Wei Xiao and co. run down to find someone who could discuss with them about the screaming children. With how weird things happened, they can't just ignore it. They might have done something that they couldn't remember that would force them to be in bad terms with other people.
Running downstairs, the three found that the inn was filled with people.
"Aren't you people cultivators?" One man said.
"Yeah! Go fix that screaming. I can't get any sleep with those crying at night!!" Another expressed
"Isn't that why the city Lord let you people build an inn here. Go and fix that stupid screaming!"
"If you people can't fix it, just go and leave."
From left to right, the voices were loud and angry. The whole city seemed to have been awoken by the screaming as well. Except for Qin Zuijia nd Xiao Ling, everyone's eyes were puffy and red.
Qin Zuijia turned to Wei Xiao. "The whole city was affected."
Wei Xiao nodded. "They seem to know that the people working here were cultivators and are forcing them to fix the problem."
"But what exactly do those Children want?" Qin Zuijia scratches his head. "It can't be that they wanted to keep Xiao Ling and worship him like Buddha?"
Wei Xiao thought about it and found it funny and cute, but they certainly cannot give Xiao Ling to those children.
"Will we be able to contact the boy?"
"He didn't tell us how to. We won't be able to find them easily this time."
They walk towards the sea of people and push their way out.
Finally arriving at the dining hall, The group of three sat at an inconspicuous table.
Wei Xiao was sipping tea, Qin Zuijia was tapping his finger on the table, propping his cheeks with the other hand, looking rather lazy, and Xiao Ling was devouring an osmanthus cake.
A man handed them the menu and quickly ordered the breakfast meal. The man left with their order and rushed towards the kitchen.
"These cultivators are useless!" A voice suddenly came from another table. It was a woman who was in her mid forties. Her hand held a fan and ridicule was in her eyes.
"Their sect must've known about their incompetence. Why in the world would cultivators work in an inn instead of killing ghosts and demons!" The man with her added. Based on appearance, this man should be his son. "If i were a cultivator, I would not be as incompetent as these losers!"
These two people didn't lower their voice. The whole room heard their words and found that they may be right. How can cultivators be working in an inn. That's simply a joke!
Wei Xiao ignored those people and continued sipping his tea. Getting tangled in other people's business isn't his way of doing things. Qin Zuijia was too lazy to work and didn't listen to the other people. Xiao Ling can't be bothered when eating.
Wei Xiao looked at Qin Zuijia. "How are we going to deal with it?"
Qin Zuijia turned his gaze towards Wei Xiao, refusing to move his body. "Search. talk. then kill if necessary."
"How are we going to search for them?" Wei Xiao asked.
"Ask around?"
"Asking around wouldn't let us find them. But it would help in searching." Wei Xiao stated. "Where are we going to ask?"
Qin Zuijia batted his eyes very slowly. "Inn."
"Where in the inn?"
Qin Zuijia pointed at some people. "They seem to know."
In the inn that was occupied with both loud and aggressive people, and vicious yet silent people, the ones that stand out the most were the Mother and child pair. They both look like they came from well-off families and speaking ill of other people was a natural thing for them. Of course, many have cursed at those cultivators from the inn, but these two seem to the ones inciting them.
The woman held a fan while sipping tea and speaking loudly as to let these people hear them. The man was eating properly and agreeing with the woman. Both wore expensive looking robes with lotus patterns embroidered on the sides.
"Should we start with those people?" Qin Zuijia asked Wei Xiao.
Wei Xiao shook his head. "They may not have any valid information. Better ask these cultivators."
Qin Zuijia laughed and nodded. "They should know. If not, then why would they come in the south."
When the man, who took their order, returned with their food, Wei Xiao decided to invite him to chat.
"I apologize, Young Master, but the owner doesn't allow us to chat with others." The man said.
"We want to chat with you about the screaming children." Qin Zuijia interjected. "You see. My brother here somehow lost a memory when he hear the screaming children."
The man stared wide-eyed at Qin Zuijia. "How did you know that he lost his memory?"
"I didn't hear the screaming."
The man opened and closed his mouth, but unable to utter a word. He looked left and right before asking them to follow him. "Let's talk more privately, Lest people hear."
The two nodded and took Xiao Ling with them.
They arrived at the back of the inn, where a small house was erected. The house was a bit shabby and should only be able to accommodate a few people.
Wei Xiao didn't look at the house much, but felt that someone powerful was inside. That person should be in the late stage of Core Formation or early stage Nascent soul. He was rather surprised by the appearance of such a person, but nevertheless this was not the time to be so.
Qin Zuijia, however, was too lazy to care. He had been lazy since Wei Xiao told him that he had forgotten what happened that time. He was very happy to find that Wei Xiao was warming up to him, but now, he felt that that person that time was not Wei Xiao, but just his own wishful thinking. He did want Wei Xiao to remember that memory, but what if Wei Xiao remembered and decided that he was a freak that takes advantage of a person under a spell.
Qin Zuijia felt at a loss and didn't want to move again.
The group arrived inside the small house and was greeted with a middle-aged man who wore a very simple robe and had his hair down. Her face may have little wrinkles, but only god knows how old he is. His legs were crossed in a lotus position and his eyes were closed, obviously meditating.
The man with Wei Xiao and co. greeted the middle-aged man. "Senior, One of these people were under the screaming children's spell while the other one and the child were not." The man bowed lower. "I brought them to you for inspection."
Qin Zuijia raised his eyebrows. The man didn't tell them that they were being inspected. The man doesn't seem to care about their position, and thinks that they were just two rogue cultivators. He can't help but want to laugh. The man looks as if he was only 29 years old, Qin Zuijia was already 102, yet this man doesn't want to give a face.
The middle-aged man slowly opened his eyes and his gaze fell on Qin Zuijia. He had felt that this man was the most powerful among the three, even stronger than he is. He stood up and bowed to Qin Zuijia.
Qin Zuijia merely nodded. He was feeling even lazier.
"Young sirs. I am Wen Shu, I am the elder of Dragon Peak of Wind Masters sect." He said. His voice was calm with a trace of aging. It was hoarse, slow, but still gives off a feeling of benevolence. It was normal for the strong to try and surpass those who are weak, Qin Zuijia was stupefied when the middle-aged man waa lowering himself. Shouldn't he try and suppress Qin Zuijia rather than lower himself.
Qin Zuijia didn't know what to say, but still introduced himself. Or rather introduce a name that he plans to use in the future. "This one is surnamed Wei, first name Cheng. I'm a rogue cultivator.'' He turned to Wei Xiao and added. "This is my cousin Wei Fang." He pointed at Xiao Ling. "And this is his nephew Wei BaiLing."
The middle-age man nodded. "May I invite you three for a cup of tea."
Qin Zuijia nodded. "If you don't mind."
The middle-aged man talked to Qin Zuijia about their travels, where they went, and who they met. Qin Zuijia made up random stories which sound right and chose several unknown names and five known names in the cultivation world. He told them about travels which he just read from a book, and all other information where forged. Apart from one thing...Their experience the night when the screams of children rang.
Wei Xiao was just sitting on the side, sipping tea and acting as if everything his partner said was true, nodding one's when the middle-aged man looks at him and shaking his head when he found some information that doesn't seem right. Qin Zuijia would then change his story base on Wei Xiao's nods and shake of head. Their story sounded mediocre, but very believable.
"So you young masters came from Birthwort!" Wen Shu stared at the two people, wide-eyed. Everyone in Wolf Bane continent knows that Birthwort was the ugliest and most foul looking place where hundreds upon hundreds of dead animals are being thrown. Aside from that, the place is infested with carnivorous bees and poison flies. Many of the people who live there grew up poor and unintelligent, some grew to be thieves, some were taken by demon cultivators who fancies young children. No one from Birthwort was trustworthy.
Looking at the two in front of him, even the child looks like he came from a prominent family. One wore a beautiful black brocade robe, while the other wore white, though it was simple, they made the one who wore it more slender without making him look weak. The child wore a red dudou and on his shoulder was a light white robe with a cloud pattern and raindrops.
"Our ancestors came from Birthwort, but our parents have long lived in the south. We went to visit the place to familiarize with the difference parts of Wolf Bane continent." Qin Zuijia said, lying through his teeth, with a smile plastered on his face.
Wei Xiao ignored the other. Since the man didn't talk to him and chose the other, he would continue acting like air. This was also his way of punishing Qin Zuijia for being too lazy to work. He noticed the other's reluctance to stand earlier this morning. Now he has a way to force the other to work.
Of course, Qin Zuijia noticed that Wei Xiao didn't plan on helping him. His eyes twitched, but he forced the feeling back. He wanted the other to acknowledge him, but he still can't help but want to hit him in the head with a block of tofu.
"Oh!" Wen Shu suddenly exclaimed. "One of you was under the Screaming Children's spell."
"Yes." Qin Zuijia answered. "It was my cousin who was under the spell. Me and the little guy were deep in sleep when the screaming began."
Wen Shu nodded. "The whole city was under the spell." He said. He took out several papers from his bosoms and laid them out on the table. "Our sect leader wanted me and my disciples to solve this problem."
The papers were written by different people, One had beautiful calligraphy while the other were simple yet concise. All of them were information regarding the screaming children. But they still miss the most important thing that may help in finding where the screaming children are.
"We guessed that the screaming children may be the missing children of Willow city. Whenever a child went missing, the screaming would occur." Wen Shu looks at Qin Zuijia in all seriousness. Qin Zuijia found this kind of funny, but the situation seems grave. "The days before last night. No one reported a missing child. We speculated that along with a child, the people with them might have died as well."
Qin Zuijia lowered his head and bit his lips. He wanted to laugh, but he couldn't let the man see. His shoulders shook a bit, but he forced his laugh down. Wei Xiao saw how Qin Zuijia was shaking in laughter. He also felt that the situation was funny. Though what Wen Shu said was possible, it wasn't the truth.
Wen Shu saw that Qin Zuijia's head was lowered and thought that he was feeling downcast with the information he got. He knew that the man also brought with him a child, and thought that he was frightened of what might happen to the child.
"Don't worry, young sirs. We will solve this problem as soon as possible." Wen Shu said, his eyes brimming with courage and perseverance.
Qin Zuijia looked at him and almost burst out laughing.
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