Chapter 120: We Can't Get Out.

Xu Ming thought that the "Toad Buddha" made a lot of sense with its words. After replying to Xu Ming, the Toad Buddha closed its eyes again and continued listening to the prayers of other demons.

At this moment, Xu Ming was finally certain that this town was not a trap set for him.

The thick demonic aura emanating from the Toad Buddha was something Xu Ming had never encountered before, and it carried a hint of Buddhist serenity. If the Toad Buddha intended to harm him, Xu Ming wasn't even sure he could leave the main hall alive. Moreover, with so many demons around, Xu Ming wouldn't stand a chance against them all. There was no reason to go through such trouble just to target him.

After leaving the temple, Xu Ming encountered a wild chicken perched on a phoenix tree, standing tall and proud.

Xu Ming asked, "What are you doing?"

The wild chicken replied, "The phoenix rests on the phoenix tree. I'm resting here."

Xu Ming asked again, "Are you a phoenix?"

The wild chicken lifted its head arrogantly and said, "The phoenix is a bird. I am also a bird. The phoenix has wings. I also have wings. Why am I not a phoenix?"

Xu Ming: "..."

Such incidents were countless in this small town.

A snake coiled itself on an eave, spitting and hissing constantly, thinking it was a true dragon.

A pack of wolves took over the county office, dressed in magistrate's robes, claiming to be officials.

The wolf magistrate's subordinates, a group of old dogs, silently patrolled the streets, seemingly serious in their duties.

A plump fox wearing silk robes acted like a merchant, engaging in heated arguments over a single copper coin during transactions.

This place resembled a human city, yet not a single human was present. However, the atmosphere everywhere bore a distinctly "human" flavor.

Xu Ming found an inn to stay in.

Later, a monkey with a small flower pinned to its head knocked on Xu Ming's door, asking if Xu Ming needed any special services.

When Xu Ming opened the door, the monkey, named "Little Flower," brightened upon seeing him. She immediately stated that Xu Ming was her type and that she would offer him a discount.

Xu Ming, however, refused.

Still, he gave her some money and invited her in.

Naturally, Xu Ming wasn't interested in any special services. Other than some people from his previous life on Blue Star, no normal person would have tastes that heavy.

Xu Ming wanted to ask her about the strange nature of this town.

"You want to know about this place, Young Master?" Little Flower, holding a handkerchief, looked puzzled by Xu Ming's question. "This is just how this town is. Is it so strange? On the contrary, you humans show up occasionally and then vanish suddenly."

"Vanish suddenly?" Xu Ming became more confused.

"Yes," Little Flower replied, batting her eyelashes at Xu Ming. "Every now and then, humans come in. But after a short period, maybe three months, or at most a year or two, they suddenly disappear, as if they were never here.

"Those people always had the same confused expression as you, claiming they came from the outside world and asking us how to leave. But how would we know? We've lived here for generations."

Little Flower shrugged helplessly.

Xu Ming frowned slightly.

"But I did hear my great-grandmother say that when she was young, there used to be many humans here. Over time, they gradually disappeared, leaving only us behind," Little Flower added.

"Your great-grandmother? Where is she now?" Xu Ming asked.

"My great-grandmother passed away over two hundred years ago," Little Flower answered coyly, as if anticipating Xu Ming's question.

"..."

Xu Ming carefully processed what Little Flower had said.

First, this place seemed isolated from the world, likely sealed within a boundary that allowed entry but no exit.

Secondly, this city was not like this more than two hundred years ago. Back then, it was connected to the outside world.

The issue lies in this "more than two hundred years ago."

If Baiwa City had been like this two hundred years ago, no matter how remote it might be, Xu Ming would surely have heard about such a place. A city like this would have been extremely famous, attracting numerous cultivators to investigate it.

But Xu Ming had never heard of Baiwa City being this way.

"Could it be..."

Suddenly, a bold yet reasonable idea formed in Xu Ming's mind.

Could the flow of time in this place be different from that of the outside world? Could it be that Baiwa City only became like this in the past year or two, but for those inside, a couple of years outside translates to over two hundred years here?

And honestly, Xu Ming was quite concerned about what Little Flower had said: "Humans vanish within three months at the shortest, a year or two at the longest."

Xu Ming didn't believe for a second that the humans who disappeared had returned to the outside world.

If they had made it back, the strange nature of Baiwa City would have surely spread through their stories.

Therefore, those who vanished most likely truly disappeared.

"Young Master, do you really not need me to serve you? I wouldn't even charge you," Little Flower said softly, stepping closer as she saw Xu Ming deep in thought.

Startled, Xu Ming quickly stood up. "No need, truly. Thank you, Miss Little Flower, for your insights."

"Honestly, Young Master, you really are so oblivious to affection," Little Flower sighed as she stood up with an air of grievance. She walked out of the room, muttering with regret, "Such a handsome Young Master, but what a pity. He's probably going to disappear soon, too."

"Goose-goose-goose? (What do we do now?)" the Tianxuan Goose asked Xu Ming.

"Since ancient times, life has always been accompanied by death, cause by effect, and entry by exit. There must be a way out; we just need to find it," Xu Ming said, his gaze landing on the bag on the table.

Inside the bag were the ashes of Shen Sheng.

Once again, Xu Ming recalled Shen Sheng's dying words.

Shen Sheng had lived in Baiwa City of Qingyang County for many years and had even entrusted his ashes to Xu Ming, an enemy, hoping they would be returned to the city.

This place might have an extraordinary connection to Shen Sheng.

Xu Ming's fingers tapped the table unconsciously as he thought aloud, "Tomorrow, we'll head to the other side of Baiwa City and see if anyone there recognizes Shen Sheng."

At the same time, three men and one woman entered Baiwa City.

As soon as they stepped into the city, they all stopped in their tracks.

"What's going on? Wasn't it just daytime? Why did it suddenly turn dark?" asked Xia Donghua, the son of the Sect Master of the Tianxuan Sect, frowning.

"There's a huge demonic aura here," another man commented.

The lone woman among them began chanting a spell, sending golden runes flying toward the four directions of the city.

After a long while, she opened her eyes, frowned deeply, and shook her head. "We can't get out."

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