as usual, and even the air seemed to have lost some of the tense, war-torn atmosphere of the border region.

Tang San was dressed in a plain gray outfit, his dark blue hair was casually tied back with a thick cloth strip, and he concealed all the aura of a Soul Master around him.

He looked like any young traveler on his way, carrying a bag, walking at a moderate pace, his gaze calmly sweeping over the shop signs and faces of pedestrians along the roadside.

The sky gradually darkened.

The trees on both sides of the official road grew denser, and sunlight quickly leaked through the gaps in the branches and leaves.

According to the map, the main road ahead will pass through a not-too-dense forest, and beyond that lies a medium-sized city. If we're lucky, we should be able to reach the city gate before dark.

Tang San quickened his pace. But after walking into the woods for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he stopped.

A campfire was burning in a clearing in the woods not far ahead.

Seven or eight people were sitting around the campfire. Some were warming themselves by the fire, some were organizing their equipment, and two were talking in hushed tones.

They were dressed in uniform dark-colored close-fitting outfits, with standard short blades hanging at their waists. Although they did not deliberately release their soul power, their aura of being highly trained and skilled was undeniable.

Tang San's gaze swept over those faces and then settled on one of them.

It was a woman sitting on a relatively flat rock by the campfire, holding a water bag in her hand, listening to what the person next to her was saying.

The firelight danced on her face, casting flickering light on her alluring eyes. Her long hair, unbound, cascaded loosely over her shoulders, the firelight gilding her dark hair with a warm, crimson glow.

Hu Liena.

Tang San recognized her.

Although quite some time has passed since the Soul Master Competition, he still hasn't forgotten Hu Liena's face.

Bibi Dong, the Pope of the Spirit Hall, is a direct disciple of the Spirit Hall and one of the most prominent figures in the Spirit Master Competition.

But Hu Liena didn't recognize him. His appearance now was completely different from that during the Soul Master Competition.

Back then, he had short, dark hair, and although his features were delicate, they were far less striking than they are now.

After the Blue Silver Emperor bloodline awakened, his appearance underwent a dramatic change, looking as if more than a decade had passed since he last appeared.

Let alone Hu Liena, even if Flander and Yu Xiaogang stood in front of him, they would probably have to look closely to recognize him.

Tang San didn't move. He stood in the shadows at the edge of the woods, quietly observing the group of people around the campfire, using the trees for cover.

Hu Liena didn't seem to be there on some secret mission. Although the people around her were dressed uniformly, they weren't making any effort to conceal their identities.

Two people were wiping their weapons, and another was making some notes. Their movements were all very natural, not like they were on guard against anything.

This gave Tang San a preliminary conclusion: she must have come out on patrol. As Bibi Dong's personal disciple, it was both her duty and a way to relieve some of the pressure on Bibi Dong, given the current stalemate in the Spirit Empire's war.

But Tang San still didn't go out immediately.

He was assessing whether to quietly bypass the clearing and continue on his way, or to pass right by them.

Bypassing is the safest approach, but it doesn't guarantee that you won't be discovered.

Passing by them was riskier, because he wasn't sure how Huliena would react to a young traveler like him who had appeared in the woods late at night.

Just then, Hu Liena suddenly turned her head and her gaze fell precisely on the direction where he was hiding.

Her alluring eyes narrowed slightly in the firelight, and then her voice carried through the night: "Hey friend over there, since you're here, why don't you come in and have a seat?"

Tang San was silent for a moment. He hadn't expected Hu Liena's senses to be so sharp. He thought he had completely concealed his aura, even his breathing was extremely light. It seemed her cultivation had improved considerably since the Soul Master Competition.

He stopped hiding and stepped out from the shadows of the trees. His pace was unhurried, and his demeanor was as composed as that of a traveler who had just passed by and was warmly invited by his host.

As Tang San approached the campfire, he could feel several gazes falling on him simultaneously. The Spirit Masters from the Spirit Hall were scrutinizing him, their eyes filled with scrutiny and wariness.

But Hu Liena did not.

Her gaze lingered on his face for a few seconds, a faint hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, as if she had seen something that slightly distracted her.

Tang San walked to the campfire and stopped a few steps away from it.

He didn't sit down, but stood there, nodding slightly: "Passing by, it's getting late, and I was looking for a place to rest. I apologize for disturbing you all."

His voice was steady, and his posture was polite but not overly respectful. He neither deliberately showed weakness nor appeared defensive.

The balance was just right, befitting the attitude of a true traveler passing through.

Hu Liena looked at him, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly. It was a very faint curve, not quite a smile, but more like an expression of "it's interesting."

“It’s not safe for travelers to be walking in the woods at this hour. Sit down and rest for a while.” She gestured to an empty rock beside her.

"We are not bad people, we are just passing by and taking a break."

Tang San glanced at the rock, then at the others around the campfire.

The Spirit Masters from the Spirit Hall were still observing him, but the wariness in their eyes had lessened somewhat. He thanked them and sat down on the rock.

The campfire crackled, sending sparks flying that were carried by the night wind into the night sky.

Hu Liena casually took out a piece of dry food from the bag next to her and handed it to him: "Have something to eat? You must be hungry after walking for so long."

Tang San took the dry rations, but didn't eat them immediately. He just held them in his hand and said, "Thank you."

He paused, then asked casually, "You all look like travelers on a long journey. Which direction are you headed?"

“Head west,” Hu Liena said casually, as if discussing something insignificant. “There’s some work to do.”

“This area is relatively safe; there’s nothing to hide. But you,” she tilted her head slightly to look at him, “traveling alone in the woods so late, where are you headed?”

Tang San did not answer immediately.

His gaze fell on the flickering campfire, the firelight illuminating his profile and casting his unreal, handsome face in shifting light and shadow.

He spoke calmly, "Go to that city up ahead. I heard medicinal herbs are cheap there recently, and I'd like to buy some to take back with me."

"Medicinal herbs?" Hu Liena raised an eyebrow slightly. "Are you a pharmacist?"

"Not really," Tang San said. "I just know a little bit and help people carry things around."

Hu Liena looked at him but didn't press the matter further. Her gaze lingered on his face for a few moments, as if scrutinizing something, before she looked away, picked up the water pouch, and took a sip.

Seeing that the captain wasn't questioning them further, the others around the campfire relaxed. Some started chatting quietly, some checked their equipment, and one leaned against a tree root, closing his eyes to rest. The atmosphere gradually shifted from tense to relaxed.

Tang San held the piece of dry rations and sat silently for a while.

He didn't eat, nor did he rush to leave. He quickly processed the information he had just observed in his mind.

Hu Liena's decision to go west indicates that the Spirit Hall's western front strategy is still functioning normally.

Cinderella's whereabouts completely disappeared after entering the area controlled by the Spirit Hall. Either she deliberately concealed her whereabouts, or she went to a place that even the Clear Sky Sect's intelligence network could not reach.

Either way, it means he needs to be even more careful going forward.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Tang San stood up and prepared to leave.

He patted the dust off his robes.

"Thank you for your hospitality. It's getting late, I should hurry on my way and try to get into the city before the gates close."

Hu Liena stood up as well, casually straightening her collar: "It takes about an hour to get from here to the city gate if you travel at a normal pace. The forest is not safe after dark, so be careful if you're traveling alone."

Her tone wasn't exactly intimate, but it wasn't distant either. That just-right sense of proportion stirred something within Tang San.

He nodded, said nothing more, and turned to walk out of the woods.

After walking a few steps, he heard Hu Liena's voice behind him, as if she were just casually mentioning: "By the way, if you need a place to stay when you get to the city, you can find an inn called Zuiyuelou. That place is fairly clean."

Tang San didn't turn around, but paused slightly before continuing to walk forward.

The light of the campfire behind them was gradually obscured by the trees, and the sound of their footsteps was swallowed up by the night wind, soon disappearing completely into the depths of the forest.

He knew that Hu Liena had told him where to stay simply out of a casual act of kindness towards a handsome young traveler.

She would invite him to sit down, give him some dry food, and even tell him which inn was clean, all because to her these were just trivial things on her journey.

She might even soon forget that she had met such a person tonight.

As he emerged from the woods, the outline of the city was already faintly visible in the twilight. The lights on the city walls were not yet fully lit, but figures were already moving about at the city gate.

Tang San quickened his pace.

……

On the other side, Cinderella was unaware that Tang San had already left Haotian City, let alone that he was chasing after her along the path she had taken.