The village exam was approaching, and Qing Town grew increasingly desolate.
To be precise, all the towns within the Sword Tongue Sect's territory had fallen into an eerily deserted state, with not a trace of the usual hustle and bustle.
Even though the exam was still twenty to thirty days away, the townsfolk had already shuttered their shops, and the official road outside the town was devoid of any travelers.
They understood the village exam involved the Sword Tongue Sect and that even the slightest misstep could bring catastrophic consequences.
Throughout Qing Town, the brothels were the only places still open, primarily to entertain Immortals. Evidently, even in the face of calamity, Han Ya still found time for indulgence.
At nightfall, the windows of Xinghua House emitted a faint ghostly glow, and the red lanterns swayed in the breeze, their candlelight flickering.
One could vaguely discern the shadows of the women within, laughing and chattering.